Northampton v Leicester

[TomWeston]

I don't know whether this has been mentioned yet but I think Manu Tuilagi easily won the battle of Tuilagi v Burrell. IMO, Burrell isn't fit to lace Tuilagi's boots!

That was a given, their face-offs have invariably shown Manu's superiority.

[Skin_and_Muscle]

Burrell: 'Catch ball, hesitate, realise there's nothing between the ears, run straight at defenders, get turned over . . . miss tackle.'

A glorified Brad Barritt, without the skill (but from Yorkshire so Tuilagi has got to get used to not seeing any ball from his inside centre - subsequently getting blamed for it!).

[MarchingIn]

I don't know whether this has been mentioned yet but I think Manu Tuilagi easily won the battle of Tuilagi v Burrell. IMO, Burrell isn't fit to lace Tuilagi's boots!

Totally disagree. Tuilagi is an impressive premiership performer and a gives tactical options as a sub or somebody you sub off at International level. He's always going to break tackles, especially with his socks rolled down and his legs shaved & greased as usual. But, after he's played 60 mins at top flight intensity, he's had it. You can't maintain his bulk and power and still have the fitness to run round all night - same reason you have a couple of props on the bench! He was drifting wide even though it was covered, and then got outstepped by a back row for our winning try on Friday, and you could see he was completely done in.

Burrell has been excellent for us & still getting better - his superior athletecism will ultimately win him first choice for England starts as he will still be running flat out on the final whistle if you don't sub him - as he was on Friday when he hit top gear and offloaded perfectly to wood for the winner.

[Louis]

First, congrats to Saints, sure I'm bitterly disappointed, but Saints were magnificent in the second half. A win was, in my view, on the cards for Saints from about 50 mins in. You just looked like winning to me.

Second, whilst Tigers were beaten by the better team on the day, I'd agree with several posters here that this was because Tigers failed to capitalise on, and hold, a lead tactically. I've seen this combination (or ones very like it) play vastly better than they did in the second half.

Roll on next season!

[ellis9]

No, totally disagree! George North stepped up too early when Tuilagi scored, so does that mean he was tired? I don't think Tuilagi greases his legs either although I don't look at them that closely. If that floats your boat then fair enough.

Based on Fridays performance, can you choose a moment in the match where Burrell outshone Tuilagi? I can't

[MarchingIn]

No, totally disagree! George North stepped up too early when Tuilagi scored, so does that mean he was tired? I don't think Tuilagi greases his legs either although I don't look at them that closely. If that floats your boat then fair enough.

Based on Fridays performance, can you choose a moment in the match where Burrell outshone Tuilagi? I can't

Not especially, but the same applies in reverse. Tuilagi had a trot in for his try, it was made by the timing of the offload & didn't really look like scoring any more, nor did he make any winning passes.

Both were solid, neither had the game of their life or outshone the other. I suspect Luther carried the ball more yards in attack, but Saints played a more positive game.

[sapajo]

At the end of the day the fact of the matter is that Manu Tuilagi is the only truly world class 13 currently playing in the premiership.

[TigerLad]

I don't know whether this has been mentioned yet but I think Manu Tuilagi easily won the battle of Tuilagi v Burrell. IMO, Burrell isn't fit to lace Tuilagi's boots!

Totally disagree. Tuilagi is an impressive premiership performer and a gives tactical options as a sub or somebody you sub off at International level. He's always going to break tackles, especially with his socks rolled down and his legs shaved & greased as usual. But, after he's played 60 mins at top flight intensity, he's had it. You can't maintain his bulk and power and still have the fitness to run round all night - same reason you have a couple of props on the bench! He was drifting wide even though it was covered, and then got outstepped by a back row for our winning try on Friday, and you could see he was completely done in.

Burrell has been excellent for us & still getting better - his superior athletecism will ultimately win him first choice for England starts as he will still be running flat out on the final whistle if you don't sub him - as he was on Friday when he hit top gear and offloaded perfectly to wood for the winner.

Ha, that's quality. Manu completely destroyed Burrell, watch the game again and you'll see that on many occasions Manu received the ball stood still before running straight over Burrell. Burrell made one break and that was only after being put through a gap, Manu makes the gap himself. If Manu's fit he starts for almost any team on the planet. Burrell is a decent enough player and if he can adapt his game to suit Manu he might make the England team at 12 but Manu is the focal point of the attack and will probably remain that way for another 10 years or so. I don't buy this nonsense about Manus fitness. Surely if his fitness is poor then coaches would take him off? But no, he plays 80 minutes against the worlds best sides and dominates. When Burrell can do that instead of doing a job against the likes of Italy then maybe he warrants selection. You also seem to be forgetting that Manu has just turned 23, he's still no where near his prime yet and over the next few years he will improve things which people feel the need to criticise him for. That's a scary thought really and I'm glad he plays for us! Deep down who would you rather have? You'd take Manu every day of the week. But you can't because he plays for us

[MarchingIn]

Rugby is a squad game, if you want to win tournaments, you don't build anything around one starting 15 let alone one player.

Burrell scored 3 in his first 4 internationals - a world class hit rate, out of position. Tuigali still doesn't look like he's back to the absolute top of his game yet, but he is a great attacking player. I would put both in any squad right now.

I stand by my remarks about Tuigali over 80 minutes at International level if its an open game with lots of running. Watch the last 25 minutes of the 2013 thumping we got off the Welsh. He wasn't dominating anything and he got trounced by a flanker - that's playing Wales, not one of the big 3 southern hemisphere sides. I'm not running the lad down, he's a very good player, just saying what I see from an England perspective.

I wouldn't swap any of our team. We have the squad we need & planning consent to make FG a Heineken Cup capacity ground - our time has come.

[sapajo]

our time has come.

For what exactly

[Bristol Tiger]

MarchingIn - you haven't won anything yet - though I hope you beat Saracens in the Premiership final. (Prefer keeping Tigers as the main serial title winner )

On Manu, let's see how the England team do against NZ. I seem to remember a certain 13 bouncing through Richie McGraw and Dan Carter, amongst others, while scoring or setting up tries. On Manus return to the six nations he also scored within 10 minutes. He's not fully fit yet, agreed, but he outplayed Burrell for 80 minutes on Friday night.

[RWA]

Marchingin...some good points....disagree with negative tactics by Tigers. Like Saints have never walked slowly to a line out or slowed the ball down !? Come on do me a favour ! And you throwing away Derby games....maybe you were actually outplayed in those games !!? I do think that Saints have thrown so much into beating us that the bigger picture hasn't been looked at. Tigers will of course be back next season, and if we meet with Parling, Croft, Allen an Benjamin fit, I suspect the result will be different.

[sapajo]

Marchingin...some good points....disagree with negative tactics by Tigers. Like Saints have never walked slowly to a line out or slowed the ball down !? Come on do me a favour ! And you throwing away Derby games....maybe you were actually outplayed in those games !!? I do think that Saints have thrown so much into beating us that the bigger picture hasn't been looked at. Tigers will of course be back next season, and if we meet with Parling, Croft, Allen an Benjamin fit, I suspect the result will be different.

Not to mention Cole and Camacho

[MarchingIn]

Marchingin...some good points....disagree with negative tactics by Tigers. Like Saints have never walked slowly to a line out or slowed the ball down !? Come on do me a favour ! And you throwing away Derby games....maybe you were actually outplayed in those games !!?

Not saying Saints sides haven't ever done it, I'm talking about the semi specifically.

Saints have been out-thought and out-played in some recent derby games & I won't deny that - but definitely mugged themselves with a draw at Welford Road this year. Burrell got himself binned for dumping Allen & Lawes got himself binned for dissent - both unnecessary. We should have won that game but we chucked it away and 2 pointless yellows did not help.

[MarchingIn]

our time has come.

For what exactly

To take the title.

I got dragged 20 feet clinging onto Wayne Shelford's leg on the main pitch at Franklin's Gardens in a youth training session as a boy & I've been a Saints fan ever since. Not a diehard fan, but I've followed the club for over 20 years. I've stood in the old 'cow shed' tin roofed terraces and watched a first team game against Orrell. I've seen Saints turn professional, get relegated twice, lift the Heineken cup and some lesser trophies & reach a couple of top flight finals only to go home empty handed.

I would absolutely love us to win at HQ. Saracens are a great team defensively and the London hooray henries will be out in support, but this Saints team can do it if they believe. Even if it isn't ment to be this year, the club is on the up and up, and it will happen for us soon.

COYS!