Tigers v Gloucester Rugby - Teams up

[RagingBull]

Was slightly thinking Tigers needed to sign another 7 for depht but after today don't.

[tigercaspian]

My Not Not pals who I have just shared a pint with said they were well entertained by the game!

Cockers gave team a right slating on RL for the second 20 minutes and rightly so too - they clearly thought Glaws were just going to rollover . Which they didn't and in fairness they never stopped trying until the final whistle.

The other 60 minutes were pretty good although agree with all who think YBY is so out of it as to be a liability at moment .

Will Evans a revelation and Barrow gave a MoM performance, ahead of Betham, Tuilagi,and Veianu.
The line out steal for our fourth try - Barrow I think but may have been Kitch - was magic and to see Tigers immediately run the try in in the other corner was glorious .

Slater gone for an HIA I understand

[jgriffin]

Mea culpa, I was the fan shouting 'Idiotic' when OW booted the ball dead with 2 minutes to go. Almost too much to bear.
YBY was awful, Mulipola way off the pace and missing tackles. After 15 minutes players started going AWOL in defence and it was so embarrassing. Barrow was killing himself covering the gaps.
A better team would've put a cricket score on us.
I was hoping for Shazam to come on, and his appearance on 57 minutes for me turned the game. Evans made an excellent debut, Manu works best in the 13 channel, glad we have Betham and Veianu, Harry is a good 'un, Kitch is indispensable in a fast game. BOC on the park is a big plus.
Cockers has a problem in selection next week - can we afford YBY's sloth? Is Croft a starter? Think the backs are fine.

We are very lucky to be where we are in the AP.

[Grimlish]

Ben increasingly is a player for big games. He'll start next week because he can do things no-one expects, his attacking game has the potential to be special. Today he was slow and provided slow ball. We've seen it before and he's come back the following week and shown what he is capable of. I don't like it but I can understand it - he's played a lot of rugby, barely having had a break in 10-11 months, like a few others.

A different heresy: The way heads went down when Gloucester scored was worrying and I can understand RC being furious. But nothing had changed in reality - if we scored the two tries needed for the TBP we would be right back on level terms, and so it proved. Here's the thing though: Given what we saw today there must be an on-field leadership issue, and if I recall Ed was on the pitch throughout most of that horrendous 20 minutes of headless chicken rugby we saw in the first half. We certainly coped without him second half. If he's not the sainted leader and he's not fit and he's not an eight (or a six) and he doesn't fit into the engine room..........

I don't think the issue is our defence either, it's knowing when to press the risk-taking button in attack. We tried it too early today and gave away needless tries. Once it's broken field play defensive systems aren't the key, commitment is. That's what was so pleasing about Will Evans today.

A great game for the neutral, a terrible game for my heart.

[ellis9]

I wouldn't say Harrison coming on changed the game that much.

[Stu_F]

Is it me or do we look far more dangerous attacking from deep? If we start going through the phases close to the line we don't look anything like as dangerous.

[sapajo]

What happened to Fonua he was named on the bench was on the pitch pre kick off and then vanishes

[drc_007]

Is it me or do we look far more dangerous attacking from deep? If we start going through the phases close to the line we don't look anything like as dangerous.

I think you are correct, not sure any of the forwards have the power to be a big ball carrier in heavy traffic. I suspect only Barrow beat a defender.

They need to have the confidence to spin it wide to the backs instead of simply pounding against a resolute defence.

[tigercaspian]

Good point about leadership Grimlish. After Glaws second try, Slater was by an upright in front of me and he looked knackered and wasn't saying much. He went off at halftime for an HIA and so I assume that he went on for as long as he could

[RagingBull]

What happened to Fonua he was named on the bench was on the pitch pre kick off and then vanishes

He was never named on the bench

[strawclearer]

Was slightly thinking Tigers needed to sign another 7 for depht but after today don't.

Certainly an impressive debut and with O'Connor to learn from, he's got an opportunity to really learn his craft. O'Connor + McCaffrey + Evans + who knows with Thacker...

[Stu_F]

What happened to Fonua he was named on the bench was on the pitch pre kick off and then vanishes

He was never named on the bench

And a bit of a challenge for him to vanish!

[sapajo]

What happened to Fonua he was named on the bench was on the pitch pre kick off and then vanishes

He was never named on the bench

Thank you, seems I had a very bad case of wishful thinking, we badly need someone with his physicality! Perhaps he was being saved for Stade.

[RagingBull]

What happened to Fonua he was named on the bench was on the pitch pre kick off and then vanishes

He was never named on the bench

Thank you, seems I had a very bad case of wishful thinking, we badly need someone with his physicality! Perhaps he was being saved for Stade.

Prob also to give BOC and Slater game time before the Stade game

[jgriffin]

I wouldn't say Harrison coming on changed the game that much.

Whether it was new instructions or what, he sped up the game considerably. Either that or I was at another game where YBY slowed ball down constantly or took several steps before delivering.