Tigers v Exeter

[TigerCam]

I once had the dubious pleasure of watching a Tigers move from one wing to the other, flat line finger-tip stuff especially from George Chuter, from my vantage point in the Crumbie. I could see the whole thing because we never gained an inch of territory. Backwards and forwards ACROSS the park. The week after we changed to a veeeerrrrrrry slow circle ball executed by players like 12T while the opposition stood in a line and watched. People forget how poor our back play was at that time, though the forwards were good. Backs coach? You KNOW!!!!

I remember those days well, funnily enough I witnessed some of the same down at Leicester Road last Saturday!
It works against physically weaker opposition, but against stamina and shape was born the reliance on a certain young outside centre to be direct.
I expect a bit more threat from the likes of Ford and Toomua to be totally honest, they both have an ability to line break and need to contribute more than last weekend, only then can Leicester bring in a genuine open side to add to proceedings.
If they continue the same side to side probing though then the extra beef will no doubt be required on the back row for a bashing contest!

If the back 5 are not breaking up the defensive line, the back line will spend a lot of time moving laterally. Reliance on a young outside centre to be direct is so well read these days that to have any effect the gaps must be made. Bosch handles both 12 and 13 well. In previous match teams will double-tackle or in Manu's case when his knee was injured he was triple tackled with the third tackler taking out the back fo his knee (a tackle tactic banned in NFL I believe). Give the Tigers the space by disrupting the defensive line and they will pour through and score on most attempts. Until they find some kind of structure(s) to make this happen against all sides of different abilities,don't expect the Tigers 'hollywood' backline to do very much.

[G.K]

Personally I hope this game will be the watershed that either prompts a rethink of strategy or the BoD to have second thoughts.

Just had a deja vue with flashback all over again and not for the first time.

[mol2]

Expecting the backs to make the holes is a bit much to burden Manu with after having missed much of the passed 2 seasons.

Those holes should be made by the forwards particularly from 4-8, however line breaking runs from these have been conspicuous by their absence. Genge and Youngs have done this from the front row (akin to Cole doing the 7 role) but that is papering over the cracks that our back row is not physical enough with ball in hand and not capable of snaffling the ball at the breakdown. Our second rows may be big but get stopped too easily.

The "Manu's back all will be well" is not going to be enough. We need to get enough ball for our star studded backs to make use of in the right areas. Passing from side to side won't be enough.

[BFG]

There are holes all over the park but the trouble is they often aren't exposed as big enough for Leicester.
One thing though and that is that you don't see the likes of Owen Farrell waiting for everyone else to do it!
George Ford needs to accept more responsibility in my opinion, as does Toomua!
Having two playmakers is not just simply to play with width, it's also to have a playmaker available at every phase allowing the other to test the line.
There is absolutely no point in taking the ball to the line if the opposition know that you aren't coming to test it directly!
If it's going to the line then it's to keep defenders second guessing, presently we all know where it's going!

[jgriffin]

That's where Toby was so good, hit the line and offloaded behind it to runners.

[Soggypitch]

That's where Toby was so good, hit the line and offloaded behind it to runners.

Ford can do that no problem and with better skill than Tobes IMO. However the difference is George is constantly having to play behind the gain line and a beaten pack, whereas Floody rarely had that issue.

[L Smith]

That's where Toby was so good, hit the line and offloaded behind it to runners.

This!

[strawclearer]

That's where Toby was so good, hit the line and offloaded behind it to runners.

This!

Double this! I reckon he'd have come back to us instead of Falcons if we'd asked nicely!

[WhitecapTiger]

MO'C: “Dom Ryan is back training fully and will come in to the mix and available for selection in the next couple of weeks.”

So - not Sunday although BBCLeicester saying "Dominic Ryan is back available for the NYE trip to Exeter after concussion in the autumn."

So, that's clear then...

In other news - Dom Barrow is to see a specialist over a persistent neck problem.

Update:

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport ... men-984640

“Dom Ryan is training fully and is available for selection and will come back into the mix in the next couple of weeks,” said Tigers’ head coach Matt O’Connor. “It will be important to have him back. We are trying to work out the best make-up of our back five and Dom is a bloke who has really good impact on both sides of the ball. He plays a bit of six and bit of seven. Mike Williams, Tino Mapapalangi, Luke Hamilton and Brendon O’Connor have all been doing a job there for us but it would be nice to see Dom feature."

And on O’Connor he added: “Brendon has trained and is over a handful of niggles he had leading into the European campaign so he is back and fully fit. We will make a call on the final make-up of the 23 for Exeter after we train on Friday. Brendon is certainly in the mix for that.”

“Dom Barrow is waiting to see a specialist around getting a better diagnosis around his symptoms and we should know more about that after the Christmas New Year break,” said the Tigers head coach. “He has struggled with it for a little while. He played in those Munster games and he didn’t think he was right. The medical team are still trying to get to the bottom of it but hopefully he is not too far away. Dom is really keen to play and we are keen to involve him. But obviously he has to be right.”

[ghdav27]

Doesn't sound like we'll be seeing much of Will Evans then, real shame. Not seen much of Dom Ryan but I haven't been particularly impressed.

[trendylfj]

After O'Connor's comments today, either Dom Ryan or Brendon will be in the 23 and just possibly both. I would go with
Logo
TPN
Cole
Wells
Kitchener
O'Connor
Kalamafoni
Hamilton
Youngs
Ford G
May
Tuilagi
Toomua
Thompstone

Rizzo
Youngs
Cillers
Williams
Evans
Harrison
Ford
Malouf/Holmes

Not knowing the fitness of the replacement props or even if Bateman is fit does make the bench difficult to select but the 15 would be my preferred lot who I know are fit based what he has said.

[WhitecapTiger]

After O'Connor's comments today, either Dom Ryan or Brendon will be in the 23 and just possibly both. I would go with
Logo
TPN
Cole
Wells
Kitchener
O'Connor
Kalamafoni
Hamilton
Youngs
Ford G
May
Tuilagi
Toomua
Thompstone

Rizzo
Youngs
Cillers
Williams
Evans
Harrison
Ford
Malouf/Holmes

Not knowing the fitness of the replacement props or even if Bateman is fit does make the bench difficult to select but the 15 would be my preferred lot who I know are fit based what he has said.

Even the most optimistic Tigers supporter would prefer to start with 15 against the league leaders so likely Tait at 15 for me.

Not sure if your selection is 'in postion order' -if so I'd swap Tuilagi and Toomua around to 12 / 13 respectively. Likewise, 6 Hamilton, 7 O'Connor & 8 Kalamafoni. I'd also have Mapapalangi on the bench instead of Evans - who from MOCs comments, or lack of mention, doesn't appear ready to figure (again, not sure).

In an article about the impending signing (?) of Argentinian Loosehead Facundo Gigena, MOC mentioned that he'd give us more depth with Genge and Bateman out - so I would presume Bateman to still be crocked but not certain. Not sure of Rizzo's current status either, recalled from Edinburgh but injured around same time I believe.

[trendylfj]

After O'Connor's comments today, either Dom Ryan or Brendon will be in the 23 and just possibly both. I would go with
Logo
TPN
Cole
Wells
Kitchener
O'Connor
Kalamafoni
Hamilton
Youngs
Ford G
May
Tuilagi
Toomua
Thompstone

Rizzo
Youngs
Cillers
Williams
Evans
Harrison
Ford
Malouf/Holmes

Not knowing the fitness of the replacement props or even if Bateman is fit does make the bench difficult to select but the 15 would be my preferred lot who I know are fit based what he has said.

Even the most optimistic Tigers supporter would prefer to start with 15 against the league leaders so likely Tait at 15 for me.

Not sure if your selection is 'in postion order' -if so I'd swap Tuilagi and Toomua around to 12 / 13 respectively. Likewise, 6 Hamilton, 7 O'Connor & 8 Kalamafoni. I'd also have Mapapalangi on the bench instead of Evans - who from MOCs comments, or lack of mention, doesn't appear ready to figure (again, not sure).

In an article about the impending signing (?) of Argentinian Loosehead Facundo Gigena, MOC mentioned that he'd give us more depth with Genge and Bateman out - so I would presume Bateman to still be crocked but not certain. Not sure of Rizzo's current status either, recalled from Edinburgh but injured around same time I believe.
Oooops - agree about Tait and yes I didn't put in number order

[trendylfj]

Oh dear - CM-K is sir - what chance now????

[voice of the crumbie]

Oh dear - CM-K is sir - what chance now????

Prepare for a long match as he consults the TMO on every decision.