Exeter (A) - Sunday 27th March 2022

[loretta]

I'm old fashioned, I'm afraid. While I recognise the tactics around the payoffs, I'd really like to finish top. Not just top 2.
Plus, it's often been correctly stated that winning is a habit. Keep winning, maintain 1st spot, and roll through to the quarters with the right frame of mind.

[OakhamTiger32]

While there are no easy games clearly some are more winnable so here's what I'm thinking:

Exeter (A) - reintegrate the England lads and send a strong team down. Exeter have had an up and down season and this is a great chance to get a rare away win at Sandy Park.

Quins (A) - Rotate out a few players in need of a rest.
Bristol (H) - Full strength
Falcons (A) - Almost Full strength, few players rotated out
Wasps (H) - Full strength

I'd expect us to win the final 3 but we don't want to leave it late to secure top 2 so I'd go full strength against Exeter. Away to Quins is our toughest match remaining imho.

For Exeter I largely agree with the OP but I'd start Youngs and would have Clare on the bench. For me:

15. Steward
14. Potter
13. Moroni
12. Kelly
11. Nadolo
10. Burns
9. Youngs
1. Whitcombe
2. Montoya
3. Cole
4. Wells
5. Chessum
6. Liebenberg
7. Reffell
8. Wiese

Clare, Genge, Heyes, Snyman, Martin, Wigglesworth, Ford, Scott.

Impact bench with England players reintegrating back in. Steward and Youngs to start, Burns keeps the 10 jersey on merit.

[SthrnTiger]

Understand peoples desire to start Burns but for me our best chance of winning any trophies is with an in form Ford so we need to give him as many minutes as possible over coming weeks.

[Ian Cant]

Sorry: “inform Ford,” he has hardly played since Christmas, Wasps and Sarries away where, great player that he is, his form was patchy! Burns has the confidence and plays off the cuff which I honestly believe we need to do IF we aspire to be Champions.
It was at this time last year Quins got things exactly right by a) playing largely the same players( who can forget Mahler playing full 80 minutes, then extra time in the play offs) and b) being a bit more adventurous ( well actually by the final matches alot more adventurous ) to become, in my humble opinion, the most exciting team to win the semis and final since we beat Gloucester!
One game at a time. Need to beat Exeter away to further increase confidence about winning away from home at places we rarely win at: so far we’ve lost away again at Sale and Sarries but beat Bath. Lose to Exeter and then Quins away and Clermont will look much harder. No point leaving anything in the locker then blow a glorious opportunity!

[Rugbygramps]

Sorry: “inform Ford,” he has hardly played since Christmas, Wasps and Sarries away where, great player that he is, his form was patchy! Burns has the confidence and plays off the cuff which I honestly believe we need to do IF we aspire to be Champions.
It was at this time last year Quins got things exactly right by a) playing largely the same players( who can forget Mahler playing full 80 minutes, then extra time in the play offs) and b) being a bit more adventurous ( well actually by the final matches alot more adventurous ) to become, in my humble opinion, the most exciting team to win the semis and final since we beat Gloucester!
One game at a time. Need to beat Exeter away to further increase confidence about winning away from home at places we rarely win at: so far we’ve lost away again at Sale and Sarries but beat Bath. Lose to Exeter and then Quins away and Clermont will look much harder. No point leaving anything in the locker then blow a glorious opportunity!

I do agree re Ford. Both he and Tigers have been well and truly shafted by Jones selection policy. The time for him to find his form is not away to one of our top 4 competitors. He should be fit and raring to go so have him on the bench and give him some time depending on the match at the end and if necessary give him a half in the PRC

[rugbym4dmike]

SB does appear to reward players that are playing well and Freddie has been the in form flyhalf in the league, so am sure he will start

[OakhamTiger32]

Sorry: “inform Ford,” he has hardly played since Christmas, Wasps and Sarries away where, great player that he is, his form was patchy! Burns has the confidence and plays off the cuff which I honestly believe we need to do IF we aspire to be Champions.
It was at this time last year Quins got things exactly right by a) playing largely the same players( who can forget Mahler playing full 80 minutes, then extra time in the play offs) and b) being a bit more adventurous ( well actually by the final matches alot more adventurous ) to become, in my humble opinion, the most exciting team to win the semis and final since we beat Gloucester!
One game at a time. Need to beat Exeter away to further increase confidence about winning away from home at places we rarely win at: so far we’ve lost away again at Sale and Sarries but beat Bath. Lose to Exeter and then Quins away and Clermont will look much harder. No point leaving anything in the locker then blow a glorious opportunity!

Agreed Ian. Burns to start with Ford off the bench. Burns is kicking well, controlling the game and has an X factor that brings an exciting edge to Tigers attacking play. He should get the 10 jersey for me

[Tiglon]

Pretty sure sthrntiger was saying that our best chance to win things is to get Ford in form, not that he is in form.

Surely that should be the priority now rather than just say screw it he hasn't played much recently so let's just forget about him?

[RagingBull]

Don't fully buy that logic.
It's not really the stage to say let's try and get him back in form IMO.

[Rugbygramps]

Pretty sure sthrntiger was saying that our best chance to win things is to get Ford in form, not that he is in form.

Surely that should be the priority now rather than just say screw it he hasn't played much recently so let's just forget about him?

Not sure anyone is saying screw him let’s forget about him, rather that we as fans are hoping that Burns isn’t consigned to the bench just because Ford is back. Form isn’t maybe the right term more match sharpness so bring him on against tiring legs against Exeter, give him a half against Irish.
At the end of the day SB will make the decision and we will live with it

[TigerFeetSteve]

Pretty sure sthrntiger was saying that our best chance to win things is to get Ford in form, not that he is in form.

Surely that should be the priority now rather than just say screw it he hasn't played much recently so let's just forget about him?

Not sure anyone is saying screw him let’s forget about him, rather that we as fans are hoping that Burns isn’t consigned to the bench just because Ford is back. Form isn’t maybe the right term more match sharpness so bring him on against tiring legs against Exeter, give him a half against Irish.
At the end of the day SB will make the decision and we will live with it

I can't see Ford playing twice in 3 days. No major players will be playing in both.

[Rugbygramps]

Pretty sure sthrntiger was saying that our best chance to win things is to get Ford in form, not that he is in form.

Surely that should be the priority now rather than just say screw it he hasn't played much recently so let's just forget about him?

Not sure anyone is saying screw him let’s forget about him, rather that we as fans are hoping that Burns isn’t consigned to the bench just because Ford is back. Form isn’t maybe the right term more match sharpness so bring him on against tiring legs against Exeter, give him a half against Irish.
At the end of the day SB will make the decision and we will live with it

I can't see Ford playing twice in 3 days. No major players will be playing in both.

In theory yes but all ifs and buts if he were to get 20 minutes against Exeter, and he said he wanted a half against Irish to continue that sharpness then it wouldn’t be out of the question. The issue in my mind is that IF he does get limited game time against Exeter it’s the 2 weeks till Clermont and back yo square 1.
As I posted earlier this is not anti Ford, I would love to see him back and playing well but he has been well and truly shafted by Jones

[Tigerbeat]

Noone can second guess Steve Borthwick but I would expect Ford to go straight back into the team with Freddie on the bench.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Ok so Nottingham aren't playing this weekend, but are playing the weekend after so I doubt we'll use any/many Notts players so this is my prediction on the two teams


League Away vs Exeter

Burns
Potter
Moroni
Kelly
Nadolo
Ford
Youngs
Whitcombe
Montoya
Heyes
Wells
Chessum O
Liebenberg (c)
Reffell
Wiese

Dolly
Genge
Leatigaga
Synman
Robinson/Martin
JVP
Scott
Ashton/Steward


Cup Home vs L Irish

Murimurivalu
Van Wyk
Porter
Socino
Saumaki
Hegarty
Edwards
Richardson
Vanes
Hurd
Martin
Chessum L
Agbongbon
Ilione
Jansen

Clare
Van Wyk
Hoyt
Douglas-Bridge/Owen
Koroiyadi
Law
Lancaster
Cusick


Suspect Martin may play on the bench in the league, unless Borthwick wants to see him at lock.

[Scott1]

Could be a little off here but didn't we hit a little bit of form in our dark days with Harrison and Toomua at 9 and 10 but Youngs and Ford were immediately shoehorned into the team and we went backwards for a while? Play those in form for me!