Semi final v Saints - 11th June 2022 KO 4-30pm

[PIEANDAPINT]

It is interesting to read the Saints’ Supporters Forum - they appear in general to be quietly confident 1) We have peaked and they are hitting top form 2) Our 2 wins this season were during the International breaks and therefore they were disadvantaged (?) 3) Their strong bench will blow us away in the final 20 after we have been run ragged 4) Saints are highly motivated to give Boyd a good send off.
We have plenty of motivation of our own if we need any, not least the ‘doldrums days’ and giving OTY the send off he deserves. Looking at the teams I would not want to swap any of theirs for ours with the exception of Lawes. . Now is the time for Tigers’ fans to remain positive and to maintain trust in all those who have delivered such a fantastic season. If we play to our potential and they to theirs, there is only one winner. COYT!

[RagingBull]

Ludlam is a massive player to have back for them.

Lawes and Ludlam make their pack a lot more physical.

Furbank at 15 is also a big draw

But on the other hand we get back Genge and Steward who have yet to play saints.

[Tiglon]

It is interesting to read the Saints’ Supporters Forum - they appear in general to be quietly confident 1) We have peaked and they are hitting top form 2) Our 2 wins this season were during the International breaks and therefore they were disadvantaged (?) 3) Their strong bench will blow us away in the final 20 after we have been run ragged 4) Saints are highly motivated to give Boyd a good send off.
We have plenty of motivation of our own if we need any, not least the ‘doldrums days’ and giving OTY the send off he deserves. Looking at the teams I would not want to swap any of theirs for ours with the exception of Lawes. . Now is the time for Tigers’ fans to remain positive and to maintain trust in all those who have delivered such a fantastic season. If we play to our potential and they to theirs, there is only one winner. COYT!

I'm sure people said the same before our first game against them this season, when they had just put 66 past Worcester.

The fact is, Saints will rip apart the teams in the lower half of the table, but consistently come up well short against the better organised teams. Well, I say that, but they shipped more points against Bath a few weeks ago than Bath have managed in any other match this season. They're scoring a lot of points, but their defence is atrocious and, in knockout rugby, it's usually the better defence that wins.

In 10 matches against the rest of the top 6 they've won just 2.

Who is going to be on their strong bench? Piers Francis - one of the most inexplicable England caps of the last decade?

who have they missed in the previous matchups? Ludlum x 2, Lawes x 2, Biggar x 1? Tigers have missed Steward x 2, Ford x 1, Genge x 2, Liebenberg x 1, Chessum x 1, Martin x 1, Moroni x 1, Youngs x 2.

It's a one off match and anything can happen, but if Tigers are near their best it should be a convincing win.

I really hope I don't come to regret this post

[sam16111986]

Saints have a fantastic high tempo attacking game. Their defence is not quite so great. The challenge will be to contain them in the first half as they do tend to tire quite early in the game. Not sure the Saints bench is liable to make a massive impact, I'd certainly back ours more but Ribbans and Augustus returning from injury last weekend certainly strengthens their options heading into this weekend.

If Dan Kelly is back I'd hope a combination of him and Moroni would make the midfield impassable and allow us to exert our power game and do the damage up front. Scrum and rolling mauls to sap the legs of those Saints forwards would hinder their attack. The Saints backline is technically very good but is lack a little in size so one for Nadolo to attack with gusto and given Biggar seems to be largely taped together these days I'd have though Genge and Weise will come charging down his channel.

Looking forward to the game it should be a good one though sadly not as one sided as those we've seen so far this season.

[Tiglon]

Worth pointing out as well that Tigers have done very well against the free-flowing attack from anywhere type teams this season. If you say those are Irish, Bristol, Quins and Northampton, Tigers have won 7 of those 8 matches - only losing narrowly once away to Quins, who are the best organised defensively of those teams, and while fielding a largely 2nd/3rd choice pack.

[loretta]

Free flowing high scoring teams do very well against disorganised, dis-spirited or flawed defences. The resulting scores look impressive and, when they win, they win big. Tigers do not work in that way, we haven't always put big scores up (except against Saints) but we have been very good at being ahead at full time. Big scores aren't required in knockout rugby, big defences are, 1 point ahead at full time will do.

[Cagey Tiger]

Free flowing high scoring teams do very well against disorganised, dis-spirited or flawed defences. The resulting scores look impressive and, when they win, they win big. Tigers do not work in that way, we haven't always put big scores up (except against Saints) but we have been very good at being ahead at full time. Big scores aren't required in knockout rugby, big defences are, 1 point ahead at full time will do

For the win, yes. And for soaring blood pressure and no finger nails

[Leicestertinytiger]

Against Saints I feel we need to bring our power game which mean Martin and Nadolo both come in. I’d pick a completely different team if we make the final but for them I’d go for:

Genge Montoya Cole
Chessum Green
Martin Wiese Liebenberg
Youngs Ford
Kelly Moroni
Nadolo Steward Potter

Clare Whitcombe Heyes Wells Reffell JVP Burns Porter

[Scott1]

Against Saints I feel we need to bring our power game which mean Martin and Nadolo both come in. I’d pick a completely different team if we make the final but for them I’d go for:

Genge Montoya Cole
Chessum Green
Martin Wiese Liebenberg
Youngs Ford
Kelly Moroni
Nadolo Steward Potter

Clare Whitcombe Heyes Wells Reffell JVP Burns Porter

I'm thinking more that we will need Reffell starting as the Saints play a more open game

[Leicestertinytiger]

Against Saints I feel we need to bring our power game which mean Martin and Nadolo both come in. I’d pick a completely different team if we make the final but for them I’d go for:

Genge Montoya Cole
Chessum Green
Martin Wiese Liebenberg
Youngs Ford
Kelly Moroni
Nadolo Steward Potter

Clare Whitcombe Heyes Wells Reffell JVP Burns Porter

I'm thinking more that we will need Reffell starting as the Saints play a more open game

I’d pick a team around how we want to play - not trying to match the opposition. If we got through to the final I’d start Reffell and drop Nadolo out the 23.

[Tiglon]

Against Saints I feel we need to bring our power game which mean Martin and Nadolo both come in. I’d pick a completely different team if we make the final but for them I’d go for:

Genge Montoya Cole
Chessum Green
Martin Wiese Liebenberg
Youngs Ford
Kelly Moroni
Nadolo Steward Potter

Clare Whitcombe Heyes Wells Reffell JVP Burns Porter

Are you mad? You've named a XV without A Natural Seven!

[RagingBull]

For me Reffell starts he's someone that can actually slow down ball very well.
Martin off the bench for a bit of impact.

[Scott1]

For me Reffell starts he's someone that can actually slow down ball very well.
Martin off the bench for a bit of impact.

That's my thinking!

[RagingBull]

My team would be
1. Genge, 2. Montoya, 3. Cole
4. Wells, 5. Chessum
6. Liebenberg, 7. Reffell, 8. Wiese
9. Youngs, 10. Ford
12. Kelly, 13. Moroni
11. Nadolo, 14. Ashton, 15. Steward

16. Clare, 17. Whitcombe, 18. Heyes
19. Snyman, 20. Martin
21. JVP, 22. Burns, 23. Porter

[Scott1]

My team would be
1. Genge, 2. Montoya, 3. Cole
4. Wells, 5. Chessum
6. Liebenberg, 7. Reffell, 8. Wiese
9. Youngs, 10. Ford
12. Kelly, 13. Moroni
11. Nadolo, 14. Ashton, 15. Steward

16. Clare, 17. Whitcombe, 18. Heyes
19. Snyman, 20. Martin
21. JVP, 22. Burns, 23. Porter

Can't argue with that either,very close to mine bar 2 players maybe