George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

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LE18
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George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by LE18 »

Pollard looks a robust step up from Ford, I like his attacking play, not afraid to take ball up, kicked well, I only saw second half. I hope our backs can catch all those fantastic passes that were on view from both sides.

Wow, that AB Reiko Ileone can shift!
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by ay2oh »

LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:37 pm Pollard looks a robust step up from Ford, I like his attacking play, not afraid to take ball up, kicked well, I only saw second half. I hope our backs can catch all those fantastic passes that were on view from both sides.

Wow, that AB Reiko Ileone can shift!
Wouldn’t say pollard is a step up from Ford just different strengths and weaknesses .
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by Rugbygramps »

ay2oh wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:47 pm
LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:37 pm Pollard looks a robust step up from Ford, I like his attacking play, not afraid to take ball up, kicked well, I only saw second half. I hope our backs can catch all those fantastic passes that were on view from both sides.

Wow, that AB Reiko Ileone can shift!
Wouldn’t say pollard is a step up from Ford just different strengths and weaknesses .
Certainly not losing anything
LE18
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by LE18 »

ay2oh wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:47 pm
LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:37 pm Pollard looks a robust step up from Ford, I like his attacking play, not afraid to take ball up, kicked well, I only saw second half. I hope our backs can catch all those fantastic passes that were on view from both sides.

Wow, that AB Reiko Ileone can shift!
Wouldn’t say pollard is a step up from Ford just different strengths and weaknesses .
Sorry to disagree, however I've only just started watching him, time will tell, and I like what I see, he is not just a kicking machine which sadly I've always thought George's style was based upon. Pollard looks so much more physically built than George, I'm sure we will see more attacking ball in hand when he's here. Imaging Nadolo running onto some of that play.
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by RagingBull »

Whilst wouldn’t be my first choice I can see
10. Burns
12. Pollard
Working a lot more at the end of a game than I had faith in
10. Ford
15. Burns
fortysix
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Re: RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 2022

Post by fortysix »

Spoke to a current England International today on holiday who told me. iho, Ford will be a very difficult player to replace. But adding fuel to the fire, Genge even more so...
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by Leicestertinytiger »

LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:59 pm
ay2oh wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:47 pm
LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:37 pm Pollard looks a robust step up from Ford, I like his attacking play, not afraid to take ball up, kicked well, I only saw second half. I hope our backs can catch all those fantastic passes that were on view from both sides.

Wow, that AB Reiko Ileone can shift!
Wouldn’t say pollard is a step up from Ford just different strengths and weaknesses .
Sorry to disagree, however I've only just started watching him, time will tell, and I like what I see, he is not just a kicking machine which sadly I've always thought George's style was based upon. Pollard looks so much more physically built than George, I'm sure we will see more attacking ball in hand when he's here. Imaging Nadolo running onto some of that play.
I’d agree that Pollard is a step up from Ford. Ford was a class player, but as time went on we saw less of his running game and he developed more into a tactical kicking 10. Teams also were targeting him much more defensively especially Saints in the semi which almost lost us the game.

Pollard seems to have a much more all round game - is physical in defence and isn’t afraid to truck the ball up too in attack.
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by loretta »

fortysix wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:18 pm Spoke to a current England International today on holiday who told me. iho, Ford will be a very difficult player to replace. But adding fuel to the fire, Genge even more so...
With respect, you don't replace players like Ford and Genge. You get different players who can wear the shirt and adapt your game to suit who you have. I believe Pollard will be an excellent 10 for us, Cronin is a decent loosie, but I expect our game in the coming season to be subtly (or perhaps not so) different to last year. SB will, of course, understand this better than I!

For what it's worth, I think Genge is essentially the nearest thing the modern game has to Martin Johnson. He will undoubtedly be missed. I agree, more so than Ford.
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by tigerburnie »

George and Ellis both made huge contributions to the team, but so did all the rest of the side, there were no slackers, we won games without the two of them last season, sure we will this season too. With or without them, this coming season will be different, teams will have a target on our backs, we are the side to beat, it will be a test of our resilience and desire to win. Thanks for the memories to those guys who have left, now over to the new squad create their own.
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by Grannyman »

tigerburnie wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 9:31 pm George and Ellis both made huge contributions to the team, but so did all the rest of the side, there were no slackers, we won games without the two of them last season, sure we will this season too. With or without them, this coming season will be different, teams will have a target on our backs, we are the side to beat, it will be a test of our resilience and desire to win. Thanks for the memories to those guys who have left, now over to the new squad create their own.
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by ay2oh »

LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:59 pm
ay2oh wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:47 pm
LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:37 pm Pollard looks a robust step up from Ford, I like his attacking play, not afraid to take ball up, kicked well, I only saw second half. I hope our backs can catch all those fantastic passes that were on view from both sides.

Wow, that AB Reiko Ileone can shift!
Wouldn’t say pollard is a step up from Ford just different strengths and weaknesses .
Sorry to disagree, however I've only just started watching him, time will tell, and I like what I see, he is not just a kicking machine which sadly I've always thought George's style was based upon. Pollard looks so much more physically built than George, I'm sure we will see more attacking ball in hand when he's here. Imaging Nadolo running onto some of that play.
we will have to agree to disagree then. People forget how many games Ford has won for us including almost single handedly saving us from relegation. His passing game has no peers as well as his game management being top drawer. I don’t doubt that Pollard is a very good player but let us see how he plays for us before labelling him the messiah.
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by Scott1 »

ay2oh wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:12 pm
LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:59 pm
ay2oh wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:47 pm Wouldn’t say pollard is a step up from Ford just different strengths and weaknesses .
Sorry to disagree, however I've only just started watching him, time will tell, and I like what I see, he is not just a kicking machine which sadly I've always thought George's style was based upon. Pollard looks so much more physically built than George, I'm sure we will see more attacking ball in hand when he's here. Imaging Nadolo running onto some of that play.
we will have to agree to disagree then. People forget how many games Ford has won for us including almost single handedly saving us from relegation. His passing game has no peers as well as his game management being top drawer. I don’t doubt that Pollard is a very good player but let us see how he plays for us before labelling him the messiah.
I think Guy Thompson arguably saved us more
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by markharbtiger »

It will be interesting to see how our game style adapts with Pollard in the side. I think he said in interview that one of the reasons he’s coming to Tigers is that our style better suits his game (but could be misremembering)
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by ay2oh »

Scott1 wrote: Sun Aug 14, 2022 7:28 am
ay2oh wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:12 pm
LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:59 pm

Sorry to disagree, however I've only just started watching him, time will tell, and I like what I see, he is not just a kicking machine which sadly I've always thought George's style was based upon. Pollard looks so much more physically built than George, I'm sure we will see more attacking ball in hand when he's here. Imaging Nadolo running onto some of that play.
we will have to agree to disagree then. People forget how many games Ford has won for us including almost single handedly saving us from relegation. His passing game has no peers as well as his game management being top drawer. I don’t doubt that Pollard is a very good player but let us see how he plays for us before labelling him the messiah.
I think Guy Thompson arguably saved us more
Thompson played well in one game v Newcastle. If it wasn’t for Ford that game would have been irrelevant .
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Re: George Ford and Handrè Pollard discussions

Post by sam16111986 »

Scott1 wrote: Sun Aug 14, 2022 7:28 am
ay2oh wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:12 pm
LE18 wrote: Sat Aug 13, 2022 6:59 pm

Sorry to disagree, however I've only just started watching him, time will tell, and I like what I see, he is not just a kicking machine which sadly I've always thought George's style was based upon. Pollard looks so much more physically built than George, I'm sure we will see more attacking ball in hand when he's here. Imaging Nadolo running onto some of that play.
we will have to agree to disagree then. People forget how many games Ford has won for us including almost single handedly saving us from relegation. His passing game has no peers as well as his game management being top drawer. I don’t doubt that Pollard is a very good player but let us see how he plays for us before labelling him the messiah.
I think Guy Thompson arguably saved us more
When we finished 11th and Newcastle went down wasn't Ford the league's top point scorer?

Whether Pollard turns out to be better or not than Ford we shouldn't forget how phenomenally good Ford has been for Tigers. His performance away at the Gardens last season was nothing short of a masterclass and is up there as possibly the best individual performance I've seen in the Prem. I'm glad we got to thank Ford and Genge for their service to the club with a winners medal at the end of the season.

On a slight tangent, interesting how SA were using Pollard. He was at first receiver but almost played like a 12 at times taking the ball to the line, because he and de Allende both ran hard and straight if tied in the ABs defence so when Pollard went out the back there was space for the other playmakers in the Book backline to attack wide. I would have liked to see him vary his passing and hit big runners off his shoulders a bit more as he did that infrequently but with reasonable effect when he did.
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