Tigers v Gloucester (A) - Sunday 12th March 2023 - KO 13:00

[TigerFeetSteve]

Interesting to note Joe Woodward is not in the under 20s squad, despite starring for them.

Unless he’s injured, that might suggest that he’s needed at his club…

Unfortunately I think it more likely an injury to Woodward.

[Hot_Charlie]

I agree Porter more of a 13 and Scott a 12 (although both are versatile), but don't agree with Porter covering the bench, he's an international centre (he's also about 15 years younger than JG), we need all the quality we can get on the pitch.
Gopperth is the bench man.

Agree, both Scott and Porter are primarily 13's however Porter has played 12 more times than Scott in the last 12 months, so I'd go Porter Scott.

Ultimately when you have players like Porter and Scott in the starting side together the number on their backs becomes fairly irrelevant. Depending on the play they position themselves where you need them to be!

[westwinds31]

I'd suggest aside from having a decent pack and a maul that is still pretty potent, the danger men in my view are Carreras and Thorley, from a Gloucester perspective. Thorley has had a good run of games having come back from injury and Carreras has been pulling the strings at 10 and can create something out of nothing. It's easier said than done, but discipline is going to be key, no penalties that allow them to get into our 22 and keep 15 men on the field, if possible !

[TigerFeetSteve]

Listened to the Rolling Maul podcast and one of the points they raised is who we should pick at 10.

Gloucester is a plastic pitch now and Pollard has had knee injuries this season.

If we're going to rest Pollard for the remainder of the season this is the match to do it in you'd think on that basis.

[sam16111986]

Listened to the Rolling Maul podcast and one of the points they raised is who we should pick at 10.

Gloucester is a plastic pitch now and Pollard has had knee injuries this season.

If we're going to rest Pollard for the remainder of the season this is the match to do it in you'd think on that basis.

We might rotate back in Atkinson for this one. Borthwick always tended to rest away from home and then go full strength at Welford Road. Which I liked and am sure the season ticket holders appreciated.

That being said there's no game next week and another bye week before the end of the season isn't there? Having finally got fit and firing Pollard might not want to stop his momentum and there's weeks would be good rest periods for him.

[ABClub]

Harris likely to be with Scotland you'd have thought as well.

Harris has been in their training squads but released to play, I'd expect the same unless Toonie alters the bench which is always possible with the Toonie tombola!

I agree Porter more of a 13 and Scott a 12 (although both are versatile), but don't agree with Porter covering the bench, he's an international centre (he's also about 15 years younger than JG), we need all the quality we can get on the pitch.
Gopperth is the bench man.

As Hot_Charlie says it's not a big concern with players of Porter and Scott's quality. I actually think Scott has been much better at 13 for Tigers though. Earlier in his career he was more of a 12 but latterly his best performances, particularly defensively, have come at 13 I think. Whereas Porter has put in very similar quality performances in both positions hence going that way round.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Both Varney & Rees-Zammet have been named to play in the Italy v Wales games.

Only Chris Harris to wait on for Scotland now.

[Scott1]

Harris is a top player,his MF duel v Ringrose was brilliant brilliant watch when they played Leinster.

[westwinds31]

STARTING XV
15 Mike Brown [3]
14 Harry Potter [60]
13 Matt Scott [61]
12 Guy Porter [55]
11 Harry Simmons [32]
10 Handré Pollard [8]
9 Ben Youngs [297]
1 Tom West [4]
2 Julián Montoya (c) [37]
3 Joe Heyes [117]
4 Harry Wells [174]
5 Eli Snyman [29]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [78]
7 Olly Cracknell [18]
8 Jasper Wiese [54]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [72]
17 James Cronin [10]
18 Will Hurd [22]
19 Cameron Henderson [30]
20 George Martin [52]
21 Emeka Ilione [9]
22 Tom Whiteley [2]
23 Charlie Atkinson [13]

Cronin back !

[iceman_19]

I like the 6:2 split for this game. Shows how we intend to take Gloucester on up front. Wells dropped in to diffuse their rolling maul, Guy back to give that extra thrust in the midfield - and Cronin back involved too is super positive.

Discipline key for this one - we can't let them start driving in our 22.

[Darc Tiger]

Average age in the backline slowly creeping down!

Great to have Cronin back for the run-in.

[ourla]

Yeah, I like the abrasive and forward dominated look of that team.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Cronin back is a big plus even though Van Wyk has done well recently.

I'd probably have had one of Henderson or Martin starting with Wells, but like Iceman I like the 6-2 in this one. Only thing is I'd have thought with Youngs having been doing 80 for us recently and Whiteley looking shakey, we may have gone for Youngs playing 9 all match and used Simmons as 9 cover so we have a Gopperth or Ashton on the bench

[Tigerbeat]

Gloucester Rugby host Leicester Tigers on Sunday afternoon in the first-ever Slater Cup fixture to be held at Kingsholm.

The Cherry & Whites have been boosted by the return of Australian back-row Jordy Reid from injury.
Reid is one of two changes from the starting XV that were defeated in Northampton two weeks ago, with Tom Seabrook coming in for Chris Harris.

Val Rapava-Ruskin, Seb Blake and Kirill Gotovtsev form the front-row again, with Freddie Clarke and Matias Alemanno packing down behind them once more.
Reid comes into the back-row at blindside flanker, with Ruan Ackermann shifting to number 8.

Skipper Lewis Ludlow completes the pack on the openside flank.

Santi Carreras was named Player of the Match in the Cherry & Whites last fixture at Kingsholm. He starts outside Ben Meehan as the half-backs again.

Seabrook joins Seb Atkinson in the centres, with Ollie Thorley, Lloyd Evans, and former Tiger Jonny May in the back three.

There's another former Leicester player on the bench. Billy Twelvetrees is among the Cherry & Whites replacements.

Jamal Ford-Robinson scored a brace in the defeat against Saints, he covers the front row with Henry Walker and Harry Elrington.

Cam Jordan, Albert Tuisue, Charlie Chapman and Alex Hearle will also be looking to provide an impact.

Tickets for Sunday's Slater Cup fixture can be purchased here.

Starting XV |
15. Lloyd Evans*
14. Jonny May*
13. Tom Seabrook*
12. Seb Atkinson
11. Ollie Thorley*
10. Santi Carreras
9. Ben Meehan

1. Val Rapava-Ruskin
2. Seb Blake*
3. Kirill Gotovtsev
4. Freddie Clarke*
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Jordy Reid
7. Lewis Ludlow (c)*
8. Ruan Ackermann


Replacements |
16. Henry Walker*
17. Harry Elrington
18. Jamal Ford-Robinson
19. Cam Jordan*
20. Albert Tuisue
21. Charlie Chapman*
22. Billy Twelvetrees
23. Alex Hearle

*Denotes academy graduate.

[TigerFeetSteve]

Starting XV
15. Lloyd Evans*
14. Jonny May*
13. Tom Seabrook*
12. Seb Atkinson
11. Ollie Thorley*
10. Santi Carreras
9. Ben Meehan

1. Val Rapava-Ruskin
2. Seb Blake*
3. Kirill Gotovtsev
4. Freddie Clarke*
5. Matias Alemanno
6. Jordy Reid
7. Lewis Ludlow (c)*
8. Ruan Ackermann


Replacements |
16. Henry Walker*
17. Harry Elrington
18. Jamal Ford-Robinson
19. Cam Jordan*
20. Albert Tuisue
21. Charlie Chapman*
22. Billy Twelvetrees
23. Alex Hearle

*Denotes academy graduate.

Looks a strong team, with our 6-2 split we really need to front up to them and meet their challenge head on. Looking forward to it