Tigers v Sale (H) - Premiership - Saturday 21st October 2023 KO:15:05

[Jimmy Skitz]

Sale offsides went unnoticed as did several forward passes. Our back line bought enough dummies to stock Debenhams shop window.

Just how difficult is it for a touch judge....sorry....assistant referee to look down the defensive line and spot a premature advance or zero retreat. There were a couple in the game against Bristol, made all the more obvious by the offender wearing a white hat!

They seem to be able to pick scrum penalties easily enough .....guesses most of them.

......and it's not "no no go back" it's "penalty, offside!"

it is rather strange when they don't wonder how the man has been tackled almost before the ball got there...

[Leicestertinytiger]

Saints and Sarries both lost too so there’s an upside

Don’t think it helps that plenty of players are just coming back from injury or are injured.

Cronin - returning from injury and didn’t play
Dolly - just returning from a long injury
Wells - just returning from a long injury and didn’t play
Kelly - returning from a long injury and needs time to get back to form
Scott - injured

Agree about Liebenberg, think he’s better when he’s not captain. I applauded Mike Williams coming back but he’s been awful.

Also think in hindsight Atkinson should’ve started!

[Terracetiger4]

I can’t see many positives from today. The kick it away all the time tactic just doesn’t cut it in rugby today. We had no plan b. I don’t know what this new attack coach is getting paid for at this moment at time. I heard fans today say it’s alright this season is a write off because it takes time to bed a new system in. To me that’s a load of tosh. This coaching team have joined at the perfect time just had the longest pre season they could get. Played one style through pre season to come into the season and play a style of play completely different. Players look lethargic and unfit. At this moment in time our new appointments aren’t filling themselves with glory. Long season to go but selections and performances like today and last week don’t fill me much with confidence going forward

[simoscribbler]

Given the absentees I think it's worth noting how well some of the younger players performed: especially Henderson and Heyes. To me they both now look good enough to be starters in even our strongest side.

[Jimmy Skitz]

Given the absentees I think it's worth noting how well some of the younger players performed: especially Henderson and Heyes. To me they both now look good enough to be starters in even our strongest side.

Henderson is an interesting one, it will depend of whether or not McKeller likes Martin as a 6 over Hanro otherwise I think the 2 England boys will be the starting locks for their additional grunt

[Leicestertinytiger]

Would be shocked if Henderson isn’t playing for Glasgow or Edinburgh in a couple of seasons. We’ve Martin, both Chessum brothers, Wells is only 30.

[Robespierre]

That was a big disappointment. Far too many basic errors like dropped passes, missed tackles but the biggest was the performance of the ref and his touch judges who completed disregarded the blatantly clear offsides that made the supporters in the stand behind me scream at the officials to flag, but to no effect!! Grrrrrrrrrr!

[sapajo]

I can’t see many positives from today. The kick it away all the time tactic just doesn’t cut it in rugby today. We had no plan b. I don’t know what this new attack coach is getting paid for at this moment at time. I heard fans today say it’s alright this season is a write off because it takes time to bed a new system in. To me that’s a load of tosh. This coaching team have joined at the perfect time just had the longest pre season they could get. Played one style through pre season to come into the season and play a style of play completely different. Players look lethargic and unfit. At this moment in time our new appointments aren’t filling themselves with glory. Long season to go but selections and performances like today and last week don’t fill me much with confidence going forward

It begs the question was the RFU Borthwick compensation money been wisely spent if at all?

[Big Dai]

That was a big disappointment. Far too many basic errors like dropped passes, missed tackles but the biggest was the performance of the ref and his touch judges who completed disregarded the blatantly clear offsides that made the supporters in the stand behind me scream at the officials to flag, but to no effect!! Grrrrrrrrrr!

Could you hear the cries from Llanfoist and Maidenhead?

[Greenwhiteandred]

Positives
Much better than last week
If it wasn’t for handling errors we probably win that game …. Think it was 12 vs 4 - 2 in the last 15 really swung the game …. Dolly in their 22 when we had all the momentum and Brown on the edge of our 22 which led to their match winning try

Negatives
Handling errors

Gripes
Sale consistently took 8 seconds after “use it” ….. consistently because I counted many of them …… grinds my gears
Offside , offside, offside

[Robespierre]

That was a big disappointment. Far too many basic errors like dropped passes, missed tackles but the biggest was the performance of the ref and his touch judges who completed disregarded the blatantly clear offsides that made the supporters in the stand behind me scream at the officials to flag, but to no effect!! Grrrrrrrrrr!

Could you hear the cries from Llanfoist and Maidenhead?

Loud ´n’ clear, as if they were right behind me

[Scott1]

Can’t comment on the performance but it’s another loss,poor start to the season! Lost interest as of now tbf,might get more excited when our players are back

[sam16111986]

Given the absentees I think it's worth noting how well some of the younger players performed: especially Henderson and Heyes. To me they both now look good enough to be starters in even our strongest side.

Henderson is an interesting one, it will depend of whether or not McKeller likes Martin as a 6 over Hanro otherwise I think the 2 England boys will be the starting locks for their additional grunt

You need four first team locks due to the physicality of the position when it comes to rotation etc. Martin, Chessum and Henderson will be the first choice in the 23 with Wells providing the competition. Carter and the young guys injury cover.

[Jimmy Skitz]

Given the absentees I think it's worth noting how well some of the younger players performed: especially Henderson and Heyes. To me they both now look good enough to be starters in even our strongest side.

Henderson is an interesting one, it will depend of whether or not McKeller likes Martin as a 6 over Hanro otherwise I think the 2 England boys will be the starting locks for their additional grunt

You need four first team locks due to the physicality of the position when it comes to rotation etc. Martin, Chessum and Henderson will be the first choice in the 23 with Wells providing the competition. Carter and the young guys injury cover.

read the post I quoted, I was talking about our srongest possible side

[Ian Cant]

I was at the game as usual: yes we lost but most of the Tigers’ lads gave their all.
Sale’s backs were the ones that played together for most of last season but we had a makeshift fly half, Porter and Hatherall got injured at the wrong time.
It is always difficult for Tigers in World Cup years so it’s a case of hanging in there!
Oh and it’s Bath next week!