Tigers v Exeter (A) - Premiership - Saturday 23rd December 2023 - KO 3-00pm

[TigerFeetSteve]

Ok now our stars have been rested it's time to go guns blazing back at the league.

Not knowing what's happened to our injuries I'll assume none are back yet (inc late pull outs) except for Wiese, I've assumed he's back from his HIA.

Steward
Watson
Kelly
Kata
Bassett
Pollard
Youngs
Whitcombe
Montoya
Cole
Martin
Chessum
Hatherall
Reffell
Wiese

Vanes
Van Wyk
Heyes
Wells
Ilione
Whiteley
Shillcock
Cokanasiga

[Rugbygramps]

Very similar. Scott looked like he took a stinger so will hopefully be fit and may need his defensive capabilities v Slade and personally I would go Rogerson over Hatherall at 6, though if Liebenberg isn’t injured he will at least start

[Pellsey]

Ok now our stars have been rested it's time to go guns blazing back at the league.

Not knowing what's happened to our injuries I'll assume none are back yet (inc late pull outs) except for Wiese, I've assumed he's back from his HIA.

Steward
Watson
Kelly
Kata
Bassett
Pollard
Youngs
Whitcombe
Montoya
Cole
Martin
Chessum
Hatherall
Reffell
Wiese

Vanes
Van Wyk
Heyes
Wells
Ilione
Whiteley
Shillcock
Cokanasiga

I like the look of this, and it would give Liebenberg a well-earned rest.

If available, I would be tempted to have OHC instead of Cokanasiga though on the bench.

[nicmattyg]

Commentator on highlights mentioned Chiefs haven’t lost at Sandy Park in 12 months, so if correct this one is going to be another huge arm wrestle which could go either way.

We need to go full noise for this one I feel, let’s hope some of the injured players are back and available, especially Wiese and OHC.

Watson/Martin/Hatherall will be much better off for the game yesterday and will be a lot sharper next week

[Rugbygramps]

22 games without losing at Sandy Park now, in all competitions. As previously mentioned it is going to be a real battle but we have the squad to do the job.

Slightly related I noticed that the team flew to Stade in a turbo prop plane so I’m assuming that was a charter with a view to getting the lads back as quickly as possible after the game

[RunTigerRun]

Chiefs have had a habit of not going away too in recent games. They hang in there and Slade always seems to come up trumps in the final 10!

We need to keep the score board ticking over and build a lead imo. Keep the pressure high and discipline clean.

It’s winnable, but chiefs at SP are no mugs. Baxter will have them well drilled and their young players seem unfazed this season.

Could be an arm wrestle and who blinks first! Here’s hoping Pollard et al is the difference.

[RagingBull]

Really tempting to give Hanro a rest not sure that Exeter is the game for it.

I would be very tempted to have a 6/2 split on the bench
16. Vanes
17. Whitcombe
18. Cole
19. Wells
20. Ilione
21. Hatherall
22. Whiteley
23. Shillcock

[GB72]

We have been playing Hanro week in and week out. I can only think that we have agreed a decent break for him over Xmas (perhaps even with time to go back to SA if he wants) otherwise having him out on the pitch every week with no real break does not make sense.

[DeadlyDunc]

When the SF player dropped the kick in the last minute, Kata was limping badly and couldn’t do anything to defend the kick so hoping it was cramp but potentially he could be out for a few weeks

[TigerFeetSteve]

When the SF player dropped the kick in the last minute, Kata was limping badly and couldn’t do anything to defend the kick so hoping it was cramp but potentially he could be out for a few weeks

Injury to a centre is not what we want, hopefully Scott or Porter is coming back!

[Rugbygramps]

We have been playing Hanro week in and week out. I can only think that we have agreed a decent break for him over Xmas (perhaps even with time to go back to SA if he wants) otherwise having him out on the pitch every week with no real break does not make sense.

Having seen January fixtures there won’t be any resting and whole squad will need to be involved.
Agree with RB that if the coaches and the player think Liebenberg needs a rest then I would rather it was Bath at home.

January fixtures

Saracens - home
La Rochelle - away
Leinster - home
Quins - away

Edit - I would add after that nothing till Ealing in the PRC and no premiership fixture till Gloucester at home around March 23rd so almost 2 months off if players require it

[TigerFeetSteve]

We have been playing Hanro week in and week out. I can only think that we have agreed a decent break for him over Xmas (perhaps even with time to go back to SA if he wants) otherwise having him out on the pitch every week with no real break does not make sense.

I think he would have been rested, but for some unfortunate things

1. Montoya's injury meant we wanted the VC on thr pitch as much as possible.

2. Cracknell, Hatherall & Rogerson have all had injuries this season, mostly just before we can give Hanro a break.

3. Had Wiese not got a HIA last week, he may have been the senior player given the start and Hatherall at 6 yesterday. OR had Clare not added his name to the injury list meaning we REALLY want to protect Julian for the league game next week, I suspect we may have seen him rested this week.

If Montoya plays I suspect that Liebenberg will be rested and Youngs/Whiteley will be VC IF Montoya comes off, but I suspect that he may be planning on a full 80 again if the Exeter unless there is an injury or the game is comfortable.

[RunTigerRun]

When the SF player dropped the kick in the last minute, Kata was limping badly and couldn’t do anything to defend the kick so hoping it was cramp but potentially he could be out for a few weeks

I assumed that was just fatigue… I really hope it’s nothing serious.

Re Kata, he’s played the full 80 (with a lot of work!) in the last 2 games. I’d have him on the bench vs chiefs if Scott and/or Porter are fit with a look to starting him and getting him running down Russell’s channel vs Bath on NYE.

I know Cokanasigas defence can go missing a little, but actually a backline of

Steward
Watson
Cokanasiga
Kelly
OHC/Bassett
Pollard
Youngs

Vs Chiefs might not be a bad bet. Kata coming off the bench and a good forward pack. Think we could try that?!

[Rugbygramps]

I would worry about the Cocanasinga v Slade match up

[LE18]

22 games without losing at Sandy Park now, in all competitions. As previously mentioned it is going to be a real battle but we have the squad to do the job.

Slightly related I noticed that the team flew to Stade in a turbo prop plane so I’m assuming that was a charter with a view to getting the lads back as quickly as possible after the game

They always fly back straight after the game, no hanging around.