Tigers vs Gloucester (H) - Premiership - Friday 22nd March 2024 - KO:19.45

[TigerFeetSteve]

Right no more opportunities for slip ups here. We need to get right back on it. Big improvement required need to be all guns blazing.

Steward
Kata
Scott
Kelly
Hassell-Collins
Pollard
Youngs
Cronin/Whitcombe
Montoya
Heyes
Wells
Martin/Hatherall
Liebenberg
Ilione
Wiese

Clare/Theobald-Thomas
Van Wyk
Cole
Hatherall/Carter
Reffell
Whiteley
Shillcock
Porter

[BG01]

I like the team, but would give Cole and Reffell an extra week as they will be knackered following big games. And I would drop Pollard. We'd drop any other player who was in this form so I think it sets a bad example to keep starting him no matter what.

Steward
Kata
Scott
Kelly
Hassell-Collins
Shillcock
Whiteley
Cronin
Montoya
Heyes
Wells
Hatherell
Liebenberg
Ilione
Wiese

Theobald-Thomas
Whitcombe
Richardson
Rogerson
Cracknell
Youngs
Pollard
Cokanasiga

[sam16111986]

I'm unsure why we keep trying to crowbar Kata onto the wing. He was poor there in the world cup and has been great at centre for us. Scott was poor last night and Kelly anonymous I don't see why we need to include both.

Cronin, Montoya, Heyes
Wells, Hatherall
Ilione, Weise, Liebenburg
Youngs, Pollard
Kata, Kelly
OHC, Steward, Bassett

FFT, Whitcombe, Richardson, Carter, Cracknell, Whiteley, Shillcock, Cokanasiga

I'd quite happily give Edwards a go over Whiteley but for some reason McKellar doesn't back him. His passing was an instant improvement when he came on last night.

[RunTigerRun]

I’d go the following:

15 - Freddie Steward
14 - Josh Bassett
13 - Solomone Kata
12 - Phil Cokanasiga
11 - Ollie Hassell-Collins
10 - Handré Pollard
9 - Ben Youngs
8 - Jasper Wiese
7 - Emeka Ilione
6 - Hanro Liebenberg
5 - George Martin
4 - Harry Wells
3 - Joe Heyes
2 - Julían Montoya (C)
1 - James Cronin

16 - Nic Dolly
17 - James Whitcombe
18 - Dan Cole
19 - Ollie Chessum
20 - Tommy Reffell
21 - Jack van Poortvliet
22 - Jamie Shillcock
23 - Guy Porter

Steward - will be hungry to play and show what he can do. Browns played well but not so hot yesterday, Shillcock looked decent at 15 but we need him to cover 10.
Bassett - first game in a while yesterday. Attack and hands were rusty but his work rate is great. Give him some game time to he rid of the rust and I think he’ll be ok. Plus more lines and attacking impetus by others will give him the space and time on the ball.
Kata - need his gain line power. Scott played ok yesterday but made some mistakes in attack - going against the grain in the first half when there were men outside and then that quick tap at the end where we should have taken the points.
Cokanasiga - looked the most likely to make a break in the whole team recently. Reward his form and give him the chance in a full strength team. You’d know where he is then. Think he’s one that could spark something.
OHC - shown in glimpses what he can do ball in hand and his defence and high ball skills improving. One of the first names on the team sheet, we just need to generate the quick ball and space to let him cook.
Pollard - ring rusty. Not shown top form over the last few weeks. Glimpses of his best but I feel he needs certain types of player to bring his best; namely someone who carries over the gain line to give him front foot ball and a carrier in the centre. Kata gives this but Cokanasiga gives him that second playmaker option at 1st receiver too.
Youngs - Whiteleys impressed me (more than other posters it seems) but general experience isn’t quite there. I’d give whiteley the week off and see what Youngs can do - how hungry is he?
Wiese - speaks for himself! Need that gain line power. (We really need to replace him next year!)
Ilione - we never look as good without a turnover guy in the backrow. Give Tommy a bit of a break and start Emeka. See what he can do from the off. You have Tommy on the bench if it seems too much.
Liebenberg - captaincy seems to put too much pressure on him at times. Prone to the odd penalty but can’t fault his work rate or desire. Just think we need to develop/find another one field captain so he doesn’t need that extra pressure.
Wells - played well but needs another grunt lock with him to see his impact. Was asked to carry lots yesterday as Carter isn’t really a carrying lock. Struggled a little to make as much impact.
Martin - offers exactly what we need. Dominant in defence, gain line carries. Extra motivation and drive. Straight in.
Heyes - needs game time. Not played for a while and has shown what he can do. Think we need to back him now with Cole on the bench and see what he can do for the rest of the season as the starting 3.
Montoya - no explanation given. Powerful in the scrum, good darts at line out and captaincy that we need on the field.
Cronin - torn between him and Whitcombe but gone with experience for the start and Jimmy to be hungry off the bench this time around. Cronin with a new contract will he hungry to prove his worth to fans too perhaps?

Dolly - if fit. If not then FTT as he adds the most impact as a sub hooker. In future I’d start Vanes and bring FTT off the bench as I think that’s the best way to get his impact and aggression.
Whitcombe - better than Van Wyk and need to start giving him more games.
Cole - need his scrummaging against Ford-Robinson who had Heyes in the second half yesterday.
Chessum - played a lot for England. Give him time off the bench for Wells to make an impact late on.
Reffell - same as Chessum.
JVP - if fit we have to start bringing him up to speed. Desperately need his quick ball and composure at ruck time.
Shillcock - looked good ball in hand at 15 in the carry yesterday, covers 10 well if Pollard is not playing to form.
Porter - if fit. Covers centre and wing, adds power in carrying and will want to play after so long out. Is he playing to prove he wants to stay?

A long one I appreciate but got to make changes after yesterday in my opinion.

[Leicestertinytiger]

Think after yesterday we need to put out the strongest team possible.

Cronin Montoya (c) Heyes
Wells Martin
Chessum Wiese Reffell
Youngs Pollard
Kata Kelly
OHC Steward Bassett

FTT FVW Cole Hatherell Liebenberg Whiteley Shilcock Cokansaiga

[Stephen18]

Can’t see use playing Cole, chessum or raffell on the back of a 6 day turn around having played every round of the 6 nations as much as we need them. Could see Martin on the bench maybe but he put in a massive shift against Ireland and no doubt will do the same this week, and I think will have to much for Gloucester next week even without risking the big guns especially as you’d imagine mcguigan and Ludlum will be out. I’d go:
Whitcomb
Montoya
Hayes
Hatherall
wells
Liebenberg
Ilione
Weise
Youngs
pollard
Haskell-Collins
Kata
Scott
Bassett
Steward

Theobold-Thomas
Cronin (if fit) van wyke (if not)
Hurd (if fit) Hoyt (if not)
Martin
Cracknell
Edwards
Shilcock
Cokanasiga

[Ian Cant]

If the England lads are fit they have to play: no excuses as they’ve had as much rest as they need this season: with 6 fewer matches in the Premiership and rest weekends during the Six Nations they would surely want to play.
As I remarked elsewhere there are a lot of season ticket holders who aren’t sure whether to renew or not and a major criticism from lots of fans is they pay good money so expect to watch the England lads play.
We cannot afford to lose to Gloucester and Newcastle firstly because the top 4 ( except Saints) is going to be tight and going to Leinster on the back of a loss will be detrimental to the confidence needed to win.
If fit play the best players.

[sapajo]

If the England lads are fit they have to play: no excuses as they’ve had as much rest as they need this season: with 6 fewer matches in the Premiership and rest weekends during the Six Nations they would surely want to play.
As I remarked elsewhere there are a lot of season ticket holders who aren’t sure whether to renew or not and a major criticism from lots of fans is they pay good money so expect to watch the England lads play.
We cannot afford to lose to Gloucester and Newcastle firstly because the top 4 ( except Saints) is going to be tight and going to Leinster on the back of a loss will be detrimental to the confidence needed to win.
If fit play the best players.

Agreed

[Retiredseven]

If the England lads are fit they have to play: no excuses as they’ve had as much rest as they need this season: with 6 fewer matches in the Premiership and rest weekends during the Six Nations

Agreed

[trendylfj]

Tommy Reffel looks absolutely shattered at the end - He has no speed left and looks as though he could do with a month's total rest

[Retiredseven]

Tommy Reffel looks absolutely shattered at the end - He has no speed left and looks as though he could do with a month's total rest

He might well be the exception... i would be tempted to start Ilione and have Tommy on the bench.

Last night proved we need specialist open sides in my view.

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

Tommy Reffel looks absolutely shattered at the end - He has no speed left and looks as though he could do with a month's total rest

Tommy often looks exhausted after about a minutes play. He has been exceptional in losing causes this 6N, but we are a different team with him at 7, if we are to have any chance in Dublin he needs to be on the teamsheet that game. The lack of another specialist 7 in our squad isn't ideal, the nearest is Illione so if not Tommy then it has to be him in the 7 shirt.

[sam16111986]

It's easy to say "they've had lots of rest in those rest weeks" if the lads come back battered from hard games from today then we might well need to give them a week off.

Or at least stagger the rest so perhaps Martin plays next week and then takes the following week off whilst Chessum does the reverse.

[Ian Cant]

Think we should remember earlier in the season when most other clubs played their World Cup players Tigers didn’t v Saracens!
If you look at how many games Chessum and Martin have played in the last 12 months they’ve missed lots: I admit that they were injured but!!!

[OakhamTiger32]

I’d go the following:

15 - Freddie Steward
14 - Josh Bassett
13 - Solomone Kata
12 - Phil Cokanasiga
11 - Ollie Hassell-Collins
10 - Handré Pollard
9 - Ben Youngs
8 - Jasper Wiese
7 - Emeka Ilione
6 - Hanro Liebenberg
5 - George Martin
4 - Harry Wells
3 - Joe Heyes
2 - Julían Montoya (C)
1 - James Cronin

16 - Nic Dolly
17 - James Whitcombe
18 - Dan Cole
19 - Ollie Chessum
20 - Tommy Reffell
21 - Jack van Poortvliet
22 - Jamie Shillcock
23 - Guy Porter

This is pretty much what I’d go for. Depending on fitness and minutes played tonight I’d like to see Chessum and Martin starting 4&5. Definitely want to see that centre partnership.. not sure about fitness of some of the lads but would be great to see this