Tigers v Saints (A) - Premiership - Saturday 20th April 2024 - KO: 15-05

[bendy]

Okay, we've cleverly had our rest week whilst that lot down the road were busy. The time has come to focus on the biggest match of the season - I really think this one will either cement our top 4 credentials (whisper it .... top 2?), or will write the season off as a world-cup-interrupted-settling-in-period-for-McKellar.

Who's on your teamsheet? There are no excuses for not going full, FULL, bore are there?

1. Cronin
2. Montoya
3. Heyes
4. Martin
5. Chessum
6. Hanro
7. Tommy-T
8. Weise
9. JvP
10. Pollard
11. OHC
12. Kelly
13. Scott
14. Steward
15. Shillcock

16. Clare
17. Van Wyk
18. Cole
19. Wells
20. Cracknell
21. Kata
22. Youngs
23. Brown

I'm assuming all our forwards are fit to play, otherwise I'd have to shuffle Wells in at lock and give Hatherall a bench slot. I'm keeping Kata on the bench to give some wing cover too.

I'll be making the trip down to FG and will be looking forward to making plenty of noise once I'm in the ground!
COYT!

[TigerFeetSteve]

Shillcock
Steward
Scott
Kelly
Hassell-Collins
Pollard
Van Poortvliet
Cronin
Montoya
Cole
Martin
Chessum
Liebenberg
Reffell
Wiese

Clare
Whitcombe
Heyes
Wells
Hatherall
Youngs
Porter
Kata

[RagingBull]

I'm just hoping two of Chessum, Martin and Reffell are fit

If Scott is fit I would def start him at 13, would be tempted to keep Kata at 12. Just an attacking point of difference especially with Saints centre injuries keep the back row and 12 tight in defence, then use Shillcock behind Pollard to try and give OHC some space out wide

[sk 88]

One thing to flag is that this will be Hanro Liebenberg's 100th start for the club, so he will get his club cap & a more fancy tie.

I think the last player to get the club cap for 100 starts was George Ford in 2022 & before that Harry Wells. It's not been as common a feature as it was in the past!

[RagingBull]

One thing to flag is that this will be Hanro Liebenberg's 100th start for the club, so he will get his club cap & a more fancy tie.

I think the last player to get the club cap for 100 starts was George Ford in 2022 & before that Harry Wells. It's not been as common a feature as it was in the past!

Tommy Reffell prob next up?

[Rugbygramps]

Be interesting to see what reaction there is if any from Saints following their European success. They have cleverly rotated their squad over the last 2 weeks and looked very good against what was a Bulls second team, who were knackered after 50 minutes.

Treasonable I know but I would be tempted to leave Cracknell at 7 even if Reffell is fit. The Saints back row will be physical no matter who plays and they offer very few turnover chances. Personally I’d have Kata on the wing or the bench if Scott is fit.
Need to get at Mitchell his box kicking is suspect to charge down.

[ourla]

Saints were a real flakey team in recent seasons. Not so now. We are the ones looking flakey.

I have hope but my head says this is going to be difficult.

If we do put in a performance and somehow win it, it would be fun obviously but also potentially transformative for our season and for McKellar's fledgling coaching career with us.

[Rugbygramps]

Saints were a real flakey team in recent seasons. Not so now. We are the ones looking flakey.

I have hope but my head says this is going to be difficult.

If we do put in a performance and somehow win it, it would be fun obviously but also potentially transformative for our season and for McKellar's fledgling coaching career with us.

Their flakiness came from lack of defence and poor scrum both of which they appear to have fixed.
Not sure why 1 result would make any difference to Mckellar career for most people

[ourla]

Their flakiness came from lack of defence and poor scrum both of which they appear to have fixed.

Yep

Not sure why 1 result would make any difference to Mckellar career for most people

In the one sense this is a game we would expect to lose given they are top of the league and on a high - and we have a first season head coach, missing an attack coach, in and out form wise. And if we lose I don't think it will change much long term. However, a win, of any kind, to me could change things both short term and long term. My logic being it would really give us a chance of making the play offs, would boost confidence and give us a real sense of belief. There are always moments in a coaches career that become pivotal - I sense McKellar and the club really needs something right now. I am not saying I am right, it's just a view/feeling.

[Rugbygramps]

Their flakiness came from lack of defence and poor scrum both of which they appear to have fixed.

Yep

Not sure why 1 result would make any difference to Mckellar career for most people

In the one sense this is a game we would expect to lose given they are top of the league and on a high - and we have a first season head coach, missing an attack coach, in and out form wise. And if we lose I don't think it will change much long term. However, a win, of any kind, to me could change things both short term and long term. My logic being it would really give us a chance of making the play offs, would boost confidence and give us a real sense of belief. There are always moments in a coaches career that become pivotal - I sense McKellar and the club really needs something right now. I am not saying I am right, it's just a view/feeling.

Of course I understand that. I just think this is very much a public perception, we don’t really know what’s going on in the camp. Last game we performed well for the most part against likely European finalists who beat La Rochelle more comfortably than they beat us imo.
Not a term I’m that fond of but performance is key. We are going in wanting a win which is possible. If we come out of the game with that 2 match points, would that be a failure in the grand scheme of thing’s probably not

[sk 88]

One thing to flag is that this will be Hanro Liebenberg's 100th start for the club, so he will get his club cap & a more fancy tie.

I think the last player to get the club cap for 100 starts was George Ford in 2022 & before that Harry Wells. It's not been as common a feature as it was in the past!

Tommy Reffell prob next up?

Reffell on 82
Steward 76
Kelly 68

So Reffell and Steward have half a chance of getting there in the next season, might slip to 2025/26. Kelly if he stays could also get there in that season.

Dan Cole is on 248 starts & Ben Youngs on 247, so both of those could hit a big landmark this season, while Harry Wells in on 195 appearances for Tigers so might get to 200 this season if he plays all the games (fairly likely) & we make the play offs (fairly unlikely as it stands).

[DeadlyDunc]

I’ll stand by my prediction before the Leinster game which was that we’d stay in the game at Dublin until the extra depth off the bench took the game away in the latter stages but we’d beat Saints.

That is all on the basis that we have as close to full strength a XV as possible so along the lines of

Cronin Montoya Cole
Martin Chessum
Hanro Wiese Reffell
JVP Handre
Kelly Kata
Bassett Steward OHC

BENCH - Clare, whitcombe, Heyes, Wells, Hatherall, Youngs, Shillcock, Scott

[westwinds31]

In previous meetings, we've had the upper hand in the set piece and the breakdown, I don't think that will be the case now. Where we've looked vulnerable has been around the fringes, defensively in the 10/12 channel and if teams can get around the blitz defence. With Saints speed of ball and the way they've able to manipulate defences, we're going to have to be much better than we have been. If they get a head of steam up, it could be a long afternoon. I'd have Kata at 12 for starters, at least to provide their defence with some problems. Previously Kelly was a nailed on starter for me, but I'm yet to see the Kelly of our title winning season, in recent times.

[Chobbsy]

To the rugby god, please, please, please let us win this one, I don't want to have to go my club on Sunday and face them all if we lose.

Funny nothing is ever said when we win (:

[Tiglon]

Kata to start for me, we've always had more joy against Saints with a big ball carrying back. We're not going to outdo them on pace.

If most of the pack are fit then we've got a good chance.