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

[sam16111986]

Saints have some injuries and they've rotated a few. They've got bench impact if they need it. Hopefully we can get the job done at front and starve them of quick ball.

[MrG2]

I would’ve agreed had Martin been in there.

As someone said previously "it's the hope that kills you"

[Tigerbeat]

Saints Not available for selection:
Callum Braley, Paul Hill, Rory Hutchinson, Sam Matavesi (Navy), Burger Odendaal and Tom Pearson.

Courtney Lawes is a noticeable absentee

[aslongaswebeatsaints]

I would’ve agreed had Martin been in there.

As someone said previously "it's the hope that kills you"

Looking at those teams I’m significantly more confident of a Tigers win. It’s Derby Day - the form book gets thrown out of the window. Though that Saints bench does look formidable…

That said, the issue I have with all the fawning over Saints is that, despite playing some beautiful attacking rugby, for all the positivity they are not running away with the prem and are still eminently catchable by the chasing pack. They still need to play Bath, Quins and a resurgent Glaws and there is the small matter of Leinster. Bristol showed they can be torn apart and games against teams that play the gritty forward type of rugby such as Glaws, Exeter, Sale and Tigers have shown they can still be beaten or run close.

As for Tigers, I’ve watched Tigers long enough to know we always struggle in a season post World Cup due to reintegration and the inevitable injury list. Add to that a new coaching team and it was always going to be a transition year with silly mistakes as new systems bed in on and off the pitch. But we still have a cracking pack, some truly fantastic players and the Leinster game showed we can almost hold our own with the best (in the world). And Saints are no Leinster

[Goshengareth]

Real struggle without Martin or Hanro.

[OakhamTiger32]

Selection on both fronts will make this an interesting game. Shame no Martin, Hanro or Heyes but otherwise I’d say that’s a cracking XV.. As many have said Saints without a few names so it’s game on for my money..

In addition to their injury list Saints are missing Sleightholme, Iyogun and Lawes, with Freeman, Hill, Davison dropping to the bench..

[Tiglon]

Very winnable with those lineups.

Courtney Lawes is huge for them, he's the one player in their pack that's top quality.

Huge opportunity for Carnduff, I'm looking forward to seeing how he does.

[RagingBull]

Honestly i'm slightly hopeful.
Backs
Steward and OHC need to be on their game and chase, cause Pollard and JVP should hopefully put some big kicks for Hendy and Seabrook

Furbank and Mitchell together can be got at, Chessum espcially can put pressure on Mitchell box kicking. Furbank is a very good 10 but like Shillcock the difference between them as a playmaker at 15 v 10 is noticeable as they have just a little bit less space in which they can threaten the line.

Centre a big one Dingwall will be on Kata duty, but at international rugby we saw that as a 12 he can be targeted If Pollard can work around Kata and give Kelly or Shillcock the ball on a 2 on 1 v Litchfield OHC could well get alot of space.

Forwards
I fancy out starting front row v their's, Langdon is a beast though.
Locks fairly similar, Moon and Temo are very underrated though espically in ruck defence
Back row the most interesting battle IMO, In Reffell and Carnduff we have two very good breakdown attackers. Like in the home game if saints break the line they will need to be at the breakdown fast because Reffell will hopefully be all over them. But Saints back row offer a lot more attacking threats as a unit.

Wiese last derby game potentially and he has always been a player who has brought his A game to these, he understands and loves the passion these games bring. Wiese is prob gonna be the key to us in this game. Augustus will have something to prove he went from being the next Bok 8 to completely off the radar when he moved to Saints but when fully fit he just as good as Wiese in a different way.

Bench
Davidson, Smith, Freeman are massive impact players. We do not really have that kinda impact to bring on, Cokanasiga over Scott suggest we are going to be hoping he can help keep the impact going once Kata comes off.

[OakhamTiger32]

Honestly i'm slightly hopeful.
Backs
Steward and OHC need to be on their game and chase, cause Pollard and JVP should hopefully put some big kicks for Hendy and Seabrook

Furbank and Mitchell together can be got at, Chessum espcially can put pressure on Mitchell box kicking. Furbank is a very good 10 but like Shillcock the difference between them as a playmaker at 15 v 10 is noticeable as they have just a little bit less space in which they can threaten the line.

Centre a big one Dingwall will be on Kata duty, but at international rugby we saw that as a 12 he can be targeted If Pollard can work around Kata and give Kelly or Shillcock the ball on a 2 on 1 v Litchfield OHC could well get alot of space.

Forwards
I fancy out starting front row v their's, Langdon is a beast though.
Locks fairly similar, Moon and Temo are very underrated though espically in ruck defence
Back row the most interesting battle IMO, In Reffell and Carnduff we have two very good breakdown attackers. Like in the home game if saints break the line they will need to be at the breakdown fast because Reffell will hopefully be all over them. But Saints back row offer a lot more attacking threats as a unit.

Wiese last derby game potentially and he has always been a player who has brought his A game to these, he understands and loves the passion these games bring. Wiese is prob gonna be the key to us in this game. Augustus will have something to prove he went from being the next Bok 8 to completely off the radar when he moved to Saints but when fully fit he just as good as Wiese in a different way.

Bench
Davidson, Smith, Freeman are massive impact players. We do not really have that kinda impact to bring on, Cokanasiga over Scott suggest we are going to be hoping he can help keep the impact going once Kata comes off.

Nicely put

Here's hoping we can reignite our season with a derby day win

[tigerburnie]

Great Squad we can win this, Saints are going to be worried all the pressure is on them.

COME ON YOU TIGERRrrrrssssssss

[Stephen18]

A lot more optimistic about the game now I’ve seen there team, I work with a few Northampton fans and their not pleased about the rotation they think this should have been a priority game for them. Shame there not Martin or Liebenberg but still feel we should have enough in the forwards to get on top and give the backs something to work with. Really pleased to see Carnduff given the start in a big believer in if your good enough your old enough and some good ball carriers on the bench.
It’s going to be good to see jvp against Mitchell see who’s going to take the England 9 shirt for the summer tour.
Although I feel we need to get a good start and get some scores on early as I think there back on the bench will add something for them if it a close game.
Only change I probably would have made would have beeen Scott for cockanasiga just as a calm head in the back if needs and a winger instead of brown as but I assume there all injured.
Really looking forward to this one hopefully we can carry on where we left off against Leinster.

[KiwiTig]

Totally agree with all the positivity
If we turn up collectively then we can do this …

[TigerFeetSteve]

IF we turn up we win... I genuinely think that.

Both of those teams play to their potential and we'll win.

HOWEVER we have been so inconsistent that is no assurance we'll do that.

[CrumblingTerrace]

Both England full-backs starting the match and neither of them will have 15 on their back!

[Big Dai]

Real struggle without Martin or Hanro.

+1