Tigers v Sale (A) - Premiership - Friday 10th May 2024 - KO: 7:45pm

[No6_Flanker]

How about we move on from commiserating the Bristol loss and on to better and brighter things? Now that we don’t have to worry about the Premiership playoffs, can we give some of the younger players some valuable game time?

1. Cronin
2. Montoya (c)
3. Heyes (if fit; if not, Cole.)
4. Martin
5. Chessum
6. Liebenberg
7. Reffell
8. Wiese
9. JVP
10. Pollard
11. OHC
12. Kelly
13. Scott
14. Steward
15. Shillcock

16. FTT
17. Whitcombe
18. Hurd
19. Hatherall (or Carnduff)
20. Illione
21. Whiteley
22. Wilkinson (or Woodward)
23. Kata

Definitely short on wing cover, hence shifting Steward out there, any updates on Bassett or Simmons?

[Tigerbeat]

Brown may be available as his red card was the result of two yellow cards…..next Friday is classed as a competitive game

[MrG2]

How about we move on from commiserating the Bristol loss and on to better and brighter things? Now that we don’t have to worry about the Premiership playoffs, can we give some of the younger players some valuable game time?

1. Cronin
2. Montoya (c)
3. Heyes (if fit; if not, Cole.)
4. Martin
5. Chessum
6. Liebenberg
7. Reffell
8. Wiese
9. JVP
10. Pollard
11. OHC
12. Kelly
13. Scott
14. Steward
15. Shillcock

16. FTT
17. Whitcombe
18. Hurd
19. Hatherall (or Carnduff)
20. Illione
21. Whiteley
22. Wilkinson (or Woodward)
23. Kata

Definitely short on wing cover, hence shifting Steward out there, any updates on Bassett or Simmons?

I’d be tempted to start all of your bench forwards

[RunTigerRun]

I'd be tempted to look to some minutes for next year and to try and build some combinations vs Sale and then again vs Exeter. Something like this for both games?:

Sale
Whitcombe, Montoya, Cole
Martin, Chessum
Carnduff, Reffell, Liebenberg
JVP, Pollard
OHC, Kelly, Woodward, Gourlay, Steward

FTT, van der Flier, Heyes
Hatherell / L. Chessum, Wiese
Allan / Youngs, Wilkinson, Shillcock

Exeter
Whitcombe, Montoya, Heyes
Martin, Chessum
Liebenberg, Ilione, Wiese
JVP, Pollard
OHC, Kelly, Scott, Steward, Shillcock

FTT, Cronin, Cole
Hatherell, Carnduff
Allan / Youngs, Wilkinson / Bassett, Kata

Largely assuming none of the injured regain fitness and gives a mix of youth and experience. Gives valuable minutes to Carnduff, Ilione, Woodward, Gourlay (might as well see what he can do in the back 3 and he knows the Sale systems), Wilkinson ahead of next season where hopefully these guys will be getting more game time!

Give a bit more license to play and tell them to trust their guts. Build into the game and if they think its on, go for it.

[TigerFeetSteve]

As it's a Tigers XV next weekend I'd see who steps up then and I'd be tempted to give them a real shot vs Sale if they do well.

[westwinds31]

As it's a Tigers XV next weekend I'd see who steps up then and I'd be tempted to give them a real shot vs Sale if they do well.

This sounds sensible to me. Use this weekend's game as a carrot and reward any decent displays with a bench spot, or starting depending on position.

[LE18]

I think Steward should only play as a 15, reading between the lines in last weeks DT interview, that is his prefered position, he also wants to practise what he was told to do by SB and he cant do that from the wing and still regain his England position. We want a happy Freddie at Tigers not one who is not 100% happy playing out of position, many have been put in that position elsewhere, where did they move to? Not saying he is moving but lets keep the best 15 in England happy.

[Ian Cant]

Having made myself watch the recording of the game v Bristol I honestly hope we get a ref and assistants who spot such obvious knock ons! The Genge one that then meant Brown got carded was so obvious! Brown slapping it back was nowhere near as clear as the Bristol player who got away with it just over half way in the second half! Being at the game I thought I was, like the Crumbie, being “One eyed” but now I really believe that the match officials were incredibly poor.
We still should have closed the game out but on another day Bristol would have been punished by both the ref and opposition.
The match on Friday is a chance to give the fringe players a chance with maybe Heyes, if fit, getting a bit of game time in his legs.
It’s another chance for DMK to get ready for next season but what sort of standard will Black Lion be!
For Sale I’d certainly want Carnduff and others like FTT to be in the 23.

[voice of the crumbie]

I think Steward should only play as a 15, reading between the lines in last weeks DT interview, that is his prefered position, he also wants to practise what he was told to do by SB and he cant do that from the wing and still regain his England position. We want a happy Freddie at Tigers not one who is not 100% happy playing out of position, many have been put in that position elsewhere, where did they move to? Not saying he is moving but lets keep the best 15 in England happy.

100% agree. Play your best players in their best positions!

[TiltonTiger]

The Prem rugby site states there is <1% chance of making the play offs.

So there is a chance…

[TigerFeetSteve]

The Prem rugby site states there is <1% chance of making the play offs.

So there is a chance…

Yes it requires the following...

Tigers 10 points

Bath to pick up 0 points vs Newcastle or Saints

Exeter & Bristol beat Quins

Sale losing to Sarries

That means we could get in to the playoffs on points difference

Saints
Sarries
Bristol
Tigers 50pts
Bath 50pts
Quins 49-50pts
Exeter 49-50pts
Sale 47-50 pts

Depending on bonus points...

[sam16111986]

I think Steward should only play as a 15, reading between the lines in last weeks DT interview, that is his prefered position, he also wants to practise what he was told to do by SB and he cant do that from the wing and still regain his England position. We want a happy Freddie at Tigers not one who is not 100% happy playing out of position, many have been put in that position elsewhere, where did they move to? Not saying he is moving but lets keep the best 15 in England happy.

I thought he played pretty well Vs Bristol. He's clearly trying more ball in hand and looking to link with the players around him. He's clearly working on his range if kicking. Touch finders were better and he put a really nice grubber through.

The Furbank competition could be a brilliant thing for him because it'll force him to work on his all round skillset and reading of the game. Things you can learn and practice. Very few players are as big and as athletic as Freddie, combining that with an even better all round skillset will take him up a level.

[Tigris]

The Prem rugby site states there is <1% chance of making the play offs.

So there is a chance…

Yes it requires the following...

Tigers 10 points

Bath to pick up 0 points vs Newcastle or Saints

Exeter & Bristol beat Quins

Sale losing to Sarries

That means we could get in to the playoffs on points difference

Saints
Sarries
Bristol
Tigers 50pts
Bath 50pts
Quins 49-50pts
Exeter 49-50pts
Sale 47-50 pts

Depending on bonus points...

It's on

[RagingBull]

I think Steward should only play as a 15, reading between the lines in last weeks DT interview, that is his preferred position, he also wants to practise what he was told to do by SB and he cant do that from the wing and still regain his England position. We want a happy Freddie at Tigers not one who is not 100% happy playing out of position, many have been put in that position elsewhere, where did they move to? Not saying he is moving but lets keep the best 15 in England happy.

I mean we should do what's best for the overall team more than Steward.
It's all well and good saying he can't do that from wing, but reality is if he can cover wing then it's a big bonus.
We are down Watson, Bassett, Simmons and potentially Brown come Sale game (Not sure on the citing requirements) Steward at 15 makes a lot of sense.

On the Borthwick thing is we don't fully know what Borthwick asked him to improve on either.
Steward seemed fine with playing wing, not saying it should be something full time, but getting extra minutes in other positions does not break a player and if he can't handle it then he's never going to get a look in with England. Don't underestimate the draw of versatility Furbank being able to come into the line and play 10 is just as big a draw as his playmaking ability outside at 15.

[johnthegriff]

Currently we are 8th in the Premiership no chance of the playoffs but we need to secure a Champions Cup place for next season at the moment we are reliant on Gloucester NOT winning the Challenge Trophy, I don't think they will but they are a decent side coming into some sort of form and I would not get against them. We need to win our two remaining games or at least beat Exeter and do better than them in the preceding match. Of course if Gloucester lose to Benetton Treviso this weekend we can relax but I still want to see Tigers winning the next two games and it is achievable.