Leicester Tigers Academy 38-15 Wales Under-18s

Taken from the Tigers website;

"Leicester Tigers Academy gained a 38-15 victory over Wales Under-18s to earn a second international victory at Welford Road in the space of three weeks.Tigers had already claimed an international scalp this season with a 27-15 victory over England Under-18s in January and made it a memorable double with a strong performance on home soil.
A try from Jake Albon helped to establish an 11-8 lead at half-time and two tries in quick succession in the second period from Stephen Macauley and Tahir El Mahdi, followed by a last-minute score by Tom Bowen, secured another good win for the Leicester side.

The visitors started brightly and it took a last-ditch tackle from full-back Tom Hudson on wing Dafydd Howells to prevent an early score.

Moments later, however, fly-half Gareth Thomson knocked over a close-range penalty.

The lead lasted barely 60 seconds and Rory Lynn opened his account as the Welsh were penalised at the restart.

But Wales then grabbed the first try of the evening, smart work in midfield creating a gap for centre Jack Dixon, and Howells finishing a fine move with the dive into the corner. Thomson was unable to add the extras as Tigers trailed 3-8.

Tigers established more of a foothold as the game reached the half-hour and skipper Jake Albon levelled the scores with a well-taken try.

A strong carry by lock Jonathan Gardiner took Tigers up to the five-metre line, Macauley and Harry Wells took play on and finally Albon came through a tackle and stretched to dot the ball down one-handed right on the whitewash.

The Welsh missed an opportunity to reply when Thomson screwed a penalty wide of the left post, and Lynn made the most of the let-off, making his own kick to give Tigers the lead for the first time at 11-8.

Thomson pushed another shot just wide as Tigers reached half-time three points ahead.

Lynn extended the lead to 14-8 with his opening kick of the second period, but Wales missed a good opportunity to fight their way back when a sweeping attack earned a penalty just five metres short of the line, but then knocked-on from the tap.

Not to be denied, however, Wales grabbed a hard-earned score, building possession in the Tigers half and then replacement prop Nicky Smith barged his way over despite the attention of three tacklers. Replacement Ethan Davies added the conversion.

But two tries inside two minutes put Tigers well and truly in the driving seat as first Macauley latched on to Harry Thacker's pass to score on the left, then opposite wing El Mahdi made the most of a small gap and good pace to finish on the right. Lynn converted both as Tigers led 31-15.

Wales wing Howells just failed to grab his second try of the evening, knocking-on within reach of the tryline as the visitors scrambled to defend in the corner.

But Tigers had the final say as replacement Bowen found a gap just to the left of the posts and replacement scrum-half George Tresidder brought the game to a close with the conversion."

Good result for the Tigers academy (who were all 18 and under before the obvious question is asked) and that's both England under 18s and Wales under 18s dispatched this season.

Teams and other info from here;

http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/13435.php

Good to see Albon getting another score as he seems a promising number 8 with both wingers scoring as well with a bit of luck the problematic positions might just solve themselves for Tigers.

I think these results illustrate how big an advantage it is to play together, week in, week out compared to being thrown together with a few days training.

Also of course there's no worse club to be at if you are a young player with talent than Tigers, and if previous events are anything to go by Cockerill is unlikely to be rushing to give any of these players a chance.

Anyone know why/how this fixture came about? i.e. Why not Wales U18 v England U18? Good for the boys (I'm thinking from a Wales point of view) to get a bit of variety and play some of the club sides too.

Tigers play a variety of academy games over the course of the season against the Irish Provinces, Welsh Regions and other English Clubs and Universities. There's no formal under 18 6N tournament so a series of friendlies are played over that period and Tigers are always keen to develop their academy so always seem to get a friendly or two at Welford Rd.

Also of course there's no worse club to be at if you are a young player with talent than Tigers, and if previous events are anything to go by Cockerill is unlikely to be rushing to give any of these players a chance..

That's why a 5th of the England starting side is made up of Tigers academy graduates. Pretty sure the likes of Cole, Tom Youngs, Louis Deacon, Croft, Ben Youngs, Harrison, Ford, Twelvetrees, Smith, Manu and Geordan Murphy (played academy before first team) have all had regular first team action. Game time for some of those academy boys who beat the under 18 teams like Cain and Thacker has come in the LV Cup and the likes of Lewington, Green, Pienaar and Armes are getting some game time. Maybe not as much as they would at say Quins but there's a culture of earning the shirt at Tigers that Cockers will not lose.

When did Grindal and Staunton earn the shirt?

Reliable stop gaps, hence why Grindal is now 4th choice 9 and Staunton is now 4th choice 10. There were a couple of games where they weren't awful and where the experience they offered was more useful than their lack of ability was a hinderance.

Grindal has been overtaken by an academy scrum halves and a younger signing. Staunton has been overtaken by two academy 10s.

I think they Leicester U18s drew with Munster U18s and got beaten by Leinster. I had a look at the Tigers website. 43 players in their academy! One of the biggest in Europe (besides some French maybe?)?

Yeah they lost against Leinster right at the start of the season, drew with Munster but beat Ulster. Tigers have a well funded academy and always have, the academy lads get A League and sometimes DR deals to gain experience but have to fight and often wait their turn for a crack at the first team. Once they get into the first team and do well they generally never leave it.

The recent links with Clermont should be interesting, there's player swaps going on at the moment in order that some young players can broaden their learning and skills.

Sam do you boys have any Clermont academy players then? And were they playing in these games? Just curious as we never really hear much about French clubs acadamies, just how much they spend.

Tom Price ( 18 years old) and Frazer Balmain ( 20 years old) have gone to Clermont with Théo Nanette and Etienne Falgoux coming the other way.

Taken from another forum by the legendary Kornboy (I have no idea how he knows so much about Tigers). Falgoux was on the bench for Tigers in this game (I think a prop) and I think Nanette is a scrum half with a reputation (future international) but I can't remember who told me that and anyway he didn't play.

I think this was the first time the swap has taken place. I don't know the ins and outs of the dealings but it's good to see the young guys getting out and learning things from different cultures. Cockers benefitted from his time in France, Julian White and Johnno benefitted from their times in New Zealand etc. The two we've sent out there are expected to be first teamers at Tigers, particularly Price who at 18 is now a fixture in the England under 20s second row.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Also of course there's no worse club to be at if you are a young player with talent than Tigers, and if previous events are anything to go by Cockerill is unlikely to be rushing to give any of these players a chance..

That's why a 5th of the England starting side is made up of Tigers academy graduates. Pretty sure the likes of Cole, Tom Youngs, Louis Deacon, Croft, Ben Youngs, Harrison, Ford, Twelvetrees, Smith, Manu and Geordan Murphy (played academy before first team) have all had regular first team action. Game time for some of those academy boys who beat the under 18 teams like Cain and Thacker has come in the LV Cup and the likes of Lewington, Green, Pienaar and Armes are getting some game time. Maybe not as much as they would at say Quins but there's a culture of earning the shirt at Tigers that Cockers will not lose.

Yet yesterday there were far more academy graduates in the Sarries side than in the Tigers' one.

If you aren't getting used during the international window, then you aren't getting used. Any side in Europe would have given a player like Manu first team rugby, but in general no side is as reluctant to expose youngsters with promise. There was no way George Ford was coming on yesterday in the last 15 minutes with the scores that close (yet he was prepared to take on drop-goals earlier in the season that Flood apparently didn't want to yesterday), Youngs couldn't get ahead of Chuter (which is bordering on astonishing) and Billy Twelvetrees wants out (and showed incredible patience in not walking last summer). Last season we saw Grindal and Staunton time and time again - how much more damning could the evidence be?

Youngs couldn't get ahead of Chuter

Youngs has had an operation on his back and has been out for more than 3 months. He started as third choice, made it up to second and was pushing Chuter before injury.

Billy Twelvetrees wants out (and showed incredible patience in not walking last summer)

Funny because he'd verbally agreed a contract to stay with Tigers before Glaws rocked up with a bigger salary (50% increase on what Tigers offered). Doesn't matter what job you do if a competing firm of similar size offers to take your wage and add 50% you generally go with them.

There was no way George Ford was coming on yesterday in the last 15 minutes with the scores that close (yet he was prepared to take on drop-goals earlier in the season that Flood apparently didn't want to yesterday),

Presumably why Flood spent several minutes in the pocket screaming at Grindal. Was in position for the drop goal when Grindal fired a pass above his shoulder and had returned to the pocket along with Agulla and Murphy so Grindal had options for the final drop goal. Flood was cool headed enough not to rush the kick and to recycle the ball so we could have a better shot at winning the game.

Didn't look like he wanted it to me (or to the commentators) - it was like watching Bath in the HC. Tigers had to go through a huge number of phases to get to the drop despite being in range for some time, and on another day they would have turned the ball over.

And I still think the fact Ford didn't come on despite Flood's indifferent performance shows the attitude to giving young players a chance. Heathcote was the starting 10 for Bath and Mills won the game for Gloucester. I reckon there are a few AP sides where Ford would be pushing hard for first choice already.

He's moved up to second choice recently and given his two drop goal misses against Exeter earlier in the season and Flood playing reasonably well there wasn't much point in bringing him on for the sake of it. Tigers needed the win in order to stay in the top 4 and that meant it was a game for winning not for development. Flood kicked his goals and was in the pocket for so many phases he was doing fine, even when Geordie slotted the winner Flood was still in the pocket with Agulla as well all of whom were offering themselves.

Grindal alone thought it was a good idea to keep ploughing forward which to be fair it was, Sarries were keeping players out of the rucks ready for the charge down allowing the forwards to make only semi-opposed progress forward. On another day they may have been turned over but on another day further out and with the Sarries defence in your face that quickly the kick might not have been made.

Flood will likely be back in the England squad for the Wales game and so Ford will start at 10 and if he's fit Harrison will be at 9. They'll get their chance then. Nothing wrong with a bit of competition to push young players on and on this weekend I think Tigers were right. Other weekends I may have disagreed.

DaveM wrote:Didn't look like he wanted it to me (or to the commentators) .

From someone who was there, take it from me Flood was screaming for the ball several times, in better positions than when he did get the ball. Perhaps thankfully the pass he got was so poor he had to drive the ball up and recycle.

Oh and as to subs - too many coaches make a raft of subs too early. It can definitely be argued that Cockerill tends to underutilise the bench or leave it too late (36 and Hipkiss coming on against Sarries last season with 30 secs to go). However yesterday it made sense.