Sale v Tigers

First topic message reminder :

This weekend will mark more than 25% of the season completed and most probably the only remaining English Northern Division partner almost pointless. OK they are likely to be replaced by Newcastle (even if Bedford win the Championship - their ground is not eligible for promotion as the playing field is not as level as the PRL/RFU demand (irony)).

What will be important for Sale is to put out their top squad (whatever that is) and hope that the Tigers underestimate their opposition whilst distracted by thoughts of Toulouse.

Should the Tigers put out a decidedly 2nd string squad?

Entertaining half of rugby I thought, if Sale could have played like that against some of the other sides, they'd have a lot more points than they currently do.

i am hopingthis match has a similar shape as last year.

Sale led 13-3 at half time. Tigers won second hald 31-0.

So far we have had such little ball

Andy Powell, that is just so stupid. How hard is it to use your arms in a tackle? Idiotic.

Looks like Sale are on the verge of collapsing at the moment...

What a kick from Ford, punished Miller's loose kick beautifully.

Blatant knock ons are not being picked up. Then teams get done for a ball that goes backwards

Sale have blown so many opportunities in this game, it's very frustrating to watch.

Corne Uys is coming on, that'll frighten the Tigers...

Sale have brought in so many average players...

Ward is an idiot and is probably going to see red. Sale have created so many of their own problems tonight.

That was handbags really, but yeah was a tad dumb.

You replace an Irishman who can't scrummage with a Moldovan who can't scrummage and guess what happens?

Not brilliant - but good to see some of the guys getting first starts of the season. Fantastic defence by Tigers - but Sale had so much ball getting nothing from that game was a real kick in the teeth.

Deserved win for Tigers, they turned it around in the second half and really stamped their authority on the pitch. They showed so much power, but Sale have so many lightweight willowy forwards... they'll never make ground like this.

Saying that, I know it looks bad, but against lesser sides I think Sale would have won. They spent enough time in the Leicester in the 22 to show that they can play, but they really need to start registering some points

I reckon Cole must have proved to anyone who still doubted that he is now ahead of Castro in the pecking order.

I see we have a new messiah! according to Barnes and the SKY team.
It's so embarrassing to listen to, the same lines year upon year just insert a different name.
Im pretty sure the player in question hates it to.

viewtothegym wrote:I see we have a new messiah! according to Barnes and the SKY team.
It's so embarrassing to listen to, the same lines year upon year just insert a different name.
Im pretty sure the player in question hates it to.

Who?

We know who,im not naming names because i don't want to drag the players name through it with a debate on is he amazing or is he not nonsense,
I want to vent about the SKY team obsession with biging up players who have a good game or two.

You have lost me as i did not hear them lauding any one especially. A lot of talk about Ben Youngs because he was playing his first game, a lot of talk about Tom Youngs, a comment that Dan Cole would push Adam Jones for the Lions spot, some talk about Ford as he was making his first start and has been the subject of articles in every single paper in the last week and a lot of eulogies on Richie Gray.

viewtothegym wrote:We know who,im not naming names because i don't want to drag the players name through it with a debate on is he amazing or is he not nonsense,
I want to vent about the SKY team obsession with biging up players who have a good game or two.

lol, drag his name through it?

Barnes and Morris hype of Ford did get a bit tiresome at points but to be honest it's nothing we don't expect from those two. Otherwise it wasn't too bad, they do like to repeat themselves though, again and again and again.

Well done Tigers, absolutely hammered Sale in the scrum in the second half and ended up making it look like a pretty comfy win. Sale's small pack just couldn't compare and their backs just didn't work well at all.

Good to see Youngs and Manu get through plenty of work as well. Manu very lucky not to get penalised for some of his shoulder charges in the rucks though.

Good to see the guys coming back from injury blowing the rust off ans putting in a decent shift. Obviously Benny and Manu weren't up to full speed and the lack of a natural openside did effect us but overall it was job done. Slater deserves plaudits for alot of hard work in the engine room, Ford was reliable and cool headed as opposed to explosive and exciting but that is a good side to see in a 19 year old. Scrum domination and better kicking won us that game.

Slight worry with the positioning of Morris, McLeod found obvious space in behind to often and for a big guy Thompstone wasn't great at challenging those well placed Ford cross field kicks.

I would have to think the kind of pressure Sale applied, especially in the first half, show there is good talent there. Although Leicester forward pressure took over in the second half, I still believe Sale have the talent to win some matches and get off the bottom of the table. Unfortunately for Sale, Leicester is not the club to play when struggling to get sorted.

Agree doc, they showed definite signs of improvement and they have players of ability. Against a side with a less disciplined defence they would have scored a lot more points.

Cumbrian wrote:Sale have so many lightweight willowy forwards... they'll never make ground like this.

Lewis Roberts - 128kg
Taylor - 100kg
Buckley 138kg
Gray 126kg
McKenzie 118kg
Vernon 103kg
Seymour 97kg
Powell 113kg

OK Seymour is an old fashioned 7 - but the Sale pack on Friday was hardly lightweight.

LondonTiger wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:Sale have so many lightweight willowy forwards... they'll never make ground like this.

Lewis Roberts - 128kg
Taylor - 100kg -
Buckley 138kg
Gray 126kg
McKenzie 118kg
Vernon 103kg
Seymour 97kg
Powell 113kg

OK Seymour is an old fashioned 7 - but the Sale pack on Friday was hardly lightweight.

Blimey. 10st is ~63.56g

Lewis Roberts - 128kg 20st
Taylor - 100kg 15.7st
Buckley 138kg 21.7st
Gray 126kg 19.8st
McKenzie 118kg 18.6st
Vernon 103kg 16.2st
Seymour 97kg 15.3st
Powell 113kg 17.8st

That's more than a roomful of opera singers.

To be fair that weight halved once Gaskell came on.

greytiger wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:Sale have so many lightweight willowy forwards... they'll never make ground like this.

Lewis Roberts - 128kg
Taylor - 100kg -
Buckley 138kg
Gray 126kg
McKenzie 118kg
Vernon 103kg
Seymour 97kg
Powell 113kg

OK Seymour is an old fashioned 7 - but the Sale pack on Friday was hardly lightweight.

Blimey. 10st is ~63.56g

Lewis Roberts - 128kg 20st
Taylor - 100kg 15.7st
Buckley 138kg 21.7st
Gray 126kg 19.8st
McKenzie 118kg 18.6st
Vernon 103kg 16.2st
Seymour 97kg 15.3st
Powell 113kg 17.8st

That's more than a roomful of opera singers.

I don't believe some of those figures to be honest (teams often seem to exaggerate), maybe lightweight isn't the right word though. Perhaps underpowered would be bettter. A lot of them seemed knocked back too easily in the carry and were minced in the tight.