Leicester Tigers vs Sale Sharks

KO 15:00, Saturday 2nd March
Weather 7C, Sunny
Attendance 20,585

Leicester 48
Tries: Slater (2), Smith (2), Tait, Penalty
Conversions: Ford (6)
Penalties: Ford (2)


Sale Sharks 10
Tries: Powell
Conversions: Cipriani
Penalty McLeod


On a really pleasant early spring day the Sale team jogged out to polite applause, Tigers followed to a loud cheer and finally the officials came out. THe PA announce that the days ref was Wayne Barnes and the cacophony of boos was possibly the loudest noise made all day.

As usual Tigers were playing towards the clubhouse in the first half, but George Ford broke with tradition and hoisted a short high kick. Leaping like a salmon Tom Croft rose above Richie Vernon to snaffle the ball. Sale were pinged for lying over the ball and in the blink of an eye Ford had the first kick at goal. The young man's kicking percentages are shockingly low, and the Welford Rd faithfull nervously held their breath. There was no need to worry, the ball was struck magnificently ans sailed through the posts.

From the restart Sale entered Tigers half for the first time, but were not to visit again for another 25 minutes. Leicester were completely dominate in this period. With Croft and Slater to the fore, Sale were getting blown away at the breakdown while for the entire match Tom Croft was the dominant figure in the line-outs. Not for the first time, Tigers seemed to upset Barnes come scrum time and repeatedly conceded free-kicks for early engagement. Especially frustrating when that included a couple of atatcking scrums close to the Sale line.

A nervousness was starting to spread around Welford Rd, the team were completely on top yet just could not get the score. Wehn moving the ball from right to left, Ford, Bowden and Smith kept running to laterally. When moving it the other way at times the passing was shockingly bad. Even then Tigers got the ball over the line 3 times. First a bullocking run from Logo Mulipola saw him lose the ball in contact. The ref waved play on indicating he felt the ball had gone backwards, Harrison fed Waldrom who thundered over under the posts. Barnes awarded the try before taking his assistants advice that the ball had actually been knocked on by Mulipola. From where I was sat I have no idea, but Barnes was feet away and the assistant 40m away. With no TMO available Barnes took the advice given. Personally I felt he struggled today - he looks really low on confidence and form. Thompstone crossed in Tuilagi Corner but was brought back when the pass to him was deemed forward. Finally Thompstone again powered to the line but was just held up.

Eventually all the pressure paid off, and with 13 minutes in the half to go a series of drives saw Ed Slater just stretch for the lin. Ford extended the lead to 10 pts and nerves were settled. Sale got on the scoreboard when Tigers were penalised on the half way line. Failure to handle the restart saw Sale penalised and the 10pt lead re-established immediately. Tigers backs were now starting to gel and strike runners were being put into ever growing holes in the Sale defence. A sweeping attack from their own 22 culminated in Bowden putting through a little grubber. Adam thompstone (Tigers second highest try scorer this season) just had to drop on the ball to notch his 7th try in his debut season at Welford Rd. Instead he was tackled from behind without the ball by young Sale wing Tom Brady - 3rd time Thompstone has been denied a try this season in those circumstances. Barnes awarded Tigers their 10th penalty try of the season and Brady a 10 minute rest. The half was rounded off by a sublime try. The Tigers midfield all straightened and passed. Excellent hands by Tait gave Slater an inkling of space. The big forward shaped to pass to the wing before tucking the ball under his arm and running in from about 45m - outpacing Johnny Leota with ease.

One way traffic continued in the second half. Richie Gray made an early entry from the bench and looked a class above the other Sale players. However Croft was able to get in front of him at a Sale lineout and steal a great ball. A fizzing, flat pass from Bowden gave Matt Smith the room to to cross over on the right wing. Ford growing visibly in confidence smashed the conversion straight and true. Finally it was Danny Cipriani's turn to enter the fray. Sadly for his team his first act was to go missing from the Sale defensive line as Matt Smith smashed through under the posts. A Mickey Young break and rapid recycling saw Matt Tait get his first premiership try for Tigers. This was followed by mass substitutions with Tait leaving the field to well deserved applause.

It is worth noting that at this point Fraser Balmain (who had come on when Mulipola was injured during the attack leading to the first try) switched from Tighthead to Loosehead when Brookes replaced Ayerza. This young man is surely going to be a major star. The ex RGS Newcastle player was not offered a contract by the Falcons when he left school and joined Tigers after his rugby teacher sent a DVD of him in action to the club. He spent time at Clermont last season as part of an exchange scheme and is making great progress. He is ahead of new Saxon Brookes at tighthead, but is just as good at loose. He carries the ball well and was prominent in that today and excelled at lifting tom Croft in the lineout.

No-one could begrudge Sale their consolation score at the end when Powell crossed off the back of a scrum.


On any other day Ed Slater would have been a deserving MoTM. However leading the side on his 100th start for Tigers, Tom Croft was phenomenal.

Apparently the Tigers have nicknamed him the Baltrain. Looks promising, I hope we retain both him and Brookes for next season.

Great news about Balmain stepping up. Tigers success has been built on their stable of props over the years.
And a badly needed big win after a couple of tough games.

Penalty try continues his impressive scoring run, they must be on course for some kind of Jeff record with these now surely

Starting with his cameo against Nottingham in pre-season, I have been impressed whenever I have seen Balmain. While he has not been a dominant figure at scrum time - nor has he ever looked out of his depth and has always kept his side steady. It is the other stuff that really marks him out. Yesterday there were a couple of the Baltrain runs. Ones where he picks up a decent head of steam and makes good ground with opposition hanging on like 3rd class passenegers on Indian railways. As with Dan Cole he seems to have learnt from Julian Salvi the art of getting over the tackled man and winning either the ball or a penalty. Finally one tackle on Tuitupo yesterday seemed to knock any remaining fight out of the Sharks midfield.

Which side of the scrum he ends up specialising in is an interesting dilemna.

LondonTiger wrote:Starting with his cameo against Nottingham in pre-season, I have been impressed whenever I have seen Balmain. While he has not been a dominant figure at scrum time - nor has he ever looked out of his depth and has always kept his side steady. It is the other stuff that really marks him out. Yesterday there were a couple of the Baltrain runs. Ones where he picks up a decent head of steam and makes good ground with opposition hanging on like 3rd class passenegers on Indian railways. As with Dan Cole he seems to have learnt from Julian Salvi the art of getting over the tackled man and winning either the ball or a penalty. Finally one tackle on Tuitupo yesterday seemed to knock any remaining fight out of the Sharks midfield.

Which side of the scrum he ends up specialising in is an interesting dilemna.

don't know much about the lad, i'm guessing he's EQ?

Aye he is English Nathan.

LondonTiger wrote:Aye he is English Nathan.

yeah wasn't sure, ta.

He's from up near Newcastle. Got into their academy but was released at 18 and Tigers swooped following his schools teacher sending DVDs out to Tigers and Saints. Don't think he's had any age grade representation.

No hes not, which probably means he'll stay off the England radar for a while (hopefully) as they do have a natural preference for progressing people through

Played in the same Yorkshire trial games as Balmain years ago. Think we were all 18 and he was 15. (I seem to remember playing against a young(er) George Ford that day as well)
Even then, Balmain was huge, smashing people all over the park, and I dont think Ford made a tackle all day.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRxG3IOvhPY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

A show and a go.

Everyone used to slag tom croft off for mincing about on the wing scoring tries. At least we know who should replace Ashton mind

formerly known as Sam wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRxG3IOvhPY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

A show and a go.

got to be try of the week, he showed some great pace there. Was that a winger he out sprinted as well?

Certainly the covering player who doesn't get near him is the full back. Not sure if it's the winger on the outside but a 6 foot 6 and 18 and a half stone second row leaving them all for dead is impressive. As was the footwork and the cheeky dummy. For a big lad he's got some skills.