Leicester Tigers 2014/15 Thread.

[Welly]

First topic message reminder :

Current Tables Positions:
 AP: 5th
 CC: 2nd in Group 3
 LV: 1st in Pool 3 

Last Game: V Bath @ Welford Road (Won 17 - 8) (Att: 24,000)
Next Game: V Harliquins @ Twickenham Stoop (15:15 KO) Sat 10 January 2015, (Live on BT Sport)


Official 1st XV squad 2014/15: ( Injured, Internationals, Suspension, "Knocked", )
 Head Coach/DoR: Richard Cockerill
 Assistant coaches: G. Murphy, R. Blaze, P.Blake,
 Captain: Ed Slater
 Props: Ayerza, Balmain, Bristow, Brugnara, Cole, Mulipola, Pasquali, Rizzo

 Hookers: Briggs, Ghiraldini, Thacker, Youngs .

 Locks: Deacon, De Cheves, Kitchener, Parling, Price, Slater, Thorn, Peterson

 Back Row: Barbieri, Crane, Croft, Gibson, Matera, Pearce, Salvi, Whetton

 Scrum Half: Harrison, Mele, Youngs

 Fly Half: Burns, Williams

 Centres: Allen, Bai , Heptema, Loamanu, Pohe, Roberts, Smith, Tuilagi ,

 Back 3: Benjamin, Camacho, Goneva, Hamilton, Morris, Scully, Tait, Thompstone, Bell

Development Players 2014/15:
 Oliver Bryant, George Catchpole, Jake Farnworth, Tom Hudson, Ed Milne, Will Owen, Aniseko Sio, George Tresidder, Rhys Williams.


 New Deals 2014/14
 Dan Cole (Long term)
 Marcos Ayerza (3 years)
 Tom Youngs (Long Term)
 Owen Williams
 Graham Kitchener
 Fraser Balmain
 Tiziano Pasquali
 Harry Thacker
 Riccardo Brugnara





 Transfers in 2014/15:
 Brad Thorn (Highlanders)
 Tommy Bell (Jersey)
 Jack Roberts (Rotherham Titans)
 Aaron Mauger (Canterbury Crusaders)
 Jack Whetton (ACT Brumbies)
 Greg Peterson (Manly)

 Transfers Out 2014/15:
 Paul Burke (N/A)
 Neil McCarthy (N?A)
 Mathew Tait (Bayonne)

 Rumours:
Nyanga -----> Leicester, Touion or Metro(http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,2588 ... 29,00.html)
Fonua ------> Leicester
Dusautoir ----> Leicester, Irish, Bath Saracens
Albacete -----> Leicester, Irish, Bath Saracens
(both https://twitter.com/pauleddison)
Liam williams -> Leicester (Rugby Paper)
Jerome Kaino --> Leicester
Willem Alberts --> Leicester (Gillingham)
Mike Williams ---> Leicester (Fissler)
Justin Tipuric --> Leicester (TRP)
 

Home tickets can be brought Here:

[b]Premiership rugby 7's[/b]:

Leicester Finish as Plate winners of the 2014 Premiership Sevens!!!!!!!!!

Pre-season games 2014 + friendlies:
 Sat Aug 16th 15:00: Nottingham v Leicester Tigers @ Lady Bay Sports Ground, Nottingham's training ground, in West Bridgford (Lost 26-19)
 Sat Aug 23th 14:00: Edinburgh V Leicester Tigers @ Melrose. (Won 10 -11)
 Fri  Aug 29th 19:30: Leicester Tigers V Cardiff Blues @ Welford Road (Won 21 - 17)
 Tues Nov 4th 19:30: Leicester Tigers V Barbarians @ Welford Road (Lost 26 - 59)

 Fixtures AP 2014/15:
R1: Saturday 06 /09/14, 15.00 – Newcastle Falcons (H) – Welford Road (Won 36 -17)   (Att: 22,639)
R2: Saturday 13/09/14, 15.15 – Exeter Chiefs (A) – Sandy Park (BT Sport) (Won 20 - 24)  (Att: 9,721)
R3: Saturday 20/09/14, 15.15 – Bath Rugby (A) – The Rec (BT Sport) ( Lost 45-0)  (Att: 12,817)
R4: Saturday 27/09/14, 15.00 – London Irish (H) – Welford Road (Lost 19-22)  (Att: 21,682)
R5: Saturday 04/10/14, 15.15 – Gloucester Rugby (A) – Kingsholm (BT Sport) (Lost 33 - 16)  (Att: 15,127)
R6: Friday 10/10/14, 19.45 – Harlequins (H) – Welford Road (BT Sport) (Won 22 - 16)  (Att: 21,510)
R7: Saturday 15/11/14 – 15.00 – Saracens (H) – Welford Road (BT Sport) (Draw 21 - 21) (Att: 21,680)
R8: Sunday 23/11/14 – 14.30 – London Welsh (A) – Kassam Stadium (BT Sport) (Won 5 - 26) (Att: 3,249)
R9: Saturday 29/11/14, 15.00 – Wasps (H) – Welford Road (Won 18 - 16) (Att: 21,907)
R10: Saturday 20/12/14 15.00 – Northampton Saints (A) – Franklin's Gardens (Lost 23 - 19) (Att: 13, 362)
R11: Saturday 27/12/14, 14.00 – Sale Sharks (A) – AJ Bell Stadium (Won 30 - 32) (Att: 11, 247)
R12: Saturday 03/01/15, 15.00 – Bath Rugby (H) – Welford Road (Won 17 - 8) (Att: 24,000)
R13: Saturday 10/01/15, 15.15 – Harlequins (A) – Twickenham Stoop
R14: Saturday 14//02/15, 15.00 – Gloucester Rugby (H) – Welford Road
R15: Saturday 21/02/15, 15.00 – London Irish (A) – Madejski Stadium
R16: Saturday 28/02/15, 15.00 – Sale Sharks (H) – Welford Road
R17: Sunday 08/03/15, 15.00 – Newcastle Falcons (A) – Kingston Park
R18: Saturday 28/03/15, 15.00 – Exeter Chiefs (H) – Welford Road
R19: Saturday 11/04/15, 15.00 – Saracens (A) – Allianz Park
R20: Saturday 25/04/15, 15.00 – London Welsh (H) – Welford Road
R21: Sunday 10/05/15, 14.00 – Wasps (A) – Adams Park
R22: Saturday 16/05/15, tbc – Northampton Saints (H) – Welford Road
Fixtures in Rounds 1-6 are confirmed. From Round 7 onwards they are subject to television selections.

 Champions Cup pool + Fixtures 2014/15:
 Pool 3
 Toulon
 Leicester Tigers
 Ulster
 Scarlets.

European Champions Cup fixtures
Round 1: Saturday, October 18 (7.45pm) Leicester Tigers v Ulster Rugby (Won 25 -18) (Att: 19,943)
Round 2: Saturday, October 25 (7.45pm) Scarlets v Leicester Tigers (Lost 15 - 3) (Att: 8,235)
Round 3: December 5/6/7 Leicester Tigers v RC Toulon (Won 25 - 21) (Att: 22,114)
Round 4: December 12/13/14 RC Toulon v Leicester Tigers (Lost 23 - 8) (Att: 15, 045)
Round 5: January 16/17/18 Leicester Tigers v Scarlets
Round 6: January 23/24/25 Ulster Rugby v Leicester Tigers

 
LV Cup

 Pool 3
Leicester Tigers
Wasps
Newcastle Falcons
Scarlets

 LV Cup fixtures
 Round 1: Saturday, November 1 (3:00PM) London Irish V Leicester Tigers (Won 16 - 17) (Att: 5,131)
 Round 2: Sunday, November 8 (3:10PM)  Leicester Tigers V Sale sharks ((Won 29 - 13)) (Att:)
 Round 3: 30/31 Jan/ 1 February Leicester Tigers V Northampton Saints
 Round 4: 6/7/8 February Cardiff blues V Leicester Tigers

 
Fixtures
Round 1 - 31 October/01/02 November: London Irish v Leicester Tigers
Round 2 - 07/08/09 November: Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks - Sunday, November 9, KO 15:15. Live on Sky Sports
Round 3 - 30/31 January/01 February: Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints
Round 4 - 06/07/08 February: Cardiff Blues v Leicester Tigers
Semi Finals - 13/14/15 March
LV= Cup Final - 22 March (venue to be confirmed)

 

[b]A League Fixtures[/b]:

 
 Academy Squad 2014/15:
 

Spoiler:

[formerly known as Sam]

LT. I'm at least reassured by the measures the club are taking to ensure Geoff's long term health.

[Welly]

Parling told to rest for 2 months.

[formerly known as Sam]

At least he's been told he'll be fine to play again. Get him some rest, he can still do his conditioning work so he'll be raring to go after they've cleared him up top.

[Welly]

Some good news on the injury front:

 Bai, Thorn, Rizzo and Mulipola should all be fit for Glaws.

 Manu for Quins and allen out for 4 weeks.

 http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Blacks-World-Cup-winner-Brad-Thorn-ready-Aviva/story-23020529-detail/story.html

[Welly]

Louis Deacon may have to retire.

 
 Cohen told BBC Radio Leicester's Tigers Rugby Show: "There is the possibility he won't come back but you hope not.



"Louis has been a great servant of this club and the important thing is we safeguard his future."

Deacon made his Tigers debut in 2000 and has played 274 games for Tigers, as well as winning 29 international caps.

Cohen added: "He has put his body on the line for an awful long time and that has clearly taken a bit of a toll.


 What you want to ensure above everything is that he spends the rest of life without worrying about his back when he goes upstairs, lays down or sits down.
"We will take our time and he will take his time understanding the prognosis before he makes a decision."


Cohen said the Tigers' lengthy injury list means they are looking to strengthen their squad as soon as possible.


"In the second row we will try to being somebody in, at least on loan, in the very near future," Cohen said. "That is the main area we are focusing on. We are talking to one or two in the UK."


 Source http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/29459293


 A True Tiger, hope he will be alright.

[bluestonevedder]

Ridiculous season for injuries so far! What do these conditioning coaches get paid to do?

[Welly]

Ridiculous season for injuries so far! What do these conditioning coaches get paid to do?

 Deacons injury has been a on going problem for at least the last 3 years.

[bluestonevedder]

I know Welly- it's blighted his career. I was talking more broadly in terms of the entire Tigers squad. It's absolutely depleted at the moment. After a summer off you'd expect to have near a full squad, but we find ourselves scraping pretty far down the depth chart.

[LondonTiger]

Mulipola - injured playing
Youngs - ditto
Cole - longstanding issue
Parling - multiple concussions from playing
Slater - injured playing for England
Thorn - arrived with injury
Deacon - longstanding issue
Matera - injured playing for Argentina
Benjamin - just back from injury occurring during match
Thompstone - surgery following hand injury occurring in a Saxons game
Morris - injured in match

Not sure conditioning coaches can be blamed when so many injuries were caused by collisions.

[Guest]

Would obviously be a big blow for both him and the club. A true tiger who still has much to offer, especially during the winter months when I'd still have him starting.

Also Cocker's recent interview here is slightly troubling. Particularly concerning is the mention of players who want to 'sit and snipe'.

[LondonTiger]

Lou Reed signed from Cardiff Blues on short-term loan as cover for second row.

[LordDowlais]

Lou Reed signed from Cardiff Blues on short-term loan as cover for second row.

Christ on a bike, it's official, you must be scraping the barrell if you are using him, if he was any good the Blues would not let you have him, and to be honest, the Blues are not all that either, and he cannot get into their team.

[LondonTiger]

Injuries to club captain Ed Slater as well as Geoff Parling, Louis Deacon and Tom Price as well as continuing doubts over Brad Thorn's fitness mean we are indeed scraping the barrel. at some point Graham Kitchener will need a rest.

European rules mean you can add loan players to the squad, but not academy ones. even then we may well see back rowers covering second row instead.

[Welly]

tommy Bell has joined us.

[LondonTiger]

tommy Bell has joined us.

Good player. Interesting that only at the weekend he was saying how much he was enjoying Jersey. I would rather we had taken a punt on him in the summer ahead of the likes of Bai and Loamanu.

[Welly]

Could mean Tait is out for a while he took a nasty n=knock against Glous.

[LondonTiger]

Could do

Had Bell played at FB much before this season? I always thought of him more as a 10/12.

[Welly]

Played 15 for Wasps a couple of times only 21.

 So if he can play 10, 12 and 15 to a good standard then I am happy with his

[LondonTiger]

He featured at 10 with some very familiar names in this game: http://www.rfu.com/news/2012/february/newsarticles/240212_eng_u20_wales_report

[Welly]

I think it is a very interesting signing and TBH wouldn't have been upset if it was made in the off season.

[Welly]

 Clip of him scoring a very nice try against Notts last weekend at 15.

[formerly known as Sam]

I hoped we might pick him up in the off season so fairly pleased with him as an addition. Kind of annoyed that our injury list has hit this level though. Bai was supposed to be one of the fittest in the squad but seems to be constantly crocked, Loamano seemed an ever present for Treviso and is forever broken. Who knows what's happened to Manu and Catchpole let alone Pohe. I ear the worst for Morris and Tait now. It's ridiculous.

There's murmurings of discontent as well. Could be some senior figures leaving next summer.

[LondonTiger]

Pohe on bench for Development XV tonight.

[Welly]

Bai is just the same injury appranentley was a case of not risking it.

Not sure about catchpole in terms of recovery time frame.

Manu is said to be back Friday but who knows.

Pohe has been really out of Ron in the A league apparently.

About the discontent the only thing I have heard is a quote of cockers being taken out of context.

Mind you plenty of fans are coming out with such and such will leave etc etc.

Which senior players contract is up this season.

Salvi
Cole
Ayerza
Parling (?) although that may be next season.
Hamilton (could see him retire tbh,or go to japan)

Think there maybe be more cant see many of them leavin unless for money.

Ayerza has stated he wants a new deal as soon as possible.

Coaching staff heard about Murphy but that is a rumour from the kings holm game apparently, although if that happened wouldn't mind seeing Gibson or Mauger come in. But even then could only see murphy leaving for family reasons or get more experiance in the lower leagues first ala back.

Think a lot of stories ATM are from supporters wanting to make something out of nothing.

[formerly known as Sam]

I think a couple will leave. A lot does seem to be sensationalist but there is quite a bit pessimism around at the minute.

Good to see a load of the youngsters getting a run out tonight. It's a stronger Glaws team but they'll learn a lot from the experience.

[Welly]

Glous won 35 - 15 respectable score line the Georgian 7 for us impressed some of the glous lot apparently.

 Who do you think is likely to go FKS?

[formerly known as Sam]

Parling and Hamilton almost certainly. I think Burke may disappear back across the channel and take Murphy with him. Think Blake may be just the start.

Deacon and Thorn are on the verge of retirement anyway.

Not a bad result for the A league but sounds like another injury for Bryant.

[Welly]

Looks like Reed was concussed.

I think Parling may have another year on his contract.

Yeh Deas contract ends mid next season (injury depending)

Thorn is a 1 year deal.

Part of me does at times wonder if tigers needed more outside influence in it coaching.

[doctor_grey]

There are literally hundreds of rumours about Leicester. Spent last weekend in Market Harborough and all one had to do was hit the pubs and listen. Some people were blaming Cockerill but I don't get it. Seems some people were holding him responsible for the injuries. Others for poor form with the players on the pitch. My impression is he is doing what he can to hold the team together and doing a lot of patching here and there. Not remotely easy. Am I wrong?

[Welly]

No your not, Leicester fans have had it easy and whenever there is a period like this go nuts and start blaming the HC at the time it is one of those things that happens.

 for some reason people like to add drama and think they are in the loop.

 Tait out for 7 weeks minimum.
 http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/matthew-tait-adds-to-leicester-tigers-growing-injury-crisis-9778466.html

[LondonTiger]

The discontent on the roads down to the ground were palpable the other week, and really it is starting to feel like 10 years ago. hit a bad patch and the fans are very quick to forget past successes.

Cockers is clearly feeling under pressure - you just have to see the quotes on the official website to see that. However he deserves the chance to try and turn this round and hell you learn much mor ein adversity than is success. In 2011 we learnt a lot about the character of the club and we bounced back from that dreadfull start, while some players soon departed.

All coaches and coaching teams have a shelf life. I do wonder if Cockers has reached his. however his record means he deserves the chance to fix things. And if come the end of the season we are still in the bottom half of the table - he is the sort of man who would accept that his time has come.

For now we need to get behind the team and cheer them on. I am not expecting a win on Friday, but I do expect to see some character. Family life means I have not seen the two away farces - but against LI we may not have been very good - but at least we kept trying. I expect the same on Friday.

[sirtidychris]

If at some point you get a full strength team on the pitch then you will start winning games, right now its just god awful bad luck, canne blame cokkers.

[LondonTiger]

Ah but they are blaming Cockers for the injuries.

[formerly known as Sam]

There's been injury crises for several seasons in a row. People are frustrated.

Add to that we have a new defence coach trying to bring in his own style and tactics.

I see little point In getting rid of Cockers when there's no viable alternative at present.

[doctor_grey]

Thanks Gents.
Really not sure how/why Cockerill is being held accountable for the injuries.  Does he run a lot of extra contact in practice?  
Otherwise, I can't see what any other coach could do in this situation.  Amazed there are so many calls for him to be sacked.

[Welly]

Ayerza is back and fit for Friday!!!!

[Welly]

And this is why I respect Cockers so much.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/premiership/11147385/Leicester-Tigers-Richard-Cockerill-insists-I-do-not-fear-the-sack.html

[Welly]

Ayerza has signed a 3 year deal. People rejoice.

[Guest]

Ayerza has signed a 3 year deal. People rejoice.

Best thing I've read on the toilet for a long time. I almost don't care about what happens tomorrow, this'll do me for the week.

[doctor_grey]

And this is why I respect Cockers so much.

 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/premiership/11147385/Leicester-Tigers-Richard-Cockerill-insists-I-do-not-fear-the-sack.html

Agree this is exactly how a leader should lead.  But it has to be very difficult in practice to to go in front of the media and do this.  Good stuff.

[lostinwales]

I am sure if you cut Cockers a mixture of green white and red will come out

[LondonTiger]

We actually played liek a team today, so I can go to bed a happy man.

[nathan]

Hopefully we can keep building on the performance and when we start to get players back we'll improve again.

[formerly known as Sam]

Defence looked like it actually had a strategy and discipline was much better. Wasn't sure the backs looked like a coherent unit in attack but we got an important win.

[doctor_grey]

Six games into the season and Leicester are 3-up and 3-down. Not bad at all considering the injuries. There are other teams who would like to be 3-3.

[Cowshot]

Just got BT Sport. Delighted Tigers responded to this so positively.

Really enjoyed the game. Areas of particular satisfaction were the lineout and Matthew Tait's display of fullback skills. Rare for Mike Brown to be outperformed by his opposite number these days. Good to see tackling back in fashion too...

Very good news that Ayerza has signed for another 3 years. But poor Croft...

[doctor_grey]

Any particular reason why Williams was taking the kicks last night instead of Burns?

[lostinwales]

Any particular reason why Williams was taking the kicks last night instead of Burns?

I believe its because he is rated as a more reliable kicker

[LondonTiger]

However his ball striking was terrible. He seemed to be cutting across the ball, like a golfer fighting a slice.

[formerly known as Sam]

He started well landing some big kicks. Then he just lost his rhythm and sliced ones he was slotting at the start of the game. I wonder if he took a knock to his knee or picked up a dead leg.

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