Leicester Tigers Thread 2014/15 (+ Squad updates for 2015/16) Part 2

by Welly Fri 30 Jan 2015, 8:51 am

First topic message reminder :

Current Tables Positions:
AP: 3rd Losing SF to Bath
CC: Out (Group Stage)
LV: Out (Semi Final)
A League: 4th Northern Conference.
AP Sevens:
Academy AP U18 League: 2nd Northern Conference beating Bath on finals day to finish 3rd overall.

Next Game: V Argetnina (Welford road) 5th/6th September Time: TBD.

Senior Squad 2014/15: (Leaving), (Signed new deal) (Retiring)
Coaches: Cockerill (DOR), Blaze (Ass. Forwards), Blake (Defence + Skills Coach), Murphy (Ass.Backs)
1/3) Ayerza, Balmain, Bristow, Brugnara, Cole, Mulipola, Pasquali, Rizzo
2) T.Youngs, Ghiraldini, Briggs, Thacker
4/5) Deacon, De Chaves, Kitchener, Parling, Peterson, Price, Slater, Thorn, Whetton
6/7/8) Barbieri, Crane, Croft, Gibson, Pearce, Salvi
9) Harrison, Mele, Youngs
10) Burns, Williams
12/13) Allen, Bai, Hepetema, Loamanu, Pohe, Roberts, Smith, Tuilagi
11/14) Benjamin, Camacho, Goneva, Hamilton, Scully, Thompstone
15) Bell, Morris, Tait

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

2015/16 Senior Squad ATM: (New Signings)
Coaches: Cockerill (DOR), Mauger (HC), Hansen (Defence + Skills Coach), Blaze (Ass. Forwards), Murphy (Ass. Backs)
1/3) Ayerza, Balmain, Brugnara, Cole, Mulipola, Pasquali, Rizzo
2) Youngs, Ghiraldini, Bateman, Thacker
4/5) De Chaves, Fitzgerald, Kitchener, Slater
6/7/8) Crane, Croft, Fonua, McCaffrey, O'Connor, Pearce, Williams
9) Harrison, Kitto, Youngs
10) Burns, Williams
12/13) Allen, Bai, Loamanu, Roberts, Smith, Tuilagi
11/14) Benjamin, Betham, Camacho, Goneva, Thompstone
15) Bell, Morris, Tait

2015/16 Development Squad: N/A

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
Sam Harrison
Tom Croft
Niall Morris
Seb De Cheves
Mathew Tait
Niall Morris

Out Of Contract
Roberts
Camacho
Bell
Smith

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)

2015/16
Greg Bateman (Exeter)
Mike Williams (Warriors)
Mike Fitzgerald (Chiefs)
Opeti Fonua (Welsh)
Brendon O'Connor (Blues)
Peter Betham (NSW Waratahs)
Lachlan McCaffrey (London Welsh)
Jono Kitto (Bay of Plenty + Cheifs Development Squad)

Transfers Out 2014/15:
Paul Burke (N/A)
Phil Blake (N/A)
Neil McCarthy (N?A)
Mathew Tait (Bayonne)
Tom Price (Scarlets)
Geoff Parling (Exeter)
Neil Briggs (Sale)
Julien Salvi (Exeter)
Pohe (USC)
Brad Thorn (Retirement)
Peterson (Glasgow)
Hamilton (Coventry)
Bristow (Wasps)
R.Williams (?)
Whetton
Hepetema

Rumours:
IN
Matt Todd -------> Leicester
Francois Hougaard ----> Leicester, Exeter Chiefs.
Maxime Mermoz ------> Leicester
Burrow ----------------> Leicester

Out
Allen (Retirement)
Manu (Toulouse, Saracens, Racing)

by Welly Mon 16 Feb 2015, 3:22 pm

Owen Williams Out for 9 Months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Massive blow for him and the club.

by Gooseberry Mon 16 Feb 2015, 3:25 pm

Pregnant?

by Welly Mon 16 Feb 2015, 3:26 pm

by lostinwales Mon 16 Feb 2015, 3:39 pm

Williams out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/31490831

by formerly known as Sam Mon 16 Feb 2015, 4:19 pm

Right it's time to wrap Bai and Burns in cotton wool. Those boys are to be subbed the second any game looks to be assured and are not to play in the LV. Got to feel for Owen he's had no luck this season.

by Welly Mon 16 Feb 2015, 4:21 pm

Bell or Bryant might get a shot @ 10 on the bench.

by Welly Mon 16 Feb 2015, 4:22 pm

Plus side our Academy thumped Bath's Academy 41 - 12 in the U18 Finals day.

We finish 3rd overall.

by nathan Mon 16 Feb 2015, 5:02 pm

Have we had any good news this season?

by Welly Mon 16 Feb 2015, 5:04 pm

The kit provider will not be Canterbury.

Although I really like their casual clothes their match Kit has been fairly poor esp the away shirts.

by formerly known as Sam Tue 17 Feb 2015, 8:25 am

Louis Deacon retires. Not surprising but still sad that a great servant to the club couldn't run out at WR one last time for the standing ovation he deserves. He is coaching the Spanish team part time, that's got to be an alright gig.

by Welly Tue 17 Feb 2015, 9:24 am

Hopefully we get a chance to give the Leicester legend a proper goodbye.

by **LondonTiger** Tue 17 Feb 2015, 10:19 am

Welly wrote: Hopefully we get a chance to give the Leicester legend a proper goodbye.

Agreed.

by HongKongCherry Tue 17 Feb 2015, 2:04 pm

Deacon was very much underrated, but he was a real workhorse of a player. I never liked seeing him on the team sheet against Glaws.

by nathan Thu 19 Feb 2015, 12:13 pm

Leicester Tigers chief executive Simon Cohen expects utility back Niall Morris to stay at the Premiership club beyond the end of the season, while contract talks with flanker Julian Salvi are ongoing.
Morris, 26, is out of contract in the summer and the Irishman has been linked with a return to former club Leinster.
"Everything's pretty much agreed with Niall. I'd be surprised if he was going," Cohen told BBC Radio Leicester.

by **LondonTiger** Thu 19 Feb 2015, 6:04 pm

The rest of the article is interesting:

Contract talks with flanker Julian Salvi are ongoing but Cohen said the 29-year-old's future remains unclear.
The Australian has played in every match for the Tigers so far this season.
Cohen said: "There's still a discussion. He's played week in, week out, but we are limited in what we can spend in the cap and we do have to get some backs in, so we'll see where that goes.

by formerly known as Sam Thu 19 Feb 2015, 7:45 pm

Do we need backs plural? A replacement for Tait and then I'd rather we retained and backed the younger guys. Bryant, Roberts, Catchpole, Thacker and Pohe if he stays will be adequate back up to the midfield. The wingers haven't been the problem this season.

by **LondonTiger** Thu 19 Feb 2015, 9:57 pm

Agree Sam

by killer938 Fri 20 Feb 2015, 1:34 pm

Good to see Roberts and Catchpole getting a start together this weekend

by Welly Fri 20 Feb 2015, 1:36 pm

Agreed will give them a very good test to see where they stand.

TBH wondering how much of it was cockers call?

a must win away game with 2 rookie centres, isn't usually his thing.

by killer938 Fri 20 Feb 2015, 1:57 pm

Well with no Allen his hand was kind of forced. Could have played Bai to start with but glad he is giving the youngsters a go. Not sure who else would have made the call and Cockers must have given it the go ahead anyway

by **LondonTiger** Fri 20 Feb 2015, 2:11 pm

Bai seems to have been playing as a crash ball centre - may as well use the pocket rocket instead.

by formerly known as Sam Fri 20 Feb 2015, 2:49 pm

Well he had options. He could have recalled Bai instead of benching him and Loamano is supposedly fit. The longer he stays in the job the more Cockers seems willing to back the younger options. I hope they prove him right.

by formerly known as Sam Fri 20 Feb 2015, 9:13 pm

Hempetema starts at 12 for Donny whilst Pohe and Price both start for Nottingham as well.

by **LondonTiger** Sun 22 Feb 2015, 5:43 pm

Burns concussed. Does not bode well for next week.

by Welly Sun 22 Feb 2015, 5:48 pm

Fingers crossed.

Although we are now in a position where win all our games and we are def in the top 4.

Easy peasy.

by **LondonTiger** Sun 22 Feb 2015, 5:52 pm

Winning the next two home games would be good. (Plus the trip to Falcons of course)

by formerly known as Sam Sun 22 Feb 2015, 6:02 pm

How did Burns manage that? If he was seeing stars that might explain the late penalty miss.

Need Bryant on the bench if Burns starts or in the ten shirt of he isn't. We can't have no tactical kicking option and no direction in the backs again.

We need results. Every game is a must win if we want to make the play offs. Even if that means sending the academy/A team out against Exeter.

by **LondonTiger** Tue 24 Feb 2015, 2:37 pm

formerly known as Sam wrote:We need results. Every game is a must win if we want to make the play offs. Even if that means sending the academy/A team out against Exeter.

I assume you mean the LV Semi on 15th March, rather than the AP on 28th.

by formerly known as Sam Tue 24 Feb 2015, 6:36 pm

Yep. Let the academy and A league boys try and bring home the silverware.

I'd happily go with a team of;

Brugnara, Thacker, Pasquali
Peterson, Whetton
Milne, Pearce, Gibson
Mele, Bryant
Hempetema, Loamano/Smith/Pohe/Thacker
Benjamin, Bell, Scully

by **LondonTiger** Thu 26 Feb 2015, 10:56 am

Congrats to Oli Bryant.

Hope this means that Burns has passed all the concussion protocols and is fit for Saturday

by formerly known as Sam Thu 26 Feb 2015, 11:54 am

I suppose we have Bell and Bai anyway. Be harsh to deny Bryant an age grade debut on the off chance he might get a bench spot.

Nice to see a range of our young talent getting under 20s game time. That Owen, Beckett, Thacker, Bryant and Williams.

Burns was excellent in the first half versus LI. Need him against Sale. Sale minus Cipriani is a different beast as well. That might help us.

by **LondonTiger** Fri 27 Feb 2015, 11:49 am

Manu (and Chris Pennell) to travel with England Squad to Dublin. I can only assume this is to provide cover.

WHAT THE CHUFFING HELL???????????????????????

When did Manu last play - 18 minutes against Ulster, 18th October. Surely if fit to play, and what else can we assume based on his travel plans with England, he shoudl be getting game time?

Bad for us, bad for Manu and bad for England.

by Welly Fri 27 Feb 2015, 11:59 am

Manu is only there so he can remain (connected with the squad) not in a playing way.

Guess he will train with everyone when he can so he remains in the fold.

Basically he is viewed as a huge key player for England and with the World Cup coming up the more time spent with the England squad the eaisier it will be when he can play for them.

by lostinwales Fri 27 Feb 2015, 12:16 pm

Welly wrote: Manu is only there so he can remain (connected with the squad) not in a playing way.

Guess he will train with everyone when he can so he remains in the fold.

Basically he is viewed as a huge key player for England and with the World Cup coming up the more time spent with the England squad the eaisier it will be when he can play for them.

Yes. If anything its a sign that his recovery isnt progressing how we'd like

by formerly known as Sam Fri 27 Feb 2015, 2:00 pm

It's a sign that people have more money than sense. What's the point shipping him all over the UK. That will not help him get fitter faster. A day travelling is a day he's not working with the physio.

by Welly Sun 01 Mar 2015, 11:16 am

Scully off, Salvi off but due to tigers withdrawing it all.

by **LondonTiger** Sun 01 Mar 2015, 11:25 am

Welly wrote: Scully off, Salvi off but due to tigers withdrawing it all.

No comprende

by Welly Sun 01 Mar 2015, 11:27 am

Scully ---> Cardiff Blues
Salvi---> agreed deal with tigers but then tigers withdraw offer and is now without a club.

by **LondonTiger** Sun 01 Mar 2015, 11:33 am

Ah ok.

Salvi had agreed a deal and we removed it, or we had one on the table that we removed? Bad form by us if the deal was agreed then removed.

Shame to lose both. Scully was deserving of a significant payrise that I doubt we could afford and stay in cap.

by formerly known as Sam Sun 01 Mar 2015, 11:36 am

Where have the rumours come from Welly. The Scully one is unsubstantiated on the offy.

Salvi may have agreed a deal in principle and not signed off on it. Tigers felt they couldn't wait indefinitely with the number of quality and affordable sevens on the market low.

by Welly Sun 01 Mar 2015, 11:43 am

I know a recent graduate who does work for an agent.

And agents like to talk to each other, (no surprise)

I will say I posted a hint on the blues thread before the offy thread.

Salvi had rejected the French clubs offer To accept tigers deal but then tigers then withdraw. Not sure how his agent could have let that happen.

by formerly known as Sam Sun 01 Mar 2015, 2:35 pm

I hope it's not Cohen trying to be clever. Salvi and O'Connor working as part of the squad would be ace. Certainly against the likes of Quins the idea of two open sides giving us the breakdown platform to dominate their tight five is appealing.

We certainly don't want to be looking at starting Thacker or Owen in a big game. They aren't quite there yet. Williams and the other lock we are allegedly looking at can both play 6 as can Slater. We need two senior options at each back row position. Then the academy can fill in.

by **LondonTiger** Sun 01 Mar 2015, 2:44 pm

Does Salvi share an agent with Billy Twelvetrees, who verbally agreed a contract but then signed for Glaws.

by **LondonTiger** Tue 03 Mar 2015, 11:13 am

Marcos wins "Green Flag Forward of the Month"

http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/22192.php#.VPWW7vmsVqE

Was not aware of such an award, but well deserved.

by formerly known as Sam Tue 03 Mar 2015, 11:44 am

Ayerza will probably win a lot of those awards. He's a top quality player. He's been immense for us.

by **LondonTiger** Wed 04 Mar 2015, 2:56 pm

Interesting to see Ed Slater mentioned in the latest bulletin from England:

Players retained for training on Friday (16)

Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby)
Mike Brown (Harlequins)
Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
George Ford (Bath Rugby)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints)
James Haskell (Wasps)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)
Chris Robshaw (Harlequins)
Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby)
Billy Vunipola (Saracens)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

Retained for rehabilitation (3)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)

by BamBam Wed 04 Mar 2015, 2:58 pm

Very good to see

by formerly known as Sam Wed 04 Mar 2015, 3:13 pm

I'm not certain why England are doing this. Not sure there's much point having a couple of the injured lads hanging around and watching training. Perhaps the abject failure of our second row on Sunday is prompting questions in Lancaster's mind but he didn't cap Ed when he was the best lock in the league last season and there's little option to cap him before the summer given he's not due back before April.

by nathan Wed 04 Mar 2015, 7:09 pm

formerly known as Sam wrote:I'm not certain why England are doing this. Not sure there's much point having a couple of the injured lads hanging around and watching training. Perhaps the abject failure of our second row on Sunday is prompting questions in Lancaster's mind but he didn't cap Ed when he was the best lock in the league last season and there's little option to cap him before the summer given he's not due back before April.

Is it not simple? Being in camp isn't just about being running around on a training pitch. They will be learning the processes England use whilst in camp which means when there fit and playing well they can slot straight in.

by formerly known as Sam Wed 04 Mar 2015, 9:19 pm

But it takes them out of their rehab set up and away from the medical team that has been overseeing their recovery. It requires a good degree of travelling (which isn't fun and can increase swelling and cramps). It's great they get to see some of the drills and processes but there's a difference between watching and doing half pace drills and to training full on. If they were leadership figures I think it might be different but Manu is 22 and quiet whilst Ed is uncapped.

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