Gallagher Premiership 2019/20

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Table

Pos	Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	For	Against	Pts Difference	Bonus	Points
1	Northampton Saints	7	5	2	0	194	146	48	3	23
2	Exeter Chiefs	6	4	2	0	142	97	45	4	20
3	Gloucester Rugby	7	3	4	0	149	121	28	6	18
4	Bristol Bears	7	3	3	1	157	165	-8	4	18
5	Bath Rugby	7	4	3	0	139	145	-6	1	17
6	Worcester Warriors	7	4	3	0	122	144	-22	1	17
7	Sale Sharks	7	3	4	0	144	105	39	5	17
8	Harlequins	7	3	3	1	158	169	-11	3	17
9	London Irish	7	2	4	1	128	179	-51	2	12
10	Wasps	7	2	5	0	134	191	-57	3	11
11	Leicester Tigers	7	1	5	1	118	191	-76	0	6
12	Saracens	6	5	1	0	158	87	71	-32	-13

Bath
Last Season - 6th

Players in: Lewis Boyce (Prop), Christian Judge (Prop), Will Stuart (Prop), Mike Williams (Utility Forward), Josh McNally (Second Row), Ollie Fox (Scrum Half)
Promoted from Academy: Miles Reid, Will Vaughan, Sam Nixon, Tom de Glanville, Will Britton, Jack Davies, Tom Doughty, Levi Davis promoted (X Factor permitting)

Players Out: Dave Attwood (Second Row), Paul Grant (Back Row), Luke Charteris (Second Row), James Wilson (Utility Back), Kahn Fotuali'i (Scrum Half), Jacques van Rooyen (Prop), Jack Wilson (Wing), Cooper Vuna (Wing), Anthony Perenise (Prop), Michael van Vuuren (Hooker), Max Lahiff (Prop)


Bristol Bears
Last Season - 9th

Players in: Dave Attwood (Second Row), Nathan Hughes (Back Row), Nicky Thomas (Prop), Max Lahiff (Prop), Tyrese Johnson-Fisher (Wing)
Promoted from Academy: Sam Bedlow, John Hawkins, Toby Fricker

Players out: Nick Haining (Back Row), George Smith (Back Row), Nick Fenton-Wells (Back Row), Joe Latta (Second Row), Tusi Pisi (Fly Half), Sione Faletau (Prop), Jack Lam (Back Row)


Exeter Chiefs
Last Season: Runners Up

Players in: Stuart Hogg (Full Back), Will Witty (Second Row), Tom Price (Second Row), Stan South (Utility Forward), Jannes Kirsten (Utility Forward), Jacques Vermeulen (Utility Forward)

Players out: Santiago Cordero (Wing/FB), Tom Lawday (Back Row), Moray Low (Prop), Ollie Atkins (Second Row), Mitch Lees (Second Row)


Gloucester
Last Season: 3rd

Players in: Joe Simpson (Scrum Half), Jamal Ford-Robinson (Prop), Chris Harris (Centre), Corne Fourie (Prop)
Promoted from Academy: Charlie Chapman, Alex Seville, Alex Craig, Ciaran Knight, Tom Seabrook, Henry Walker

Players out: Paddy McAllister (Prop), Gareth Denman (Prop), Kyle Traynor (Prop) Tom Savage (Second Row), Gareth Evans (Back Row), Ben Vellacott (Scrum Half), Henry Purdy (Centre/Wing)


Harlequins
Last Season 4th

Players in: Santiago Garcias Botta (Prop), Martin Landajo (Scrum Half), Michele Campagnaro (Centre), Scott Baldwin (Hooker), Stephan Lewies (Second Row), Glen Young (Second Row), Will Evans (Flanker), Simon Kerrod (Prop), Tom Lawday (Back Row), Travis Ismaiel (Wing), Veriniki Goneva (Wing), Tevita Cavubati (Second Row)

Players out: Alofa Alofa (Utility Back), George Merrick (Second Row), Lewis Boyce (Prop), James Horwill (Second Row), Josh Ibuanokpe (Prop), Tim Visser (Wing), Charlie Walker(Wing), Demitir Catrakilis (Fly Half), Mat Luamanu (Back Row), Luke Wallace (Flanker), Stan South (Second Row), Dave Ward (Hooker), Dave Lewis (Scrum Half), Ben Glynn (Second Row)


Leicester Tigers
Last season 11th

Players in: Jordan Taufua (Back Row), Noel Reid (Fly Half/Centre), Calum Green (Second Row), Jaco Taute (Centre), Tomas Lavanini (Second Row), Nephi Leatigaga (Prop), Charlie Clare (Hooker), Joe Thomas (Centre), Johnny McPhillips (Fly Half), EW Viljoen (Utility Back), Hanro Liebenberg (Back Row), Jordan Coghlan (Back Row)
Promoted from Academy: Tom Hardwicke, Joe Heyes, Sam Lewis, Jordan Olowefela, Tommy Reffell, Sam Aspland Robinson, Harry Simmons, Ben White

Players out: Matt Toomua (Centre), Mike Williams (Utility Forward), Graham Kitchener (Second Row), Mathew Tait (Utility Back), Will Evans (Flanker), Tom Varndell (Winger), James Voss (Second Row), Matt Smith (Centre), Gareth Owen (Centre), Michael Fitzgerald (Second Row), Brendon O'Connor (Back Row), Valentino Mapapalangi (Back Row), Fred Tuilagi (Back Row), Leonardo Sarto (Wing),  Joe Ford (Fly Half), David Feao (Prop), David Denton (Back Row), Ross McMillan (Hooker), Campese Ma'afu (Prop), Charlie Thacker (Centre)


London Irish
Last Season: Promoted

Players in: Allan Dell (Prop), Nick Phipps (Scrum Half), Curtis Rona (Wing), Sean O'Brien (Back Row), Sekope Kepu (Prop), Paddy Jackson (Fly Half), Waisake Naholo (Wing), Adam Coleman (Second Row), Ruan Botha (Second Row), Steve Mafi (Utility Forward), George Nott (Utility Forward)

Players Out: Josh McNally (Second Row), Ian Keatley (Fly Half), Brendan McKibbin (Centre), Mike Coman (Back Row), Tommy Bell (Utility Back), Topsy Ojo (Wing), Fergus Mulchrone (Centre), Luke McLean (Full Back), Sebastian de Chaves (Second Row), Ofisa Treviranus (Back Row), Greig Tonks (Utility Back),  Napolioni Nalaga (Wing), Sam Twomey (Second Row), Filo Paulo (Second Row), Manasa Saulo (Prop)


Northampton Saints
Last Season: 4th

Players in: Matt Proctor (Utility back), Owen Franks (Prop), Ryan Olowofela (Wing), Henry Taylor (Scrum Half), Michael van Vuuren (Hooker)
Promoted from Academy: Ehren Painter, Fraser Dingwall,  James Grayson,  Alex Mitchell,  Alex Moon

Players Out: Luther Burrell (Centre), Jamal Ford-Robinson (Prop), James Craig (Utility Forward), James Haskell (Back Row), Dominic Barrow (Second Row), Nafi Tuitavake (Wing), Ken Pisi (Centre)


Sale Sharks
Last Season: 7th

Players in: Jake Cooper-Woolley (Prop), Robert du Preez (Fly Half), Akker van der Merwe (Hooker), Lood de Jager (Second Row), Coenie Oosthuizen (Prop), Dan du Preez (Utility Forward), Jean-Luc du Preez (Back Row), Simon Hammersley (Full Back), Mark Wilson (Back Row)

Players Out: Andrei Ostrikov (Second Row), Mark Jennings (Centre), Alexandru Țăruș (Prop), Johnny Leota (Centre),  Paolo Odogwu (Wing), James O'Connor (Utility Back), Josh Strauss (Back Row), George Nott (Utility Forward)


Saracens
Last Season: Champions

Players in: Elliot Daly (Utility back), Rhys Carré (Prop), Jack Singleton (Hooker), Josh Ibuanokpe (Prop)
Promoted from Academy: Alistair Crossdale, Dominic Morris

Players out: Christopher Tolofua (Hooker), Sione Vailanu (Back Row), Hayden Thompson-Stringer (Prop), David Strettle (Wing), Henry Taylor (Scrum Half) Dominic Day (Second Row), Marcelo Bosch (Centre), Schalk Burger (Back Row)


Wasps
Last Season: 8th

Players in: Malakai Fekitoa (Centre), Jeffery Toomaga-Allen (Prop), Ben Vellacott (Scrum Half), Matteo Minozzi (Utility back), Sione Vailanu (Back row), Biyi Alo (Prop), Paolo Odogwu (Wing), Zach Kibirige (wing)
Promoted from academy:  Will Porter,  Callum Sirker,  Sam Spink,  Tom Willis,  Tim Cardall,  Gabriel Oghre,  Owain James, Jacob Umaga

Players out: Jake Cooper-Woolley (Prop), Nathan Hughes (Back row), Will Stuart (Prop), Elliot Daly (Centre), Joe Simpson (Scrum half), Willie le Roux (Full Back), Michele Campagnaro (Centre), Kearnan Myall (Second Row), Gabiriele Lovobalavu (Centre), Matt Mullan (Prop)


Worcester Warriors
Last Season 10th

Players in: Graham Kitchener (Second Row), Jono Kitto (Scrum Half), Melani Nanai (Wing), Ed Fidow (Wing)
Promoted from Academy: Andrew Kitchener,  Ted Hill

Players out:  Bryce Heem (Wing), Josh Adams (Wing), Darren Barry (Second Row), Wynand Olivier (Centre), Dewald Potgieter (Back row), Jack Singleton (Hooker), Jonny Arr (Scrum half), Carl Kirwan (Back row), Luke Baldwin (Scrum Half), Ben Te'o (Centre), Alafoti Fa'osiliva (Back row)

TightHEAD wrote:Austin and Ben Kay normally do Tigers games, it's sickening!

They spend most of the game picking fault with Tigers and how they aren't as good now as they were back when they both played. That and Austin trying to get a rise out of Ben over how effective or not the board is.

Shame Kay wasn't commentating as he could have given some insight beyond "it's not going too well at the minute" to the lineout battle.

Grayson wasn't too bad as co-commentator but he didn't seem to like saying more than two sentences at a time. Bit more detail from him would have been nice.

Saints team to face Bristol at The Gardens today:

15 Harry Mallinder
14 Tom Collins
13 Matt Proctor
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Taqele Naiyaravoro
10 James Grayson
9 Cobus Reinach

1 Alex Waller (co-capt)
2 Mikey Haywood
3 Owen Franks
4 Alex Coles
5 Alex Moon
6 Mitch Eadie
7 Tom Wood
8 Teimana Harrison (co-capt)

Replacements:
16 James Fish
17 Ben Franks
18 Paul Hill
19 Lewis Bean
20 Devante Onojaife
21 Alex Mitchell
22 Fraser Dingwall
23 Ahsee Tuala

Great to see Matt Proctor back, in the few games he has played he has looked real class.

Luckily the weather seems to be relenting around match time, winds down to 18-20mph and lighter rain.

Saints looking to keep their options open depending on how the weather goes, the heavyweight Moon alongside the more linear lineout specialist Coles to start, if the weather turn nasty, bring on 20 stone of Lewis Bean to play the tighter game.

Bears bears bears

This one's going end to end already. Nice to see Mallinder back in full flow. If he can get a run of games together he could tour in the summer.

Saints lucky not to get done for a PT there I think.  Don't see Malinder stopping him from 2 yards out travelling at speed.

Yellow card period has been very costly for Saints. Saints have struggled for any real momentum since, there's been a lot of handling errors.

Saints fell to bits in the second half, suddenly they were making all the mistakes that Bristol were in the first half.

They threw that game away, hard to feel sorry for them.

In the end they were lucky to get the LBP ... massive turnaround from the way it looked like it was going.

Cumbrian wrote:As a neutral, a difficult game to watch.  I think Leicester have deserved the victory (calling it early) based on the second half.  Wasn't a high tackle on Kibirige, reckon he will be really disappointed with his finishing, a decent premiership winger should be expected to finish that off.

Watching the match recording yesterday I was almost astonished that even the one-eyed Dayglo was calling that high. White hit him at the bicep and then , as Kibirige dropped, the challenge rode to the top of the shoulder. It only touched the neck (at low impact) once the ball was lost and they were almost on the ground. Dayglo is always pretty one eyed in his commentary, was better for Saints v Bristol, and rarely actually adds anything, no improvement for Saints v Bristol. He was a great player, but his general dimness shines through when it comes to commentary.

LondonTiger wrote:

Cumbrian wrote:As a neutral, a difficult game to watch.  I think Leicester have deserved the victory (calling it early) based on the second half.  Wasn't a high tackle on Kibirige, reckon he will be really disappointed with his finishing, a decent premiership winger should be expected to finish that off.

Watching the match recording yesterday I was almost astonished that even the one-eyed Dayglo was calling that high. White hit him at the bicep and then , as Kibirige dropped, the challenge rode to the top of the shoulder.  It only touched the neck (at low impact) once the ball was lost and they were almost on the ground. Dayglo is always pretty one eyed in his commentary, was better for Saints v Bristol, and rarely actually adds anything, no improvement for Saints v Bristol. He was a great player, but his general dimness shines through when it comes to commentary.

Was at the game and we didn't think it was a high tackle. Poor finishing from Kibirige, who should be disappointed. Having watched the highlights now (they seemed to find far more than there seemed in real time!) I agree with the chaps above, no question of it being a high tackle.

We were poor, and the conditions didn't help either side, but Tigers were better. Gopperth, Willis, Young and Carr were by far our best players, the rest way behind. Umaga was off the pace - I'd have either brought Searle on earlier or moved Jimmy in to ten.

Umaga did struggle and I cannot fathom why he is in the England squad. Willis I found a conundrum - did some really good stuff, but also some massive brain fades and at times looked a little lazy. Young seemed highly motivated, while Carr added power but was just a bit slow.

It was not a game (or conditions) for backs.

Definitely not one for the backs.

Willis was good around the park, he's a very powerful bloke. I thought him and Young were extremely lucky as the pair of them sacked multiple lineouts from very much the side. Another ref and one or both would have had 10 minute breaks. I think a problem for Wasps was that the backrow got involved a lot on the tight exchanges to help out the right five so weren't covering as much in the loose as they might have. Tigers backrow got a much better platform from their right five.

Umaga and Hardwick both had days to forget. Put that one down to a learning opportunity for the young playmakers. We've seen more experienced players struggle in those conditions.

Umaga was disappointing.

No where near ready for England duty.

TightHEAD wrote:Umaga was disappointing.

No where near ready for England duty.

We can finally agree on something

Good win for Irish. They always just seem so much more up for it then Quins in these derbies. Quins are so up and down, injuries dont help but there is just zero consistency.

On a side note I watched the highlights if the Bristol game and Mallinder looked to be at fault for two key line breaks that led to tries for Bris.

yappysnap wrote:Good win for Irish. They always just seem so much more up for it then Quins in these derbies. Quins are so up and down, injuries dont help but there is just zero consistency.

On a side note I watched the highlights if the Bristol game and Mallinder looked to be at fault for two key line breaks that led to tries for Bris.

Not sure how you come to that conclusion, the first try for Purdy came after Mallinder forced the Bris play over to the left where he was tackled, Mallinder was the first support player in the ensuing ruck when Purdy, scored his try. The second was a forward drive from very close to the line, when Mallinder was on the other side of the Ruck. He was up in the line preventing the overlap when the ball was kicked through, Hutchinson and I think Grayson were the ones that fumbled the ball on the line.

I'll have to watch again, but I thought both those bits of play stem from breaks earlier down field through the centre, both between Mallinder and the no10 as Mallinder drifts wide and is flat footed by the attacker.

Tommy Reffell saving Tigers bacon on the line with a brilliant rip.

An inability to respond to the ref at the line-out has already given up a yellow card for Dan Cole though.

Very impressive start but Sale have fought their way back in. Unnecessary yellow for Dan. Losing Taute is a huge blow. Looks like this is going to be a real arm wrestle.

Jaco Taute is a big blow for Tigers but this is a brilliant opportunity for Jonny McPhillips to make an impact.

I was excited when he signed but he just hasn't had the chances yet.

In an odd way the gut wrenching loss of Costelow could give McPhillips opportunities during the 6 Nations.

Wasps have scored three tries against Saracens and lead 24-0. They have played some great rugby, and really caught out the visitors with their attacking play.

Zach Kibirige has just picked up on a loose ball, and outpaced Alex Lewington to score a bonus point try for Wasps. 31-0 now.

For a young 9 Jack van Poortvliet gets some serious height on his kicks.

He made the error for the first try but I like him as a young player.

Oh there's the second try. Poor Tigers defence and Sale are efficient at taking advantage.

Tigers are the victims of their own stupidity. Some silly penalties and then a couple of errors and Sale are in control. The young 9 gets his footwork run and ends up having to take a step, Holmes jumps up out the line and now the third try we've gifted them some easy territory and have paid for it.

McPhillips has done little to show why he should be in the squad ahead of Hardwick. Lazy kick straight to Sale in open play and then did a great impression of being stuck in quick sand when he's the defender in the backfield for the second try.

The lineout shambles cost us two or three great attacking positions early doors and we are now in a position where we are really regretting not getting anything from those chances.

After the first try Sale's tails have been up and they've been ticking through the gears.

Wow that's a soft yellow card. Can't complain though the interpretation at the moment is any contact with head and you're in the refs hands.

I have no idea why we've just taken Reffell off. Been excellent so far.

Reffell is also one of our forwards who offers consistently performance over the 80.

Boladau, Liebenberg and Reffell have all looked good but Jono Ross has been the pick of the back rowers on show.

Polota-Nau looks completely shot of confidence. It's tough to watch a player with his experience and quality play so poorly.

Wasps lead Saracens 48-5

Against Sale, Saracens seemed to show that even their second string will be competitive. Wasps are giving them a hiding. All their flair players are on song today.

king_carlos wrote:Reffell is also one of our forwards who offers consistently performance over the 80.

Boladau, Liebenberg and Reffell have all looked good but Jono Ross has been the pick of the back rowers on show.

Ross normally is. He's been an excellent signing for Sale, very consistent.

Surprised Sale are taking the shot at goal as it's just eating into the time we're down to 14.

Our playmakers have not shown up at all, neither McPhillips nor Reid have offered any type of control for us. Young JVP has been isolated.

Kerr now on. TON was fairly anonymous and his lineout work poor so Kerr should offer more.

We have an attack coach, I know we have an attack coach because there was a press release and he was evident at half time talking to the backs. There is, however, no evidence of what he's been coaching our patterns and structure is awful. There's just no options for the ball carrier.

Lineout looks better with Kerr on.

Poor from Tigers and it's now a rout. Try-less thus far and Sale are looking dangerous whenever they have the ball.

I can see why Simmons didn't start, he's been awful since he came on.

Commitment from the forwards has been good. Some unnecessary penalties and the starting front row weren't great but numbers 4 to 8 played well.

Backline really only TV can hold his head up there. Midfield after Taute went off have been shocking. McPhillips looks like a Championship player and Noel Reid little better. Eastmond has been ok but created nothing in attack.

How inconsistent Reid has looked for Tigers after being a very good club player for Leinster sums up how poor our structures are quite well.

Simmons had a tough 15 minutes. I really rate the lad but he's had no luck with fitness the last two seasons. I say it so often about our academy grads but I hope he gets game time in a strong side. Partnering Ford and having May chase his kicks is a different sport.

Spencer and Lavanini should have gained an advantage over Evans and Jean-Luc du Preez in his weakest position. Sale had the advantage though despite Lavanini having another strong game. Evans was very good. Once again the oppositions line-out lock completely outplayed Tigers. A familiar story.

Wilson and Ross led a defence that soaked up what little forward carrying Tigers offered and the backs had nothing from there.

Onwards and upwards. Tigers should be beating Worcester at home.

Simmons just looked so slow at the breakdown, he's so highly rated because he's normally a live wire. Might be worth getting him some game time in the Championship to get some sharpness back and playing White with JVP on the bench for the next couple of weeks.

The lineout worked better after Kerr came on. The difference of a confident thrower was night and day. Somehow the stats in the second half showed we won all of our lineouts, the quality of ball from those lineouts was awful and our rolling maul easily negated.

This is the type of game where Viljoen should have been on the bench. Big, quick and massive boot. If he's not getting a look in he might not make it past the summer. Reid is a link man, he ties together good players around him. At 13 with McPhillips at 10 he looked completely out of the game, Eastmond seemed to have issues covering McPhillips defensively. We lost the game when Taute went off having controlled the opening 15 minutes completely, Sale didn't get out of their half in the opening 10 minutes. Imploding 15 minutes before half time and the game was done.

You wonder whether a loss Vs Worcester at home will see some heads roll. Fans are starting to get grumpy again. Results at home are a good way to fix that and we've been given an out this season. The attack needs some serious work, Ford Snr could go tomorrow and we'd see no difference. I mean what is the point in running the same move every time, you either hit the hard runner (s) or you pass out the back to the back three player who's only options are to go himself or pass wide. Why there's no pass out the back to TV with the blindside winger working round to his inside so he can fix the defence and have a pass either side I don't know. Just give the guy with the ball some options. Same with the forwards, it's just up the jumper and too easy to pick the ball carrier off.

Another bonus point win for LI - think I must be dreaming ....

Saints team for there annual thrashing at Sandy Park

15 Harry Mallinder
14 Ahsee Tuala
13 Matt Proctor
12 Andrew Symons
11 Tom Collins
10 James Grayson
9 Alex Mitchell

1 Francois van Wyk
2 James Fish
3 Paul Hill
4 Alex Coles
5 Lewis Bean
6 Tom Wood
7 JJ Tonks
8 Teimana Harrison (c)

Replacements:
16 Mike Haywood
17 Alex Waller
18 Owen Franks
19 Ben Glynn
20 Lewis Ludlam
21 Cobus Reinach
22 Fraser Dingwall
23 Taqele Naiyaravoro

Struggling massively at lock, having to borrow players and parachute them straight in. Perhaps we should try and make Naiyaravoro a little more of a Jack of all Trades. I mean if May can play at flanker................

Have to say that is one hell of a bench, the backs anyway.

There seems to be a lot of players who'd I'd assume would normally start on the bench. Has this one been written off a little so squad rotation come in to play?

Or written off a lot ... ouch.

Got to admit I didn't think Hendrickson was still with Chiefs. I presumed he was with the Pirates full time or headed back to NZ to play Mitre 10. A good game from the centre though.

I think home advantage will count for an enormous amount during the 6 Nations. A lot of sides will be targeting a good showing in from of their home crowd then rotating on the road.

Leicester Tigers (v Worcester Warriors, Welford Road, Saturday 3.00pm)

15 Telusa Veainu

14 Jonah Holmes

13 George Worth

12 Kyle Eastmond

11 Jordan Olowofela

10 Noel Reid

9 Ben White

1 Greg Bateman

2 Jake Kerr

3 Dan Cole (c)

4 Tomás Lavanini

5 Harry Wells

6 Hanro Liebenberg

7 Jordan Taufua

8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Tatafu Polota-Nau

17 Nephi Leatigaga

18 Joe Heyes

19 Joe Batley

20 Tommy Reffell

21 Harry Simmons

22 Johnny McPhillips

23 Joe Thomas

Worcester Warriors: 15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 12 Ryan Mills, 11 Nick David, 10 Duncan Weir, 9 Francois Hougaard; 1 Ethan Waller, 2 Matt Moulds (c), 3 Nick Schonert, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Ted Hill, 7 Marco Mama, 8 Cornell du Preez
Replacements: 16 Niall Annett, 17 Kai Owen, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Sam Lewis, 21 Michael Heaney, 22 Jono Lance, 23 Scott van Breda

From a Tigers point of view I presume both Spencer and Hardwick are injured alongside Green and Thompson. I wouldn't rule out a late drop out from a failed fitness test. Not a bad team otherwise, 9 having come through the academy/development squad. Good to see Kerr starting.

Saints side for Sarries on Saturday:

15 Harry Mallinder
14 Ahsee Tuala
13 Fraser Dingwall
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Taqele Naiyaravoro
10 Dan Biggar
9 Cobus Reinach

1 Francois van Wyk
2 James Fish
3 Paul Hill
4 Alex Coles
5 Lewis Bean
6 Tom Wood
7 JJ Tonks
8 Teimana Harrison (c)

Replacements:
16 Reece Marshall
17 Ben Franks
18 Owen Franks
19 Ben Glynn
20 Mitch Eadie
21 Henry Taylor
22 Andrew Symons
23 Matt Proctor

Pretty hefty back three

Does that back three combined weigh more than the backrow combined? Looks like they might edge it.

Franks brothers not starting? Thought they'd be straight back in.

Glad that Jake Kerr and George Worth are getting starts.

Kalamafoni and Taufua being fit is huge for Tigers.

As poor as Tigers are I'd hope our forwards will get the upper hand.

The 10-12 combination is far from inspiring though. I don't like Reid as a starting 10 (good 12 though) and Eastmond have been hugely inconsistent for Tigers. At best his tackling has been average and at worst it looks like he's playing touch.

Eastmond is good and disrupting the opposition ball with either a rip or jackle. Those areas of his game are very good. His tackling as you say not always great and tends to be a bit high. A Hardwick/Reid combination would have been preferable for a kicking and defensive benefit. Try and pin Worcester in their own 22 where our forwards can try and smother them or the can kick to TV, Holmes and Owolfela to run it back. Could always drop Worth into the backfield as well as he's good under the high ball.

king_carlos wrote:Eastmond have been hugely inconsistent for Tigers. At best his tackling has been average and at worst it looks like he's playing touch. has left us a player short

Fixed that for you

formerly known as Sam wrote:Eastmond is good and disrupting the opposition ball with either a rip or jackle. Those areas of his game are very good. His tackling as you say not always great and tends to be a bit high. A Hardwick/Reid combination would have been preferable for a kicking and defensive benefit. Try and pin Worcester in their own 22 where our forwards can try and smother them or the can kick to TV, Holmes and Owolfela to run it back. Could always drop Worth into the backfield as well as he's good under the high ball.

The frequency with which the attempted rips come of are rare for Eastmond and I've honestly seen little from him as a jackal. The attempted rips in my opinion usually result in us committing an ineffectual second man to the tackle. I try not to be overly negative about individuals at Tigers as it's difficult to shine in such a poor side.

I just feel that Eastmond is a busted flush though. He had a brilliant season with Bath when JJ and Ford were in top form either side of him, but even then they conceded a fair few points. Since injuries had an impact on his pace and acceleration he has offered less in attack but hasn't developed the rest of his game as others do to become more rounded. He used to have the pace to play wing, nowhere near that now.

He's by no means the worst performer Tigers have seen in the last few seasons but when he said he was still in contract for next season earlier this year my overriding feeling was that it would've been good to use his cap elsewhere.

Yet this season he's been better than Reid at 12 which says something. I too was thinking that if Eastmond was out of contract then it was the chance to go into the market but hey ho.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Yet this season he's been better than Reid at 12 which says something. I too was thinking that if Eastmond was out of contract then it was the chance to go into the market but hey ho.

I don't think he has particularly. Eastmond was good in attack and poor in defence against Quins at Twickenham. He was good all round against Bristol and Cardiff at home. That's about it though.

Reid's best games were the Calvisano and Pau games at home when he played either side of Ford and Manu, unsurprisingly. He was also good in the solid performance against Chiefs and good in the away loss to Pau. Given he's been played out of position he's done alright with the likes of Forsyth and Viljeon struggling outside him.

I just haven't been impressed with Eastmond this season. For what he has sporadically offered in attack he has frequently been ripped a new one in defence. At Twickenham he managed to make Paul Lasike look like Manu!

I'd just much rather we persevere with Reid or Hardwick as distributors at 12 than persevere with KE's poor defence and inconsistency. Reid has the better all round game and injury record. Hardwick has potential and youth on his side.

Hardwick I'd like to see at 12. I think he's a great long term option. Reid looks good when he's the glue holding a good midfield together, he doesn't create much himself.

Next season I wonder if we'll see more of Henry at fullback. If we do lose May a back three of Nadolo, TV and Henry with Taute and Manu at centre would give us a different dynamic. A midfield more like what we were using a decade ago with Allen/Hipkiss.