Low Value Cup - Tigers vs Falcons from Welford Rd

Leicester Tigers (v Newcastle Falcons, LV= Cup, Welford Road, Saturday 3.00pm)
15 Niall Morris
14 Horacio Agulla
13 Matt Smith
12 Anthony Allen
11 Scott Hamilton
10 Jeremy Staunton
9 Sam Harrison
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 George Chuter
3 Julian White
4 George Skivington
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Steve Mafi
7 Ben Woods (c)
8 Thomas Waldrom

Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins
17 Logoviii Mulipola
18 Ryan Bower
19 Craig Newby
20 Julian Salvi
21 James Grindal
22 Toby Flood
23 Andy Forsyth

Newcastle Falcons beat Sale Sharks 37-7 in Round 3 last week and can still qualify for the semi-finals with a win this Saturday.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Greg Goosen, 14 Ryan Shortland, 13 Corne Uys, 12 James Fitzpatrick, 11 Suka Hufanga, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Chris Pilgrim, 1 Jonny Golding, 2 Rob Vickers, 3 James Hall, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 5 Tim Swinson, 6 Ally Hogg, 7 Richard Mayhew, 8 Mark Wilson. Replacements: 16 Joe Graham, 17 Darren Fearn, 18 Ashley Wells, 19 Richard Boyle, 20 Taiasina Tu'ifua, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Jamie Helleur, 23 Joel Hodgson

Sadly some of the old guard are back in the team this weekend so I wouldn't expect a great deal of running rugby in what is likely to be freezing conditions.

As a side note I'd advise any travelling Flacons supporters to head straight to WR and avoid arriving in Leicester between 12 and 1 as the EDL lot have decided to 'march' through the city centre and there is a counter 'march' by the Unite Against Fachism lot. As such nearly all of the city centre pubs will be shut until after 1 and the ones near the town centre may stay shut for longer. WR will be open the usual 2 hours before kick off and have a nice warm bar for you to stand/sit in (the security will be in place and WR is away from the march routes).

Pretty much looks like a full strength Leicester team. Possibly trying to gain some momentum going back into the Aviva?

Seems that way and with no HEC to play for having a dabble in the LV Cup might be worth a go. Normally it gets in the way but at the moment it looks to be the only trophy we could win this season.

I'm rather disapointed that after the good performances from the likes of Green, Armes, Pienaar, Forsyth and Lewington against Quins only Forsyth makes the 23. Lewington offered the pace on the wing we've missed all season (his try was a beauty) and the young forwards apparently had a good day at the breakdown (there's not been many of those this season).

Yeah this is the first time Tigers have taken this seriously in a few years.
Just as well since theres a reasonable chance they wont get to a final any other way this year, and that would be unthinkable.

Ooh just had a look whos on the bench.

Interesting that Wales are starting Preistland but England not risking Flood. I guess hes probably a few days short of match fitness.

The rumours are that Flood and Manu will get the two AP games after this in order to get up to speed before re-joining the England squad ahead of the third 6N game. However, a spanking from the Scots would change that I'm sure.

Just to cheer up the Falcons fans before the game

Three years!?

HammerofThunor wrote:Just to cheer up the Falcons fans before the game

Three years!?

I can hear the chants now

"Tigers wont even poach you"

He'lll be a standout player in the second tier. Good on him for choosing first team rugby over the easy life as Stauntons body double.

Good old Cockerill - couldn't wait to get the youngsters back out of the side. Maybe it's time for a more forward looking coach?


And Gopperth in for Hodgson? Depressing all round!

Depends who made the call Dave, Cockerill normally looks after the forwards and O'Connor (the head coach) the backs. After some of the turgid backs play of late I'd be inclined to replace O'Connor first and go from there.

Quite a dull game that Tigers controlled through out. Falcons kicked away to much ball from Gopperth and Hodgson entering the fray early helped quite a bit. It was perhaps fortunate for Falcons that Harrison and the Tigers forwards were producing quick ball for Staunton for most of the game rather than Flood as Staunton just threw a predictable pass to Allen everytime he touched the ball and didn't call a single backs move. By the time Flood took the field Grindal had come on at 9 replacing my man of the match Sam Harrison which meant he only had slow ball to work from.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Depends who made the call Dave, Cockerill normally looks after the forwards and O'Connor (the head coach) the backs. After some of the turgid backs play of late I'd be inclined to replace O'Connor first and go from there.

Quite a dull game that Tigers controlled through out. Falcons kicked away to much ball from Gopperth and Hodgson entering the fray early helped quite a bit. It was perhaps fortunate for Falcons that Harrison and the Tigers forwards were producing quick ball for Staunton for most of the game rather than Flood as Staunton just threw a predictable pass to Allen everytime he touched the ball and didn't call a single backs move. By the time Flood took the field Grindal had come on at 9 replacing my man of the match Sam Harrison which meant he only had slow ball to work from.

He scored you a try man!

He scored you a try man!.

Whilst standing at IC.