Aviva Premiership Final

In this years Aviva Premiership final , Leicester Tigers face late comers Gloucester. Both sides progressed through with the Gloucester achieveing the biggest result of the season with a win over unbeaten Northampton. Gloucester star Joe Van Niekerk is set to be the star of the show with the number 8's form over the last few weeks being fascinating to say the least. There is also James O'Connor , Berrick Barnes , Adam Jones and Pat Lambie on show to say the least.

Leicester's entrance music will be Red Hot Chilli Peppers Can't Stop whilst Gloucester will enter to the words of Metallica Enter the Sandman whilst the match ball will be bought into the arena by the Red Devils. Legends of both clubs will knock on the changing room doors instead of the traditional referees knock. Ben Kay will call the Tigers whilst Marco Bortolami will call up on the Cherry and Whites.

Referee: Nigel Owens
Assistants: Bryc Lawrence and Dave Pearson
4th Official:Johnathan Kaplan
Television Match Official : Stewart Dickinson

ESPN coverage team Studio: Mark Durdan Smith , Michael Driver (Harlequins Coach special guest) , Bathite (Bath coach special guest) and Austin Healy. Commentary: Nick Mullens , Ben Kay and Andy Nicol.


Gloucester

Manager – prop_lyd

01. Nick Wood	09. Rory Lawson
02. Darren Dawiduk	10. Freddie Burns (k)
03. Adam Jones
04. Tom Savage	11. Charlie Sharples
05. Sam Whitelock	12. EFS
06. Alistair Strokosch	13. Henry Trinder
07. Akapusi Qera	14. Johnny May
08. JVN (c)	15. Pat Lambie

16.Scott Lawson 17.Dan Murphy 18.Rupert Harden 19.Alex Brown 20.Luke Narraway 21.Dave Lewis 22.JSD 23.Iain Balshaw

Tactics
We have just had a massive victory away at Saints and our form at the moment means we have won and battled hard to be here and won't go down without a fight. Tigers have had a fairly easy run so will not be expecting a team with our form or passion coming to them on NEUTRAL ground, away from Welford Road and away from influencing the ref. We will look to play running rugby with big runners in our pack who will look for quick ball as we know Tiger's can be dangerous at the breakdown and we can be strong out wide. Only 2 changes this week (why break up a winning side?) with May adding pace and JSD adding experience with Tindall dropping out. We are fired up and will want to cause yet ANOTHER upset.

Forwards
*Get the inital hit and look for the second shove on the scrums, the front row will look to turn them inside out and their main target will be to clear out the rucks for quick ball to Lawson to release our backs.
*Dominate the lineouts with 4 jumpers starting and 2 more to come on, the 2nd rows will look to be physical and Whitelock'll look to link with the back row, Brown will come on to take apart a tired lineout.
*Backrow, Whitelock and Jones to carry hard and straight looking for a quick offload to their supporting runners to keep the ball fast and the game quick.
*Look for turnovers and use Qera's hard hitting and Strokosch's to do this and slow their ball, JVN will provide the link to the back line and we will look at a 8-9-15 move off the base of the scrum.
*Use the bench with Narraway coming on on the hour to hit tired defence at the breakdown. We won't look to use all the players if we don't need them but can see Lawson and Harden making an impact in the front row and will only make changes if needed.

Backs
*Quick ball to Burns who will look to pin them back initally before releasing EFS and Trinder off of quick 2nd phase ball or slow 4th phase ball to run at disorganised defences.
*Centres to run straight and hard and to look to offload to back 3 or back row support, Trinder will look to target tired forwards with angles. First 30 minutes will be battering ram fast paced rugby off the centres.
*Back 3 to go hunting for the ball and use their angled running to slice through the defence, high balls will be used to get space and give May and Sharples the opportunity to run, Morgan will pick and choose his runs and, when with the ball in own half will sometimes look at up and unders.
*Hard blitz banana defence with a backrower on Burns’ shoulder to look to get the first hit and turnover, Lawson/Lewis will act as a sweeper. Using Qera to intimidate Flood and winding up Youngs who has become quite hot-headed.
*Use the bench: Lewis: fresh, sniping legs, JSD: experience and classy running in angles, Balshaw: a calm head in excellent form.

Leicester Tigers
Manager – Sgt_Pooly

01. Marco Ayerza	09. Ben Youngs
02. Rob Webber	10. Toby Flood
03. Martin Castrogiovani
04. Richie Gray	11. Christian Wade
05. Geoff Parling	12. Berrick Barnes
06. Tom Croft	13. Manu Tuilagi
07. Sam Warburton(c)	14. James O’Connor
08. Thomas Waldroum	15. Geordan Murphy

16. Tom Youngs 17. Dan Cole 18. Boris Stankovich 19. Joe Launchbury 20. Jacques Cronje 21. Danny Care 22. Billy Twelvetrees 23. George Lowe

Tactics

General - High tempo, free running, offloading game in the good rugby conditions. We’ll be looking for big carries from our pack to free up space around the fringes for out talented backline to work in.

Forwards- We will look to set a tone in the set piece with our big scrummaging front 5 and will look for the squeeze from the off. Parling will lead the line and we will look to target the opposition's throw with Croft/Gray marshalling the front/middle of the line. We'll use big carries from our pack to draw in the opposition defence with Youngs marshalling and looking for gaps to exploit around the fringes. Look to get Gray, Castro, Waldroum, Warburton on the ball as much as possible and exploit our superior physicality in the pack. Draw the Gloucester defensive line in and look to exploit the gaps with electric players in the backline.

Backs- Look to play whats on attack the gaps. Manu to use his physicality and look for mismatches in the opp defensice line. Look to draw the defence and use decoy with Wade/JOC coming into the line and using gas in backs. Barnes to marshall backline and draw defense. Flood to play flat and look to attack the line to free space up for Barnes to act as 2nd receiver. JOC to step into midfield looking for work and run at the Gloucester backs/forwards.

POINTS:

FORM - In fantastic form in league and already beaten Gloucester this season
SCRUM + BACKUP - Castro to work Wood till Cole comes on and attacks
LINEOUT - Numerous world class options in Parling, Gray, Croft. Look to control set piece in general and use to launch attacks
KICKING - Numerous kicking options in backline to mix game up
BREAKDOWN - Look to get edge here with Warburton/Croft attacking tackle area
IMPACT BENCH - To come on and inject tempo into game

Can we have predos on who'll win the studio battle too?!?!

Will look to get it all in Thursday!! Bring it on!!!!

Can't wait to get in the commentators chair! Qulaity

That's all players fit now Prop

Yep I know!! Hamilton's got the punches ready

That's a point....Hamilton cited?

Expect Hamilton banned mate, he's got a hearing Thursday but 3 months has been banded about

Ah blydi typical!!! Oh well, I've got enough in the locker anyway

Gloucester

Manager – prop_lyd

01. Nick Wood	09. Rory Lawson
02. Darren Dawiduk	10. Freddie Burns (k)
03. Adam Jones
04. Tom Savage	11. Charlie Sharples
05. Sam Whitelock	12. EFS
06. Alistair Strokosch	13. Henry Trinder
07. Akapusi Qera	14. Johnny May
08. JVN (c)	15. Pat Lambie

16.Scott Lawson 17.Dan Murphy 18.Rupert Harden 19.Alex Brown 20.Luke Narraway 21.Dave Lewis 22.JSD 23.Iain Balshaw

Tactics
We have just had a massive victory away at Saints and our form at the moment means we have won and battled hard to be here and won't go down without a fight. Tigers have had a fairly easy run so will not be expecting a team with our form or passion coming to them on NEUTRAL ground, away from Welford Road and away from influencing the ref. We will look to play running rugby with big runners in our pack who will look for quick ball as we know Tiger's can be dangerous at the breakdown and we can be strong out wide. Only 2 changes this week (why break up a winning side?) with May adding pace and JSD adding experience with Tindall dropping out. We are fired up and will want to cause yet ANOTHER upset.

Forwards
*Get the inital hit and look for the second shove on the scrums, the front row will look to turn them inside out and their main target will be to clear out the rucks for quick ball to Lawson to release our backs.
*Dominate the lineouts with 4 jumpers starting and 2 more to come on, the 2nd rows will look to be physical and Whitelock'll look to link with the back row, Brown will come on to take apart a tired lineout.
*Backrow, Whitelock and Jones to carry hard and straight looking for a quick offload to their supporting runners to keep the ball fast and the game quick.
*Look for turnovers and use Qera's hard hitting and Strokosch's to do this and slow their ball, JVN will provide the link to the back line and we will look at a 8-9-15 move off the base of the scrum.
*Use the bench with Narraway coming on on the hour to hit tired defence at the breakdown. We won't look to use all the players if we don't need them but can see Lawson and Harden making an impact in the front row and will only make changes if needed.

Backs
*Quick ball to Burns who will look to pin them back initally before releasing EFS and Trinder off of quick 2nd phase ball or slow 4th phase ball to run at disorganised defences.
*Centres to run straight and hard and to look to offload to back 3 or back row support, Trinder will look to target tired forwards with angles. First 30 minutes will be battering ram fast paced rugby off the centres.
*Back 3 to go hunting for the ball and use their angled running to slice through the defence, high balls will be used to get space and give May and Sharples the opportunity to run, Morgan will pick and choose his runs and, when with the ball in own half will sometimes look at up and unders.
*Hard blitz banana defence with a backrower on Burns’ shoulder to look to get the first hit and turnover, Lawson/Lewis will act as a sweeper. Using Qera to intimidate Flood and winding up Youngs who has become quite hot-headed.
*Use the bench: Lewis: fresh, sniping legs, JSD: experience and classy running in angles, Balshaw: a calm head in excellent form.

Leicester Tigers
Manager – Sgt_Pooly

01. Marco Ayerza	09. Ben Youngs
02. Rob Webber	10. Toby Flood
03. Martin Castrogiovani
04. Richie Gray	11. Christian Wade
05. Geoff Parling	12. Berrick Barnes
06. Tom Croft	13. Manu Tuilagi
07. Sam Warburton(c)	14. James O’Connor
08. Thomas Waldroum	15. Geordan Murphy

16. Tom Youngs 17. Dan Cole 18. Boris Stankovich 19. Joe Launchbury 20. Jacques Cronje 21. Danny Care 22. Billy Twelvetrees 23. George Lowe

Tactics

General - High tempo, free running, offloading game in the good rugby conditions. We’ll be looking for big carries from our pack to free up space around the fringes for out talented backline to work in.

Forwards- We will look to set a tone in the set piece with our big scrummaging front 5 and will look for the squeeze from the off. Parling will lead the line and we will look to target the opposition's throw with Croft/Gray marshalling the front/middle of the line. We'll use big carries from our pack to draw in the opposition defence with Youngs marshalling and looking for gaps to exploit around the fringes. Look to get Gray, Castro, Waldroum, Warburton on the ball as much as possible and exploit our superior physicality in the pack. Draw the Gloucester defensive line in and look to exploit the gaps with electric players in the backline.

Backs- Look to play whats on attack the gaps. Manu to use his physicality and look for mismatches in the opp defensice line. Look to draw the defence and use decoy with Wade/JOC coming into the line and using gas in backs. Barnes to marshall backline and draw defense. Flood to play flat and look to attack the line to free space up for Barnes to act as 2nd receiver. JOC to step into midfield looking for work and run at the Gloucester backs/forwards.

POINTS:

FORM - In fantastic form in league and already beaten Gloucester this season
SCRUM + BACKUP - Castro to work Wood till Cole comes on and attacks
LINEOUT - Numerous world class options in Parling, Gray, Croft. Look to control set piece in general and use to launch attacks
KICKING - Numerous kicking options in backline to mix game up
BREAKDOWN - Look to get edge here with Warburton/Croft attacking tackle area
IMPACT BENCH - To come on and inject tempo into game

Best of luck Prop

You have 2 JSDs Prop mate. 1 starting and 1 on the bench

He's just that good

The Gloucester squad looks good but that is a terrifying Leicester lineup...

Tactics updated....all the best Prop

Cheers Driver.....off we go!

I'll put mine up at 4ish

Aye all the best pooly. At least if you win this then it'll help with Falcons' relegation to Championship

No it won't!

Prediction-

Gloucester to go hard off the start, winning the toss and winning their own kickoff. They retain possession through some hard yards in the forwards, but the Leicester defence holds firm, and some sloppy contact play lets Warbs and Croft force a turnover, from which Leicester score off first phase ball, travelling over 80m due to a Manu halfbreak, supported by JOC and finished by Murphy. From then on in, Tigers get 3 penalties which they kick in a row from interesting interpretation of the scrum.

Gloucester finish the half off on a high though, scoring 2 tries, the first an interception by Sharples (conversion missed). Then a carefully composed 28 phase move off the kick receipt leads to an clever kick to the corner that Sharples also takes.

In the second half, Strokosch and Qera bully the Leicester backs and Youngs gets niggly and yellow carded for off the ball activity with Whitelock. Then Warburton gets injured, Glos own the breakdown and score another penalyu and try through Sharples for his hat-trick. However, on Youngs return, with Launchbery settling into the match, Leicester starting smashing the Glos scrum and rucking very hard, and the backs up the tempo. Flood sends Wade over through an inside pop from 30 metres out, then selas victory with a drop-goal!

Tigers 26 (16) Gloucester 22 (12)

Leicester 30 Gloucester 24

Cracking final and both teams in a rich vain of form makes this incredibly difficult to predict.

The front 5 is where the game is won and lost , Ayerza against Adam Jones is some battle but can see Castro and Cole getting the edge over wood and then taking Dan Murphy to the cleaners. Grey is leaps and bounds ahead of Savage whilst Whitelock is ahead of Parling but there is less pressure on Parling at the set piece than Whitelock due to Croft playing 6. I'll be honest with the back row and admit that i think Qera is so overhyped it knocks me sick i think Warburton will cause mayhem on floor and lead his team greatly with Croft shading Strocks on the blind. Big Joe is the better 8 but struggles on the back foot whilst Waldrom is give a arm chair ride in parts.

Half backs Tigers are a class above with Youngs playing well and Flood in inspiring form at 10. Also reading Props tactics i'm not sure Burns is the man to ping Tigers back.

Centres i can see Barnes getting the best out of Manu and his back 3 and as it says in Pooly's tactics 'will play what is in front of him' which is what suits barnes best. Trinder is a hard runner but Manu is no weak defender.
Eliota would cause most defenses problems.

Back 3 is pretty even with Sharples better than Wade , O'Connor miles above May And Lambie ahead of Murphey.

All in all It's down to front foot ball and Tigers front 5 will generate a lot more of this.

Glaws 22 Leicester 27

Leicester will get an advantage in the front 5 with the depth at tighthead ensuring the last 20 mins is hell for the Glaws scrum with either a tiring wood or murphy. The backrows are pretty even for me. I'm not sure Warburton and Croft are the best flanker combo but as individuals they are alot better than their opposite numbers. Stroks and Qera are decent players for me but nothing special, and while as a combo they are better suited i feel that Croft and Warburton's individual brilliance along with their front 5 being on top will see Leicester win the big moments of the game. I see JVN as better than Waldrom but not by miles. Flood is the stand out half back for me and along with Barnes will help Tigers control territory. Lineout for me is relatively even with neither team dominating. Glaws outside backs have the potential to be devestating but i feel that Sharples is so out of form at the moment, that JSD or Balshaw would have been a better bet to start this game. May, Lambie and Trinder are all capable of something special and this is what keeps Glaws in with a chance.

Sorry for the lack of coherence in my explanation. I just write down what i think straight away which is why it can be a bit all over the place. And well done both teams for getting to the final.

Gloucester 23 - 28 Leicester Tigers

After all of the pre game pleasantries, a quick and lively start to the game. Is followed up as teams trade penalties, but Glaws take an early 3 point lead thanks to the boot of Burns. Up front it is a titanic battle with two big TH's anchoring each pack well, and two good attacking LH's as well. With both scrums holding up well on their own ball, this allows the talented back rows into the game. Waldrom and JVN will get over the gain line, but the impressive Warburton will negate the support of JVN and create penalty opportunities for Tigers. However being deep in their own half due to the impressive running ability of the Glaws backs, Tigers opt for lineouts. The competition here will be close but, Tigers will get an edge with Croft, Parling and Gray will rule the skies. But Whitelock and co will manage to win their own ball.
With Youngs being out of some form atm and with Lawson. Flood and Burns both have their influences on the game as Burns releases his attacking backs. But the impressive allround Tigers backline and depth on the bench will see them through to a well thought final win.

Driver and Pooly: as pooly has won, how do you feel trialling the new scoring system when everyone's predicted as well as the scoring system normally used to see how close it would have been because it looks like it'll be a 10-15 point loss for me but with other one it may be 5-7?!

Tigers 22 - 19 Glos

Forwards - Just too much depth for the Tigers here, looking at the front row bench options tells the story for me. Tigers will win the front row battle in both halves and with Webber at the helm, they have some experience back at hook. As much as I rate Whitelock, the Tigers pairing will dominate the lineout, with Croft adding real options in attack and defence and Parling orchestrating things nicely. The back rows are probably one of the closer areas here. Glos have the better ball carriers all round, although Waldrom is a Tank, I don't see Warbs and Croft smashing it up as much as stroks, qera and JVN.

Backs - Floods recent form comes hugely into play here and it comes as a great bit of timing for the Tigers. When Flood plays well, the whole team plays well. Manu coming into a touch of form as well, which cancels out some average form for Barnes. Regardless of form, the Tigers pair are hugely superior to Glos here. Trinder got real potential, but no much for Manu. Back three is another case of potential versus proven class. Murphy is just the kind of guy you want for the big games and with Wade in electric form and JOC is JOC, nuff said!

As much as I like the underdog, can't see an area where Glos can get an advantage. Think that they would be squeezed for most of the game. Glos would probably score through moments of raw talent and/or quick turnover ball, but in truth, the Tigers are in control here.

Well done Pooly.

I'll give it a blast and post both Prop

Cheers fella!!

Gloucester 23 Leicester Tigers 26

Not much between the teams in the pack for me, perhaps a tiny bit more quality for Leicester but nothing that gives them a real edge here. Behind that though I have to go with Tigers, mainly due to some form issues for Gloucester with Burns, Sharples and May all struggling a bit towards the end of the season in real life.

Gloucester 24 Leicester Tigers 29

Tigers can get an edge at the set piece with a strong front 5 on show and so many quality jumping options. Backrow battle closer with Glaws winning in the carrying stakes but Tigers with a bit more quality at the breakdown and linking the game up. Backs go to Tigers across the board here. Some form issues for the likes of Burns, May, Sharples for the last 2 months and with Flood in great form pulling the strings can't see past a Tigers win.

Gloucester 24-28 Tigers

Glos have done very well to get this far but Tigers side is just too strong and has the experience and blend of power, flair and pace to edge out a brave Glos side. Tigers edge the setpiece and allow their backs a great platform.

Tigers 31-24 Gloucester
Give the forwards to Leicester. Edge the lineout, not much in the scrum but think their back row is quite a bit better. Big advantage is the backs, prefer the Tigers half backs and centres. Not much in back three. Overall its enough for the Tigers to win it.

Tigers 25 - 20 Gloucester

The Tigers are littered with big game players that will handle the pressure well -they've been there and done it before. See a big battle in the pack, but Tigers shade the battle at the breakdown with their immense back row.

In the backs Gloucester are rapid and will cause problems. Gloucester out score Tigers on the day but Toby Flood's boot gets the win for Leicester.

AP FINAL RESULT:

Leicester Tigers 37-23 Gloucester



Sorry it looks so bad Prop, you had a great 2nd half to the season

Result next season would have been:

Leicester Tigers 32-23 Gloucester

Great show on predo's lads and thanks for the effort throughout the season. Full predo bonus for everyone

I'm looking forward to the Cup final next week, should be a cracker.

Congrats pooly you deserved it! I just gatecrashed the party! think that shows that the 2nd result is a fairer reflection personally seeing as no-one predicted a 14 point loss for me!

Good season guys now get your award nominations in and I'll do them after Croatia!! (This thurs-mon)

Congrats Pooly although I'm sure it was a fix

Commiserations to you Prop, well done for getting this far!

Great effort from prop to be fair, as he was 11th at one point, so to make the final is a real achievement in itself.

Just the right result, and got some real momentum. I think it was a mistake for me to play Pienaar at 10 in his first game. Could've possibly got a draw then!

Personally dont really rate pienaar at 10. WC SH thoufh

Was great effort from Prop. I imagine they'll be major changes in the league next year and the winner could come from 5/6 clubs depending on signings

I'm still working on my targets, big list need to whittle down soon!! Cheers for the praise guys, was writing the season off as a development one 5 games in!

Well played chaps, can't wait to manage my first game. When does the transfer window open? I'll only be popping in now and again until next Thursday I'm afraid as I have a rather scary deadline