The Leicester Tigers thread

[Portnoy]

First topic message reminder :

2012/3 may well prove to be a memorable one.

For once, there seems to be (albeit not unplumbable) strength in depth, a fairly healthy squad and a straightforward, uncomplicated international season.

[yappysnap]

I ask this every so often but how's Tait's groin coming on? Will he be starting the season or still rehabing then?

[formerly known as Sam]

He should be back by the end of September, maybe slightly before. He had an operation in the summer and is in pre season but might not be fully fit for the opening couple of games. He is the ideal sub and that would be a position he could regain his fitness from.

[Guest]

LI have confirmed Richard Thorpe's departure:

http://london-irish.com/news/Irish85447.ink?newstype=N

[formerly known as Sam]

Hmm, looks like we'll know for sure in the next couple of days then. I wonder if Tigers are looking at the sums and fearing they can't get him under the cap without a medical dispensation. A medical dispensation requires a player in a similar position to be injured for 3 or more months.

Now Deacon was signed as a medical dispensation for Newby/Croft according to the Tigers news section. I wonder which is confirmed out for 3 months and if both now are they are looking at this signing as well. Clearly something is going on behind the scenes.

[funnyExiledScot]

Oh well, sounds like we could do with drawing a Scottish team in the HEC. Seems we need to remind a few of the skirt wearers of what a Tigers pack can do (should they actually be bl00dy fit for a change).

It would be nice to play you, but sadly Leicester just don't make it through to the knock-out rounds anymore, unlike Edinburgh, so you'll have to improve in order to face us

[Trench Foot]

I think the fact that a team 11th (or thereabouts) in their league can even qualify for European rugby speaks volumes about the inequities in the qualification mechanism.

Clearly, Scottish success (I suppose anything would have been an improvement) in the HEC last year was at the expense of both league and international form, which were both embarassing.

[formerly known as Sam]

Well FES we couldn't afford (literally in terms of finance) to be as bad as you boys in the RABO so we missed out (well that and we went to Ravenhill with no enforcer and no flyhalf). Shame really but maybe next time, after all a Tigers vs Edinburgh game would be a great watch, Flood vs Laidlaw, Denton vs Croft, Nel vs Ayerza, Jacobson vs Cole etc. Fun times.

[formerly known as Sam]

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Richard-Thorpe-eyes-Leicester-Tigers-impressing/story-16618559-detail/story.html

The latest on Richard Thorpe.

[funnyExiledScot]

Well FES we couldn't afford (literally in terms of finance) to be as bad as you boys in the RABO so we missed out (well that and we went to Ravenhill with no enforcer and no flyhalf). Shame really but maybe next time, after all a Tigers vs Edinburgh game would be a great watch, Flood vs Laidlaw, Denton vs Croft, Nel vs Ayerza, Jacobson vs Cole etc. Fun times.

It would be a good game. We both leak soft tries for fun and we both have multi-faceted attacks which like to strike from anywhere.

Talei vs Waldrom would be an interesting one to see how few rucks they can actually contribute in, versus barnstorming ball carrying.

[formerly known as Sam]

Hopefull big Jordan Crane will be back at 8 by the knock out stages FES. That would improve out defence, breakdown work, control at the base of the scrum, lineout work, mauling game and carrying in the tight. He can even pull off the odd barnstorming run, not as many as Talei and Waldrom but his presence would be a good thing for the team. Waldrom would be a handy impact sub.

Now Ford vs Youngs could be interesting, who can run the most yards and miss the most lineout throws.

[funnyExiledScot]

The best lineout tactic with Ford is to stick your tallest player at the back for the overthrow. Doesn't know his own strength does Ford.

I agree that Crane will help your lot shore things up. Waldrom is a great carrier but not a rounded player (in the sense of abilities rather than shape).

[formerly known as Sam]

Ah the opposite is true of Tom Youngs, put your biggest guy at the front and try intimidate him and he tends to throw crooked. If the big guy at the front doesn't get in his head then he'll do good. The two of them colliding around the pitch would be a good watch.

We certainly missed Crane an awful lot last season, he is the stereotypical Tigers number 8, even though he dyes his hair and wears white boots (well when not with Tigers as Cockers doesn't allow it).

[funnyExiledScot]

he is the stereotypical Tigers number 8, even though he dyes his hair and wears white boots (well when not with Tigers as Cockers doesn't allow it).

I would have paid good money to see Dean Richards dye his hair and play in white boots!!

So all said and done, is this the Leicester 1st XV next season (all fully fit)?

1.Ayerza 2.Youngs 3.Cole 4.Deacon 5.Parling 6.Croft 7.Salvi 8.Crane 9.Youngs 10.Flood 11.Benjamin 12.Allen 13.Tuilagi 14.Thompstone 15.Murphy(c)

[formerly known as Sam]

I'd have thought so FES. Bowden will be pushing for the 12 shirt and Castro will be keenly contesting the 3 shirt with Cole. I'd expect Chuter to try and make the most of his final season though I hope Tom Youngs over takes him quickly and stays as first choice.

Mulipola will be playing a lot in the early games as Ayerza is away with Argentina, Mafi stepping in for Croft early doors and with Ben Youngs out Sam Harrison will probably be in the 9 shirt and given a chance to shine (under pressure from Micky Young though). So it could all change but at this moment in time I'd say that was the strongest team.

If we can keep the majority of that team fully fit for the big games we should do well this season.

[formerly known as Sam]

Fresh news on Tait, he should be playing in the first A League game of the season away at Northampton. The idea is to get him up and fit a little bit at a time so he might not really feature much other than in the A League early doors. Making his first team come back in October/November time seems sensible as that is when a) we'll need him most (HEC and Int call ups) and b) make sure he is in perfect shape so he can start to build his form up.

Apparently Crane is in full training and looking ready to play in the pre season games. Newby will be out for the first few months though.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Whats your best XV shaping out to be Sam?

[bluestonevedder]

Excellent news on both Crane and Tait. Can't wait to see Tait back fully fit and eager to play. He's an outstanding player.

Sam out of interest, where did you find this out?

[beshocked]

Hopefully Matthew Tait can come back with a bang. He's been blighted with injuries.

Do you think he'll be as quick as he used to be? Also what position do you think Tait will be? Will he become Murphy's successor?

[formerly known as Sam]

Blue, see here:

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Mathew-Tait-pencilled-Leicester-Tigers-comeback/story-16655373-detail/story.html

Whats your best XV shaping out to be Sam?

Well Sgt, I'd probably go for:
first team / second team
1.Ayerza / Mulipola
2.T Youngs / Chuter
3.Cole / Castro
4.Deacon / Slater
5.Parling / Kitchener
6.Croft / Mafi
7.Salvi / Newby
8.Crane / Waldrom
9.Youngs / Harrison
10.Flood / Ford
11.Benjamin / Lewington
12.Allen / Bowden
13.Manu / Goneva
14.Thompstone / Morris
15.Murphy / Tait

There is a lot of competition going on though, we are well stocked in the prop positions (Brookes and Stankovitch weren't even mentioned above). In the back three there is Tait, Goneva, Morris and young Lewington all fighting for places. Bowden at 12 and Ford at 10 will also make things interesting. We are looking pretty good ahead of next season, as long as Deacon, Crane and the hookers remain fit anyway.

Do you think he'll be as quick as he used to be? Also what position do you think Tait will be? Will he become Murphy's successor?

Hope so Beshocked, that's what we need him to be by next season. This season if he can get 15 to 20 first team games under his belt and just offer a great utility option with no more injuries that will be a good step.

[doctor_grey]

That is a great looking squad, mate. Competition and high quality throughout. Doom on the rest of us.

But seriously, how do they afford to stay under the cap with a squad like that?
No, seriously, not trying to wind you up. Seriously, no joke. Really.
No really. Just under the cap by a thruppence?
Feckin Tigers.

[formerly known as Sam]

Well Tigers famously get away with offering less money because the players know that there are few better ways to put themselves in the international frame than to play for Tigers. It's also worth noting that the raises in the salary cap have meant no big signings just new deals for academy graduates like Cole (big money contract for him), Ford etc.

Also worth noting that the international wingers we released (Tuilagi and Agulla) will have both been on chunky contracts whilst of their replacements the only one to be a regular at an AP or similar level was Benjamin. Thompstone was picking his career back up after injury (Allen and Tait were also signed cheaply during lulls in their careers) and Goneva was playing in the French second division. Tigers try to sign smart.

Even though we've been clever with the signings we've still had to sign Phibbs and Deacon as medical cover rather than as members of the squad. We are at the limit of the salary cap so there won't be any more signings. Good squad though.

[Portnoy]

Tickets are on sale now from the Welford Road ticket office for Leicester Tigers' first ever game at Wembley. http://www.leicestertigers.com/news/14372.php

Gold tickets are situated in block 126 and priced £31 adults and £16 juniors. Silver tickets are situated in blocks 219 and 220 and priced £21 adults and £11 juniors. Red and black tickets are in blocks 113 and 114 and priced £16 adults and £6 juniors. There are no OAP or student concessions.

http://wembleystadium.com/TheStadium/ViewFromYourSeat.aspx

Sarries employing a divide and rule policy? Rotten seat allocations in an 80000 seater stadium.

[Irish Londoner]

Portnoy, I think you'll find these are the same prices as everyone else pays; also on the day Wembley will be packed with Saracen, Tigers and other club fans all over the place.
If you want a seat with a view from say the halfway line it's best to go to Ticketmaster and use them to buy your tickets. Of course if you want to sit "with your own" then that's where to book.
Personally I've got Club Wembley seats for £20 which I think isn't a bad deal but be prepared for shocks when buying a drink/burger etc. but that's Wembleys pricing not the clubs.

[Portnoy]

So who allocates the blocks for the Tigers' office IL?

[Portnoy]

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/saracens/details/event.aspx?itemref=229

Cheaper seats available folks.

[Ozzy3213]

Does yer man Cockers ever stop moaning...

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/story-16704948-detail/story.html

[rodders]

Any news on the Tigers team for Saturday?

[Portnoy]

The manager is explaining to the fans in the local paper about the difficulties of having to lose key players in the pre-season, Oz.

And then acknowledging the bright side. Terrible. Disgraceful.

[Portnoy]

Any news on the Tigers team for Saturday?

I doubt it will be announce before Thusrsday Rod. More likely Friday. But as it's only a friendly, you can't be sure.

[yappysnap]

The manager is explaining to the fans in the local paper about the difficulties of having to lose key players in the pre-season, Oz.
And then acknowledging the bright side. Terrible. Disgraceful.

It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't the same drivel that's spouted every other week during the regular season. WE'VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE RICHARD!!

Maybe he should go coach Wasps or Falcons? Then he could really have something to winge about.

[Portnoy]

The green-eyed monsters are closing in I see.
Don't panic chaps. Newcastle are in safe hands. And Wasps consortium is apparently in place (every team suffers injuries).

And there is always the PRL at hand to set and prime any and every Tiger-trap imaginable.

[formerly known as Sam]

It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't the same drivel that's spouted every other week during the regular season. WE'VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE RICHARD!!

It was the first game of pre season and do you not think that the press weren't asking about why none of the England contingent were about? Cockers has obviously said they are away on an EPS de-brief (seems a bit stupid to me but nevermind) and they've asked him if it is unhelpful. What was he going to say? Yeah it's great they've missed another week of training.

It's the middle of the summer, City have made all their signings and with tight lipped Pearson in charge aren't producing any stories and who wants to talk about the continued failings of Leicestershire Cricket? The sports writers have to write about something now that they can no longer pad the sports section of the local rag with Loughborough linked Olympics stuff!

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

The green-eyed monsters are closing in I see.
Don't panic chaps. Newcastle are in safe hands. And Wasps consortium is apparently in place (every team suffers injuries).

And there is always the PRL at hand to set and prime any and every Tiger-trap imaginable.

Don't worry Portnoy, that's what the tinfoil hats are for

Try playing a season in a temporary ground 6 hours drive from your training base post earthquake, and dealing with 100,000+ air-miles, more than any other side in the world's toughest provincial/club competition. All on a lower salary cap than in the Jeff. Then you'll have something to complain about .

Actually, on second thoughts, the Golden Lions have it tougher still - ridden with debt, players being cherry-picked by SA rivals and rich European clubs and about to be demoted from the top flight due to government-mandated affirmative action.

[Ozzy3213]

It's the bit where he claims that having players report late for pre season due to international call ups and needing a break is unique to Leicester. So no other clubs had payers in the EPS then?

We got Corbs back broken, and Gibson and JJ managed to play on Friday night and they were summer tourists. Cockers comes across as a man with a big chip on his shoulder.

[formerly known as Sam]

It's the bit where he claims that having players report late for pre season due to international call ups and needing a break is unique to Leicester. So no other clubs had payers in the EPS then?

So you missed 3. Where Cockers was missing Tom Youngs, Cole, Parling, Kitchener, Waldrom, Ben Youngs, Flood, Allen and Manu Tuilagi. 9, all of whom will be in line to play against LW (other than Ben Youngs who England have broken, again, second summer running).

He wasn't as negative as you are making out, he did at least balance out the fact they've only had chance to do half the required pre season with the benefits.

[yappysnap]

Or how about Quins missing Robshaw, Care, Brown, Marler, Robson, JTH, Lowe etc??

Everyone misses players at these times of the season, it's perfectly normal but for some reason Cockerill seems to feel he has to go on about it ad nauseum.

[Portnoy]

Bunker mentality. That's the way it is at Welford Road.

But it is not uncommon in coaches
e.g. Dai Young after the Treviso friendly
http://www.wasps.co.uk/news/Wasps33267.ink

That wasn’t helped by the fact that it wasn’t refereed at all but we have to be better. If he is not making the decisions that are there then you have to work around that. They were still better than us, we still lost collisions. Despite our defence being generally quite good we were losing yards at every collision

Of course I could have taken the italicised bit out of context, but that wouldn't be fair as it would be misleading.

The general format for explaining a reverse is platitude, platitude, platitude, excuse platitude...

[formerly known as Sam]

Everyone misses players at these times of the season, it's perfectly normal but for some reason Cockerill seems to feel he has to go on about it ad nauseum.

Or as already explained the local rag have nothing else to report other than Leicestershire Crickets latest failings and so get a quote from Cockers and make a story out of it.

I presume in London there is a lot more to pad the sports pages with so COS and Smith are unlikely to be posed questions on their missing English players during pre season.

[Geordie]

The green-eyed monsters are closing in I see.
Don't panic chaps. Newcastle are in safe hands. And Wasps consortium is apparently in place (every team suffers injuries).

And there is always the PRL at hand to set and prime any and every Tiger-trap imaginable.

We most definately are sir. Ill warn the PL teams now...you've got a year before the old days of torturous, physical trips to the North East return...

[Portnoy]

Louis Deacon out for start of season.

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Louis-Deacon-s-hopes-fresh-start-Leicester-Tigers/story-16711831-detail/story.html

I wondered why Wessel Jooste was being signed.
http://www.espnscrum.com/premiership-2012-13/rugby/story/168568.html

[formerly known as Sam]

Deacon is a massive blow, made worse by Ed Slater still being bothered by his knee injury. At least Slater should be ready soon.

[Geordie]

You guys have been unlucky with injuries over the last 12 months mind Sam....

[Portnoy]

Sam, I no nothing about Jooste,

but from the espn link above:

He's very big, athletic and strong. He's played all across the back row for Bourgoin, and lock. He's certainly someone who if all of the pieces of the jigsaw fit into place could be a possibility.

Makes sense as a support player. He's 31 and maybe to be penned on an injury replacement contract?

[formerly known as Sam]

It doesn't look like chaning GF. Players missing the start of the season

1.Ayerza - International duty with Argentina
4.Deacon - shoulder surgery
5.Slater - knee injury
6.Croft - neck injury
7.Woods - wrist injury
8.Newby - knee injury
9.Youngs - shoulder injury
11.Benjamin - toe surgery
15.Tait - groin injury (back in training but likely to only be in the A side to begin with as they want to slowly build up his fitness)

There's apparently a chance Benjamin and Slater will be back but it's not a great start. Loosehead may be an issue with Stankovitch not having played in months because of shoulder surgery and Mulipola stuck in Ireland waiting for his Visa to come through.

Makes sense as a support player. He's 31 and maybe to be penned on an injury replacement contract?

We can always put one of Mafi, Brett Deacon or Crane in the second row if we are desperate. I don't see the point in signing another utility forward as injury cover. At 31 he is only ever going to be a short term signing and chances are we will only really need him in the LV Cup (unless there is a big injury crisis). Don't see the point in not giving Cain, Wells and Price the LV Cup games and resting the other locks. Develop what we have rather than panic buying another journey man on a short term deal. I'm still not sure why we bothered bringing in Thorpe but there you go.

[Portnoy]

Mulipola stuck in Ireland waiting for his Visa

Why is he in Ireland? Could be a dangerous place to be tapped-up in. Get him to Spain or Kazakhstan or somewhere!

And what happened to his agreement to play for Hawkes Bay?

[formerly known as Sam]

We got him signed up to a long term deal Portnoy. Came to an arrangement with Hawkes Bay so he could go straight in to pre season with us. Annoyingly it seems he can't get into the country yet but can get into Ireland so he's probably just training there at a hotel or something until the Visa comes through then he'll meet up with the team in Belfast.

To be honest I'm suprised we had so little competition for his signature, a big powerful prop who is mobile and half way decent in the scrum (on both sides). Simply can't understand why no one else bid for him!

[yappysnap]

I think we asked this last season but would Tigers notoriously physical training sessions have anything to do with the injury list? You do seem to be one of the worse hit each season.

[Geordie]

He can cover 8 aswell cant he Sam.

[formerly known as Sam]

I think we asked this last season but would Tigers notoriously physical training sessions have anything to do with the injury list? You do seem to be one of the worse hit each season.

Don't know Yappy. Some of the worst injuries the club have endured have been real freak ones. Tait ripped the muscle in his groin whilst doing his own little sprint warm up pre game. Perhaps one or two are down to that but Tigers only have one contact session per week no matter how brutal it is there should be plenty of rest time around it so that bodies aren't too overworked. Considering the club are doing a whole raft of body monitoring programmes with the Leicester Uni Medical School I'd have thought they would have packed in anything that was out of the way dangerous.

He can cover 8 aswell cant he Sam.

Apparently so GF. Not seen it at Tigers but part of me would love to see the 20 stone mammoth pick and go from the base of a scrum 5 metres out! Maybe they'll give him a go there in the LV Cup, would help draw a crowd in.

[Ozzy3213]

Genuine question, not designed as a WUM, but proportionally do Tigers have more injuries than other clubs? I ask because Tigers injury list there does look quite long, but they do have a bigger squad, so there is an argument that the more players you have the more injuries you are likely to get.

What percentage of their playing resources is it that are currently injured?

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