Champions Cup Pool 4: Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers, 21 November

                   
Benetton Treviso v Leicester Tigers
Saturday 21 November 2015
KO: 14:00
Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso

Live on Sky Sports / beIN Sports

Referee Mathieu Raynal (France)
Touch Judge 1 Sebastien Minery (France)
Touch Judge 2 Vivien Praderie (France)
Fourth Official Claudio Blessano (Italy)
TMO Herve Dubes (France)

A. Head to Head

8 Played 8
0 Wins 8
8 Losses 0
0 Draws 0
120 Points 323

B. Recent Form

18 October 2013
Leicester Tigers 34 - 3 Treviso 3

15 December 2012
Treviso 13-14 Leicester Tigers

9 December 2012
Leicester Tigers 33 - 25 Treviso 25

9 October 2010
Treviso 29-34 Leicester Tigers

C. Teams

Benetton Treviso

15 Luke McLean
14 Ludovico Nitoglia
13 Enrico Bacchin
12 Samuel Christie
11 Tommaso Iannone
10 James Ambrosini
9 Edoardo Gori (capt)

1 Matteo Zanusso
2 Ornel Gega
3 Rupert Harden
4 Filo Paulo
5 Jean-François Montauriol
6 Marco Barbini
7 Francesco Minto
8 Abraham Jurgens Steyn

16 Davide Giazzon
17 Matteo Muccignat
18 Filippo Filippetto
19 Dean Budd
20 Marco Lazzaroni
21 Alberto de Marchi
22 Christopher Smylie
23 Andrea Pratichetti

Leicester Tigers

15 Telusa Veainu
14 Peter Betham
13 Matthew Tait (capt)
12 Matt Smith
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Thomas Bell
9 Sam Harrison

1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs
3 Fraser Balmain
4 Dom Barrow
5 Michael Fitzgerald
6 Tom Croft
7 Brendon O'Connor
8 Jordan Crane

16 Greg Bateman
17 Matias Aguero
18 Dan Cole
19 Ed Slater
20 Lachlan McCaffrey
21 Ben Youngs
22 Seremaia Bai
23 George Catchpole

I'm hoping for a tight five of;

Aguero, Bateman, Balmain
Slater, Kitchener

Bench: Ayerza, Youngs, Cole, Williams

Important to keep getting everyone game time.

I'd be hoping for Leo to start ahead of Bateman after not getting on at the weekend.

I definitely agree on Slater/Kitch (if both are fit of course) and Aguero/Balmain. I'd also rest O'Connor - he has just played a full season in NZ and needs to be eased in as much as possible.

1.Aguero 2.Leo 3.Balmain 4.Slater (c) 5.Kitch 6.Williams 7.McCaffery 8.Crane
9.Youngs 10.Williams 11.Veainu 12.Smith 13.Betham 14.Thompstone 15.Tait

16.Bateman 17.Ayerza 18.Cole 19.Fitzgerald 20.Croft 21.Harrison 22.Bell 23.Goneva

I'd be very tempted to have Thacker on the bench to get him some European game time. I rate him extremely highly and want the coaches to keep getting him more and more involved. The problem there again comes down to me not thinking he'll end up at hooker though so I'm not sure where to fit him in, wouldn't want him ahead of Bateman if he wont be in the picture ahead of him for bigger games.

Leo came on, lasted 5 minutes and went off injured. Very much doubt he will be available.

Ah balls!

Bateman starting with Youngs on the bench then given my thoughts about whether Thacker will end up staying at hooker from the last post.

The A league starts soon. It may be informative to see where Thacker plays in that competition. Will Owen played for Doncaster at the weekend so if that continues he might not be playing A League and give Thacker the chance to have a go at seven.

I'd have liked Leo to start but I doubt he's fit.

21st November 2015

14:00

Stadio Monigo

European Rugby Champions Cup

PreviewLineups

Benetton TrevisoVLeicester TigersPosPlayerPlayerPosLuke McLean15Telusa VeainuLudovico Nitoglia14Peter BethamEnrico Bacchin13Mathew TaitSam Christie12Matt SmithTommaso Iannone11Vereniki GonevaJames Ambrosini10Tommy BellEdoardo Gori9Sam HarrisonMatteo Zanusso1Marcos AyerzaOrnel Gega2Tom YoungsRupert Harden3Fraser BalmainFilo Paulo4Dom BarrowJean-Francis Montauriol5Michael FitzgeraldMarco Barbini6Tom CroftFrancesco Minto7Brendon O'ConnorBraam Steyn8Jordan CraneReplacementsDavide Giazzon16Greg BatemanMatteo Muccignat17Matias AgueroFilippo Fillippeto18Dan ColeDean Budd19Ed SlaterMarco Lazzaroni20Lachlan McCaffreyAlberto De Marchi21Ben YoungsChris Smylie22Seremaia BaiAndrea Pratichetti23George Catchpole

Leicester:

Ayerza, Youngs, Balmain, Barrow, Fitzgerald, Croft, O'Connor, Crane, Harrison, Bell, Goneva, Smith, Tait (c), Betham, Veainu

Bateman, Aguero, Cole, Slater, McCaffery, Youngs, Bai, Catchpole

Didn't know Tigers signed Aguero, great signing, couldn't believe he stayed the whole world cup without a club.

VinceWLB wrote:Didn't know Tigers signed Aguero, great signing, couldn't believe he stayed the whole world cup without a club.

Short term injury dispensation signing.

Ah ok, just realised Mulipola and Rizzo are out injured. 1st choice Italian loosehead, that's what i call a great dispensation signing!

Love that backline for this game.

Slightly left field selection from us with the guys who's been at centre moved to wing, the guy who's been playing full back moved to centre and the guy who's been a wing replacement going to full back.

Decent team though I'm concerned about our chances of a bonus point with the fly half options available.

Veainu was FB down at Exeter too.

Williams rested makes sense. He was in the team earlier than intended and the rest will do him good. Tait is a better centre than Betham I reckon so that move also makes some sense. Could be some real firepower in the outside backs, so long as Bell does not gum things up.

A lot of course may depend on the weather, if it is the downpour that is expected then 5 points will be extremely difficult, could make the 5 we got at home to Stade even more important

If it's a downpour then Bell is a good option at ten. He kicks well off the tee and has range to spare out of hand. I think Tait will help at 13 as his distribution is better than Betham's as is his tackling.

I like that we've rotated a bit. Positive use of the squad so far and it makes sense to allow Cole a week on the bench to recharge as Balmain is a good understudy who needs to use this season to stake a claim.

Never seen Betham play centre in Super Rugby.

Is this a Cockers Experiment or does he have 'previous' in that position?

George Carlin wrote:Never seen Betham play centre in Super Rugby.

Is this a Cockers Experiment or does he have 'previous' in that position?

Mauger experiment.

Think he played mainly @ Wing and sometimes @ 15 in super rugby.

Mauger wants an attacking threat at 13 first and foremost. 12 is the defensive rock and hard runner hence why Smith is relishing that role. Betham at 13 got a lot of ball to attack with but his passing isn't that hot hence why he's reverted to the wing.

Well, this one is almost over at halftime. And this is far from Leicester's best team. In fact, I don't really know a number of the Leicester players out there today, mostly in the pack. They are playing simple fundamental Rugby.

The display by Treviso clearly shows the impact of many of the better Italian players having moved to play in France or UK.

By the way George, you picked two nice girls for this match. Who are they? Do they need an orthopaedist?

Been listening to this on the radio, had no idea it was on sky. Numpty


Looks like a knock on to me

Surely just a slip?

Trying to force it too much. We playes really sensibly in first half, but have been poor in this half.

Not got Sky can someone give me an update?

3-22, no score in second half

We have been playing with a lot of width in second half, but no go forward. First half we dominated the breakdown and had quick ball.

Lovely finish

and the 4th try, Veainu shows great fottwork after a poor Bell kick

Treviso are really poor it has to be said.

As is the weather

And the ref

Bateman's throwing making TomY look like Phil Taylor

nathan wrote:And the ref

First half I thought he gave us all the 50/50 calls. Second half he has just been meh, but maybe better than the teams

LondonTiger wrote:Bateman's throwing making TomY look like Phil Taylor

Lol, very true. I have no idea why we're poor. Does cockers get involved in training them?

Didn't see the first half, but I just think he's been rubbish for everyone.  Both teams, the fans..

Communication is woeful

Mind their lineout has been much worse - so maybe the wind and rain.

Oh dear

Bateman beats 5 defenders to score under the posts

Says it all really

If a booker beats a third of the opposition to score the opposition have given up.

10 points from two games, long time since I've said that at this time of the year.

City at the top of the table too, couldn't make it up!

Very satisfactory opening to Europe. We have some pretty special attacking talent in the back line this season and we're developing a game plan to use it. The rotation of the squad even with some injuries and call ups has been an impressive change and we look more likely to bring through players into the first team now.

Impressive that we can bring Balmain in for Cole and still destroy an opposition scrum. At 23 he looks to be very much Cole's eventual successor at tight head.