Leicester Tigers 18-19

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Fixtures

Pre-Season

Saturday 11th August - Cardiff Blues (a)
Friday 17th August - Benetton Treviso (a)
Friday 24th August - London Irish (h)

Gallagher Premiership

SEPTEMBER
Saturday 1st 16:30 Exeter Chiefs (a)
Saturday 8th 15:00 Newcastle Falcons (h)
Sunday 16th 15:00 Wasps (a)
Sunday 23rd 15:00 Worcester Warriors (h)
Sunday 30th 15:00 Sale Sharks (h)



OCTOBER
Saturday 6th 15:00 Northampton Saints (a - Twickenham)


NOVEMBER
Friday 16th 19:45 Gloucester (a)
Sunday 25th 15:00 Saracens (h)
Friday 30th 19:45 Bristol (a)


DECEMBER
21/22/23 Harlequins (H)
28/29/30 Bath (A)


JANUARY
4/5/6 Gloucester (H)


FEBRUARY
15/16/17 Saracens (A)
22/23/24 Worcester Warriors (A)


MARCH
1/2/3 Wasps (H)
8/9/10 Sale Sharks (A)
22/23/24 Northampton Saints (H)


APRIL
5/6/7 Exeter Chiefs (H)
12/13/14 Newcastle Falcons (A)
26/27/28 Bristol (H)


MAY
3/4/5 Harlequins (A)
18 Bath (H)
24/25 Semi


JUNE
1st Final


European Champions Cup
12/13/14 October - Round 1
19/20/21 October - Round 2
7/8/9 December - Round 3
14/15/16 December - Round 4
11/12/13 January - Round 5
18/19/20 January - Round 6
29/30/31 March - 1/4 Finals
19/20/21 April - Semis
11th May - Final


Premiership Rugby Cup

Saturday October 27th 15:00 Saracens (a)
Saturday November 3rd 15:00 Worcester Warriors(h)
Friday November 19th 19:45 Sale Sharks
January 25/26/27 Northampton (a)
February 9th Semi-finals
March 16th Final




Squad and Coaching Team:

Head Coach: Matt O'Connor
Forwards Coach: Mark Bakewell
Assistant Coach: Geordan Murphy
Scrum Coach: Boris Stankovich
Senior Development coach: Brett Deacon
Team Manager: Teresa Carrington
Head of Rugby Operations: Ged Glyn


First Team Squad:
(as on Tigers website)

Props: Greg Bateman, Dan Cole, Gaston Cortes, Ellis Genge, Facundo Gigena, Owen Hills
Hookers: Jake Kerr, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Jimmmy Stevens, Tom Youngs
Second Row: Mike Fitzgerald, Graham Kitchener, Will Spencer, James Voss, Harry Wells
Back Row: Dave Denton, Will Evans, Sione Kalamafoni, Valention Mapapalangi, Brendon O'Connor, Guy Thompson, Fred Tuilagi, Mike Williams

Half Backs: Joe Ford, George Ford, Sam Harrison, Matt Toomua, Ben Youngs
Outside Backs: Jonah Holmes, Jonny May, Gareth Owen, Matt Smith, Matthew Tait, Charlie Thacker, Adam Thompstone, Manu Tuilagi, Telusa Veainu, George Worth


Development Squad:

Forwards: Taylor Gough, Sam Grahamslaw, Joe Heyes, Cameron Jordan, Henri Lavin, Sam Lewis, Keston Lines, Harry Mahoney, Tommy Reffell, Thom Smith
Backs: Sam Aspland-Robinson, Tom Hardwicke, Jordan Olowefela, Harry Simmons, Ben White

Genge, Kitch, Fitzgerald and Evans all look to be back in training this week.

Kitchener should be in for the weekend with Spencer. The other three will probably need a little more time. Excellent news with Evans and Genge as those are areas where it would be nice to have some other options for rotation purposes.

BUY TICKETS
LEICESTER TIGERS
VS
SCARLETS
19 October 2018 19:45 at Welford Road

Team news: Tigers versus Scarlets
18 October 2018 12:00 By Gary Sherrard




1 / 2
Jonny May and Will Spencer return to the Leicester Tigers team for Friday’s Heineken Champions Cup game against the Scarlets at Welford Road (7.45pm).

England international wing May, who has five tries already this season, is back after a shoulder injury and lock Spencer is in his first game back after suspension.

Harry Wells makes his 50th appearance for the club and joins Spencer at lock, with Mike Williams reverting to a role in the back row alongside Guy Thompson and Sione Kalamafoni this week. Brendon O’Connor and David Denton are both ruled out by injury.

Jonah Holmes, called up to the Wales squad for the first time this week, continues at full-back and Jordan Olowofela is named on the wing after making his European debut against Ulster last Saturday.

Graham Kitchener returns to the matchday squad for the Round 2 fixture in Pool 4 and there is also a place among the replacements for Argentina international prop Facundo Gigena.

Match tickets are still available for Friday. Book in person at Welford Road, phone the ticket office on 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or online at leicestertigers.com

Leicester Tigers (v Scarlets, Welford Road, Friday 7.45pm)

15 Jonah Holmes
14 Jonny May
13 Manu Tuilagi
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Jordan Olowofela
10 George Ford
9 Ben Youngs
1 Greg Bateman
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Dan Cole
4 Harry Wells
5 Will Spencer
6 Mike Williams
7 Guy Thompson
8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Tatafu Polota-Nau
17 Facundo Gigena
18 Joe Heyes
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Tommy Reffell
21 Sam Harrison
22 Matt Toomua
23 Adam Thompstone

Scarlets: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Ioan Nicholas, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Steff Evans, 10 Dan Jones, 9 Gareth Davies; 1 Wyn Jones, 2 Ken Owens (c), 3 Samson Lee, 4 Tom Price, 5 David Bulbring, 6 Blade Thomson, 7 Joshua Macleod, 8 Will Boyde
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Phil Price, 18 Werner Kruger, 19 Joshua Helps, 20 Uzair Cassiem, 21 Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, 22 Steff Hughes, 23 Paul Asquith

Tom Price returns to WR and plays against Harry Wells who came through the academy with him.

Tigers look stronger on paper but we all know that we've got sod all chance of winning this game. Hopefully we'll get a LBP and keep Scarlets to less than. 4 tries but I doubt it.

So Brett Deacon and Ant Allen are leading the side this weekend. Indications from the website are that the young lads will be given an opportunity to stake a claim and Hardwick looks set to start. Hopefully we add one or two returning senior players so that the young lads aren't just thrown in in their own.

Hopefully something like;

Fe'ao, Kerr, Heyes
Kitchener, Jordan
Lewis, BOC, Mapapalangi
White, Hardwick
Worth, Owen
Aspland-Robinson, Stewart, Owolofela

Bench- McMillan, Gigena, Cortes, Fitzgerald, Reffell, new Argie lad, Joe Ford/Costelow, Thompstone.

Leicester Tigers (v Saracens, away, Saturday 3.00pm)

15 George Worth
14 Telusa Veainu
13 Matt Smith
12 Tom Hardwick
11 Jordan Olowofela
10 Joe Ford
9 Ben White (c)
1 David Feao
2 Jake Kerr
3 Joe Heyes
4 Cameron Jordan
5 Harry Wells
6 Sam Lewis
7 Tommy Reffell
8 Thom Smith

Replacements

16 Ross McMillan
17 Campese Ma’afu
18 Facundo Gigena
19 Valentino Mapapalangi
20 Fred Tuilagi
21 Felipe Ezcurra
22 Gareth Owen
23 Jonah Holmes

Saracens: 15 Matt Gallagher, 14 Ali Crossdale, 13 Marcelo Bosch, 12 Dom Morris, 11 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 10 Max Malins, 9 Tom Whiteley (c); 1 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 2 Tom Woolstencroft, 3 Titi Lamositele, 4 Dom Day, 5 Joel Kpoku, 6 Calum Clark, 7 Schalk Burger, 8 Sione Vailanu

Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Ralph Adams-Hale, 18 Christian Judge, 19 Jack Nay, 20 Sean Reffell, 21 Andy Christie, 22 Henry Taylor, 23 AN Other (tbc)

BUY TICKETS
SARACENS
VS
LEICESTER TIGERS
27 October 2018 15:00 at Allianz Park

Team news: Tigers at Saracens in Premiership Cup
26 October 2018 12:00




1 / 2
Telusa Veainu returns from injury to start in the Leicester Tigers backline for Saturday’s opening game in the Premiership Rugby Cup, away to Saracens.

The Tonga international has not played since the league game at Wasps a month ago but will provide experience in a back three which also includes Jordan Olowofela and George Worth.

Matt Smith is the most experienced member of the Tigers team and one of 11 graduates from the club’s academy in the starting line-up. He starts at centre alongside England Under-20s cap Tom Hardwick.

Harry Wells, who has been in the matchday squad in all eight senior games so far this season, starts at lock alongside 18-year-old Cameron Jordan, with teenagers Tommy Reffell and Thom Smith joining 20-year-old Sam Lewis in the back row.

Ben White, who captained England Under-20s last season, is named as captain for the trip to Allianz Park.

Scrum-half Felipe Ezcurra is included among the replacements alongside Gareth Owen and Jonah Holmes.

Coach Brett Deacon leads the Premiership Cup campaign and said: “We’ve got a good mix of some senior players coming back from injury or needing gametime with the younger guys.

“These players have been preparing thoroughly every week with the first-team squad and now it is their opportunity to get out there and play.”

Following Saturday’s trip to Saracens, Tigers have successive home games in the competition against Worcester Warriors (Saturday, November 3) and Sale Sharks (Friday, November 9). Match tickets are available now. Book in person at Welford Road, by phoning 0116 319 8888 (option 2) or online at www.leicestertigers.com

Leicester Tigers (v Saracens, away, Saturday 3.00pm)

15 George Worth
14 Telusa Veainu
13 Matt Smith
12 Tom Hardwick
11 Jordan Olowofela
10 Joe Ford
9 Ben White (c)
1 David Feao
2 Jake Kerr
3 Joe Heyes
4 Cameron Jordan
5 Harry Wells
6 Sam Lewis
7 Tommy Reffell
8 Thom Smith

Replacements

16 Ross McMillan
17 Campese Ma’afu
18 Facundo Gigena
19 Valentino Mapapalangi
20 Fred Tuilagi
21 Felipe Ezcurra
22 Gareth Owen
23 Jonah Holmes

Joe Ford unless there is a large change in his playing style that is a waste of the talent outside him. Hopefully we'll see Holmes or Owen on and Hardwick to flyhalf at half time or early in the second half. I would like to see a Hardwick/Worth 10/12 combination.

Geez that Sarries backrow. Our young lads will do well to gain parity there.

TV stretchered off with a nasty sounding ankle injury on his return...

Sarries winning out 29 - 21 in the end.

Only caught the first half, where for most of it both sides looked like they had met in the car park. Not that surprising.

TV was hit by a double tackle where both tacklers looked high. One what looked like a shoulder to the head, second a seat belt challenge that ride up. Thus I was surprised when they were looking at his ankle. I guess his studs stuck in the pitch.

Hopefully it's just a precaution. Nice to see the high tackle interpretations continue to be consistent.

Not had chance to see the game yet but considering the Sarries backrow and the massive handicap of Joe Ford at 10 the result doesn't look that bad.

The TMO looked at the challenges, based on what came over the ref mike, but afaik they were not replayed. So the above are only my initial thoughts based on a single viewing.

I hope TV is OK. He did look in a lot of pain.

Looked like a couple of high tackles under the new law interpretations. Penalty only mind. Thought the ref had a good game, nice to see a young ref come in and look assured and apply logic rather than rigidly apply the laws.

Considering the difference in experience and size in the pack I thought our physicality and set piece were good. Lots of young lads fronting up and getting stuck in.

We didn't make the most of the wind in the first half and Joe Ford's refusal to run onto the ball seemed to infect the team.

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

15 George Worth
14 Jonah Holmes
13 Matt Smith (c)
12 Gareth Owen
11 Jordan Olowofela
10 Tom Hardwick
9 Sam Harrison
1 Facundo Gigena
2 Jake Kerr
3 Joe Heyes
4 Will Spencer
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Valentino Mapapalangi
7 Will Evans
8 Fred Tuilagi

Replacements

16 Tatafu Polota-Nau
17 Campese Ma’afu
18 David Feao
19 Sam Lewis
20 Tommy Reffell
21 Ben White
22 Joe Ford
23 Andrew Forsyth

Looks a decent side. Getting some game time into the second row is good and great to see Will Evans back from injury, I think he is a player that could benefit massively from the change in coaching staff. Backs look better with Hardwick and Harrison combining, nice to see Andy Forsyth return as there was a time it was thought he could make it at Tigers.

So pleased to see Evans back. I hope he will be in contention for Premiership fixtures.

Warriors choosing to put out a full strength lineup:

Warriors
15 Chris Pennell
14 Bryce Heem
13 Ollie Lawrence
12 Francois Venter
11 Perry Humphreys
10 Duncan Weir
9 Francois Hougaard
1 Callum Black
2 Jack Singleton
3 Nick Schonert
4 Anton Bresler
5 Darren Barry
6 Ted Hill
7 Sam Lewis
8 GJ van Velze (C)
Replacements
16 Niall Annett
17 Ethan Waller
18 Gareth Milasinovich
19 Andrew Kitchener
20 Matt Cox
21 Michael Heaney
22 Jamie Shillcock
23 Wynand Olivier

Nice to see Worcester treating the development competition in the way it was designed to be taken. They'll be pulling their hair out if Hougaard gets injured.

When challenged on it last week after comments by Sale coaches, Solomons effectively said f-off. They rested players for Europe, and with a short turn round coming up will rest players next week and they are doing what is right for them to be in the correct place come the resumption of the league.

You'd have thought he'd have rotated them round to keep the first team boys active but also look at his fringe players in and around the first team players to see how they fit in. If this game was to be a bit fiesty then an injury or two and a citing would be a high price to pay for a cup game that few would actually care about winning.

Be a tough challenge for our younger lads. If they pull off a win then Murphy is going to have some real selection headaches.

Thought some on this thread might be interested in this video, it's a breakdown of where things went wrong with Tigers over the last number of years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJGx_tIhmy8&fbclid=IwAR13UNwiG87BM4HYxzcha70QPnRs2pOrCgKcN0h3I39v52qzZThBaDSBMNU

Not sure I've got three hours spare to watch everything that's gone wrong at Tigers in the last three years.

I mean to summarise there's;

Recruitment of players in both muddled thinking over what each coach wanted and big name backs at the detriment of the pack
Inability to develop players from the academy unless they were potential stars
Coach selection
Academy coach's were an old boys club that needed clearing out
Oval Park pitches are not fit for a top tier professional team

Artful_Dodger wrote:Thought some on this thread might be interested in this video, it's a breakdown of where things went wrong with Tigers over the last number of years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJGx_tIhmy8&fbclid=IwAR13UNwiG87BM4HYxzcha70QPnRs2pOrCgKcN0h3I39v52qzZThBaDSBMNU

Ok managed to watch it. Funny, liked the jokes. Some of your facts are a little erm wrong.

Not least life span of 9 years for a club that won 8 titles in fourteen years along with a couple of LV Cups and two European Cups (two national titles pre that as well).

No England players in the under 20s, the footage you used actually featured a couple of the five players we sent to the JWC in the summer (would have been six had Evans not been injured). This included vice captain Ben White who also captained England under 20s during the 6N and who was vice captain in the JWC.

Your time line for the flyhalf mess is also out, Ford didn't succeed Flood. That was the plan. He left a season before Flood because his dad had the job at Bath and offered him the starting shirt (Cockers publicly stated Tigers would meet the Bath offer financially). Owen Williams was signed as Ford's replacement and Burns came in for Flood when he left a year later. At no point were we in a position to not have two good 10s. When Williams left Toomua came in at 10/12. Joe Ford was signed as cover for when George is with England and he was signed because the board were getting annoyed with Burns inconsistencies. Joe now sits behind Hardwick (England under 20 international) in the pecking order.

The conclusion is pretty much spot on mind. We must now have patience. The squad have bought in to Murphy's style and it's now time to build. One of the biggest problems of the last few years was the refusal of the board or Cockers to accept that we might need to transition in anyway.

Whilst we are talking about the coaches the problems under the Cockers era started well before Mauger arrived. Things were looking shaky when MOC left the first time and the major error then was promoting internally with Burke who had no real experience and was quickly out of his depth. Speaking of out of his depth why we pushed a very good head coach into a DOR position I don't know but Cockers was moved away from his strengths on the training park and left arguing with a succession of head coaches.

Also agree about the de-powering of the pack and how it has hurt us. Waldrom wasn't a loss as he was hit and miss at Tigers whilst Parling was always injured and had concussion problems. Salvi refused a contract because he wanted to play in France and then tried to stay after we'd signed a replacement.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Artful_Dodger wrote:Thought some on this thread might be interested in this video, it's a breakdown of where things went wrong with Tigers over the last number of years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJGx_tIhmy8&fbclid=IwAR13UNwiG87BM4HYxzcha70QPnRs2pOrCgKcN0h3I39v52qzZThBaDSBMNU

Ok managed to watch it. Funny, liked the jokes. Some of your facts are a little erm wrong.

Not least life span of 9 years for a club that won 8 titles in fourteen years along with a couple of LV Cups and two European Cups (two national titles pre that as well).

No England players in the under 20s, the footage you used actually featured a couple of the five players we sent to the JWC in the summer (would have been six had Evans not been injured). This included vice captain Ben White who also captained England under 20s during the 6N and who was vice captain in the JWC.

Your time line for the flyhalf mess is also out, Ford didn't succeed Flood. That was the plan. He left a season before Flood because his dad had the job at Bath and offered him the starting shirt (Cockers publicly stated Tigers would meet the Bath offer financially). Owen Williams was signed as Ford's replacement and Burns came in for Flood when he left a year later. At no point were we in a position to not have two good 10s. When Williams left Toomua came in at 10/12. Joe Ford was signed as cover for when George is with England and he was signed because the board were getting annoyed with Burns inconsistencies. Joe now sits behind Hardwick (England under 20 international) in the pecking order.

The conclusion is pretty much spot on mind. We must now have patience. The squad have bought in to Murphy's style and it's now time to build. One of the biggest problems of the last few years was the refusal of the board or Cockers to accept that we might need to transition in anyway.

Whilst we are talking about the coaches the problems under the Cockers era started well before Mauger arrived. Things were looking shaky when MOC left the first time and the major error then was promoting internally with Burke who had no real experience and was quickly out of his depth. Speaking of out of his depth why we pushed a very good head coach into a DOR position I don't know but Cockers was moved away from his strengths on the training park and left arguing with a succession of head coaches.

Also agree about the de-powering of the pack and how it has hurt us. Waldrom wasn't a loss as he was hit and miss at Tigers whilst Parling was always injured and had concussion problems. Salvi refused a contract because he wanted to play in France and then tried to stay after we'd signed a replacement.

Just to clarify, I am not squidgerugby. A couple of people have questioned some of his facts in the youtube comments as well I noticed.

Apologies. I thought you were offering your thoughts on the interesting times at Welford Road.

It struck me as more of a comedy assessment than a factual one.

Great to see Hardwick at 10

Sale have named a strong side to. This should be a tough contest. Nice to see Hardwick and Worth both getting a run in the team after not really getting a look in earlier.

Evans playing again is great news. He is one that I think might be able to thrive under the current regime where we are attacking the breakdown and looking to play a more heads up rugby.

Is Kalamafoni with Tonga, and thus unavailable next week when they play Wales?

Based on the players available, that looks like Sale's strongest starting XV as they look to be ready for resumption of the GP next week.

Who can we call on to strengthen the side for Gloucester next week? Cole, Spencer, BOC and if released early maybe Holmes? Forsyth cannot feature next week I think.

Yeah Sale aren't really holding anything back. Maybe a few younger lads on the bench than you'd see in the league.

Odd selection in the backs though, Sam James at 15 and JOC at 13 just seems to be the wrong way round. Sam James is a big bloke and I'd hope our halfbacks will be moving him around with their kicking game certainly don't want to give him time at the back with his boot and love of an offload.

So who do we have available for Friday? Could be a painful trip down to Castle Grim

LondonTiger wrote:So who do we have available for Friday? Could be a painful trip down to Castle Grim

No BOC or TV. Genge is back in training but too early for him.

I suspect it'll be something like;

Bateman, Young's, Cole
Spencer, Wells
Thompson, Kalamafoni, Evans
Harrison, Hardwick
Eastmond, Owen
Owolofela, Holmes, Thompstone

Bench: Kerr, Fe'ao, Cortes, Kitchener, Reffell, White, Ford, Worth.

It'll depend on whether Kalamafoni and Holmes get retained with their international squads. If Kalamafoni isn't available then you'd expect Fitzgerald to play at 6 and Thompson to move to 8.

If we go hard and contest everything we can make life very hard for Glaws. Is Cips still suspended?

Cipriani's ban now finished.


Holmes is currently still with the Wales squad, and with their next game being against Tonga could easily feature. Not sure on the situation with Kalamafoni but I would prefer to see Williams at 6 over Fitz and day of the week.

It is fixtures like this when it really grates that Toomua and TPN are on big contracts due to the assumption their international days were gone.

I suspect TPN signed for us over a big deal in France because he still intended to play international rugby. The French clubs wouldn't have been big fans of that. Hopefully we aren't paying him too much and the deal did offer him long term financial security. Toomua well that did annoy me, gives a much deserved chance to Hardwick though.

Williams left the field with a knock last weekend didn't he? I'd assumed he'd miss this week. If he's available he'd be in the squad at the expense of Reffell.

Glaws are likely to be missing Ackerman, Ludlow, Polledri and Morgan from the backrow.

Not sure about Williams, you may be right. I had to give up my season ticket as for teh next couple of seasons unable to make it to most Friday or Sunday matches, so was not at the game.

https://www.leicestertigers.com/news/tigers-hotel-and-car-park-development-update


Merely a coincidence that I just received an email offering me a chance to invest in a "Tigers Bond"?

I'm only going on what I was told re Williams. A mixture of young child and playing (or attempting to still play) myself means I don't have a season ticket either.

I suspect that Tigers are looking at lots of funding options. We've just made a loss on record turnover, the sad reality is we need the additional income sources to make it. The carpark on the other side is the big one in my opinion. The annual lease should be substantial as a carpark in the centre of town next to the LRI should be a goldmine for the NCP or similar.

Is Hardwick a 10 or a 12..or yet to be fully decided? Is he a big lad?

GeordieFalcon wrote:Is Hardwick a 10 or a 12..or yet to be fully decided? Is he a big lad?

With a father who played prop at top level, he was never going to be a small lad - but not massive. Around 6ft and 15 stone I reckon.

For me he is a 10. It is pretty much where he has played his whole junior career - though admittedly did cover 12 during the JWC in the summer. While pretty strong defensively to play 12, I doubt he has the speed. Do not feel he will be one who overly excites international selectors, but should have a good club career and being second string behind ickle George he will get plenty of game time.

19 year old that plays like a 25 year old. Built like Owen Farrell but dialled down levels of physicality. Big boot, good goalkicker and capable of a big passing game. LT has it spot on, hasn't got the pace or the running game to make it internationally.

LT is also right that he's primarily a flyhalf, can do a job at 12 as seen in the JWC but isn't a particularly big attacking threat on his own. Direct runner who isn't lacking in size but footwork is nothing special. Defensively good.

He's an ideal player to have in the Tigers 22 shirt and good cover for ickle George. Could only be better if he played 15 as well. There's another flyhalf in the conveyor belt behind him who is the first choice for Wales under 18s so that could be interesting in a couple of years. Hopefully will cease the need for us to retain rank average options like Joe Ford to fill out the squad.

Holmes not selected in the Wales 23, very good news for Sunday, this side needs pace direly.

Genge, Denton, Thompson, Veainu and Tait are still out. BOC fit though.

1.Bateman 2.Youngs 3.Cole 4.Spencer 5.Kitchener 6.Williams 7.O'Connor 8.Kalamafoni
9.Harrison 10.Hardwick 11.Olowofela 12.Eastmond 13.Owen 14.Thompstone 15.Holmes

16.Kerr 17.Feao 18.Cortes 19.Wells 20.Evans 21.White 22.Ford 23.Worth

I expect we will see something like that. I really hope that Wells and Evans make the squad. Shoehorning an extra lock onto the bench as back row cover last week was a poor way around a tough decision IMO.

Agree on all of that bar Wells. Start him with Spencer, then Fitzgerald because he played better last weekend and covers an additional position on the bench. Harsh on Kitch but that the sport. Quite frankly Williams needs to turn up this weekend because he was poor Vs Glaws.

Personally I'd drop Joe Ford and have Worth cover the majority of backline with Aspland-Robinson the wing cover. Well, if Aspland-Robinson is fit that is.

Pretty sure SAR is injured

Welly wrote:Pretty sure SAR is injured

Sadly I think you're right. Clutching at straws for a way to keep Joe Ford out of the match day squad.

BUY TICKETS
LEICESTER TIGERS
VS
SARACENS
25 November 2018 15:00 at Welford Road

Team news | Tigers versus Saracens
23 November 2018 12:00




1 / 2
Jonah Holmes returns to the Leicester Tigers team for Sunday’s Premiership Rugby fixture against Saracens after winning his first cap with Wales last weekend.

He starts at full-back as George Worth reverts to the bench in the only change to the backline following defeat at Gloucester last week.

Brendon O’Connor comes into the back row with Guy Thompson ruled out by the leg injury he suffered at Kingsholm, and Will Spencer starts alongside Graham Kitchener in the second row.

Mike Williams makes his 50th Premiership appearance for the club since his arrival from Worcester Warriors in 2015.

Geordan Murphy, Tigers’ interim head coach, said: “It’s good to have Jonah back after doing so well with Wales last Saturday, especially as we have other senior players still away on international duties.

“There were a lot of individual errors in the performance at Gloucester last week and we need to improve there, and we have to execute on our gameplan in front of our own supporters.”

Match tickets for Sunday are still available. Book in person at Welford Road, phone 0116 319 8888 or online at www.leicestertigers.com.

Leicester Tigers (v Saracens, Welford Road, Sunday 3.00pm)

15 Jonah Holmes

14 Adam Thompstone

13 Gareth Owen

12 Kyle Eastmond

11 Jordan Olowofela

10 Joe Ford

9 Sam Harrison

1 Greg Bateman

2 Tom Youngs (c)

3 Dan Cole

4 Will Spencer

5 Graham Kitchener

6 Mike Williams

7 Brendon O’Connor

8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Jake Kerr

17 Facundo Gigena

18 Gaston Cortes

19 Harry Wells

20 Mike Fitzgerald

21 Ben White

22 Tom Hardwick

23 George Worth

So we learned nothing from last weekend then. Starting to worry whether Murphy has picked up too many of MOC's terrible ideas.

Good to see BOC back.

Sarries lineup is scary:

Saracens:  
15 Alex Goode, 14 Alex Lozowski, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Max Malins, 9 Ben Spencer; 1 Richard Barrington, 2 Christopher Tolofua, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Dom Day, 5 Will Skelton, 6 Mike Rhodes, 7 Schalk Burger, 8 Jackson Wray

Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Hisa Sasagi, 19 Joel Kpoku, 20 Calum Clark, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Tom Whiteley, 23 Matt Gallagher




Though Lozowski on the wing is, um, odd. Guess with internationals and injuries they may be struggling for fit backs as just two on the bench.


Lewington hat-trick?

Sarries have better playmakers at 14 and 15 than Tigers do at 10...

Is Will Evans injured? He made his return during the Prem Rugby Cup but hasn't featured since.

LondonTiger wrote:Sarries lineup is scary:

Saracens:  
15 Alex Goode, 14 Alex Lozowski, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Alex Lewington, 10 Max Malins, 9 Ben Spencer; 1 Richard Barrington, 2 Christopher Tolofua, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Dom Day, 5 Will Skelton, 6 Mike Rhodes, 7 Schalk Burger, 8 Jackson Wray

Replacements: 16 Tom Woolstencroft, 17 Hayden Thompson-Stringer, 18 Hisa Sasagi, 19 Joel Kpoku, 20 Calum Clark, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Tom Whiteley, 23 Matt Gallagher




Though Lozowski on the wing is, um, odd. Guess with internationals and injuries they may be struggling for fit backs as just two on the bench.


Lewington hat-trick?

Lewington hattrick is worth a fiver at the bookies.

Lozowski on the wing is odd considering Gallagher on the bench is a winger isn't he?

Carlos, I presume Evans is being eased back in after such a serious injury. That or the coaches are bottling dropping a senior lock because of the form of Wells.

Evans and Reffell are both fit and, imo, one of them should be on the bench instead of Fitz.