Jeff 'finals' Quins v Tigers - neutrals' post

Who'd you like to win?

Of course I'm as hard-nosed and thick-skinned as a Tiger or an Englishman could could be. It goes with the territory.

Vent your spleen.

Tigers have been the form team in the 2nd half of the season and will probably win.

I want Quins to win because it's boring that Tigers win basically every year. Nice to see a new name on the AP trophy. Plus always good to root for the underdog.

Variety is what I want.

beshocked wrote:Tigers have been the form team in the 2nd half of the season and will probably win.

I want Quins to win because it's boring that Tigers win basically every year. Nice to see a new name on the AP trophy. Plus always good to root for the underdog.

Variety is what I want.

Thats ironic coming from a SAracens supporter...

Tigers don't win it 'basically every year' Beshocked. Tigers have won the Premiership in its current form 4 times from the 11 possible. Glaws, Wasps, Sale and your very own beloved SAracens have all won it.

What was it you said the other day? Oh yes, 'do try to say something sensible'.

How is it ironic?

Tigers have picked up the trophy enough times. If Quins win it will be another team who has won the AP.

Last 5 AP finals have involved Tigers - they have won 3 of them.

This will be the 8th final in a row.

Tigers are always there in the mix. Nice to see someone else pick up the trophy.

I hardly expect you to agree with me.

Quins for me - more English qualified players in the 1st XV, and play the more attractive band of rugby. Simples.

Quins for me - more English qualified players in the 1st XV, and play the more attractive band of rugby.

Understand the first half of that but their brand of rugby in the second half of the season has been missfiring and at times pretty average. Their display in the semi final vs Saints showed less attacking inclination than Sarries against Leicester and everyone is always bashing Sarries for never attacking. In fact I switched from supporting Quins to supporting Saints after 20 mins.

Tigers also notched up the most TBPs this season and I think the most tries on the most brilliant ever recovery! Come on Tigers!

beshocked wrote:How is it ironic?

Tigers have picked up the trophy enough times. If Quins win it will be another team who has won the AP.

Last 5 AP finals have involved Tigers - they have won 3 of them.

This will be the 8th final in a row.

Tigers are always there in the mix. Nice to see someone else pick up the trophy.

I hardly expect you to agree with me.

Its ironic that you claim to like variety whilst supporting a team that rarely vary their game... Anyway. Enough of that.

You did say that 'Tigers win it basically every year' which isn' true. Reaching the final isn't what you said, being in the mix isn't what you said either. You said 'win every year'. They don't, they've won it less than 50% of the time actually.

Equo Troiano wrote:Glaws... have all won it..

I KNEW 2007 was just a nightmare!

I mean variety in regards to different teams picking up the trophy.

Please stop being so pedantic. When I said basically every year I didn't mean it literally - hence why I added basically.

3 out of 5 wins in the last 5 seasons is a lot. Seeing Leicester contest the final and win again and again is boring - particularly for the neutral.

Are you honestly saying that Leicester haven't won the AP many times and that they haven't been in the final many times?

Just accept that some of us neutrals are sick of the repetitiveness of Leicester picking up the AP repeatedly. Yes some teams have occasionally wrested the crown off Leicester but they are always there.

bathmad wrote:Quins for me - more English qualified players in the 1st XV, and play the more attractive band of rugby. Simples.

I don't mind which team wins actually, and i'm a Leicester follower. Quins have deserved their top spot and in a way it would be shame if they lost out. On the other hand, whether they've played a more attractive brand of rugby is easily debateable, as has been said, look at the stats since Christmas, and the team playing all the rugby is self evident.

Nice off-loading game quins have there though.

Quins - But I am not a neutral

beshocked wrote:I mean variety in regards to different teams picking up the trophy.

Please stop being so pedantic. When I said basically every year I didn't mean it literally - hence why I added basically.

3 out of 5 wins in the last 5 seasons is a lot. Seeing Leicester contest the final and win again and again is boring - particularly for the neutral.

Are you honestly saying that Leicester haven't won the AP many times and that they haven't been in the final many times?

Just accept that some of us neutrals are sick of the repetitiveness of Leicester picking up the AP repeatedly. Yes some teams have occasionally wrested the crown off Leicester but they are always there.

You say that's not what you meant then in the same post use the phrases 'basically every year', 'Seeing Leicester contest the final and win again and again' and 'sick of the repetitiveness of Leicester picking up the AP repeatedly'.

Hmmmmm

Obviously I want Quins to win.

But having watched Tigers style of rugby and the way they've ran back up the table I wont mind if they beat us (that's a total lie i'll be gutted and cry like a baby).

yappysnap wrote:Obviously I want Quins to win.

But having watched Tigers style of rugby and the way they've ran back up the table I wont mind if they beat us (that's a total lie i'll be gutted and cry like a baby).

Oh come on, Twickenham is practically a home fixture for Quins, Quins wouldn't lose a home fixture to Tigers now would they.... oh hang on a minute.

Voted Quins (English) as a reward for the season that they have had. COS has done a great job and I'm not sure many of us would have picked them to make the final this year before the season started.

I know I'm probably not allowed to say this, being a Saints fan and all but I actually don't dislike the Tigers. I enjoy watching them play and rate a lot of their players (and coach) and so won't mind if they come out on top (as I expect them to do). I believe that the best two teams in the AP this season have made the final, and I personally like that .

Equo Troiano wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Obviously I want Quins to win.

But having watched Tigers style of rugby and the way they've ran back up the table I wont mind if they beat us (that's a total lie i'll be gutted and cry like a baby).

Oh come on, Twickenham is practically a home fixture for Quins, Quins wouldn't lose a home fixture to Tigers now would they.... oh hang on a minute.

3rd time lucky?

Yappy

Your comment did make me laugh, nice to see a bit of sense of humour on here.

Obviously I want Tigers to win but if there is one team I honestly wouldn't mind seeing lift it instead of us it is Quins. They have the right attitude with bringing through young English players while adding quality foreigners around them to help and they generally play a great style of rugby. I hope that the semi final was just nerves and they can come out and play the way they have most of the season and we see a great game of rugby. If it is anything like the quality at the Stoop then I will be happy to watch it, no matter the result (ok maybe a small lie from me there as well )

If we lose, having played well but beaten by the better team - I will be gutted but accept. (Like last year).

If we lose having played terribly I will be in a rtight mither for days. (Such as when we lost to Sale - they were far better, we were dreadfull)

I seriously do hope it's a repeat of that game at the Stoop a few weeks ago. Just without bloomin Mafi!!!

I would really like to see Quins win after having an excellent season and being consistent all season. They've brought through a lot of new talent and deserve the win after having finished top.

That said, I think Tigers will win as they are the form team in the Premiership at the moment.

beshocked wrote:I mean variety in regards to different teams picking up the trophy.

Please stop being so pedantic. When I said basically every year I didn't mean it literally - hence why I added basically.

3 out of 5 wins in the last 5 seasons is a lot. Seeing Leicester contest the final and win again and again is boring - particularly for the neutral.

Are you honestly saying that Leicester haven't won the AP many times and that they haven't been in the final many times?

Just accept that some of us neutrals are sick of the repetitiveness of Leicester picking up the AP repeatedly. Yes some teams have occasionally wrested the crown off Leicester but they are always there.

Could you two do us all a favour and leave out the bickering please, it get's pretty boring having to read it.

Anyways, I'm just hoping a decent match like last time they met. If that happen's i'll be happy whomever wins (happier if it the Tigers)

Quins for me, I really admire their core of young English talent and I always try and support the underdog. I agree with beshocked further up the thread, it would be nice to have a new name on the trophy.

It is also amusing to see how wound up Cockers gets if the tiggers lose!

Sadly I think Leicester will win though, theyve been there so many times and know what to do, I think Quins will freeze a bit in the headlights.

Bathman_in_London wrote:Quins for me, I really admire their core of young English talent and I always try and support the underdog. I agree with beshocked further up the thread, it would be nice to have a new name on the trophy.

It is also amusing to see how wound up Cockers gets if the tiggers lose!

Sadly I think Leicester will win though, theyve been there so many times and know what to do, I think Quins will freeze a bit in the headlights.

I'm not sure Cockers would get wound up, i mean he's always animated (which we all are) but he always says fair play, well done etc at the end of them game.

Haven't voted due to my blatant bias but...

First wish is to watch a good game of rugby, unspoilt by the referee.
Second wish is for a competitive game in which either side could win in the last 10 minutes
Third wish is for Quins to front up to Tigers in all the key areas of the game.

If all of those wishes come true, I'll be pretty happy win or lose. Although actually, if they do come true I'd back Quins to sneak it at the death.

I'd want the best team to win whoever that may be. Quins played well at the beginning of the season. Tigers played well at the end. Hopefully Quins will regain the form and it'll be a cracker. However previous form or ability doesn't come into it for me. All the previous games is to get them to this point.

HammerofThunor wrote:I'd want the best team to win whoever that may be. Quins played well at the beginning of the season. Tigers played well at the end. Hopefully Quins will regain the form and it'll be a cracker. However previous form or ability doesn't come into it for me. All the previous games is to get them to this point.

Conor O'Shea has said a number of things that make me think he has been managing the squad's preparation carefully to be ready for the end of the season. For example, last night he congratulated the physios on getting us to the end of the season with almost a completely fit squad - you can't manage that if everyone's training and playing at full intensity week-in, week-out. I am pretty sure that having built up a lead in the early part of the season, he has managed the squad's preparation and performances to be in shape for the knockout rounds. I also suspect he will have some tactical tricks up his sleeve.

Whether it will be enough remains to be seen, but I don't think that in 2012 we've seen everything that Quins have to offer.

I really hope you're right Poorfour.

Two weeks is a long time to prepare and I hope the guys enjoy their time in Abu Dhabi and come back refreshed and ready to roll (away from tackles dead slowly but looking real innocent about it).

I'm not neutral, so Quins, but if Tigers win they'll have deserved it for threat they've powered through the latter half of the season. I'd marginally rather enjoy a good game and a Quins loss than an awful Quins win. Marginally and mostly as I'll be there as my end of project/birthday treat. But ideally it'll be a good game that we win

I want to say that I wouldn't be happy if we won by a point in a dull fest. But i'd actually still love that.

Torn on this one - Quins have done well to bounce back from Bloodgate, and they've learned their lesson not to cheat against a Dublin team in a Dublin-controlled competiton,. even when other forms of cheating were rampant. On the other hand, bragging rigts for for the triple over Tigers in all competitive meetings this season.

I am compeltely bias as a Quins supporter, so it's pretty obvious who i am rooting for.

It would be great to see us take it this season for the first time, but the Tigers come back this season has been phenominal and are looking very on form at the moment.

Let the best team on the day win! It will give me an excuse to raise a few glasses either way

Lets be honest, if Quins win it, it will put another name on the trophy, they finished top of the league during the regular season and play some very nice rugby, so well deserved.

If Tigers win it, it will be just reward for their post WC form. They also play some very nice rugby by the way, and so the title would also be well deserved.

Whoever wins, it will be a good advert for English rugby. Furthermore, it will have eliminated any arguments regarding a team finishing 3rd or 4th lifting the trophy, so i think whomever you support, its win win.

C'mon Bath

Who are Bath?

Equo Troiano wrote:Who are Bath?

The reason we have to put up with Stuart Barnes?

The 'final' is thankfully on a provider outside the Barnes area.

Portnoy wrote:The 'final' is thankfully on a provider outside the Barnes area.

And I am eternally grateful for that!

Who is Stuart Barnes?

If only he were a fairy and we could say we didn't believe in him and he'd cease to be

I will give Barnes credit for one thing, I dont think I have ever heard a larger rendition of "are you watching" at a rugby ground than when he predicted Bath would win at WR and we crushed them, probably one of the greatest moments ever and it was all down to him.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Quins for me - more English qualified players in the 1st XV, and play the more attractive band of rugby.

Understand the first half of that but their brand of rugby in the second half of the season has been missfiring and at times pretty average. Their display in the semi final vs Saints showed less attacking inclination than Sarries against Leicester and everyone is always bashing Sarries for never attacking. In fact I switched from supporting Quins to supporting Saints after 20 mins.

Tigers also notched up the most TBPs this season and I think the most tries on the most brilliant ever recovery! Come on Tigers!

Just before half time they brought up a stat that Northampton had made 46 tackles and Quins had made 9. Not sure where the idea that we didn't try to attack comes from, though admittedly we didn't do it very well.

I think it was because of the Quins distinct lack of width. There just seemed to be endless crash balls and the Quins players claiming infringements. None of the Quins flair we associate with the club under O'Shea was in evidence, in fact it seemed that the Saints were keener to throw the ball around and made a couple of nice breaks on the outside.

Having said that I really hope Quins play that narrow in the final as the Tigers pack is certainly the weak spot in need of taking on in an arm wrestle

I agree about that, but I interpreted it more as just the team playing badly, rather than negative tactics.

Just nerves is all and wanting to save the A game for the final.

As pointed out Karl Dickson loves to keep popping the ball up for the forwards to run on to while Care loves to run it and throw much longer passes.

Quins - It would be good to see a new team win But if Tigers play well i won't exactly be cheering against them

gowales wrote:Quins - It would be good to see a new team win But if Tigers play well i won't exactly be cheering against them

Why not?

I didn't quite type it right.
I will be cheering for Quins because they are the underdogs and a new possible winner. But i'm a netural supporter so if the Tigers are playing well and positively i will be neutral, if you get me. At the end of the day i don't really care!

gowales wrote:I didn't quite type it right.
I will be cheering for Quins because they are the underdogs and a new possible winner. But i'm a netural supporter so if the Tigers are playing well and positively i will be neutral, if you get me. At the end of the day i don't really care!

ooh I see, think I may of misread your first post. Glad to hear it!

Portnoy wrote:Who'd you like to win?

Of course I'm as hard-nosed and thick-skinned as a Tiger or an Englishman could could be. It goes with the territory.

Vent your spleen.

Just thought you may be interested.

I voted best team.