6 try Tigers keep Euro dream alive

A dominant Tigers performance kept our slim European hopes alive with a 6 try thrashing of an injury stricken Llanelli side.  Tries from Miles Benjamin, Jordan Crane, Adam Thompstone, Sam Harrison and a brace for Tom Youngs secured a 40-23 win for hosts.  Llanelli's tries came from prop Rob Evans and two late scores for wing Harry Robinson.

Tigers knew they needed the full 5 points.  I wish they needed 5 points every week.  Early indications were given when Tigers turned down the chance for 3 points and kicked the opening penalty to touch instead.  For the lineout Mulipola was withdrawn and fed for a rumble.  After gaining good front foot ball it was whipped away, Adam Thompstone's tight pass was crucial as Benjamin used his strength and trickery to beat two men for the finish.

Just 5 minutes later and Tigers again kicked an attacking penalty to the corner.  This time the pack kept the glory for themselves, rumbling forward for Jordan Crane to dot down.

Both tries were excellently converted by Freddie Burns.

Rhys Priestland had nibbled away at Tigers lead with two penalties to make it 14-6.  Tiger never make it easy for themselves though and just after coughing up a certain try, Ben Youngs' firing a bullet at Mulipola who was just a couple of feet from him and would surely have crashed over with a sympathetic pass, they found themselves down to 14 men.  Graham Kitchener was baffling yellow carded on the half way line and the Scarlets scored from their own maul, prop Rob Evans the beneficiary.

Into the second half and Tigers were still playing with ambition.  Croft and Kitchener combined on turnover ball inside our 22 to break out to half way, with Kitchener adding a glorious dink chip on the end.  Thompstone also made a strong break down the right and was rewarded on 46 minutes as he scored his first try since March 2014.  It came from an attacking move from a scrum.  Yes such things do still exist.  Llanelli were probably so surprised to see a first phase attack they didn't know what to do.

The bonus point was secured after the introduction of Ayerza and Tom Youngs saw the scrum go from secure to totally dominant.  A penalty at a scrum saw the ball kicked for the touchline.  Like the first half Tigers drove and were unstoppable.  This time Tom Youngs was sequestered at the back of the charging pack.

Youngs secured his first ever brace for the club 5 minutes later, picking a beautiful inside out line from his brother's snipe around the fringe of the ruck.

With the bonus point and match secure Tigers took their foot off the gas and allowed some excellent handling from Llanelli to slip Harry Robinson round the corner and in for a try.  Points difference is the new tie breaker this season for European Rugby, these late tries may still be the death of us.

Tigers struck one back through substitute Sam Harrison feeding off Robert Barbieri's break and pass before Robinson finished the scoring with another effort for the west Walians.

Tigers were impressive with Bai & Crane particularly to the fore.  If we can keep up the forward interplay of the last few weeks but combined with a more miserly defence we can still make a late season for the Premiership title.  Europe is in hit and hope territory.  Our best bets to better as second places all play after us next Sunday so we must simply win and win well.  If we are knocked out on a tie break then so be it.

Transfers: A summer update

Tigers have had another busy summer in the transfer department with 8 players joining the club and 15 moving on to pastures new.

After last season’s disappointing season Richard Cockerill has decided to splash out to capture 7 internationals.  With an extra £500,000 of salary cap money to spend Cockerill took advantage of internal strife at Treviso to prize 4 top class internationals from the Italian’s mitts, whilst also replacing playmakers Toby Flood and Dan Bowden with international options.

Tigers headline signing is England fly half Freddie Burns who joins from perennial rivals Gloucester.  Burns had a disappointing season, being kept out by Ryan Mills at Gloucester, but his performance in England’s first test with New Zealand has reassured many that Burns is a quality operator.

Burns is a Bath native but left his home town club for Gloucester at age 18; breaking into the Cherry ‘n’ Whites First XV in 2009 he made 98 starts in 5 seasons.  Burns is a running threat at fly half with his chip kick a particular favourite, but will have to prove his reliability under pressure; question marks have been raised over his temperament and equilibrium. 

Taking second billing is 67 cap Italian international hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini who joins from Treviso.  The Italian started his career at Petrarca in his birthplace of Padova; in 2005 he joined Calvisano who he captained to the 2008 Italian Championship.  After the untimely demise of the Lombardy club he moved to Treviso where he added a second Scudetto before the Benetton boys joined the Pro12 in 2010.

Ghiraldini comes to provide competition to Tom Youngs as first choice hooker, replacing Rob Hawkins in the squad.  The Italian has a similar reputation to Youngs: a tough carrying, ball of energy with some fans questioning his throwing at the highest levels.

Treviso provides three other recruits this term: outside back Christian Loamanu, number 8 Robert Barbieri and prop Michele Rizzo. 

Most exotic is Christian Loamanu, a Tongan born Japanese winger; he has drawn comparison to Alesana Tuilagi with his bullocking style.  He has also been subject to notable controversy, such as a nightclub brawl with a female professional wrestler and being banned for life from Rugby in Japan for taking Marijuana “and other chemical substances” whatever they might be. 

His comparatively banal European career has seen him spend 3 seasons in the Top 14 with Toulon before 2 seasons splitting time between centre, wing and the backrow for Treviso in the Pro12. 

Keeping up in the confusing nationality stakes is Robert Barbieri.  Know as Bob he was born and raised in Toronto before being spotted by Italian scouts on a Canada Under 19s tour to Europe.  Barbieri has been Treviso’s regular number 8 in recent seasons but is more than comfortable on the flank gaining 30 of his 37 Italy caps there thanks to the presence of a certain Sergio Parisse.

Last but not least amongst the Treviso joiners is prop Michele Rizzo.  31 year old Rizzo is perhaps best known for getting red carded in this year’s Six nations encounter after punching Stade Francais’s Rabah Slimani.  Rizzo, like compatriot Ghiraldini, is from the Italian rugby heartland of Veneto.  Starting out with Petrarca, where he was captain, he joined Treviso in 2009.  Rizzo takes Boris Stankovich’s place in the squad as experienced cover for Marcos Ayerza.

Dan Bowden’s departure to Japan is offset by the arrival of wily veteran Seremaia Bai, the 35 year old Fijian Fly half-cum-inside centre has won 57 international caps.  Tigers will be Bai’s 8^th club in 7 countries after a well travelled career that has seen him play for Cross Keys in Wales, Eastern Suburbs in Australia, Tailevu Knights in Fiji, Southland in New Zealand and Secom Ruggets in Japan.

Bai joins from Castres in France.  Last year he played the full 80 minutes in their upset victory against Toulon; this year he came off the bench to take Castres back to the final with a beautifully struck drop goal in extra time to break Montpellier’s hearts.

Tigers’ summer business is completed with two rough diamonds.  Laurence Pearce is a 6”3’ 20 stones wrecking ball No.8 signed from Rotherham; originally from Kesteven he tried his hand at league with Hull F.C. before switching back to Rugby.  Aniseko Sio is a Samoan loosehead prop who signs from Samoan club Vaimoso.  Both will aim to impress in the Extras and force their way into the First XV like Steve Mafi, Logo Mulipola and Ed Slater before them.

Transfers:

In: Freddie Burns (Gloucester), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Christian Loamanu (Treviso), Robert Barbieri (Treviso),  Michele Rizzo (Treviso),  Seremaia Bai (Castres), Laurence Pearce (Rotherham),  Aniseko Sio (Vaimoso)

Out: Toby Flood (Toulouse), Thomas Waldrom (Exeter), Dan Bowden (Yamaha Jubilo then Auckland Blues), Boris Stankovich (Newport), Rob Hawkins (Newcastle), George Chuter (Retirement), Scott Steele (London Irish), Ryan Bower (Worcester), Joe Cain (Retirement), Michael Noone (Unknown), Jerome Schuster (Tarbes), Pasqualle Dunn (Unknown), Lucas Guillaume (Unknown), Henry Purdy (Gloucester), Harry Rudkin (Unknown)

Ins: 8

Outs: 15