Tigers win but Sale are Kings

Tigers concluded their pre-season with a bonus point win at home to Sale, but the away side still walked away with the crown “Kings of the North” as Tigers failed to beat their points difference.  Whilst Tigers would have preferred to claim the title the coaches will be satisfied with the performance.

Mike Williams and Peter Betham were particularly impressive as Betham, Croft, Bell and Odogwu crossed for tries.

Tigers were hunting a 35 point victory and started impressively.  Running with intent Betham slid between two tacklers and burst through to touch down in front of the Crumbie.  Burns was successful with the conversion and a penalty after Tigers had attacked from their own 22.

Sale were attacking themselves and went close in front of the Met RX stand twice.  On the second occasion Greg Bateman over threw his jumper and opposite number Tommy Taylor was on hand to collect the poor throw and pounce for the try.  Sale levelled after a penalty against Mulipola for being Samoan, when Courtney Lawes is penalised for tackles like these I believe it’s not bias against Islanders.

Anyway Tigers prioritised with win over chasing the points difference too aggressively and Burns nailed two more kicks.  The first though should not have been taken by him as he was off the field for a “Head Injury Assessment” when the penalty was awarded.

A second penalty was earned and the score 16-10 at half time.  Sale were on the attack early pushing for the victory but as a contest the game was over following Peter Betham’s goal-line intercept and break.  The Australian picked off Cipriani’s pass and raced away, unable to finish he smartly passed from the floor to find Adam Thompstone in deep support, Thompstone’s intelligent quick pass to Croft saw the flanker exhibit his pace and finish from the 22m.

Tigers now did chase the tries, bonus point and points difference kicking penalties to the corner but struggled to convert some excellent positions.  Eventually Tommy Bell was given a clear run in from Betham’s pass down the Crumbie touchline.

Sale were fortunate to see Harry Thacker binned when he thought he had pilfered a ball at the back of a ruck and ran clear.  Decisions like this from referee Craig Maxwell-Keys is why England do not produce world class 7s.  The ball was out, and if it was in it was marginal, but rather than settle for a penalty due to a difference in interpretation he must feed his ego by flashing the cards about.  A poor referee that I doubt we will see in the Premiership this season, he has learned nothing from his grilling after the Hughes affair.

The Sale try was hard earned as Tigers defended stoutly, Mark Jennings burgling himself over in a similar position to where Betham scored the Tigers first try.

With the title gone but the win secure Tigers relaxed slightly and played better.  Fonua carried prominently but his ball control requires work.  For the final try he was the decoy as it was spun wide with Odogwu the man on the end scoring.

Williams and Betham were the standout men with Fitzgerald also adding to his reputation.  Burns seems more settled, his first step was usually forward and there were two classic matador breaks from his own 22.  Odogwu and Fonua showed glimpses in their cameos while Tom Croft is looking back to his best.

With three bonus point wins in pre-season and the defence stiffening markedly since the reverse fixture Tigers will go to London Irish full of confidence for a decent start.

Tigers grab the Lions Share

Six Leicester Tigers have today been selected to tour Australia with the British Lions.  Ben & Tom Youngs will be the first brothers to tour together since fellow Tigers Rory & Tony Underwood 20 years ago; they are joined by Geoff Parling, Dan Cole, Manu Tuilagi and Tom Croft.

Croft, who played in all 3 test matches four years ago in South Africa, becomes the 10th Tigers player to go on a second tour after Neil Back (1997 ,2001, 2005), Martin Johnson (1993, 1997, 2001), Dean Richards (1989, 1993), Rory Underwood (1989, 1993), Peter Wheeler (1977, 1980), Martin Corry (2001, 2005), Graham Rowntree (1997, 2005), Clive Woodward (1980, 1983) and Austin Healey (1997, 2001).

Rowntree is of course going on this summer's tour as forwards coach and was an assistant coach in 2009.  Clive Woodward coached the 2005 tourists and 1930 Tour captain Doug Prentice, a lock and number 8, was manager of the 1936 tour.

The 6 selected is the second most Tigers to tour behind the 8 named for the 2005 Lions and ties with the number who toured South Africa with the victorious 1997 Lions.  Tigers last solo tourist was Peter Wheeler in 1977 and the last tour to have no representation from Leicester was 1968.

Manu Tuilagi and Dan Cole are the 16th and 17th players educated in Leicestershire & Rutland to be selected for the Lions after Alfred Hind (1903), Tom Smith (1908), Kenneth Wood (1910), Doug Prentice (1930), Doug Kendrew (1930), Bernard Gadney (1936), Paul Dodge (1980), Dean Richards (1989, 1993), Martin Johnson (1993, 1997, 2001), Graham Rowntree (1997, 2005), Dorian West (2001), Lewis Moody (2005), Ollie Smith (2005), Harry Ellis (2009) and Tom Croft (2009, 2013).  Prentice, Gadney and Johnson all captained a Lions tour, Johnson famously being the only man to lead the Lions twice in both 1997 and 2001.

The 2013 squad is dominated by Gatland's Welsh players as they provide 15 of the 37 man party, though club-wise it is Tigers and Leinster who supply the most players with 6 players apiece, reigning RaboDirect Champions the Ospreys provide 5 players whilst English champions Harlequins have been snubbed with no players selected.  Chris Robshaw becomes the 3rd England captain in the last 5 tours to miss out on selection after Phil De Glanville (1997) and Steve Borthwick (2009).  

The surprise picks are the kilted kiwi Sean Maitland and English prop Matt Stevens who has retired from international duty with England.  Toulon's Jonny Wilkinson has ruled himself out of contention as he commits himself to the French side's quest for a league and cup double, unlike Gethin Jenkins.  The Welsh prop will presumably rule himself out of any potential Top 14 final to take his seat on the plane for Hong Kong which leaves the week before.  That won't win him many friends in the south of France but as he has already signed for next season at Cardiff I doubt he minds much.  

2013 British & Irish Lions squad
Backs:
Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff & Wales)
Stuart Hogg (Glasgow & Scotland)
Rob Kearney (Leinster & Ireland)
Tommy Bowe (Ulster & Ireland)
Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff & Wales)
Sean Maitland (Glasgow & Scotland)
George North (Llanelli & Wales)
Jonathan Davies (Llanelli & Wales)
Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster & Ireland)
Jamie Roberts (Cardiff & Wales) Manu Tuilagi (Leicester & England)
Owen Farrell (Saracens & England)
Jonathan Sexton (Leinster & Ireland)
Conor Murray (Munster & Ireland)
Mike Phillips (Bayonne & Wales) Ben Youngs (Leicester & England)

Forwards:
Dan Cole (Leicester & England)
Cian Healy (Leinster & Ireland)
Gethin Jenkins (Toulon & Wales)
Adam Jones (Ospreys & Wales)
Matt Stevens (Saracens & England)
Mako Vunipola (Saracens & England)
Dylan Hartley (Northampton & England)
Richard "My Eyes" Hibbard (Ospreys & Wales) Tom Youngs (Leicester & England)
Ian Evans (Ospreys & Wales)
Richie Gray (Sale & Scotland)
Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys & Wales)
Paul O'Connell (Munster & Ireland) Geoff Parling (Leicester & England)
Tom Croft (Leicester & England)
Toby Faletau (Newport & Wales)
Jamie Heaslip (Leinster & Ireland)
Dan Lydiate (Newport & Wales)
Sean O'Brien (Leinster & Ireland)
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys & Wales)
Sam Warburton (c) (Cardiff & Wales)

Breakdown by Club:
Leicester: 6
Leinster: 6
Ospreys: 5
Cardiff: 4
Saracens: 3
Glasgow, Munster, Newport, Llanelli: 2
Northampton, Sale, Toulon, Bayonne, Ulster: 1

Leicester's 36 Previous Lions:

By position (Bold have Test caps)

FB: John Jackett (1908), Dusty Hare (1983), Geordan Murphy (2005)

W: Alfred Hind (1903), Alexander Obolonsky (1936), Rory Underwood (1989, 1993), Tony Underwood (1993)

C: Ken Wood (1910), Clive Woodward (1980, 1983), Paul Dodge (1980), Will Greenwood (1997), Ollie Smith (2005)

FH: J.P. Horrocks-Taylor (1959), Alan Old (1974)

SH: Bernard Gadney (1936), Austin Healey (1997, 2001), Harry Ellis (2009)

P: Doug Kendrew (1930), Graham Rowntree (1997, 2005), Julian White (2005)

H: Peter Wheeler (1977, 1980), Dorian West (2001)

L: Tom Smith (1908), Doug Prentice (1930), Charles Beamish (1936), Martin Johnson (1993, 1997, 2001), Ben Kay (2005)

F: Roger Arneil (1971), Neil Back (1997, 2001, 2005), Eric Miller (1997), Lewis Moody (2005), Tom Croft (2009)

8: Fred Jackson (1908), George Beamish (1930), Dean Richards (1989, 1993), Martin Corry (2001, 2005)

Flood to face Italians

Stuart Lancaster makes 5 changes to his England side for the challenge of Italy this Sunday, naming 7 Tigers in the 23.  Tigers' Toby Flood is restored to the line up after Owen Farrell failed to recover from a leg injury suffered in the France test match, while his clubmate Ben Youngs drops to the bench in favour of Stuart Lancaster's favourite Danny Care.  Given that Youngs and Flood are one of the most feared half back partnerships in world Rugby it seems bizarre to go with the Yorkshireman, especially given Youngs's outstanding form.

Manu Tuilagi earns his 20th cap at the age of only 21 in the midfield whilst Tigers also have 3 players named in the forward pack.  Tom Youngs is restored to the starting line up after being dropped for the France match, whilst I'm happy for the bulldozing Youngs I wonder what Lancaster expected from Hartley in his 50 minutes against the French.  Dan Cole and Geoff Parling continue their ever present 6 Nations in the front and second row respectively.

Returning to International Rugby after almost a year's absence with injury is flanker Tom Croft.  Croft was in world class form last weekend against Sale and his return to the fold is thoroughly deserved.


England Team to face Italy
15. Alex Goode (Saracens, 9 caps)
14. Chris Ashton (Saracens, 32 caps)
13. Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 19 caps)
12. Brad Barritt (Saracens, 14 caps)
11. Mike Brown (Harlequins, 14 caps)
10. Toby Flood (Leicester Tigers, 55 caps)
9. Danny Care (Harlequins, 39 caps)
1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, 7 caps)
2. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 38 caps)
4. Joe Launchbury (London Wasps, 7 caps)
5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers, 15 caps)
6. James Haskell (London Wasps, 48 caps)
7. Chris Robshaw (Harlequins, capt, 15 caps)
8. Tom Wood (Northampton Saints, 16 caps)
Replacements
16. Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints, 45 caps)
17. David Wilson (Bath Rugby, 24 caps) 
18. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 8 caps) 
19. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, 18 caps)
20. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers, 36 caps) 
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 31 caps) 
22. Freddie Burns (Gloucester Rugby, 1 cap)
23. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby, 2 caps)

Saturday Night Fever

Geordan Murphy and Tom Croft return for Tigers as they look to bounce back into the home play off spots following last week's loss to Harlequins.  The two returnees are amongst 7 changes for the Tigers as international call ups deprive them of  Tuilagi, Flood and Waldrom for last week's line up whilst Allen and Deacon are ruled out injured.  

Murphy's return comes at the expense of profligate full back Mat Tait who moves onto the bench, whilst Tom Croft's long term slowly slowly come back from his neck injury means Brett Deacon makes way for the Lions flanker. 

Both centres are changed as Matt Smith comes in at outside centre for the England starting Tuilagi whilst Dan Bowden is given another shot at 12 as Anthony Allen recuperates from his knock picked up last week.  Summer departee George Ford rounds out the back line changes as he comes in for Toby Flood.  

In the pack other than Croft the other changes see Ed Slater take over from the injured Louis Deacon, hopefully it is nothing too serious as although Slater is a fine player Deacon provides the granite needed in the hottest of environments, and Jordan Crane restored as the fine English gent Thomas Waldrom goes off to represent Queen and Country at Twickenham.  Crane's return may well be strengthening the side as he his a canny operator and real leader for this team.  The back row of Croft, Salvi and Crane has a nice balance to it and we knoe Croft and Crane work extremely well together.  Kitchener makes his 30th appearance for the club in the second row.

Saracens have rolled out the big guns for this titanic top of the table clash.  Former Nottingham man Chris Wyles is restored at fullback following last weeks resting of a small injury as is Schalk Brits the effervescent hooker.  He is named beside Welsh loosehead Rhys Gill, shame tighthead Matt Stevens, former England captain Steve Borthwick and South African Alistair Hargreaves in an all international tight 5.  

Joel Tomkins, Will Fraiser and David Strettle have all this week been training with Stu Lancaster's England team so will be looking to press their claims of a Six Nations start in this Saturday night showdown.

The referee will be our old friend JP Doyle.  Doyle's last Tigers game was the controversial last minute victory away to Worcester where Doyle awarded two penalty tries, the only time in league rugby he's ever awarded more than one.  Prior to that he has refereed another 10 times, with the only defeat coming this season away to Gloucester.  His last encounter with Saracens was their "home" game against Northampton, staged in Milton Keynes; Saracens won that game by a single point after Stephen Myler's last second 60 yard penalty struck the bar.  His previous 6 Saracens games have yielded 5 wins for the Londoners, so both sides will be confident of the referee going into the game.  In the league this season he's dished out 13 yellow cards in 12 games, not quite the 19 in 9 games that Wayne Barnes has managed but rather a lot all the same, worryingly 8 of those 13 have been to the home side so he can't be accused of being a home town ref.

Once again it is an indictment of Premiership Rugby's stewardship of the game that such a high profile fixture is played without her best players.  England take 5 Saracens players and 7 Leicester players whilst both sides also contribute another nation's captain as Kelly Brown and Martin Castrogiovanni lead Scotland and Italy respectively.  Add in the missing injured players and there is roughly 20 first choice players missing out 30.  You can't control the injuries but you can control the fixture schedule to make sure our best fixtures are played with our best players.

Tigers:
15 Geordan Murphy (c)
14 Scott Hamilton
13 Matt Smith
12 Dan Bowden
11 Adam Thompstone
10 George Ford
9 Sam Harrison
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Rob Hawkins
3 Logovi'i Mulipola
4 Ed Slater
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Tom Croft
7 Julian Salvi
8 Jordan Crane
Replacements
16 George Chuter
17 Kieran Brookes
18 Fraser Balmain
19 Brett Deacon
20 Richard Thorpe
21 Micky Young
22 Matt Cornwell
23 Mathew Tait

Saracens
15 Chris Wyles
14 James Short
13 Joel Tomkins
12 Adam Powell
11 David Strettle
10 Charlie Hodgson
9 Richard Wigglesworth
1 Rhys Gill
2 Schalk Brits
3 Matt Stevens
4 Steve Borthwick (c)
5 Alistair Hargreaves
6 Jackson Wray
7 Will Fraser
8 Ernst Joubert
Replacements
16 John Smit
17 Nick Auterac
18 Petrus du Plessis
19 George Kruis
20 Justin Melck
21 Neil de Kock
22 Nils Mordt
23 Duncan Taylor

Fijian Flare lights up Welford Road

Tigers welcomed back star winger Vereniki Goneva with 2 tries in a relaxed 34-8 win against Wasps at a marvellously mild Welford Road.  The rugby was as bland as the weather in all honesty but sometimes a nice relaxing win is just what the doctor ordered, especially after the nerve racking encounter with Toulouse just 6 days ago. 

The real headlines from the match were the injuries to Tom Croft and the debutant lock Tom Price.   Croft left the field after 11 minutes after a heavy contact at a ruck; Cockerill seemed confident it was just a knee in the back and not neck related, I hope he’s right.  Price’s injury was a nasty one, knocked out and requiring oxygen on the pitch it took 8 minutes of treatment before he could be stretchered from the field.  He is apparently only suffering from a concussion and a sore neck with no major injuries, which is pretty much the best case scenario.

Back to the game itself; Tigers got on the board first when Logovi’i Mulipola peeled round the front of the lineout and Wasps failed to stop him, there was a hint of a double movement but referee Martin Fox was in no doubt so awarded the try. 

Tigers looked to play and probably overdid it on a few occasions, just after the try we opened them up again but Scott Hamilton went for the long miss pass rather than straightening and using the men.  If his pass had gone to hand Goneva would have surely been in at the corner but it was just too high and the flying Fijian failed to claim it.

They stretched the lead to 10 points when Bowden slotted another penalty after the lengthy stoppage for treatment to Price.  The injury took the momentum out of the game so it was undoubtedly the right call to take the points and move on. 

It didn’t take Tigers long to score again.  Tinus Du Plessis was binned for his side’s persistent offending and with the extra man Tigers had the room to up the tempo.  Bowden proved the spark, switching play around the back of the ruck from open to blind, as he used to at London Irish, he exposed Wasps defence and found Michael Noone, on as an early sub for Tom Croft, waiting in acres of space for the easy score.

After the break Scott Hamilton looked to be clear to the line after a smart break by the impressive Andy Forsyth, but perhaps his age caught up with him as he was hauled down just short.   It was only a matter of time though as Tigers laid siege to the Wasps line, Sam Harrison coming close to scoring after he charged down Stuart Commins in goal.  The score came from Mat Tait showing his pace and timing to hit the gap that was only there for a second then having the gas to finish it off.   He certainly is a talent but the question of his whole career has been: just how to use it best?

Tigers 4^th try came as Goneva, who had looked a little disinterested in the first half, burst into life.  Fraser Balmain got Tigers onto the front foot with a rumbling 30 metre carry with defenders hanging off him, and then Dan Bowden saw the gap in midfield dummying his way through the Wasps line.  Goneva was tracking his run on the outside and they exchanged passes before the moved seemed to slow and play went left but Goneva was on hand to take the short pass and finished off the move.

It was that man Goneva again for the 5^th, starting the move by tiptoeing along the Crumbie touchline before Scott Hamilton’s zig zag run from half way to the 22 gave Tigers an attacking ruck 15 meters infield.  Micky Young attacked the blind side fringe, darting between 2 defenders before passing out of the tackle to Goneva back on the inside line. 

Wasps’ scrum was good but they offered little in attack and it was Tigers poor handling that prevented 50 points being reached rather than a rearguard action by the Acton based men.  In fairness this was very much a scratch Wasps as they run a very thin squad and had at least 6 players away with various England teams.

Tigers now head to Llanelli to face the Scarlets and with Cardiff, Sale and Worcester all playing on Saturday Tigers will know what they require to make the semi finals going into the game.