Loan Players: 9 in Action

Tigers development squad continues its learning curve this week as 9 members are out on loan learning the ropes of professional rugby.

Tonight Nottingham face Munster A in the British & Irish Cup.  Ryan Bower and Tom Price return to the pack and will be looking to press their claims for Championship action.  George Catchpole continues in midfield whilst Harry Thacker is in line for his Nottingham debut should he feature from the bench.

Doncaster welcome Cinderford to Castle Park as they seek an immediate return to the Championship.  Italian Prop Riccardo Brugnara retains his place at loosehead whilst Lucas Guillame switches from blindside to Number 8.

Tiziano Pasquali is a member of the wider European squad so presumably is required in Treviso with the first team.

Loughborough Students travel to east London to face historic opponents Blackheath.  Harry Rudkin is named as loosehead, though he was named last week and had to pull out, whilst Harry Wells continues in the engine room at lock.  Scott Steele drops to the bench after starting last week.  Former academy player Jake Albon is also in the Starting XV.

Nottingham (v Munster A)
15) Andrew Savage
14) Olly Woodburn
13) George Catchpole
12) Joe Munro
11) Ryan Hough
10) Matthew Jarvis
9) Sean Romans
1) Ryan Bower
2) Alun Walker
3) Harry Williams
4) Tom Price
5) Dan Montagu
6) Kiefer Laxton
7) Brent Wilson (c)
8) Tom Calladine
Replacements:
16) Campese Ma'afu
17) Harry Thacker
18) Michael Holford
19 Neilus Keogh
20) Finlay Barnham
21) Rory Lynn
22) Jacob Knight

Doncaster (v Cinderford)
15) Glenn Bryce
14) Paul Jarvis
13) Jacob Woodhouse
12) Mat Clark
11) Tyson Lewis
10) Jamie Lennard
9) Bruno Bravo
1) Riccardo Brugnara
2) Roberto Santamaria
3) Darren Morris
4) Matt Challinor ©
5) Chris Planchant
6) Adam Kettle
7) Michael Hills
8) Lucas Guillame
Replacements
16) Santiago Sodini
17) Jack Bergmanas
18) Bevon Armitage
19) Paul Roberts
20) Dougie Flockhart

Loughborough (v Blackheath)
1 Harry Rudkin 
2 Gareth Harris 
3 Danny Herriot 
4 Jack Collister 
5 Harry Wells 
6 Jake Albon 
7 James Freeman (C) 
8 George Messum 
9 Henry Taylor 
10 Chris Surman 
11 Alex Davis 
12 Jack Bradford 
13 Rhys Owen 
14 Craig Dowsett 
15 Jack Pons
Replacements
16 Mike Daniels 
17 Tom Crozier 
18 Gab Carroll 
19 Scott Steele 
20 Sam Katz

Just Gr8 experience for Tigers Development Squad

8 members of the Leicester Tigers development squad will be in dual registration action this weekend.  Nottingham and Doncaster have 3 Tigers a piece whilst Loughborough Students have 2 young Tigers in the tight five.

In the Greene King IPA Championship Ryan Bower will start for Nottingham against the Cornish Pirates.  Bower plays his 39th game in his third season dual registered with the Green 'n' Whites.  Also involved are Tom Price and Harry Thacker who are named on the bench.  Former Tigers in the Nottingham squad include Finlay Barnham, Rory Lynn, Michael Holford, Dan Montague, Alex Shaw and Brent Wilson.  

One level further down there is also plenty of interest as Doncaster face Rosslyn Park whilst Loughborough Students are at home to Cinderford in SSE National League 1.

Italian tighthead Tiziano Pasquali continues his apprenticeship at this level for the Knights and he is joined in the starting XV by Lucas Guillaume.  Guillaume made his Doncaster debut from the bench in last week's victory against Esher which saw the Yorkshire men return to the top of the pile.  Further Tigers interest is on the bench with Riccardo Brugnara.  The 19 year old loosehead from Italy could make his league debut if he features and if he replaces ex-Tiger Darren Morris in the front row the Knights will be fielding an all-Italian front row alongside Parsquali and countryman Santamaria.

Rosslyn Park are Doncaster's closest challengers at this stage so it is a big vote of confidence in the Tigers trio to be included.

Loughborough feature England Under 20s forwards Harry Rudkin at loosehead and Harry Wells at lock.  Wells featured from the bench last week and partners former Tigers academy captain Jake Albon in the engine room. 

Loughborough Students:
1 Harry Rudkin 
2 Jacob Fields 
3 Danny Herriot 
4 Harry Wells 
5 Jake Albon 
6 James Freeman (C) 
7 Eoin Cremen 
8 Ben Pons 
9 Henry Taylor 
10 Chris Surman 
11 Alex Davis 
12 Jack Bradford 
13 Rhys Owen 
14 Craig Dowsett 
15 Jack Pons 
Replacements:
16 Biyi Alo 
17 Gareth Harris 
18 Christian S-W 
19 Tom Bliss 
20 George Eastwell

Doncaster:
15. Glenn Bryce
14. Paul Jarvis
13. Mat Clark
12. Bevon Armitage
11. Tyson Lewis
10. Paul Roberts
9. Bruno Bravo
1. Darren Morris
2. Roberto Santamaria
3. Tiziano Pasquali
4. Matt Challinor (C)
5. Michael Walker-Fitton
6. Lucas Guillame
7. Shaun Jones
8. Adam Kettle
Replacements
16. Riccardo Brugnara
17. Ben Hunter
18. Glen Kenworthy
19. James Munro
20. Jamie Lennard.

Nottingham
15) Andrew SAVAGE
14) Sean MORRIS
13) Ed STYLES
12) Joe MUNRO
11) Ryan HOUGH
10) Rory LYNN
9) Finlay BARNHAM
1) Ryan BOWER
2) Alun WALKER
3) Michael HOLFORD
4) Neilus KEOGH
5) Dan MONTAGU
6) Tom CALLADINE
7) Brent WILSON (Captain)
8) Alex SHAW
Replacements
16) Harry THACKER
17) Harry WILLIAMS
18) Tom PRICE
19) Joe BURTON
20) Sean ROMANS
21) Matthew JARVIS
22) Jacob KNIGHT

Academy Trio Play for Nottingham on loan

Nottingham Rugby have selected 3 Tigers in their starting XV to London Scottish in Richmond this Saturday.

Winger Henry Purdy is named for his Championship debut whilst he is joined in the Notts backline by fellow England Under 20s back George Catchpole who plays 13.  Catchpole, originally from Norfolk, has played 13 in the previous two Notts games this season.

In the pack Tom Price is preferred to Neilus Keogh who moves to the bench.  Price impressed off the bench against London Welsh last season.

The bench sees another dual registered player as Ryan Bower covers loosehead prop.

Former Tigers Harrison Lee-Everton, Brent Wilson and Alex Shaw start whilst Michael Holford and Rory Lynn are ex-Tigers on the bench.

Nottingham Rugby
15) Ed Styles
14) Henry Purdy
13) George Catchpole
12) Joe Munro
11) Ryan Hough
10) Matthew Jarvis
9) Harrison Lee-Everton
1) Campese Ma'afu
2) Jon Vickers
3) Harry Williams
4) Tom Price
5) Dan Montagu
6) Tom Calladine
7) Brent Wilson (c)
8) Alex Shaw
Replacements
16)  Ryan Bower
17)  Scott Wright
18)  Michael Holford
19)  Neilus Keogh
20)  Joe Burton
21)  Sean Romans
22)  Rory Lynn

Two Tigers Lock in place for Junior World Cup

Two Leicester Locks have been named in England's Under 20s squad for this summer's Junior World Cup to be held in France.  20 year old Tom Price, originally from Stratford, and 19 year old Harry Wells, from Peterborough, have been selected by head coaches Nick Walshe and Ian Peel.  

Both Price and Wells have made their first team debuts this season; Price starting the LV Cup at home to Wasps before his injury gave Wells his debut in the same game before starting against the Scarlets in Llanelli a week later.

Wells has also been a regular in the A League over the last two seasons starting 6 games with a further 3 appearances from the bench over the past 2 seasons, scoring one try at home to Sale last season.  Price has been used less in the A League starting only once, against Newcastle in March 2011, and featuring a further 4 times as a sub.

The two Tigers' Tyros will face competition from Leeds' Dominic Barrow and Gloucester's Elliot Stooke for the locking berths; though versatile Wells played flanker in England's victorious Six Nations campaign, bagging two tries in the final game against Wales.

England will play all their group games in La Roche-sur-Yon on the Atlantic coast; they start the tournament against hosts France on Wednesday June 5th before facing last year's World Champions South Africa, dubbed the "Baby Boks", 4 days later.  They round off the tournament with what they would hope will be an easier game against the USA, though the Americans qualified for this tournament by winning the Junior World Trophy last summer so will be no mugs.  

England Under20 squad:
Forwards: Dom Barrow (Leeds Carnegie), Jack Clifford (Harlequins), Joel Conlon (Exeter Chiefs), Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs), Matt Hankin (Saracens), Alec Hepburn (London Wasps), Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi (Northampton Saints), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby), Nathan Morris (London Wasps), Tom Price (Leicester Tigers), David Sisi (London Irish), Tom Smallbone (London Irish), Scott Spurling (Saracens), Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby), Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers), Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons).
Backs: Callum Braley (Bristol Rugby), Alex Day (Northampton Saints), Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby), Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs), Will Hooley (Northampton Saints), Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors), Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks), Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs), Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs), Harry Sloan (Harlequins), Tom Stephenson (Northampton Saints), Anthony Watson (London Irish).

Fixtures:
Game 1 – England v France, Wednesday June 5, 17:45 (GMT)
Game 2 – England v South Africa, Sunday June 9, 15:45 (GMT)
Game 3 – England v USA, Thursday June 13, 17:45 (GMT)
Semi-final – Tuesday June 18
Final – Sunday June 23

6th Sense for Nottingham

6 Tigers are in Championship action this weekend as Nottingham take on Leeds at Headingley.  Leeds are 4th and need a win to secure a Play Off berth whilst Nottingham, in the week they announced they £250,000 to stay in business, have secured 2nd place and avoid Newcastle in the Semi Finals.

Alex Lewington and Jonny Harris both start after formerly announcing that they will be playing their rugby for London Irish next season and they are joined in the first XV by Ryan Bower and Harrison Lee-Everton.  Lee-Everton is the 13th Tigers player to feature on loan in the Championship this season.

Tom Price and Andy Forsyth are both named on the replacements bench to round out the 6.  Another 5 players in the match day squad have previously been on the books at Tigers.

London Irish's Alex Gray who will transfer to full time 7s next season is also named in the side. 

Nottingham Rugby:
15 David Jackson 
14 Alex Lewington 
13 Joe Cobden 
12 Joe Munro
11 Rhys Crane 
10 Rory Lynn 
9 Harrison Lee-Everton
1 Jonny Harris 
2 Joe Duffey 
3 Ryan Bower 
4 Dan Montagu
5 Joe Quinn 
6 Rupert Cooper 
7 Tom Calladine 
8 Alex Gray.
Replacements:
16 Shaun Malton 
17 Michael Holford 
18 Tom Price 
19 Phil Eggleshaw
20 Sean Romans 
21 James Arlidge 
22 Andy Forsyth.

4 Tigers to Face Pirates this Sunday

Tom Price makes his return to action this weekend after being named on the bench for promotion chasing Nottingham as they face Cornish Pirates live on Sky tomorrow lunch time.  

Price was making his debut for the Leicester first team when he went down at an innocuous looking ruck.  With the game not being recorded for TV it is still something of a mystery what happened next; but the result of it was Price being unconscious on the pitch for 10 minutes, requiring oxygen and being stretchered straight into the Infirmary.

It is remarkable that it is only 11 weeks later and he is back in action.  Tigers opponents that day were Wasps, the poet in me wishes he was named on our bench not Nottingham's but I'll take my victories where I find them.

Alex Lewington is set to start his 12th game of the season for the Green 'n' Whites and is joined by Jonny Harris making his 4th start at loosehead prop.  The pair have been heavily linked with leaving Tigers in the summer to join up with former Nottingham coach Glenn Delaney at London Irish.  The other edge of the Dual Registration sword. 

The 4th member of this motley crew is Ryan Bower who will join Price on the bench.  Bower is a regular in the Nottingham match day squad and is looking to make his 17th appearance in the Championship this season. 

A further seven of the Nottingham side have played for Tigers at either First XV, Extras or Academy level.

Nottingham
15 Andrew Savage 
14 Alex Lewington  
13 Tim Streather 
12 Joe Munro 
11 Rhys Crane 
10 James Arlidge 
9 Sean Romans
1 Jonny Harris 
2 Joe Duffey 
3 Michael Holford 
4 Dan Montagu 
5 Nic Rouse 
6 Rupert Cooper 
7 Brent Wilson (c) 
8 Alex Shaw.
Replacements
16 Shaun Malton 
17 Ryan Bower 
18 Tom Price 
19 Tom Calladine 
20 Finlay Barnham 
21 Joe Cobden 
22 David Jackson.

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. 

3 Tiger Cubs named in England Under 20s

3 Tigers Academy players are today celebrating a call up to the England Under 20s Elite Player Squad (EPS) for the Under 20s Six Nations starting in Plymouth against Scotland on Friday February 1st.  

Lock forward Tom Price, who will turn 20 between now and the first game, has just made his Championship debut off the bench for Nottingham whilst fellow lock forward Harry Wells, from Spalding in Lincolnshire, is selected after an ever present season for the A team; starting 3 games and coming from the bench in the other two.  Both of those players were named in the squad announced earlier in the year.

A new call up is for try scoring sensation Henry Purdy.  6 tries in 4 starts for the A team catapulted the right winger into the frame for the first team, taking advantage of the Maori match to make his First XV debut in the LV Cup loss away to Saracens.  Purdy, a summer signing from Wasps, is also comfortable in the centres where he plays for the Academy and last year played for England U-18s.

England Under-20 Elite Player Squad 2012/13
*Capped at Under 20 level
Forwards
Luke Cowan Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)*
Alec Hepburn (London Wasps)*
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)*
Scott Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
Max Crumpton (Saracens)*
Nathan Morris (London Wasps)*
Scott Spurling (Saracens)*
Dominic Barrow (Leeds Carnegie)*  
Tom Price (Leicester Tigers)*
Elliott Stooke (Gloucester Rugby)*
Tom Jubb (Saracens)
Jack Clifford (Harlequins)*
David Sisi (London Irish)*
Matt Hankin (Saracens)
Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby)
Harry Wells (Leicester Tigers)
 
Backs
Alex Day (Northampton Saints)*
Nathan Fowles (Sale Sharks)
Callum Braley (Bristol Rugby)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)*
Ollie Devoto (Bath Rugby)
Will Hooley (Northampton Saints)
Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)*
Mark Jennings (Sale Sharks)
Tom Stephenson (Northampton Saints)
Tom Collins (Northampton Saints)
Harry Sloan (Harlequins)
Jack Arnott (Exeter Chiefs)
Ben Howard (Worcester Warriors)
Henry Purdy (Leicester Tigers)
Anthony Watson (London Irish)*
Jack Nowell (Exeter Chiefs)

Price is Right for Nottingham

Tom Price could become the 7th Tigers player to feature for Nottingham this season as he is named on the Green 'n' Whites bench for their trip to Rotherham.  Fellow Tigers Alex Lewington and Jonny Harris are named as starters whilst Ryan Bower and Andy Forsyth are also on the bench.  Elsewhere Jersey name Charlie Clare on the bench for their trip to Moseley and on New Year's Day Andy Symons played the second half for Doncaster as they lost to Newcastle, Kieran Brookes left the field with a suspected broken collarbone on 54 minutes.

Nottingham side to face Rotherham:
15 David Jackson 14 Alex Lewington 13 Tim Streather 12 Joe Munro
11 Rhys Crane 10 James Arlidge 9 Sean Romans 1 Jonny Harris 2 Shaun Malton 3 Michael Holford 4 Dan Montagu
5 Nic Rouse 6 Rupert Cooper 7 Brent Wilson 8 Tom Calladine.
Replacements
16 Scott Wright 17 Ryan Bower 18 Tom Price 19 Alex Shaw
20 Finlay Barnham 21 Joe Cobden 22 Andy Forsyth.

Jersey side to face Moseley:
1 Sean McCarthy 2 Dave Felton 3 Jon Brennan 4 Nathan Hannay (capt)
5 Dave Markham 6 Graham Bell 7 Kingsley Lang 8 Guy Thompson
9 Nicky Griffiths 10 Mike Le Bourgeois 11 Ed Dawson 12 Dai Bishop
13 Max Stelling 14 James Copsey 15 Glenn Bryce
Replacements
16 Richard Barrington 17 Charlie Clare 18 James Gethings 19 Rob Anderson
20 Brendan O’Brien 21 Ross Broadfoot 22 Tom Cooper

Wells and Price named for England Under 20s

Academy forwards Harry Wells and Tom Price have both been named in England's Under 20s Elite Player Squad for the 2012/13 season.  

Price, a 6'9" lock originally from Stratford-upon-Avon, retains his place from last years squad.  Born on 22nd January he will be one of the oldest players in the age group which has a cut off date of the 1st of January.

Wells, a lock-cum-flanker is a Peterborough native and this is his first call up by England at any level.