Island Power Tigers to Victory

Tigers secured a second consecutive bonus point victory defeating Exeter 45-15 at Welford Road.  Tigers crossed the whitewash 6 times showing terrific power, pace and execution.  Vereniki Goneva was to the fore again, and afterwards Richard Cockerill hinted that his move away this summer might not be a lost caused just yet.  

To go with that potential fillip the fans received a huge boost as Tom Croft played a full part in the game’s warm up.  It had been said he would act as water boy in this match but to take contact in the warm up is a huge boost.  Clermont may be too soon but the Premiership play offs surely beckon.

Tigers were in fine form without Croft though as Manu Tuilagi and Anthony Allen re-united what is Tigers most selected centre partnership in League history; the pair last lined up together in May’s Twickenham Final. 

Tigers played into the wind in the opening period and used the conditions to great effect.  The wind held up Ben Youngs’s box kicks and Owen Williams’s garryowens allowing Tigers chase to put the Exeter catchers under great pressure.  Tigers’ forwards played well, breaking tackles in attack and driving them back in defence; Ed Slater really sets the tone with this side; his raw energy and passion drives the side forward.

Exeter opened the scoring with a penalty after Tigers had made the early play.  Referee Dean Richards had an odd, old fashioned, interpretation of the maul that took Tigers some time to understand.

It was Tuilagi though who crossed the whitewash first as Tigers gained the lead they would never relinquish.  Jamie Gibson blocked Exeter’s attempted clearance to gain the turnover in the attacking half; Ben Youngs quickly freed Tuilagi who brushed off Jack Nowell’s attempts at a tackle.  Turning it back inside Tuilagi secured possession before Tigers went right though Crane.  Ben Youngs was quick to the breakdown and found Allen running tight to ruck; he drew in two Exeter defenders before off loading to Goneva.  The Flying Fijian committed the last man to give Tuilagi the easiest of run ins for his first try of the season.

Owen Williams’s conversion was good but the touch judges bafflingly missed it.

Tigers were straight back onto the attack with Hamilton and Tuilagi making impressions up the right hand side.  Tigers were attempting to get outside Exeter’s rush defence with mixed results when Williams found Goneva running a deep outside arc.

The Fijian magician was through the hole and, carrying the ball in one hand, committed three men before bringing a bullocking Mulipola back on a switch towards the posts.

Jack Nowell had no chance to stop the 20 stone of prime Samoan beef as he strode through the Cornishman’s tackle to score under the posts.

Williams had no problem with the conversion, and this time the touch judges agreed.

A deliberate knock on, no yellow this week, gave Williams a chance for the penalty.  The Welshman missed by the slimmest of margins as the ball drifted to strike the left hand upright.  It mattered not though as Tigers claimed the bouncing ball and earned Williams a quick chance at redemption.  Second time around he was perfect.

Exeter responded well; though Ben White was lucky to gain the penalty for Crane holding on the floor rather than give one away for failing to release a tackled man.  From that decision Exeter scored from a driving maul.  Tigers looked to have stopped it twice, but Richards’s old fashioned interpretation gave Exeter another go that let hooker Jack Yeandle take advantage.

As with the first try Tigers struck back immediately.  Regaining the momentum is a crucial part of the game and always makes the game feel more comfortable. 

Jordan Crane made a powerful surge through the middle, offloading to Julian Salvi for the crucial extra yards.  With quick ball Ben Youngs showed to go right before turning back left.  Exeter's defence was at sixes and sevens, Goneva came onto the ball at pace.  Slaloming through the would be tacklers he beat 4 men to go under the posts after receiving the ball 30 yards out.

The new big screen showed the moves and the crowd was wowed by the Fijian’s footwork.

Its next use saw Exeter Captain Dean Mumm get a yellow card; his high tackle on Owen Williams received the expected outrage from the Tigers faithful.  Whilst Mumm was missing Tigers piled on the pressure.  With another advantage Vereniki Goneva scored again as he powered through Exeter’s defence from Ben Youngs’s pop pass.  But referee Richards was not happy.  Eskewing the TMO he ruled it out for a tight forward pass.

Williams slotted the penalty for a half time score of 25-10.

Some good old fashioned scrum power saw Williams get another chance early in the second half; Tigers were patient when looking for the bonus point and the Welshman put Tigers 18 points clear.

The bonus point was secured just 6 minutes later.  Owen Williams cleared a penalty from one 22 to the other to set up the line out.  Jordan Crane claimed cleanly at the tail before Anthony Allen was freed into the midfield straight away. 

Quick ball and Owen Williams had it again, Tuilagi used as a dummy to draw the men in, allowing Scott Hamilton to roam in the open spaces.  Hamilton feeds Thompstone straightening for the final flourish.  Bonus Point secured the intensity drops as Tigers use 7 of their 8 subs in the next 10 minutes.

Ed Slater forced a 5m lineout with a charge down of Henry Slade’s desperate clearance.  Good pressure from Tigers in the lineout forced the knock on and Tigers scrum.  A big push on the loosehead side from the freshly introduced Boris Stankovich gave David Mele the short side and the Frenchman gladly took the ball with the line begging.

Ten minutes later and it was Mele snipping again for the try.  A quick tap from Mele saw Waldrom just short but with quick possession the Catalan half back could weave his way through the defence for the try, with only a hint of a fumble on the grounding.

Mele’s third try of the season eclipses his total in 130 games over 7 seasons of rugby with Perpignan.

A third try bonus point win of the Premiership season in the only three games that Manu Tuilagi has started are a testament to the man’s influence on our play.  Away trips to Northampton and Clermont are next to come.  If Tigers can play like this in those two fixtures then who knows what this season, so blighted by injuries, might still yield?

3 Changed for Cheifs

Injury and unavailability forces Richard Cockerill into two changes from the side that beat Newcastle three weeks ago.  Inside centre Dan Bowden, in New Zealand for his Sister’s wedding, has had to have an appendectomy after complaining of stomach ache.  On the wing Blaine Scully is absent representing his country in a crucial World Cup Qualifier in Montevideo.

Experienced centre Anthony Allen replaces Bowden to reprise his successful centre partnership with Manu Tuilagi.  Adam Thompstone, who scored a hat trick of tries on debut in this fixture last year, comes in for US Eagle Scully on the wing.

The other backs are unchanged; Owen Williams is preferred to previous captain Toby Flood as partner for Ben Youngs in the half backs; Mat Tait and superstar winger Vereniki Goneva retain their places in the back three.  

The official web site's preview is claiming this is Ben Youngs's 100th start but my stats show only 98 so far.  The club's own stats on the web site agree with my own.  If anyone has any ideas where the phantom game is then please leave a comment below.

One change in the forwards is made as Pablo Matera is replaced by Julian Salvi at openside.  Matera showed great awareness and strength to poach the bonus point try against Newcastle and is extremely unlucky to miss out on the matchday squad altogether.

Jordan Crane and Jamie Gibson round out the back row whilst the tight five is unchanged.  Ed Slater continues as captain beside Louis Deacon in the second row; Marcos Ayerza, Tom Youngs and Logo Mulipola make an all international front row.

Graham Kitchener returns to fitness and is named on the bench.  Kitchener has played only once since injuring his ankle against Ulster in January.  Boris Stankovich maintains his ever present season, again named on the bench alongside Fraser Balmain, Rob Hawkins, Thomas Waldrom, David Mele, Toby Flood and Scott Hamilton.

With 7 tries in the last 2 games Tigers have been feeling their way back into top form.  They will need to find their best against Exeter.  Last weekend the Chiefs became the 16^th different club to win the Cup after their 15-8 win against Northampton.  The game was played at top intensity and Exeter will be on the crest of a wave at the moment.

Exeter plays a pressure game at a fast tempo to try and unsettle opposition.  Tigers should counter this with more pressure and be able to beat them at their own game.  With heavy duty carries in Manu, Logo and Tom Youngs we should be able to break their tackles and get onto the front foot. 

Henry Slade showed remarkable coolness to steer Exeter to their Cup Final triumph but struggled with his goal kicking at times.  His personal dual with Owen Williams will go a long way to determining who comes out on top this Sunday.

For the second home game in a row the referee is Dean Richards.  

Leicester
15 Mat Tait
14 Vereniki Goneva
13 Manu Tuilagi
12 Anthony Allen
11 Adam Thompstone
10 Owen Williams
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs
3 Logovi'i Mulipola
4 Louis Deacon
5 Ed Slater (c)
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Julian Salvi
8 Jordan Crane
Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Fraser Balmain
19 Graham Kitchener
20 Thomas Waldrom
21 David Mele
22 Toby Flood
23 Scott Hamilton

Exeter
15 Luke Arscott
14 Jack Nowell
13 Ian Whitten
12 Phil Dollman
11 Fetu'u Vainikolo
10 Henry Slade
9 Dave Lewis
1 Ben Moon
2 Jack Yeandle
3 Hoani Tui
4 Dean Mumm (c)
5 Damian Welch
6 Dave Ewers
7 Ben White
8 Kai Horstmann
Replacements
16 Luke Cowan-Dickie
17 Carl Rimmer
18 Alex Brown
19 Don Armand
20 Tom Johnson
21 Haydn Thomas
22 Gareth Steenson
23 Matt Jess

Scully takes Flight and Tigers set to face Russian Test?

Scully set to miss run up to Quarter Final

Tigers are set to miss Blaine Scully for the final two weeks build up to the monumental trip to Clermont in the Heineken Cup Quarter Final.  Winger-cum-full back Scully has been named as part of Mike Tolkin’s US Eagles squad that takes on Uruguay in a two legged Rugby World Cup qualifier.

The first leg is set for this Saturday in Montevideo with the return fixture at Kenneshaw State University in Atlanta a week later.  That rules Scully out of the Exeter game this Sunday as well as the visit to Northampton.  The Saints will be missing Samu Manoa who is amongst 11 players from the top three divisions of English rugby selected.

Scully’s absence deals the Californian wingers chances of playing in Clermont a body blow.  Cemented in the First XV at present his national service will give Adam Thompstone or a fit again Miles Benjamin a chance to press their claims.  You cannot begrudge a man an international cap but the creep of the international rugby continues unabated.

USA Squad:

Forwards: Todd Clever (NTT Shining Arcs), Tom Coolican (Richmond), Cam Dolan (Northampton), Eric Fry (London Scottish), Olive Kilifi (Seattle-OPSB), Titi Lamositele (Saracens), Scott LaValla (Stade Francais), Samu Manoa (Northampton), Hayden Smith (Saracens), Lou Stanfill (Seattle-OPSB), Kyle Sumsion (BYU), Phil Thiel (Life), Tai Tuisamoa (OMBAC), Nick Wallace (James Bay)

Backs: Miles Craigwell (Seattle-OPSB), Luke Hume (Narbonne), Seamus Kelly (Cal), Toby L'Estrange (London Welsh), Tim Maupin (Olympic Club), Folau Niua (Glasgow), Mike Petri (NYAC), Blaine Scully (Leicester), Robbie Shaw (London Scottish), Andrew Suniula (London Wasps), Shalom Suniula (Seattle-OPSB), Chris Wyles (Saracens)

 

Tigers to play Russian Champions?

Brown’s Sport & Leisure Club in Vilamoura, Portugal, have been advertising that they will be hosting a match between Russian Champions Krasny Yar and English Champions Leicester Tigers on Friday April 11^th.  

Link Here 

And another here 

And Facebook Here 

As part of the “Algarve Rugby Festival” Krasny Yar will also be playing the British Army the week before.  Last season London Irish faced the Army in the 2013 edition of the “Algarve Rugby Festival” so this is not perhaps the wild fantasy it appears to be.

Tigers have not confirmed the fixture or the level of team being sent.  It is unclear whether the invasion of Crimea by Russian forces will affect this event.

Krasny Yar features a professional squad with the most recognisable names to western fans being ex-Northampton wing Vasily Artemyev and ex-Wasps flanker Victor Gresev.  They topped the regular season table in Russia before beating cross town rivals Enisey-STM in a two legged final.

Bonus Point Blitz

Tigers roared back into the Premiership’s Top 4 with a stunning bonus point win away to Dean Richard’s Newcastle Falcons.  The 41-18 win was secured with a 3 try second half blitz that saw Tigers storm away from Newcastle who had closed the gap to 20-18.

Manu Tuilagi made only his second start of the Premiership season as Tigers recorded their first Premiership bonus point victory since September, also against Newcastle and notably the last game Manu started.

Lee Smith opened the scoring for the hosts with a monster 50 meter penalty only for Rob Vickers to block Marcos Ayerza on the kick off and let Tigers level up straight away.  Newcastle controlled the possession well during the opening stages and took advantage of some rusty Tuilagi defence for Noah Cato to step the centre and Ayerza for a try.

Owen Williams closed the gap to one point with two more successful penalty attempts.  Tigers were growing into the match; Jordan Crane’s pick and go through the middle made huge yards as did Marcos Ayerza who collected the off load.  But Ayerza was unable to find Ben Youngs with the try line begging.  Youngs was again at the centre of the action after his tap and go split the Newcastle defence.  His ambitious pass to Scully was under cooked and the Californian knocked on.

Maverick Fijian genius Vereniki Goneva unlocked the Newcastle defence late in the first half with a body swerve and forceful hand off followed by a gloriously delicate chip ahead; winning the foot race to ground the ball.

Goneva received the ball after a break from Ed Slater.  The captain ran an inside line to burst between two defenders and gain 20 yards.  Quick ball to Dan Bowden was shipped on to the Fijian for his magic finish.  Owen Williams was off target with his conversion making it 14-13.

A single point advantage at half time was quickly expanded to a 7 point lead after two Owen Williams penalties.  The first was after Scott Lawson failed to release the tackled man and second came straight from the kick off.  Newcastle’s kick off failed to go 10 meters and they conceded the penalty from the scrum.

Newcastle came back strongly though with good bursts from their forwards pivoting around Mike Blair.  Noah Cato looked dangerous again but Alex Tait couldn’t hold on to his pass under pressure from Ben Youngs.  

Bafflingly referee Greg Garner saw fit to sin bin Youngs for defending his own line.  Apparently because he tried to tip the ball up and catch it that is now illegal and considered more damaging to the game than late tackles that injure fly halfs out of Grand Finals.

The rule book actually states that players must not intentionally knock the ball forwards.  Nothing about number of hands.  Just intentionally forwards.  The fact we have a generation of referees that have never played the game is clear from instances like these.  

Why wouldn’t Ben Youngs be trying to catch that ball?  The referees seem to think they are being clever and that the players are cynical when most of them just see the ball and go for it. 

Then to see a deliberate knock down punished more strongly than dangerous play that injuries people out of action is not only wrong but offensive to all those that play the game.

Newcastle profited from Garner’s mistake as Scott Lawson burst round the side of a ruck to sprint in on the blindside corner.

The Tigers though were only made more determined by the Coventry raised referee’s anti-Tigers officiating after he ruled out a good try for a forward pass.  The ball was spun wide left and after Owen Williams’s pop pass Pablo Matera straightened his man, got his hand round the back and rolled the pass to Blaine Scully.  No debate about it the try was good.

In Ben Youngs’s absence Dan Bowden stepped into the scrum halfs shoes to great effect, keeping the tempo high and even setting up Goneva’s second try.  Straight from the incorrectly ruled out effort Tigers had an attacking maul.  The set up was superb as Tom Youngs handled the ball at the back.

Bowden broke round the side and popped the pass to Goneva wrapping around from the left wing.  Goneva did well to hold the pass and broke the arm tackles of Noah Cato and Mike Blair.  Relief was palpable as Tigers were clear again.

Goneva almost secured a hat trick 3 minutes later but couldn’t hold on to an interception attempt.  Thankfully Garner seemed to apply some logic to this chance and it was only a knock on.  With Tigers back to full strength it was Thomas Waldrom who next crossed the white wash.

Good ball retention in the Falcons 22 saw Tigers probe to the left and right.  Goneva set up a ruck from a classic switch and Waldrom ran a tight line back towards the ruck.  A ballet dancer’s side step saw him clear of the last man and under the posts.

Garner yellowed Manu Tuilagi for the imaginary “deliberate” knock on 3 minutes later, because obviously Manu wanted to knock it on on the half way line when had he held it a bonus point try would have been a walk in.

A man down Tigers were still pushing for a bonus point to put us level on points with Bath.  It looked like time was draining away after Ed Slater dropped Toby Flood’s close contact pass.  But as ever it was Tigers scrum that came to our rescue when Gary Strain couldn’t take the power of Fraser Balmain.

With 79 minutes now showing on the clock it was now or never.  Flood kicked to touch and Tigers set the line out.  Tigers drove the lineout before Tom Youngs and David Mele broke to the open side.  Pablo Matera following play decided to test the fringe defence of the Falcons and it was found wanting.  After an initial repulse the Argentinean tyro was not held so surged again to power forward for his 2^nd try in Tigers colours.

With the bonus point secure there was only just time for Greg Garner to further embarrass himself with the sin binning of Toby Flood despite getting both hands to the ball on his interception attempt.  This was the first time Tigers have suffered 3 yellow cards in a single match since 17^th March 2007 at home to Bath; that day we also secured a bonus point victory as Tom Varndell, Henry Tuilagi and Alex Tuilagi all saw yellow.

A fourth victory during the international window and Tigers shift into a share of 3^rd place.  A home semi final is still a long way away but more results like this and we just might make it.

Manu Returns

He's back.  After almost 5 months out of action with a torn pectoral muscle he's back.  Manu returns to make his second start of the season, ironically, against the same side he injured himself in November.  Tigers also welcome Tom Youngs back into the pack and a second league start for Argentinian tyro Pablo Matera.

3 unconvincing wins on the bounce against Worcester, Gloucester and Irish have left the Tigers season on life support.  Another win is the bare necessity and an improved performance surely needed to boost morale. 

Mat Tait looked back to effervescent and dangerous best at the Madejski, the Durham born full back will be keen to go one further this week.  His opposite number is younger brother Alex Tait.  The two have never faced each other in senior action.

Joining Tait and Tuilagi in the backline are international wingers US Eagle Blaine Scully and Flying Fijian Vereniki Goneva.  Goneva takes Adam Thompstone's spot on the wing to accommodate the returning Tuilagi. 

The inside backs are unchanged from last week as Youngs, Williams and Bowden look to take last week's performance as a base and push on again.

Tigers have an all international front row featuring Marcos Ayerza, Tom Youngs and Logovi'i Mulipola.  All three are fearsome scrummagers, dynamic carriers and aggressive tacklers.  Arguably Tigers greatest area of strength, the front rows are key to providing us a platform from which the backs can play.

New captain Ed Slater leads with club stalwart Louis Deacon in the engine room.  Jamie Gibson and Jordan Crane keep their places in the backrow whilst Julian Salvi makes way for Pablo Matera.  Matera has impressed in his chances so far and this game is his chance to lay down a marker for the rest of the season. 

Newcastle name two new names in their backline; international centre Gonzalo Tiesi was with Deano at Quins, Lee Smith tries Rugby for the second time after a short lived spell at Wasps.  Smith is a three time Super League Champion with Leeds and joins after a spell with Wakefield Trinity.  Scotch half backs Mike Blair and Phil Godman complete the backline with Noah Cato and Adam Powell.

In the forwards one name that leaps out is Rob Vickers.  Formerly a hooker, under John Wells expert eye he has been playing this season as a loosehead prop.  In his old position is ex-Gloucester and Irish front row Scott Lawson.  Former Tigers prop Kieran Brookes is at tighthead.  A disappointing two year spell at Tigers was scarred by a crushed foot, suffered away to Newcastle in 2011, but Brookes seems to be back close the form that saw Cockerill describe him as the best young tighthead in Europe.

Two more Scots for the lock partnership as Fraser McKenzie joins Scott Macleod.  They make an enterprising back five of the scrum will Andy Saull at openside and the particularly impressive duo of Will Welch and Mark Wilson.  Welch is a local boy and would surely be on the England radar were he at a top 4 club.

Sunday's referee will be Coventry's Greg Garner.  Garner has refereed Leicester 10 times with 7 victories to 3 defeats.  He has officiated 2 previous meetings between the sides in 2010 & 2012, both bonus point wins at Welford Road.

Leicester
15 Mat Tait
14 Blaine Scully
13 Manu Tuilagi
12 Dan Bowden
11 Vereniki Goneva
10 Owen Williams
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Tom Youngs
3 Logovi'i Mulipola
4 Louis Deacon
5 Ed Slater (c)
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Pablo Matera
8 Jordan Crane
Replacements
16 Neil Briggs
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Fraser Balmain
19 Sebastian De Chaves
20 Thomas Waldrom
21 David Mele
22 Toby Flood
23 Adam Thompstone

Newcastle:
15 Alex Tait
14 Noah Cato
13 Gonzalo Tiesi
12 Adam Powell
11 Lee Smith
10 Phil Godman
9 Mike Blair
1 Rob Vickers
2 Scott Lawson
3 Kieran Brookes
4 Scott MacLeod
5 Fraser McKenzie
6 Will Welch (c)
7 Andy Saull
8 Mark Wilson
Replacements:
16 George McGuigan
17 Gary Strain
18 Oliver Tomaszczyk
19 Sean Tomes
20 Chris York
21 Warren Fury
22 Joel Hodgson
23 Danny Barnes

Referee: Greg Garner
Touch Judges: Andy Watson, Gareth Copsey
TMO: Graham Hughes

Kick Off: 2PM, Sunday  2nd March
TV: BT Sport1HD, 1PM

Forward Power

Tigers moved into the Premiership Play Off spots after a hard fought victory away to inform London Irish.  The nerve shredding 20-15 win came courtesy of first half tries from Ben Youngs and Logovi’i Mulipola plus a fantasy second half score from magic Fijian Vereniki Goneva.  All Irish’s points were from penalties, four from James O’Conner and a singular effort from Ian Humphreys.

Tigers were far from perfect, especially in an error strewn and panicky final quarter, but showed glimpses of the play that could secure an 11^th title.  Ben Youngs was back to near his best, keeping good tempo in the game and accurate with all bar one kick.  Dan Bowden, a late change for Anthony Allen, was superb knowing when to straighten and when to go wide.  Owen Williams grew into the game and finished with a glorious side step to beat Geraghty near the end.

But this was not a backs victory.  It was forged by the behemoths in the pack.

Irish opened the scoring with the softest of penalties.  A bad day was in the offing when no one claimed the opening kickoff with Deacon pinged at the first ruck.  

But Tigers were straight into the game at the other end.  An inch perfect kick from Ben Youngs gave Tigers territory in the Irish 22.  Jamie Gibson blocked the clearance kick and Tigers were through, only for Deacon’s pass to be kicked dead by Skivington.

Now Tigers had a 5m scrum.  Would it take the 16 re-sets to gain the try, like it did at Welford Road in November?   On the first it went down, on the second Irish went early, on the third Crane should have scored but muffed it as Tigers heaved forward.  On the fourth it went down, and on the fifth Tigers again shuddered forwards.  Crane controlled this one but was just shy of the line giving Ben Youngs the chance to take the glory and dive in at the corner.

Doyle, an Irishman living in London, gave London Irish a series of inexplicable penalties; James O’Connor screwed the first one wide right but was on target with his next two attempts taking back the lead 9-5.  Tigers showed good fluency at times but couldn’t consistently hold onto the ball.  Knock ons were aplenty and one good move was pulled back for the game’s solitary attacking in from the side.

Tigers second try came from a lineout drive.  The position had been gained when James O’Connor used Keiran Low to evade Rob Hawkins tackle following a Ben Youngs kick through.  Deacon claimed the line out ball and Mulipola clamped on at the back to be driven over.  George Skivington almost disrupted it but as he was already given as offside a penalty try would have been awarded if he had successfully held it up. 

 

The conversions were difficult, touchline wide right, but Williams will be disappointed to miss both.  Tigers led 10-9 at half time.

Then we have Goneva’s fantasy.  His magic.  His mistake. 

Tigers had made a mess of the Irish scrum and Youngs hassled Allinson into a turnover.  Once round the corner to Crane and then out, Williams passed poorly and Goneva fumbled over his head.  First to clean up his own mistake he shook off the attentions of O’Connor then the merest hint of a dummy had Fenby grasping at thin air.  A hand off saw off Humphreys before Treviranus was out paced to the corner.

 

No other centre in the world would score that try.  Probably because most would catch it in the first place.

Irish came back strongly in the final quarter; gaining a series of penalties from Doyle.  But O’Connor skewed 2 wide and was replaced with Humphreys for the final kick.  These misses let Tigers off but also kept us camped in our own territory for long periods.

Waldrom entered the fray and was dispatched to the sin bin straightaway for a dull headed penalty, there can be no complaints he made no attempt to roll away at all.  There was little danger which made it all the poorer decision from the Exeter bound backrow.

The thoughts of the 4^th try and bonus slipped from Tigers minds as holding on for the win gained importance.  Mele replaced Youngs and kicked any turnover possession away, whilst Marland Yarde came on and looked a handful.  Blaine Scully enhanced his reputation again with his careful containment of the confident winger. 

Irish had one final chance of seizing victory; Tigers had turned the ball over and Waldrom was due back on, but Mele panicking kicked poorly.  The Exiles countered.  From their own half they stormed into the 22 and with 79 minutes on the clock were on our line.  Yarde was in acres of space with only an injured Rob Hawkins guarding him.  Thankfully Treviranus made a right arse of himself; deciding to pick and go instead, knocking on in the process.

A 4^th straight win at the Madejski and 6 wins in the last 8 Premiership games show some signs of optimism for the future.  Mainly we need to just keep winning and worry about finding our form later.

Flood Washed Away

Leicester have reacted to a disappointing win against Gloucester by making drastic changes.  Toby Flood pays the biggest price for an off day with the boot, and an on field spat, by losing the captaincy and dropping to the bench to be replaced by Owen Williams.

The metaphorical arm band instead goes to Ed Slater.  Slater is Leicester born but raised in Milton Keynes; he was picked up by Leicester's scouting system playing in Australia on a working gap year.  After a trial period and a short spell at Nottingham Slater returned to Tigers during the second row injury crisis of 2010.  He made his debut from the bench against Northampton on the opening day of the 2010-11 season and has gone on to make 85 appearances for the First XV.

Flood is not the only one to carry the can.  Matt Smith drops to the bench to be replaced by Blaine Scully.  Goneva switches from wing to centre to accommodate the Californian flyer.  In the pack international duty deprives us of Tom Youngs whilst Graham Kitchener misses out after limping off last week injured.  Hawkins and Deacon start in their place.

The decision to drop Flood is undoubtedly the most controversial.  Since his decision to become the first man to shun the Tigers captaincy the club has won only 4 out of 9 matches; before the announcement we were on a 6 game undefeated run.  

But it is still a big call, the season is not yet over and his partnership with Ben Youngs has remarkable statistics.  In 45 Premiership games the paid have only ever lost 4 times.  They have only tasted defeat once since the 2011 Premiership Final; a single point loss away to Bath, where we had a try incorrectly ruled out that would have won the game.  These guys know each other and know how to win.  Throwing away that partnership is a big risk.

London Irish name 5 former Tigers in their 23; George Skivington captains against his old side and Ian Humphreys wears 10.  Former Academy players Alex Lewington, Matt Parr and Jimmy Stevens are also involved.  

Tigers will beware Australian full back James O'Conner.  The sprightly full back is a class act and a sad reminder of what the pre-dumbed down salary capped Premiership looked like.  Tigers will have to guard him closely as he is a true world class talent.  Eammon Sheridan has been linked with a move to Munster and the gargantuan centre nullified Tigers at Welford Road earlier in the year.  

The strength of their wings is best emphasied by Topsy Ojo making do with a place on the bench.  Ojo has been one of the best wingers in the league for nigh on a decade and deserved more than his 2 England caps.  Marland Yarde returns from a hip injury, ironically suffered against the Tigers, on the bench. 

Sunday's referee is London based Irishman J.P. Doyle.   

Leicester
15 Mathew Tait
14 Blaine Scully
13 Vereniki Goneva
12 Anthony Allen
11 Adam Thompstone
10 Owen Williams
9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza
2 Rob Hawkins
3 Logovi'i Mulipola
4 Ed Slater (c)
5 Louis Deacon
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Julian Salvi
8 Jordan Crane
Replacements
16 Neil Briggs
17 Boris Stankovich
18 Fraser Balmain
19 Steve Mafi
20 Thomas Waldrom
21 David Mele
22 Matt Smith
23 Toby Flood

London Irish: 
15 James O'Connor
14 Alex Lewington
13 Eamonn Sheridan
12 Shane Geraghty
11 Andrew Fenby
10 Ian Humphreys
9 Darren Allinson
1 Matt Parr
2 David Paice
3 Jamie Hagan
4. George Skivington (c)
5 Nic Rouse
6 Kieran Low
7 Blair Cowan
8 Ofisa Treviranus Replacements: 
16 Jimmy Stevens
17 John Yapp
18 Leo Halavatau
19 Jebb Sinclair
20 Gerard Ellis
21 Topsy Ojo
22 Marland Yarde
23 Sean Kennedy