Tigers v Saints

First topic message reminder :

Youngs starts, Cole and Castro rotate, Croft rested - shame for those of us who wanted to see a Croft/Wood head to head. Sints look similar to last week.

Leicester Tigers (v Northampton Saints, Welford Road, Saturday 2.15pm)
15 Geordan Murphy (c), 14 Horacio Agulla, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Billy Twelvetrees, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs
1 Marcos Ayerza, 2 George Chuter, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Louis Deacon, 5 George Skivington, 6 Steve Mafi, 7 Julian Salvi, 8 Thomas Waldrom

Replacements
16 Rob Hawkins, 17 Boris Stankovich, 18 Martin Castrogiovanni, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Ben Woods, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Jeremy Staunton, 23 Scott Hamilton


Northampton Saints:
15 Ben Foden,14 Chris Ashton, 13 George Pisi, 12 Tom May, 11 Jamie Elliott, 10 Ryan Lamb, 9 Lee Dickson; 1 Soane Tonga'uiha, 2 Dylan Hartley (c), 3 Brian Mujati, 4 Courtney Lawes, 5 Mark Sorenson, 6 Phil Dowson, 7 Tom Wood, 8 Roger Wilson. Reps: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Alex Waller,18 Paul Doran Jones, 19 Samu Manoa, 20 Ben Nutley, 21 Martin Roberts, 22 Stephen Myler, 23 Jon Clarke

nathan wrote:Just watching it now. From all the replays he doesn't land a single connecting punch so im not too sure what replay your watching?

Could say the same for you. The camera from the other side of the pitch and to the right of the incident clearly shows him punch upwards into the chest area from underneath when he first pushes him into the hoarding. The punches over the top that followed are the ones that missed.

LondonTiger wrote:PSW,DrG,
Chris Ashton is an excellent rugby player. Like many sportsmen his confidence at times seems a little brittle. To get over that they try to demonstrate an overarching and exaggerated level of confidence. This ends up bordering on arrogant. Perhaps I was wrong to say he is arrogant (and actually neither is Healy - he acted arrogant) but at times Ashton behaves in an arrogant manner. Certainly he seems to have riled up our national neighbours and upset various rugby league fans in the past.
However he could be fantastic for England over the next few years - and I hope he is.

Thanks, you get my point. Acting a bit like an ass doesn't make one arrogant, just a bit of an ass. To me, very different. Arrogant is a very strong word.

The incident yesterday was pretty bad. I stopped pulling hair when I was 5 years old. Ashton should be cited for it.

As for the general melee, I like how the referee handled the situation: one red card each to stamp his authority on the match. Did he get the right guys? Not really sure, and not really sure I care too much. Afterwards, the match remained intense, very physical, well played, but the players knew exactly where the line was drawn. Sometimes, here on these boards and elsewhere, we complain about referees losing control of a match. Didn't happen here. Good job by the officiating team.

What was the leg of Murphy?

niwatts wrote:

nathan wrote:Just watching it now. From all the replays he doesn't land a single connecting punch so im not too sure what replay your watching?

Could say the same for you. The camera from the other side of the pitch and to the right of the incident clearly shows him punch upwards into the chest area from underneath when he first pushes him into the hoarding. The punches over the top that followed are the ones that missed.

Judging by the angle of the arm and how it slows down, id say he pulled out of the punch.

I did not see it live, but saw it on this morning when watching my recording of the match.

Murphy is receiving treatment following an almighty thump. Tigers spin the ball wide and work Agulla into an overlap - Murphy in the middle of the pitch stands up and blocks Foden who is trying to cover across.

LondonTiger wrote:I did not see it live, but saw it on this morning when watching my recording of the match.

Murphy is receiving treatment following an almighty thump. Tigers spin the ball wide and work Agulla into an overlap - Murphy in the middle of the pitch stands up and blocks Foden who is trying to cover across.

Certain body check by Murphy.

Great game but the loss of Wood for NH was comparatively massive compared to the loss of Tuilagi for Tigers.
Loss of options in line out, scrum power & link play were significant.

I would have liked a bit more balance from Ben & Austin aswell but great entertainment none the less.

Another observation - I think Youngs is back to his best pre WC form which England definitely missed during the comp.

Here's a link to footage of the sending off for those who haven't seen it. Feel sorry for the ball boy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0dcme2wCGBs#!

Cari wrote:Here's a link to footage of the sending off for those who haven't seen it. Feel sorry for the ball boy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0dcme2wCGBs#!

I felt sorry for him as well - until half time when a rather attractive young lady moved to the front and gave him a huge hug, his head in rather vast cleavage. He will be the envy of all his mates.

After seeing the incident again, Ashton, Lawes, Murphy, Agulla and Wood should be cited.

It was poor form from Ashton he really did have a good tug even when Tuilagi was in touch. So it wasnt in desperation trying to stop tuilagi scoring and grabbing onto anything possible. I normally support Ashton when people criticise him but this he went too far in his methods of winding up the opposition which I normally have no problem with.

Getting back to the actual match though. How good was Mafi's tackle to stop a certain try from Tom May?

Thought he played really well today as did Lawes for Saints, he must get through more tackles then the whole backrow and it's been agaes since i've seen any that could be called illegal.

Best match of the season so far.

Mafi was excellent yesterday. My man of the match.

Funny how Tigers just seem to have a knack for finding hidden gems. He was virtually a nobody when he joined the club, but I don't think anybody knew quite how good he is.

LondonTiger wrote:

I felt sorry for him as well - until half time when a rather attractive young lady moved to the front and gave him a huge hug, his head in rather vast cleavage. He will be the envy of all his mates.

That doesn't excuse the beating of innocent children (which is how The Daily Mail would see it ). Did I spot some hair pulling going on too? That's girls fighting!

LondonTiger wrote:

Cari wrote:Here's a link to footage of the sending off for those who haven't seen it. Feel sorry for the ball boy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0dcme2wCGBs#!

I felt sorry for him as well - until half time when a rather attractive young lady moved to the front and gave him a huge hug, his head in rather vast cleavage. He will be the envy of all his mates.

Yeah Im sure theyre all jealous of Tindall for that too :?

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:Great game but the loss of Wood for NH was comparatively massive compared to the loss of Tuilagi for Tigers.
Loss of options in line out, scrum power & link play were significant.

I would have liked a bit more balance from Ben & Austin aswell but great entertainment none the less.

Another observation - I think Youngs is back to his best pre WC form which England definitely missed during the comp.

Agreed. You'd rather loose a winger than a back row player. Tom Wood has been excellent for Northampton after a frustrating world cup, MOTM against saracens last week. Would the result have been different had this incident not occured? Impossible to say, at least the sendings off did not spoil the excitement of the game.

Why do ESPN insist on employing ex leicester players to commentate on these games?! Ben Kay is boring and offers little that we dont know already while Healy is infamous for irritating almost everyboby outside leicestershire. Sky have a range of pundits from across the different clubs and countries. If they only gave a hearing to an all leicester/all english combo they would quite rightly come in for criticism. Sort it out ESPN.

I rate the ESPN guys way way WAY above the ones from sky. Not a Leicester man myself but haven't noticed them being overly biased (except the Australia when they were shocking)

not sure you can call them biased, they both went for a NH win.

HammerofThunor wrote:I rate the ESPN guys way way WAY above the ones from sky. Not a Leicester man myself but haven't noticed them being overly biased (except the Australia when they were shocking)

Depends on the line up. They're better than Barnes & Morris, but not better than Greenwood, Quinell, Lynagh & Fitzpatrick.

its really only barnes who is universally disliked.

greenwood is visibly passionate about the game, as is scotty who is always always good value. evans has his moments while dean ryan does well with his analysis, though you feel he has drawn the short straw spending most of his working life consigned to a lorry outside in the carpark. then we bring out wallace, lynagh and fitz for the big HC games.

clearly morris is there for comedic value, allowing viewers to gaze in wonder at his impossibly rotund head.

flankertye wrote:What was the leg of Murphy?

I was watching online with a rubbish picture and it appeared to be a trip by Murphy on Foden. Seeing it tonight on tv it was obviously a clever nudge.

It's never dull being a Tigers fan is it?

Ashton should be cited and banned.

Watched the game again today, couldn't help but think from the replay that Fodens pass to Ashton was very 'flat'? and Ashton also knocked on for the other try?

Not that it matters, we got the full 5 which is amazing, more an observation that at the time I thought they were good scores but on watching the replays they were lucky the officials were so far behind play!

Sky have a range of pundits from across the different clubs and countries

Yeah but they are as a rule dull and talk in generalisations. Dean Ryan is about the only one I'd bother to listen too and Kay still picks up what he does at the set piece without the need for a lorry full of technology. They seem to have an agreement where they completely agree with each others point of view immaterial of whether they are talking garbage or not. The Sky programme covers the game and offers little else, ESPN spend time before and after actually discussing what's happening/happened and there's not as much of that over hyping paper style rubbish you get with Sky. To be honest I'd be happier if Sky sold all of their rugby broadcasting rights to ESPN but kept their pundits.

I thought they were good scores but on watching the replays they were lucky the officials were so far behind play!.

The advantage of the searing break I suppose. Atfer his rather pathetic antics in the first half Ashton really did open up and his partnership with Foden was lethal every time they got the ball.

The only problem I have with the ESPN coverage is the Leicester bias in the regular staff. I really like Healy, but they could swap out Kay for someone ( NOT VICKERY) and have easily the best coverage of any of the maintsream British channels.

SKY does focus on presenting games more like wrestling matches, the BBC is just a chummy club of rent a scarves. ESPN do some really good analysis and have a nice stayle that sits between the other two.
ITV is just horrible.

Metal Tiger wrote: Ashton also knocked on for the other try?

From the slow mo it is clear it was not a knock on

Seabiscuit wheeler are you a Tigers fan and are you English or are you an Ospreys fan and Welsh?

beshocked wrote:Seabiscuit wheeler are you a Tigers fan and are you English or are you an Ospreys fan and Welsh?

Im a Tigers fan who admitted to being 1/4 Welsh for the world cup semi.
Once I was outed I saw no way of going back.

I have never given any indication I am a fan of the Ospreys though, you can take that accusation back!

A 1/4 Welsh semi? Sounds odd...

yappysnap wrote:A 1/4 Welsh semi? Sounds odd...

Still sniggering at BBC headline "England women face massive semi"

The only problem I have with the ESPN coverage is the Leicester bias in the regular staff. I really like Healy, but they could swap out Kay for someone ( NOT VICKERY) and have easily the best coverage of any of the maintsream British channels.

See I like Kay and think he adds a lot to the show but it is easy to label ESPN as Tigers bias as they are the only two that every seem to commentate. Peter Richards had done some previously and been good and the guest players they have on there (Saints player Christian Day on Saturday) normally add good detail to the show. If they added another commentator or two to the show about the same age as Kay and Healey then they could maintain the level of discussion and banter but also offer that slightly less Tigers themed audio. Preferabley another former England international but from a different club back ground.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

beshocked wrote:Seabiscuit wheeler are you a Tigers fan and are you English or are you an Ospreys fan and Welsh?

Im a Tigers fan who admitted to being 1/4 Welsh for the world cup semi.
Once I was outed I saw no way of going back.

I have never given any indication I am a fan of the Ospreys though, you can take that accusation back!

I too always thought you were an O's fan.

That may be because we used to have to put up with a paticularly odious character called Peter 'The Squeeler' Wheeler on the old 606 who used to have a pop on a regular basis.

A little bit OTT but this piece in the Telegraph rounds things off quite nicely:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/club/8935003/Leicester-Tigers-wonderful-game-with-Northampton-was-brutal-compelling-and-the-best-club-match-of-2011.html

Metal Tiger wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

beshocked wrote:Seabiscuit wheeler are you a Tigers fan and are you English or are you an Ospreys fan and Welsh?

Im a Tigers fan who admitted to being 1/4 Welsh for the world cup semi.
Once I was outed I saw no way of going back.

I have never given any indication I am a fan of the Ospreys though, you can take that accusation back!

I too always thought you were an O's fan.

That may be because we used to have to put up with a paticularly odious character called Peter 'The Squeeler' Wheeler on the old 606 who used to have a pop on a regular basis.

I was Seabiscuit for a while on the old 606 but changed my name to Peter Wheeler during that whole period as a kind of joke with the Os chaps. I went through a few other silly names before coming over here with a mix of them.