By Chris Chaplin
September 5 2002

To preview this game is really drawing the short straw, however I have spoken with my pals down here at Glaws who were at the Stoop last Saturday and hope to have gained some insight into this year’s multi-coloured ones as well as looking at the Tigers’ debacle at Headingly. Firstly Quins. There have been few changes in the backs at the Stoop although Satala is tipped to start this Saturday and the danger men will probably otherwise be Gollings and Greenwood both of whom have pace and footballing skills aplenty and we can expect to see them trying the tactic of kicking short behind a flat defence as did the Tykes so effectively last Saturday. While the personnel has not changed over much they do have Paul Turner who did some tremendous work while at Glaws and Quins will benefit from his nous.

In the pack Sanderson and Diprose with the ambitious Codling (if fit) will probably be the ones to watch and here we have the positive bonus of the wonderful Keith Wood missing on duty with Ireland.

It seems that like Tigers Quins missed a fair few tackles last week with the main area of attack by Glaws being through the 9/10 channel where Burke missed a few with his back row seemingly unable to provide sufficient protection. Having said that Burke is one of the most prolific kickers and streetwise operators in the league and any errors will be punished, even if he has to nick a few metres to do it, perhaps the foot of Burke will come into currency with the hand of Back?!

What of Tigers, well what indeed.

Enough has been said of last week’s performance and the purpose of this is to look forward, speaking of forwards I expect in the continued absence of Moody to see the same line up as started at Headingly, which should, after all be our strongest, Lewis excepted, who I prefer on the blindside to Josh. I expect Johnno and BK to have a good game in front of the Welford Rd faithful and for Codlings’ aspirations not to get the same boost as did Palmer’s last weekend.

Expect to see Oz producing higher kick-offs on Saturday to give the forwards a chance to compete more effectively. Quins are, by all accounts, vulnerable around the fringes and here Josh and Backy should be able to capitalise on any weakness. Assuming he’s not injured I expect Tierney to start and give Oz some welcome clean quick ball and for him to target the Quins half backs for some nifty footwork, we do not want to see him running laterally back and forth across the park.

I hope that we’ll see Stalin partner Ollie in the centre where there should be a good combination of directness and subtlety although this partnership still has a somewhat callow look it does have more experience than the combination of Ollie and the potentially excellent Danny Hipkiss. Essentially however to secure a result there’s should be a defence rather than offence role this time as Tigers concentrate on achieving forward domination..

Doubtless Fred will retain his position on the wing and hopefully we’ll see him getting good ball to run with in space where he is at his most dangerous. As for the other wing either Harry or Boothy will probably get the berth and in the opening stages I’ expect that Harry’s all round skills would be preferable to Booth’s outright pace which is probably best left until Quins tire.

Stimmo will obviously retain his place being the player to come out of the Tykes game with the most credit.

If Tigers return to doing the simple things well, create a firm forward dominated platform and the whole team play their usual heads up game I expect them to win, and win comfortably. If they stay in experimental Militant mode from the off expect a closer result but still a Tigers victory.