Leicester Tigers
Tigers v Gloucester Match Preview
By ChrisC
April 12 2011
It’s Trad Dad! - By ChrisC Back in the mists of time the newly burgeoning Post War teenage culture of Baby-Boomers, was centred on coffee bars and jazz clubs where, before the Beatles’ led assault of the groups, Traditional Jazz was the order of the day. Duffle coats and college scarves being worn by male devotees just to set the motif.
Here in the UK; Ken Colyer and Humphrey Lyttleton were pioneers of the New Orlean’s based music while Chris Barber ,Kenny Ball and Acker Bilk were the commercial successes, the greatest of which was probably the latter’s “Stranger on the Shore” which was the theme for the eponymous 1961 Sunday evening TV programme aimed at the younger viewer, the record remains the single with the highest sales of any instrumental recording in the UK and was in the charts for a massive 55 weeks in 1961/1962.
It’s not this type of tradition though that I’ve been thinking about as I looked at this week’s meeting between Tigers and the Cherry and Whites.
Gloucester is a real rugby city as it doesn’t have a football league soccer team to think about in the Winter months, especially as the ground of the City’s semi-professional team was destroyed by the Summer floods of 2007 and since when its home fixtures have been held at the grounds of first Cirencester and latterly Cheltenham soccer clubs, so the focus of the city that always was rugby, during and before my decade or more of living and working in the area, has been intensified.
One unhappy consequence of this is that during the latter years of my tenure in Gloucester there was an influx of soccer supporters to Kingsholm who brought their bad manners with them and so the ribald Shed had its sporting ethos subverted and where once silence was observed for opposition kickers this token of respect was replaced by catcalls and whistles.
I employed over 100 men within the City who were Gloucester supporters to a man but were appalled by this development of bad manners and a significant minority, like me, had stopped regularly attending Kingsholm due to this and to the erection of both the Buildbase and new main stands rendering the necessity of a season ticket or advance booking no longer de rigueur. Gloucester supporters were also virulent in their dislike of the Play Off system.
The traditions of sporting good humour and a credible league had passed.
Gloucester had, early this century, officially ceased to be the “Cherries” and were to be known instead as Gloucester Rugby, another tradition consigned to the dustbin of marketing led progress of a “brand”, although to Gloucester supporters, amongst the most traditional hard core of rugby people, and others within the rugby community, the Gloucester rugby team, ensconced at what was Castle Grim in the heart of the city, will forever be the Cherry and Whites. But officially at least another tradition had gone.
Happily though the idea for a move away from Kingsholm to a new stadium built out of town, either on the disused railway yards or out on Green Belt land at Barnwood, so that the Kingsholm site could be used for housing development, was stillborn and instead the ground was redeveloped thanks to the drive and vision of the late Tom Walkinshaw but I sense that somewhere in the depths of the Gloucester Council offices the idea is still in suspension like a malevolent alien and if it ever resurfaces it will be yet another threat to tradition.
Tigers are another traditional club with its own ground of many years standing and here again a move to share the unlovely Walkers Stadium football stadium was shelved due, in part at least I like to believe, to an upsurge of objection from the club’s traditional supporters and so the magnificent redevelopment of Welford Road came to pass – tradition upheld and roots maintained.
So on Saturday two real traditional rugby clubs who have shared so many of the sport’s traditions lock horns yet again and do so following disappointing last outings.
Gloucester travelled on Friday night to take on Sale Sharks at Edgeley Park, the Stockport football ground being a graveyard of expectations on a Friday evening for many a visiting side, and so it was again when Gloucester lost with the home side outpacing them 36 points to 31.
Unsurprisingly I was not amongst the meagre crowd of 6888 who turned up on the night and so have had to rely on reports and highlights.
Sale, distinguished in playing some turgid stuff this season and vying with Newcastle as the most boring team in the league, managed to score four tries against the Gloucester defence which has started leaking tries, eleven in total having been concede in their last three outings. The four from Sale being remarkable in that up until then they had only managed to score 23 tries all season in the Premiership.
Gloucester had some notable absentees with Simpson-Daniel, Tindall, Vainikolo, Nicky Robinson and Charlie Sharples, who’s right up there with Simpson-Daniel in the clean breaks stat, all absent injured from the back division and the youngsters drafted in looked vulnerable against Andy Tuilagi and Paul Wiiliams although the pretty much full strength pack ground Sale’s notoriously weak eight into a penalty try late on to get the bonus point, which was something of an achievement as they were 20 points adrift at one point in the proceedings.
Tigers meanwhile gave a good account of themselves in Dublin but in the end crucial refereeing decisions going against them, with the officials missing a forward pass for the Leinster try and then repeated unpunished infringements at the line out by the Irish combining with Mr Owens seeming to have two sets of laws for administering the breakdown, cost Tigers a tight match with the home side getting across the line by seven points.
Bryan Redpath has a difficult decision on team selection for this week’s visit to Welford Road as having just played away at Sale he has this away match against Tigers followed by a home fixture just three days later against a Northampton side who’s confidence will be sky high after their victory over Ulster and then five days after that they travel to Vicarage Road to face their other top four colleagues Saracens.
With the prospect of playing the other three teams in the top four over a period of just two weeks it’s a daunting selection task for the ex Scotland scrum half, ameliorated only by his team having to play Sale again, but this time at Kingsholm, on the last day of the season when I guess the visitors will be demob happy.
Indeed Gloucester have secured special dispensation to cancel their A league fixture against Saracens next Monday due to the number of First XV fixtures they have to play and the extent of their injury list, the inference being that a team could not be mustered to fulfil all the fixtures without prejudicing player welfare.
Given this unusual circumstance it would seem to me that the pragmatic course is for Redpath to firmly target the two home matches to produce ten points between them as away victories at either Welford Road or Vicarage Road are rarer than unbiased reporting on the BBC or Stuart Barnes and Miles Harrison being impartial and so if he is not to be found to have been crying wolf he will have to produce a side with significant numbers of A team players on either Saturday or Tuesday or both.
Richard Cockerill is, to use that hoary old cliché so beloved of managers of sports teams who have failed to progress in a competition; “free to concentrate on the league” and has no fixture congestion to cope with.
Against Leinster Cole got the nod as Castrogiovanni had to be held in reserve for potential duties on the loosehead in the absence of Ayerza and where due to the constrictions of the salary cap there was an absence of high quality cover were Stankovitch to be injured. I expect that the Italian behemoth will this week start with Chuter and Stankovitch in the Tigers’ front row.
It is impossible for me to guess at Redpath’s strategy so I’ll have to have my best guess and that’s that ex Cornish Pirate Darren Dawidiuk could start with either Azam or Scottish International hooker Scott Lawson on the bench and another Scottish international, loosehead Alasdair Dickinson, combining with French A player Pierre Capdevielle on the tighthead, thereby preserving their strongest line up of Woods, Lawson and Doran-Jones for next Tuesday.
Gloucester have enviable strength in depth in the front row and this trio will, as would any of the potential combinations, present a stern test for Tigers although Gloucester have the worst record in the league for losing ball on their own put in while Tigers have all but the best.
Of more concern for Tigers though is the seemingly endless problems at lock with Louis Deacon and George Skivington both having difficulty in getting over injuries. The cupboard is again starting to look bare with just Steve Mafi and Ed Slater left standing and while these two are very agile they don’t bring enough power to the scrum so unless Deacon and or Skivington are fit I see some issue here especially as I expect to see the abrasive Devonian Will James, who has been capped for Wales, join with Dave Attwood, who is still fresh after his involuntary holiday, on duty if big Jim Hamilton is still not fit. I guess a nuclear option is to move Croft to lock and play both Crane and Waldrom in the back row which has been done before to good effect bringing mobility and weight to the proceedings.
If it is Mafi and Slater at lock they will need more support from Croft and Newby than they got in Dublin when they were disappointingly pretty much left to it by their more experienced colleagues however and with this proviso, Tigers should gain parity, while in the loose the Tigers pair should have an edge.
Were Alex Brown and George Skivington to be on parade though it would be wonderful to see two locks who feature in the top line out steals stats go head to head.
Overall though historically Gloucester have lost 23 line outs on their own throw compared to Tigers’ 14 which is the third best record in the Premiership.
In the breakaway forwards I wouldn’t be surprised to see little used ex Tiger; Brett Deacon get a start on the blindside after a long absence with injury and link up with Luke Narraway at #8 and if fit, Andy Hazell at open side, with the superb Fijian international Akapusi Qera held in reserve against severe need. Qera is a real force of nature and Gloucester look an entirely different side when he’s on the pitch, his presence bringing a dynamism that can sometimes be found wanting.
It seems that since his much trumpeted discovery of an English Grandmother and all the media attention that the revelation generated Richard Cockerill has taken against the Tigers’ player of the season, Thomas Waldrom, however after seeing how much less dynamism (that word again) Crane brings to the break down and open play compared to Waldrom I hope that we see any differences set aside and the New Zealand born #8 rehabilitated and starting against Gloucester.
Tigers were undone at the breakdown by Mr Owens last Saturday, an area where they are already the second worst in the Premiership at retaining their own ball at rucks, and it is to be hoped that with their new found application and a referee that applies the laws equally to both teams some improved effectiveness will be seen. However we have another Celtic referee, this time George Clancy, officiating in just his second Premiership match, although Tigers have been under his direction this season as he was in charge when Tigers gave Scarlets a drubbing at Welford Road, so we’ll have to wait and see!
It will be another close contest whatever trio starts for the visitors and it will be hugely confrontational so let us hope that Mr Clancy does a better job than did Nigel Owens.
Behind the pack Gloucester have had the choice of scrum half limited to Scottish international incumbent Rory Lawson and the soon to depart, Sheffield born, Jordi Pasqualin however I understand that Dave Lewis is near to fitness so maybe we’ll see Lawson rested for Tuesday.
Nicky Robinson has been nursing a hamstring problem and did not make the match day squad
against Sale with young Freddie Burns getting the nod ahead of another returnee from injury, Tim Taylor. If Robinson is fit it would seem folly to risk him at this stage of the West Country club’s testing run in to the end of the season especially as he’s so crucial to their fortunes ahead of his move to Wasps for next term, so I expect to see ex Nottingham fly half Taylor and Burns in the squad. Both are good young prospects, are quick and have reliable boots although neither kick as much as does Robinson.
Ben Youngs again showed indecision and vulnerability behind a slow breakdown and a disrupted scrum where on one occasion the Leinster #6 was unbound, standing next to the Tigers front row and facing toward his colleagues as the Tigers’ pack drove through their opposite numbers although this was not deemed a problem for the Irish side by Mr Owens.
Ben Youngs must work hard on this aspect of his play as slow ball must be dealt with decisively otherwise the closing down of the space for the 10 and 12 is marked.
Quite what has happened to his box kicking since he went off for England duty I don’t know but it has become overlong and inaccurate so again let’s hope he’s practised to exhaustion at Oval Park this week together with finding accuracy in his pass once again as on Saturday Flood was having to reach over his head or scoop the ball from the ground. It is not good enough to follow an outstanding performance such as that against Bath with two sub standard ones. We badly need to consistently see the instinctive genius of the young man regained.
Toby Flood continues to stand admirably flat but craves quick ball from his pack and half back partner if he is to get any space in which to work. Once again since his departure for England duty his kicking from hand and the tee have been below his usual high standards with his missing, for him, easy chances in the last two matches which have each been close affairs and his kicking from hand often looks aimless.
If Youngs can start manufacturing silk purses again when required then the Tigers’ half backs could give the visitors some problems, especially if they get the thrusting ex Gloucester inside centre Tony Allen into a bit of space. Allen has become ever more of a defensive bulwark over the last two weeks of stuttering performances from Tigers with his attacking play against Bath now seeming from a different age instead of just three weeks ago so deep has his nose been buried in holding the fort.
Manu Tuilagi certainly gave D’Arcy and O’Driscoll a bit of a torrid time last Saturday both feeling the weight of his tackling and he also made a great break but without the requisite support to administer the coup de grace but nevertheless showing why he’s in the top three players for beating defenders.
One of my favourite inside centres, Samoan international Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, was left on the bench for the starting XV at Edgeley Park and I expect to see his husbanding continued. If he does play he’s almost impossible to read as he usually carries the ball in both hands while running an oblique angle that seems to deny contact before he straightens and offloads to his attack runners. It’s entirely possible to predict what’s going to happen but, like a car crash, once underway almost impossible to prevent.
With resources diminished in this department I expect to see Gloucester Academy centre Henry Trinder and another ex Nottingham player, New Zealand born Tim Molenaar on parade. These youngsters are further good prospects and can put themselves about while forming a good link to the visitors’ back three.
It would seem that the Tigers’ duo should have an edge here but they’ll need the ball!
Horacio Agulla had another impressive match in Dublin combining abrasive defence with good running lines in attack as well as again showing a good place to park your bike as he was tackled while saving a try! The Argentinian international has adapted well to being on the wing instead of his normal full back berth and although he lacks searing pace his overall skill set compensates for this.
Alex Tuilagi was unfortunate not to get the benefit of the doubt when scoring a try in the opening minutes of the second half in Dublin but notwithstanding this the Samoan Rhino (I know they don’t have Rhino in Samoa forgive a bit of poetic licence on my part) is in fine form and will give Jonny May plenty to think about while Agulla will need to harness the resurgent Tom Voyce who has, Lazarus like, found rudely healthy form. I’m sure I remember he once said, while at Bath, that Tigers are the only club for which he’d never consider playing.
At full back Olly Morgan is back to fitness and is an ever present threat always assuming he’s risked at Welford Road otherwise Burns can deputise. Morgan though, if he plays and being one of the safest pairs of hands under the high ball and possessed of blistering pace in attack will give Tigers’ defence a good work out, especially if the ball is kicked aimlessly in his general direction.
Scott Hamilton needs to get his reliability back after a couple of hesitant weeks which have reflected the spasmodic and disconnected nature of Tigers’ last two performances and be very aware of the inevitable kicks he’ll receive and the need not just to kick them into open play which has become a predictable and too high a risk strategy, much better, in my view, to either get the ball well off the field in the opposition half or keep the ball in hand and seek out support.
Tigers must win this match to enhance their chances of winning the league which were prejudiced by losing at home to Saracens while fielding a depleted side during the Six Nations period and must also hope that Exeter manage to deny Saracens any reward down at Sandy Park.
Gloucester have won two of their last three encounters with Tigers and have had an excellent record at Welford Road securing three wins to Tigers’ four with one game drawn on their last eight visits.
My bet is that a fired up Tigers will do the business this time.
It is though difficult to preview a match where the intentions of one side are so imponderable so I expect to be proven entirely wrong in my guess as to the Gloucester squad but there’d be nothing unusual in that, after all – it’s traditional.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:04:19:18:33:59 by Stephen Bath.
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Thanks again Chris - excellent as always.
I don't agree with you on the comparison of Crane and Waldrom at the breakdown. That being the one are where Thomas very clearly lacks something to my mind. Which is why I like to see them in tandem actually. I'm certain that's what Cockers sees too and his preference for Jordan last week was about seeking to address the problems at the breakdown - though imo it is simply a matter of numbers. My oft observed philosophy on the game that one has to apply power to create space seems to me to be at the heart of our difficulties in this area this season - we simply haven't put the numbers in and with sufficient force. To some extent I put this down to the absence of Jordan - and the loss of Lewis Moody.
Do you really think Agulla lacks gas?
...
For my money Thomas has the bona fides to warrant the starting berth:
He’s third in the defenders Beaten with only Strettle, Brits and Manu ahead of him and he and Brits are the only forwards to feature in the top twelve.
He’s second in the Metres Gained stat with only Delon Armitage gaining more, and then only 30 metres with Thomas being the only forward in the top twelve.
He’s the top carrier in the Premiership.
He’s third in the Try Assists where again he’s the only forward.
Hard to see how he can’t start.
As for Agulla. I think he’s come to his game really well but I don’t see him outpacing defenders and from his eleven appearances (4 from the bench) he’s collected more Yellow Cards (2) than tries (0)
I don’t really see anybody better but he’s no flier.
I'm not sure on Agulla - I think he's quicker than you seem to be giving him credit for. He's certainly looked quick to me when I've watched him.
...
I just sense a bit of "you're getting to big for your boots my lad" which was how Cockers came accross in his TV interviews at the time, which is not an altogether helpful public satnce for a coach to take imo. If he's disatisfied with any aspect of a player's performance it should be kept bewteen him and the player.
I could be wrong but I also sense a bit of this attitude in Cockers refusing 12Ts a place in the match day squad as well.
I just think on Billy that his inconsistency counts against him. Personhally I thihk he's wrong on that but I can see why he thinks it.
...
There are seven other forwards who can contest the breakdown the problem with the breakdown this term is I think that too many of them don't, not that it isn't Thomas's strongest suit. Better to have him looking for space around the fringes than one of the front three which is too often the case. Not everybody has to do the heavy lifting.
For me the problems at the breakdown are largely down to ongoing problems with injuries to Parling Deacon and to a lesser extent Skivs - who surely was supposed to have had a season of learning and consolidation following his move from the Wonders of Wycomb. We were forced to rely on him heavily at the start of the season, and more recently he has seemed to be carrying injury too.
That said I also wonder about our overall approach to the breakdown and feel this is down to instruction from management rather than any individual player not performing.
For what its worth I'd start Waldrom ahead of Crane assuming both fully fit.
But the way we are set up requires the 8 to do his share close to the contact area - and as I say I think that our problems are to do with lack of numbers - Thomas is part of that. But I also think that when he does attack the breakdown - I'm not suggesting he never does so - I just don't think he's very good at it - he semes to lack that dynamism that you refer to. The loss of Marcos doesn't help imo.
All I'm saying is that Waldrom would not have changed the contest at the tackle and the ruck last week - that isn't his game - and at the moment that's what we need. Hence I stick with Jordan until the game gets looser as players tire.
...
Either way, Amorosino looked very sharp in the last A team game i went to.
The exchanges concerning the detailed merits of Waldrom versus Crane are intriguing .. my unworthy impression from the referee's pocket is that Jordan has lost some little spark, but whether that is him, those around him or instructions I don't know, and I favour the tanking approach
Are you sure the ref was that bad last week?
Thanks again Chris, it will indeed be interesting to see whether Brian devalues this fixture by targeting others ... don't you just love the prl
'Profit Motive' .. the Vaseline of genocides.
'Reality' .. the new cynicism
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Lest we forget
Quote:Tiggs
I will see you and your notepad on Sat Paul !!!
Not necessary - I'll just listen to what Rich says and write the opposite. Do you think I'll hear him from my seat at the back of the Cat?
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Lest we forget
Quote:Downsey
Not necessary - I'll just listen to what Rich says and write the opposite. Do you think I'll hear him from my seat at the back of the Cat?
Only if he's quiet, if he's as normal you will feel the blast too !!
![[:wor kid:]](/phorum-5.1.15/mods/smileys/images/13.gif "[:wor kid:]")
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