By tjs10
October 18 2004

The members evening that took place on Wednesday 13 October 2004 was meant to feature the combined talents of Leon Lloyd and Andy Goode, however the event was 'gate-crashed' by Geordan Murphy..... Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Sam Rossiter-Stead. S: Sam Rossiter-Stead
A: Andy Goode
L: Leon Lloyd
G: Geordan Murphy

S: Andy, it’s good to hear you are back after the injury.
A: Yes, I was originally due to miss 6 or 7 games but it has got better sooner than expected.
S: Leon, what about your injury?
L: I had the arthroscopy, a tidy up and they did a bit of drilling at the same time.
S: Drilling?!?
L: Yes, as it was a cartilage tear, if they drill the bone at the same time as the surgery, new cartilage is created as the bone heals.

S: Do you enjoy the Heineken Cup?
L Yes, I made my debut versus Leinster in the competition so it is special for me.
S: You seem o have friends all over Europe.
L: I like to keep in contact with players from other clubs so that I have somewhere to stay afterwards. I like the fact that you can kick the hell out of someone for 80 minutes and then stay with them that evening. I still keep in touch with players like Franck Tournaire, Perry Freshwater & Peter Short.

S: I have a few similar questions on this matter but do you think that after the Bath game, Chris White should referee all of our games?
L: We watch videos of the refs and know what they like and what they blow up for. However, sometimes certain refs are being assessed and get whistle-happy or there may be something you’d normally expect to be called up but the ref doesn’t blow because he’s being assessed or vice versa.
A: I think Wellsey should referee all of our games from now on as he knows how Tigers like to play and always seems fair!

S: Following Tindall’s comments on Rugby Club that he wouldn’t play for Tigers, is there one team you wouldn’t play for?
A: Sarries. Goes without saying I think.
L: Tinds’ comments seemed a bit odd to me as I am friends with him and, during the 1999 World Cup, he was in negotiations to sign for Leicester. He wasn’t happy at Bath as Guscott was keeping him out of the side. I spoke to him after seeing the show and he said he was unexpectedly asked the question and it was the first thing that came into his head. Personally I’ve never seriously considered it, even when I was going through my dip in form. If I were to leave Leicester it would be for the weather and not the rugby as everywhere is a step down from Tigers.
Everyone seems to have this image of Tigers as being arrogant & always expecting to win. Well I’ll set the record straight. We ARE arrogant and we DO always expect to win!

S: Who is the worst person you have had to share a room with?
L: It has to be Garf. He has a habit of walking around the room naked!
S: Like a big silver-backed Gorilla?
L: Most rooms we stay in have a double bed and a single bed so when forwards share with backs the back always gets the little bed. If that’s not bad enough, Garf always gets up in the middle of the to go to the toilet but forgets which is his bed. You can guess the rest!
A: This week it would have to be Lewis Moody as he is like a 2 year old with a candy bar at the moment as he has been out for so long & finally gets back into the team. When we arrive at the hotel on the Friday, most of us just go up to the rooms for a lie down. Lewis has a habit of waiting until you are asleep and then tipping you out of your bed. He’s like a 5 year old trapped inside the body of a 25 year old.
Otherwise, I’d have to say Murphy as I have a foot phobia and Geordan keeps sticking his feet in my face on purpose.

S: Andy, you’ve been spending a lot of time with Boothy recently on the treatment table. What’s he like?
A: He’s been telling me that he’s the best winger in the world that I’ve ever played with! He keeps saying that he was fantastic in Rugby League and that there are tapes. However, whenever we ask to see these videos, none ever appear. He and Oz suffer from small man syndrome and always want to be the best. I call him Topper at the moment as, whenever you have a story about something that happened to you, he always seems to have one just a bit better!
Cockers is another one with small man syndrome.

S: Ok, we seem to have this question every time and the usual answer is Steve Booth but if you were all in the Big Brother house, who would you vote out first?
A: Cockers as he’s just too “angry”! Otherwise, Garf because of his habits and smells.
The last three would probably be Martin Johnson, Austin & Boothy as they would end as Johnno’s slaves!
L: If Austin & Boothy were the final two they’d just spend all week arm-wrestling and competing to see who was the best.

(At this point, Geordan walks in from the European Suite)
S: Geordan, we’ve just been discussing your feet! Do you really stick them in Andy’s face?
G: Yes, he has a foot phobia so it’s funny. Do you want to see them? I have a broken toe that is all bent and looks quite ugly. Leon calls it Niknak!
L: They’re like the feet in Lord of the Rings.
G: They’re ugly but they’re not that bad!

S: Geordan, will we win the Heineken Cup this year?
G: Yes.
S: OK, who would you like to play in the Final?
G: Ignoring the standard answer of Munster, I’d say Calvisano!
S: So that you can go out drinking the day before the game?
G: The WEEK before!

Q: What do you think of the new idea for next season’s Heineken Cup where the top club in each country is seeded?
A: We were discussing this in the dressing room the other day and I don’t like it at all. We could end up in a group with 3 other English clubs and you don’t want to be playing the same teams week in week out. That’s the whole point of the European Cup.

Q: Do you agree with relegation?
L I think that the top team in Division 1 deserves to come up. If they have a play off that would be OK as it would ensure that the best 12 teams are in the Premiership but it gives the Division 1 sides a chance to come up. Promote the top side and have a play off involving the 2nd best team.

S: If Johnno does decide to retire next season, who should become captain?
L: Geordan!
A: Well Ben Kay has been mentioned as a future England captain so he is certainly in the running. It depends on what Backy plans to do. If he stays he’d be favourite. Otherwise, Corry? There’s always Lewis!
S: I hope you mean Deacon!

S: What about the young players coming through at the moment? Isn’t that a good thing for the club.
L: There’s a lot coming through at he moment. Matt Cornwell, Ross Broadfoot, Dan Hipkiss plus Tom Varndell. Tom’s the fastest man at the club at the moment. Even faster than Austin.
S: Andy, did you call Ross before his debut against Newcastle?
A: Yes, I gave him a call in the morning and he was quite nervous. I just told him to keep it simple and try not to do anything to complex and it would be OK. I was watching in the stands and it was hard not being out there but it was great to see the young lads doing so well. It was odd to see that Ollie was one of the oldest backs out there that day!

S: This one is for Lloydy I assume. Leon how do you feel about Seat naming a car after you?
L: I wouldn’t mind getting a free one.
S: What are you driving at the moment?
L: A Vauxhall through a deal with the club.
S: What happened to your Peugeot? You haven’t written it off have you?
L: Let’s gloss over that one. I think I’ve crashed enough cars now!