By ChrisC
October 17 2011

My Way                                                                       Listening to the radio this morning I heard Frank Sinatra singing the beautiful “We’ll Be Together Again”.  Written by Carl Fischer and Frankie Laine at the end of the Second World War it has an appropriately melancholic yet hopeful feeling to it.

I have the song on a vinyl album sung by “Old Blue Eyes”, the master of the popular song, the album is the legendary; “Songs for Swinging Lovers!” which was released in 1956 and shows, on the album sleeve, the maestro standing lonely beneath a street lamp, hat tipped back and smoking a cigarette. Happily I also have the recording on CD so I revisited it today and was reminded of the wonderful phrasing and nuances of the great man.   If you appreciate Sinatra’s work it’s the definitive album by him, recorded at the height of his powers. I hadn’t listened to him in earnest for far too long and so feel as if I’m discovering him anew. 

Sadly for non aficionados Sinatra is inextricably linked to “My Way” with lyrics written specifically for him by Paul Anka and set to the melody of the French “Comme d’habitude”.  For me “My Way” is too brash and angry and so failing to capitalise on Sinatra’s talents as rather than his usual caressing and teasing of the lyrics he attacks them with uncharacteristic venom.  The rendition reflects Sinatra’s disenchantment with the music business and anger with life in general at that time and was almost autobiographical, the subject of the lyrics being a man nearing the end of his life and from the perspective of Sinatra’s career, which he felt was approaching its own final curtain, touchingly apposite.  

Since Sinatra’s iconic version was released back in 1969 many lesser talents have recorded versions, from Gonzo of The Muppet Show through to Sid Vicious but it’s Sinatra’s song and always will be. 

Tigers’ Director of Rugby could well take “My Way” as his personal anthem for, like the subject of the song, he is seemingly content with his life and the decisions he’s making, takes responsibility for them and displays an admirable degree of integrity.  

After a disastrous opening six weeks to the Premiership season he eschewed an opportunity to take a pragmatic approach to the deeply flawed and discredited LV= Cup, the Holy Grail of a place in the 2012/13 Heineken Cup for the victors its only redeeming feature. Instead against Scarlets he did it his way by fielding a callow team with a token number of more senior players in support rather than deploy the resources at his command to secure a win against the dramatically depleted and equally callow Scarlets. 

It was, candidly, an incompetent, incoherent and inaccurate performance by Tigers, there was no threat in attack, no organisation in defence and Tigers were repeatedly turned over at the breakdown.  The team appeared to have just met each other on the bus down from the East Midlands so dramatic was their disconnection. 

It is pointless for me to review performances save to say that Ed Slater, playing out of position to make way for the still unimpressive Kitchener, put his heart and soul into the task at hand and that the Tigers’ scrum produced a decent outcome,  one which was largely wasted by the backs.  These two factors aside it was good to see Geoff Parling continue his rehabilitation and George Skivington had a nice cameo late on with one excellent and technically perfect surge through the breakdown area but which, even though he made prodigious amounts of ground, came to naught due to lack of support. 

Watching the lightweight Lewington and the ineffective Rolston on Saturday I was left to wonder what’s happened to Lee Robinson, as even in these straightened times the experienced Robinson hasn’t had a chance to show what he can do and he could hardly have been less effective than the wingers deployed by Tigers at Parc y Scarlets.  I feel sorry for Robinson who must feel like a redundant spare part. 

Tigers may though have largely missed the LV= bullet as pool colleagues London Irish managed just a solitary losing bonus against Harlequins, while Sale were comprehensively thumped by Gloucester and returned up the M6 empty handed, meanwhile fellow league strugglers Newcastle Falcons, who are clearly taking the LV= seriously, took their chance by thrashing a Cardiff Blues team, weakened by absentees on World Cup duty, 33-3  in an even more comprehensive dismantling than that endured by Tigers at the hands of Cardiff’s compatriots at Parc y Scarlets. 

In his pre match interview in Llanelli Richard Cockerill signalled his intention to field a stronger team at Welford Road next Friday evening against Gloucester, who’s Bryan Redpath has taken the opportunity ignored by Cockerill and re -introduced some of his World Cup players back into the Cherry and Whites’ squad (as indeed did many clubs from Northampton to Toulon) so making the most of the home fixture.  Sale’s Executive Director of Sport; Steve Diamond, also brought his World Cup players back into the squad, albeit with little to show other than producing  some match day coherence in readiness for the visit of Quins, also next Friday, and that of Tigers the week after. 

Watching from behind the sofa through spread fingers I considered what a Tigers’ team excluding the England returnees, save for Thomas Waldrom who hasn’t played any rugby for almost a month, but including others who have played little or no rugby in the World Cup and some from the opening Premiership matches would have made of the young Scarlets’ team.  Richard Cockerill could have deployed a team of Ayerza, White, Hawkins, Skivington, Parling, Mafi, Salvi and Waldrom in the pack with Young, (although he may still be injured – who knows?), or Harrison, Ford, Alex Tuilagi, Allen, Twelvetrees, Morris and Geordan Murphy but instead he chose otherwise. 

This was a case of choosing not to engage with the competition and one that looks out of step with most of Tigers Premiership peers, maybe Cockerill’s right and everybody else is wrong, time will tell. 

In the event the rugby Gods at last obliquely smiled on Tigers so they are in second spot in their pool after the opening round of matches with London Irish just that lone point ahead. There is then still everything to play for should Cockerill belatedly decide to engage with the competition. 

In Tigers’ LV= pool it can be assumed that London Irish and Sale are treating the LV= competition seriously having both deployed strong squads while Cardiff have, perforce, to do without their internationals for both of the opening rounds as they are still involved in the World Cup.  

In the opposing LV= pool with all the teams similarly appearing to be taking the competition seriously, Tigers have alone continued in treating the competition with the disdain it doubtless deserves but which, in my view, is inappropriate this term given Tigers’ lowly league position and the need to reintroduce some of their World Cup players. 

It is true that the third round of pool matches takes place during the Six Nations purdah and that once again Tigers may be without a raft of players, although with the management of the England team itself still in doubt for the Six Nations it’s impossible to tell which players will be used and how Tigers’ Round Three and Round Four fixtures, away at Quins and at home to Newcastle respectively, will be impacted. 

I know Richard Cockerill says that he doesn’t want to find his players worn out come the end of the season which seemingly would have been the consequence of playing just one fixture in Llanelli against a weakened Scarlets, however the adage for me here is “first catch your hare.....” and not to rule anything out at this stage as at the moment there’s little point worrying about the end of a season that has, in terms of results, yet to begin.  If at the time of the third round of the LV= Tigers are, after another seven rounds have been played, climbing up the Premiership and playing well in the Heineken Cup then that’s surely the time to decide what to prioritise.  

Next Friday, if Cockerill is as good as his word, we shall presumably see as strong a Tigers’ team as can be mustered so that match day acclimatisation can, again belatedly, be started in readiness for the forthcoming league matches against Sale and London Irish and thereafter the opening rounds of the Heineken Cup. 

There won’t be a better opportunity than against the dynamic Gloucester backs and their robust set piece to test whether there is a defensive system in place at Tigers and that the debacles of the past seven weeks have been just a prolonged aberration, if this is not the case and the coaching really is as chaotic as it appears, then Gloucester will run Tigers ragged as they did Sale, against whom they slotted seven tries in their 58-27 victory.  In fact the tie was level at 27-27 as the final quarter approached but then Sale imploded and Gloucester ran away with the match.

 Tries from Lesley Vainikolo and Jonny May had helped give the Cherry and Whites a 20-17 lead at the break then further second half tries followed from Luke Narraway, , Freddie Burns, England reject Charlie Sharples and returning World Cup players; Scott Lawson and Rory Lawson  all crossing the whitewash.

The need for a home victory at Welford Road cannot be over emphasised so that Tigers own returning players can get off to a positive start, keep hopes alive for progression in the LV= Cup and re-establish the winning habit in readiness for the return of the league and the start of the Heineken Cup. 

 Richard Cockerill often says that it’s his job on the line and in his pre match interview on Saturday he also said that at the end of the season we’ll see if his decisions have been the right ones.  I hope circumstances permit him to find out. 

 He is certainly doing things his way as did one of his predecessors; Dean Richards, it remains to be seen if he suffers the same fate as his erstwhile colleague if things have not improved markedly after another seven rounds of the Premiership and the second round of Heineken Cup matches have been completed in January, a competition in which, with a chilling sense of Déjà vu, I note that Tigers have Ulster in their Heineken Cup pool for the first time since that fateful 2003/4 season. 

Let’s hope for Richard Cockerill’s sake and that of Tigers that in this case my way also proves to be the right way.

Tigers v Glos LV Match Preview

Discussion started by TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk , 17/10/2011 21:12

TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk
17/10/2011 21:12

What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2011:10:24:23:12:11 by Stephen Bath.

Reply Quote Report

Duncan Keene
17/10/2011 21:53

Spot on Chris.

I believe Lee Robinson had an injury last week, but i'm not sure how serious it is.

We will have a fair idea where we are in a month's time, by mid December and rounds 1-4 of the HC we will have a very good idea, by the end of the Heineken Group stages, i believe we will know if Cockers was right. I hope he pulls it off.

Reply Quote Report

Stopsy
18/10/2011 00:52

Thanks again Chris

Reply Quote Report

seventyeight
18/10/2011 09:47

I do enjoy reading your weekly submissons - thanks.

Reply Quote Report

Purebob
20/10/2011 11:03

Thoughtful and insightful as ever Chris.

BTW I heard "A very good year" by Sinatra and Gordy Jenkin's arrangement almost made me cry at its poignancy. Fantastic music, brilliant interpreter of songs.

Reply Quote Report

Tiger in the Bath
21/10/2011 09:05

I really enjoy reading your rugby analyses. Thankfully I can skip the meandering intros.

Reply Quote Report

Purebob
21/10/2011 11:51

I like the meandering intros a lot. Means a whole person is commenting on the game not a "pundit".

Reply Quote Report

Tiggs
24/10/2011 23:13

Many thanks again Chris !!

Reply Quote Report

Goto: Forum List•Message List•Search• Log In

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

We record all IP addresses on the Sportnetwork message boards which may be required by the authorities in case of defamatory or abusive comment. We seek to monitor the Message Boards at regular intervals. We do not associate Sportnetwork with any of the comments and do not take responsibility for any statements or opinions expressed on the Message Boards. If you have any cause for concern over any material posted here please let us know as soon as possible by e-mailing abuse@sportnetwork.net