Leicester Tigers
Tigers v Ulster Match Preview
By ChrisC
November 14 2011
Groundhog Day? When the pools for this year’s Heineken Cup were announced I must confess a shiver ran down my spine – Ulster!! The bad memories came flooding back of another World Cup blighted season and other dark days for Tigers.
Tigers haven’t played this Irish Province since that fateful 2003/4 season when the first of the pool matches between the teams took place at Ravenhill on 11th January 2004 and Tigers were humiliated, not only by losing but being “nilled”, succumbing to 33 unanswered points.
It was the last time we saw Ramiro Pez in a Tigers’ shirt, Jaco van der Westhuyzen starting at fly half in all but one of the remaining matches that season. It was also the penultimate time we saw ex Salford Red; Neil Baxter, his five appearances for Tigers that season yielding three tries.
The following Saturday the return match was played at Welford Road with the hurt and disgruntlement palpable amongst the supporters. In the Members’ Stand, where I sat in those far off days, there was seething indignation at the events of six days earlier. We were baying for blood. Febrile doesn’t begin to describe the atmosphere at Welford Road on that cold January Saturday.
Johnno, inexplicably dropped to the bench for the away fixture and only called to the fray once the battle was long since lost, was back to replace young Louis Deacon in the starting line up and so renewing his World Cup winning partnership with Ben Kay. The skipper, having just announced his retirement from international rugby, was at his bristling, glowering best and the whole team seem to be infused with the ugly mood that pervaded the stadium that afternoon.
Tigers were nursing a grievance and it showed with them running out comfortable 49-7 winners, tries coming from: Johnno, Neil Back, Van der Westhuyzen and a brace from Leon Lloyd. Sam Vesty, at full back that day, contributed the rest of the points with his boot. It was a brutal, uncompromising destruction by Tigers and we loved it.
It was a memorable afternoon, the only time I can remember the strains of “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” ringing out around Welford Road. Another, albeit much closer, victory the following week, away at Newport, gave the beleaguered Dean Richards some further relief from the storm clouds that were gathering with a victory at Welford Road against Stade Francais in the final round of pool matches all that stood between Tigers’ and entry into the knock out stages of the competition.
For reasons that have never been explained Deano decided to go into what was bound to be a close match (Tigers having already failed in Paris to repeat their daring deeds of May 2001 by losing to the Parisians) without a recognised kicker, the four players who had a go missing five out of six kicks, Van der Westhuyzen having the solitary success. Somebody sitting behind me helpfully enquired in tones which rang out in the sepulchral silence, whether Deano would like her to have a go and indeed she could hardly have done worse!
It was a remarkable selectorial decision that cost Tigers the match, qualification into the knock out stages and Dean Richards his job. At the time Tigers were already twelve points adrift of a qualifying spot for the following season’s competition and at ninth in the Premiership this ignominy was the last straw.
Last weekend Tigers, as they did in 2003, started their Heineken Cup campaign in poor form and away from home, though this time not at Stade de France or indeed Aironi’s Stadio Zaffanella but at Monza’s Stadio Brianteo, home to AC Monza Brianza and, back in 1992, a venue where both Michael Jackson and Elton John played concerts.
Jackson’s concert was part of his “Dangerous World” tour. It was the troubled star’s second World tour and reputed to be when he became addicted to the abuse of prescription drugs that prematurely ended his life eighteen years later.
As Tigers arrived in Italy last weekend it was certainly a dangerous rugby world for them and their under pressure Director of Rugby. They did get the victory although not the five points that I expect Clermont and Ulster will nab when they go there later in the competition. Sadly Geordan Murphy butchered a try scoring opportunity requiring only that he take the pass and put it down over the whitewash, as it was he knocked the ball on and the chance evaporated into the sunny Italian sky.
Again Tigers started brightly enough looking calm and confident in the first quarter, playing a simple game plan with cool, slick efficiency but then, once again, they inexplicably stopped playing, the support disappeared, penalties came and they looked blunt and rattled. It was as if a delicate electrical circuit driving the team had fused.
Then, in the closing stages, when the crowd were preparing themselves for a few slices of Prosciutto and a glass or two of Verdicchio , the circuit reconnected, Tigers rallied and got a third try. Having watched other matches the thing that struck me again, after the brio of the opening quarter, was how ponderous Tigers were and how passionless the performance, even Castro looked subdued when he eventually came on.
Over at Ravenhill (where the supporters’ terrace song appears to be to the tune of the Pet Shop Boys’ 1990’s; “Go West”. To continue the motif maybe Tigers’ supporters should devise a song with Village People’s (who had the original hit with Go West) “YMCA” as its theme!?) the home team were awful in the first half and had Clermont not been so cool and detached, almost as if they were a construct of the European Union, and so urbane that it would be easy to think that Christine Lagarde were their coach, they would have been out of sight by the time they left for their half time Gauloises and Pastis.
Admittedly both sides had to cope with Wayne Barnes (has he changed his name by Deed Poll to “World Class Wayne Barnes” as I can’t see any other reason for his constantly being referred to thus by commentators?) who refereed the scrum on his customary “buggins turn” basis, as indeed did Mr Fitzgibbon in Toulouse the following day, perhaps Paddy O’Brien has issued another IRB edict to kill the northern hemisphere game.
Once, David “too cool for school”, Skrela departed with a nasty knock, replacement Brock James had a nightmare and the game slipped away from Clermont as Ulster played with the passion not in evidence from the French aristocrats and Humphreys squeezed over for a try after fine approach work by young D’Arcy. But at least the French giants went home with a losing bonus point which could yet see them top the group, especially as Tigers squandered their bonus point in Italy.
Ulster’s front row had a fine afternoon against their illustrious opponents with the rugged Court and Rory Best competing well in combination with new arrival from the All Blacks; John Afoa, who was so solid that it was if his feet were set in concrete. Fortunately for Tigers Afoa is back in New Zealand being best man at a wedding when his team mates visit Welford Road next Saturday.
Jerry Cronin did a good job for Ulster on the tight head in the early matches this season and could get the berth to oppose Tigers’ Marcos Ayerza who is playing very well and is clearly frustrated at his team’s lack of emphatic success. As Cronin was missing from the match day squad against Clemont he may be injured and if so another option is for Paddy McAllister to come in with Court swopping sides. Either way they are a rugged front row which at some point will probably include ex Saracen Andy Kyriacou, who, Tigers’ supporters will recall, alleged Seru Rabeni gouged him, the Fijian getting banned for 14 weeks, even though the allegation was only supported by Kyriacou and his Saracens colleagues, there being no independent video evidence or testimony from the match officials.
Cole was rotated to the tight head for Tigers in Monza but did little to justify his selection ahead of Castrogiovanni who looked peeved not to start in front of the adoring Italian crowd. Cole looks oddly disengaged at the moment having some unwelcome travails in the early stages.
Castrogiovanni must start on Saturday and while I want to see the dynamic all field play of Tom Youngs from the start I expect Chuter will be facing the much capped Rory Best in what I think will be a close contest.
Ulster skipper and 24 time Springbok Johann Muller is an inspirational figure in the Ulster team and played very well against the classy Clermont pair of Hines and Pierre, once again I expect him to be paired with the ever present, Bristol born but twice capped for Ireland; Dan Tuohy.
The line out is where Tigers look solid, presenting a potent threat, so if the excellent Parling is again in harness with the combative Deacon then, with the assistance of Tom Croft, I expect to see some measure of advantage for the hosts.
Stephen Ferris reappeared after a warm up against Connacht and was Man of the Match however this accolade was nailed on before kick off so idolised is the Portadown man by compatriot; ex Ulster winger and now SKY commentator; Tyrone Howe. That’s not to say Ferris didn’t play well because he did, he was all over the park, taking the ball up at pace and competing well with the superb Bonnaire however some of his tackling, had it been conducted by (let’s say) a Samoan or Fijian, would have had citing officers, the media and the assorted punditary in meltdown with calls for a life time ban. As it was the officials (which included Robin Goodliffe – yes really!) took no notice.
Chris Henry was on the open side for Ulster and I thought all but eclipsed his famous colleague. Henry has just the one cap for his country compared to Ferris’s 30 but he is a classy player and with pace that enabled him to scurry back and snuff out what would have been a try for Clermont following a speculative kick ahead.
Completing the breakaway trio for the hosts was 20 times a Springbok; Pedrie Wannenburg and while he messed up one towering kick from Skrela he was otherwise solid and made plenty of yards, as well as controlling the sometimes bobbling ball when his front five came under pressure.
So a good breakaway set up but Tigers are also blessed in this department with putative winger Tom Croft superb in the loose and peerless at the lineout. The problem I can see against Ferris, Henry and Wannenburg is his hesitancy at the breakdown, a trait he shares with Thomas Waldrom. Both want to be off and running but first the ball needs to be secured both cleanly and swiftly and it is this area where they are too often found wanting and is a facet of play they must tighten up if they are not to get turned over by Ferris and company.
Salvi is not though at all shy at the tackle area and continues to be the lynchpin of Tigers’ play while Thomas Waldrom still carries the ball admirably but too often he runs out of support, which wasn’t the case when he had his break out season last year.
Springbok star Ruan Pienaar is injured and will be so until Christmas and his 51 cap experience is obviously missed but in young Paul Marshall Ulster have a little gem. He’s quick and accurate with a big dollop of fiestiness enabling him to provide good service to his half back colleague, the maddeningly inconsistent Ian Humphreys.
I did read that Ben Youngs was expected to be fit for this match and it would be great to see him back in good health and good form. In saying this I am in no way belittling the efforts of, or the progress made by, young Sam Harrison however while the youngster is technically good and probably has the best pass and box kick of any of Tigers’ scrum halves, he doesn’t yet present the latent threat of Ben Youngs, (or for that matter Micky Young) around the set piece or the breakdown. It’s coming and we’re seeing more variety to his solid performances but the fear that Youngs especially creates in opposition defences is not there yet.
As a consequence Toby Flood is having to cope with inexperience both inside and outside him and I understand the frustration which finds him trying to force the pass or hold on to the ball too long and then with support still “awol” too often it’s the endlessly predictable inside ball which is so easily read by opposing defences that they seem to be sitting back reading the newspaper before nonchalantly snuffing out the attack. The tactic does work of course but usually when the player on the end of the pass is Alex Tuilagi and it’s taken in the red zone, then he’s often unstoppable.
In the centre for Ulster I expect to see the excellent Paddy Wallace, a survivor of those two 2004 matches although he had a day to forget at Welford Road when he was at full back that afternoon, continue at inside centre. He reminds me of Tigers’ much missed Tony Allen. Wallace, as shown by his 29 caps, is very effective and like Allen not of the beefcake variety when compared to the behemoths that stalk the back divisions these days, being under 6’0” and weighing in at a modest 12stone 10pounds but he will break through with some lovely angles and judicious pace, showing his fly half pedigree. He will, I expect, be partnered by the less honoured Darren Cave, who’s been capped on just two occasions but played plenty of rugby this term while vying with young Nevin Spence for the #13 shirt. Cave is a very quick and clever youngster and will ask plenty of questions of the Tigers.
With the blight that seems to pervade the Tigers’ centres young Andy Forsyth was given a go against Aironi and was OK, he’s inexperienced at this level and it showed but at least he is a centre and stood his ground.
Matt Smith was back in more customary surroundings at outside centre but too often moves perished in his hands and overlaps were left to wither but the latest makeshift centres had little trouble with the Aironi attackers.
Aside from bringing George Ford in at fly half to face Ian Humphreys, against whom I think he’d find some mileage, and letting Toby Flood take up his erstwhile international and club position at #12, Tigers are waiting for divine intervention providing a recovered Billy Twelvetrees.
If these options or fortunes don’t come to pass then I can see Paddy Wallace and Darren Cave having a bit of field day. It’s true to say that the Tigers’ outfield defence looked much improved against Aironi but the Aironi attacking threat isn’t comparable to that which will be presented by Ulster.
On the wings against Clermont the excellent Andrew Trimble was on duty and caused the visitors’ defence trouble with some good forays in the second half when cutting the angle as Ulster belatedly found their mojo and he will use his 41 cap experience against the hitherto fragile Tigers’ defensive alignment and tackling. On the other flank young Craig Gilroy was situated following his sterling work in the 14 shirt while Trimble was otherwise engaged and is another youngster of whom I think we will hear more.
This wing pairing is forged largely due to Simon Danielli being dragooned to full back where I don’t think he looks at all comfortable, the muscular and oft capped Scot being an out and out winger. I must confess to being a fan of Danielli from his days down at Bath and I think that Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin would be better advised, in the absence of keynote signing; the injured Kiwi; Jared Payne, to stick with the very impressive Adam D'Arcy who’s break from deep made the winning try for Humphreys to dot down and steal the match from under the Gallic noses of Clermont.
Alex Tuilagi continued out wide left in what was too often a splendid isolation but nobody can question his work rate as he comes in field hunting the ball and that elusive killer pass, although I’d like to see him come in to support Murphy more and who is clearly now struggling with a lack of pace on his forays up field with his kick chases pretty sterile, better to have a support runner such as Alex Tuilagi in attendance to take the ball on. Tigers’ favourite Irishman’s spatial sense is undiminished though as he showed when popping up like a leprechaun to take what would have been an invaluable first of four tries only to knock the ball on.
Niall Morris continues to impress me and once again was in the right place at the right time to score another try and make the scoreboard look more respectable, his defensive positioning is good as well and it’ll need to be against the Ulster backs.
In days of yore at this point in my blatherings I would be waxing lyrical about the “Fortress Welford Road effect” but with the edifice bearing more holes than a piece of Gorgonzola these days it’ll take a much better performance by Tigers over a full eighty minutes than we’ve seen thus far to get the win let alone the essential five points, while ideally denying Ulster anything to take home with them apart from bruises.
So is it to be Groundhog Day?
Well if it’s 17th January 2004 all over again that’ll do nicely.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:11:21:22:36:35 by Stephen Bath.
At risk of sounding like Idle myself - interesting to hear your thoughts on that game at WR years ago. I had the misfortune to be hospitalised the night before and was unable to attend - infuriating - and have always regretted it - probably more so than the week I subsequently spent in hospital!
Anyway - you have now thoroughly depressed me!
I think the Flood issue needs to be addressed. He just isn't playing well enough at 10 to sustain his place there. It may because he has inexperience either side of him and a lack of options out wide but he has to deal with that. He's the senior pro - the England International and he needs to step up. It's easy to play with good players all around but if he isn't able to cope without his oppos YBY and Tony Allen then move him to 12 and ask him to lead from there. And I don't much mind who plays at 10 inside him - both Staunton and Ford will make a better fist of the tactical kicking game than Toby is at the moment. Well it couldn't be worse!
It is worth noting that not only was Seru banned without evidence except that of his accuser - but he was also cleared of there being any intent - and still they banned him - and people wonder why I think the RFU is racist...
Oh and one moment of pedantry - Gorgonzola - with holes? Are you mad, man?
...
It would be nice to see the names B. Youngs and B. Twelvetrees restored to the teamsheet.
Quote:RichW
Oh and one moment of pedantry - Gorgonzola - with holes? Are you mad, man?
Mea Culpa!!!! As I can't eat cheese (well not the sort that comes from cows anyway - Goat - yes. Sheep - yes. Cows - no) I just had a stab at a cheese I'd heard of but should have consulted my in house oracle on all things culinary (she's got all sorts of certificates and qualifications for what I dismissively say is just posh domestic science).
Or as we're going to Waitrose on Thursday I could have have waited and a look at their excellent cheese counter where they have the best selection of any of the mass retailers of non dairy cheese). Anyway Helen tells me that I should have said "Emmmental" as that has holes in it.
I have a theory you know that when, at school, the girls went off to do Domestic Science, what was actually happening was that they were all given "Husbanding Classes" for it seems to me that all my pals have exactly the same dialogue with their spouses as I have with Helen.
You know the sort of thing: " You never listen to me" Which is usually because they've spoken to you when you are in the garden and they are in the kitchen"
Or: "Shall we got to a? or b? for dinner?" I don't know anybody who gets the answer right!
I replied, "Yes ... but to be fair, it's a small bathroom."
What price are batchelor flats in Leicester?
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