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Lions and Tigers.


Attwood: pundit praise

By P G Tips
September 21 2016

Saturday’s visit to Welford Road could be the ideal stage for prospective Lions to show their mettle. Leicester provided 6 of the 2013 tour party and will want to be well represented again.  Since then one of the six has moved on, one has been almost permanently injured and others have suffered slumps in form. At least two of their squad though will be favoured to make the trip: Dan Cole and Ben Youngs. Bath have their aspirants too – although the one current Lion, Talupe Faletau will be missing though injury. Doomsayers among the Tigers’ fans are fretting that the club has lost its roar. After a poor showing (in victory) against Falcons, they are claiming a confusion of styles between the all court All Black game of Mauger and the pragma of Cockerill. They also bemoan a lack of classy and confident play at centre. Their solution is simple: bring back the nastiness! Never mind African bush or Indian Jungle: the Welford faithful like their forwards to be the sort of beasts you fear to encounter in a city alley on a dark night. In the modern game that trait alone may not be enough, but the traditional rivalry between Leicester and Bath should bring out the beasts in home players and crowd alike.

Other clubs will wonder what Tigers are concerned about. Lying fourth in the table, with two wins from three games, the traditional slow starters will surely hit their straps soon? Their comeback at Kingsholm from 24 points down in the season opener suggests plenty of character and the promise of some thrilling rugby to come. Director of Rugby Richard Cockerill will be angry at the lacklustre showing on Tyneside and will train his men accordingly. If that means a reversion to type and a “raw meat” approach for his forwards the home fans will love it. They will savour the delicious prospect of a truly ferocious predatory onslaught on Sunday. There is no more dangerous time to meet a wounded rugby tiger than when he has been accused of a soft underbelly, so Bath’s coaches and players will know to expect a stern test.

 After an injury ravaged opening few weeks, who will be available to face the ire of the tiger? There is some positive news with both Matt Garvey and Jonathan Joseph due to be fit, but David Sisi looks like missing out- suggesting another new backrow combination, with Tom Ellis fit again, probably to slot in alongside Garvey and Leroy Houston. These three, plus Joseph will be busy during the week shoring up the porous defence which let Warriors in for three tries last Saturday. Generosity like that would be out of place in this fixture –and it needs to be fixed.

 Back to the Lions theme and there will be several in Bath colours hoping to state a case. Attwood may be a long shot, but he has had the pundits purring so far this season, as has Rokodoguni. The England trio of Ford, Joseph and Watson will all be on Warren Gatland’s radar too. If they can conjure scores in the claustrophobic and hostile atmosphere of Welford Road they could convince him they have what it takes for similar challenges in his home country. They can expect support from those hoping to further or restore domestic international ambitions- Ewels and Thomas in particular.

 As Bath settle to the new tactical approach of their Kiwi coaches, what better opponents than Leicester away to provide a stiff progress test? For Leicester there is pride and form to restore, for Bath an unbeaten run to nurture: for both a fierce old rivalry which harks back to amateur times. This will be a clash of bests red in tooth and claw, but will it be the Red, Green white of Leicester or the Blue, Black and White of Bath that prevails?

 Possible Teams:


Bath:
Catt, Batty,   Thomas, Attwood, Charteris, Garvey, Ellis, Houston. Fotuali’i, Ford. Banahan, Bowden, Joseph, Rokodoguni. Watson.

Replacements: Auterac, Dunn, Palma –Newport, Stooke, Ewels. Homer, Homer, Williams.

 

Leicester Tigers: Ayerza, Youngs, Cole, Kitchener, Slater, Williams, O’Connor, Hamilton. Youngs, Burns.  Pietersen, Betham, Williams, Veainu; Tait

Replacements: McGuigan, Bateman, Genge, Croft, Evans, Harrison, Bell, Smith.

 

 

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Lions and Tigers.
Discussion started by Comeonmylovers.co.uk (IP Logged), 21/09/2016 19:25
Comeonmylovers.co.uk
Comeonmylovers.co.uk
21/09/2016 19:25
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:09:29:19:46:18 by Stuart Anderton.

MESSAGES->author
abendanon-anon-anon
21/09/2016 20:54
Fantastic Preview PGT

sid the seagull
sid the seagull
21/09/2016 21:25
Love the 'ire of the tiger' offering.

HOP

Frome Lurkers
Frome Lurkers
22/09/2016 12:03
Great preview------ BUT I thought we are playing Sunday!!!!!

Baffy Buck at Home
Mr Frivolous
22/09/2016 12:59
Fabulous preview one of your best!

MESSAGES->author
Rawce
22/09/2016 13:00
Great write up, Sunday's clash is going to be very interesting and I think will tell us a lot.

Mike the Taxi
Mike the Taxi
22/09/2016 14:32
Wot no Bears?(Sm159)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:09:22:17:09:35 by Mike the Taxi.

tigerburnie
tigerburnie
22/09/2016 20:23
Will be an interesting encounter, Tigers are far from firing on all cylinders. For a change we have choices in several key positions, with few injuries, but we don't yet seem to know what our best team is or who is going to spill the ball at just the wrong time. Our defence goes from water tight to colander in a moment, I kind of hope Cockers gave 'em the hair drier last week and we use our home advantage to the full. I really am not sure what side will turn up this weekend, if they play to their collective ability, then a win would be certain. It's that if word that Tigers aren't used to. I hope Mulipola is in the squad as he ripped the "A" team Falcons pack apart on his own.

P G Tips
P G Tips
22/09/2016 20:47
Thanks for the feedback everybody-much appreciated.

* Frome Lurkers - correct (doh me!)
* Mike the Taxi - nice one; now I know your special interest I will try to work them into a future preview!


PG

quanco
quanco
23/09/2016 00:16
Great read, thank you PGT!

Stopsy
Stopsy
24/09/2016 19:05
Many thanks PGT, appetite whetted!

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