wet and windy
Tigers Win on Points
wet and windy
By TigerR December 10 2007
It was like watching two heavyweight boxers slug it out for the world title. Leicester were the hard hitting fighter (Jo Frasier) and Toulouse the skillful, technical boxer (Ali). It was the fighter that won 14-9 in a desperately close contest that finished with Leicester on the metaphorical ropes unable to win their own scrum in four attempts.
wet and windy
It was like watching two heavyweight boxers slug it out for the world title. Leicester were the hard hitting fighter (Jo Frasier) and Toulouse the skillful, technical boxer (Ali). It was the fighter that won 14-9 in a desperately close contest that finished with Leicester on the metaphorical ropes unable to win their own scrum in four attempts.
They were saved by the bell as referee Nigel Owens first awarded the next scrum to Toulouse and then blew for time.
An early try from Ollie Smith and three penalties from Andy Goode were enough to gain Tigers to a vital win over one of the elite clubs in Europe. Tigers now travel to France next Sunday knowing that a victory would put them in charge of one of the most difficult groups ever known in the European Cup. They also know that they must up their game because Toulouse were good enough to have taken the spoils
Toulouse featured 14 internationals in their starting XV. Baring fly half, this could have been the French back line when Elissalde was on. In the Toulouse pack was long-time French captain Fabien Pelous and the excellent Yannick Nyanga at 6. None the less I got the feeling that it would be the Tigers on top up front and Toulouse superior in the backs and whilst that might seem a cliche, Tigers were without Geordan Murphy (the excellent Sam Vesty standing in) and Harry Ellis. Aaron Mauger was given his debut and, in a surprise move that worked out very well, Ollie Smith returned to the position he filled with some talent when younger on the wing opposite the extremely dangerous Vincent Clerc.
It has been a very wet day. I had expected to get drenched on the Crumbie Teerrace. However the rain stopped about an hour before kick off. Toulouse started brightly, with Yannick Nyanga the first to make a dent in the Tigers defence. Yannick Jauzion was on hand to take play up to the 22. Vincent Clerc was then brought down just five metres from the Tigers line before Jauzion and Florian Fritz combined well to threaten the Tigers line. The Toulouse backs were proving superior and were rewarded for their early pressure with eight minutes played when Valentin Courrent kicked a penalty from head on to the posts after Tigers had been penalised at one of the first scrums of the afternoon. This was the first sign that the match would not follow the cliched script. Tigers should have been on top at the scrum. This looked bad.
But in another departure from cliche Toulouse's vaunted backs conceded a try. The Tigers backs caught them flat footed and aggressive tackling lead to the ball going loose. Ollie Smith picked up and ran 40m in front of the Crumbie Terrace for a try in the corner. Andy Goode's attempt at the conversion hit the post and bounced back.
This was followed by some sustained pressure from Tigers. Clement Poitrenaud failed to gather an up and under from Goode and Tom Varndell snaffled possession. A long pass found Vesty to the left of the uprights but as several Toulouse backs sprinted across to cover, a possible try-scoring chance on the outside seemed to be lost when Vesty stepped inside with Smith waiting outside him. The forwards pressed to within a metre or two but could not break the Toulouse defence.
Tigers again threatened the visitors' line as Frank Murphy made a five metre break followed by an offload to Smith. Ollie found Jordan Crane with a deft inside pass and the eventual Man of the Match made ten metres before being tackled by the last defender. Crane showed strength to stay on his feet and get the ball back to Murphy. The scrum-half was up-ended by a crunching Toulouse tackle that would cause his withdrawal at half time. Tigers didn't leave empty handed as Goode punished an indiscretion with a penalty goal.
Superb ball retention from the French side go down the field and create another try-scoring opportunity but an invaluable interception from Varndell allowed Goode to punt well clear. His kicking to touch all match was well above average. However the Toulouse pressure was rewarded with a 25-metre drop goal from Courrent to close the gap to just two points to 8-6 at half time.
Tigers' started badly as Courrent kicked a simple penalty from 30 metres out giving Toulouse a 9-8 lead. Leicester hit back as Goode made no mistake with a penalty from wide on the left following a box kick from replacement scrum-half Ben Youngs. A third penalty of the game from Goode stretched Tigers' advantage to five points. There followed stale mate with Tigers holding the ball and driving through the forwards time and time again. Ben Youngs made some poor loopy passes and some excellent fast ones. Toulouse attacked when the could and Goode kicked long down the touchlines to release pressure.
Vincent Clerc looked to have won the match with five minutes remaining but referee Nigel Owens brought play back for a forward pass from Jauzion. That would prove to be Toulouse's last chance of a match of heroic defense and pragmatic tactics from Martin Corry and his men. However Toulouse left with a bonus point which leaves the Tigers needing to win or stay within seven points next week in Toulouse. I believe Tigers will need to improve and most in need of improvement will be the set scrummage where Toulouse ended up dominant. A more influential game from Aaron Mauger would also be useful, but to be fair to him on this occasion the tactics saw him receive little ball. For him to show to his best the Tigers forwards need to produce some faster ball and whoever plays at scrum half will have to deliver it quickly.
An early try from Ollie Smith and three penalties from Andy Goode were enough to gain Tigers to a vital win over one of the elite clubs in Europe. Tigers now travel to France next Sunday knowing that a victory would put them in charge of one of the most difficult groups ever known in the European Cup. They also know that they must up their game because Toulouse were good enough to have taken the spoils
Toulouse featured 14 internationals in their starting XV. Baring fly half, this could have been the French back line when Elissalde was on. In the Toulouse pack was long-time French captain Fabien Pelous and the excellent Yannick Nyanga at 6. None the less I got the feeling that it would be the Tigers on top up front and Toulouse superior in the backs and whilst that might seem a cliche, Tigers were without Geordan Murphy (the excellent Sam Vesty standing in) and Harry Ellis. Aaron Mauger was given his debut and, in a surprise move that worked out very well, Ollie Smith returned to the position he filled with some talent when younger on the wing opposite the extremely dangerous Vincent Clerc.
It has been a very wet day. I had expected to get drenched on the Crumbie Teerrace. However the rain stopped about an hour before kick off. Toulouse started brightly, with Yannick Nyanga the first to make a dent in the Tigers defence. Yannick Jauzion was on hand to take play up to the 22. Vincent Clerc was then brought down just five metres from the Tigers line before Jauzion and Florian Fritz combined well to threaten the Tigers line. The Toulouse backs were proving superior and were rewarded for their early pressure with eight minutes played when Valentin Courrent kicked a penalty from head on to the posts after Tigers had been penalised at one of the first scrums of the afternoon. This was the first sign that the match would not follow the cliched script. Tigers should have been on top at the scrum. This looked bad.
But in another departure from cliche Toulouse's vaunted backs conceded a try. The Tigers backs caught them flat footed and aggressive tackling lead to the ball going loose. Ollie Smith picked up and ran 40m in front of the Crumbie Terrace for a try in the corner. Andy Goode's attempt at the conversion hit the post and bounced back.
This was followed by some sustained pressure from Tigers. Clement Poitrenaud failed to gather an up and under from Goode and Tom Varndell snaffled possession. A long pass found Vesty to the left of the uprights but as several Toulouse backs sprinted across to cover, a possible try-scoring chance on the outside seemed to be lost when Vesty stepped inside with Smith waiting outside him. The forwards pressed to within a metre or two but could not break the Toulouse defence.
Tigers again threatened the visitors' line as Frank Murphy made a five metre break followed by an offload to Smith. Ollie found Jordan Crane with a deft inside pass and the eventual Man of the Match made ten metres before being tackled by the last defender. Crane showed strength to stay on his feet and get the ball back to Murphy. The scrum-half was up-ended by a crunching Toulouse tackle that would cause his withdrawal at half time. Tigers didn't leave empty handed as Goode punished an indiscretion with a penalty goal.
Superb ball retention from the French side go down the field and create another try-scoring opportunity but an invaluable interception from Varndell allowed Goode to punt well clear. His kicking to touch all match was well above average. However the Toulouse pressure was rewarded with a 25-metre drop goal from Courrent to close the gap to just two points to 8-6 at half time.
Tigers' started badly as Courrent kicked a simple penalty from 30 metres out giving Toulouse a 9-8 lead. Leicester hit back as Goode made no mistake with a penalty from wide on the left following a box kick from replacement scrum-half Ben Youngs. A third penalty of the game from Goode stretched Tigers' advantage to five points. There followed stale mate with Tigers holding the ball and driving through the forwards time and time again. Ben Youngs made some poor loopy passes and some excellent fast ones. Toulouse attacked when the could and Goode kicked long down the touchlines to release pressure.
Vincent Clerc looked to have won the match with five minutes remaining but referee Nigel Owens brought play back for a forward pass from Jauzion. That would prove to be Toulouse's last chance of a match of heroic defense and pragmatic tactics from Martin Corry and his men. However Toulouse left with a bonus point which leaves the Tigers needing to win or stay within seven points next week in Toulouse. I believe Tigers will need to improve and most in need of improvement will be the set scrummage where Toulouse ended up dominant. A more influential game from Aaron Mauger would also be useful, but to be fair to him on this occasion the tactics saw him receive little ball. For him to show to his best the Tigers forwards need to produce some faster ball and whoever plays at scrum half will have to deliver it quickly.
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