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Saints v Tigers AP Semi-Final Match Preview


By ChrisC
May 12 2014

It has now degenerated to the TMO being a sort of assistant TV director; screening various excerpts from play so that the referee can pose in the middle of the pitch watching TV with the rest of us and reach his own conclusion, the TMO merely being required to confirm the referee’s decision – a sort of sycophantic, electronic rubber stamp.

 

The sport is becoming a joke, a grumous mess of indecision, procrastination and buck passing, leading to repeated longueurs, except there’s no humour in the situation unless your predilection is for high farce.

 

If we really must have a TMO his involvement should return to advising on the act of scoring a try and no more – no going back through phases and passes and the only question asked should be “is there any reason why I should not award the try” for if the referee has asked for help surely he must be of the opinion that a try has probably been scored.

 

The referee is, or at least should be, the final arbiter of law on the pitch, if he or his two assistants miss some act of foul play then the Citing Officer can deal with it at half time or post match.  I do however think that a system where the team captains have the right to have an issue reviewed on the same basis as used in tennis would be worth testing.  The captain would have three opportunities to appeal in each half of the match. The review would be undertaken by the TMO and the referee.  If the appeal is not upheld then the opportunity is lost but if it is valid then the number of outstanding appeals remains intact.

 

I would though want to see more stringent application of the protocol that the only players permitted to address the referee are the respective captains.  It may just stop all the shouting and histrionics directed toward the match officials that’s, soccer like, infiltrated the sport.

 

Would it, I wonder, be too much to expect that the laws of the game are enforced next term? Put ins to the scrum, after a short interregnum, are once again being fed to the scrum half’s team without sanction.  Throws to the line out are usually direct to the thrower’s team.  Players are routinely unbinding from the scrum, tackling opposition players off the ball at the breakdown or seemingly stravaiging while in truth interfering with play.

 

Penalty tries, up until the final weeks of this season, have been harder to extract from referees than an impacted Wisdom Tooth then, suddenly, the law was enforced to the letter and sanction applied for the first offence, even though on occasion the decision itself was palpably wrong (qv: captain’s right of appeal).  This is but one example of the random application of the laws.  And of course we have the chaos surrounding what once an immutable element of the sport – the forward pass.

 

A positive from this season: BT Sport.  When I watched European matches with the terminally tedious Miles Harrison, who appears not to want a nanosecond of silence so witters endlessly on and on, and the hopelessly pompous and partial Stuart Barnes, it served to underline the excellence of BT Sport’s coverage. What a tragedy that these two Sky inadequates are to curse some of the RCC broadcasts with their presence – I suppose one can’t have everything!

 

Now that Lawrence Dallaglio has broken free of the clichés that bedevilled his early efforts (maybe too much exposure to the BBC?) I’m pleasantly surprised to find myself enjoying his commentary and analysis much as I do that of Austin Healey and especially Ben Kay.  The only real disappointment has been Matt Dawson, ironically the member of the BT Sport team with the most media experience but who seems to have studied at the knee of Miles Harrison in developing his technique. Nick Mullins, Radio 5’s Eykyn, Martin Bayfield and Craig Doyle I have no strong feelings about.  I don’t much like the silly social media wall but that’s an age thing I expect.

 

One last bit of reality. This season I’ve read a lot about the serious decline of Tigers, how they can’t compete with the all singing, all dancing offloading game espoused by Quins, how their coaching team, led by their know nothing, Neanderthal Director of Rugby, cannot compare with the general wondrousness of Bath and yet, and yet, what do we have here?  How can it be that Tigers finished the season in third place with Quins behind them in fourth, while Bath, for all their big spending on high profile signings, didn’t even manage to qualify for the knock out cup.  Who’d have thought it eh?

 

After a season riven with long and short term injuries Tigers are, for the tenth consecutive season, in the knock out cup but whether they’ll progress further is another question.

 

In spite of bumps acquired in the last match against Saracens the received wisdom from Richard Cockerill at this point is that none of the injuries are of sufficient seriousness to preclude the afflicted players from this Friday’s trip down the M1 to Franklins Gardens, where on Saturday Saints gave Wasps a right royal going over.  I’m not sure that it told me anything I didn’t already know about Saints who were given free rein to run riot against a pretty depleted and unmotivated Wasps side, their club’s focus firmly on their matches against Stade Francais for a place in the inaugural Rugby Champions Cup. 

 

Saints for their part have the final of the European consolation cup,  for teams that were unable to make the cut for the knock out phase of the Heineken Cup, still to contend with against Bath who were put away by Wayne Barnes and Quins last Saturday. I don’t somehow think that Mallinder’s men will be focussing on anything other than Friday’s match when they’ll have another opportunity to exorcise the hex that Tigers have lately had over them.

 

Marcos Ayerza didn’t get the rest planned as he had to come on to replace Stankovitch before the spectators had put down their beer and the Argentine will be at the forefront again come Friday  facing fourteen times a Wallaby Salesi Ma’afu. Ex of ACT Brumbies and Western Force, he’s a tough nut, not a plaudit often handed out to Wallaby props..

 

I wonder if Alex Corbisiero will make his first Premiership start since the nineteen all draw at Welford Road at the beginning of October. It’d be tough on Alex Waller who’s had a superb season on the Saints’ loose-head were it the case.  Either will represent a major challenge for Tigers’ Mulipola who’s also had a marvellous season standing in for Dan Cole.

 

Tom Youngs should be back and will relish playing in front of the Saints’ supporters who love to malign him even though he has some of the best line out stats in the Premiership.  I don’t much like the supporters of any club, including Tigers, who denigrate players to further the claims of their own.  Such behaviour seems an intellectually bankrupt approach to the sport.

 

With Dylan Hartley injured twenty-two year old Under 23 international Mike Heywood has come to the fore and Koree Britton has now arrived from Gloucester on loan to offer support and will be hoping that the move will be a permanent one that ends his unhappy time at Kingsholm where he had little game time.  He is a feisty character who clashed with Ryan Lamb when they were both sent off in an “A Team” match at Kingsholm for fighting when Lamb broke his hand on Britton’s head. Britton, in spite of pleading not guilty, got a four week suspension for his trouble and Lamb’s own absence presaged the summary end of his Tigers’ career!

 

With the absence of Hartley it would, theoretically, look to be advantage Tigers at the scrum and with J P Doyle rumoured to be slated for the match there’ll be no nonsense brooked at scrum time.

 

At lock for the hosts I can’t imagine that Saints will field anything other than the Christian Day and Courtney Lawes partnership that has served them so well.

 

Lawes has, this season, added to his reputation for attracting Yellow Cards  this term garnering a further three for his collection, including one in the nineteen all draw at Welford Road and another in the further nineteen all draw at the Recreation Ground earlier this month.  Maybe he’s a fan of Paul Hardcastle!

 

He is though a great athletic specimen and superb operator and it should be a cracking contest between him and Ed Slater while hopefully Geoff Parling vyes with Christian Day to be the most successful in reading the line out runes.  The locks look well matched, even if Deacon appears instead of Parling, and with line out throws now routinely failing to be straight I expect this set piece to be very even.

 

 If Tom Croft, blessedly recovered from his latest long term injury, plays he’s a World Class operator at the line out but will probably be up against American Eagle Manoa who for me is the best player both in the Saints’ squad and elsewhere outside of Welford Road, so even here it’ll be a tight contest and both are forces of nature in the loose.

 

After his recent displays I think it’s fair to assume that we’ve seen the last of Thomas Waldrom until he trots out in an Exeter shirt and that one of Tigers’ stand out players this term, Jordan Crane, will be in the number eight berth battering away for supremacy with Manoa for the provision of go forward ball.  Yet another area that’s bound to be close fought with the centre ground keenly contested.

 

Tom Wood is likely to be in his best position on the open side with Clark on the blind side for the hosts.  Salvi will have enjoyed his week off and seeing Matera do a fine job in his stead against Saracens.  If the match officials actually understand what open side forwards are supposed to do (as opposed to what they imagine they should do) then I can see Salvi getting the edge at the breakdown. 

 

Overall I expect the scrum to slightly favour the visitors whereas the hosts may gain an advantage at the line out where their rolling maul is fearsome weapon.

 

Ben Youngs was another Tiger given the weekend off for the Saracens’ match and if Mele is counted out by injury then Sam Harrison will be on the bench whereas if, as I think, Dickson starts, Samoan international Fotuali’i will be back up.  Dickson and Ben Youngs are in good form at the moment and both will need to get their box kicks away with speed and accuracy, giving the game their full concentration and not be sidetracked into shouting and waving their arms at the referee.

 

Of the more mature fly halves in the Premiership Stephen Myler is surely the most improved this season, Saints suffering mightily from his absence when Tigers turned them over at the end of March.  Myler’s a much more rounded player these days thanks to the influence of Alex King.

 

The league convert from Widnes may be opposing the most improved young fly half around in the form of Owen Williams but Tigers have the experienced Toby Flood waiting his chance for a final pop at the old enemy and I’d not be disappointed were he to start.  Whether it’s Flood or Williams they’ll need to have given their kicking boots a thorough tune up as Myler rarely misses and must surely be a candidate for a trip to New Zealand this summer.

 

Tigers’ connections will have spent the last couple of weeks with everything crossed that Tony Allen is fit to marshal the troops as any chinks will see Luther Burrell bursting through onto flat pop passes from Myler.  The England star is in compelling form and will surely be reunited with another Samoan international; the dangerous George Pisi, in a hard charging, skilful combination.

 

Tigers, for their part, have the elemental force that is Manu Tuilagi determined to prove that Burrell is a mere pretender to the England outside centre spot and if these two clash it could be seismic given their propinquity.

 

Tuilagi, even now, still gets a little over excited and tears out of the defensive structure so all the more reason to hope upon hope that Allen is fit to play to keep the integrity of the Tigers’ defence intact as well as weaving those little bits of magic in wriggling though any interstices in the opposition bulwarks.

 

Northampton will have George North lurking around ready to pounce but then Tigers have Nikki Goneva doing likewise so the coherence of the respective midfields is key in both attack and defence.

 

I hope that the admirable Jamie Elliott is selected by Mallinder as his presence and consistently high standard serves to remind us long time rugby followers that the sport still has room for this type of player.  Not starry, not puffed up by the media as “the next big thing”, just a fine, fine young player.

 

Tigers do have choices for the other wing berth for even with Camacho and Benjamin still injured they have Morris, Thompstone and Scully to choose from.  For me it’d be another American Eagle; Blaine Scully but in truth it could be any one of them as they each have different attributes but with Myler and Foden likely to be sending kicks as high as the adjacent “lighthouse” Scully’s excellence under the high ball gets him the nod from me.

 

The lubricious Foden and Tait will be also running the ball back at pace and representing lethal force in open play with both in good form after injury.

 

This is an incredibly hard one to call.  Northampton have the undeniable advantage of playing at home and on a Friday night at that.  The weight of history suggests that home sides prosper on these occasions although Saints demolished an over confident Saracens at the same point last term as did Tigers do for Gloucester further back.  Also Tigers do not however have a happy record when playing on Friday evenings which, uniquely, they are obliged to do this week.

 

Against that Saints lately have a poor record against Tigers. 

.

Too close to call really but as it can’t be a draw I should make a forecast.

 

Although Saints are obviously favourites and may just edge it I’m a one-eyed Tigers’ supporter so I’ll go for Tigers by a single score. But neither side will be scoring seventy-four unanswered points in the process.

 

This may be my last article of the current season which has been another that’s found me roaming through the cobwebbed attic that passes for my brain as I’ve talked about all manner of things over the past nine months, from painting bathtubs, to dancing, courting, family, driving, being driven, childhood, playing sport, watching sport, restaurants, critics, music, travel, pets, career, houses, girls and I’ve even fitted in a bit of rugby here and there.

 

Were it possible I’d conduct one of those modern day rituals where a sportsman, performer or the like applaud their audience to thank them for coming and watching, listening or in this case reading.

 

In my laudatory circuit there’s particular applause for those, not only from the Tigers’ fan base but elsewhere who’ve been kind enough to make favourable comments about my offerings. It’s appreciated.

 

So imagine, if you will, my standing in my office overlooking the Peak District, where the hawthorn is spread like snow across the hedgerows, acknowledging your staying power in joining me as I’ve rummaged through the shelves of recollection for the last nine months and indeed during all the years before.

 

And if you’re really out of luck I’ll, Frank Sinatra like, be back for another farewell performance next week – the pain would be worth a Tigers’ victory wouldn’t it? 

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Saints v Tigers AP Semi-Final Match Preview
Discussion started by TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk , 12/05/2014 19:49
TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk
12/05/2014 19:49
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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2014:05:21:21:13:54 by Tiggs.

SK 88
12/05/2014 20:20
Good work Chris, as always appreciated.

One word against BT though.

They have faffed our kick offs around more than ESPN did in 3 years. We've had fewer LCFC induced clashes this season but more Sunday KO.

And now this Friday semi due in part to the FA Cup final. It might be better than sky (okay its much better than sky) but it ain't all roses!

Jon T
12/05/2014 22:05
This Friday game is not BTs fault. They've had fa cup and prem semis scheduled for months. This is at the request of the European finalists and PRL. BT have kindly agreed to their requests, I don't have a lot of time for TV usually, and I have had a hell of a time rearranging committments for TV changes this season. But I think they come out of this with credit from a player welfare pov.

And btw I can't go on Friday because of the change, and I'm gutted, but we have only 2500 tickets, and 2500 tigers fans will still be there.

I just have to hope they shout up on my behalf.

And great review as usual Chris.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014:05:12:22:08:52 by Jon T.

S4llyC
12/05/2014 22:21
A massive round of applause from me on your lap of honour for this season, Chris, although I very much hope there will be one last preview for you to write before hanging your keyboard up for the summer.

It's been a delight to wander down Memory Lane in your company over the past months, and as an appetiser for each game, your previews have been unsurpassed by any of the so-called professionals in the rugby media. Goodness knows how many hours you've spent creating your weekly offerings, but certainly for me it's been much appreciated.

Here's hoping your predictions for this weekend are borne out, and you still have just one more week of literary output before taking your well-earned break.

Duncan Keene
12/05/2014 22:54
Massive thanks Chris and hopefully one more to come.

Jon, your analysis misses an important factor, BT and Prem rugby concocted this 7th place play off malarkey as part of the champions cup. Having been given the rights to wasps he leg they needed to fit that in to the schedule so were no doubt delighted to free up the original Sunday slot!

With any care from BT at all then both semis could have been on Saturday as they have 2 sports channels, one could have been on football all day.

Johns
12/05/2014 23:25
Many thanks Chris for another excellent preview, I hope you will be penning one more before spending the summer with all the delights of the Peak District.

Howlin
13/05/2014 00:10
Great preview thanks. Agree with everything apart from perhaps one or two surprises in selection and of course the result!

Saint 'til I die

StBleach
13/05/2014 05:10
A war and Peace preview with plenty to read, excellent job and well reserached as usual. Impossible to call the result as it simply depends on the mental atitude of the players and fans! It is a pain in the bum that Tigers always seem to time there rise to form to perfection.

Duncan Keene
13/05/2014 07:25
I agree that it's impossible to call this one, even the usually safe "it'll be close" prediction could be wrong. Both teams are capable of riding their momentum to big wins. But most likely, it'll be close!

Sans Culottes
13/05/2014 09:07
Great preview from a Tigger.

Thanks for the well balanced view.

COYS


smileys with beer

Purebob
13/05/2014 09:41
Quote:
It is a pain in the bum that Tigers always seem to time there rise to form to perfection.

Its not like we're deliberately cack until March smiling smiley

Support Ed Slater's MND charity

Purebob
13/05/2014 09:47
Cracking read sir ! I gave up any expectations of silverware this season back in December when it became clear our injury swarm had a life of its own. I am already proud and pleased that our messed-about young team has reached the playoffs, so anything now will be against the form book and a real bonus.

I am convinced our lads will give it a real shake, and may just win. I think if Saints lose it may break them.

Support Ed Slater's MND charity

odd-shaped vagaries
13/05/2014 10:22
Difficult to predict?

Nah, not if your the ref [we're led to consider] - Stains all the way. As undoubted underdogs we don't have a hope

But even if we did, by some arbitrary [sic] chance, sneak through, we cannot even ponder more than utter humiliation at the cabbage patch, so why would our lads delay their holidays further by presuming to upset rightly, heavy odds?

Add to that yet more spurious and speculative dross from a Drabbyshire outcrop and what is there to live for?

Well, I suppose there's custard. Oh, and brown paper packages tied up with string. Otherwise? Nuttin'!

Except ...

'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget

Jon T
13/05/2014 11:11
Quote:
Duncan Keene
Massive thanks Chris and hopefully one more to come.
Jon, your analysis misses an important factor, BT and Prem rugby concocted this 7th place play off malarkey as part of the champions cup. Having been given the rights to wasps he leg they needed to fit that in to the schedule so were no doubt delighted to free up the original Sunday slot!

With any care from BT at all then both semis could have been on Saturday as they have 2 sports channels, one could have been on football all day.

Sorry Duncan, looks like we'll have to agree to disagree.

I think you'll find that the replacement for ERC dreamt this up, not the tv companies.

They've also had a 7th playoff scheduled for awhile, the short term change is at the request of the PRL via some of its members. Whether it suits BT or not is not clear cut, but it wouldn't have happened without the request to move (for player welfare)

The only people we can blame here are PRL and those dastardly sides that got themselves into a final on a Friday.

Duncan Keene
13/05/2014 11:26
I am certainly happy to hold PRL 90% to blame, but I think BT are in there too and definitely must have influenced against a double header Saturday decision. I can't see any reason PRL would rather a Friday than a Saturday, so yes they are at fault for making the change, but BT have not been helpful.

Don't get me wrong i've got my ticket for Friday and am well up for it, its just cost me in terms of cancelling prior plans without refund and travelling is going to be an unnecessary pain. I really feel for families that would otherwise have gone and now can't.

PRL and BT love to show happy families of each team side by side but they do little or nothing to encourage fans to travel.

They may still get a sell-out for this game, but they've risked it for what? So Saints get a 7 day turnaround rather than 5, or Sarries get 7 rather than 6. For a tournament that Saints didn't pick their first team for the Quarter or Semi of.

Johns
13/05/2014 11:58
It was Saints and Sarries that requested the change to give them an extra training day before the finals. The semis were still expected to be played on the 17th & 18th last weekend.

The dates were set at the beginning of the season, TV companies set their schedules months in advance so BT should be praised for agreeing to the change.

Would Sky have agreed to such a change?

Jon T
13/05/2014 12:21
I'll accept 90%, as they wouldn't have agreed to the change if it didn't suit in some way, but this is all down to PRL and the clubs at the end of the day.

I can't go on Friday, had leave booked for Saturday and Sunday, but cant get the friday off, I know its not great for the likes of me and and people with children, but I have no doubt our allocation will be sold to Tigers fans and that they'll be the same proportion of leicester support as the Saturday.

SK 88
13/05/2014 12:34
Jon, the point was that were BT up for a Saturday double header this could easily fit in with the need to prevent 5 day turnarounds but couldn't happen because of them hosting the FA Cup.

I don't think anyone is saying this is the main reason, the main reason is the poxy amlin being given undue prominence, but it certainly was part of the decision.


From a player welfare stand point Friday and Saturday make no difference, just swapping one 6 day turnaround for another.

inkworm
14/05/2014 09:47
Thanks for the preview Chris, you've done a fantastic job over the years, the effort is appreciated and I hope there is one more preview to do this season.

Petros
14/05/2014 11:44
Blame the ERC for the nonsense of scheduling both European finals in the same city and then making the lesser final a Friday night. And then they grabbed around 20% of the tickets for the Amlin final

Fans, who cares about fans?

riverlodge
14/05/2014 12:28
saint in peace: very good preview and an excellent read.

nice point well made about Jamie Elliott, any young pro could do well to apply themselves in the way he has for the past couple of seasons.

Squawker2
14/05/2014 14:44
Haven't seen it elsewhere (apologies if so) - the Saints' preview

Preview

Stopsy
16/05/2014 09:43
Many thanks Chris for the penultimate previw of our season (Power of positive thought!) and for everything over the years.

odd-shaped vagaries
16/05/2014 21:56
Thanks Chris for this season's final preview

JP and his alleged predictions .. Kiss or Blank?

'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget

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