Leicester Tigers
Tigers v Gloucester Match Preview
By ChrisC
November 21 2011
SpaceOddity I never really got the David Bowie thing but whenever I hear his song “Space Oddity” I smile at the memory of this record being on the radio while I was decorating our new house in Essex. Perched on a stepladder with a 5litre can of emulsion on the top step; I over reached, the ladder overbalanced and I, together with the full can of paint, plummeted to the floor.
It was one of those slow motion moments as I floated in a most peculiar way the can, arriving on the floor moments ahead of me, shot its contents slowly into the air in a most spectacular eruption, coating the walls, floor, windows, ceiling and me and all the while David Bowie sang on, oblivious to my sitting in my own tin can.
Essex then was just a pleasant county from which to commute into London. It had much to commend it, property was affordable and from the pretty weather-boarded villages in the south to the beauty of Constable Country in the north it was an ideal county to start off on the property ladder. Mondeo Man., TOWIE, spray tanned and blonded, stiletto heeled clubbers and all the other stereotyping from which the county now suffers were many years in the future.
My peripatetic career saw me working in some odd places. Oswaldtwistle in deepest, darkest Lancashire was the oddest but Gloucester ran it a close second.
It’s insulated from Cheltenham and the nouveau rich of the Cotswolds by the sprawling estates of Matson, Coney Hill and White City which jostle alongside the large privately owned Abbeymead and Abbeydale developments which are bastions of working class aspiration.
The Barton Street area houses the majority of the large immigrant community while the massive private housing developments at Quedgely to the south and Longlevens to the north are the the last outposts of a city protected to the west by the Severn beyond which is the Forest of Dean, a strange and forbidding place where I rarely ventured, the “Foresters” being a society apart.
Gloucester is a tribal place, the “Foresters” who worked for me rarely mixed with those from east of the Severn however there was a unifying factor; rugby and when at Kingsholm it mattered not where a supporter was from, the home support fanatical, although sadly it has become increasingly ill mannered in not observing silence for opposition kickers while preserving it for its own and for me shares the dubious distinction of being one of only two grounds where my wife and I have been sworn at and threatened just for wearing our Tigers’ colours, Vicarage Road being the other.
The last Gloucester league match I watched was the televised fixture against Saracens, since then they, like Tigers, have played another league match and the opening two matches of the Heineken Cup. The outcomes for the two clubs in the European competition have been somewhat different with Tigers, in the opening round, securing a scratchy victory in Italy while Gloucester were denied the spoils at the last gasp of a pulsating match in France against Toulouse where they were the better team.
The following weekend they were back at Kingsholm facing this season’s stars; Harlequins, and while Gloucester had the territory, the possession, dominance in the scrum and parity in the line out they were horribly inaccurate and profligate with the numerous chances they created and in the end were again comfortably thumped by the Londoners, the home side being restricted to just three Freddie Burns’ penalties.
It was against Saracens though they finally lost their two year unbeaten home record in the Premiership and were unlucky to do so against a distinctly average Saracens who as usual played little attractive rugby, instead concentrating on niggling the home side, an activity from which Tim Wigglesworth, the referee on the day, failed to dissuade them. Even though he did give Gill a Yellow Card it made no difference and Gill should have been given a Red as he persisted in his spoiling, due to the Gloucester scrum having the visitors on toast for most of the time with the smile slipping from the avuncular face of Schalk Brits.
After the break Mr Wigglesworth appeared to have undergone a Damascene conversion and, after his cup of PG Tips, he reverted to the random penalty selector at scrum time which disadvantaged the superior home side, much to the fury of the watching Shed who chimed in with “Yer done know wot yer doin” and on this occasion I had to agree with them.
In the dying minutes Owen Farrell popped a trademark kick through which Brad Barritt fell upon, much as he had against Worcester earlier in the season. At Kingsholm however the referee went to the TV match official for adjudication rather than get the decision wrong on his own and after a prolonged delay the try was awarded and with it the match.
I have to say as a neutral observer of proceedings I couldn’t see any grounding of the ball, and I was seeing the same pictures as the TMO, so was amazed when the try was given.
Since then the Cherry and Whites had a good win at Sandy Park to cheer them up, while Tigers’ last league match, at home, was the infamous draw with London Irish where Tigers, having secured what should have been an unassailable lead then proceeded to not only shoot themselves in the foot but reloaded and took aim at the other one.
Tigers have had awful problems with their defence this season but finally got it together against Ulster at Welford Road and having at last established this foundation secured a win against the Irishmen, in the process stretching their unbeaten record in Heineken Cup matches at Welford Road to seventeen and ending the first two phases of the competition atop their pool.
After the first two rounds of European competition Tigers now have two fiendishly tricky matches in the Premiership before returning to European action with back to back fixtures against Clermont.
I do wonder why the pre Christmas European fixtures are not played out in a block as was originally the case rather than chop and change between the competitions. An oddity.
The first of this duo of Premiership fixtures is at Kingsholm.
The only crumb of comfort is that Tigers travel to this least hospitable of grounds to play in daylight with an early kick off. I have plenty of experience of Tigers being at Kingsholm on wet, cold, dark winter days and my being there to watch them – not nice; not nice at all.
Gloucester’s pack went very well against both Quins and Saracens. Nick Woods has become a fine scrummager and will give Marcos Ayreza a busy afternoon. The Gloucester man also has good all field presence especially around the breakdown. Scottish international hooker Scott Lawson started against Quins but I prefer Cornishman Darren Dawidiuk, who’s scored two tries this term, the dynamic youngster now bringing more to the party than his experienced colleague.
On the tight-head for the Cherry & Whites was another youngster; the vastly improved Australian born Rupert Harden, who gave the highly rated Joe Marler all sorts of problems at scrum time.
Against Ulster Ayerza gave a bravura performance and how he didn’t get the Man of the Match accolade from Will Greenwood (who for long periods of commentary seemingly failed to notice Tigers were even on the pitch, so fixated was he with the wondrous but unsuccessful Ulster). Welford Road’s favourite Argentinian scrummaged superbly, ran and kicked like a centre and seemed to have been cloned so ubiquitous was he.
Chuter had a good match and, although Greenwood was beside himself at the perceived magnificence of Rory Best, the veteran Tiger held his opponent without much difficulty and was far more visible in open play.
Cole started again and was more solid than hitherto but the dynamism came when Castrogiovanni belatedly appeared. I am as mystified as the Italian star must be that the widely acknowledged best tight-head in the northern hemisphere doesn’t get to start and wasn’t even rotated with Cole who is just starting show some of his old form but is still some way behind Castrogiovanni.
I’ve been impressed with the Gloucester front row and hope that Richard Cockerill decides, from the outset, to start his best players to combat it in front of the Shed.
With Alex Brown injured ex Welford Road favourite; Jim Hamilton has been starting in harness with Welshman Will James and they look as secure as Gloucester Cathedral when receiving their own ball although they didn’t much threaten Quins on theirs. These two do seem to attract the attention of the match officials though.
Geoff Parling limped from the action against Ulster and it looks as if the injury will keep him from next Saturday’s encounter. George Skivington, who replaced him against Ulster, will do a good job as he did for most of last season with the bonus of now having Louis Deacon beside him.
Doyen of the Gloucester side; Peter Buxton, is one of those unfussy granite like characters around whom back-rows are built and while, the still oddly below par, Tom Croft is the more eye-catching, I was concerned at the number of tackles the England and British Lions’ man missed against Ulster and while he’s a solid component in the Tigers’ lineout he doesn’t seem to be attacking opposition ball as in days passed, when it was such a valuable source of turnover ball.
With the combative Andy Hazell still on the treatment table the superb Fijian Akapusi Qera was on the open-side last weekend. My goodness what a carrier of the ball this twenty-six time capped flanker is and his tackling is like a scythe. Qera is a major threat and Tigers’ Julian Salvi had better have extra duty on the tackle bag at Oval Park this week. Salvi continues to justify the plaudits heaped upon him during his time at Bath and now he’s stopped shipping penalties he’s a really fine player.
Alasdair Strokosch, the twenty-three time capped Scottish back row, was at #8 against Quins and did a decent job for his team although personally I reckon Luke Narraway brings more dynamism as does Thomas Waldrom for Tigers who again did some heavy carrying against Ulster and with support more in evidence than hitherto his labours were rewarded.
Two good packs here but it should be for the more experienced Tigers’ eight to get an advantage.
Rory Lawson was at scrum half for the home side last time out and he was his usual fast and accurate self and when he was replaced by Dave Lewis some of the spark went out of the Gloucester attack .
At Welford Road Sam Harrison deservedly got another start but at times looked flustered and uncertain faced with the attention of Ferris and Co. When Ben Youngs eventually arrived on the scene it was as if a light had been turned on as his class shone and Tigers suddenly seemed to be playing with the fast forward button pressed. Youngs’ rest and recuperation from the abuses at the hands of England have done him good, he looked sharp and accurate – great to see him back and surely he’ll start to give Rory Lawson and the Gloucester back row something to think about.
I admire Bryan Redpath for giving Freddie Burns his chance instead of signing a high profile replacement for the departed Nicky Robinson and the young Bath born fly half has repaid him in gold coin. Burns has a lovely step, prodigious pace and when kicking from hand seems to have the ball guided by a laser.
When his Siamese twin at half back, Ben Youngs, appeared I am sure I saw Flood breath out, his shoulders relaxed, he smiled and started to look like the real Toby Flood but his kicking from hand is still far too loose and if he persists in kicking to the opposition for them to run back he will be in massive trouble against Gloucester, he must get the ball off the park at Kingsholm and into the stands. If he needs to sacrifice distance to achieve this so be it but he can’t kick it to the home side’s back three.
If Youngs starts at Kingsholm then I can see the England half-backs showing us what they can do and the horrors visited upon them by England in the subjugation of their natural game will bea thing of the past. It’s also very important that the opportunity is taken of their playing together twice against high class opposition over the next two weeks ahead of the two matches against Clermont. Tigers’ must not only start to climb the Premiership table but be in good shape for the pivotal European encounters against the French giants.
Mike Tindall was at inside centre as Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu continued to be on the naughty step serving a ban generated by his ill advised Tweeting and therefore the ex England centre looks set to continue against Tigers.
Tindall trucked the ball up against Quins but persisted in ignoring support runners instead taking the ball into contact, which was a shame as he has good offloading skills and with the increasingly impressive Henry Trinder outside him it’s a pity he doesn’t get more decent ball from his illustrious colleague.
Trinder is one of those players who suddenly appears, Will Greenwood like, in the most unexpected places and darts through opposition defences, so he’ll need all the watching if Tindall releases the ball to him.
Such is the spate of injuries at #12 I wonder if at some time Richard Cockerill rejected the offer of a posy of lucky heather from a passing Romany at Oval Park? Andy Forsyth the latest occupant of the shirt to be cursed and out of contention for some while.
When the youngster limped off I felt sure that, in the absence of Ford, we’d see Staunton paired with Flood and that they’d alternate at 10 & 12. This was surely a scenario that had been considered? If it had it was discarded as Niall Morris came on and, rather oddly, seemed to be at inside centre rather, if the Staunton option was to be eschewed, than Smith and Agulla shuffling in a place to where they have at least had match practice and allowing Morris to take up his usual station on the wing. Another oddity.
Twelvetrees is rumoured as being fit for the trip to Kingsholm and if so let’s hope he isn’t played at lock!
A few miles north of Gloucester is Hartpury College where the Cherry & Whites have their training facilities. When I first arrived in Gloucester Hartpury was an agricultural college living in the shadow of its famous sibling at Cirencester. Hartpury was well known for girls studying there being able to take their horses with them as stabling was provided and hence it was a popular establishment with the equestrian set.
The “Royal Exchange” pub in the village was an equally well known haunt for local young farmers looking for nubile female companions as well as having well kept “Speckled Hen” on draught. Looking at Charlie Sharples and Jonny May I’m reminded of two racehorses, so long are their legs and so great is the speed with which they cover the ground, it makes me wonder if some Godolphin Arabian DNA somehow got into the drinking water at Hartpury.
With Olly Morgan injured May gallops in from full back and, as is the case with England winger in waiting; Sharples, his gargantuan stride means he’s incredibly hard to get to ground. If the ball is aimlessly kicked to these two, let alone Vainikolo, who was back on the wing and at his bulldozing best against Quins, then they’ll relish the broken field play that will be engendered – don’t do it Tigers – just don’t!
The under rated (by some) Horacio Agulla was back against Ulster and was again impressive as he pinballed around the pitch while Alex Tuilagi partnered him to some effect. If Tuilagi and Vainikolo collide it’s to be hoped the new stand at Kingsholm has solid foundations as it’ll be a meeting to be measured on the Richter Scale.
Geordan Murphy continued to kick the ball up field against Ulster and while the kick chase from Tigers was better it still wasn’t good enough and if the tactic continues without improvement the Gloucester back three will have a hay day and won’t need tractors!
Tigers go into next Saturday’s fixture being unbeaten in five matches while Gloucester have lost four of their last five encounters with, remarkably, two of them being at home and one to Tigers at Welford Road in the LV Cup, when both clubs fielded strong first choice teams.
But as the spivs selling investments are wont to say “past results are not an indication of future performance” so while Tigers are looking more threatening and will be helped if Twelvetrees is back at 12 I think this fixture has come a little too early for them.
Ground control to Major Tom......................................................
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:11:28:21:37:26 by Stephen Bath.
Are you sure there is a nice side, oh hang on of course there is, the out side
Quote:When the youngster limped off I felt sure that, in the absence of Ford, we’d see Staunton paired with Flood and that they’d alternate at 10 & 12. This was surely a scenario that had been considered? If it had it was discarded as Niall Morris came on and, rather oddly, seemed to be at inside centre rather, if the Staunton option was to be eschewed, than Smith and Agulla shuffling in a place to where they have at least had match practice and allowing Morris to take up his usual station on the wing. Another oddity.
It was rather - but actually akin to an act of genius. Morris looked rather more adroit at 12 than either Staunton or Smith and had the advantage of leaving Smith in his stronger position where the weaknesses in his game - vision perhaps - are not so exposed and the strengths of his pace and, err, strength are best utiliesd. Whilst as we have said moving Flood to 12 might have been a worthwhile variation I suppose the logic would be that given the current disruptions it is important to have at least some part of the back-line settled with the best player for the job in the key position?
Anyway - as you say Youngs should, I think too, start and if 12T is also available it all looks rather more promising from 9 to 12.
...
If Billy and YBY fire our linebreaking I think we'll win. if not, home advantage rules as you say.
Incidentally Castle grim is a mere 45 minutes easy drive down the M5 for me but we will not be going. My 14 YO son can't abide Glaws fans from previous experience, with their ignorant braying and aggressive rudeness bundled-as-banter. I hope they're proud of scaring a young rugby fan off.
It's always difficult to find an uninterupted 10 minutes to read your previews and so do them justice.
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