Leicester Tigers
Quins v Tigers preview
By ChrisC
March 30 2011
5-4-3-2-1. I’ve been to The Stoop on numerous occasions and it’s a ground I like although the parking can be a bit of a challenge. I find Basingstoke the most convenient place to leave the car! One of the things I like is the home side’s anthem – the Bob Dylan song; Quinn the Eskimo of which Manfred Mann released their version; Mighty Quinn, in 1968, which will that used by Tigers’ opponents this Saturday to announce the arrival of the home side.
I saw Manfred Mann at a live edition of the iconic 1960s TV music show Ready Steady Go, hosted by Queen of the Mods; Cathy McGowan who spurned my shouts of undying love and instead married Hywel Bennett and is now with Michael Ball. She obviously couldn’t have heard me! That was all before the Mighty Quinn and when Manfred Mann’s big hit; 5-4-3-2-1 was the theme tune for RSG.
Paul Jones was still the lead singer back then with Mike Hugg, and Mike Vickers, although Dave Richmond had been replaced by Tom McGuiness joining the group’s eponymous South African keyboard player in completing the line up.
I worked in the West End of London back then. It was wonderful time to be a teenager and in my case a “Mod”. Although drugs in the form of “Purple Hearts” were around they were rarely seen or used, the choice for us lads on a night out being copious amounts of Watneys Red Barrel at 11p a pint (just over 5 pence).
Whenever I hear Mighty Quinn played I am without fail transported back almost half a century to the 1960s; Carnaby Street, three piece tonic mohair suits, Lambrettas, Hush Puppies and of course the Bank Holiday trips when hundreds of us Mods and our opponents; the Rockers descended on unsuspecting seaside resorts - heady and wonderful days indeed.
On Saturday though it will be Tigers and their supporters that will descend on The Stoop as the League Champions visit a resurgent Quins.
I watched Quins humiliate Gloucester last Saturday and wished that it had been Quins and not Newcastle who’d taken on the Cherry and Whites at Franklin’s Gardens the previous week as at least maybe we’d have had a match worth watching instead of the abject display that the Falcons gave.
Having said that though the Quins dismantling of their visitors was so comprehensive that I wondered how on Earth they managed to lose to Falcons.
Quins were simply irresistible in every aspect of their play against Gloucester, only at the set piece did Gloucester manage to gain any semblance of parity and then only fleetingly.
The hosts were not at all hospitable with their backs running riot and the pick and drive from their forwards a confection of power and subtlety with lock George Robson making a wonderful collection of a poor pass to spin and dive over the Gloucester line. The whole Quins team played out of their skins in a complete performance, surely their best of the season and all without one of the best fly halves in the Northern Hemisphere, Nick Evans, who was injured.
Later in the afternoon I saw Tigers carry out a similar humiliation of their old rivals; Bath. Here though the Tigers’ performance was far from complete. Their defence was formidable, permitting just 6 points to be scored from the kicking tee by the dreadful Butch James, who’s modus operandi seemed to be to assault opposition players with a series of high tackles in an attempt at intimidation – as referee Pearson said to him “Butch; just go and play fly half” good advice which he of course ignored. It was a brutal display by the Bath side that happily did not get any reward as Tigers were as formidable in attack as they were in defence. Tigers have played a lot better and lost as they will again.
This weekend then the teams with the standout performances last week meet up to see who’s to be Cock a Hoop.
Tigers were without Castrogiovanni who was damaged by Italy but as he’s fit this week I expect he’ll be rotated with Dan Cole, who with Ayerza and Chuter, made a bit of a mess of the Bath front row.
Quins had England Saxon Joe Marler and ex Saint Joe Gray, was preferred to Chris Brooker who came on just after half time and was, I thought, very impressive. Belfast born John Andress was also on parade against Gloucester and they did fine in the tight although this was one area where Quins did not decimate the visitors but in loose play they were exceptional with young Marler giving another bravura performance and trying to reduce his propensity to give away penalties when in defence.
Gloucester started with an all international front row, as will Tigers on Saturday, and I think that the Quins starting line up, which I’d guess will be Marler, Brooker and Andress could find them a bit of a handful.
However this will very much depend who’s in the Tigers’ engine room as last week there was a makeshift and lightweight second row for Tigers who actually did better than I thought they would but the Quins’ pack is a different kettle of fish to Bath’s.
Salet and Mafi were much in evidence in the loose and at the breakdown but with Louis Deacon and one of the top larcenists at line outs, George Skivington, recovered from injury they should be at The Stoop both to aid the cause and get much needed match time in readiness for the trip to Dublin the following weekend.
Bristolian Ollie Kohn is a regular starter for Quins and often preferred to Argentinian; Vallejos Cianalli, who is also amongst the top line out stealers, a real solid citizen is Kohn but for me Black Countryman George Robson is a real favourite. He is one of those players who just gets on with the job and last weekend he put in his application for being a utility back so much work did he do in the loose and as I’ve already highlighted took an awkward pass when out on the wing before spinning and accelerating then diving over for a wonderful try.
The Tigers line out is a slick operation these days with the travails of the opening weeks of the season a distant and unpleasant memory and Quins do have a patchy record on securing their own ball, being the fifth worst in the Premiership, while Tigers are tenth.
Tigers will also have Tom Croft and Craig Newby to assist at line out time and so potentially the visitors could have a real advantage here.
Before watching the match last Saturday I hadn’t seen Samoan Maurie Fa'asavalu who’s a convert from league where he played for St Helen’s and was part of the Great Britain and England Rugby League sides, although earlier in his career he played Union at international level for Samoa. As can be seen he’s a very experienced operator and it showed as he seemed to be everywhere and a real handful to boot.
Joining the Samoan was Chris Robshaw and returning England skipper Nick Easter.
Robshaw is extraordinary in the way he launches himself though gaps like a Brimstone missile, most often he forms a target for the Quins pick and drive but if he’s missed and gets through the ruck he causes mayhem so Tigers will have to maintain the improvement at the breakdown that was evidenced at the Recreation Ground. Robshaw also tops the tackles made stat with Craig Newby close behind so there’ll be some banging and crashing from these two.
I sometimes wonder what to make of Nick Easter. I have to say that while I’m a fan he would give me palpitations were I a Quins’ supporter as when defending deep in his own half, even on the five metre line, he often tries to run the ball out on his own and does a strange little shuffle before moving forward, rather like Road Runner who’s feet whizz around just off the ground before gaining traction and shooting the character forward. It’s an odd habit and I’d guess that the Tigers breakaway forwards will try to nab him while he’s in this state of suspension. Once away from this he’s still a great performer, rock solid in the tackle and possessed of a lovely soft pass which has earned him a place in the top offloads stat and he provides a kopje for his colleagues as he drives on but is at his best when already under steam. Although both he and Robshaw can get themselves isolated and concede penalties.
Opposing the forty-three time capped Nick Easter will be the aspiring England #8 Thomas Waldrom who continues to vie for the most metres gained in this year’s competition and it will be a contest given extra piquancy by the England stalwart facing the pretender to his hitherto unchallenged tenure of the England #8 shirt.
With his two tries against Bath Tom Croft is clearly fully restored and with Craig Newby surely keeping his place at open side the back row contest will be fascinating with the added frisson of yet another aspirant for Easter’s England shirt, Jordan Crane, waiting for his chance. I wonder when there were last three candidates for the same place in the England team on show in the same match’s squads.
I was very pleased to see that Tigers had given their approach to the breakdown some attention and as a consequence they looked far more competitive and it will be a close run thing between the two breakaway trios in the loose being roughly equal in their ruck successes.
Behind the scrum another vignette is due to be played out with Ben Youngs, fresh from silencing his doubters at The Recreation Ground, facing his international team mate and rival for the England scrum half spot.
Care was his inimitable busy and bustling self against Gloucester, he’s preferred method is to keep the ball in hand and so got his pack moving endlessly forward in open play while producing a try making break after committing daylight robbery at the back of an attacking Gloucester scrum before darting off downfield and swapping passes with Camacho until eventually rejuvenated Monye dotted the ball over the whitewash.
Later way out West Youngs was involved in similar deeds of derring do and it’s hard to pick between the two of them based on the events of last Saturday and with only a sheet of Bronco between them in the try assists stat.
Conor O’Shea has a real dilemma on selection at fly half with Nick Evans likely to be fit and raring to go having recovered from his broken hand. On the face of it it’s a no brainer but I hadn’t seen Prince Harry doppelganger; Rory Clegg, play for a while and the last time I did he was a raw as a Steak Tartare but last Saturday he looked a different proposition altogether.
German born Clegg, who made his Premiership debut for Falcons in the 2008/9 season, looked very accomplished, made the right decisions, was pretty much faultless with his kicking duties and looked calm and collected. What he doesn’t yet have is the rugby brain of Nick Evans, his eye for the gap and of course his pace or for that matter his predilection to use the boot far more in open play than does Flood. So the Kiwi will be on parade I’m sure but it’ll be tough on young Clegg and like his namesake he’ll have to hope to play a meaningful part in a coalition.
Toby Flood also picked up a brace of tries against Bath and looked back to form now he’s free of the claustrophobia of Pennyhill Park. When he plays for Tigers he does so with a smile on his face and a spring in his step whereas when on England duty he seems to have the cares of the World on his shoulders. It will be a great contest between Flood and one of the best in Kiwi Evans. In fact a real one to savour and it’s impossible to call the outcome of the whole half back scenario. Tigers will just hope that they can get the Quins’ pack on the back foot which is not advantageous for any #9 and Care is no different and he, like Youngs can get rattled and petulant.
At centre Tony Allen had another splendid outing in Bath for Tigers and fully exploited the gaps he found with one leading to arguably the try of the season but we’ll have to wait and see. Almost as notable was a try saving tackle that he made on Banahan a few minutes later when the Bath giant had been missed by the defensive cover and Allen just appeared from the ether and felled the big man.
In my book Jordan Turner – Hall may still be a contender for the troublesome inside centre England shirt. He’s another player who’s always had great power but that was it as his forays inevitably ended in a ruck but now he’s got some lovely handling skills to bring to the table to complement his powerful running which have put him second in the offload stat and he’s the tenth top carrier in the Premiership, a stat which Thomas Waldrom tops.
In fact it’s significant that, Waldrom aside, Quins have three players in the carrying stat; Robshaw, Easter and Turner – Hall so it’s easy to see their modus operandi.
Turener - Hall is the perfect foil for another of my favourites, George Lowe. Lowe has been ever present for Quins this term and has already scored ten tries in all competitions. He has lovely skills, low slung power and pace to burn, what a prospect to face Manu Tuilagi for which read ditto.
The only cloud to rain on Tuilagi junior’s parade, who is second in the stats for defenders beaten and has been scoring tries for fun, is his ongoing difficulty with his defensive alignment which still sees him drifting out too wide which, when Allen is double loaded by the opposition attack, leaves a big gap in the 12/13 channel which Bath exploited to great effect with decoy runners tieing in the Tigers’ 10 and 12 while Claassens scooted across and aimed to bring his runners through the gap. Happily the Tigers cover defence snuffed out the attacks. This alignment issue brings the additional problem of crowding the winger who has to cut back inside. So it’s something that must be resolved and quickly as Lowe and Turner – Hall will be less forgiving than were the Bath backs and if Mike Brown comes into the line there’ll be big trouble.
I don’t believe that having Staunton and Grindal on the bench brings anything that we don’t already know about and I’d like to see both Twelvetrees and Sam Harrison there instead and getting some meaningful game time which would have the added benefit of keeping the usual back up pairing safely ensconced for the trip to Dublin.
In the continued absence of Geordan Murphy the Tigers’ back three has a settled look about it with Horacio Agulla having his best match in a Tigers’ shirt against Bath and I can’t see either the Argentinian or Alex Tuilagi failing to start with the rock that is Scott Hamilton at full back.
Quins have their own Argentinian; Camacho, in the back three but I have a feeling that Tom Williams may get a start on Saturday and link up with a newly invigorated Ugo Monye.
I don’t think Williams will relish meeting up with Tuilagi senior but that’s life – sort of. Monye was just given too much ball by Gloucester, no point at all kicking to the Quins back three as it always comes back with more interest than an ISA, although admittedly that’s scant praise. Mike Brown is playing out of his skin now the ground has firmed up and he seems to make so many metres and beat so many defenders that it’s surprising that he not higher in the stats but I guess it’s the quality of his running that cannot be quantified as he always seems to make the most telling of clean breaks for which he jointly tops the stats with team mate Nick Evans and appears in the defenders beaten, again with Evans – so Tigers beware.
Quins do play a very open style making more passes and carrying the ball more than any other team and as a consequence can turn over a lot of ball with Mike Brown being the worst offender currently playing in the Premiership with Nick Evans, George Lowe and Jordan Turner –Hall all in the top ten conceders.
Now this is a really hard one to call as the two teams are statistically so close in many aspects of the game, the big difference being in the league table where Quins have 44 points to Tigers 62, have scored 38 tries and conceded 22 whereas the visitors have scored 52 tries and conceded just 20 and have favourable points differences of 74 points in Quins case and 167 in Tigers’. So historically this season Tigers very much have the edge but that’s then and this is now.
The only thing I can say is that I can’t believe that Quins can play much better than they did against Gloucester and given their failure just a couple of weeks before when they inexplicably lost to Falcons maybe there’s an issue with consistency.
On the other hand Tigers’ victory was from a performance that has much to improve upon and they have been consistent as evidenced by their league position. They will need to be much more efficient in making their first up tackles and continue with their improvement at the breakdown if they are to gain traction against the ever moving Quins’ machine though.
If Tigers don’t lift their game from last weekend , which they have to if they are to stand the remotest chance against Leinster, and Quins play as they did against Gloucester then it’s hard to see anything other than a home win.
However with Saracens hosting Bath and Gloucester and Saints also at home to Falcons and Sale respectively each home side is likely to get five points, while Sarries will expect to pick up four, Tigers need to win at The Stoop to keep their preeminence at the top of the Premiership and start their count down to the Heineken Cup quarter final in positive mood so they may just do it.
So for the visitors its’ 5 – 4 – 3 -2 -1 GO!
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Stumbleupon30/03/2011 18:03
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:04:05:12:48:24 by Stephen Bath.
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Lest we forget
Hope to see a few of you at The Stoop for a feast of running rugby, as every game bar the Bath 6-6 snoozefest has been this year.
I hope we give you more of a run for your money than we normally do, and please make sure to buy lots of beer to keep the season ticket prices down for next year
Nunquam Dormio
Quins are hungry now. I wonder whether we might just dig out a narrow win this weekend. We can't complain about the referee this week. I'm sure Mr Barnes will allow a free flowing game which for you Tiggers and us Quins should prove to be an very entertaining and exciting game.
I would love to see us win, however, I am just relishing the spectacle, which will surely be the game of the season, methinks!
Thanks Chris, much appreciated.
Sadly I will be on a plane as this game is played. As apart from the interest in the overall match, there are so many sub drama to watch.
For me George Lowe v Manu would be worth the admission price alone. I can see these two fighting for the England 13 jersey for some years to come.
Quote:IanC
I should always remember to thank Chris for these, it is too easy to just accept his excellent research, analysis and prose without acknowledgement.
Thanks Chris, much appreciated.
What Ian C Said
To be fair on Toby Flood and England I certainly felt that Toby looked to be playing with a smile on his face and it was the freedom that he seemed to be relishing that was one of the most marked features of England's 6N campaign this year. Whilst he looked uncomfortable under pressure against Ireland - who doesn't when struggling like that - I have to say I felt that there was far from a suffocating straightjacket around this years England squad. Wasn't it Ben Youngs who said that there is less structure to the England approach than there is at Tigers?
I felt that Toby's (and Ben's and Crofty's) preformance last week was more by way of exorcising the demons of the previous week whilst surrounded by his mates and in the comfort of the familiar than any great liberation from shackled strictures.
The key difference was being granted the freedonm of the Rec by the excellence of his forwards.
...
The game's afoot;
Follow your spirit: and upon this charge,
Cry — God for Harry! England and Saint George
More like dead from the neck up
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How right that is.
I never make belligerent forecasts of Tigers victories. I am quietly confident when I see the team we can put out against Quins and am cheered, but I would never negate a good team like Quins on their home dirt. Should be a fascinating game if it stays dry.
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