By ChrisC
December 23 2013

Driving Home for Christmas.                                                        After six months living from Monday to Friday in a hotel in far away Essex the business I had been nursing back to health, after it had received investment from my client, seemed to be out of intensive care and my presence had reduced to a few days a month.

I was ready for Christmas so my heart sank when I read the fax containing the company’s weekly report.  There was something not right, the numbers didn’t stack up and the weekly narrative was vaguer than a man calling from a bar he shouldn’t have been in with somebody he shouldn’t have been there with. My client, who didn’t like surprises, was spooked as the long Christmas/New Year holiday was about to start and a lot could happen in a fortnight. 

The company’s managing director was evasive when I telephoned him so my client said there was nothing for it, I’d have to go back to Essex and find out what was going on – I was not a happy bunny as I headed south. 

I arrived late at the hotel and waited behind a nervous couple who looked to have been at a party in the hotel’s function room and were checking in while guiltily looking around.  The receptionist welcomed me raising her eyebrows as the giggling couple headed for their room – “last minute booking” she explained.  “Ah!” I said. 

 I was at the company’s offices at 8am on Christmas Eve where festivities were at the forefront of everyone’s mind, the office party scheduled to get under way at lunchtime. They were surprised to see me having thought their half baked response to my telephone call the previous day had seen me off – wrong and now I was cross! 

I began grilling the management who obfuscated until finally admitting that as time was short before the Christmas holiday they’d pretty much made up the report.  I said I’d wait while they produced the correct numbers and rewrote their report and that the delights of the party would have to wait, even though it was already underway with the female staff in their full party finery eager for action while the lads stared at the floor until sufficient Dutch courage had been imbibed.  

With the report completed and checked by further detailed interrogation I pronounced myself satisfied. I confirmed as much to my client and feeling as if I should have swirled my cape and twisted my wax moustache, while crying “bah humbug” I nevertheless rejected the half hearted invitation to join the festivities and belatedly set off into the sleeting and now crepuscular afternoon back to Derbyshire. 

I soon became gridlocked on the M25 and then theM1. In an adjacent stationary car a girl was tapping her steering wheel and singing along to a tune on her radio which was obviously tuned to the same station as was mine. She looked over, smiled the weary smile of the Christmas Eve traveller and, rolling our eyes in unison, we engaged in a silent duet of Chris Rea’s “Driving Home for Christmas” while driving in companionable harmony until she exited at Luton. 

I still think of that Christmas Eve on the M1 and my singing partner whenever I hear the Chris Rea classic much as a match with Sale conjures up thoughts of Tigers’ past encounters with them at a bitterly cold Welford Road during the festive season. Tigers having played Sale Sharks during the Christmas/New Year season half a dozen times in the last twelve years or so. 

Last Friday evening Sale welcomed London Irish to the catchily named A J Bell Stadium whileTigers had to wait until Saturday when they travelled to the equally evocatively named Allianz Park.  Both matches played in terrible wind and rain with the home sides being victorious, albeit by differing degrees. 

There was no undue selectorial messing about by Steve Diamond as, normal rotation aside, he fielded a strong team to cement Sale’s position well out of any relegation danger and pressing for a season’s finish in the top half of the league, which would be some feat after the travails of the preceding season. 

Tigers meanwhile made significant changes to the team that was victorious in Montpellier just six days before, after all in these days of the league being a sideshow (to some) matches can be sacrificed and in Tigers’ case the back to back home fixtures against Sale and Bath were probably prioritised as being the more likely to yield league points than a visit to the high flying Saracens home turf, well plastic actually but you get the point? 

Richard Cockerill had little real choice other than to grasp the nettle and get player welfare, injury niggles and EPS rest issues out of the way, after all in just a few weeks comes the denouement of the Heineken Cup’s pool stages with first a trip to Treviso for Tigers and then a likely pool decider against Ulster at Welford Road. 

The decision to effectively cede the match at Barnet spread to the players with only Matera, Kitchener and Benjamin earning any kudos.  Otherwise lack of intensity, an absence of defensive organisation (again), a plethora of missed tackles and some frankly daft play conspired to send Tigers home with their tails firmly between their legs, where I thought they looked to be curled from the outset. 

The Tigers’ pack didn’t have the best of days while Mr Barnes who, with his customary propensity to cast a blind eye to Saracens’ misdemeanours while picking up those of others with the zeal of a KGB operative, didn’t help matters.  I thought this was exemplified when after maybe (I lost count) half a dozen penalties conceded by the home side in Tigers’ “red zone” Mr Barnes told Borthwick that there was a chance he’d get cross.  The admonishment was delivered with a simpering smile and for one horrible moment I thought he was going to give Borthwick a peck on the cheek so fey was his delivery. 

A few minutes later, at the other end of the pitch, there was no smiling and simpering when Tigers’ first foul in the opposition “red zone” got Waldrom a yellow card and, when Tigers’ seven men couldn’t contain Saracens’ eight, there were no smiley warnings or second, third, fourth, fifth or even sixth chances from Mr Barnes, just an immediate penalty try. 

Ah well that’s Mr Barnes for you – inconsistent to the last blow of his whistle which by now must have almost worn out its pea in its attempts to keep him centre stage. 

This week little Matthew Carley makes his debut at Welford Road in just his seventh Premiership appearance – ahh – bless! 

So to this weekend’s festive fair. 

I think that Richard Cockerill’s selection will tell us whether there’s any great emphasis being put on the Premiership after such an injury and international absence induced ropey start to the season. 

Saracens pretty much look set to top the league although in World Cup year Quins were seemingly out of sight at this point in the season but in the end squeezed home to top the pile just a solitary point ahead of those pesky Tigers, who’d staged a comeback from eleventh spot to finish a close second. 

After all if fourth spot is not of prime concern, relegation is not a threat and Heineken Cup qualification isn’t an issue then Tigers may decide to concentrate their resources on the aforesaid European competition and go for victory in its valedictory season.  And there’s always the LV= Cup of course! 

My guess is though that both Steve Diamond and Richard Cockerill will select the strongest teams they can, especially as the Manchester club are just two points behind Tigers so victory would see them replace Tigers in sixth spot and for Cockerill that prospect, combined with a likely victory for Wasps at Kingston Park which could see them leap frog Tigers who’d end the weekend way down in eighth, should crystallize his thoughts! 

Sale’s loose-head spot is currently shared by stalwart Eifon Lewis-Roberts, who had a season at Toulon before returning to the rainy North West for last season when he made just seven starts early on before being sidelined by injury, and young Ross Harrison.  Harrison looks a really useful prospect, still just twenty-one and a long way from his prime.  However with Dan Cole likely to be back for Tigers I guess that the experienced and significantly meatier Lewis-Roberts (aka the Fridge) will get the start. 

Tommy Taylor is another of Steve Diamond’s young guns in the front row.  He’s just a year older than Harrison and at 96kgs and 1.8m is lighter and taller than Tom Youngs, who’ll not be full of the festive spirit after his falling out with the obnoxious Borthwick.  Welshman Marc Jones, who has a solitary Under 19 cap for his country, is just as tall and light but is more experienced so he may get the nod this time around. 

Marcos Ayerza will surely complete a first choice Tigers’ front row and will prove a real challenge for either another of Diamond’s youngsters; Henry Thomas, who’s another very promising prop and linked with a move to Bath or, as I suspect will be the case, Moldovian international tight-head Vadim Cobilas. 

 I can’t see beyond the full strength Tigers’ front row getting a distinct edge at the set piece although the Sale trio could be a real handful in the loose. 

Graham Kitchener fell foul (no pun intended) of Mr Barnes’s whistle when he tackled Owen Farrell and the IRB spirit level was momentarily challenged.  Obviously no sense of proportionality is required these days and a yellow card was brandished with the speed of light.  Otherwise Kitchener built on his reputation and I expect to see him start again come Saturday alongside a restored Louis Deacon. 

I really like the way Steve Diamond is developing a pack for the future but there’s always room for experience and his signing of Kiwi Michael Paterson looks inspired.  Diamond brought the twenty-eight year old ex: Super 14 player in from Cardiff Blues where he’d spent a couple of seasons. 

My goodness what a find!! He’s a great line out operator, a ferocious tackler and marvellous at the breakdown. I can’t imagine Paterson won’t start but his partner is less certain as Diamond has rung the changes more than a drunken campanologist with Russians Ostrikov and Kulemin, the latter moving from London Welsh when they were relegated and both getting starts as well as another recruit from London Welsh; Jonathan Mills. 

I haven’t seen that much of the Russian duo but thought Mills a tireless and effective operator when he headed the line out that was in Welsh’s vanguard when they won promotion to the Premiership which remained their strongest suit for their year in the top flight so I rather favour him to partner Paterson in a strong set piece combination. 

As some of you may recall I have a list of players that I’d like to see in a Tigers’ shirt – Dan Braid’s on the list!  He may be a veteran now, having made his debut for the Blues against the Waratahs in the old Super 12 way back in February 2003, but if the adage is true that “God loves a trier” Braid’s nailed on for the blind side in a celestial XV.  He never stops working and I thought kept Sale in the Premiership last term pretty much on his own at times.  Great in every facet of the game, a bit like Craig Newby. 

There’s a rumour that Steve Mafi has been sighted and is imminently to return, maybe he’s with Santa? If the Tongan is available and has remained fit then after Gibson’s slip in form last Saturday, when Tigers were simply overwhelmed at the breakdown, I expect to see Mafi back and adding to Tigers’ dynamism and line out presence. 

David Attenborough should produce a film on another endangered species; genuine open-sides. 

If we’re lucky we’ll have two to watch on Saturday; David Seymour and Julian Salvi.  Could be great fun watching those two go head to head. I think Salvi would edge it but not by much. 

With Mark Easter injured James Gaskell has had the Sale #8 shirt of late and is a valuable asset in the Sale lineout as well as in open play.  Amazing to think that he’s still only twenty-three. 

I don’t think Jordan Crane did anything to advance his claim on the Tigers’ #8 berth last weekend and against the mobile Sale outfit I’d favour Waldrom but who knows? 

I think that overall the hosts’ pack will come out ahead, especially at the set piece but my goodness there’ll have to be an improvement at the breakdown if they’re to contain the resurgent Sharks. 

Dwayne Peel and Danny Cipriani have formed a good partnership at half back with Peel playing at his confident best while it could be that Diamond is the coach to harness the talents of Cipriani who’s playing some good stuff so the media bandwagon for the errant fly half is gathering.  His default option is often still to kick and luck was on his side last Friday when another speculative kick was helped by the elements to avoid O’Connor allowing the alert Brady to collect for a simple score.  Cipriani’s competitors; George Ford, Freddie Burns and Owen Farrell also, as is the modern way, kick first on their default setting rather than release their outside backs but Farrell aside don’t seem to have much enthusiasm for the head on tackle.  

No tackling qualms from Flood but he looks out of touch with the modern Lancaster set agenda for fly-halves as Flood’s all for being flat on the gain line and keeping the ball in hand so there’ll be an interesting comparison of styles to be had if the France bound Flood is fit and starts. 

Ben Youngs, who didn’t look at his best without Flood, also upset Mr Barnes by having the temerity to first object to Borthwick being in an offside position and interfering with his access to a potent Tigers’ maul but Barnes ignored the cheating Saracen, instead sanctioning the diminutive scrum half for pulling the hulking great lock out of the way – you really couldn’t make it up! 

Tigers’ have parked yet another centre, well actually it’s the same centre, with Matt Smith injured again having broken the same digit that kept him on the sidelines until the last couple of weeks when he made just his third ever start in the inside centre berth. Hepetema, also just back from injury, replaced him and promptly got his timing wrong and was using his arms to stop himself hitting the deck but when the Saracen player fell over the Kiwi’s prone form Hepetema was adjudged by the clueless Wayne Barnes to have made a tackle without use of said limbs, even though he was unconscious at the time. 

Tony Allen is rumoured to be back in training after his life threatening freak injury and oh how Tigers need him, either that or a ton of sprouts to block the sieve that is Tigers’ defence without him.  I expect that Bowden will start though and have to cope with the wrecking ball that is Sam Tuitupou who’s been laying waste to opposition players at Blues, for whom he made his debut at the beginning of 2003, oddly enough in the same match that saw Dan Braid make his debut, and at Chiefs, Munster and Worcester en route to his assignment at Sale where he’s doing what he does best – getting over the gain line and turning defenders into road-kill. 

Jonny Leota is injured again but young England Under 23; Mark Jennings did a good job in Leota’s stead.  He didn’t get much ball but looked strong and quick when he did and it’ll be interesting to see him against Goneva who’ll also be hoping for more ball than he saw at Barnet. 

Out wide for the visitors on Saturday will probably be the evergreen Mark Cueto who, while not as quick as in his prime, has an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time so Miles Benjamin, who again impressed last weekend as he worked tirelessly to make something, well anything really, out of nothing, will be able to match himself against all that experience. 

I thought Morris looked out of sorts again so I’ll be puzzled if Adam Thompstone doesn’t start on the left wing with Benjamin on the right and Tait at full back against his old club mates as he tries to play himself into full match trim. I just hope they don’t show Cueto or Brady the outside. 

Tom Arscott has been missing of late so maybe he’s also injured and we’ll see the quicksilver Tom Brady, who hasn’t had the opportunity to replicate his nine try exploits of a couple of seasons back but will, I think, be preferred to both Irishman Charlie Ingall or another ex London Welsh player; Canadian international Phil McKenzie for the starting line up, while Rob Miller looks certain for the full back job. I like Miller and is another I’d like to have seen at Tigers.  There are few that carry the ball up better. 

Plenty to play for, especially for Tigers who, as it’s at Welford Road, I think will win.

Happy Christmas and safe driving.

Tigers v Sale Match Preview

Discussion started by TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk , 23/12/2013 20:43

TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk
23/12/2013 20:43

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:12:31:15:12:20 by Tiggs.

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Tiggs
24/12/2013 07:44

Many thanks Chris, and a very merry Christmas to you and Helen !!

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odd-shaped vagaries
24/12/2013 14:30

I echo Tiggs' sentiments and wishes, though I'd not be so presumptuous as to mention Mrs. C [if that is who 'Helen' is] with such familiarity

I do hope the new year brings you both a better share of fortune

Meanwhile, the forthcoming Christmas Sale may well bring traditional queuing and frenetic clamouring, but if we keep our heads while all about are losing theirs we could well leave with worthwhile rewards

'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget

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S4llyC
24/12/2013 15:06

Many thanks for yet another comprehensive summary, Chris, and for all the preceding ones which have sent us supporters into each fixture well-prepared on paper, at least!

Here's hoping we can put last weekend's sorry fare behind us and come up with something a bit more tasty for the Festive fixture.

And here's wishing you and your family all the best for Christmas, and good health and good fortune for the coming year.

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Stopsy
24/12/2013 15:51

Many thanks yet again Chris, I wish you and the Mem a wonderful Christmas and happy 2014.

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ChrisC
24/12/2013 17:08

Thanks everybody for your good wishes. Helen and me send you our best after a "trying" year.

We hope everyone has a Happy Christmas followed by a happy, prosperous and most importantly-healthy 2014.

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Purebob
26/12/2013 08:23

Another cracking assessment. Happy new year mate

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ChrisC
26/12/2013 09:29

.. and to you and yours in the West Mids.

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Johns
27/12/2013 08:44

Thanks Chris, best wishes to you both for the New Year.

May the best of your past the the worst of your future.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:12:27:08:45:41 by Johns.

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ChrisC
27/12/2013 09:06

Thanks John and the same to you

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