By Rich W
July 13 2003

Well, so we’ve considered where things went wrong last term how about where they went right… Well firstly there are the performances of Geordan Murphy, Josh Kronfeld and Martin Johnson...
Well firstly there are the performances of Geordan Murphy, Josh Kronfeld and Martin Johnson whose consistent excellence have set an example to all around them. Secondly the disrupted season we have experienced has resulted in a number of younger players moving forwards to gain first-team experience – experience which will be needed in the forthcoming season. Thirdly when one considers the season as a whole (a semi-final of the domestic cup, the quarters of the European Cup and European qualification) in the light of the sort of disruption we’ve had to face this year it doesn’t look quite as bad as it seems! I can hardly see us having to endure another season so badly disrupted by injury and in an odd sort of way the World Cup will prove less disruptive than this year’s international demands. At least the management will have one settled squad of players with which to work and if we can avoid a repeat of the season long injury crisis, next year will hopefully see us back challenging again.


Other points of encouragement can be found in the way the team responded when under pressure in the play-off final when if the quality of performance may have been wanting, the commitment was all that could have been wanted and was at times missing during the ‘regular season’. It was heart-warming (not that anything needed warming that day) to see the old spirit resurface.


Most important of all is the performance of the Under 21’s. This is intended as a review of the senior squad’s season so I do not wish to devote too much time to their efforts. It is clear, however, that the quality which runs through the youngsters’ squad is primed to provide the next generation of Tigers. If only 5 of that team make the step up we would be well served.


And finally: so by our recent standards this was a poor season. But when thought about objectively I have to come back to the fact that we reached a semi-final, the European quarter-final and qualified for Europe next term. Some clubs would be grateful for that. And remember one thing - at least we’re still not as bad as B**h!

So all in all, not everything is bleak.

Now then on with the Halves:

As I mentioned earlier the half-back combinations have exercised me greatly this year. The situation in both positions has been hugely problematical with nobody really putting up their hand to make a strong claim. This confusion has been reflected in the selections we’ve seen. To be honest if we need to look at a primary cause of this season’s maladies I think this is it. A real shortage of consistent quality performances in these two vital, nay pivotal, positions has led to a break down in back-line performances, a lack of trust in the backs on the part of the forwards and an absence of direction from the link. Now boys can we please get a grip next year?


Harry Ellis:

Another one who had a mixed year. After his excellence last season, 2002/03 was always going to be a matter of slower progress. Second season blues if you like. It appeared that Harry spent too much of the first half of the season trying to take on too much himself. He took much ball into contact and rarely seemed to be thinking about what was available outside him. I felt that this was particularly the case against Glaws in November. I also feel that his service failed him about this time. I lost count of the amount of ball the first receiver took over-head, off his bootstraps, behind him etc. In fact I was very worried that he was heading the way of a one season wonder before the turn of the year. The New Year seemed to bring renewed confidence though, and despite a brief interruption for injury he looked a whole lot more like himself as the season limped to a close. By the Leeds game his service seemed to have regained its old zip and his decision making had recovered, making his own darting runs dangerous again. I was much reassured by his finish to the year and felt he performed admirably against Sarries at Franklin’s Gardens. So on a mixed year – 7/10.


Tom Tierney:

I’m not quite sure what to make of Tom. He looks to me to be the most accomplished 9 at the club. He has all the skills. But there seems to be something not quite right mentally, the pressure gets to him a bit as we saw against Muster (though I didn’t rate him as poorly that day as some) and maybe that’s why he’s made fewer appearances than we might have hoped. However, if he can get past that mental issue (and maybe that means if the club can help him past it) then he is possessed of an excellent all round game that can offer much. His service has a zip which is far superior to any of his rivals. He’s a good organiser, has decent pace and is an excellent footballer. When he made his first appearances he looked keen and hungry and I rather feel some of that was lost with his irregular appearances. He now has to push himself hard in this close season to get himself into the first choice spot. So another patchy season – 7/10.


Jamie Hamilton:

It’s sad when a player goes on too long. Jamie has been excellent over the years: a true club man always whole-hearted and always competent. However, this season those weaknesses in his game which have always been disguised by his willingness to work and to keep working have really begun to dominate his game. Hesitancy at the base, the slow looping service that dies on the receiver and a tendency to take too much ball into contact around the fringes resulting in him being out of the game, trapped at the bottom of the ruck have all come to dominate his game. As I said: sad, because I’d like to remember the Jamie of two/three tears ago when he was at that stage when experience and prime physical condition allied with mental sharpness allow a player to perform at his best. That said, Jamie’s exposure this year has been a result of another odd managerial decision: one can hardly blame a player for taking every opportunity that he gets and I would never suggest that Jamie ever gave less than 100%. It’s just not enough anymore. He did however provide one of the highlights of the year as just after Christmas when receiving the ball at he base of a ruck under the Sarries’ posts he looked left, right only to find no receivers. About to be buried by the opposition back row, he, what I can only describe as, pirouetted like a prima ballerina with a look of panic on his face only to find an enormous gap yawning in front of him through which he threw himself to score. Certainly amused me! Anyway I’m sorry, but Jamie only rates a 5/10.


Austin Healy:

Now then what can I say about Austin? Another player whose season was cruelly hampered by injury, he started the year as a stand-off but, playing with an injury, failed to impress and his performances suffered further from the apparent lack of organisation in the back-division. Now I don’t know to what extent Austin suffered from this disarray and to what extent he was a cause of it, but his early season form was moderate at best as he looked to take on too much himself and failed to bring his team-mates (no matter how disorganised) into the game. On his eventual return from injury he produced, against Sale, his best performance of the season when, with good service from Tom Tierney inside him, he both controlled the game and provided a threat of his own. His injury against Munster was then the cruellest twist of fate. The frustration of virtually a whole season kicking his heels must grate doubly with Austin. Not only is it a disappointment to any sportsman as driven as he but when he considers the relative paucity in terms of the depth of talent possessed by England in both half-back positions he must have felt like screaming. Still, if fit for England’s pre World Cup games, don’t count out his much discussed versatility in terms of him claiming the ‘utility back’ role for the big one. Another one for whom it is difficult to find a mark given his sporadic season: 7/10


Sam Vesty:

Finally some good news! Sam has come on in leaps and bounds this year. He’s brave and strong, has a reasonable turn of pace, good footballing skills, decent hands and brings the backs into play well. In some ways his cut-out passes and his willingness to take the ball up remind me of a younger Mike Catt, though I see Sam as less flaky, if less instinctive and slower, than the erstwhile England 10/12. While he remains far from the finished product, he has shown plenty of potential, which when allied to a good attitude suggests a successful future in store. He certainly dealt well with the pressure of finding himself, somewhat unexpectedly, as first choice 10 in November. I’m confident that in a couple of years Sam will be pushing for higher honours. Very good: 8/10.


Crag McMullen:

Another player now on his travels and I suppose it was unsurprising that Craig would follow his fellow Brumby, Rod Kafer, out of the club. Now I have nothing against Craig, indeed I had started to think that he was looking a decent player towards the end of the season but I do recall feeling sadly disappointed that our response to an apparent stand-off crisis was to recruit an apparently unfit, Australian journeyman. His later performances may have proved my initial reaction unfair but I don’t think that he ever looked a long term solution to our dearth at 10. His kicking game looked too weak and though other areas of his game were competent he never appeared close to being the replacement for Joel Stransky for which we have waited so long. On a small number of improving performances he’s not quite a 7/10. Thus 6/10.


I think that does it for the halves except to say that when one looks at the performances by those in this section it is easy to see where things have really started to go wrong this year. Still one hopes for better next term.

¾ ers and fullies to follow soon.