Leicester vs Newcastle - Sunday 3pm

[Puja]

Leicester: Steward; Potter, Scott, Kelly, Porter; Ford, Youngs; Genge (capt), Montoya, Cole, Snyman, Green, Chessum, Reffell, Martin

Replacements: Clare, Leatigaga, Heyes, Wells, Dolly, Van Poortvliet, Burns, Moroni

Newcastle: Brown; Carreras, Orlando, Burrell, Radwan; Hodgson, Schreuder; Brocklebank, Maddison, Davison, Peterson, Robinson, Van der Walt, Welch (capt), Fearns

Replacements: Smith, Cooper, Tampin, Chick, Graham, Stuart, Connon, Penny

Referee: Karl Dickson

[Puja]

Dolly as back row sub with Brink released, Liebenberg and Van Staden injured and Wiese banned for being a consistent muppet. Hopefully that won't cause a problem, although I suspect it'd be Wells as first man out if a flanker goes down. Very interested to see more of Martin at 8 - I really do think that might end up being his position.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Truly following in Itoje’s footsteps.

[FKAS]

Tigers with four quality lineout jumpers and Falcons struggling with unavailable hookers and then Tigers front row considerably better should mean Tigers dominate the set piece.

The loose game might be a far more open affair but hopefully we can keep Falcons pinned into their half via the set piece. Missing a couple of our bigger carriers but good chances for others to step up. Porter will run into brick walls all day, actually looking forward to seeing Martin taking on more carrying responsibility.

[Scrumhead]

Yep. That’s more or less my take on it. Although to be fair, I know very little about Maddison. It could be that he’s just a solid nuts and bolts hooker (less good in the loose) and they still have their main jumpers available so it might actually mean Falcons double down on the set piece?

[FKAS]

From what I understand Maddison is a Championship journeyman who's made it up to squad back up at Falcons. His minimum exposure to the first team so far probably hints at the squad cover status. Given the four top end jumpers we have compared to the two and a half Falcons have (Van Der Walt has covered the row previously) should mean we can afford to throw Chessum up at the front and then man mark Robinson who is Falcons go to option with the athletic Martin. If he can make throws under that level or pressure good on him and we might have to go to one jumper and prepare to defend the driving maul but Martin got amongst the Bristol lineout at times last weekend and Chessum is a very good jumper so hopefully we can cause him some grief.

Falcons have gone for maximum experience in the backline probably hoping to diffuse Ford's kicking. Might leave some opportunities to attack of their back three is sat deep.

[fivepointer]

Newcastle's l/o is very reliable. Robinson is one of the best operators in the Prem and Peterson wins a good share at the front.
Scrums more likely to go Tigers way and there is their driving maul which is a potent weapon.
Be quite a surprise if Tigers dont win, though Newcastle do have the capacity to make life difficult.

[FKAS]

Newcastle's l/o is very reliable. Robinson is one of the best operators in the Prem and Peterson wins a good share at the front.
Scrums more likely to go Tigers way and there is their driving maul which is a potent weapon.
Be quite a surprise if Tigers dont win, though Newcastle do have the capacity to make life difficult.

That is very true, Robinson is one of the most underrated locks in the league. I did say man mark him at the lineout though. Had Robinson not had some bad luck with injuries earlier in his career he could have been snapped up by a bigger side or maybe had more chance to stake a claim with England as an understudy to Kruis. Has a little bit of the Geoff Parling about him.

[Mr Mwenda]

Leicester: Steward; Potter, Scott, Kelly, Porter; Ford, Youngs; Genge (capt), Montoya, Cole, Snyman, Green, Chessum, Reffell, Martin

Replacements: Clare, Leatigaga, Heyes, Wells, Dolly, Van Poortvliet, Burns, Moroni

Newcastle: Brown; Carreras, Orlando, Burrell, Radwan; Hodgson, Schreuder; Brocklebank, Maddison, Davison, Peterson, Robinson, Van der Walt, Welch (capt), Fearns

Replacements: Smith, Cooper, Tampin, Chick, Graham, Stuart, Connon, Penny

Referee: Karl Dickson

This confluence pleases me.

[FKAS]

Chessum pulls out through illness so Wells to 6 and Murimurivalu to the bench. That's a 4-4 split on the bench for Tigers with all four forwards primarily front rowers.

[FKAS]

Anyone recommend a stream?

[FKAS]

Found one.

Tigers keeping Falcons pinned back in their own half. Falcons have had plenty of possession but have done nothing with it. One rolling maul try and a Ford dink over the top that Hodgson spilled into the path of Scott just before half time for the second.

[FKAS]

Second half read first half. Falcons can't get anything going and play most of the game in their own half. Tigers eventually grind them down to score a other two tries and get the TBP. Falcons don't register a point on the scoreboard.

[TheNomad]

How did Martin do at 8?

[FKAS]

How did Martin do at 8?

Didn't really make the metres ball in hand you'd want from an 8. He was his usual industrious self with lots of dominant tackles, good lineout option and made a number of carries but whilst he tends to get over the gainline it doesn't tend to be by much. Certainly nothing close to a barnstorming run sadly. The conditions certainly weren't conducive to running rugby and he had more impact than Fearns.

[Puja]

How did Martin do at 8?

He looked like he needed more practice. Very clumsy at the base, but in wretched conditions and only his second ever start there, it's more than understandable. Too early to tell if it's an experiment worth pursuing.

Puja

[Tigersman]

I think this is more a forced experiment rather than something tigers are really that interested in other than cover.

[FKAS]

Whilst we've generally talked Martin at 8 down his finish for his try was really good and exactly the type of thing you'd see from Simmonds or Dombrandt close to the line.