Exe vs Leicester saturday - 2pm

[Epaminondas Pules]

So stick him on the bench.

Which is incidentally what we were talking about.

[Tigersman]

Doesn’t really change my point.
Player goes down early same potential issue.

[Banquo]

It might be a lack of fit personnel, but actually, I think we’ll see a lot of 6/2 benches.

Quins have done the same and I think it’s probably for the same reason. Chiefs and Sale play a power game up front and maybe the extra forward is intended to help cope with that across the 80?

Can always tell who is a forward when 6/2 gets discussed

I didn’t know it was so obvious ... although in fairness I’ve played on the wing a fair bit too.

I wouldn’t generally favour a 6/2 split, but as Which said, I think we’ll see a lot of it over the next few months.

'scrumhead' is a bit of a tell.....

[FKAS]

It's pretty obvious IMO why Steward wouldn't be in contention for this week.
Exeter have a excellent kicking game.

If Steward was at 15 the back 3 would be
11. Williams
14. Olowofela
15. Steward

That's an extremely inexperienced back 3.
Now worth isn't that experienced but has has nearly double the amount of Tigers appearances than those 3 combined.

Murphy made the point multiple times of trying to get these youngster involved with senior players around them as opposed to just chucking them in the deep end and hope they can swim. Now if Nadolo and/or Murimurivalu was around I would agree Steward should start.

But away at Exeter with 2 inexperienced wingers isn't really the place too have your second Tigers appearance.

Steward has had more than one Tigers appearance. I'm a little surprised he wasn't preferred to Williams given that Steward can and has previously slotted in at 13 as well as 15. If you want to have a 6/2 bench then he covers more positions in case of injury as Henry on the bench is a 10/15 and White is an out and out 9. I suppose Worth at 15 can cover centre.

Despite having played virtually all my rugby in the backs (utility back, jack of all trades master of none) I don't mind the 6/2 split. I like that they are giving young Thom Smith a chance. Not the biggest 8 you'll see but he's aggressive and has good acceleration, hopefully he's bulked up a bit.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Doesn’t really change my point.
Player goes down early same potential issue.

Not picking through fear is never a good rationale.

[twitchy]

Hopefully the weather shouldn't be a factor today. Luckily it has cooled down quite a bit for the time in a while. Still damp and humid but a playable temp.

[Tigersman]

Doesn’t really change my point.
Player goes down early same potential issue.

Not picking through fear is never a good rationale.

Not really fear though is it?
Protecting players confidence can be just as big a motivator.

Look at Tait.

[Raggs]

Impressed with tigers so far, and unimpressed with Exeter. Tigers have some points of clear improvement, but doing well as a unit.

[Mr Mwenda]

Realusing once again why i seldom watch club rugby. Really struggling to pay attention.

Leicester good value for their lead.

[Mr Mwenda]

Realusing once again why i seldom watch club rugby. Really struggling to pay attention.

Leicester good value for their lead.

And then Exeter score of course.

[Raggs]

Classic exeter. "Classic" Leicester with repeat poor pens too.

[switchskier]

Realusing once again why i seldom watch club rugby. Really struggling to pay attention.

Leicester good value for their lead.

May just be that you're trying to watch Exeter. For all of the talent in the backlight they so rarely get the chance to show it unless returning kicks.

I'm having a weird amount of trouble telling LCD apart from Hogg.

[Mr Mwenda]

Seems the caterpillar ruck is back...

[Raggs]

Ford must be ridiculously frustrated playing in this tigers side.

[Mr Mwenda]

May just be that you're trying to watch Exeter. For all of the talent in the backlight they so rarely get the chance to show it unless returning kicks.

.

Yes, that doesn't help. One feels they've been in the pragmatic, building phase for an awfully long time.

[Mr Mwenda]

Finally, they can run and pass!

[twitchy]

Quality try.

[twitchy]

lol

[switchskier]

What did everyone think of Maunder? I've never been all that clear what the fuss is all about and today he wasn't bad. But he didn't exactly show anything to make himself unstoppable either. Passing was ok, but rarely moved the ball quickly. Box kicking was ok, a couple of very good ones and a few misshits. That SH room is a real mixed bag at the minute.

[twitchy]

What did everyone think of Maunder? I've never been all that clear what the fuss is all about and today he wasn't bad. But he didn't exactly show anything to make himself unstoppable either. Passing was ok, but rarely moved the ball quickly. Box kicking was ok, a couple of very good ones and a few misshits. That SH room is a real mixed bag at the minute.

He's ok, not great. For some reason we (england) can't seem to come up with any good sh's. It's pretty odd.

[Which Tyler]

What did everyone think of Maunder? I've never been all that clear what the fuss is all about and today he wasn't bad. But he didn't exactly show anything to make himself unstoppable either. Passing was ok, but rarely moved the ball quickly. Box kicking was ok, a couple of very good ones and a few misshits. That SH room is a real mixed bag at the minute.

The biggest points in his favour are that he's not Ben Young's, he's not Danny Care, and he's not in his 30s. It helps his cause that there's no-one obviously better

My biggest disappointment at SH is the Spencer stayed at Saracens too long (IMO, including saying so the last couple of times his contract was up for renewal), and has failed to kick on.

[Raggs]

I always felt that any half decent scrum half at Exeter, could at the very least, look consistently half decent. Similar with Sarries.

Vellacott is fit again, hoping he can look good for Wasps.

[Puja]

Realusing once again why i seldom watch club rugby. Really struggling to pay attention.

Given this is effectively a pre-season game, a lot of ring-rustiness is to be expected. I wouldn't expect any of this opening round to be any good to anyone but purists.

Good early signs from the Borthwick regime. Showed a decent spine and togetherness, which hasn't always been the case. Thought we were very unlucky with the run of penalties in the second quarter - it felt like Foley had predecided that Exeter were going to win every maul and scrum and found a reason to ping - it took the wind right out of our sails. Mind, when it became clear that that was happening, we needed to back the hell off and stop giving him excuses!

Thought Ford, Reffell, Scott, and Olowofela turned in a good shift. Youngs wasn't bad either - the early tap and go was nice to see.

All things told, glad not to have been utterly dicked upon and promising signs for future improvements.

Puja

[Puja]

What did everyone think of Maunder? I've never been all that clear what the fuss is all about and today he wasn't bad. But he didn't exactly show anything to make himself unstoppable either. Passing was ok, but rarely moved the ball quickly. Box kicking was ok, a couple of very good ones and a few misshits. That SH room is a real mixed bag at the minute.

The biggest points in his favour are that he's not Ben Young's, he's not Danny Care, and he's not in his 30s. It helps his cause that there's no-one obviously better

My biggest disappointment at SH is the Spencer stayed at Saracens too long (IMO, including saying so the last couple of times his contract was up for renewal), and has failed to kick on.

I do like Maunder's pass, but he's not the most exciting of 9s. Gets the ball swiftly and accurately from point A to point B, but won't attract too many defenders.

I want to see Mitchell tomorrow. He's who I'm excited about.

Puja

[Banquo]

Realusing once again why i seldom watch club rugby. Really struggling to pay attention.

Given this is effectively a pre-season game, a lot of ring-rustiness is to be expected. I wouldn't expect any of this opening round to be any good to anyone but purists.

Good early signs from the Borthwick regime. Showed a decent spine and togetherness, which hasn't always been the case. Thought we were very unlucky with the run of penalties in the second quarter - it felt like Foley had predecided that Exeter were going to win every maul and scrum and found a reason to ping - it took the wind right out of our sails. Mind, when it became clear that that was happening, we needed to back the hell off and stop giving him excuses!

Thought Ford, Reffell, Scott, and Olowofela turned in a good shift. Youngs wasn't bad either - the early tap and go was nice to see.

All things told, glad not to have been utterly dicked upon and promising signs for future improvements.

Puja

Unlucky 16 times in a row? Id think you were lucky to just have one yellow.

For a neutral, 33 pens, caterpillar rucks, loads of wasted time at the set piece, and pretty iffy skills made that a bit of a chore tbh