Leicester vs Bath

[Puja]

Leicester Tigers (v Bath Rugby, Welford Road, Sunday 3.00pm)

15 Telusa Veainu

14 Nick Malouf

13 Manu Tuilagi

12 Matt Toomua

11 Jonny May

10 George Ford

9 Ben Youngs

1 Ellis Genge

2 Tom Youngs (c)

3 Logovi’i Mulipola

4 Dom Barrow

5 Graham Kitchener

6 Dominic Ryan

7 Brendon O’Connor

8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Harry Thacker

17 Greg Bateman

18 Dan Cole

19 Mike Williams

20 Luke Hamilton

21 Sam Harrison

22 Joe Ford

23 Mathew Tait

Bath Rugby

15 Anthony Watson

14 Semesa Rokoduguni

13 Jonathan Joseph

12 Max Clark

11 Matt Banahan

10 Rhys Priestland

9 Chris Cook

1 Beno Obano

2 Tom Dunn

3 Kane Palma-Newport

4 Luke Charteris

5 Elliott Stooke

6 Matt Garvey (c)

7 Francois Louw

8 Taulupe Faletau

Replacements

16 Jack Walker

17 Nick Auterac

18 Anthony Perenise

19 James Phillips

20 Paul Grant

21 Kahn Fotuali’i

22 Freddie Burns

23 Ben Tapuai

[Puja]

I think we literally have no injuries whatsoever. I am scared and unnerved at this novel feeling.

Good side from Leicester - nice balance in the back and a very exciting backline. Malouf appears to have won the four-way battle for the only non-nailed-down shirt. Bath side is missing Underhill (necessitating a change in my fantasy team, grumble grumble), but their website says it's due to injury, not selection.

Puja

[Tigersman]

Thompstone, Rizzo, Cilliers, Fitzgerald, Owen, Brady - Injured.

[Puja]

Thompstone, Rizzo, Cilliers, Fitzgerald, Owen, Brady - Injured.

Okay, that makes me feel a bit more like this isn't a dream.

Puja

[Adam_P]

When was the last time Tigers had a better looking backline than Bath? Could be a very exciting game to watch!

[Puja]

Surprised that Clark's been picked ahead of Tapuai. Must be another who kicked on in pre-season. Shame that there's no Burns, although I suspect that's at least partly to stop the inevitable media buildup and pressure of pitting the two players who swapped clubs against each other. I think he'd've gotten a good reception from Welford Road though.

Puja

[Oakboy]

Surprised that Clark's been picked ahead of Tapuai. Must be another who kicked on in pre-season. Shame that there's no Burns, although I suspect that's at least partly to stop the inevitable media buildup and pressure of pitting the two players who swapped clubs against each other. I think he'd've gotten a good reception from Welford Road though.

Puja

Puja, do you rate that Leicester back row?

[Puja]

Surprised that Clark's been picked ahead of Tapuai. Must be another who kicked on in pre-season. Shame that there's no Burns, although I suspect that's at least partly to stop the inevitable media buildup and pressure of pitting the two players who swapped clubs against each other. I think he'd've gotten a good reception from Welford Road though.

Puja

Puja, do you rate that Leicester back row?

It's still the weakest unit of the team, but it's a heck of a lot better than it has been in recent seasons. O'Connor started sporadically living up to his reputation last year and, while I don't know much about Ryan, I'm informed that he's hard tackling and likes hitting rucks. Kalamafoni isn't a perfect answer at 8, but again he's a lot better than we've had the last few years.

Puja

[Banquo]

JJ v Manu is tasty; Freddie will be a bit hacked off. Ford might get a hard time from Louw.

[Scrumhead]

Sounds like a tasty game in all respects TBH but looking at the lineups I fancy Tigers to lay down a marker with a dominant home win.

[TheNomad]

That's the best Tigers line up I've seen in some time. As others have said, back row still a little questionable (swap it with Bath's and you have one hell of a side) but otherwise there are some beasts up front and some real threat in the backs.

I've got a funny feeling Manu's going to make a big dent in a few people. Hopefully not himself...

[Mellsblue]

This should be a cracking game. There is some serious talent in those necklines, and Banahan. Good to see Watson finally getting some gametime at 15. WT will be delighted.

[Which Tyler]

Erm...
Errr...

Looking at Bath's bench, I can only think we're hoping to cling on by our fingernails for the first 60 - IF we're still in contention at that stage, we ought to win when we empty the bench.
Both props, and all 3 backs are better than the starters, and it wouldn't be too big a stretch to add hooker there.

Either that or Todd forgot that preseason finished last week.


ETA, a bit worried at the prospect of Watson playing FB, seems the wrong match to go THAT experimental!

[Banquo]

This should be a cracking game. There is some serious talent in those necklines, and Banahan. Good to see Watson finally getting some gametime at 15. WT will be delighted.

plungimg necklines?

[Banquo]

Has Croft retired yet?

[Puja]

Has Croft retired yet?

On the contrary, he's shown promising signs of form in the pre-season matches. He's just not picked for this one.

Puja

[Banquo]

Has Croft retired yet?

On the contrary, he's shown promising signs of form in the pre-season matches. He's just not picked for this one.

Puja

cool, surprising, but cool

[francoisfou]

Streaming?

[Raggs]

Always good streams available, but not sure about this boards rules on posting links.

Interesting game for a lot of players. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be able to watch it live!

[Digby]

Always good streams available, but not sure about this boards rules on posting links.

Interesting game for a lot of players. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be able to watch it live!

In fairness it's your own fault it's a workday

[francoisfou]

Always good streams available, but not sure about this boards rules on posting links.

Interesting game for a lot of players. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be able to watch it live!

A pm?

[Raggs]

Always good streams available, but not sure about this boards rules on posting links.

Interesting game for a lot of players. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be able to watch it live!

In fairness it's your own fault it's a workday

Work will be done by the time kickoff comes along, but we're walking on teh mountain, an indirect route to the swimming pool, and having a picnic there. So I'll survive .

PM sent.

[Digby]

Always good streams available, but not sure about this boards rules on posting links.

Interesting game for a lot of players. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be able to watch it live!

In fairness it's your own fault it's a workday

Work will be done by the time kickoff comes along, but we're walking on teh mountain, an indirect route to the swimming pool, and having a picnic there. So I'll survive .

PM sent.

You've put a swimming pool at the top the mountain?

[Raggs]

In fairness it's your own fault it's a workday

Work will be done by the time kickoff comes along, but we're walking on teh mountain, an indirect route to the swimming pool, and having a picnic there. So I'll survive .

PM sent.

You've put a swimming pool at the top the mountain?

Mountain is a little generous, and we're walking over one of the ridges, back down the other side, and the path comes out opposite to the entrance of the swimming pool.

[Puja]

Always good streams available, but not sure about this boards rules on posting links.

Interesting game for a lot of players. Unfortunately, I don't think I'm going to be able to watch it live!

I have it on good authority that the mod from this board turns a blind eye to link posting for streams.

Puja