RugbyRebels

Leicester Tigers (v Newcastle Falcons, Welford Road, Friday 7.45pm)

15 Telusa Veainu
14 Adam Thompstone
13 Manu Tuilagi
12 Matt Toomua
11 Jonny May
10 George Ford (c)
9 Ben Youngs

1 Ellis Genge
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau
3 Dan Cole
4 Mike Fitzgerald
5 Graham Kitchener
6 Luke Hamilton
7 Brendon O’Connor
8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements

16 Tom Youngs
17 Greg Bateman
18 Logovi’i Mulipola
19 Harry Wells
20 Mike Williams
21 Sam Harrison
22 Mathew Tait
23 Jonah Holmes



Newcastle Falcons team to face Leicester Tigers (Friday, 7.45pm, Welford Road, live on BT Sport)

15 Simon Hammersley
14 Vereniki Goneva
13 Chris Harris
12 Josh Matavesi
11 Sinoti Sinoti
10 Joel Hodgson
9 Michael Young

1 Sam Lockwood
2 Scott Lawson
3 Scott Wilson
4 Calum Green
5 Sean Robinson
6 Mark Wilson (captain)
7 Gary Graham
8 Ally Hogg

Replacements

16 Santiago Socino
17 Rob Vickers
18 Trevor Davison
19 Will Witty
20 Ryan Burrows
21 Sonatane Takulua
22 Juan Pablo Socino
23 Alex Tait

that is pretty much the strongest team tigers have played all season.

Sinoti and goneva back for newcastle.

Wilson back for Falcons along with their 2 best wingers. Do worry about their scrum which was given a very hard time at Gloucester last week. Leicester is not the place to go with concerns in this facet of play.
Be surprised if Tigers lose 2 in a row at home. I think they'll win which will make the final weekend interesting for both teams.

Looking forward to this one. Proper 6/8/10 pointer.

I'll be interested to see how Manu does - he was starting to look like his old self in patches before the latest lay-off. Given he's only been out 3 weeks, hopefully he can pick up where he left off, rather than requiring another month to get up to speed.

Puja

It’s probably too late for him to make the SA tour, but I’m pleased to see Wilson back.

After Tigers' dismal performance against Northampton, I am wondering whether they've got what it takes between the ears to make the play-offs - or even the top 6.
Deano's team will be well aware of this and will pile on the pressure, so I won't be at all surprised if Newcastle come away with the win, leaving Tigers with an away trip to Sale to salvage something from a disappointing season.

If those back rows were swapped I wouldn't give Newcastle a prayer, still got to think Leicester will win however

Digby wrote:If those back rows were swapped I wouldn't give Newcastle a prayer, still got to think Leicester will win however

Just thinking along the same lines. That back row of Leicester's looks their weakest unit by a huge margin. There must be some potential there that I just don't see, presumably.

Oakboy wrote:

Digby wrote:If those back rows were swapped I wouldn't give Newcastle a prayer, still got to think Leicester will win however

Just thinking along the same lines. That back row of Leicester's looks their weakest unit by a huge margin. There must be some potential there that I just don't see, presumably.

Clearly enough potential that Will Evans is once again surplud to requirements.

Still, we've had worse. Hamilton and Kalamafoni are good, honest, hard-working players, which is a high bar for our back row of late. And O'Connor has occasional moments, is apparently enough to parachute him straight back into the team.

Puja

I may try a ruck analysis on Wilson, Graham and O'Connor.

Looking forward to this game now. Hope it lives up to the billing.

Raggs wrote:I may try a ruck analysis on Wilson, Graham and O'Connor.

That would be embarrassing.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Raggs wrote:I may try a ruck analysis on Wilson, Graham and O'Connor.

That would be embarrassing.

Puja

Would it?
BOC is in the top 3 for turnovers per game.
Although unlike the other two BOC is an actual 7.

Actually BOC has prob been the best player along with Toomua until his injury.

Incredible.

Real shame with all the newcastle injuries.

Genge really needs to learn not to get wound up.

"Ellis you need to let his head in, you are a loose head".

=> LOL

40 minutes where the threat of Manu has achieved considerably more than Manu himself.

16th man wrote:40 minutes where the threat of Manu has achieved considerably more than Manu himself.

It's a legit strat as long as the other team still sees him as a threat.

He only needs to make 1/2 big runs a game for that to hold true.

Hang on, are they saying that would have stood if it had only been the first one, where he's punched it out of his hand?

That's where scrum penalties become frustrating. Yes Tigers had the nudge on, but Newcastle kept it up, went backwards in a straight line and managed to stop it. Then the loosehead slips on the wet ground / is pulled down by the tight head and it's 3 points.

Newcastle halfback replacement making a big impact.