RugbyRebels

Bristol Bears team to face Leicester Tigers at Welford Road on Saturday, April 27th (3pm KO):

15. Mat Protheroe; 14. Tom Pincus, 13. Piers O’Conor, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Alapati Leiua; 10. Callum Sheedy (co-capt), 9. Andy Uren; 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. John Afoa, 4. Ed Holmes, 5. Chris Vui, 6. Steve Luatua (co-capt), 7. Dan Thomas, 8. Nick Haining.

Replacements: 16. Nick Fenton-Wells, 17. James Lay, 18. Lewis Thiede, 19. George Smith, 20. Jordan Crane, 21. Harry Randall, 22. Ian Madigan, 23. Siale Piutau.

Uncganged side for the first time in years & 6 EQPs under 25 (14 in total I make it).

Leicester team:
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Jonny May, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Jordan Olowofela,
10 George Ford (c), 9 Sam Harrison; 1 Ellis Genge, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 3 Dan Cole;
4 Will Spencer, 5 Graham Kitchener; 6 Mike Fitzgerald, 7 Guy Thompson, 8 Sione Kalamafoni

Replacements: 16 Jake Kerr, 17 Facundo Gigena, 18 Joe Heyes, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Mike Williams, 21 Ben White, 22 Sam Aspland-Robinson, 23 Telusa Veainu

Bristol haven't won in 17 years, can't see it changing.

Dare we ask where Manu is?

That is still an alarmingly patchy Leicester side, although at least the back row is better than the Fitzgerald/Williams flanking tour de force that we've been subjected to (a bar set so low you could trip over it). I can easily see a more cohesive Bristol side putting us to the sword. It'll very much depend on if any of our big name players other than Ford and May decide to turn up this week.

Puja

Actually wouldnt shock me if Bris won. This Leicester team is decidedly average.

Who the heck is Clayton Blommetjies?

Falcons lose tonight then both Teams would really be trying to play for top 6 potentially than relegation so could be very very very open game trying to get TBP's.

Falcons win and this becomes a lot more serious.

fivepointer wrote:Actually wouldnt shock me if Bris won. This Leicester team is decidedly average.

Who the heck is Clayton Blommetjies?

South African who impressed at Cheetahs, signed for Scarlets then not played for them.
Loaned to Tigers due to Worth, Holmes, Thompstone, Sarto and Veainu injuries.

Puja wrote:Dare we ask where Manu is?

That is still an alarmingly patchy Leicester side, although at least the back row is better than the Fitzgerald/Williams flanking tour de force that we've been subjected to (a bar set so low you could trip over it). I can easily see a more cohesive Bristol side putting us to the sword. It'll very much depend on if any of our big name players other than Ford and May decide to turn up this week.

Puja

Hamstring injury

Tigersman wrote:

fivepointer wrote:Actually wouldnt shock me if Bris won. This Leicester team is decidedly average.

Who the heck is Clayton Blommetjies?

South African who impressed at Cheetahs, signed for Scarlets then not played for them.
Loaned to Tigers due to Worth, Holmes, Thompstone, Sarto and Veainu injuries.

How good is it to see T come through his A league game to be back in the XXIII here. I've missed him.

Puja

Tigersman wrote: .... so could be very very very open game trying to get TBP's.

Worst defence vs 2nd Worst defence - should be high scoring*!


*It will now be a 3-3 snorefest; 5 minutes of action and 75+mins of resetting a scrum.

Puja wrote:Dare we ask where Manu is?

That is still an alarmingly patchy Leicester side, although at least the back row is better than the Fitzgerald/Williams flanking tour de force that we've been subjected to (a bar set so low you could trip over it). I can easily see a more cohesive Bristol side putting us to the sword. It'll very much depend on if any of our big name players other than Ford and May decide to turn up this week.

Puja

Manu pulled his calf last time out I think. edit....or hamstring

Who is this Clayton bloke? Sounds like an Afrikaans organist, phanaar

fivepointer wrote:Actually wouldnt shock me if Bris won. This Leicester team is decidedly average.

Who the heck is Clayton Blommetjies?

I'd think Brizz are favourites. Why doesn't Will Evans ever feature, I know he's off, but he's good player. Dan Thomas is very good and needs countering.

Banquo wrote:Dan Thomas is very good and needs countering.

He's really stepped his game up - not sure how much that's George's advice.

Sam Bedlow did well defensively last week so will be good to see how he goes this time.

interesting to see how Brizzle react to being safe

Huge relief to have Prem status confirmed for next season. They can relax.

Indeed. Hopefully that makes for a good game where both sides can go out and play without the spectre of relegation.

Scrumhead wrote:Indeed. Hopefully that makes for a good game where both sides can go out and play without the spectre of relegation.

tigers can't.....

Well I can’t see Falcons winning two on the spin and definitely not bonus point wins, so Tigers only really need 1 point from 3 games.

Scrumhead wrote:Well I can’t see Falcons winning two on the spin and definitely not bonus point wins, so Tigers only really need 1 point from 3 games.

well if you say so. Suspect Tigers won't be feeling too comfy, given recent implosions.

From a Tigers fan POV.
I don't see Falcons beating Gloucester away.


Anyway weather is pretty crap at leicester, very windy as well.
So might be a slog.

Tigersman wrote:From a Tigers fan POV.
I don't see Falcons beating Gloucester away.


Anyway weather is pretty crap at leicester, very windy as well.
So might be a slog.

So you are confident you will stay up

Yes

Tigersman wrote:Yes

only pulling your leg. Be interested to see how they play. Mind, the weather will likely dictate this.

Thacker with the key score. Well......

hats off to Bristol. They've played some very enterprising and attractive rugby, won some big games and even have a chance of finishing in the top 6. Thats some effort.
Pat Lam for coach of the year without a doubt.

Yeah. I’d go with that.

A lot of promoted sides play a limited, safety first style of rugby and it’s been great to see Bristol playing with ambition.

Prior to the season, I had them as favourites for relegation but they proved me wrong and did so in style.

TBF a lot of the promoted sides don't have the budget Bristol can afford either.

Got to say as an attacking beast tigers are truly awful. We were almost constantly static. The lack of motion was appalling.

On defence the moment Bristol passed the ball behind a player our alignment went to utter pot. Their mail was excellent all game and their mayo defence superb.

Best side won without a doubt. Would’ve been more if Sheedy could kick! Today anyway.