Leicester v Castres Sun 3pm

[fivepointer]

Leicester: Steward; Murimurivalu, Taute, Scott, Nadolo; Ford, B Youngs; Genge, T Youngs (capt), Cole, Lavanini, Green, Wells, Reffell, Liebenberg

Replacements: Clare, Gigena, Leatigaga, Taufua, Wallace, White, Henry, Potter

Castres: Dumora; Palis, Combezou, Vialelle, Nakosi; Urdapilleta, Kockott (capt); Tichit, Barlot, Tierney, Pieterse, N'Kinsi, Delaporte, Kornath, Ardron.

Replacements: Colonna, Nostadt, Hounkpatin, Clerc, Babillot, Vaipulu, Guillemin, Botitu

[Puja]

Putting out the near 1st XV for this one - clearly we quite fancy a cup run. Suppose it makes sense - nothing to play for in the league. Anyone better versed in the Top14 able to tell me what type of team Castres have sent out?

Still don't get why we're playing Wells at 6 and having Taufua in the 19 shirt on the bench though. Seems barking.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Is Wells having some fantastic influence on the lineout that is making it worth it somehow? Taufua, like perpetual bench man Thompson before him, looks to me like your most destructive player every time I see Leicester play.

I know Borthwick is your whacky lineout professor but it does seem strange that quirk has continued.

[Puja]

Is Wells having some fantastic influence on the lineout that is making it worth it somehow? Taufua, like perpetual bench man Thompson before him, looks to me like your most destructive player every time I see Leicester play.

I know Borthwick is your whacky lineout professor but it does seem strange that quirk has continued.

Our lineout's been decidedly average actually. I'm assuming there's not been training time enough to reinvent it.

Puja

[FKAS]

Lineout has been better but not good enough. Taufua had a lot of strapping on his knee last time out so I wonder if the club are just managing him a little whilst he works through something.

Could also be a tactic. Castres by the looks of it have a big and experienced pack so we could be looking to get them working hard against our big pack in the first 50 minutes. Then we bring on two mobile backrows to freshen things up and force the tiring Castres pack to try and keep up with the increased pace.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Game cancelled due to number of Castres players failing COVID tests. Tiger progress to semi final.

[FKAS]

And through to the semis Tigers go.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Best we’ve played all season. Didn’t concede a single point!!!

[FKAS]

Best we’ve played all season. Didn’t concede a single point!!!

Complete domination, Castres just didn't turn up.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Best we’ve played all season. Didn’t concede a single point!!!

Complete domination, Castres just didn't turn up.

Very good

[Puja]

Best we’ve played all season. Didn’t concede a single point!!!

Complete domination, Castres just didn't turn up.

French teams often don't on the road.

Anyone know who our opponent is in the semis?

Puja

[Galfon]

Anyone know who our opponent is in the semis?
Puja

Toulon away next Sat., after they defeated Scarlets 11-6 earlier.
(must admit seeing 'Bye' next to Leic. looked odd, when it was their opponents who shipped out.. )

[FKAS]

Toulon don't have many of the star names of previous years. If we are serious about getting back into the top 6 of the Prem next season this is a game we should be expecting to win.

[Puja]

Toulon don't have many of the star names of previous years. If we are serious about getting back into the top 6 of the Prem next season this is a game we should be expecting to win.

With an extra week's worth of training and close to a full XXIII, I'd agree that we should be targetting this.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Tigers should 100% throw the kitchen sink at this one but I’m not sure about ‘expecting to win’. Toulon aren’t the side they were but they’re still a decent outfit and playing at home. You can go in with confidence, but I think going in expecting to win is a bit over-optimistic IMO.

[fivepointer]

Well, yes. Go for it by all means - frankly why wouldnt you? But Tigers are 11th in the League for reason.

[Mellsblue]

But Tigers are 11th in the League for reason.

Because Sarries were deducted so many points?

[FKAS]

Well, yes. Go for it by all means - frankly why wouldnt you? But Tigers are 11th in the League for reason.

Because we didn't have a head coach for the pre Covid part of the season and have used the post Covid season as an extended pre season with a number of key signings not arriving?

Had we needed points because Sarries weren't going down we would have treated the post Covid period very differently. I still think we'll climb up a couple of places and overtake at least Irish maybe Worcester.

Tigers have been less than the sum of their parts for some time, if the coaches can get the cohesion that's been missing then we have enough to challenge most teams. If Borthwick wants to be taking Tigers back to the premier European competition then games like this we should be expecting results from because Toulon aren't the team they were and it's a one off knock out game.

[Puja]

Well, yes. Go for it by all means - frankly why wouldnt you? But Tigers are 11th in the League for reason.

Because we didn't have a head coach for the pre Covid part of the season and have used the post Covid season as an extended pre season with a number of key signings not arriving?

Had we needed points because Sarries weren't going down we would have treated the post Covid period very differently. I still think we'll climb up a couple of places and overtake at least Irish maybe Worcester.

Tigers have been less than the sum of their parts for some time, if the coaches can get the cohesion that's been missing then we have enough to challenge most teams. If Borthwick wants to be taking Tigers back to the premier European competition then games like this we should be expecting results from because Toulon aren't the team they were and it's a one off knock out game.

Generally agreed with your points, but I don't know "expecting to win" is how I'd be going into this. We might be better than 11th, but I'm not sure we're better than mid-table even taking an optimistic viewpoint, and Toulon are still good.

I hope to win. I think it's realistic that we can. I think we should be aiming to win. But expect is a bridge too far for me.

Puja

[Banquo]

Anyone know who our opponent is in the semis?
Puja

Toulon away next Sat., after they defeated Scarlets 11-6 earlier.
(must admit seeing 'Bye' next to Leic. looked odd, when it was their opponents who shipped out.. )

I think it was short for 'goodbye'.

[FKAS]

Yes, maybe a little heavy handed with expect a win. Expect a performance and to push them all the way definitely. The team need to start laying down some markers for next season. It's fine using the remaining league games as pre season but we've targeted Europe so that's where we need to show what we are about. The win over Saints was better but still far to scrappy. Got to get some momentum and confidence into the players before we start up again in December because there will/should be relegation again.

[Puja]

Yes, maybe a little heavy handed with expect a win. Expect a performance and to push them all the way definitely. The team need to start laying down some markers for next season. It's fine using the remaining league games as pre season but we've targeted Europe so that's where we need to show what we are about. The win over Saints was better but still far to scrappy. Got to get some momentum and confidence into the players before we start up again in December because there will/should be relegation again.

Thoroughly agree with that. The two victories against Irish and Saints have been scrappy affairs which we scraped through without much fluency. This is the opportunity to lay the marker down for what the Borthwick regime is going to be about and I will be expecting a performance.

Puja

[Tigersman]

so sounds like
Martin
Lavin
Taufua
Brink
Ilione
Out for the season.

[Puja]

so sounds like
Martin
Lavin
Taufua
Brink
Ilione
Out for the season.

Wow, that's a sh*tty run of luck. What's happened to Taufua after two weeks of being unusually on the bench? Has he decided to use this opportunity to get surgery done?

Puja

[Tigersman]

so sounds like
Martin
Lavin
Taufua
Brink
Ilione
Out for the season.

Wow, that's a sh*tty run of luck. What's happened to Taufua after two weeks of being unusually on the bench? Has he decided to use this opportunity to get surgery done?

Puja

yes