Leicester Tigers V Bath Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Sunday 3.00pm

[Tigersman]

Leicester Tigers (v Bath Rugby, Mattioli Woods Welford Road, Sunday 3.00pm)
15 Freddie Steward
14 Kobus van Wyk
13 Jaco Taute
12 Matt Scott
11 Nemani Nadolo
10 George Ford
9 Ben Youngs
1 Ellis Genge
2 Tom Youngs (c)
3 Dan Cole
4 Harry Wells
5 Calum Green
6 George Martin
7 Hanro Liebenberg
8 Jasper Wiese

Replacements
16 Charlie Clare
17 Nephi Leatigaga
18 Joe Heyes
19 Cameron Henderson
20 Luke Wallace
21 Jack van Poortvliet
22 Zack Henry
23 Kini Murimurivalu

v

Bath
15. Anthony Watson, 14. Semesa Rokoduguni, 13. Jonathan Joseph, 12. Cameron Redpath, 11. Ruaridh McConnochie, 10. Rhys Priestland, 9. Ben Spencer; 1. Beno Obano, 2. Tom Dunn, 3. Will Stuart, 4. Josh McNally, 5. Charlie Ewels (C), 6. Taulupe Faletau, 7. Sam Underhill, 8. Zach Mercer

REPLACEMENTS
16. Jack Walker, 17. Juan Schoeman, 18. Christian Judge, 19. Elliott Stooke, 20. Josh Bayliss, 21. Miles Reid, 22. Will Chudley, 23. Josh Matavesi

[Tigersman]

Borthwick and several players out due to covid.

[Puja]

Borthwick and several players out due to covid.

Still a pretty damned strong team though. We have to be aiming for a victory from this game if we expect to be mid-table rather than in a relegation battle.

Great to see Martin back.

Puja

[Tigersman]

It is strong but that back 5 of the pack looks unbalanced.
I think our flankers might weigh more than our locks nearly.

[Puja]

It is strong but that back 5 of the pack looks unbalanced.
I think our flankers might weigh more than our locks nearly.

But the advantage of that is that I think we might have an edge in the scrum. Genge is developing into one of the best attacking scrummagers in the world and with that weight behind him, it could be a useful advantage for us in a wet and muddy game. His battle with Stuart will be fascinating.

Puja

[FKAS]

It is strong but that back 5 of the pack looks unbalanced.
I think our flankers might weigh more than our locks nearly.

But the advantage of that is that I think we might have an edge in the scrum. Genge is developing into one of the best attacking scrummagers in the world and with that weight behind him, it could be a useful advantage for us in a wet and muddy game. His battle with Stuart will be fascinating.

Puja

Should mean we have an abundance of options in the lineout as well.

Great to see Martin back as he looked the business before injury but no natural openside starting isn't ideal.

That Bath side looks very impressive and that's got to be virtually full strength. Tigers look a mixed bag due to the Covid issues we haven't even got our head coach present to oversee us on the day. Could be a big ask for Tigers to get anything out of this. We've go to dominate the set pieces and drag Bath into an arm wrestle.

No Taufua, Moroni, Lavanini and de Bruin are all big losses for this one.

[Tigersman]

Interesting JVP selected ahead of Ben white.
Despite Ben white training with the team this week (So not one of the ones hit by covid).

[FKAS]

Interesting JVP selected ahead of Ben white.
Despite Ben white training with the team this week (So not one of the ones hit by covid).

White may have had it but only recovered enough to train and not play. A respiratory illness might slow a player down for a week or so after recovering and testing negative. Borthwick was very complimentary about JVP after his appearance in Europe and JVP has a lot of potential so it might be seen as a development opportunity. JVP does remind me of Wigglesworth in style.

Hoping we manage to keep it close and don't let Bath run away with it.

[twitchy]

Powerful try from obano.

[Which Tyler]

Where have this Bath been this season?

[twitchy]

Toby F has the worst luck.

e- he seems ok, I thought that was a bad injury.

[FKAS]

Toby F has the worst luck.

e- he seems ok, I thought that was a bad injury.

No luck at all but what the Bath medical team are doing I don't know. About five minutes from the injury he goes from an HIA. If he fails that someone should be sacked. Stupidly dangerous to let him carry on if there was any concern over a concussion.

Farcical first try conceded by Tigers. Great work by McInally.

[Mikey Brown]

Watson showing the full range of skills today.

[twitchy]

Great try.

[Raggs]

That was very nice.

[Mikey Brown]

Definitely should have looked for Mercer with the pass but great finish from Spencer, lucky to get away with that crappy hack forward though.

[Which Tyler]

Zach's given up "being tackled" for new year

[twitchy]

Great try.

[Mikey Brown]

Can we have Steward at 15 for England soon?

[FKAS]

Can we have Steward at 15 for England soon?

No, haven't you seen this shit show we badly need him at Tigers.

[Which Tyler]

That's now 2 scrum penalties in a row against Stuart without getting as far as a scrum.
I guess that's one way to solve the interminable scrum problem - Call the scrum, and penalise the set-up.


Spencer in these moods really shows why he's put of favour with Eddie - far too much heads up and quick play, and yet to hit an uncontested box-kick

[FKAS]

That's now 2 scrum penalties in a row against Stuart without getting as far as a scrum.
I guess that's one way to solve the interminable scrum problem - Call the scrum, and penalise the set-up.


Spencer in these moods really shows why he's put of favour with Eddie - far too much heads up and quick play, and yet to hit an uncontested box-kick

One at Obano came from a scrum as well. Isn't that now four penalties at the scrum from Bath? Got to be warning at the next one surely.

[Which Tyler]

That's now 2 scrum penalties in a row against Stuart without getting as far as a scrum.
I guess that's one way to solve the interminable scrum problem - Call the scrum, and penalise the set-up.


Spencer in these moods really shows why he's put of favour with Eddie - far too much heads up and quick play, and yet to hit an uncontested box-kick

One at Obano came from a scrum as well. Isn't that now four penalties at the scrum from Bath? Got to be warning at the next one surely.

I don't even know what they're for, I swear one of them came before the "crouch" call

[Which Tyler]

Usually I hate that from SHs, but that one was fully deserved, and not the first time Leicester have done that

[Mikey Brown]

Healey talking complete nonsense. How can that be a sin binning? Of course he would want to catch that and get the walk in.