Tigers Vs Falcons

[FKAS]

STARTING XV:
15 Chris Ashton [13]
14 Harry Potter [42]
13 Matt Scott [48]
12 Guy Porter [45]
11 Nemani Nadolo [37]
10 Jimmy Gopperth [1]
9 Ben Youngs (vc) [283]
1 James Cronin [1]
2 Charlie Clare [53]
3 Dan Cole (vc) [291]
4 Harry Wells [157]
5 Calum Green [91]
6 George Martin [40]
7 Ollie Chessum [31]
8 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [60]

REPLACEMENTS:
16 Joe Taufete’e *
17 Francois van Wyk [18]
18 Joe Heyes [101]
19 Olly Cracknell [1]
20 Tommy Reffell [79]
21 Jack van Poortvliet [48]
22 Phil Cokanasiga [1]
23 Kini Murimurivalu [37]

* Leicester Tigers senior debut

15 Alex Tait, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 George Wacokecoke, 12 Pete Lucock, 11 Nathan Earle, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Josh Barton; 1 Phil Brantingham, 2 George McGuigan, 3 Trevor Davison, 4 Greg Peterson, 5 Sean Robinson, 6 Will Welch (captain), 7 Jamie Blamire, 8 Carl Fearns.

Replacements: 16 Charlie Maddison, 17 Conrad Cade, 18 Mark Tampin, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Connor Collett, 21 Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, 22 Tian Schoeman, 23 Mateo Carreras.

Not available for selection: Adam Brocklebank, Callum Chick, Luke Coulston, Matthew Dalton, Matt Deehan, Gary Graham, Matias Moroni, Logovi'i Mulipola, Chidera Obonna, Matias Orlando, Tom Penny, Guy Pepper, Vereimi Qorowale, Charlie Smith, Sam Stuart, Philip van der Walt, Michael Young.

[Puja]

7 Ollie Chessum [31]

We appear to have learned the wrong lesson from being beaten by Exeter.

I'm disappointed that the internationals are being brought back already (although pleased that that doesn't yet include Steward, who officially and unofficially played too much last year). Do we really need to be bringing back Porter and Chessum for a game against Newcastle? Especially when we have PCoka and Cracknell ready and raring to go. Another week's rest wouldn't have hurt anyone.

Interesting if Gopperth goes down injured. Slapfight between Youngs, JVP, and Murimurivalu as to who plays 10?

Puja

[FKAS]

7 Ollie Chessum [31]

We appear to have learned the wrong lesson from being beaten by Exeter.

I'm disappointed that the internationals are being brought back already (although pleased that that doesn't yet include Steward, who officially and unofficially played too much last year). Do we really need to be bringing back Porter and Chessum for a game against Newcastle? Especially when we have PCoka and Cracknell ready and raring to go. Another week's rest wouldn't have hurt anyone.

Interesting if Gopperth goes down injured. Slapfight between Youngs, JVP, and Murimurivalu as to who plays 10?

Puja

Very much agree. Even though those England guys coming back didn't have massive work loads last season one more week would have been fine.

Nadolo to flyhalf, crash ball 10. He'd probably be in the running for taking over the kicking for goal anyway.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Another start for Brantingham, this week against Dan Cole. First Louw and now Cole, talk about a baptism of fire!

I guess JVP plays 10 is Goperth goes down?? I'm surprised they didn't bring in Meredith or Woodward, even if they got splinters of 80 mins.

[francoisfou]

Is that hooker Blamire at 7 for Newcastle?

[Puja]

Is that hooker Blamire at 7 for Newcastle?

Yeah, they're out of back rows at the moment and he's played there previously/can't get past McGuigan at 2.

Puja

[SDHoneymonster]

Ollie Chessum at 7 is a depressing vibe.

[Puja]

Lineout's going to be solid though.

Puja

[FKAS]

Another start for Brantingham, this week against Dan Cole. First Louw and now Cole, talk about a baptism of fire!

I guess JVP plays 10 is Goperth goes down?? I'm surprised they didn't bring in Meredith or Woodward, even if they got splinters of 80 mins.

Jed Walsh would have been handy, he's a bit raw but he's electric and can also play 15. Would have been the ideal go to bench option but Borthwick does like experience when the team is a bit depleted.

Not a fan of that backrow particularly in good weather. Think we are liable to defending a lot of phases with no breakdown specialist in the side.

[Mikey Brown]

Also odd seeing Gopperth and Scott in the backs yet Porter is the one wearing 12?

[Puja]

Also odd seeing Gopperth and Scott in the backs yet Porter is the one wearing 12?

Is Scott notable as an impressive 12? He's not played it much for us, except for looking a square peg in a round hole when we tried Scott/Moroni together. Regardless, I wouldn't much want him in a more pivotal position, given how he performed last week.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Also odd seeing Gopperth and Scott in the backs yet Porter is the one wearing 12?

Is Scott notable as an impressive 12? He's not played it much for us, except for looking a square peg in a round hole when we tried Scott/Moroni together. Regardless, I wouldn't much want him in a more pivotal position, given how he performed last week.

Puja

I’ve always thought he played his best at 12, and Porter seemed a bit crowbarred in there at the tail end of last season. Just didn’t expect to see Porter there again with other experienced options available. I guess I still just think of Porter as a fairly slow winger, tbh.

Scott is generally a bit hot and cold, and not the player I’d hoped he’d become a few years back, but playing them that way round because 12 is more “pivotal” seems slightly odd to me.

I mean I’m not planning to watch the game so I don’t know why I even commented on it.

[Puja]

Also odd seeing Gopperth and Scott in the backs yet Porter is the one wearing 12?

Is Scott notable as an impressive 12? He's not played it much for us, except for looking a square peg in a round hole when we tried Scott/Moroni together. Regardless, I wouldn't much want him in a more pivotal position, given how he performed last week.

Puja

I’ve always thought he played his best at 12, and Porter seemed a bit crowbarred in there at the tail end of last season. Just didn’t expect to see Porter there again with other experienced options available. I guess I still just think of Porter as a fairly slow winger, tbh.

Scott is generally a bit hot and cold, and not the player I’d hoped he’d become a few years back, but playing them that way round because 12 is more “pivotal” seems slightly odd to me.

I mean I’m not planning to watch the game so I don’t know why I even commented on it.

I mean, I'm not saying Porter is the great Gold White hope at 12, but I'd say he's Premiership-competent there, which is more than I've seen from Scott at 12 for Leicester.

Mind, after last week, I would accept anyone at 12 as long as we actually passed them the ball.

Puja

[FKAS]

Porter has near Moody levels of disregard for his own personal safety, that combined with passable acceleration (you're right though he does lack top speed) and a belligerent physicality you get from a 15.5 stone that seems to take offence at the idea of going backwards you get the ideal foil at 12 for a 10 who's passing game deserted him last weekend and who may be short on confidence for this game. Gopperth can hit Porter on a short line and he'll pin ball off, he's not a 12 really but he can do a job. Frees Scott up to link with the outside backs as he has a more rounded skillset and he cuts nice lines.

Puja, I think the first season we had all three of Moroni, Scott and Kelly rotating round the combination of Moroni and Scott was statistically (I can't be bothered to go find the post on the offy because it was ages ago) the best. That being said Kelly quickly ended the debate and was sensational last season. We are desperately missing him currently.

[FKAS]

Porter heavily involved in both early scores. Made the break from which Nadolo carried and then Cronin rumbled over. Second try it's again his break and then Nadolo goes over in the corner.

[FKAS]

Tigers score two at the start and the end of the half to wrap the TBP in the first half. Falcons play well in the middle and get two tries of their own though.

[Puja]

Looks like a good game, although the ref appears to have stopped playing the new laws about people pre-binding. Tricky banana skin negotiated.

Puja

[FKAS]

5 point win with third choice flyhalf and fourth choice fullback is very much a case of job done. 6 points after two games is a solid start. It'll certainly do with more big players to come back in for next weekend.

Need to watch the full game to get a better idea of how we actually played because the highlights make it look like we created a lot more than I'm led to believe we did.