Tigers Vs Saints 3.05pm Saturday

[FKAS]

STARTING XV

15 Freddie Steward [73]
14 Josh Bassett [7]
13 Guy Porter [67]
12 Solomone Kata [2]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [7]
10 Handré Pollard [16]
9 Ben Youngs [303]
1 James Cronin [19]
2 Charlie Clare [85]
3 Joe Heyes [128]
4 Cameron Henderson [44]
5 Ollie Chessum [44]
6 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [92]
7 Tommy Reffell [102]
8 Jasper Wiese [62]

REPLACEMENTS

16 Archie Vanes [9]
17 Francois van Wyk [38]
18 Dan Cole [311]
19 Sam Carter [7]
20 Matt Rogerson [7]
21 Tom Whiteley [12]
22 Jamie Shillcock [8]
23 Matt Scott [67]

Injuries at hooker persist. Martin and Montoya expected back before Christmas. Rotation continues which hopefully helps over the course of the season. Disappointed Ilione isn't on the bench.

Ben Youngs becomes the player to play in the most East Midlands Derbies for either side.

15 George Furbank
14 George Hendy
13 Tommy Freeman
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 James Ramm
10 Fin Smith
9 Alex Mitchell

1 Alex Waller
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Trevor Davison
4 Alex Moon
5 Chunya Munga
6 Alex Coles
7 Tom Pearson
8 Lewis Ludlam (c)

Replacements:
16 Sam Matavesi
17 Ethan Waller
18 Elliot Millar Mills
19 Tom Lockett
20 Henry Pollock – Premiership debut
21 Tom James
22 Rory Hutchinson – 100th Premiership appearance
23 Ollie Sleightholme

[Adam_P]

Shame that Lawes and Graham picked up knocks last week, but a good opportunity for Pollock to get involved - very exciting prospect.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Shame that Lawes and Graham picked up knocks last week, but a good opportunity for Pollock to get involved - very exciting prospect.

Proper excited to see Pollock there! Big game to make your debut, but shows the faith you guys have in him!

[Mikey Brown]

What position does he play?

[p/d]

What position does he play?

show boating open side

[Banquo]

They really want Tommy at 13.

[p/d]

I’ve got much bigger problems. Watching the county music awards and enjoying it so much I want to go huntin’

[Adam_P]

My god Dickson is shit. Heyes down on his knee for each of those three scrums, but instead of penalising the first he wastes time with two resets

[twitchy]

[twitchy]

Never mind the pollocks etc.

[Adam_P]

Thats a try, cheers Dickson you fucking weapon

[Oakboy]

Grim game.

[fivepointer]

Not much to write home about. 1st half was utterly awful. 2nd did improve a bit.

Saints not at their best and will be less than thrilled with the officiating.

[p/d]

Saints not at their best and will be less than thrilled with the officiating.

Not getting that from this thread

[FKAS]

Saints not at their best and will be less than thrilled with the officiating.

Not getting that from this thread

Dunno he allowed them 15 penalties before producing a yellow and casually waved away a head shot by Langdon on Weise. Took him a while to spot that Waller was just taking Heyes back and then turning in if he couldn't pull Heyes to floor. Saints diving over their own rucks in the old Exeter missile style as they desperately tried to keep hold of the ball was allowed as well despite them completing very rucks on their feet.

The Pollock knock on turned out to be correct though it looked for a second there Dickson had dropped a clanger.

In the battle of the 13s was easily won by Freeman who was one of it not Saints best player whilst Guy Porter was abject having seemingly lost the ability to hold onto the ball in contact or pass. Disappointingly Tigers did very little during the period with Saints down to 13 (not that the commentary team had noticed) and that period was the only time Saints looked threatening. Mitchell and Youngs had a competition of who could be the most inaccurate with Mitchell taking the kicking aspect and Youngs beating him easily in the miss thrown pass competition.

Dan Cole coming off the bench with Tigers having a 5m scrum and then going through one Waller brother after the other like a hot knife through butter turned out to be the turning point. Saints indiscipline was the assist for most of Tigers attacks which will frustrate the coaches as their defensive line held well.

[Banquo]

Saints not at their best and will be less than thrilled with the officiating.

Not getting that from this thread

Dunno he allowed them 15 penalties before producing a yellow and casually waved away a head shot by Langdon on Weise. Took him a while to spot that Waller was just taking Heyes back and then turning in if he couldn't pull Heyes to floor. Saints diving over their own rucks in the old Exeter missile style as they desperately tried to keep hold of the ball was allowed as well despite them completing very rucks on their feet.

The Pollock knock on turned out to be correct though it looked for a second there Dickson had dropped a clanger.

In the battle of the 13s was easily won by Freeman who was one of it not Saints best player whilst Guy Porter was abject having seemingly lost the ability to hold onto the ball in contact or pass. Disappointingly Tigers did very little during the period with Saints down to 13 (not that the commentary team had noticed) and that period was the only time Saints looked threatening. Mitchell and Youngs had a competition of who could be the most inaccurate with Mitchell taking the kicking aspect and Youngs beating him easily in the miss thrown pass competition.

Dan Cole coming off the bench with Tigers having a 5m scrum and then going through one Waller brother after the other like a hot knife through butter turned out to be the turning point. Saints indiscipline was the assist for most of Tigers attacks which will frustrate the coaches as their defensive line held well.

Porter really isn't very good. Not convinced Freeman is a 13 tho tbh.