Leicester vs Wasps

[Puja]

Leicester: Veainu; Holmes, Taute, Eastmond, Hughes; Hardwick, White; Bateman, Youngs (capt), Cole, Lavanini, Spencer, Liebenberg, Taufua, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Polota-Nau, Leatigaga, Heyes, Wells, Reffell, Simmons, Reid, Worth.

Wasps: Watson; Kibirige, Le Bourgeois, Gopperth, Bassett; Umaga, Robson (co-capt); McIntyre, Taylor, Brookes, Rowlands, Flament, J Willis, Young (co-capt), Carr.

Replacements: Oghre, Zhvania, Alo, Shields, Vailanu, Wolstenholme, Searle, Spink.

[Puja]

Stronger side than I'm used to seeing from Leicester during an international period. You'd have to say this is a vital game if we want our season to be at all respectable.

Puja

[Peej]

Think all the off-field stuff, plus a grim weather forecast, will render this diabolical from a Wasps' fan perspective

[Raggs]

Agree there's a lot of disruption for wasps, but there's a lot of ball playing ability in that team, combined with some deadly finishers.

[fivepointer]

9th plays 11th. Not a scenario you would have predicted a few seasons back.
Aside from Willis, who is always worth watching, the main interest for me is going to be on the 4 English SH's involved and the 2 young FH's.

[Oakboy]

In real whingeing mode, I can't stand this co-captain bollix! It ranks alongside clubs NOT playing in their proper colours unless there is a clash with the opposition.

[Scrumhead]

9th plays 11th. Not a scenario you would have predicted a few seasons back.
Aside from Willis, who is always worth watching, the main interest for me is going to be on the 4 English SH's involved and the 2 young FH's.

Same here. Although I’ve never really rated Ben White. He’s still young but has never looked anything other than bang average.

I like what I’ve seen of Wolstenholme though (albeit limited).

[Oakboy]

Willis should be in the England squad. Simple.

[Raggs]

Mostly Dickson is a great ref, but twice now he's loudly warned Tigers, then done nothing when they've paid him no attention and continued to interfere in the game.

Where it grates is that he warned Willis for his offside, Willis stopped, waited until players put him onside, then got involved, and still got pinged. I thought that was the right call btw, it's just the contrast that makes it annoying.

[Banquo]

Willis should be in the England squad. Simple.

Agreed but who are you dropping ?

[Which Tyler]

Willis should be in the England squad. Simple.

Agreed but who are you dropping ?

Couple of locks, bring in Willis and Dombrandt/Mercer/Wilson

[Banquo]

Willis should be in the England squad. Simple.

Agreed but who are you dropping ?

Couple of locks, bring in Willis and Dombrandt/Mercer/Wilson

was asking dors (probably right)

[Raggs]

FFS. Youngs punches Rowlands in the face, not seen, tigers score from the next maul. Over the shoulder tackle, not given as high, no try for wasps next phase of play leicester gifted a length of the field try.

Bollocks.

[Banquo]

FFS. Youngs punches Rowlands in the face, not seen, tigers score from the next maul. Over the shoulder tackle, not given as high, no try for wasps next phase of play leicester gifted a length of the field try.

Bollocks.

indeed, underwhelming officiation

[Banquo]

9th plays 11th. Not a scenario you would have predicted a few seasons back.
Aside from Willis, who is always worth watching, the main interest for me is going to be on the 4 English SH's involved and the 2 young FH's.

Same here. Although I’ve never really rated Ben White. He’s still young but has never looked anything other than bang average.

I like what I’ve seen of Wolstenholme though (albeit limited).

white playing ok, but seems a bit of a nob

[Tigersman]

TBF how many 9's are nobs?

[Banquo]

TBF how many 9's are nobs?

fair point. He is very young to have this level of nobbishness

[Banquo]

Apropos of it happening a lot, anyone think that when a 9 (or anyone at the base of a ruck) rearranges the ball in front of back feet of the ruck, rolls it back along the caterpillar etc, it should be deemed out of the ruck as if they'd picked it up?

[twitchy]

Crazy luck for tigers.

[Stom]

Apropos of it happening a lot, anyone think that when a 9 (or anyone at the base of a ruck) rearranges the ball in front of back feet of the ruck, rolls it back along the caterpillar etc, it should be deemed out of the ruck as if they'd picked it up?

Oh yes. One of my big bugbears

[Tigersman]

Apropos of it happening a lot, anyone think that when a 9 (or anyone at the base of a ruck) rearranges the ball in front of back feet of the ruck, rolls it back along the caterpillar etc, it should be deemed out of the ruck as if they'd picked it up?

Rucks and 9's setting it up is a mess in general in the premiership.
Despite 5 second rule they seem slower than ever to get the ball out.

[Banquo]

Apropos of it happening a lot, anyone think that when a 9 (or anyone at the base of a ruck) rearranges the ball in front of back feet of the ruck, rolls it back along the caterpillar etc, it should be deemed out of the ruck as if they'd picked it up?

Rucks and 9's setting it up is a mess in general in the premiership.
Despite 5 second rule they seem slower than ever to get the ball out.

Yes sorry, wasn’t having a go at today’s effort in particular

[fivepointer]

I'd like the ref to announce, "ball won - use" and give the SH 3 seconds to do something with it. No more adding players and fannying around. Get the bloody thing out.
Now thats off my chest.....
The game was low grade stuff. Wasps gave Tigers a 10 point swing by Kibirige making a dreadful hash of putting the ball down, and then Umaga making a mess of a fairly simple pass. That, and the Tigers driving maul were enough.

[Tigersman]

Apropos of it happening a lot, anyone think that when a 9 (or anyone at the base of a ruck) rearranges the ball in front of back feet of the ruck, rolls it back along the caterpillar etc, it should be deemed out of the ruck as if they'd picked it up?

Rucks and 9's setting it up is a mess in general in the premiership.
Despite 5 second rule they seem slower than ever to get the ball out.

Yes sorry, wasn’t having a go at today’s effort in particular

I know you wasn't.

It's a big problem for the premiership IMO.

[Oakboy]

Agreed but who are you dropping ?

Couple of locks, bring in Willis and Dombrandt/Mercer/Wilson

was asking dors (probably right)

I think Willis is our best flanker so anyone theoretically. Even if Billy was fit, I'd still have Willis in the XV. So, my first choice back row would be Willis, Curry, Billy V. I'd have Underhill as the reserve flanker and Hughes as the reserve 8 with Wilson in the squad as the best versatile bench man. Once Dombrandt adds consistency, I'd pick him ahead of Hughes.