Tigers Vs Saints - playoff

[FKAS]

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Steward [54]
14 Harry Potter [39]
13 Matías Moroni [34]
12 Dan Kelly [42]
11 Guy Porter [43]
10 George Ford [127]
9 Ben Youngs [280]
1 Ellis Genge (c) [109]
2 Julián Montoya [25]
3 Dan Cole [288]
4 Harry Wells [154]
5 Calum Green [89]
6 Hanro Liebenberg (vc) [57]
7 Tommy Reffell [76]
8 Jasper Wiese [43]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [50]
17 Nephi Leatigaga [66]
18 Joe Heyes [99]
19 Ollie Chessum [29]
20 George Martin [37]
21 Jack van Poortvliet [47]
22 Freddie Burns [101]
23 Nemani Nadolo [36]

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS XV: 15 Tommy Freeman, 14 Matt Proctor, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Sam Matavesi, 3 Ehren Painter, 4 Alex Coles, 5 Api Ratuniyarawa, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Lewis Ludlam (c), 8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Oisín Heffernan, 19 David Ribbans, 20 Aaron Hinkley, 21 Tom James, 22 James Grayson, 23 Piers Francis

No Ashton and no Furbank the surprise selections/injuries. Steward Vs Freeman tees up a great match up between the young 15s. Saints seem to be a big short on wingers though the narrow Welford Road pitch should mitigate that a bit.

Looking forward to this.

[Puja]

Kelly and Montoya are back! Huzzah! Feeling a lot more confident about this game now.

Interesting to see the selection and some of the 50:50 calls. I know Borthwick's very much a horses for courses sort of selector, but it's interesting to see Wells over Chessum, Cole over Heyes, JVP over Wigglesworth, Moroni at 13 over Porter and Porter at 11 over Nadolo/Ashton. None of them are calls that I'd necessarily disagree with, but some of them are a surprise given previous selections. Is Whitcombe injured? Would have thought he'd be a better fit for that mobile bench than Leatigaga.

From an England perspective, Kelly's got a 2 game burst to convince Eddie he should go on tour (assuming that he'll play the Barbarians if we lose this game), and Mitchell's having an open audition for the 9 shirt if Youngs isn't going to tour.

Puja

[FKAS]

The selection looks to me like we expect Saints to start the game at a million miles an hour and then fade (Mitchell particularly has a tendency to do this and the team runs through him). The starting side is a very live with them and look to impose our power game and then the bench has a lot of impact. Heyes is high work rate, Leatigaga is 23 stone ball carrier, Chessum and Martin are mobile big hitters. Then of course Nadolo is there ready to run against tired bodies. Saints have no back three on the bench so the only change they can make is Hutchinson to 15 and Freeman to the wing. Work that back three hard and then send the big man on could be a tactic.

[Adam_P]

In a way I'm glad Furbs is unavailable so we get Freeman at 15 and Skosan onto the wing - and like you said it gives us a good face off between him and Steward.

Still no idea which was this is going, but both line ups are at least strong and not hampered by injury or internationals so I can't wait for this match!

[Puja]

The selection looks to me like we expect Saints to start the game at a million miles an hour and then fade (Mitchell particularly has a tendency to do this and the team runs through him). The starting side is a very live with them and look to impose our power game and then the bench has a lot of impact. Heyes is high work rate, Leatigaga is 23 stone ball carrier, Chessum and Martin are mobile big hitters. Then of course Nadolo is there ready to run against tired bodies. Saints have no back three on the bench so the only change they can make is Hutchinson to 15 and Freeman to the wing. Work that back three hard and then send the big man on could be a tactic.

Agreed. If Mitchell fades around minute 55ish (which he has done a bit this season), then bring on Chessum and Martin to just obliterate the Saints carriers who are now getting slow ball against a set defence. Could be key.

Puja

[Adam_P]

James has been coming off the bench to replace him earlier on in the last handful of games, rather than flogging a dead Mitchell. Though I suppose it's an easier decision to pull your best 9 off the pitch when you're running Falcons ragged rather than in a semi against Tigers

[Puja]

James has been coming off the bench to replace him earlier on in the last handful of games, rather than flogging a dead Mitchell

I never understood why Boyd wasn't doing that before. James is a very capable player and yet there were games where it was taking Mitchell a good three seconds longer to reach the base of a ruck because he'd run himself into the ground, and he wasn't coming off till 67 minutes plus.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Bound to be big pressure on the 2 young starting props for Saints. If they can hold their own and the pack as a whole limit damage done by the Tigers maul we could have quite a tussle.
If it is close, the 2 benches are primed to make an impact and could prove decisive.

[Adam_P]

James has been coming off the bench to replace him earlier on in the last handful of games, rather than flogging a dead Mitchell

I never understood why Boyd wasn't doing that before. James is a very capable player and yet there were games where it was taking Mitchell a good three seconds longer to reach the base of a ruck because he'd run himself into the ground, and he wasn't coming off till 67 minutes plus.

Puja

Absolutely, James has never let us down and has in fact looked very impressive at times. As I said, thankfully it seems they've wised up on that front.

Strikes me as odd that we have no back 3 on the bench, especially as he have Proctor starting on the wing. I'd much rather Collins or Sleights at 23 rather than Francis

[Banquo]

Assume Furbank is crocked? Surprised Ashton dumped too.

[FKAS]

James has been coming off the bench to replace him earlier on in the last handful of games, rather than flogging a dead Mitchell

I never understood why Boyd wasn't doing that before. James is a very capable player and yet there were games where it was taking Mitchell a good three seconds longer to reach the base of a ruck because he'd run himself into the ground, and he wasn't coming off till 67 minutes plus.

Puja

Absolutely, James has never let us down and has in fact looked very impressive at times. As I said, thankfully it seems they've wised up on that front.

Strikes me as odd that we have no back 3 on the bench, especially as he have Proctor starting on the wing. I'd much rather Collins or Sleights at 23 rather than Francis

I was presuming you had some injuries as I'm not really sure what advantage there is to having both options on the back covering 10/12. Must be quite a few injuries to cause that though. What's up with Furbank, is it summer tour threatening?

The use of James off the bench makes sense. It Mitchell is kept on too long then Saints could be in big trouble. Mitchell is also the key man in the side, the attack seems to come from him. It must be a big pre season goal to get Mitchell's cardio up as when he fades so do Saints.

For Tigers it's great to have Kelly and Montoya back. Kelly to help quell the first half surge from the Saints attack. Montoya is the biggest concern though, he's been massive for Tigers this season and Clare is solid but not the player we want throwing into important lineouts. Montoya needs to do at least 60 mins. He's another one key to stopping the Saints attack, he tackles big and is good over the ball.

[FKAS]

Assume Furbank is crocked? Surprised Ashton dumped too.

Ashton is a great finisher but Porter is a better defender and has a much lower error count. Porter allows for a more physical option on the left wing but who has a better work rate and turning circle than Nadolo. Porter is the in-between selection plus as said above he's got the ability to step into 12 if/when Kelly needs to go off. Nadolo can then be the impact option.

Harsh on Ashton but he doesn't cover a position that needs covering (Burns covers 15) and doesn't have as big an impact as Nadolo who's scored 4 tries Vs Saints this season. Most of all Tigers need a low error count, to remain defensively tight and disciplined Vs Saints as the onslaught from their attack will come. Porter is clearly back to deliver that better as a starter than Ashton and Nadolo.

[Adam_P]

Not sure what's up with Furbank, didn't notice anything significant force him off last weekend. Neither Collins nor Sleights are listed as 'not available for selection', so really don't get the thinking on that. Collins is a player who is at times well under used, he always looks dangerous on the ball.

[FKAS]

Not sure what's up with Furbank, didn't notice anything significant force him off last weekend. Neither Collins nor Sleights are listed as 'not available for selection', so really don't get the thinking on that. Collins is a player who is at times well under used, he always looks dangerous on the ball.

If that's a genuine selection choice it's an odd one. I can only assume Boyd is worried about Tigers power game and wants a 12 on the bench to come on and be a fresh tackler as Hutchinson tires.

[Timbo]

Borthwick’s nose is an absolute thing of beauty.

[Mikey Brown]

Skoda offering some real comedy value today.

[twitchy]

Skosan is having a mare, poor bastard.

[Adam_P]

Coles was tackled high going over the line, after that high tackle. Surely a pen try

[Mikey Brown]

Not getting the feeling either of these sides are going to overturn the bastard Saracens isn’t the final.

[twitchy]

Not getting the feeling either of these sides are going to overturn the bastard Saracens isn’t the final.

I thought this game was going to kick off more than the quins- sarries one.

[twitchy]

Well done saints.

[Adam_P]

How is that a yellow?! First contact on ball/shoulder and then brushed up to a seat belt

[Spiffy]

Saints seem bent on throwing this one away with sloppy play, handling errors, wasted overlaps etc. (Though that seat belt tackle did not warrant yellow.)

[Adam_P]

The reffing of high tackles in both semis has been pony

[Adam_P]

That wasn't a knock on. Even Lawrence saw it