Tigers Vs Saints 5.30pm Saturday

[FKAS]

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Steward [91]
14 Anthony Watson [20]
13 Dan Kelly [83]
12 Joseph Woodward [10]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [25]
10 Handré Pollard [33]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [76]
1 Nicky Smith [3]
2 Julián Montoya [59]
3 Joe Heyes [143]
4 Harry Wells [202]
5 Ollie Chessum [58]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [110]
7 Tommy Reffell [117]
8 Olly Cracknell [45]

REPLACEMENTS

16 Charlie Clare [98]
17 James Cronin [37]
18 Dan Cole [326]
19 Côme Joussain [3]
20 Emeka Ilione [23]
21 Ben Youngs [317]
22 Jamie Shillcock [29]
23 Will Wand [1]

Saints

15 George Furbank (c)
14 James Ramm
13 Tom Litchfield
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Tommy Freeman
10 Fin Smith
9 Archie McParland

1 Emmanuel Iyogun
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Elliot Millar Mills
4 Temo Mayanavanua
5 Chunya Munga
6 Josh Kemeny
7 Angus Scott-Young
8 Sam Graham

Replacements:
16 Robbie Smith
17 Tom West
18 Trevor Davison
19 Gavin Thornbury – Northampton Saints debut
20 Tom Pearson
21 Henry Pollock
22 Jake Garside
23 Ollie Sleightholme

[FKAS]

No James and Dingwall are both blows to Saints backline.

No Martin a big blow for Tigers as he's been helping fill the carrying void up front. The return of Montoya and Pollard is a boost but with a new midfield pairing it's going to be a challenge in defence. Good to see young Woodward backed again, albeit mainly due to unavailability.

[Epaminondas Pules]

Bg vote of confidence in Woody! Great to see! There's going to be a shit load of Lichfield mini juniors and wider club members at the game for the 150 year anniversary celebrations.

Great to see McParland starting and another go for Pollock! Pearson and Pollock off the bench is quite some options! Noticeable that Pollock slotted in at 8 when he came on, certainly off attacking scrum ball.

[FKAS]

Noticeable that Pollock slotted in at 8 when he came on, certainly off attacking scrum ball.

That makes a lot of sense if Saints are planning to go wide on the set piece play. He's mobile enough to be a back either launching him or getting him running the support line quickly makes a lot of sense. I've often felt that scrums aren't particularly innovative with more players around to suit whether the team is attacking or defending.

[fivepointer]

Should be a good watch. Plenty of interesting one v ones to look forward to.

Pleasing to see Woodward get another run, McParland at SH and some young talent on both benches.

[Adam_P]

Bit odd not to start Pearson and Sleightholme - I get squad rotation but these are exactly the type of abrasive characters you want in the derby

[FKAS]

Bit odd not to start Pearson and Sleightholme - I get squad rotation but these are exactly the type of abrasive characters you want in the derby

Go physical in the first fifty and then open up the game in the last thirty and look to run away with it? Sort of like what happened in the last one. Admittedly that was helped by Reffell going off injured and then Kata needlessly getting red carded.

Saints got done over at the breakdown Vs Quins in the first half last weekend and Tigers did something in the first half of the last derby game. I'm assuming Saints plan is to try and be as physical as possible and then as Tigers fade bring on additional mobility. Montoya in unlikely to be doing the full 80 and it's a big ask on Reffell to be a thorn in Saints side from start to finish. Hopefully Ilione can come on and be menace.

[twitchy]

Not a fan of the kit combination.

[FKAS]

Ah you don't like to see that. Hope Sam Graham is ok.

[twitchy]

Austin is being especially bad today.

[Banquo]

Ah you don't like to see that. Hope Sam Graham is ok.

tricky one as they cant show it again....seems harsh on reffell tho, and hopefully graham ok

[FKAS]

That is a moronic yellow card. Absolutely woeful officiating. Tell players to get low and then yellow card an otherwise legal tackle just because his knee goes to floor before the contact. It's purely a card because Graham is injured. Those tackles happen many times a game, they aren't the type of tackle we are trying to get out the game, the injury is bad luck not foul play.

[Which Tyler]

Healey needs to put his bias away, especially when he knows full well that we can't see the incident for ourselves.


It's the 3rd time halready that his bias has shone through.


He may well be right, but we'll never know. We do know that if you're off your feet, then you're out of the game.

[FKAS]

Pollock packing down at 8. Interesting it's him and not Pearson coming on.

[FKAS]

He may well be right, but we'll never know. We do know that if you're off your feet, then you're out of the game.

Just because he's right and a former Tigers doesn't mean he shouldn't make the point.

He talks up Saints plenty. Most weeks actually.

[Which Tyler]

No.
Because we can't see what he's talking about, and thus have no idea if he's right or not.

[Banquo]

That is a moronic yellow card. Absolutely woeful officiating. Tell players to get low and then yellow card an otherwise legal tackle just because his knee goes to floor before the contact. It's purely a card because Graham is injured. Those tackles happen many times a game, they aren't the type of tackle we are trying to get out the game, the injury is bad luck not foul play.

did you see the replay?

[FKAS]

That is a moronic yellow card. Absolutely woeful officiating. Tell players to get low and then yellow card an otherwise legal tackle just because his knee goes to floor before the contact. It's purely a card because Graham is injured. Those tackles happen many times a game, they aren't the type of tackle we are trying to get out the game, the injury is bad luck not foul play.

did you see the replay?

Didn't need to I saw it in real time.

[Banquo]

That is a moronic yellow card. Absolutely woeful officiating. Tell players to get low and then yellow card an otherwise legal tackle just because his knee goes to floor before the contact. It's purely a card because Graham is injured. Those tackles happen many times a game, they aren't the type of tackle we are trying to get out the game, the injury is bad luck not foul play.

did you see the replay?

Didn't need to I saw it in real time.

are you there?

[Which Tyler]

ETA:Sorry - disengaging, no point with the levels of bias on display

[FKAS]

McParland is having a good audition at stepping up in the Saints pecking order isn't he. The youngster is playing well.

[Banquo]

reffell is brilliant

[FKAS]

reffell is brilliant

He's a one man breakdown attack isn't he. Has helped make up for a lack of breakdown nous in the pack previously, there's a bit more in pack when Montoya is there as well but an area Tigers do need to improve.

[Banquo]

saints struggling upfrnt

[FKAS]

Langdon probably needed to go for a HIA after that tackle anyway. Headbutting the ball carrier's shoulder isn't the best idea.