Heineken Cup P2: Leicester Tigers vs Ospreys - 21/10/2012

[TRF_Olyy]

Welford Road, England - 21/10/2012 (15:00 Local Time)​

TV: Sky Sports​

 

[Draggs]

Tough one to call. Leicester are favourites, but the Ospreys can certainly handle the Tigers pack.
In this pool, one loss and you are out. Biggar v Flood could be an interesting contest.

 

[dullonien]

Looking forward to this one! I can see the O's pack being on top, especially with the form of Hibbard, A-W Jones and Ryan Jones. I was also hugely impressed with Bevington last week, one of his best showings in the tight. At one point he put in three big driving tackles within the space of a couple of minutes.

Always tough to pick up a win at Welford Road though, but if the O's want to get through to the QF's they might just have to!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tipuric's back and fit, isn't he? Tigers backrow is an unbalanced mess right now, he'd have an absolute field day against them.

 

[Draggs]

Tipuric's back and fit, isn't he? Tigers backrow is an unbalanced mess right now, he'd have an absolute field day against them.

Yes! If we want to play silly buggers, he is the in-form Lions openside.
Why do the Tigers play the best eight in England on the openside?

Ryan has been immense this year. It will be great to have him and Dan vying for the blindside position.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Tigers' have lost a number of backrowers to injury and/or retirement.
Think they want both Crane and Waldrom on the pitch at once, but Crane is far (far far) better controlling the ball at the base of the scrum so they play him there with Waldrom...elsewhere.
Would've made more sense to play Waldrom at 6, but then Mafi ain't a 7 either.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Waldrom to 12, Tualagi to 13. Bosh.

 

[Draggs]

Waldrom to 12, Tualagi to 13. Bosh.

Waldrom to the bakery.
Probably already been there.

 

[Teh Mite]

Tigers v ospreys again. Again.

Those names together is as synonymous as the German and Italian anthems together in Formula 1.

 

[TPenn]

So Leicester are going to wear black, forcing the Ospreys to play in white?

Why the hell are Leicester wearing black?

 

[Tony Manx]

I would say mind games but that would be giving Cockers some credit!!

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Bevington, Hibbard, A Jones, AW Jones, Evans, R Jones, Tipuric, Thomas; Fotuali'i, Biggar; Walker, Beck, Bishop, Dirksen, Fussell
Dwyer, D Jones, Jarvis, Stowers, Bearman, Webb, Morgan, Isaacs

I've said it before, but I'm really fed up of seeing Jonathan Thomas at 8. There's no power or dynamism there, and worse yet, he's terrible at controlling the ball at the base of the scrum. We've got two classier No. 8s on the bench, but instead play JT. Nothing against him as a player, he's been a good servant and yadda yadda yadda, but I'm hoping he doesn't cost us anything at the weekend with his not-being-an-9-y-ness.

Otherwise: I'm really looking forward to the game. I'm also going, which always helps on the excitment front. Looking forward to seeing the Tigers team, hopefully their backrow'll still be a bit of a mess.

EDIT: Yup, it's still a mess. We can take 'em.

Mulipola, Youngs, Cole, Kitchner, Parling, Mafi, Waldrom, Crane; Youngs, Flood; Goneva, Allen, Tuilagi, Morris, Hamilton
Chuter, Ayerza, Castrogiovanni, Deacon, Thorpe, Harrison, Ford, Smith

 

[TPenn]

Bevington, Hibbard, A Jones, AW Jones, Evans, R Jones, Tipuric, Thomas; Fotuali'i, Biggar; Walker, Beck, Bishop, Dirksen, Fussell
Dwyer, D Jones, Jarvis, Stowers, Bearman, Webb, Morgan, Isaacs

I've said it before, but I'm really fed up of seeing Jonathan Thomas at 8. There's no power or dynamism there, and worse yet, he's terrible at controlling the ball at the base of the scrum. We've got two classier No. 8s on the bench, but instead play JT. Nothing against him as a player, he's been a good servant and yadda yadda yadda, but I'm hoping he doesn't cost us anything at the weekend with his not-being-an-9-y-ness.

Otherwise: I'm really looking forward to the game. I'm also going, which always helps on the excitment front. Looking forward to seeing the Tigers team, hopefully their backrow'll still be a bit of a mess.

EDIT: Yup, it's still a mess. We can take 'em.

Mulipola, Youngs, Cole, Kitchner, Parling, Mafi, Waldrom, Crane; Youngs, Flood; Goneva, Allen, Tuilagi, Morris, Hamilton
Chuter, Ayerza, Castrogiovanni, Deacon, Thorpe, Harrison, Ford, Smith

Agree on JT, but I imagine it's simply because Bearman isn't fit enough for the 80 minutes.

 

[dullonien]

I've said it before, but I'm really fed up of seeing Jonathan Thomas at 8. There's no power or dynamism there, and worse yet, he's terrible at controlling the ball at the base of the scrum. We've got two classier No. 8s on the bench, but instead play JT. Nothing against him as a player, he's been a good servant and yadda yadda yadda, but I'm hoping he doesn't cost us anything at the weekend with his not-being-an-9-y-ness.

Amen. However it is a step up from seeing Tom Smith captaining the side in an important HC match, where he then goes on to hand the opposition (LI?) a try and get yellow carded!

 

[welshglory]

Yes! If we want to play silly buggers, he is the in-form Lions openside.
Why do the Tigers play the best eight in England on the openside?

Ryan has been immense this year. It will be great to have him and Dan vying for the blindside position.

Has Nick Easter joined Leicester?

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Amen. However it is a step up from seeing Tom Smith captaining the side in an important HC match, where he then goes on to hand the opposition (LI?) a try and get yellow carded!

Saracens, at Wembley. That said, the scrum from which he handed them a try was from an incorrectly judged foreward pass that would've resulted in a try for Shane or Tommy, but far from me to still be bitter about that, almost a year on. Agreed on that point, but

I think the key name in that backrow, though, is Justin Tipuric. Stuart Barnes made the point last night that he should have a field day without a 7 to contest. It also helps that he's pretty handy in the loose, too, and so whatever style of game it transpires to be, he'll be in a strong position to make a difference.

I've also got a good feeling about Hanno Dirksen. Him to score try of the season. Not sure what makes me say it, but it's my hunch.

 

[profitius]

This should be a close game and I think the Ospreys could sneak a win here.

 

[Tony Manx]

Wallace on Sky says the Tigers half back is the heart beat of the English team.......think Dean ryan responded something like take Care...........!!

Think Tigers will respond to last week's result and will be Tigerish and wear them down to win easily in the end.......at least its a deent ref!

 

[Teh Mite]

Wallace is a tool and his judgement should be given the contempt accordingly.

Tigers key is their pack. Particularly their back row, which is pretty average these days.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Ospreys by 4

Edit: that was a great steal from Tipuric, I think going on current form he should get the Lions shirt, long way to go until then though.