That was Better! - Tigers v Falcons Review
By RichW
November 29 2010
That was better! Apparently I have to begin this by commenting on how much snow was cleared at WR yesterday - it’s the law! So - snow was cleared and the game kicked off as usual. I can’t see why it’s quite as noteworthy as the agency staff reporter who filed all the copy in the Sundays thought it was but there you go. Rather more noteworthy in the pre-match was the poor unfortunate in Santander Stand, crowned on the back of the head by a Billy the Boot practice kick. I hope she’s well.
So to the game itself and Tigers made a good, busy start with Lee Robinson, making his first Premiership appearance for Tigers, figuring prominently. After last weeks return to winning ways - this was better - energetic and brisk as bracing as the chill winter afternoon air.
If there was a complaint it was that Tigers weren’t perhaps direct enough in the opening exchanges moving latterly searching for gaps that weren’t there and space that hadn’t yet been earned. Still, when the ball was worked wide the Tigers new back 3 looked dangerous and made yards only for moves to break down.
An exchange of penalties in the opening 10 minutes, first by Gopperth and then by Billy the Boot preceded the first sign of Tigers’ forward dominance. An ascendant scrum gave the impressive Jordan Crane, captain for the day, space. He carried hard and earned a second penalty for William the Wellington. Calls for a further scrummage from the Tigers’ bench went unheeded but perhaps presaged what was to come.
However, despite the pressure led by Crane and his partner in crime Tom Waldrom Tigers were, until the half hour mark, unable to secure a return of more than one further successful kick by the magnum footed one to four by the accurate Gopperth, who took full advantage of Mr Garner’s failure to note knock-ons in the build up to two and a blatant off-side by the chaser of a garryowen for a third. Mr Garner is, it seems, relatively new to the top flight – and he gave us ample evidence as to why that was the case. His stuttering, imprecise performance served to provide numerous ‘what the?’ moments making it hard for either team to settle or to play with fluidity frustrating teams and spectators alike.
But Leicester stuck to their task and after a lineout good work by Scott Hamilton, enjoying himself at fullback and the impressive Matt Smith produced a penalty near the posts. The earlier message had been received or perhaps Captain Crane just sensed the moment and instead of an easy three points Tigers elected this time to take the scrummage and with Julian White rolling back the years, the returning pushing machine Louis Deacon behind him and Peter Bucknall showing signs of settling into his unfavoured loose-head side they marched the Newcastle scrum back over the line. No repeated resets this time - just that big squeeze and, as the ball crossed the line at Crane’s feet, an infringement by the visitors back-row. For once a properly awarded penalty try – and credit to Mr Garner in that at least - and the score was 13-12 which is how it remained until the break.
The half-time team-talk we thought would include an exhortation for Tigers to be a little more direct, to punch holes and create the space.
And from the kick-off it seemed the message had been received.
A surging maul led to a bursting charge from Crane, carried on by an improving Skivington and the irrepressible Tank Engine. Defenders were dragged in producing quick ball on the Newcastle 10 metre line and Crane steamed onto the ball again. Coming from deep and at pace he hit the gap on the blind-side and went for the line. With a man to beat he backed himself, rightly eschewing the men outside and drove through the tackle to score a pre-Christmas cracker.
More direct we said! Excellent!
Five minutes later more of the same saw Tigers surge down the left and with Manu Tuilagi seizing the ball at the base of a ruck five metres out he went, inimitably, for the line himself bouncing defenders out of the way to touch-down and the game was over as a contest!
Oh yes! We like that! Even the Leicester crowd woke up. Manuuuuu!
It was only then that the strangest thing to happen all day occurred - delaying his kick until the charge down was almost upon him Willy the Welly missed his conversion! Stunned silence! We looked at each other nervously as if waiting for the world to end.
Their tails up now, Tigers came again and Crane having shown his pace to confound his critics now showed off his subtler skills and with a neat reverse pass to Tony Allen on the angle - a tactic used to good effect throughout the game - he sent the centre across the white-wash. Normal service was restored with the Billy the Now Slightly Fallible adding the straight-forward extras.
To their credit Newcastle attempted to press but lacking the physicality to win the collisions they found themselves either turned over or forced wide. And it was that pressure from the Tigers defence that led to one forced pass too many. Manu pounced to race up the touchline and while Gopperth gave chase, showing good pace he couldn’t get to him. What he would do with him if he did, we all wondered as Billy the Merely Human, horror of horrors, missed another!
By now it was one way traffic and the visitors were living off scraps. Despite that they finally carved out a chance down the right, but the clean break and neat interplay came to nothing as they squandered it when the final pass went astray. From there it was Tigers who struck again with Crane figuring large once more as he and Hawkins made the yards for Matt Smith to show good support and good power to drive over. Normal service was resumed by the Boot to everyone’s relief.
By now six tries and we were wondering if we might see the half-century, but more replacements saw a fractured the last 10 minutes with the visitors taking the final try as Fielden chipped, dribbled and chased and Gopperth goaled.
And the game drifted to an end, slightly disappointingly in a slew of replacements and of both teams settling for where they were.
The game saw Tigers make a step up from their victory against Quins and they will have been pleased to come out of the Autumn International period with 9 points from the two significant games and some of the hysterical over-reactions of two weeks ago surely put to bed. Their dominance of this encounter was complete, but perhaps it might be wise not to get ahead of ourselves. Newcastle were, frankly, woeful - disorganised, lacking in passion, aggression or threat - in all honesty I’m really not convinced that they belong in the Premiership. Tougher tests await Tigers.
Still the scrum gained ascendency for the first time since Castro and Marcos headed off to the International Rugby Circus with Julian back to his best (perhaps he needed the practice?) and Peter Bucknall rising at last to the occasion and at last the lineout has begun to function with the return, much longed for, of Louis Deacon in tandem with the steadily improving Skivington. At the breakdown the back-row of the Tank, Newby and Crane imposed itself with real vigour. I have never been a fan of picking more than one number 8 but the ‘twin wrecking ball’ approach has a certain appeal!
The forwards as a whole bludgeoned the visitors into submission and in the backs there was wit and pace and precision - oh and Manu and Billy!
Whilst Leicester, deprived again of numerous internationals, were not at their razor sharp best the gulf in class was pronounced and not entirely reflected on the score-board. And the cavalry are coming. The Leicester management will be glad to welcome back their Internationals though they will be looking again for the broken mirror at the news of Tom Croft’s injury in the Twickenham Friendly.
Still Tigers have emerged once again from the International period in better shape than they entered it and things are starting to come together nicely!
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:12:04:20:12:17 by Stephen Bath.
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Its no wonder Billy misses some if he's wearing an ice cream, 70s Moustachioed detective or bottle of wine on his foot!
I knew I should have copyrighted the "2 Wrecking Balls".
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:11:30:07:57:50 by Stopsy.
If you are going to do this reporting stuff you must make the effort to do it properly...
I know...
@rse
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Lest we forget
You didn't mention that there were 35 tonnes of snow shifted though and the precise number of people involved in the exercise which is a shame and noting Mike's copyright of "Wrecking Balls" may I please register that I was the first to use "Billy the Boot".
Perhaps we shall be jointly consulting Tuilagi and Tuilagi
who will be contacting you regarding damages on our behalf!!
Very enjoyable read old pal!
Following what you said about the snow I've looked up a couple of the Sunday reports - if you believe the Sunday Telegraph then your penalty try came after Thomas Waldrom had given us the lead. The Sunday Express says that after Twelvetrees' first penalty "The Tigers were on their way" - despite the fact that at one point we were 6-12 up.
Some of the reporting of club rugby in the national press is appalling.
I suppose the Express was reflecting the curve in Tiger's play rather than the simplistic truth of the scoreboard. That said - the standard of reporting is generally poor and this week it was, as you say, appalling!
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