Worcester v Tigers Preview

By ChrisC
December 19 2011

Home Thoughts from Abroad Christmas brings memories of our time living in Worcestershire. We lived there for almost a decade after I left the South East for the first time. My parents, born and brought up in London, thought it very exotic that I lived in somewhere as remote as Worcestershire which was “almost Wales”.

During that time in Worcestershire I lived in a few places but liked the lovely and historic riverside town of Bewdley best. We enjoyed a magical white Christmas there. It was so snowy that the milkman and postman made their deliveries using sleds while the town was muffled and expectant looking like a set for a seasonal film. It was amazingly quiet and beautiful and such a contrast to the locations of my businesses in The Black Country.

We had a pre Christmas dinner at the Bailiff’s House restaurant (long since closed) in the town before trudging home in the snow for a nightcap in front of a roaring fire. When we left the restaurant “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was playing, fortunately it was Frank Sinatra’s version with the lyrics that were changed, at his request, from those of the rather gloomy Judy Garland original that she performed in the 1944 film; “Meet Me in St Louis”. Whenever I hear that song I can still picture that Christmas. It was the last I was to spend with my father who died the following year, so it is as poignantly memorable as it was wonderful.

The song by the late Clifford T. Ward, who was born in nearby Stourport-on-Severn; “Home Thoughts from Abroad” has the line “How is Worcestershire? Is it the same between us” and like him part of me will always be there.

Lots of good rugby around the area as well. I used to regularly watch matches at Droitwich’s Saltway ground and at the still quite new Sixways to where Worcester had relocated.

Of course Sixways is unrecognisable from those days, the enduring support of Worcester Boilers’ founder Cecil Duckworth having turned it into one of the best rugby complexes around.

When Warriors were previously in the Premiership I used to attend Tigers’ matches at Sixways and once, sitting in the east stand, was so cold that I thought I had hypothermia.

After their exile to the Championship I, together with many rugby supporters (not those from Leeds obviously) are pleased to see them back in the top flight.

The last time I saw the Warriors play was through the auspices of ESPN when Bath were visiting Sixways at the end of November.

Since then Warriors have suffered a 15-9 Premiership loss down at Sandy Park and had a bit of a cakewalk against the minnows Bucuresti, beating them 13-24 away before thumping them 57-13 at Sixways, scoring nine tries in the process.

In truth though those two Amlin Cup mismatches have little relevance to the Premiership.

Meanwhile Tigers since then have secured home wins against Northampton and Clermont while losing in France.

The Bath fixture was a poor match. Bath were absolutely shambolic with a scrum so makeshift it looked to have been created in McGeechan’s garden shed using gaffer tape.

The visitors’ set piece was, to use a current buzz phrase – “not fit for purpose”.

Worcester won 16-7 although it must be of concern to Richard Hill that the victory was not more emphatic.

I remember Hill’s Gloucester years when, after a victory over Tigers, the local newspaper; The Citizen, had the headline: “Hilly’s Heroes” that double page spread was at every work station and in every office all over my factory and remained there for years after even though the pages were yellowed and torn – just to remind me!

The shambles for Bath continued through to the latest “Bath Big Thing”; All Black World Cup winning fly-half Stephen Donald; he couldn’t kick, couldn’t pass but did run about a bit although to no great effect.

The Worcester scrum had a fine evening, although it was a bit like slaughtering tethered Goats for them so abject were their opponents. The Worcester pack has been the high spot of the Warriors’ first season back in the big time although the backs have oddly failed to make the impact that could and should be expected of them, the team having scored just eight Premiership tries in ten matches.

Tigers’ last fixture saw Tigers retain hope of qualification from their Heineken Cup pool but they could still rue the bonus points left in Italy, France and on Saturday at Welford Road.

It seems to me that the strategic changes in the back division since their last two Premiership matches, which saw victories at Kingsholm and against Saints at Welford Road, have not worked out.

Whereas in those two Premiership matches Tigers’ looked organised and sharp, against Clermont they looked disorganised, fractious and even demoralised at times. It was as if they were being directed to be part of something they didn’t believe in.

The excellent Matt Mullan was at loose head for Warriors that cold Friday evening against Bath demolishing his opponent and great in loose play, what a shame his career has been so blighted by injury, which it was again when he was forced from the field in the second half and the vastly experienced Scottish international Bruce Douglas took over, who I expect to retain the shirt against Tigers.

Welshman Ed Shervington had a happy time against the occupant of the #2 shirt for Bath who was actually a young prop and boy did it show! With that old warhorse Chris Fortey and thirty-three time capped Tongan Aleki Lutui in the mix Richard Hill has real strength in depth but I expect Shervington to oppose George Chuter who had another good match against Clermont.

On the tight-head Tevita Taumoepeau, another oft capped Tongan, is pretty much ever present in a powerful and well balanced front row combination. Taumoepeau will give the probable starting Tigers’ loosehead; Boris Stankovitch, who produced a top class scrummaging performance against the Clermont tight head, a tough challenge. It is indicative of the preposterous constraints of the salary cap that with Ayerza injured the only viable option to Stankovitch is for a tight head to slot in.

From what I’ve seen I think the Warriors front row could present as sterner test as any team Tigers are likely to face in the Premiership.

The line out has always been a feature of the Warriors’ play and while stalwart Craig Gilles was partnered by ex Sale and England Chris Jones against Bath I expect to see local boy James Percival, who’d been on a bit of walkabout before coming home, with spells at Saints and Quins, in harness with Gilles against Tigers and their being a formidable presence.

Louis Deacon has been superb since he returned from World Cup duty and George Skivington has done a good job filling the breach left by the again injured Geoff Parling.

With Chris Jones adding to Warriors’ firepower at the line out Tom Croft and Julian Salvi, who’s becoming increasingly influential there as everywhere else, will need to be on top form.

Ex Saint; Neil Best has always been an abrasive character and nothing’s changed. If there’s a dust up the feisty Ulsterman won’t be far away but against Bath it was ex Cornish Pirate Sam Betty that caught my eye. I hadn’t seen him before, he’s a real dogged “Bill Sykes” of a player who’s equally effective on either the open or blind side but my guess is that he’ll be in the #6 shirt against Tigers. and that England Sevens player, Jake Abbott, another product of Worcester’s impressive academy, will retain the #7 shirt.

The back row was completed against Bath by young German born Matt Kvesic as Chris Jones had moved forward to lock but Kvesic has since succumbed to a broken leg and so resources are looking thin in the Warriors’ back row with Kai Horstman, Neil Best and Tigers’ old boy Adam Balding also crocked. However Richard Hill has recruited Ezra Taylor, an Australian born Back Row/Lock who’s been capped twice for Samoa and comes via Highlanders, Queensland Reds and Connacht. Reputed to be a big ball carrier and at 6’4” and 111kgs he’ll improve the Warriors already formidable line out He’s newly arrived just in time to meet up with Tigers when I think he’ll be on the bench with Jones likely to start in the #8 spot.

The gem that is Julian Salvi had another fine match against Clermont and ran a superlative support line to take a lovely offload from Ben Youngs to score the winning try. Waldrom was back in the starting line up and played very well with his work at the breakdown excellent as he stole possession as well as making the customary yards and Youngs looked much more settled with the Anglo/Kiwi restored. Tom Croft also played well although for some reason he’s still not stealing opposition line out ball as he did in days past nor is he even vigorously competing for it, maybe it’s another new and mysterious strategy being visited upon Tigers.

I think the packs will be evenly matched at the set piece although I expect the Tigers to gain some advantage at the breakdown and in loose play.

Black Countryman Shaun Perry is reunited with his Bristol mentor Richard Hill, under who’s tutelage he first came to prominence, having returned from a sojourn at Brive, which is also on the CV of his sometime half back partner, another ex Tiger; Andy Goode.

Perry, with fourteen caps for England, is very experienced and aggressive around the breakdown and scrum. I thought though that the Warriors looked more threatening when local lad Jonny Arr came on to link with Joe Carlisle who has some lovely handling skills and produced a great ball for Benjamin to score Warriors’ solitary try against Bath. Veteran Andy Goode is still in the wings and remains a major source of points with his legendary boot and will doubtless feature at some point against one of his old teams.

Ben Youngs enjoyed his best starting appearance since his latest involvement with England and with Waldrom in front of him his running game looked to be more controlled and incisive. As a consequence he had an impressive outing making Salvi’s try.

Toby Flood however had a horrible first half save for producing a perfect training field move for Manu Tuilagi’s try which the young England player took with considerable aplomb. Flood’s place kicking was again off beam and with an overall success rate in the sixty percents crucial points again went begging from what should be routine positions for an international kicker, sadly there was no on field kicking option – it was again on the bench! Flood’s confidence has plummeted and he turned down a kickable penalty in the first half, generally once again looking all at sea with some out of hand kicking that was by turn sublime and appalling. The England fly half improved after the break but his patchy form is a worry. Something is badly awry for it to have fallen away so precipitously in such a short time.

Samoan international Dale Rasmussen is one of the longest serving at Sixways having joined them in 2004 and is still producing his trademark pile-driving tackles. I’d be a rich man if I had a pound for every bruised rib that he’s caused over the years! He’s had a rest during the Amlin, while becoming a Dad I believe, but if all’s well chez family Rasmussen I expect to see him back against Tigers.

It was interesting to watch Manu Tuilagi once again notionally out of his international position at inside centre except for much of the time on Saturday he wasn’t. Tigers in fact had two outside centres and how lucky it was otherwise his try wouldn’t have happened although his alignment did nothing to help cohesion.

This may well explain the sulky demeanour of Tigers’ backs for they, like many, apart of course from the person who matters, can perhaps see the sheer daftness of Billy Twelvetrees languishing on the bench, his inside centre skills and kicking prowess oddly, repeatedly and inexplicably eschewed by Richard Cockerill.

Midlands born but Scottish qualified Alex Grove is a classy player who was in the Scotland touring party to Argentina. Grove, a further product of the Worcester Academy, is an impressive and incisive runner scoring 75 points from sixty-nine appearances for his club and while he took a knock last time out he’s thought likely to be fit to face Tigers when, with Rasmussen, he’ll exploit any narrowing in the centre of Tigers’ defence.

If Manu Tuilagi isn’t restored to outside centre then the estimable Matt Smith will doubtless continue rather than take his place on the wing and Grove will find him hard to get past while having to cope with his power and pace in attack, although Smith too craves ball that he can take on the move.

If it’s decided to continue with the disjointed centre partnership that we’ve seen against Clermont then I think it’ll be a closer match up than many may expect. However if at last Twelvetrees gets to play at 12 and renew his England Saxons’ partnership with Manu Tuilagi, that was so effective on the Sixways ground last January when they were a key element in their team’s 45-17 victory, I think that, like Italy A, Warriors may find it too much to cope with.

On the wings against Bath were Miles Benjamin and ex Cherry and White; Marcel Garvey.

I really like this pairing. Benjamin is powerful and fast, born in the same town as Grove he’s yet another product of the Warriors’ Academy. He runs some wonderful lines when he comes off his wing which is a real feature of his play and he’s scored over fifty tries for his club.

Garvey first burst upon the scene at Kingsholm in the early part of this century where he really was seen as a first choice winger for the foreseeable future. Just 5’9” he’s fantastically powerful and nimble and he scored tries for fun in those early Gloucester years but unfortunately rather lost his way and was fortunate to find a safe harbour at Sixways where he’s rewarded Warriors’ confidence in him turning things around.

Alex Tuilagi, aside from another defensive aberration which was not as costly as the one down in the Massif Central the week before, played with aggression and purpose but again saw too little ball, he was joined again by Horacio Agulla for which ditto. For some reason, maybe an injury, the Argentinian international was replaced by Scott Hamilton – oh dear!!! Poor Hamilton, once as reliable as a Volkswagen, is badly lacking in confidence and as flaky as badly applied emulsion. When he came on he couldn’t do right for doing wrong. The Welford Road favourite looks as if he could do with a bit of time in the A team to rebuild his confidence and meanwhile I’d hope that Niall Morris gets a chance – what has the lad done wrong?

At full back for Warriors is likely to be Errie Claassens, the lesser known sibling of Bath’s Michael. Signed by Hill from London Welsh I’ve been really impressed by what I’ve seen of him. He’s quick and elusive and has an excellent kicking game that could cause Tigers all sorts of trouble if he’s given the ball in space.

Geordan Murphy did some good work at close quarters and in particular used all his nous in opening up a gap in which the Youngs/Salvi move could gain the oxygen of space to grow into a fine score.

There’s no concerted chasing of Tigers’ kicks, too often they don’t find touch and it’s as if after three or four phases boredom sets in and the backs kick the ball away. This to my mind comes back to the dysfunctional 10/12 axis visited upon Tigers producing such predictable plays with the backs static and the endless inside ball from Flood the too oft used move to generate go forward.

Flood’s restarts are largely uncontested events and both he and Murphy must get control of their kicking games as I can’t believe it’s a tactic to kick witlessly to the opposition and then for Tigers to amble up field as if they’re off to the pub for a pre Christmas libation. Repeatedly we see opposition defences run the ball back at the Tigers’ defence making prodigious territorial gains in the process. Sometimes an unsupported chaser gets to the ball but is then turned over as, like Valdimir and Estragon he waits for reinforcements and which, like Godot, never arrive.

Claassens, Benjamin and Garvey will love this kind of aimlessness and if Tigers persist they’ll pay – big time.

Warriors are a decent team but lack that cutting edge. Comparatively Tigers are the better side but need players who are in form playing in their correct positions and with a credible game plan (or two) if they are to end the year on a high.

I’m hoping for the best!

Finally my own “Home Thoughts” are for everybody who is kind enough to read my weekly opinions to enjoy a truly wonderful and peaceful Christmas.

Worcester v Tigers Preview

Posted by: TheLeicesterTigers.co.uk (IP Logged)

Date: 19/12/2011 14:55

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:12:28:09:39:08 by Tiggs.