Tigers v London Irish Match Preview
By ChrisC
November 12 2012
Wimpy and Chips Marketing folks are clever coves, or at least that’s what they always told me as they presented their invoice and I cried “WHAT”!!? Whether it was a direct mail shot one firm tried to convince me was a good investment with a promised 0.02% response rate or a too clever by half marketing campaign, I’ve always found myself somewhat underwhelmed.
I once worked for a mass market furniture retailer, our internal company motto (we didn’t have “mission statements”) was that we could “serve the many and eat with the few or serve the few and eat with the many”. We sold, in vast quantities, some truly awful stuff.
In the way that owners do a new marketing agency was employed and came up with the idea that we should rebrand our three hundred or so shop-fronts with a more up market image, which we did at great expense. Sadly, as us horny handed sons of the soil predicted, it was a real example of “all net curtains and no knickers” as behind the external appearance of being Habitat it was the same old tat – our existing customers were confused as we’d gone “all posh” and the new customers were disappointed when they found what we were selling.
Advertising though was always supposed to be subliminal, which was code for “you can’t tell if it’s working”.
It was the same with sponsorship, I was told I had to be in for the long haul with a budget to match, so the only thing I ever sponsored were the shirts for a local Under 12’s soccer team and that was for staff morale as the fathers nearly all worked for me.
The Heineken Cup is I guess a slow burn as I can’t think of that competition without linking the brewer’s name to it – but I still don’t drink their product. I still think of the Premiership as just that, in spite of Allied Dunbar, Zurich, Guinness and Aviva being sponsors at one time or another. In fact for all their sponsorship I’ve just moved away from Aviva as they’re more expensive than anybody else for car insurance.
This all came to me when I watched the internationals last weekend, or more correctly, the QBE internationals. Who are or what is QBE? Apparently it’s some Australian insurance company but one that doesn’t appear to deal direct with the general public, a bit like AIG who sponsor the All Blacks, another trade type insurance company and in its case one that had to be bailed out by Uncle Sam. So who are they seeking to attract, not us the great unwashed that’s for sure.
The Six Nations, cricket test matches, tennis competitions all have sponsors but they don’t register with me as a companies I particularly want to deal with just because they sponsor some sporting event or another and as for poor old Liverpool Victoria and their groovy LV= I’m afraid that I just think of Luncheon Vouchers of which I received a 2s/6d (12½ pence) voucher every day to augment my weekly wage of £5.00 when I started work. The voucher was just enough to buy a Wimpy and chips.
With the first round of the LV= Cup now behind us with a predictable loss for a scratch Tigers’ side, who managed a bit of a comeback after the break to give the score a more respectable appearance against Saracens, while down in Reading two sides, who are propping up the league after poor starts to the season; London Irish and Sale, put out two strong teams and although at one stage the home side was 11 points adrift at 10 points to 21 they came back to get the win by 34 points to 28 with two tries from Matt Garvey, who had an immense game by all accounts, one from Tigers’ favourite George Skivington and another from the returning Shane Geraghty.
With Tigers’ playing New Zealand Maori on Tuesday evening it will probably be a similar team facing London Irish as that which succumbed to Saracens, when they take their turn at Welford Road.
As a friendly against a touring side has been given precedence over the LV= Cup, the friendly being graced with Tigers’ current first team, it’s fair to assume that defence of the trophy won last season is nowhere in sight on Richard Cockerill’s radar.
It seems though that Brian Smith will send out another strong team which I suspect may also not look too different to that which was on parade in the first round. In fact it may even be stronger.
Alex Corbisiero, having been released by England was on the loose-head side against Sale and was joined by ex Leinster hooker Brian Blaney who’s been waiting in line behind England’s David Paice and Scotland’s Scott Lawson. Tongan Leo Halavatau has been on duty in the Premiership in the number three shirt for London Irish and so it was again in the LV= Cup with Max Lahiff nowhere to be seen. So another experienced front row combination will await the Tigers’ trio which, with Balmain starting against the Maoris, will probably be otherwise unchanged with Jonny Harris, Jimmy Stevens and the thankfully fit again Kieran Brookes. Even if Corbisiero is back in the England squad for next weekend, as he certainly should be in my book, and Fijian international Jerry Yanuyanutawa, who was signed for this season from the Brumbies, steps up it’s still hard to see Tigers getting much change out of the London Irish front row and therefore any advantage.
At lock with George Skivington and club skipper All Black Bryn Evans likely to be deployed once more for London Irish and with Rob Andrew and young Joe Cain probably representing Tigers it looks another tough area for the Tigers.
It doesn’t get any easier in the back row with even last week’s try scorer for Tigers; Michael Noone on duty against the Maori with Richard Thorpe, it’s possible the Tigers’ LV= squad will be denied their attention. Should anything happen to Julian Salvi, whos presence is ridiculous in an essentially meaningless match, Tigers will be in danger of prejudicing the upcoming Premiership matches. These friendly matches are all very well but aside from being a nice little earner for the club don’t put any silverware in the trophy cabinet and the warm feeling and kudos that the supporters will have from entertaining another touring side will soon cool in the face of a fruitless season.
The outstanding Matt Garvey, who brings another string to the Irish fiddle at the line out as well as dynamism in the loose, with the experienced and abrasive, hard charging Tongan international Chris Hala’ufia teamed with the impressive Jamie Gibson probably making up the visitors’ back row, with Alex Gray in waiting. No change here either in what is shaping up to be a very difficult afternoon for Tigers’ largely young and makeshift pack.
I sense that it could well be academic who plays in the backs for Tigers for if the scrum goes how I think it will they’ll have little ball to play with and if they do the already inexperienced side we saw against Saracens is to be further weakened as Niall Morris is starting against the Maori.
Pat Phibbs is preferred to Sam Harrison against the Maori so we may see Harrison in the LV= squad, probably with Cornwell again at fly half as Ford starts against the tourists. Darren Allinson was on duty at scrum half for London Irish against Sale with Tomas O’Leary missing but the other new Irish half back signing; Tigers’ old boy David Humphreys played and showed that tackling is still not his forte and if Tigers had a first choice pack, and particularly back row, on duty I’d bet he’d have a bit of a torrid time. As it is I suspect his pack will give him and Allinson a comfy seat to work from whereas Harrison and Cornwell could well find themselves on the back foot, a situation in which neither prosper and should Bowden be involved his erstwhile colleagues will know all too well of his defensive frailties.
In the centre therefore I’d hope that Symons and Forsyth will continue and that the latter will be more accurate in the execution of his ambition but they’ll have to face Shane Geraghty who’s back from going walkabout since he left Reading in 2009 and Samoan international Sailosi Tagicakibau. I think Geraghty is far more dangerous at inside centre than when pressed into service at fly-half and if he produces one of those steps of his with Tagicakibau in support, who can be magical in finishing off chances, or half chances come to that, then there could be problems for Tigers.
I rather like the hard running and even harder defending Symons and Forsyth but I just wonder if they’ll be manning the redoubts rather than mounting many attacks of their own.
Lewington and Purdy look likely to reprise their appearances on the wing at Goldington Road as Tait, Smith and Thompstone are all starters against the Maori but quite who’ll be at full back I don’t know with Morris otherwise engaged on Tuesday and it is beyond comprehension that Geordan Murphy would be risked.
I expect to Topsy Ojo to be appearing again for London Irish with perhaps Marland Yarde being unleashed if fit and they have Tom Homer available for full back and if Brian Smith wants to roll out more big guns he has plenty to choose from.
Tigers will be a Welford Road where I expect there’ll be rather more spectators than the barely 3000 that turned up at Goldington Road last Friday so that will be a help to the home side but honestly, given the resources available to him, as Tigers’ management are clearly not interested in the competition my feeling is that, to all intents and purposes, Tigers’ involvement will draw to a close this weekend.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:11:19:22:53:44 by Tiggs.
We're hoping to have JJ released back from England to prove his fitness as well but given he's rumoured to be talking to you guys (Rugby Paper) maybe we will leave him at home.
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Ho hum .. well I suppose you never know, the stiffs 'done good' last year, but I'm quite glad there'll be other distractions available to me on Saturday in truth
'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget
I think many folks WILL remember the win over the Maori for a long time after any LV cup success has faded ... what gets more air time than about any other single occurance in the past decade (since last winning the HC)? ...beating the saffers when the Cat stand was opened.
Quote:prestontiger
I think many folks WILL remember the win over the Maori for a long time after any LV cup success has faded
The context of my comment was in that of a potential injury to Julian Salvi (or for that matter any other first XV player) without whom, as most will agree, our breakdown has been poor.
Yes of course most Tigers supporters will remember the victory over Maori as they do that over South Africa although the LV= Cup will be there on the honours board whereas a friendly with a touring team won't (will it?)
As it happens it seems that the Tigers' players largely came through unscathed for which I'm grateful but I still think it wasn't a risk worth taking although I know I'm in a minority.
I suspect there will be something on the honours board - though what I am not clear.
I know this isn't really conclusive of anything except that I have a particular outlook but what I remember of the 09/10 season isn't beating Sarries at HQ - though that was good too - but that Friday night that we beat the Springboks. I'm not saying it was more important - that would be nonsense - but it is my big memory of that season and that was the year that we beat the Boks.
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Quote:well I guess that we can win it two years in row!I don't know what we'd be proving as a club to win that pot two years in a row
Quote:....this result was much more important than another win in the LV would be/have been
Can't agree there I want us to win "things" rather than one off friendlies, although I like us to win those too.
Quote:There is a risk that we could equally have experienced the injury we fear playing agfainst the Sarries 2nds or agin LI this weekend.
True but then I wouldn't risk any of the front line players in the LV.
Quote:It's all opinion
Indeed and that what makes it interesting
Very few outside of Tigers fans in the UK seem to have registered the achievement though.
'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget
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I'm not sure that maybe we don't imprint our view of Tigers and their achievement of beating the Maori on others.
It was a great win but I'm less sure that it has the lasting global significance that we may like to think it does.
Ho hum .. well I suppose you never know, the stiffs 'done good' last year ...
Dashed good show Tigers, and it shows how little I know!
'Lions led by donkeys' .. Lest we forget
Quote:Stopsy
Sorry Rich, I believe the reputations of Gloucester and Newcastle will similarly be enhanced in Fiji & Tonga as long as there was the expectation that the Pacific Islanders would win which was absolutely the expectation of the Maori.
I'm not diminishing Glaws' and Newc's achievement at all but the Maori are a bigger name in world rugby and, critically, in the one place where our sport is pre-eminent.
If you want people in NZ and Aus & SA to sit up and notice you're better beating the Maori.
7 years ago they beat the Lions. They've beaten England more than once. The Maori are a big deal and their place in NZ rugby is really important.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:11:18:23:28:03 by Rich W.