Tigers v Racing 92 Team News

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Would've been tempted to have Simmons over Ford on the bench, but that is our strongest fit team currently.

I'd probably have largely with this team but Hamilton in for Williams, Fitzgerald for Kitchener.

Plus points:
+ Team selected to try to get a win
+ Means Wells has earned his place in the first team and can be
looked at with the other first team players.
+ Better balance in the back row than a lot of MOCs selections.

Negative points:
- Are we trying to force Evans and Thacker out? Can understand
Thacker not being in, but Evans is worth a bench spot even if
it means a 6-2 split IMO.
- Totally uninspiring bench, Joe Ford and Thompstone after last
week? Why not reward Charlie Thacker and Simmons who were two
of the better performers.
- Our big game is Gloucester Away and big run of games is
Gloucester, Quins, Sarries, Worcester, we won't have the
England internationals for those and have missed a chance to
get some cohesion in the team for those game.

Hamilton rested as a favour for him, so that he is safe for Scotland ?

Or maybe because he isn't in favour?

There will always be debates over people being left out etc but I'm glad to see O'Connor starting in what seems intended to be the strongest team. The big question for me is does Mike Williams' size offer more than Luke Hamilton's work-rate? Not sure, I waiver with almost every game on that one.

A win would be great for morale and that's presumably what MOC is after, then he has the AWC games to prepare for the crucial Premiership run. Before the Wuss game whence it all unravelled I would have been confident we would win this, I hope the confidence level and atmosphere in the squad hasn't fallen so far as to change that.

The list looks good enough, let's see if they have the heart for the job. I expect a certain DoR ex of this parish will be talking to Hamilton very soon sadly.

As Hamilton is not even on the bench he is left out deliberately, hence me saying so he can play for Scotland.

Looks good, perhaps it can be circulated to the players so they can get to know one another before KO.

Would prefer Hardwick to Joe Ford, much the better 10.

What on earth has Wells done? He's in the team!!!!

Hamilton rather than Williams for me every time.

Decent set of front row replacements on the bench for once.

Still no Barrow.

Mrs JJ

I don't think Hardwick is in the Euro Squad. Hope he is given a chance next week.

and we still pick Kitchener.

Quote:

tigerburnie
The list looks good enough, let's see if they have the heart for the job. I expect a certain DoR ex of this parish will be talking to Hamilton very soon sadly.

Doubt Cockers has 6 extremely good backrowers next season in
Barclay, Watson, Bradbury, Richie, Mata and maybe CDP can’t see him wanting another flanker who might be away during 6n’s.


Personally I reckon Hamilton will be off.

No excuses with that team selection

The referee is the final arbitrary ------------------ {The persons and events mentioned in this post are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely co-incidental}

Most games I go to with some expectation that we will win, sometimes I go more in hope than expectation, occasionally I am not very confident. For the first time time I will be travelling with no confidence, no hope and no expectation. My only hope is that the players feel the same way, because, if they do, they will never want to feel this way again.

Already posted but not commented on - I see Dan Carter returns...

And for Racing 92

Cela faisait de longues semaines que Dan Carter apparaissait en costume et en tribune aux matches du Racing 92. A l'occasion du déplacement à Leicester pour le dernier match de la phase de poules de la Coupe d'Europe, le Néo-Zélandais migre sur la feuille de match. Il y sera remplaçant, le titulaire à l'ouverture pour ce match capital restant Rémi Tales.

Le XV du Racing 92 : Dulin - Thomas, Vakatawa, Chavancy, Rokocoko - (o)Tales, (m)Machenaud (cap) - Nyanga, Nakarawa, Lauret - Carizza, Ryan - Tameifuna, Chat, Ben Arous

Les remplaçants : Szarzewski, Kakovin, Gomes Sa, Chouzenoux, Palu, Iribaren, Carter, Dupichot



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018:01:19:14:33:44 by A_Magna_Malc.

I'm sorry, but I just don't see the point of this selection. Both last week's and this week's games are pointless as far as our chance of qualification are concerned; this week even more so than last. So last week when we had a very remote chance of success we fielded our second team. Now we have no chance we field the first. Do we hate Racing so much that we want to deny them the chance of qualification? If it's a morale issue, it will be even worse if we get beaten now. If we win it will prove nothing. And if any of the stars get injured, then we will have put them at risk for no purpose. This selection smacks of a club in utter panic.

Tbh Tom I think the only reason Tigers got away with such a relatively small backlash to the team selected last weekend is that Castres were incredibly unlikely to progress. Field a similar team this weekend and there'd be serious questions being asked if Racing reached the knock-out stages at another team's expense.

Could be that the club were limited in the type of team they could select for this game, especially after pushing the boundries to breaking point last weekend.

It is home, never play a weak team at home.

Besides this is surely an opportunity to establish some cohesion ahead of more important games ahead.

To be honest it's the last chance. Failure to do so now will probably have to result in changes.

...

Quote:

Tom Paine
I'm sorry, but I just don't see the point of this selection. Both last week's and this week's games are pointless as far as our chance of qualification are concerned; this week even more so than last. So last week when we had a very remote chance of success we fielded our second team. Now we have no chance we field the first. Do we hate Racing so much that we want to deny them the chance of qualification? If it's a morale issue, it will be even worse if we get beaten now. If we win it will prove nothing. And if any of the stars get injured, then we will have put them at risk for no purpose. This selection smacks of a club in utter panic.

This.

A club in a deep confused fog. Not sure which direction to go in. No clear strategy or idea of purpose.

But 4 key players won't be available for the next few weeks. Surely it would be best to try and find a second string half back combination that works. We are going to need it.

True.

...

You know I'm not sure it matters who we pick at the moment re first teamers against those nearly in first team.

What we need is a team performance that shows we're on an upward trajectory.

And on another matter:

I saw Hamilton and Barrow alone together in Costa coffee (calm down OSV it was for research purposes only) a couple of months ago. They sounded quite close (not in that way) and I wouldn't be surprised if both left at the end of the season.

2 plus 2 does indeed make 6.

Yorkie points out the key problem - a lack of strategic thinking. O' Connor should have used these two games to rest the England players and get together a side to carry us through their absence. This is what Exeter would have done - keep the basic structure of the team and introduce the four or five players who will take over the roles of the absentees. Players only become teams by playing together. These all out/ all in selections are the sign of a manager who hasn't a clue. And God I've worked with enough of them!

Quote:

RushdenTiger (KT at work)

What we need is a team performance that shows we're on an upward trajectory.

Thank you.

Got to love your positive view.











Is your glass (or coffee cup/mug if you prefer?!) ever more than three quarters empty?











Again, thank you for the chortle.

We need to be testing our development players.

Starting at lock. Maksymiw, Lewis with Wells as the leader.

Props Betts, (still our player) Grahamslaw, Hills, Heyes,plus our new Argentina LH

Hooker Mahoney & Kerr

Half backs, Simmons, White & Hardwick (Fly Half)

Back row - Refell, uilagi

Centers Thacker, Olowofela,

Full back

Plus first team squad players that are available and possible academy lads that are developing.

Should help to see which players are likely to make the first team squad and who are not likely to reach the standard required.

Except that they have to be registered for Europe.

For those who feel that all is not quite perfect at our Club currently this team selection leaves no room for excuses. A heavy defeat would rouse the most reluctant of heads to look over the parapet, whilst a glorious performance and win might quell some of the hysteria .. either way a damp squib is not desirable, no matter that qualification is beyond us; there are bigger things a stake here, perchance

That said, I posted before the Castres game I felt the way forward was to rest the bulk of the first team with the Six Nations and AWC on the horizon and player welfare always an issue; but the AWC will still offers opportunities for trying out combinations ready to cope with forthcoming enforced absentees

A shocking suggestion, but how about a positive spin [at least until after the Rassing game]

The referee is the final arbitrary ------------------ {The persons and events mentioned in this post are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely co-incidental}

MOC has got himself into a situation where he is damned if he does or doesn't.
Field a development squad and lose: morale dips further
Field a first team squad: win but intellectually pointless from a competition point of view and risk injuries.

Quote:

MOC has got himself into a situation where he is damned if he does or doesn't.

All of his own making!

...

Quote:

Rich W

Quote:

MOC has got himself into a situation where he is damned if he does or doesn't.

All of his own making!

Yep.

You play the kids last week so why not again this week? At least there would be some consistency and the players might actually start to come together as a team?

For me, the inevitable loss our first choice team are likely to endure is far more harmful that the kids losing again. Remember that Racing need/want a good win to help their progression.

Been snowing like hell heer this morning, turning to sleet now