Gloucester in a different class

By Mike Hill
May 11 2003

Leicester were overwhelmed yesterday by this seasons runaway league leaders eventually going down 31 -13. On the final day of the regular season Gloucester were far too strong for a Tigers side completely bereft of confidence and imagination behind the scrum.

Give the lads credit for at least putting the effort in. They competed well in the tackle and at the breakdown for most of the game but were eventually taken apart by Gloucester's quality backs. Henry Paul and Mercier controlled the game in midfield and where Tigers were slow, hesitant and lateral Gloucester looked slick and direct.

After a slow start by both sides Gloucester took an early lead when Thinus Delport scored a cracking try. Added to a Mercier penalty this gave the home side a useful 10-0 lead. Freddie gave the side a lift when Jamie Hamilton put him through a gaping hole in the Gloucester defence. With the fullback pulled wide the Samoan only had to stroll under the posts to score. Murphy slotted an easy conversion and Tigers were in with a shout.

A clean penalty strike by Geordan gave Tigers a short lived parity until Beim inflicted the killer blow a try on the stroke of halftime which Mercier converted from wide on the left. A measly three points was all Tigers could manage in the second period which is becoming a bad habit. Gloucester ran in two soft tries with Tigers defence buying Gomarsall's dummy for the first and then McMullen's pass was intercepted by Terry Fanolua who ran under the posts unopposed.

My Tigers Man of the Match would be Adam Balding who produced a strong peformance at eight. Josh wasn't far behind and John Holtby had a good first half before fading later on. I say Tigers MOM because Henry Paul had an excellent game for the Cherry and Whites and was in my opinion the best player on the pitch.

I've been watching the Tigers since 1991 and this is the worst run of form I've seen. Injuries to key players such as Lewis Moody, Austin, Ollie Smith and Neil Back haven't helped but there is more to the current slump than that. The famed team spirit just doesn't seem to be there anymore and too many of our best players look out of sorts and unhappy.

Losing like winning becomes a habit and Tigers need a drastic change if they are to snap out of their current malaise. I would advocate bringing in more of our successful U21's side for the wildcard fixtures at least they are not disheartened and will play their socks off given a chance in the first team. Certainly a change at centre is required the distribution of Freddie and Leon is not good enough to bring Geordan into the game.

Once more the 'powers that be' have surpassed themselves this season with the most ridiculous competition ever for the final European place. What’s next a Morris Dancing competition to decide the European places? A winner takes all play off between 1st and 12th to decide the champion and who gets relegated?

Apologies for the digression. See you at the Stoop for the next thrilling instalment of the season from hell.