Pass My Blood Pressure Tablets

HEC
By Chris Chaplin
December 8 2004

Pulsating, thrilling, absorbing, tense, have all been used to used to describe last Sunday’s encounter at The Causeway Stadium and Tigers, having won the first sortie in the “Battle of Britain”, now have to win the decisive battle next Sunday

Having had the privilege of being at The Causeway Stadium on Sunday 5th December 2004 I was, at the end of this epic encounter, almost driven to take to the pitch to give a suitably Churchillian address to the booing Wasps’ supporters however I thought better of it!!

The great thing about rugby is days like last Sunday, big occasions, stadia packed to bursting point, passionate crowds, big match players and big rewards in terms of kudos for the victors and of course these days there is always the folding stuff but somehow, and unlike in some other sports, I don’t think the financial rewards occur to anybody at the time – well perhaps the company accountant who may still be in a darkened room somewhere computing the effect of his Company’s progression in Europe.

Having now watched the match in the raw and, with the benefit of a recording, again in the cooler atmosphere of my sitting room much has become clearer.

At the time I, together with my Wasp supporting neighbours in the BCUC stand, was puzzled as to why, after thoroughly dismantling the home team for the first 20 minutes or so, Tigers allowed the game to degenerate into the maelstrom of penalties that it became.

With the ability to revisit the events of the day it seems to me that Tigers were naïve (not a word that is often used to describe them) in allowing themselves to be drawn into punitive action in response to the niggling play that Wasps had decided to employ from the outset in a successful attempt to disrupt Tigers more structured style of play as did Biarritz in an earlier round.

Tigers consequently lost focus and hence the initiative and while a loose interpretation of the laws by all the professional sides, when contravention is designed to aid the team effort, is now part of the game, some of the foolish play that led to penalties against Tigers was just that – foolish!

It is true for example that Geordan Murphy was fortunate to remain on the field after one such incident and equally true that had Andy Goode not succumbed to his frustration by giving the newly fragile Josh Lewsey a nudge, which led to histrionics from the Wasps’ player as he threw himself through the hoardings, an action more suited to the soccer field, another three points would not have been surrendered to the newly restored kicking machine that is Mark vanGisbergen.

While Tigers were down to 14 men, following Harry Ellis being immature in responding to his being targeted from the off, the reliable boot of vanGisbergen suitably punished the initial indiscretion and then Lewsey weighed in with a well worked try through the stretched Tigers’ defence, I started to wonder whether Tigers were to become victims of their own indiscipline.

As it was with Andy Goode back in form with his boot Tigers prevailed.

Last Sunday’s encounter was a must win for Wasps as away victories in Leicester and Biarritz are likely to be hard to come by.

This Sunday though the boot is on the other foot as Tigers are now the team that must win and more to the point, after allowing the perennially strong finishing Wasps to get a losing bonus point last weekend, prevent the same from happening this time, while looking to wipe out the advantage that sees the visitors installed above them in the pool.

Wasps problems started in the front row where the Tigers’ trio comprehensively dismantled Will Green, Greening and the still recovering Craig Dowd, the record holding Kiwi loose head not yet looking the player in the tight that he was prior to his long layoff from injury or maybe White just made him look bad.

Warren Gatland knows the problem the question is what can he do about it? With Greening also now fighting to be fit the front row resources of the visitors are stretched, much as were those of Tigers through the Autumn international period.

I can’t honestly see that the outcome in the front row will be much different next weekend from what it was last with perhaps Wasps’ best hope being that referee Alain Rolland is not very firm in his policing of the scrum.

I earlier spoke of being Churchillian and I guess that is the best way of describing Johnno’s demeanour as the storm broke about him toward the end of last Sunday’s match. He remained pretty calm when compared to the hysterical antics of the opposition skipper, that legendary Italian temperament hey!?

In play the Wasps’ lineout was much better than I have seen sometimes in the past and it certainly seemed even more solid once Gotting took over, although the threat that Greening presents around the park does remove a valuable dimension from Wasps’ broken play, where the Gloucester born hooker is especially dangerous.

I didn’t really think that there was much to choose between the two sets of locks in this particular theatre although with Corry restored the Tigers lineout looked impressive and he was the marginal difference between the sides in this area.

In the tight Tigers won the battle and matched the dynamic duo of Shaw and the ever excellent Richard Birkett in the loose.

With World Cup winner Ben Kay, who was not able to get off the bench as Louis Deacon sticks his hand further and further in the air to attract Andy Robinson’s attention, Tigers have real strength in depth here with plenty of options available to them.

It would therefore take a brave man to bet against another dominant performance from the Tigers’ tight five at Welford Road.

In the loose Lewis Moody was back to his best and out thought and out foraged Joe Worsley who was, I thought, a little muted as an attacking force for much of the encounter although it would be interesting to see his tackle count as he seemed to be everywhere in defence. However Moody does leak penalties when defending and he must work on this before he is the complete player he strives to be.

O’Connor is certainly a real dynamo in the loose and matched his vastly experienced opposite number however Backy was at his very best around the breakdown and tackle area and I see the Tigers’ flanker again taking the spoils here.

At number 8 Martin Corry ran Man of The Match Julian White very close for that plaudit and certainly looked a worthy successor to Dallaglio’s England jersey. The Tiger making some telling breaks and scoring a well constructed and controlled try.

Were he against any other #8 he’d run riot on current form but Dallaglio will have given himself and his colleagues a good talking to and I am expecting to see a much more controlled, focussed and incisive showing from the Wasps’ skipper and to see him keep more of a lid on the bang on form Corry and produce a big game for the visitors in his own right.

The pack overall? Well unsurprisingly I see this as being good ground for the Tigers in front of a packed, baying Welford Road crowd and that a good platform will again be provided for the Tigers’ back division when required.

As I’ve already said Wasps did their homework on Harry Ellis and targeted him to good effect early on. Following his ten minutes of calm reflection he was more in control of himself and his team’s play but the young England player was not at his best and will want to show a big improvement next time.

Dawson was clearly not fully fit but nevertheless his increasing tendency to spend more time cajoling the match officials, fiddling about and trying to be clever is, I would think, becoming something of an issue at Wasps, he not thus far providing the answer to the premature departure of the superb and truly World class Robert Howley.

With Peter Richards engaged in the third round of the IRB Sevens down in George it would seem that if Dawson is unavailable then we’re likely to see ex Natal Sharks Under 21 Scrum Half, Harvey Biljon start with James Brooks as back-up, the ex Northampton man having, in the past, played at 9 as part of the England Sevens set up.

Alex King, relieved from the responsibility of kicking, looked to be back to match fitness although he could not really shine as he lived off the scraps provided by his pack and half back partner for much of the game but when he did get the ball he showed his usual intelligent playmaking with some lovely kicks and at least one superb break through the heart of the Tigers’ redoubt.

King’s opposite number, Andy Goode, had a fine afternoon with the kicking tee and again produced some good playmaking out of hand however once again he too often failed to make good touch or kicked aimlessly into the arms of the waiting Wasps’ back three, permitting them free ball to run back and this gave the home team too many opportunities to get into the Tigers’ half of the field and to create the broken field play that they love.

The Tigers’ fly-half did not lack for support and looked cool under pressure but I wish he’d either find a good long touch or keep the ball in hand more often.

In the centre Daryl Gibson had a couple of defensive and handling blemishes in what was otherwise another fine display of power in attack and defence. With some lovely handling skills the All Black put both Leon Lloyd and Ollie Smith into space with devastating effect as both showed good pace and hands for the most part, although I thought that Lloyd started to look a bit lame as the match drew to a close with Alex Tuilagi eventually taking over out wide.

If fit I rather expect to see Rabeni restored to carry on alternating with the apparently fully recovered Smith, which will add a new and dangerous dimension to Tigers’ back three.

Erinle tried his heart out but rarely broke free of the shackles placed upon him by the Tigers’ midfield defence with Abbott clearly still making his way back to full match fitness and as yet his incisive, almost ghostly, running at pace was not quite there but I have the feeling that he’s not far away.

Out wide Austin Healey showed why Tigers’ supporters love him and opposition supporters……well don’t!

Plenty of invention from the man who seemingly relishes his notoriety as the “Leicester Lip” his putting Corry in for a fine score with a laser guided kick, jinking at the opposition defence and doing a good job against his old adversary when called upon to deputise for the sinning Harry Ellis.

In Tom Voyce and Josh Lewsey Wasps have two of the most dangerous and accomplished of players in broken play, but it was only the latter who caught the eye with Voyce unable to get away.

Lewsey scored a lovely try when Tigers were reduced to fourteen men, the England man presenting an ever present threat all afternoon regardless of the quality of ball he was served. The only blemish for me was his playing to the referee when nudged, and it was only a nudge, by Goode which saw the Wasps’ winger throw himself into the hoardings. He got his penalty and Goode shouldn’t have touched him but somehow such behaviour isn’t quite rugby.

Geordan Murphy had a sound match in defence and scored a typically intelligent try when he dived for the line, his momentum on the damp High Wycombe grass seeing him home, however he too gifted Wasps three crucial points in taking out Lewsey from under a bouncing high ball which didn’t really present that great a threat due to it’s close proximity to touch and he was fortunate not to get an enforced rest.

Mark vanGisbergen, with Lewsey, proved the most elusive of the Wasps’ back division making good yardage and of course the Kiwi kicked 24 points from the opportunities provided by the erring Tigers, missing just one kick all afternoon, a real star this lad and soon to be England qualified I hear.

Given some possession the Wasps look very dangerous behind the pack however next Sunday it will once again depend on what fare the Wasps’ pack and half-backs serve up to their fleet-footed colleagues and I’m betting that once again the Tigers’ pack will deny them the luxury of much quality ball so I’m expecting a victory for Tigers – but only if they keep their discipline and are not again tempted into the nest of chaos where Wasps prosper.