Pre-season games.

[Puja]

Good to see Manu's made the fitness cut for the squad. If we can keep that backline of Youngs/Ford/May/Toomua/Tuilagi/Other/Veainu fit, then that's got to be close to the best in Europe.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Good to see Manu's made the fitness cut for the squad. If we can keep that backline of Youngs/Ford/May/Toomua/Tuilagi/Other/Veainu fit, then that's got to be close to the best in Europe.

Puja

Did you learn nothing from last season?

[Puja]

Good to see Manu's made the fitness cut for the squad. If we can keep that backline of Youngs/Ford/May/Toomua/Tuilagi/Other/Veainu fit, then that's got to be close to the best in Europe.

Puja

Did you learn nothing from last season?

I like to live hopefully. Plus we've had a significant reduction in injuries since the departure of Cockerill. I'm hoping that either he was doing something wrong or he had been cursed by a gypsy to have sh*tty injury luck. Either way, it's Edinburgh's problem now.

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Touché.

I guess with Edinburgh forming the significantly more rubbish half of the Scotland player-base I am hoping that Cockerill turns it around. Or at least breaks his gypsy curse.

That backline sure could do some damage though. What's the deal with Thompstone? Seems to offer a real threat whenever I've seen him, is he still with you?

[Puja]

Touché.

I guess with Edinburgh forming the significantly more rubbish half of the Scotland player-base I am hoping that Cockerill turns it around. Or at least breaks his gypsy curse.

That backline sure could do some damage though. What's the deal with Thompstone? Seems to offer a real threat whenever I've seen him, is he still with you?

Still on the books, although his season was a bit disrupted last year with, surprise surprise, injury. He's competing for one shirt with Holmes, Tait, Brady, and possibly Malouf, but I'd expect him to at least be in the XXIII.

Puja

[Puja]

One name in that squad that's good to see is Tom Youngs. Hope he has a good game and that his wife's doing well enough to be there to cheer him on.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Good to see Manu's made the fitness cut for the squad. If we can keep that backline of Youngs/Ford/May/Toomua/Tuilagi/Other/Veainu fit, then that's got to be close to the best in Europe.

Puja

Agreed - it's definitely up there with the best anyway

[twitchy]

I really want to watch this.

[Mikey Brown]

I wonder how much time Exeter are willing to invest in Slade at 10 this season.

[Mellsblue]

Dom Morris playing for Bedford this weekend. Fingers crossed that means he is DR or on loan.

[kk67]

Elvis is still playing..?.

[TheNomad]

Nathan Earle has been getting a fair bit of time in pre-season. Important season for him

Simmonds at 8 rather than where we'd all like him! I guess Kvesic will be starting 7 this year for them. How much longer can Waldrom go on for?

[kk67]

How much longer can Waldrom go on for?

You ask him. I dare you.

[Tigersman]

15 Telusa Veainu, 14 Tom Brady, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs
1 Ellis Genge, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 4 Dom Barrow, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Mike Williams, 7 Luke Hamilton, 8 Sione Kalamafoni

Greg Bateman, Harry Thacker, Ben Betts, Mike Fitzgerald, Harry Wells, Tom Croft, Will Evans, Valentino Mapapalangi, Sam Harrison, Joe Ford, Nick Malouf, Charlie Thacker, Matt Smith, Jonah Holmes, Mathew Tait

[kk67]

Looks weak.

[Scrumhead]

15 Telusa Veainu, 14 Tom Brady, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs
1 Ellis Genge, 2 Tom Youngs (c), 3 Logovi'i Mulipola, 4 Dom Barrow, 5 Graham Kitchener, 6 Mike Williams, 7 Luke Hamilton, 8 Sione Kalamafoni

Greg Bateman, Harry Thacker, Ben Betts, Mike Fitzgerald, Harry Wells, Tom Croft, Will Evans, Valentino Mapapalangi, Sam Harrison, Joe Ford, Nick Malouf, Charlie Thacker, Matt Smith, Jonah Holmes, Mathew Tait

Oof ... that's a strong side. I'm surprised to see Hamilton starting at 7 though?

I would have much preferred to see Evans or Thacker.

[kk67]

Who are those nobodies on the bench..?.

[Tigersman]

may scores his first try

[Puja]

While taking into account that the commentary on the Leicester website might be a bit partisan, this sounds like a very promising run-out for Leicester. Clean breaks by Ford, Toomua, Tuilagi, two tries for May, Ford's kicked 3/4 and the half-time score is 26-0. Very pleasing run out so far and hope that the highlights of this one will be on t'internet.

Puja

[16th man]

While taking into account that the commentary on the Leicester website might be a bit partisan, this sounds like a very promising run-out for Leicester. Clean breaks by Ford, Toomua, Tuilagi, two tries for May, Ford's kicked 3/4 and the half-time score is 26-0. Very pleasing run out so far and hope that the highlights of this one will be on t'internet.

Puja

Outside a Ford, Toomua, Tuilagi midfield you'd think May should be scoring a shed load of tries this season.

[richy678]

[quote="Mikey Brown"]I wonder how much time Exeter are willing to invest in Slade at 10 this season.[/quot

He is clearly talented but its about where he can play. Traditional curse of the utility but multiskilled player.

[twitchy]

Sounds like it was a decent game but exe aren't very good at extended highlights or any thing like that so unless cardiff upload some thing no reports on slade at 10.

[Puja]

Gods I can't wait for the season proper to start. Fed up scraping around trying to get satisfaction out of pre-season highlights and the occasional international.

Puja

[fivepointer]

Yep, roll on next weekend.

Bath lost 17-25 away to Leinster and Newcastle lost 10-14 away to Edinburgh last night.

[Scrumhead]

And Saints pumped Ulster ... 55-15