RugbyRebels

Leicester Tigers (v Cardiff Blues, away, Saturday, August 11 2.30pm)
9 Ben White, 10 Joe Fors, 11 Sam Aspland Robinson, 12 George Worth, 13 Brendan Macken, 14 Jonah Holmes, 15 Jordan Olowofela
1 Campese Ma’afu, 2 Jimmy Stevens, 3 Facundo Gigena, 4 James Voss, 5 Harry Wells (c), 6 Sam Lewis, 7 Tommy Reffell, 8 Thom Smith

Replacements: Jake Kerr, Harry Mahoney, Joe Heyes, Gaston Cortes, Sam Grahamslaw, Cameron Jordan, Henri Lavin, Taylor Gough, Fred Tuilagi, Harry Simmons, Sam Harrison, Tom Hardwick, Matt Smith, Adam Thompstone, Mat Tait

v

Cardiff Blues:
Dan Fish; Jason Harries, Harri Millard, Willis Halaholo, Tom James; Steven Shingler, Lewis Jones;
Brad Thyer, Ethan Lewis, Scott Andrews, Ben Murphy, James Down, Callum Bradbury, Olly Robinson (capt), James Botham

Replacements: Liam Belcher, Rhys Carre, Keiron Assiratti, Rory Thornton, Alun Lawrence, Dane Blacker, Ben Jones, Cai Devine, Morgan Allen, Tom Williams, Aled Summerhill, Cameron Lewis, Ioan Davies

Olowodela, Holmes, Aspland-Robinson back 3 should be very good if given the ball.

SAINTS
15 Tom Emery
14 Ollie Sleightholme
13 Fraser Dingwall
12 Rory Hutchinson
11 Ken Pisi
10 James Grayson
9 Cobus Reinach

1 Francois van Wyk
2 James Fish
3 Ben Franks
4 Dom Barrow
5 David Ribbans
6 Jamie Gibson
7 Heinrich Brüssow
8 Mitch Eadie

Replacements:
Will Davis, Alex Waller, Joe Gray, Ehren Painter, Api Ratuniyarawa, James Craig, Devante Onojaife, James Haskell, Paddy Ryan, Teimana Harrison, Lewis Ludlam, Alex Mitchell, Connor Tupai, Dan Biggar, Tom Collins, Luther Burrell, Fraser Strachan, Matt Worley, Nafi Tuitavake

Think Barrow and Ribbans could be a very good team at lock, as could Dingwall and Hutch in the centres. Looking forward to seeing what Brussow can do with a full pre season in him.

Tigers narrowly beat Cardiff
Olowofela my man of the match, followed by Heyes impact off the bench

Lavin and Smith will be some players.

in fact in Lavin, Reffell, Smith Tigers have a back row with huge potential especially when it comes to physicality.

Tigersman wrote:Tigers narrowly beat Cardiff
Olowofela my man of the match, followed by Heyes impact off the bench

Lavin and Smith will be some players.

in fact in Lavin, Reffell, Smith Tigers have a back row with huge potential especially when it comes to physicality.

Thanks for the update. I know little of Thom Smith - what's he like?

Puja

Puja wrote:

Tigersman wrote:Tigers narrowly beat Cardiff
Olowofela my man of the match, followed by Heyes impact off the bench

Lavin and Smith will be some players.

in fact in Lavin, Reffell, Smith Tigers have a back row with huge potential especially when it comes to physicality.

Thanks for the update. I know little of Thom Smith - what's he like?

Puja

Think more of a Martin Corry type 8

Tigers highlights


Not much in terms of highlights shocking weather, but it was a good overall first season outing by a lot of the young players.

Tigersman wrote: Not much in terms of highlights shocking weather, but it was a good overall first season outing by a lot of the young players.

You're not joking there! I've just watched the first minute and wondered why it's there! You know it's tough going when a missed penalty is a highlight... A maul that should have been called for not moving (or going backwards) twice. Blues first try was very cheeky!

Raggs wrote:

Tigersman wrote: Not much in terms of highlights shocking weather, but it was a good overall first season outing by a lot of the young players.

You're not joking there! I've just watched the first minute and wondered why it's there! You know it's tough going when a missed penalty is a highlight... A maul that should have been called for not moving (or going backwards) twice. Blues first try was very cheeky!

They was some very good stuff by both sides in open play but it usually ended with a knock on, shame both sides really wanted to attack but the welsh weather said nope. Botham look like a good player for Cardiff.

Leicester Tigers (v Benetton Rugby, Friday 8.30pm local time / 7.30pm UK time)
15 Telusa Veainu
14 Adam Thompstone
13 Brendan Macken
12 Kyle Eastmond
11 Jonah Holmes
10 Tom Hardwick
9 Sam Harrison
1 Campese Ma’afu
2 Jimmy Stevens
3 Gaston Cortes
4 Mike Fitzgerald (c)
5 James Voss
6 Mike Williams
7 Tommy Reffell
8 David Denton

Replacements from
Facundo Gigena
Sam Grahamslaw
Ross McMillan
Jake Kerr
Joe Heyes
Cameron Jordan
Sam Lewis
Henri Lavin
Thom Smith
Ben White
Harry Simmons
Joe Ford
Sam Aspland-Robinson
Mathew Tait
George Worth
Matt Smith
Jordan Olowofela


Hardwick seems to be ahead of Joe Ford now looking at the squads.

I'm thrilled to see that we're not doing that stupid thing we did last year, where none of the first team played any of the warmups and we ended up writing off the first month of the season to getting the team gelled again.

Interesting to see how Hardwick and Eastmond get on as a pairing. When (and why!) did we sign Brendan Macken?!

Puja

Bath Rugby team to face Edinburgh Rugby (friday 7.30)

15. Darren Atkins
14. Semesa Rokoduguni
13. Max Wright
12. Max Clark
11. Jack Wilson
10. Freddie Burns
9. Will Chudley
1. Nathan Catt
2. Jack Walker
3. Anthony Perenise
4. Matt Garvey (c)
5. Dave Attwood
6. Tom Ellis
7. Josh Bayliss
8. Zach Mercer

Replacements:

16. Michael van Vuuren
17. Will Vaughan
18. Sam Nixon
19. Victor Delmas
20. Elliott Stooke
21. Levi Douglas
22. Miles Reid
23. Sam Underhill
24. Taulupe Faletau
25. Max Green
26. Chris Cook
27. Rhys Priestland
28. Jamie Roberts
29. Jackson Willison
30. Joe Cokanasiga

Thats an impressive 30 man squad. add in several players not involved - Thomas, Obano, Dunn, Ewels, Louw, JJ, Watson - and it becomes even better.
Bath really should be pushing top 4 with the squad they have at their disposal.

Tigersman wrote: Hardwick seems to be ahead of Joe Ford now looking at the squads.

Is that from inside information? a look at the squad for the pre-season run-out? or blind hope?

Puja wrote:I'm thrilled to see that we're not doing that stupid thing we did last year, where none of the first team played any of the warmups and we ended up writing off the first month of the season to getting the team gelled again.

Interesting to see how Hardwick and Eastmond get on as a pairing. When (and why!) did we sign Brendan Macken?!

To be fair - you only had 7 specialist centres (albeit 4 of them are barely Prem quality)...
At least you've now got 8 (and 5)

fivepointer wrote:Bath really should be pushing top 4 with the squad they have at their disposal.

To be fair - I think we would have been had we had enough of them available. Let's face it, we've played poorly, and finished 5th and 6th in the last 2 years; whilst barely having 23 players to chose a 23 man squad from.

Which Tyler wrote:

Tigersman wrote: Hardwick seems to be ahead of Joe Ford now looking at the squads.

Is that from inside information? a look at the squad for the first pre-season run-out? or blind hope?

Puja wrote:I'm thrilled to see that we're not doing that stupid thing we did last year, where none of the first team played any of the warmups and we ended up writing off the first month of the season to getting the team gelled again.

Interesting to see how Hardwick and Eastmond get on as a pairing. When (and why!) did we sign Brendan Macken?!

To be fair - you only had 7 specialist centres (albeit 4 of them are barely Prem quality)...
At least you've now got 8 (and 5)

With Toomua, Eastmond, Hardwick, Tuilagi, Tait, Owen, Olowofela, and Worth, I question how much gametime he should get without a big run of injuries. I suppose he's in the area already, is used to being a professional tackle bag holder from his time at Wasps, and hopefully is on a salary commensurate with being our 7th choice at best, but it feels like the kind of squad position that Worth or Olowofela should be expected to cover, rather than hiring another journeyman.

Puja

Confirmed that Wasps friendly against Connacht won't be streamed.

Wasps team to face Connacht at Dubarry Park, Athlone on Saturday August 18 (3pm kick off)

15. Rob Miller
14. Ambrose Curtis
13. Juan De Jongh
12. Michael Le Bourgeois
11. Marcus Watson
10. Billy Searle
9. Joe Simpson
1. Tom West
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Will Stuart
4. Will Rowlands
5. Charlie Matthews
6. Ashley Johnson (c)
7. Joe Atkinson
8. Ben Morris

Replacements:
16. Tom Cruse
17. Ben Harris
18. Kieran Brookes
19. Tim Cardall
20. Tom Willis
21. Will Porter
22. Jimmy Gopperth
23. Gaby Lovobalavu
24. Ross Neal
25. Josh Bassett
26. Callum Sirker
27. Kearnan Myall

Excited for Stuart and Searle

Puja wrote:

Which Tyler wrote:

Tigersman wrote: Hardwick seems to be ahead of Joe Ford now looking at the squads.

Is that from inside information? a look at the squad for the first pre-season run-out? or blind hope?

Puja wrote:I'm thrilled to see that we're not doing that stupid thing we did last year, where none of the first team played any of the warmups and we ended up writing off the first month of the season to getting the team gelled again.

Interesting to see how Hardwick and Eastmond get on as a pairing. When (and why!) did we sign Brendan Macken?!

To be fair - you only had 7 specialist centres (albeit 4 of them are barely Prem quality)...
At least you've now got 8 (and 5)

With Toomua, Eastmond, Hardwick, Tuilagi, Tait, Owen, Olowofela, and Worth, I question how much gametime he should get without a big run of injuries. I suppose he's in the area already, is used to being a professional tackle bag holder from his time at Wasps, and hopefully is on a salary commensurate with being our 7th choice at best, but it feels like the kind of squad position that Worth or Olowofela should be expected to cover, rather than hiring another journeyman.

Puja

With May and Veainu likely out for internationals Olowofela and Worth might have to be looking at covering Wing and Full back as well though.

RE: Hardwick just what I have heard this kind of proves it fairly well, a good showing against a decent Treviso team away and he should have the back up 10 potentially nailed down.

Puja wrote:, but it feels like the kind of squad position that Worth or Olowofela should be expected to cover, rather than hiring another journeyman.

Using someone from the academy, or recently graduated rather than hiring a foreign journeyman just isn't the Leicester way I'm afraid

Tigersman wrote:

Puja wrote:

Which Tyler wrote: Is that from inside information? a look at the squad for the first pre-season run-out? or blind hope?
To be fair - you only had 7 specialist centres (albeit 4 of them are barely Prem quality)...
At least you've now got 8 (and 5)

With Toomua, Eastmond, Hardwick, Tuilagi, Tait, Owen, Olowofela, and Worth, I question how much gametime he should get without a big run of injuries. I suppose he's in the area already, is used to being a professional tackle bag holder from his time at Wasps, and hopefully is on a salary commensurate with being our 7th choice at best, but it feels like the kind of squad position that Worth or Olowofela should be expected to cover, rather than hiring another journeyman.

Puja

With May and Veainu likely out for internationals Olowofela and Worth might have to be looking at covering Wing and Full back as well though.

RE: Hardwick just what I have heard this kind of proves it fairly well, a good showing against a decent Treviso team away and he should have the back up 10 potentially nailed down.

And I guess with Hardwick covering 10 and Toomua likely away with Australia, we could be left shorter still. Okay, fair enough. Just hope Macken is kept as the backstop rather than promoted over the youngsters.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Tigersman wrote:

Puja wrote:
With Toomua, Eastmond, Hardwick, Tuilagi, Tait, Owen, Olowofela, and Worth, I question how much gametime he should get without a big run of injuries. I suppose he's in the area already, is used to being a professional tackle bag holder from his time at Wasps, and hopefully is on a salary commensurate with being our 7th choice at best, but it feels like the kind of squad position that Worth or Olowofela should be expected to cover, rather than hiring another journeyman.

Puja

With May and Veainu likely out for internationals Olowofela and Worth might have to be looking at covering Wing and Full back as well though.

RE: Hardwick just what I have heard this kind of proves it fairly well, a good showing against a decent Treviso team away and he should have the back up 10 potentially nailed down.

And I guess with Hardwick covering 10 and Toomua likely away with Australia, we could be left shorter still. Okay, fair enough. Just hope Macken is kept as the backstop rather than promoted over the youngsters.

Puja

The rumour I heard before the preseason games was we where looking at Macken to cover till after the AI’s and then seeing what happens.

DRAGONS v NORTHAMPTON
Preseason Friendly
Friday 17 August, 2018
Kick-off: 7.30pm


15 Tom Collins
14 Ollie Sleightholme
13 Fraser Dingwall
12 Piers Francis (capt)
11 Ken Pisi
10 Dan Biggar
9 Cobus Reinach

1 Francois van Wyk
2 Mikey Haywood
3 Ehren Painter
4 Api Ratuniyarawa
5 James Craig
6 James Haskell
7 Lewis Ludlam
8 Teimana Harrison

Replacements:
Alex Waller, Will Davis, James Fish, Joe Gray, Ben Franks, Courtney Lawes, David Ribbans, Jamie Gibson, Heinrich Brüssow, Mitch Eadie, Alex Mitchell, James Grayson, Nafi Tuitavake, Rory Hutchinson, Matt Worley, Tom Emery

Sleightholme's getting a good bit of time in pre-season. Do we think he's caught the eye of the new coaches?

Puja

Raggs wrote:Confirmed that Wasps friendly against Connacht won't be streamed.

Wasps team to face Connacht at Dubarry Park, Athlone on Saturday August 18 (3pm kick off)

15. Rob Miller
14. Ambrose Curtis
13. Juan De Jongh
12. Michael Le Bourgeois
11. Marcus Watson
10. Billy Searle
9. Joe Simpson
1. Tom West
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Will Stuart
4. Will Rowlands
5. Charlie Matthews
6. Ashley Johnson (c)
7. Joe Atkinson
8. Ben Morris

Replacements:
16. Tom Cruse
17. Ben Harris
18. Kieran Brookes
19. Tim Cardall
20. Tom Willis
21. Will Porter
22. Jimmy Gopperth
23. Gaby Lovobalavu
24. Ross Neal
25. Josh Bassett
26. Callum Sirker
27. Kearnan Myall

Excited for Stuart and Searle

Yup, I'm expecting big things from Stuart this season, providing Dai phases him in well. Low of interesting names there for Wasps, real shame it's not being shown anywhere.

Exeter Chiefs side to face Cardiff Blues

15 Phil Dollman; 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Ollie Devoto, 11 Olly Woodburn; 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Nic White; 1 Greg Holmes, 2 Jack Yeandle (capt), 3 Harry Williams; 4 Ollie Atkins, 5 Sam Skinner; 6 Don Armand, 7 Matt Kvesic, 8 Sam Simmonds.

Replacements (from): Alec Hepburn, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Tomas Francis Rus Tuima, Cory Teague, Sean Lonsdale, Joe Snow, Sam Maunder, Barry Karea, Sam Morley, Carl Morgan, Joe Elderkin.

Holmes pushed out to the loosehead. I might have to rename the Jerome Schuster as he is clearly the worst signing brought to the Prem.

Good to see Devoto back fit.

Puja

Puja wrote:Holmes pushed out to the loosehead. I might have to rename the Jerome Schuster as he is clearly the worst signing brought to the Prem.

Good to see Devoto back fit.

Puja

He's been pretty poor I reckon, and can't imagine that an international tighthead (even an australian) came cheap.