Saints Vs Tigers

[FKAS]

The Sinners:

15 James Ramm
14 George Hendy
13 Tom Litchfield
12 Fraser Dingwall
11 Tom Seabrook
10 George Furbank
9 Alex Mitchell

1 Alex Waller
2 Curtis Langdon
3 Elliot Millar Mills
4 Alex Moon
5 Temo Mayanavanua
6 Alex Coles
7 Lewis Ludlam (c)
8 Juarno Augustus

Replacements:
16 Robbie Smith
17 Tarek Haffar
18 Trevor Davison
19 Tom Lockett
20 Sam Graham
21 Tom James
22 Fin Smith
23 Tommy Freeman

STARTING XV

15 Jamie Shillcock [24]
14 Freddie Steward [84]
13 Dan Kelly [77]
12 Solomone Kata [16]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [18]
10 Handré Pollard [29]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [69]
1 James Cronin [31]
2 Julián Montoya [56]
3 Dan Cole [319]
4 Harry Wells [195]
5 Ollie Chessum [54]
6 Finn Carnduff [11]
7 Tommy Reffell [110]
8 Jasper Wiese [75]

REPLACEMENTS

16 Charlie Clare [91]
17 Francois van Wyk [50]
18 Will Hurd [39]
19 Kyle Hatherell [19]
20 Olly Cracknell [39]
21 Ben Youngs [313]
22 Phil Cokanasiga [16]
23 Mike Brown [24]

Unavailable through injury: George Martin, Anthony Watson, Hanro Liebenberg, Joe Heyes, Josh Bassett, Guy Porter, Matt Rogerson, Harry Simmons, Lewis Chessum

Looks like both sides are somewhat injured plagued for this one. Saints rotating a few after their European exploits. Tigers pulled off a surprise victory against Saints earlier in the season and will be hoping for a double that defies the form. Despite Tigers turgid style this season they've actually won more than you'd think and a win here keeps them in the hunt for a top 4 spot.

Saints are pretty set for top 4 but won't want another poor derby defeat particularly at home.

Quick mention for the legend Dan Cole who will break Tigers league appearance record on Saturday.

[Puja]

That is certainly... a side that Saints have picked there. Very bold to be rotating 1, 3, 6, 10, 11, and 13, although with the way they and we have been playing, I'm not 100% sure that they're wrong to.

Puja

[FKAS]

1 and 3 might not be a big surprise if they think they are the best options for dealing with Tigers at scrum time. Returning to your most experienced LH to play Vs Cole and then putting the two biggest locks behind them with another lock on the flank certainly adds ballast at scrum time.

The backline does smack of confidence and to be fair it's an area Tigers haven't been great. Does somewhat write the pre game talk for the Tigers backs though, if I was Pollard I'd be taking it personally and hopefully we see him step up from his average form to something a bit better.

[Adam_P]

This is the Saints injury list, so definitely some unenforced rotation in that team:

Callum Braley, Paul Hill, Rory Hutchinson, Sam Matavesi (Navy), Burger Odendaal and Tom Pearson.

Davison has been pretty well flogged over the last few weeks with others being injured (bar Hill being back last week), so not surprised to see him given a bit of rest on the bench. With Quins next up and then the semi against Leinster - I can't blame Dowson for rotating pretty heavily. It is, however, quite a major annoyance for my fantasy team!

[Mellsblue]

Bred in Bedford midfield for Saints. Northampton by 78.

[Puja]

1 and 3 might not be a big surprise if they think they are the best options for dealing with Tigers at scrum time. Returning to your most experienced LH to play Vs Cole and then putting the two biggest locks behind them with another lock on the flank certainly adds ballast at scrum time.

The backline does smack of confidence and to be fair it's an area Tigers haven't been great. Does somewhat write the pre game talk for the Tigers backs though, if I was Pollard I'd be taking it personally and hopefully we see him step up from his average form to something a bit better.

Davison has really impressed me of late. I was always baffled when Eddie kept calling him into the England squad and didn't get what was seen in him, but he's stepped up and was hugely impressive in the last couple of weeks in Europe. Good option for England to have if he keeps going like that.

This is the Saints injury list, so definitely some unenforced rotation in that team:

Callum Braley, Paul Hill, Rory Hutchinson, Sam Matavesi (Navy), Burger Odendaal and Tom Pearson.

Davison has been pretty well flogged over the last few weeks with others being injured (bar Hill being back last week), so not surprised to see him given a bit of rest on the bench. With Quins next up and then the semi against Leinster - I can't blame Dowson for rotating pretty heavily. It is, however, quite a major annoyance for my fantasy team!

Absolutely can't blame them for it, given the fixture list (and I'd imagine Freeman is probably a mandatory from England duty) and it does make sense to pick us rather than Quins, but it does give Leicester a much better opportunity than we should have had.

Watch as we fail to take it .

Puja

[FKAS]

Davison has always struck me as a decent all rounder and his ability to play both sides was definitely a benefit and I got why Eddie wanted him in there. He's done well for Saints and their scrum has looked good but I'm not sure he's the strongest scrummager going, then again Cronin blows hot and cold so who knows. If he has been flogged it does make sense to rest him a bit.

[twitchy]

Perfect weather for rugby today. It's been a long wet miserable winter.

[Adam_P]

Pathetic yellow

[twitchy]

I have to admit I didn't even notice it in real time.

[FKAS]

Pathetic yellow

Feels a bit harsh. Penalty only would have been fine, yellow is a soft one.

Somewhat lucky Montoya got that down otherwise it could have been a pen try and Ludlam in the bin which would have really added to the sense of being hard done by.

[Adam_P]

Ex-tigers academy Chrisophe is annoying me already. That turnover was fine

[FKAS]

Ex-tigers academy Chrisophe is annoying me already. That turnover was fine

He's given you some soft penalties so far so don't complain.

[FKAS]

He's also just marched Wells back 10m for asking why Saints don't have to roll away after making the tackle and then competing which Tigers have twice been pinged for.

[FKAS]

That Litchfield rip was after the tackle was completed as well. Saints have the scrum instead of Tigers the penalty.

Ridley also spent more time at Hartbury than he did in the Tigers academy iirc.

[Adam_P]

Couple of poor choices from Mitchell to go for the dart himself - first gets held up, second gets turned over

[FKAS]

Couple of poor choices from Mitchell to go for the dart himself - first gets held up, second gets turned over

I'm not sure much was on there. The second dart for the turnover it looked like everything was in narrow. The structure out wide hasn't been as good as normal for Saints, perhaps the difference between a natural footballer like Furbank and a more natural general at 10 like Smith.

[FKAS]

Well that's an even softer yellow card. In fact that one is farcical because he edges forward and then goes back before Saints even play it.

[twitchy]

Saints very frustrating, so many good things.

[Adam_P]

Wells will be embarrassed - tackled by the 9 and turned over by the 10

[Adam_P]

We never really got our attack quite into 5th gear that half. I think some of that was the disruption Tigers are causing to the breakdown, but I'd still be tempted to bring Fin off the bench for the whole second 40

[FKAS]

Wells will be embarrassed - tackled by the 9 and turned over by the 10

Furbank got nowhere near that on the first go. It's the second go he gets on the ball. The shouts from the crowd again influencing the man bitter at being let go by the Tigers academy.

[FKAS]

I think both sides will be disappointed not to have converted chances in that half. Tigers probably more worried as Saints have a stacked bench and another gear whereas I'm not sure we have another gear.

[FKAS]

Incredibly dim by Shillcock.

Big momentum swing.

[FKAS]

What a try. Great hands by Chessum.