Bristol v Tigers Sunday 3pm

[fivepointer]

Bristol Bears team to face Leicester Tigers at Ashton Gate on Sunday (3pm KO):

15. Rich Lane (56 apps), 14. Jack Bates (51 apps), 13. Kalaveti Ravouvou (26 apps), 12. Benhard Janse van Rensburg (44 apps), 11. Gabriel Ibitoye (53 apps), 10. AJ MacGinty (47 apps), 9. Harry Randall (140 apps); 1. Ellis Genge (56 apps), 2. Gabriel Oghre (37 apps), 3. George Kloska (59 apps), 4. James Dun (49 apps), 5. Joe Batley (71 apps), 6. Steven Luatua (148 apps), 7. Fitz Harding (c) (91 apps), 8. Viliame Mata (12 apps).

System players: 16. Harry Thacker (129 apps), 17. Yann Thomas (126 apps), 18. Max Lahiff (105 apps), 19. Josh Caulfield (32 apps), 20. Jake Heenan (121 apps), 21. Kieran Marmion (46 apps), 22. James Williams (50 apps), 23. Joe Jenkins (25 apps).


Leicester

15 Freddie Steward [104]
14 Adam Radwan [5]
13 Solomone Kata [37]
12 Joseph Woodward [26]
11 Ollie Hassell-Collins [41]
10 Handré Pollard [47]
9 Jack van Poortvliet [89]
1 Nicky Smith [17]
2 Julián Montoya (c) [71]
3 Joe Heyes [156]
4 Cameron Henderson [58]
5 Ollie Chessum [61]
6 Hanro Liebenberg [125]
7 Tommy Reffell [130]
8 Olly Cracknell [60]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Charlie Clare [117]
17 James Whitcombe [66]
18 Will Hurd [38]
19 Matt Rogerson [22]
20 Emeka Ilione [41]
21 Ben Youngs [331]
22 Jamie Shillcock [46]
23 Dan Kelly [94]

[FKAS]

No replacement lock on the bench for Tigers is an odd call. Not sure Rogerson can really do that role nor in fact offer anything Carnduff can't. Carnduff I'd back to cover lock in an emergency as well.

Otherwise pretty much as strong as Tigers can go. If have preferred Wand over Kelly if I was being picky.

[Banquo]

maaaad so far

[Banquo]

Tigers tremendous d, jvp excellent, steward nice kicking

[Banquo]

lam must be going bonkers tho

[Banquo]

even more so now..

[Banquo]

ah....heyes helps em out

[Banquo]

montaya lucky imo

[FKAS]

montaya lucky imo

I've only got radio coverage. Ref seemed to think there was nothing in it. Tigers board complaining the Heyes yellow was a bit harsh, though that's pretty standard.

[Banquo]

montaya lucky imo

I've only got radio coverage. Ref seemed to think there was nothing in it. Tigers board complaining the Heyes yellow was a bit harsh, though that's pretty standard.

heyes height was poor head on head, easy yellow.

montoya scatter rucked/tackled carried on beyond ruck, twists brizz players knee. lucky to have Dickson

[Mikey Brown]

Heyes one was a bit tough. Kata one just now was so dumb. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him play a full game without doing something like that.

[FKAS]

montaya lucky imo

I've only got radio coverage. Ref seemed to think there was nothing in it. Tigers board complaining the Heyes yellow was a bit harsh, though that's pretty standard.

heyes height was poor head on head, easy yellow.

montoya scatter rucked/tackled carried on beyond ruck, twists brizz players knee. lucky to have Dickson

When both Radio Leicester commentators say red card for Kata and he only gets yellow you know it's lucky.

[Banquo]

Heyes one was a bit tough. Kata one just now was so dumb. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him play a full game without doing something like that.

Why was heyes tough? Looked like not enough lowering and head to head. Accident for sure but…

[FKAS]

Heyes one was a bit tough. Kata one just now was so dumb. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him play a full game without doing something like that.

Kata is a wrecking ball in attack and defence but his handling skills are limited and as you say he's a bit of a time bomb. He's going to hurt you at some point but how much damage does he do to the opposition first. Quite frankly he'd be over in France earning a massive salary if he wasn't a liability.

[Banquo]

Tigers prob deserved that, Brizz were forced into forcing it

[francoisfou]

Just finished a late lunch (with plenty of vin rouge !) and saw the result!
Who’d’ve predicted that result?
Certainly not me!
Tigers are in with a reasonable chance of a semi now.

[fivepointer]

Heyes and kata yellows were fair enough. Montoya probably merited one as well.

Overall Bristol were far too inaccurate and prone to madcap errors. Playing fast and loose can be exciting and profitable, but when you commit so many dull mistakes you are making life too hard for yourself.

[Mikey Brown]

Heyes one was a bit tough. Kata one just now was so dumb. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him play a full game without doing something like that.

Why was heyes tough? Looked like not enough lowering and head to head. Accident for sure but…

There’s a pretty murky area between lazily going in too upright and simply being in the vicinity which an opposition player can lurch towards you head first. Not saying it was clearly the latter, but not far off it and not even in the same ball park as Kata’s typical missile approach.

[Banquo]

Heyes and kata yellows were fair enough. Montoya probably merited one as well.

Overall Bristol were far too inaccurate and prone to madcap errors. Playing fast and loose can be exciting and profitable, but when you commit so many dull mistakes you are making life too hard for yourself.

Yus

[Banquo]

Heyes one was a bit tough. Kata one just now was so dumb. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him play a full game without doing something like that.

Why was heyes tough? Looked like not enough lowering and head to head. Accident for sure but…

There’s a pretty murky area between lazily going in too upright and simply being in the vicinity which an opposition player can lurch towards you head first. Not saying it was clearly the latter, but not far off it and not even in the same ball park as Kata’s typical missile approach.

I agree, Kata was lucky. But by every measure Heyes done for.

[FKAS]

The TNT highlights didn't show any of the yellow card/potential yellow card incidents.

Did show JvP scoring one and creating another with some nice footwork and acceleration. Freddie Steward showing a stutter step to beat Benhard Janse van Rensburg which was a nice surprise, didn't know he had it in him. The Ravouvou offload from the tackle was outrageous. When things come off for Bristol it's sensational, when those things don't come off, less so.

[Banquo]

The TNT highlights didn't show any of the yellow card/potential yellow card incidents.

Did show JvP scoring one and creating another with some nice footwork and acceleration. Freddie Steward showing a stutter step to beat Benhard Janse van Rensburg which was a nice surprise, didn't know he had it in him. The Ravouvou offload from the tackle was outrageous. When things come off for Bristol it's sensational, when those things don't come off, less so.

jvp head and shoulders and then some over randall.

[Puja]

JvP's passing was especially pleasing - was crisp, accurate, and very rapid. Looked back to his best. Hassell-Collins had a great game as well - his defensive reading and positioning was top notch and he was unlucky not to have had a second try.

Kata's a grade-A liability who could've lost us the game though. Why Cheika rates him so highly is a mystery to me.

Puja

[Danno]

It's Chieka, he always likes someone that just bangs people and then hopes they'll learn a bit. See Koroibete and Skelton

[Oakboy]

It's strange to watch a Bristol game and be so impressed by the opposition backs. I don't rate Kata but his physicality offers balance. The rest of Leicester's back line are quality players. All of them are prepared to work their nuts off. The forwards provided the platform, of course. But Bristol are the stars of the loose - always threatening to run away with the scoreboard. Containing them and bettering them was a great effort.