![Tigers Line-up vs Gloucester [Slater Cup, 9th October, k/o 7.45pm]](https://preview.redd.it/4riqv9vj68uh1.jpeg?auto=webp&s=689c0de4c50898d975b02d552de8fd0354431059)
Blamire back in is a big boost, hopefully we will have a functioning lineout.
Bailey and Wand reunited in the centres is great to see too (not that Kata did anything wrong at all in the first two games).
Aside from Chessum's absence, this is looking more like the first choice 15.
Might be a touch early to do this given the transfer window is still wide open, but I'm pissed after yesterday so here's another chance to take a cheap shot at what's currently going on.
08/09 Most played XI:
David Martin
Kerrea Gilbert
Michael Morrison
Jack Hobbs
Joe Mattock
Max Gradel (RW was the only position where nobody nailed it down)
Matt Oakley
Andy King
Lloyd Dyer
Steve Howard
Matty Fryatt
^This depresses me. Just look at that squad. Of course it needed the right manager, Pearson was the perfect fit. But man alive, you compare that to what we have now and it's frightening. Morrison and Hobbs were a rock, physically dominant, and were absolutely fine ball at feet for what Pearson needed. The midfield, even though nobody truly made the RW position their own, was just dominant. Oakley and King coasted it, Lloyd Dyer running amok. I mean flippin' eck we even had Tom Cleverley on loan FFS. And then up front. Howard and Fryatt, the stats speak for themselves. The pair of them were awesome together, defences couldn't cope with them. Compare that to now where we just have one completely untested young lad from Slovenian football thrown in at the deep end, with zero backup.
Now I really hope this post is the horse bolting too early. I hope that in 6 months time we're reflecting that a fair number of the 26/27 squad would compete to get in this team. But yikes, they look a country mile off at the moment. We're not getting anything close to the spine of that 08/09 team.
The season has started, and you know your team is in early trouble when articles pop up which are headed by your manager looking glum.
An interesting discussion point was floated on Rugby Union Weekly this week about certain kick off times fit with certain clubs better than others - in terms of feel, and atmosphere. So, based on TNT's usual TV slots, here's my opinion on what seems to suit home clubs, purely an unscientific opinion for a fun debate:
Friday 7.45pm
Gloucester @ Kingsholm
Saints @ Franklins Gardens
Newcastle @ Kingston Park
Sale @ CorpAcq
Saturday 3.05pm
Tigers @ Welford Road
Sarries @ StoneX
Quins @ The Stoop
Saturday 5.30pm
Bath @ The Rec
Bristol @ Ashton Gate
Quins @ Allianz
Sarries @ Tottenham Stadium
Sunday 3.00pm
Exeter @ Sandy Park
Thoughts?
