Aviva Premiership: something exciting happens

[simonokeeffe]

Manoa is meant to be going to Toulon too, one of the Pisi's to Castres
Looks like Saints could face a bit of a slump

Last Saint marching out turn off the light.

leaves AP between Bath and Saracens yuck

[Morf]

Manoa is meant to be going to Toulon too, one of the Pisi's to Castres
Looks like Saints could face a bit of a slump

Last Saint marching out turn off the light.

leaves AP between Bath and Saracens yuck

I have warmed to the Tigers now that Sportsworld are flogging a lot of their stuff cheapish.

And they are a proper club etc. etc. and so on.

[suisse]

And they are a proper club etc. etc. and so on.

Would you ever wear a Tigers jersey?

[paddyor]

Manoa is meant to be going to Toulon too, one of the Pisi's to Castres
Looks like Saints could face a bit of a slump

Last Saint marching out turn off the light.

I smell agents!

Saints spent big bringing in North, Corbisiero, at least one of the Pisi brothers(was it both? yes I know one might be off to Castres) plus a few others. It was the stalwarts that did the hard yards last season and now they want payment.

The AP is loaded now dontcha know, plus they've increased the salary cap. Saints and Bath will be a good indication of how far the extra spending can take you in the AP. Bath have spent a wedge on centres and Sam Burgess whereas what they need is backrow forwards who aren't locks(In the HEC anyway). Northampton spent a packet last year(making some sus) and it worked. Be interesting to see if they can sustain the challenge with the general increase in wages that's coming while replacing lost talent.

[Morf]

And they are a proper club etc. etc. and so on.

Would you ever wear a Tigers jersey?

No. I do have a Tigers woolly hat and am tempted by a cheap but nice hoody.

[suisse]

And they are a proper club etc. etc. and so on.

Would you ever wear a Tigers jersey?

No. I do have a Tigers woolly hat and am tempted by a cheap but nice hoody.

But people will see you wearing them?

[tigerburnie]

Gossip has it Kooga will be doing Tigers kit next season, so the shop will be discounting all the Canterbury stuff. Sure you will look just dandy in our new chainsaw orange tops(Stihl are one of our new sponsors)

[JB1973]

Manoa is meant to be going to Toulon too, one of the Pisi's to Castres
Looks like Saints could face a bit of a slump

Last Saint marching out turn off the light.

I smell agents!

Saints spent big bringing in North, Corbisiero, at least one of the Pisi brothers(was it both? yes I know one might be off to Castres) plus a few others. It was the stalwarts that did the hard yards last season and now they want payment.

The AP is loaded now dontcha know, plus they've increased the salary cap. Saints and Bath will be a good indication of how far the extra spending can take you in the AP. Bath have spent a wedge on centres and Sam Burgess whereas what they need is backrow forwards who aren't locks(In the HEC anyway). Northampton spent a packet last year(making some sus) and it worked. Be interesting to see if they can sustain the challenge with the general increase in wages that's coming while replacing lost talent.

In fairness most of the stalwarts came from other clubs in the first place, the likes of Dowson,Wood,Day, Myler etc, if they have moved for money and to further their career once they will do so again.

No doubt Northampton will do some shopping from the likes of L Irish Newcastle,Sale,Worcester etc again and bring in a few overseas lads , they won't be far off the top 4.

All things being equal the safe money says Bath, Leicester ,Northampton and Sarries will be the big boys for the years to come (unless Coventry wasps are telling the truth about having a fortune to spend)

[simonokeeffe]

London Coventry Milton Keynes Wasps have completed 100% buyout of Ricoh Arena, half the ticket money from one stand is going to the charity that used to won half the stadium

theyre making 12,000 tickets available free to local schools and clubs, not sure if per game (which I suspect or in total)

[artaneboy]

London Coventry Milton Keynes Wasps have completed 100% buyout of Ricoh Arena, half the ticket money from one stand is going to the charity that used to won half the stadium

theyre making 12,000 tickets available free to local schools and clubs, not sure if per game (which I suspect or in total)

Ye know- reading that, I've just had a yearning for the amateur/ shamateur sport of the 70's, 80's and early 90's.... We are insulated (a good bit) here- but schadenfreude excepted, how depressing is it to witness the tradition of Blackheath, Orrell, Richmond and Coventry (yes- ironically) reduced to corporate takeovers and gambits on stadiums, etc. If I was an English rugby supporter, I'd be in despair at the venality and hubris involved.

[simonokeeffe]

London Coventry Milton Keynes Wasps have completed 100% buyout of Ricoh Arena, half the ticket money from one stand is going to the charity that used to won half the stadium

theyre making 12,000 tickets available free to local schools and clubs, not sure if per game (which I suspect or in total)

Ye know- reading that, I've just had a yearning for the amateur/ shamateur sport of the 70's, 80's and early 90's.... We are insulated (a good bit) here- but schadenfreude excepted, how depressing is it to witness the tradition of Blackheath, Orrell, Richmond and Coventry (yes- ironically) reduced to corporate takeovers and gambits on stadiums, etc. If I was an English rugby supporter, I'd be in despair at the venality and hubris involved.

bad news for Wasps and Sracens is theyll lose all their fans when the new London NFL franchise starts up

[blockhead]

Bras Thorn captaining Leicester against Saracens today.

[JB1973]

London welsh are setting all sorts of records in that league, worst side in AP history?

[Leoslovechild]

London welsh are setting all sorts of records in that league, worst side in AP history?

Looking that way and have Leicester up next!

[blockhead]

From the beeb.

Leicester Tigers: Richard Cockerill wants head coach to ease burden

Director of rugby Richard Cockerill has said Leicester will appoint a new head coach in the summer to bring fresh "impetus" and help fill the void left by Matt O'Connor's departure.

O'Connor left Tigers to take over at Leinster in May 2013 and backs coach Paul Burke also moved on last month as part of a coaching restructure.

Cockerill told BBC Radio Leicester: "We need new ideas and a new impetus.

"Some of the backs are world-class players but they need to be stretched."

Cockerill, who added Geordan Murphy to the backroom staff last summer, continued: "They need someone with a coaching CV and a presence to do that.
Richard Cockerill on the new recruit

"I would like an experienced person - as Matt was. I think we need to move our game on a bit. I want to keep everything that is the fabric of Leicester Tigers but you want to be open to new ideas."

"I am not a backs coach and Geordan is very inexperienced, but his potential is huge. We need someone to come in with new ideas on our attack and our skills.

"We will look for a similar head coach to how I worked with Matt."

An injury-ravaged Tigers side have struggled in the Premiership this season and are ninth in the table with just three wins from seven league matches.

Cockerill said the time pressures on him - off the pitch as well as on it - meant he needed assistance.

"There is so much for me to do away from the pitch as well," he explained.

"Sometimes you get spread very thinly with managing players and staff, and recruitment and lot of other things, as well as trying to coach and run the team.

"I would like an experienced person - as Matt was. I think we need to move our game on a bit. We had a very good run with Matt but that needs to change because Matt is not here any more.
Richard Cockerill (right) trudges off at half-time of his side's 45-0 defeat against Bath

The 45-0 loss to Bath at The Rec was Leicester Tigers' heaviest-ever defeat in the Premiership

"I want to keep everything that is the fabric of Leicester Tigers but you want to be open to new ideas. Sometimes that comes from within, sometimes from an external influence.

"We need to keep our identity, but I am very aware of what I am not good at and what we need from a coaching skills-set point of view. We have some very good people in the environment and it's making it work.

"Ultimately, I am in change - someone has to make the make the final call and take the blame, and that's me - but we work together.

"Lots of people would be interested. We are a big club and this is a big job. To be a head coach of this team is not easy. To come in with new ideas is not easy, but we need to get the right fit."

MOC mentioned 7 times in that little article.

[Peg Leg]

From the beeb.

Leicester Tigers: Dick Cockwill wants head.......

MOC mentioned 7 times in that little article.

If Moc went back it would be to replace Dick, think that's a dangerous game he's playing.

[simonokeeffe]

sounds like a bit of a two fingers to Murphy

happy to swap MOC for Geordan

[Dave Cahill]

Geordans bridges are burnt with rugby in Ireland

[blockhead]

One of SOKs jokes again there DC. Otherwise

[paddyor]

Geordans bridges are burnt with rugby in Ireland

Why, because of his book?