Most people thought that the squad this year was equal or better than last at the start of the season, didn't they?
The back row looks good on paper and has depth we have not had previously, the front row has gone mostly well this year.
The backs have more options than last, and we have signed well in the backs with the now injured Vellacott, plus MM and the two wingers.Ok, Vellacott getting crocked was harsh, but we have found another 9, and Jacob looks the business.
So why do the backs look like a scratch team as a whole? Why do the fowards link so poorly? Confidence is a huge issue, for sure, that is obvious.
My suspicion is that they are playing a way that they have been told, and whilst away games in France might be a little less prescriptive, when it gets tight someone has hammered the message to play in the right areas, never to run from the 22, and to finish the moves patiently through the fowards unless it is clearly on or we have the advantage.
I don't know how much the coaching of Dai is to blame, anymore than I know how much input Cipriani had when playing or otherwise, but I do suspect that it is more than confidence and we are going down the route we last saw before the move when Dai tightened it up for a season abd we became a more forward orientated team for a short while.