A Match Thread

[Shugs]

Ha! Crossed in the post with the previous two posts. A minor irritant for a few apparently.

[MarleyWasp]

The problem for me is when Kibirige knocks on, if we then turn the ball over rather than an attacking chance it's a knock on. If he's not confident of getting the ball, I'd rather he didn't try and we let Jack do what he does best.

[Raggs]

The problem for me is when Kibirige knocks on, if we then turn the ball over rather than an attacking chance it's a knock on. If he's not confident of getting the ball, I'd rather he didn't try and we let Jack do what he does best.

Jackal turnovers from restarts, or a phase or two after, are rather rare. There's plenty of support, a solid plan of what to do etc. The pressure he applies increases the likelyhood of them knocking on (giving us the scrum in a perfect attacking position), or us simply getting the ball back in an attacking position.

I just don't see the cost outweighing the potential benefits. The only time I'd want him to back off would be if we were getting absolutely munched in every scrum. Otherwise, even a knock on isn't very costly to us, considering the likely outcome.

[Shugs]

Fair points. He's that far ahead that if he does catch one he's likely to be isolated and turned over - maybe your right and he's just applying pressure. It's obviously a tactic as we do it repeatedly.

[Raggs]

Fair points. He's that far ahead that if he does catch one he's likely to be isolated and turned over - maybe your right and he's just applying pressure. It's obviously a tactic as we do it repeatedly.

I don't think he'd be badly isolated, there's support coming in hard, and the opposition will also be transitioning from preparing to catch into trying to defend. Always a risk of course. Would need to watch again to see how close support is. And that of course is assuming he goes straight to ground, if he stays on his feet a few seconds, it's all good.

Personally I love it as a strategy, Umaga gets such good height on his kicks, they just float. Brilliant boot.

[Shugs]

Of that there is no doubt. His touch finders go on forever and I noticed a cheeky dink off his left today as well.

[Rossm]

Interestingly, I heard Barnes count down (at least once) after he'd called 'use it'.

[Hymenoptera]

I thought I heard that too Ross...glad it wasn't a dream

[Rossm]

I thought I heard that too Ross...glad it wasn't a dream

Well Dobby did use it before Barnes reached zero. So I guess it worked 

[Raggs]

I thought I heard that too Ross...glad it wasn't a dream

Well Dobby did use it before Barnes reached zero. So I guess it worked 

If you do mississipilly counts, then most 9s actually get it away within 5 (you need to start at 0), some definitely don't. I would prefer it if refs called use it when it was clearly available, rather than when they're already bored of waiting.

[RogerE]

The full match is up on the Premiership Rugby site.

HOWEVER they obviously didn't check it because it is corrupt from about 51 mins of play onwards, which is a pity becaue the first 25 mins of the video is basically just showing the Bath pitch before the start of play!

[mike909]

Only just watched the SH, having had to go out at HT

WOW

Big praise to the coached for giving the players the confidence to keep going for it - fantastic defence led  by Willis x 2 and Shields - all of whom were immense. Couldn't believe we had a chance with no lineout thrower - the non contested scrums made little difference for me - given there wasn't much in it and we had a strong bench. Lots of players will have come out of that game with a little more of a spring in their step - if not injured - and the belief was fantastic

Two Reffing/Laws issues

Looking back - how was Youngs' injury not reviewed? And even Barnes doesn't seem to understand Law 15, the ruck. Its no hands if its a ruck. The ball doesn't have to be lifted (though it creates a picture) if you are first there as if you can't move it its a penalty for not releasing...

COYW

[DGP Wasp]

Monye in particular was at pains to point out that the uncontested scrums played into our hands.  I didn't see that it was of any more benefit to Wasps than it was to Bath.  There had been reasonable parity in the scrums to that point.  Wasps coaches were keen to carry on with a makeshift hooker, so they obviously didn't feel they'd be gaining a significant advantage in going uncontested.  Both coaches will now have a group of tight 5 forwards that are in better nick going into the next round than they might have been if they'd had to scrummage hard for more than half the game.

Bath did not adapt to the situation at all.  I fully expected them to kick long to touch at every opportunity, deep into the seats to rule out the quick throw to gain territory and put our makeshift lineout throwers under pressure deep in Wasps' half.  If I were a Bath fan I'd have been screaming at them to do just that.  How many times were Wasps actually forced to throw into a line out (as opposed to choosing to kick a penalty to touch) in the second half?  Not many.

[mike909]

Monye bugs me rather - as an ex-pro, now writing and commenting upon rugby - you'd have thought he might have a grip of the Laws and if he thinks uncontested, without a thrower, played into our hands - then he needs to back it up.

I'ts not like Bath had tyro backs with no experience......Sarries 9, Lions FB, England's fastest wing and regular England centre, outside a Fiji international 12 and a FH with 50 Wales caps......

Yeah - faster ball and an incentive to play more quickly really handicapped that Bath backline and a backrow of international standard....

[DGP Wasp]

I think some may still be bearing very old grudges regarding Wasps and uncontested scrums!