Front row options

[wasps]

Ok, hypothetical scenario

Next week is a season defining game or a cup final. We must win, and it's felt that it's important to have scrum dominance throughout the game to give us the best chance of winning.

What is your starting front row, and who do you have on the bench?


The loosehead side is the tricky one for me. I think I choose McIntyre, but I'm really not sure how I rank our loosehead props, purely on scrummaging ability
I think I go with:

1. McIntyre
2. Taylor
3. Brookes

16. Cruse
17. Harris
18. JTA


I think Oghre adds a lot around the park and at the breakdown, but in a do or die game where scrummaging is the focus, I'd still pick Cruse on the bench.
In a year or so maybe that changes... Or maybe we'll have seen more of Barbeary in the front row

[Rossm]

I think I'd go with Harris.

[Heathen]

Tom West at LH.

[Horusthewasp]

I think I'd go with Harris.

+1

Underrated and under-utilised.

[wasps]

Tom West at LH.

This is why LH was hard.
I'm not even convinced ZZ (wherever he is) is that far off of these 3 either

[Shugs]

If it was down to scrummaging alone I'd go with

West Taylor Brookes.

Bench. McIntyre Oghre Alo

But it would be a different pick without the emphasis on the scrum. Our FR options are the best they've been for years.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I think Hooker is the trickiest position.  Taylor in the loose is amazing, and he is no slouch in the scrum either. But while he is probably not so good at the breakdown Cruse is no step down in the scrum, and if the last few games are anything to go by his accuracy in the lineout might well edge TT's.

But the fact that Oghre is close in every aspect, and can cover back row too makes him a more natural bench pick.

I genuinely think Tom Cruse would walk into most club's first choice team.  Yet he struggles to get the call with us...

[PestNproud]

I'd like to see Cruse and Taylor swapped around -- i.e. TC starting, TT bench. Both great, but TC more of a banker imo, and TT could bring even more to the loose where he really stands out in final 20-30.

Too often feels like TC comes on having to steady the ship, and never semed to let us down when starting in TT's absence, so why not try gifting TT a solid platform to build on with the advantage of taking his energy and hunger to a tiring opposition.

Props always seems a bit of a lottery -- who's on form, who's better suited to the oppo, who manages the ref better. One week's hero can be next week's zero. Reckon we've got at least six potential starters, none of whom I'd be unhappy with, but only Brookes currently nailed as a starter imo (huge credit to him and Dai for the resurgence). Demonstration of this is ZZ now seen as only a 'contender'.

Love JTA's vitality, and never quite sure which side of the slope he sledges.

Oghre looks formiddable, but not a choice for a must-win as needs to be allowed to mature. Already extraordinary as backup, though.

[hookender]

+1