Teams Up for Montpellier

[Montague Withnail]

Thinking about it, I suspect Blackers got a bit of a shock when he saw the Montpellier team. They could thrash us home and away and they'd still have no real chance of qualifying for the QFs, so he might have been expecting them to send over a bunch of kids - I probably was.

Apparently their fly-half is 18, and to be fair they have got quite a few big names missing, it's just that their squad is incredibly strong with big names throughout. This isn't that different from the team that was thrashed at home by Leinster (arguably it's weaker), and Leinster were resting quite a few star names as well, but I don't think that's necessarily a good guide to how our game is going to go.

[Montague Withnail]

I’m a little surprised Porter got the nod over Velacott and wolstenholme.

The signs have been there. I know there's a few people who thought he might have been resting Vellacott, but you don't rest your #2 scrum half while your #1 scrum half is away without a good reason. I don't think Blackers has necessarily demoted Vellacott, I think he is just trying to make the position competitive so that all 3 of them are hungry and motivated to be the best they can be - also so that they can keep pushing Robbo and keep him in fantastic form (not that he seems to need much help with that). It's worked well in other positions.

This is a really tough assignment for Porter, with even younger players either side of him, but a chance is a chance. 

[hookender]

Montpelliers 18 year fly half Foursans kicked all 21 points in their 15 - 21 win at Clermont a fortnight ago.

So ,like our youngsters, no fear.

[Hymenoptera]

If there was an option to rest players next week I'd have preferred that. Beat MontP this week and they are out of the comp and likely to field and much weakened side next time round.

[Neils]

If there was an option to rest players next week I'd have preferred that. Beat MontP this week and they are out of the comp and likely to field and much weakened side next time round.

Kind of agree. We lose tomorrow then they will go strong at home. We will be stuffed.

[hookender]

Then again ,could do with a win in our next premiership game.

[PestNproud]

Amazing to see Josh Bassett with top appearances at 131 -- who'd have thought!

Felt he looked rather rather tired and one-dimensional ~2018, after really impressing before that, but has he ever been better than the last 6 months?

Just quietly gets on with it and becoming an ultimate clubman.

[Neils]

Amazing to see Josh Bassett with top appearances at 131 -- who'd have thought!

Felt he looked rather rather tired and one-dimensional ~2018, after really impressing before that, but has he ever been better than the last 6 months?

Just quietly gets on with it and becoming an ultimate clubman.

And coming up to out of contract.

[baldpaul101]

It might well not be many options here. Players could be knackered or carrying injuries & not resting them might cause more issues further down the line.

The Coaches see these players in training every day, speak to them, get medical reports on them & see their gps game stats. IMO that would tend to suggest they have a better handle on who's best rested when, and, who out of the rest of the squad look up for & are ready for a big game.

[Neils]

Then again ,could do with a win in our next premiership game.

Sale will be out for our blood and not a happy ground for us.

[NellyWellyWaspy]

BT2

Ta!

[NellyWellyWaspy]

How is the Coventry weather looking for tomorrow night? If rain it plays into their normal heavy game plan.

Damp, relatively mild. Light South wind. Possibly showers, which probably means damp underfoot but no showers knowing the local weather (on showery days with a south or south west wind, the showers tend to blow to the East or Wets side of the arena site, but not over it).

[Hymenoptera]

It might well not be many options here. Players could be knackered or carrying injuries & not resting them might cause more issues further down the line.

The Coaches see these players in training every day, speak to them, get medical reports on them & see their gps game stats. IMO that would tend to suggest they have a better handle on who's best rested when, and, who out of the rest of the squad look up for & are ready for a big game.

With Blackett saying it's due to the rest protocols, in this instance that's not the case

[Horusthewasp]

Amazing to see Josh Bassett with top appearances at 131 -- who'd have thought!

Felt he looked rather rather tired and one-dimensional ~2018, after really impressing before that, but has he ever been better than the last 6 months?

Just quietly gets on with it and becoming an ultimate clubman.

And coming up to out of contract.

I’ve always felt he was, and continues to be, highly underrated. Even that dip in 2018 was more to do with the overall drop in morale and performance across the entire club.

He’s one of those players Blackett needs to wrap up his new contract over the coming weeks. He’s a fantastic servant of the club and never receives the deserved recognition. Give him a bit of space and he excites every times.

[baldpaul101]

With Blackett saying it's due to the rest protocols, in this instance that's not the case

well, we don't really do we? Unless you were in the coaches meeting when they picked the squad?

Rowland's doesn't have to be rested legally does he, because he's not in the England team?