Wasps V Worcester: Post Match Thoughts.

[hookender]

Couldn’t understand why Umaga kept taking ball into contact. Understand that conditions weren’t the best  but a little pass now and then wouldn’t have gone amiss.
 

[Brandnewtorugby]

Couldn’t understand why Umaga kept taking ball into contact. Understand that conditions weren’t the best  but a little pass now and then wouldn’t have gone amiss.

Kicked very well also, his game yesterday reminded me of Gopperth's style at 10.

[Covkid40]

My worry is next season. Take into account the player we know are leaving, those we’ve signed and those we think will be fit and tell me where any significant improvement will come from? Jack and Joe are long term, Mills who knows when or if he will be fit again, Stooke is a good signing but only as a like for like replacement, the props are championship performers so we will have to wait and see, Crossdale I like I think he could turn out to be an excellent signing, it will interesting to see what position they believe is his best. I think what we really miss is the influence Jimmy had on games but unfortunately i think that ship has sailed

[Vespula Vulgaris]

I'll start by saying I'm extremely happy we walked away with a win.

But I'm definitely not looking at that game as a turning point in our fortunes. We had every opportunity to close it out, how many times did we drop the ball over the line instead of the nailed on try it would have been for almost any other team?

When Jimmy was penalised for tackling off the ball in the dying minutes I was completely ready for us to choke yet again.

The only thing that stopped us was the fact that we finally found ourselves playing against a team worse than we are.

Based on this season I'd say we have found our level.

We need someone to come in and inject a bit of self belief into the squad. Whether that is a player or a coach I don't care, but something needs to change.

[Steve from Cov]

I'll start by saying I'm extremely happy we walked away with a win.

But I'm definitely not looking at that game as a turning point in our fortunes. We had every opportunity to close it out, how many times did we drop the ball over the line instead of the nailed on try it would have been for almost any other team?

When Jimmy was penalised for tackling off the ball in the dying minutes I was completely ready for us to choke yet again.

The only thing that stopped us was the fact that we finally found ourselves playing against a team worse than we are.

Based on this season I'd say we have found our level.

We need someone to come in and inject a bit of self belief into the squad. Whether that is a player or a coach I don't care, but something needs to change.

The youngsters are learning all the time and will be better for it next season.

If we can get Joe, Jack, Alfie and Ryan on the pitch - at the same time - we will be top 4 competitors.

[Covkid40]

If we can keep certain players fit, if we can get them all on the pitch at the same time! Let’s not kid ourselves we are no where near top four and won’t be for a while. I don’t but into the theory that the youngsters will be better next season as they are learning all the time, yesterday’s team was actually pretty experienced, apart from Atkinson they all have a decent amount of game time under their belts

[13thWarrior]

I can't understand why the penultimate scrum was a Wuss penalty. I don't know what it was for as we demolished them. Could it have been for not pushing straight?  If so, how can you push straight when there is absolutely no resistance and nothing coming back at you?

Essentially the ref did us for not pushing straight i.e., implying Jeff held back to get the wheel. I agree with you I highly doubt that happened; why we would wheel I don't know as we were clearly destroying them. Very annoying

After yellow carding a Wuss player, there was pretty much another immediate penalty in their red zone for offside and all they got was a warning!

Refs don't like giving multiple yellows in the same passage of play, and it was Ted Hill their captain, so Templeton decided to let him get away with it. Again, frustrating, as it was still an infringement in the red zone after a clear warning was given.

And I thought that obstruction was a penalty and not a scrum - though I could be wrong here.

That was the correct call I think, we chose to broke away, had 2 players in front of the ball carrier preventing anyone getting a shot on him. Poor execution from us. And Young dropped the ball.  Somewhat embrassing.


We were dammed lucky Worcs are worse than us, allowing us to sneak that one. Definite improvement when it was 14 vs 15, as if the adversity focused our minds.

I think the subbing of Alo was simply a reversal of the "finisher" role, so instead of the starting prop playing 50 and the sub playing 30, the starter plays 30 (with clear instructions to put everything into that 30 one imagines) and then the sub comes on for the rest of the game. I actually quite like it as it allows Alo to tire their starting prop, while we get Jeff's round the park game for longer. Happy to see us trying little tweaks like this.

[Chunky24]

I can't understand why the penultimate scrum was a Wuss penalty. I don't know what it was for as we demolished them. Could it have been for not pushing straight?  If so, how can you push straight when there is absolutely no resistance and nothing coming back at you?

Essentially the ref did us for not pushing straight i.e., implying Jeff held back to get the wheel. I agree with you I highly doubt that happened; why we would wheel I don't know as we were clearly destroying them. Very annoying

[quote author=Rossm link=topic=3699.msg64043#msg64043

I think the subbing of Alo was simply a reversal of the "finisher" role, so instead of the starting prop playing 50 and the sub playing 30, the starter plays 30 (with clear instructions to put everything into that 30 one imagines) and then the sub comes on for the rest of the game. I actually quite like it as it allows Alo to tire their starting prop, while we get Jeff's round the park game for longer. Happy to see us trying little tweaks like this.

Also less risky to do with props as the original player can return if the replacement is injured due to the safety considerations of the front row.

[Rossm]

13th Warrior: The incident I was referring to was, after the Wuss final lineout, which they made a right bollux of, the ref whistled up for crossing and awarded us a scrum which could always have gone wrong. I thought it ought to have been a penalty to us. But as I say I could well be wrong about that sanction.

As for the earlier drive, to which you were referring, which resulted in Thomas dropping the ball. I did think that there was a case for penalising Hougarrd (sp?) for coming in at the side.

[Rossm]

I wasn't very impressed to be honest, and I expected a better performance against Worcester. Don't think we'll suddenly improve this season. Next season after a decent pre season perhaps, but we'll see.

Is it just my black and gold specs but have we being playing all or part of our games this season in a monsoon?

[Tervueren]

The Lions had the 99 call, not suggesting anyone gets punched but perhaps we need a cry of 77 so the players wake up and stop thinking about the hot shower they seem to be looking forward to.

[13thWarrior]

13th Warrior: The incident I was referring to was, after the Wuss final lineout, which they made a right bollux of, the ref whistled up for crossing and awarded us a scrum which could always have gone wrong. I thought it ought to have been a penalty to us. But as I say I could well be wrong about that sanction.

As for the earlier drive, to which you were referring, which resulted in Thomas dropping the ball. I did think that there was a case for penalising Hougarrd (sp?) for coming in at the side.

Ah I see. Perhaps as he ran into his own player rather than one of theirs blocking us getting to the ball carrier?

As for Hougaard, the maul was over once there were no Worcs players bound to the pod of Wasps players with the ball. So he can try and tackle the ball carrier from any angle and if one of our players gets in front of him its obstruction. IMO the right call there.

[westwaleswasp]

In retrospect I think I am more down about the win than the performance the week before.
Against Quins we rocked in attack, wasted some chances and got the brown end if the reffing stick by some margin, and still scored a hat full.
It is theoretically easier to tighten a try scoring team than it is to make a team struggling to register suddenly score 4 tries.
Yesterday we tried to build a lead, the right decisions in theory, but we were not very good at it. Truth be told it is not exactly stamped into Wasp DNA, is it? Every team needs to be able to grind out wins but we have never been great at it when we were the top dogs.
I think it was the Sarries game last year where apparently the team talk basically was "**** it, just give for it", after yet more disruption, and I feel that last week we went back to that approach. This week we had more expectation if a win and tried to play with mire caution, and were actually less clinical and more stilted.

I don't think we are miles off top 4, but that is because top 4 is not relevant, top 2 is and there is a light year between us and that, even if we keep the key guys fit. Top 4 matters for the play offs, but whether it is Saints or Sale next year, Quins or us, the top 4 is there to have a shot at the title, and Chiefs and Bristol are some way ahead. The team finishing 8th won't be a hugely worse team than the one scraping 4th. If we had won all our 77 minute matches we would be thinking we could be in the top 4, but nobody would be thinking of a title. There is a massive gap needing bridging.

The one big glimmer of light from yesterday, besides the result,  was the scrum. If JTA can actually become a solid performer  in the scrum we could be set fair, and Alo also looks to have some potential.

[Rossm]

I do hate to bring this up (again), but if any side would benefit from summer rugby it is us.

[Shugs]

I don't buy the assumption that we are going to be weaker next year. With the greatest of respect from the list of leavers the only ones that will impact will be Brookes, Rowlands and Taylor. Rowlands is countered by Stooke (who will be available all year). We're well covered at hooker with another signing mooted. Brookes scrummaging will be missed without question but Scholtz seems to have that as his speciality and JTA has improved there and offers much more in the loose. On the positives Hougaard is an international quality stand in for Robson. Crossdale is a promising young player who can cover a few positions and apparently we have more signings to come. We'll have academy step ups as well. And importantly the likes of Oghre, Barbeary, Atkinson, Umaga, Cardall, T Willis have got serious prem gametime which will stand them in good stead. I see us kicking on.