It isn't about the quality of players. any of use who have played (my guess most of us) recognise that they are all quality. The lack of quality comes from a lack of cohesiveness and lack of rugby brain. By lack I mean either it isn't there (and for me Fekitoa demonstrates that perfectly on Saturday), or lack of willingness of the player to back themselves when they know what the right thing to do is. And by that I mean, ignore what the coaches planned. I think way too many of the team demonstrate a lack of rugby 'brain' by either measure.
I posted on Facebook some basic 'rules'. One of which was, NEVER try to jackal in your own half. Why? The penalty is kickable, or you will end up with a lineout against you 5 metres out. It isn't worth that risk. Referees will be far more likely to see holding on as a defensive ploy by the tackled player if they are well in to their own half. But, they will side with the attackers if they are in your half, and accuse you of slowing the ball down.
Most of the other 'rules' Wasps (for once) stuck to. My view on the jackal is that you should leave it to a specialist, like Jack. Backs should never try it. They almost always get pinged.
We failed to heap the points on in the first half due to lack of imagination. The players stuck to the plan. And Wuss had that figured from the get go. In the second half, Wuss had figured out how to dismantle our game plan. And that has happened to us in every game for months. Time maybe for no game plan?
The thing is, on paper we DO have a good squad. A top 6 or even top 4 squad. We do keep making the mistake of signing players already known to be made of glass (like Mills), or extending such players (like Watson). Times are hard, money is tight. Yes, players get injured, but we can't afford to sign someone who has a record of injuries with long layoffs.
We CAN do better, but not as we are. We NEED to bin the game plans, force the players to think on their feet.
Always a Wasp
