Where do we need to improve.

[Shugs]

I think there are many positives to take into next season. But to be improving I wonder where others think the key improvement areas are. There are 4 for me:
1) Game management. We've lost some ridiculous games this year due to bad options - especially in the last 10 mins. We all want to see exciting innovative play but we need to perfect the ability to shut up shop once we've got the ascendancy.
2) Discipline. Just needs to be drummed into the squad pre-season.
3) Maul defence. We had this nailed at the end of last season but we've become easy to score against again from it. Maybe links in to a theory that we may lack a bit of power but for me it's about technique. We really miss Launchbury here.
4 ) Line out. I think we'll be ok at scrum time but we really must develop a stable line out. The attacking positions we've lost from this have cost us loads of points/games.
They are the main things for me. Of lesser importance I'd definitely keep Shields as captain, develop a different restart (signs of that v Tigers) and wrap Dan Robson in cotton wool. Maybe the biggest change we need is a bit more luck.

[HDAWG]

I'd say....

- not try too hard or overplay attack wise.

- make tackles.

- don't get injured.

Think those 3 things would be on my to do list. Little things like recruiting forwards to replace injured players, trying Atkinson at 12, cloning Jack Willis (See Tom Willis for evidence) are idealistic things I hope we try. But otherwise not much.

[Neils]

Agree with all of the above but think the single big thing we need is - rest. This team of players moved from one season to the next with a week's break. The team also suffered as not getting any covid cancelled matches - some had three breaks. As Lee said 22 matches straight.
The existing lads need holiday with their families away from rugby, then a full pre-season preparation with new incomers. Gel together and get confident in each other. Things will improve.
I also want to see who else comes in - some who clicked at the very end and are leaving proves what we need. Depth is a problem with the level of injuries and needs improving.
Finally - Coaching. We seem to get rumours of leavers which are countered but our much maligned defence coach has left and, my view, is it can't just be covered by one of the others. We need dedicated personnel and quickly.

[JonnyD]

It’s a fine line isn’t it? I don’t think Blackett will ever be a coach to say we don’t play at all in our own half or we always kick to compete from box kicks; he’s more of a play what’s in front of you kind of coach.
However as we know this doesn’t always work for Jacob and even Dan fumbled a quick tap recently - for me this is about execution and skills.

When Bristol started doing a lot of work on skills, hand eye coordination, lots of different ball games using different ball sizes etc their offload game clicked and everything stuck. We have dropped far too many passes for a number of years now and something needs to improve.

I also want mistakes to become more unacceptable but more in an understanding that your skills and execution need to be better rather than players being too afraid to try things, again it’s a fine line.
Jacob not kicking and running from deep and conceding a penalty is a mistake that can swing momentum and cost us the game. Poor drills at the restart and discipline at the ruck can do the same.

Potentially this all comes from experience and the leadership group all being on the same page. I do think we need to be a bit more ruthless at the top in selection and setting standards and discipline and perhaps we’re just too nice on the field too.

Recruitment is interesting too and necessary. If a back row is imminent and we’re still looking at 2 locks these primarily must be coming from overseas and the Southern Hemisphere. Blackett has talked about a big focus as improving our packs physicality and two more big lumps would make a massive difference here eg a du preez and a liebenberg.
And as I said on another thread we need another big voice in the backs outside Jacob - I’m hoping this will be Mills on return - again we just seem a bit ‘nice’ in the backs and even Fekitoa is very quiet on the pitch.

Lots to discuss I’m sure but I imagine Blackett is happy for our experience to grow over time and this will bring the improvements

[Raggs]

Discipline.

Thought our maul defence was mostly fine, the mauls we lost were often due to stupid discipline areas (swimming when there's no need to etc).

Skills are there, but it feels like Bristol have mostly managed to keep key players on the pitch more than us. Radradra is a force all by himself, Piatau is also immense. They've looked more vulnerable when more and more 2nd/3rd choices have been involved, disruption causes issues, and we've had a lot of it, all through the season.

8/9/10/15 are the spine of a team in many cases (2 and locks as well to a large degree). We've had a huge amount of upheaval in many of those positions. That understanding is what often leads to cute passes sticking or being knocked on, and injuries interfere with that.

Perhaps our s&c needs work, or perhaps we've been unlucky (many instances there's nothing to be done I feel).

I'm happy for us to play from anywhere. Again, look at Bristol, when they promoted, they got it wrong a lot, but kept at it. Now they are a little more picky (not much), but it often sticks, or it's clear it's no longer on, and they clear. If a team doesn't play like that in a live game, they'll never really improve at it.

[JonnyD]

The Bristol comparison is an interesting one actually and more specifically Sheedy vs Umaga. Both have skills to do wonderful things but aside from moments of individual brilliance at Bristol, Sheedy is doing great things with controlling their game and moving them around the pitch

[Beasties]

Maul, maul, maul. Attacking mauls and defending mauls. We're comfortably the worst in the league at mauling. Other teams seem to be able to routinely score from almost every 5m lineout, we make hard work of it. It is worth so many points in games it's a mystery why we don't get any better.

Could also do with Umaga maturing a bit more. I'm happy he's finally developing a bit of grit to his game, but we need him to calm down a bit and stop going for the miracle play every single time. We could also do with a bosh option in the backs for those games where we're struggling.

[MarleyWasp]

I saw a few weeks ago that the referee, Alexandre Ruiz, has signed for Montpellier as a Defence and Discipline Coach. Some of the media called it a crazy move but to me it makes a lot of sense to have a former ref as a Discipline Coach. We could certainly do with one.

[Neils]

I saw a few weeks ago that the referee, Alexandre Ruiz, has signed for Montpellier as a Defence and Discipline Coach. Some of the media called it a crazy move but to me it makes a lot of sense to have a former ref as a Discipline Coach. We could certainly do with one.

Jp?  🤣

[Marlow Nick]

I suggest we hire Graham Hughes as a consultant. He'd be absolutely useless but at least he'd then need to recuse himself from being TMO at any of our matches. Money well spent!

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Maul, maul, maul. Attacking mauls and defending mauls. We're comfortably the worst in the league at mauling. Other teams seem to be able to routinely score from almost every 5m lineout, we make hard work of it. It is worth so many points in games it's a mystery why we don't get any better.

Could also do with Umaga maturing a bit more. I'm happy he's finally developing a bit of grit to his game, but we need him to calm down a bit and stop going for the miracle play every single time. We could also do with a bosh option in the backs for those games where we're struggling.

Launch has always been our best maul defender, followed by Myall and Rowlands. So I suspect that will get worse.

And as to attacking mauls, we now only have 1 hooker proven to be able to throw, so can't see that improving much either.

[Neils]

Maul, maul, maul. Attacking mauls and defending mauls. We're comfortably the worst in the league at mauling. Other teams seem to be able to routinely score from almost every 5m lineout, we make hard work of it. It is worth so many points in games it's a mystery why we don't get any better.

Could also do with Umaga maturing a bit more. I'm happy he's finally developing a bit of grit to his game, but we need him to calm down a bit and stop going for the miracle play every single time. We could also do with a bosh option in the backs for those games where we're struggling.

Launch has always been our best maul defender, followed by Myall and Rowlands. So I suspect that will get worse.

And as to attacking mauls, we now only have 1 hooker proven to be able to throw, so can't see that improving much either.

The lad from Pirates can certainly throw straight.

[MarleyWasp]

I saw a few weeks ago that the referee, Alexandre Ruiz, has signed for Montpellier as a Defence and Discipline Coach. Some of the media called it a crazy move but to me it makes a lot of sense to have a former ref as a Discipline Coach. We could certainly do with one.

Jp?  🤣

Maybe as a tackle bag for Fekitoa...

[Shugs]

Our lineout has been an issue for years whoever the hooker. I thought Oghre had improved in the last few weeks and we'll have to see how Frost goes - I think he might be a solid find.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

Maul, maul, maul. Attacking mauls and defending mauls. We're comfortably the worst in the league at mauling. Other teams seem to be able to routinely score from almost every 5m lineout, we make hard work of it. It is worth so many points in games it's a mystery why we don't get any better.

Could also do with Umaga maturing a bit more. I'm happy he's finally developing a bit of grit to his game, but we need him to calm down a bit and stop going for the miracle play every single time. We could also do with a bosh option in the backs for those games where we're struggling.

Launch has always been our best maul defender, followed by Myall and Rowlands. So I suspect that will get worse.

And as to attacking mauls, we now only have 1 hooker proven to be able to throw, so can't see that improving much either.

The lad from Pirates can certainly throw straight.

I hope he can do it just as well at this level.

I think the result from Ealing today shows the real difference between the top of the two leagues.