Short answer, for all the talk of Brookes being lazy etc., every club thinking of winning titles needs a quality front row and another quality front row. We have effectively not replaced our best scrummager. JTA upturning in terms of not conceding as many pens has unfortunately coincided with the LH that has been giving them away like sweeties. We are a long way from where we need to be.
Our signings in the second row have turned a weakness into a strength. Our back row is top, top class with options on the bench that change matches. Our front row is weaker than it was, due to the props, and it was not stellar to start.
Guys like Kiberige, Bassett, Watson, Minozzi are ok to very good players but good players plus a ten who blows very hot and cold and a rookie 9 plus zero confidence as a whole won't win. Stick Christian Wade into our team and we score more tries because he creates holes just by being there, a bit like Worcester did with DVdM. We don't have anyone like that now. Every week we play a team and I look at their back three and am more scared than I would be with ours more often than not. Odogwu might change that- if he is not a centre.
It is all confidence and fine margins, scoring 4 tries every game is a good habit, but we are where we are.