Match Thread

[Rossm]

I think there is one thing we all agree on - C*** A**** was a very poor signing😊

[NellyWellyWaspy]

I think there is one thing we all agree on - C*** A**** was a very poor signing😊

You what/who now?

[MarleyWasp]

Colin Allen was a back row signed as injury cover 20 years ago. Was pretty dreadful at his best and we never saw him at his best. He was released after a season and the general expectation was his career would go downhill fast. He proved the expectation right and joined the British Bobsleigh team.

Last seen as a strength and conditioning coach in Italy

[hookender]

The one thing that was novel in yesterday’s game was that we got penalised for not hooking at the scrum. Presume this means we must have put the ball in reasonably straight.

[Mellie]

Colin Allen was a back row signed as injury cover 20 years ago. Was pretty dreadful at his best and we never saw him at his best. He was released after a season and the general expectation was his career would go downhill fast. He proved the expectation right and joined the British Bobsleigh team.

Last seen as a strength and conditioning coach in Italy

For all the doom and gloom merchants on here I should point out that Colin Allan was an emergency signing along with our saviour in 2001-2 season, Ian Jones, due to a significant injury crisis, including a long term injury to our captain Lol. We had to use a lot of younger squad players too. A bit like this season maybe?

The fact is we won the Premiership the following 3 seasons after that and bagged 2 European trophies too!

[NellyWellyWaspy]

As a squad, those who emerge alive after a year like this come out the other side as hardened veterans. But, I suspect we will see quite an attrition rate, of players who will not get a new contract.

[Shugs]

Do you think so. I have mentally got Mills, Watson, Minozzi and Vukasinovic down in my head as very unlikely. In the could be at risk I suppose I’d put in Fekitoa (maybe his choice), Alo and possibly Scholtz depending on the length of deal he signed. I worry for the likes of Spink and Simonds who can’t seem to stay injury free and we know we are losing Young. Not sure Hougaard has signed for more than a year either. I suppose on reflection that is quite a big list.

[mike909]

Re centres - I think the plan seemed to be that first choice would be Mills and Fek with Booj and and Jimmy providing cover and "horses for courses" selections - allowing rotation at 10 and 12 especially. With Odogwu coming through, it would have allowed more rotation and further selection for specific purposes.

We've struggled with player fitness over the last several years meaning Booj got stick too often (it seemed to me....) for being available and having to play before acclimatised to the Prem. And Jimmy has had to play too many games when I think we'd have wanted him to be edging towards a player/coach role (or similar)

Going forwards, we look like we will need two centres as Mills looks fragile and Fek is prob off and perhaps a winger and FB cover too if we perhaps lose Minozzi and prob Watson? It will be v helpful if and when Miller and Odogwu return ditto Robson and we prob need Crossdale regularly fit and delivering too.

But any team will struggle with 18 first team squad injuries merely with rotation and familiar combinations. If we learn the game management lessons that such problems teach then it will be positive going forwards.

[Shugs]

FB and wing wise I think we’re ok Mike. Mehson can cover both and we have the likes of Anderson and Bacon coming through. They supplement Crossdale, Miller, Kibirige and Bassett.

[mike909]

FB and wing wise I think we’re ok Mike. Mehson can cover both and we have the likes of Anderson and Bacon coming through. They supplement Crossdale, Miller, Kibirige and Bassett.

Fair enough. Though the academy guys need to get game time soon. I like Crossdale a lot, but I suppose my selfish thinking is just how Le Roux, Piutau and Beale made us so much more dangerous!

[Neils]

Wade made us much more dangerous.

[HDAWG]

Wade made us much more dangerous.

God I miss Wade, sad the way he left.

[mike909]

Wade made us much more dangerous.

Watching him and Varndell torture defences made my afternoon.......

[Shugs]

Suppose it’s like anywhere else on the pitch. If Crossdale, Miller and Mehson are fit we’re fine at FB. The same with Bassett and Kibirige. If not you’re dipping in to the youngsters. The flip side is you sign someone else and the youngsters get no game time!

[matelot22]

Vailanu never played like that when he was with us.  Why is it that we get players who don't perform for us and then go elsewhere and do good things?  Alapati was another.  Also a number of hopefuls we signed, some of who never even made appearances for us, it seems to me.

In the final two game sof last season, he was excellent. Scored two very good tries aginst the Tigers. I think that we had at last, got him fit. Always saw the potential in him

Was about to say the very same thing, once he strung together a run of games, he was starting to look every inch the prospect we thought he could be.