Wasps v Newcastle: Post Match Thoughts.

[Wombles]

A win is a win

Could of used the bonus point

In the shout for 8th.

First things first, well done Falcons, played with determination, and until the benches came on had us in trouble at the set piece, and certainly level pegging in the battle of the gain line. They were good value for their lead at half time. We looked more controlled than I have seen in recent games and certainly more organised. The structured part of the game looked better and as the game started to break down we got stronger.

Importantly we are still in with a chance to getting into the top 8, but that lost bonus point may be vital. However with Games against Sale, Tigers, Glous and Irish, and where we are with our general play and away form it is a tough run in! We have to start winning on the road to stand a chance of Heineken Cup Rugby next season!

Good effort though today lads, onwards and upwards (I hope)

Chris

Once a Wasp ALWAYS a Wasp.

[Bloke in North Dorset]

I thought it all started to come together in the 2nd half. As someone mentioned in the match thread, we look so much better getting the ball through the hands rather than kicking. I can't decide whether its because a kicking game really isn't in Wasps' DNA or we don't have the kickers capable of executing that sort of game. Whichever it is, I prefer watching them play with ball in hand.

It was good to see them getting Josh in to the game and we looked much more threatening for it it. He and Feks worked well together.

Dan looks like he's starting to get some form back, but Porter still looks much sharper and his passing speed is much better. It would be interesting to see the ball speed comparison if they use one of those balls with the chip in. Is Porter the breakthrough player of this year?

Zach had a good game at FB in the sense that there were no real howlers and had the speed and strength to break a few tackles when he ran the ball. I don't think he's a permeant candidate in that position, but not a bad makeshift option.

It was good to see Jack getting through another game, he must be starting to feel much better and he was getting in his head in to places that require some real self belief. I suppose he'll be on the England tour so will miss the start of next season.

Alfie attracted a lot of defenders, we need to learn to play that advantage because too many times the ball died with him when we could have had numbers.

Joe had a good game and looks like he's getting his form back, that's just what we need for the tough run-in.

Top 8 is still a tough ask but I think we're starting to look like a team again and a strong finish in preparation for next season should be the goal.

It should be noted we can qualify be winning the Challenge Cup so maybe a bit of focus on that when the time comes?

[Covkid40]

While a win is win and I’ll take it we were far from convincing. It also has to be remembered that it was Newcastle who have struggled even more than us this season. I want to be upbeat after a win but I’m struggling, performances are poor and there really is no sign of them getting better. Some of the coaching decisions are hard to fathom out, did Jack or Alfie really offer that much today yet Brad goes off for Tom? Jacob was really poor today but no option on the bench to replace him with Charlie injured. Dan Robson! What can you say he’s a shadow of his former self, Porter now needs to start and not just in the cup game on Tuesday but I have a feeling he will start on Tuesday before being back on the bench for the league games. Tonight I’m just going to enjoy the victory and try not It to think to much about the rest

[Covkid40]

Dan looks like he's starting to get some form back, but Porter still looks much sharper and his passing speed is much better. It would be interesting to see the ball speed comparison if they use one of those balls with the chip in. Is Porter the breakthrough player of this year?

It was good to see Jack getting through another game, he must be starting to feel much better and he was getting in his head in to places that require some real self belief. I suppose he'll be on the England tour so will miss the start of next season.

Alfie attracted a lot of defenders, we need to learn to play that advantage because too many times the ball died with him when we could have had numbers.

Shows it’s a game of opinion as I’m sure you weren’t watching the same game as me! I thought Dan was poor again with no improvement on recent weeks, thought Alfie and Jack were average at best, Jack just needs to get games under his belt and be fit and ready for next season.

[Shugs]

4 points that should have been 5. We were exceptionally poor 1st half and marginally better 2nd. There were times when I thought we’d lose. Lessons learned 1) Kibirige is not a FB 2) Porter must start 3) We may need a 10 next season. There was no fluidity at all and whoever is instructing us to kick rather than keep it in hand is just wrong. A worrying display, albeit a win.

[Vespula Vulgaris]

whoever is instructing us to kick rather than keep it in hand is just wrong.

This 100%!

After all the talk over the last few years of getting back to Wasps DNA this is deeply depressing.

The idea that we can just hoof it upfield and rely on the fact that we're quite good at turnovers is stupid.

It doesn't work for us, it doesn't work for England, in fact the only team it has ever worked for is one that systematically cheated the system for years.

Please please please can we go back to trying to play ambitious rugby with the ball in hand. I'd rather we lost every game trying to be good than scrape then odd win playing the way we are right now.

[WonkyWasp]

I have to agree with Covkid and  Shugs completely.  I would have welcomed Tom Willis's appearance on the field and I hate the Wimbledon effect long kicks down the field  - and back - and back - and back .....  Still a win is a win, thanks to Jimmy.  Will Porter's yellow seemed to galvanize the concentration of the whole team.

[WonkyWasp]

.................  and V V is spot on too.

[HDAWG]

3) We may need a 10 next season.

A massive concern going into next season. We don't really have a reliable/experienced 10. But there's no obvious free agents, and it means you'd snub a young 10 as a result.

[Heathen]

.......and it means you'd snub a young 10 as a result.

We need a 10 who has the complete game. Can control the game by knowing when to kick, pass or make a break and not always run into the heavy traffic (and can also tackle). He needs to be the goto guy when everything else is failing. Jimmy a few years ago had the lot.

Sadly, we have no one who ticks all the boxes. The problem for a 10 is that so much of what he does, has to be instinctive. Create uncertainty in the opposition ranks.

[Andywasp50]

I fear that Lee is now so focused on Umaga and Atkinson that a quality 10 isn’t even in the thinking. Doesn’t bode well for the next season or so.

[JonnyD]

.......and it means you'd snub a young 10 as a result.

We need a 10 who has the complete game. Can control the game by knowing when to kick, pass or make a break and not always run into the heavy traffic (and can also tackle). He needs to be the goto guy when everything else is failing. Jimmy a few years ago had the lot.

Sadly, we have no one who ticks all the boxes. The problem for a 10 is that so much of what he does, has to be instinctive. Create uncertainty in the opposition ranks.

Unfortunately for us we had this on paper, which at the time was a massive coup, every club in the world noticed that we had signed Lima Sopoaga.

As we know this did not work out and from a business perspective he brought very little return on our investment.
We have since invested in the far cheaper option of youth.
Jacob was good enough to get us to the final a while ago playing heads up, instinctive rugby and Atkinson looks to have a more rounded game, although at 20 we still owe him some time to develop.
It is worrying though that Jacob, coming up to 24, is still making the same mistakes he has made for the last few seasons and hasn’t seemingly improved in other areas. (I know not really a useful comparison but him breaking through around the time Marcus Smith, Romain Ntamack and Jalibert were, he hasn’t quite kicked on despite being older than all of them.)

I do not see the club investing in another front line 10 at all, it would be too expensive and now it is far too late to find anyone. Umaga’s deal potentially runs out next year so that might be when a decision in made but whilst Blackett is there I can’t see faith being lost in Jacob and Charlie.

Losing Jimmy means we do need a third option but I can see someone like Tommy Matthews coming back in because I can’t see anyone like a Freddy Burns around available that would be able to steer the ship and on form be good enough to be first choice.
Charlie to 10 and given time (Burger at 12 should help him avoid some of the trouble he gets himself into) and Jacob to FB in the WLR role for me.

[Chunky24]

Skivington and the Glaws driving maul will have watched that with some relish, tough week on the practice field for the forwards this week or get the mortgage on Glaws hooker for first try!

[andermt]

Unfortunately for us we had this on paper, which at the time was a massive coup, every club in the world noticed that we had signed Lima Sopoaga.

As we know this did not work out and from a business perspective he brought very little return on our investment.
We have since invested in the far cheaper option of youth.
Jacob was good enough to get us to the final a while ago playing heads up, instinctive rugby and Atkinson looks to have a more rounded game, although at 20 we still owe him some time to develop.
It is worrying though that Jacob, coming up to 24, is still making the same mistakes he has made for the last few seasons and hasn’t seemingly improved in other areas. (I know not really a useful comparison but him breaking through around the time Marcus Smith, Romain Ntamack and Jalibert were, he hasn’t quite kicked on despite being older than all of them.)

Whilst Lima may not have hit the high spots on the pitch very often, I don't think we should underestimate the work he did with the young 10's who really came on whilst he was at Wasps.

I actually wonder whether the lack of Lima on the training pitch to work things through with Jacob and Charlie after a poor game has actually had an effect on their performances this season.

[loverugby1979]

Very poor display. Very lucky to get a win.

Porter should start.
I didn't see any fluidity at 9/10.

If we can't fix all of these problems ...the next week against Glous will be very tough.