Our Backs

[Brandnewtorugby]

They also had the best front row and number 8 as well.

and a pretty handy hard running centre!

[backdoc]

I think lee sometimes plays players out of loyalty rather then being the best player at the time.

Who on this site would play Fekitoa over Spink against tigers, not sure anyone would but the chances are lee is likely too.

Just don’t understand that apart from a loyalty thing.

I call it sentimentality. So and so is having his last game at home etc etc.

It is usually counterproductive, just as it is in other areas of society.

[Westy68]

That is the right Phrase

[CV2]

I'd like to see Paolo given a run at 13 again - weren't it the form in that position that got him into the England squad?

I know he still has a lot to learn in that position and some will say his distribution and defence are not up to it but he is an explosive runner who can break the gain line - something we have very little of in the back line currently. Hopefully Burger or (a fit Mills  ) can get him in the right positions next year to do that.
Also it's not like we have been served up brilliant displays of distribution from Fekitoa this year so we're coming from a low base 

Spink and Paolo rotating at 13 aren't the worse options for me next year.

A bigger headache is at 14 if Paolo does play inside, Zach's form has dropped off and Hougaard is an emergency winger. I would have loved to see Mehson given a run but he's not have a sniff since his Prem cup display.

Hopefully we are in the market for a winger, excluding the obvious NFL convert I'm not sure who is an option though??

[DGP Wasp]

While I acknowledge that some of the responsibility for the poor back play has to sit with the coaching team, what we're seeing more often than not is basic poor handling.  Passes behind the man, passes at head/ankle height, poor timing from the runner/passer, failing to catch the ball etc.

I coach under 9s these basic skills on a Sunday morning.  Simple drills to build an understanding among relative novices with the concentration level you might expect from a 9 year old.  At a very basic level, the kids can make it work most of the time, and they will only get better and faster as they get older.  Now I've never had to opportunity to see how elite, professional rugby players train, but surely the coaches aren't still drumming these basics into them, running the same drills they were doing back when they were under 9s, are they?  This should be a given, and the coaching team can't be held accountable for basic, individual errors.  Whatever the coaches are doing with them through the week, mis-directing or mis-timing passes and failing to catch the ball are not among them.  Maybe there's a lack of clarity/understanding in the messages from the coaches that is muddling thinking and leading to basic errors, but ultimately poor execution is down to the individual.

[InBetweenWasp]

Hougaard has shown a brilliant reading of the game defensively and has an ability to more often than not, cut off a potentially dangerous position at the source with a thumping man and ball tackle.  He hits surprisingly hard for a scrum-half.

I don't think we've see anything of him with the ball when put into space - But that's the ongoing issue we're all talking about.

Thought Crossdale, for all the limited game time, looked far more of a natural, long-term full-back than Jacob has.  I'd still rather see Jacob playing 10 as he undoubtedly has the talent for unpicking defences and more so than Charlie has shown.

Charlie is much more of your 'traditional 10'.

[Heathen]

Jacob at 10 with the right 12 outside him, is the call that I would make. We should use Jacob where he poses most threat and his weaknesses are least exposed.

[JonnyD]

Jacob at 10 with the right 12 outside him, is the call that I would make. We should use Jacob where he poses most threat and his weaknesses are least exposed.

I’m inclined to agree with you here. With the safety of a big and experienced 12 outside him Umaga can just ship it on if he’s in trouble or if the space isn’t there. He is then in position to pick the space off the next few phases rather than being at the bottom of a ruck

[backdoc]

https://www.wasps.co.uk/news/will-simonds-signs-short-term-manly-deal/


Will Simons off to NSW to play for Manly over the summer.

[InBetweenWasp]

Nice gig if you can get it!

[Sliminator]

This could be an excellent move for Will, more depth of experience and game time.

[Mellie]

While I acknowledge that some of the responsibility for the poor back play has to sit with the coaching team, what we're seeing more often than not is basic poor handling.  Passes behind the man, passes at head/ankle height, poor timing from the runner/passer, failing to catch the ball etc.

I coach under 9s these basic skills on a Sunday morning.  Simple drills to build an understanding among relative novices with the concentration level you might expect from a 9 year old.  At a very basic level, the kids can make it work most of the time, and they will only get better and faster as they get older.  Now I've never had to opportunity to see how elite, professional rugby players train, but surely the coaches aren't still drumming these basics into them, running the same drills they were doing back when they were under 9s, are they?  This should be a given, and the coaching team can't be held accountable for basic, individual errors.  Whatever the coaches are doing with them through the week, mis-directing or mis-timing passes and failing to catch the ball are not among them.  Maybe there's a lack of clarity/understanding in the messages from the coaches that is muddling thinking and leading to basic errors, but ultimately poor execution is down to the individual.

This may actually be the problem. You wouldn't expect to have to coach basics and maybe not enough attention is given to it. The best teams always do the basics better than others (e.g. Quins backs). This cannot be left to chance. What is required is to practice scenarios and moves so they can be executed at great pace and under severe pressure as smoothly as possible. I don't believe there would be the number of misdirected passes or handling errors if training was conducted like that.

The coaches also need to be educating players on game and situation understanding so they are more aware of what is possible when moves break down or the opposition are vulnerable so they can play a bit more off the cuff.

I know we are talking about elite players who are extremely fit and well conditioned and can do certain things very well. However, there are very few with innate understanding. Cips and George Ford have it, as did Rob Howley.  Austin Healey mentioned how Ford's ability to coach on the pitch would improve Sale next season.

Thing is you either have it or, mostly, you don't but you can learn awareness and understanding through experience and education.

I have direct experience of this with my son, who I coached through all age groups, and was amazed how instinctively he played from having understood what he saw when watching Wasps.

We were at HW when Wasps played Celtic Warriors. Howley arrived late at a ruck after the ball emerged, kicked the ball round it to outflank the opposition forwards and was tackled off the ball resulting in a penalty try. The following day my 10 year old son  was 5m from touch and try line with lots of players in the way. So he stabbed the ball through a small gap, ran round the outside and scored. A perfect example of using a learned experience and applying it in an appropriate situation. I didn't coach that but I know where he got it from.

[DGP Wasp]

I have direct experience of this with my son, who I coached through all age groups, and was amazed how instinctively he played from having understood what he saw when watching Wasps.

We were at HW when Wasps played Celtic Warriors. Howley arrived late at a ruck after the ball emerged, kicked the ball round it to outflank the opposition forwards and was tackled off the ball resulting in a penalty try. The following day my 10 year old son  was 5m from touch and try line with lots of players in the way. So he stabbed the ball through a small gap, ran round the outside and scored. A perfect example of using a learned experience and applying it in an appropriate situation. I didn't coach that but I know where he got it from.

Not much hope for my 9 year old then, watching the current crop misfiring!

[Mellie]

I have direct experience of this with my son, who I coached through all age groups, and was amazed how instinctively he played from having understood what he saw when watching Wasps.

We were at HW when Wasps played Celtic Warriors. Howley arrived late at a ruck after the ball emerged, kicked the ball round it to outflank the opposition forwards and was tackled off the ball resulting in a penalty try. The following day my 10 year old son  was 5m from touch and try line with lots of players in the way. So he stabbed the ball through a small gap, ran round the outside and scored. A perfect example of using a learned experience and applying it in an appropriate situation. I didn't coach that but I know where he got it from.

Not much hope for my 9 year old then, watching the current crop misfiring!

🤣🤣🤣
Just get him to watch good rugby wherever it's played regardless. Maybe get him to point out what Wasps do wrong too.

My lad definitely had innate ability you cannot coach but he also watched a lot of rugby and learned from the good and the bad, which was the point I'm making.

He actually played quite a few school games against Ford and Farrell and wasn't outclassed. His goal kicking was on a par with Farrell when they were 14. However, he was considered too small by the county coaches, which pissed him off so much he stopped playing for years. Fortunately I got him back eventually. He may be small but he's the current man of steel for his side on account of his ferocious tackling and he still does instinctive things that amaze me.