Always a Wasp

In terms of the Wasps DNA thing I know what you mean. Easy on the eye rugby is a pre-requisite for many fans. I can also see it from the coaches point of view though. If we get drummed by 20 points but score two or three incredible tries they’ll soon be under pressure for losing games. I’m looking on the optimistic side and hoping our undoubted pack strength will provide platforms for some good rugby. I must admit a certain pleasure in seeing us win some scrums etc last year - I don’t think we had enough stability at centre to expand much last year. Next year Atkinson has another year of experience, Robson is still, for me, the best SH in the league and I think we’ll improve at centre which will see us play some better stuff.

Not wanting to pick too many bones out of your statement but we were at our best playing exciting rugby, so how does that make any sense. We are now playing dull rugby and have spent 2 season as bottom fodder.
Our forwards were the reason we won some of the games we shouldn't have, not sure what else is going to change there to improve results, we had the platform for good rugby and played some terrible stuff. When available, how many point will Kock be worth..? What is our current DNA, I can't identify it? You can identify the DNA of many of the teams above use. I'm waiting to get our game out the way at the weekend so I can watch some proper rugby.
As for Robson, he has been excellent, but he's currently a shadow of a player and for the first time you can see why he wasn't selected for England. Some games I not sure he should have started.
We're pinning improvement on a bang average SA center and an academy prospect for next season..be prepared for much of the same I reckon.

Surprised not to see Brown on that list. I'm mentioning him to again provoke outrage on this board.

I'd take a punt Naiayavoro. Yes he has negatives but he is one of the few players with a genuine USP and has single handedly won games for Saints...he caused us nothing but issue's when he won it for them at the Ricoh.
Defensively no weaker than Dogwoo but needs good constant conditioning.
I don't think we have the luxury to overlook USP players that change games given our crop of backs for next year.

Phil Cokagnasina can play 12, 13 and 14..Tigers signed him from Irish and he looks a good acquisition, let's them drop Moroni.
Intelligent recruitment..it's possible.

This board does make me chuckle.
When he was in his prime playing for England & Quinns he was too slow & couldn't pass, now he has been dropped by Falcons suddenly he's just what we need?

Glad your chuckling.
He's just what we need because we don't have a 15 can provides the basics of a 15, not because Newc dropped him.
What's slower, Mike Brown or a ball that's being fed into the scrum by the opposition scrum half in our 22..having just regained possession.
Momentum is killing us, shitty hands being the major contributor..no more so than at 15.

lets do it again for a third season?, doing the same things with the same players and expecting a different outcome. Talk about rinse and repeat. In our good season, we always had quality at FB,  Lewsey, Gissy, WLR, Piautau, Beale.. Given the latest craze if spiral bombs, we are in for a long old next season.
Lots of 'wood for the trees' going on here.

Couldn't agree more. Never been a fan but conversely he's just what we need, if nothing more than to highlight what a real 15 does looks like.
Of the RugbyPass transfer list, there were a few names there as 'released' that under the right conditions are interest peakers. Eg Melani Nanai..unfortunate injuries but when fit is a quality operator.

Quote from: Raggs on June 07, 2022, 12:58:26 PM

Quote from: Shugs on June 07, 2022, 08:11:37 AM

“Those getting to wear the England shirt”. That sums it up perfectly. Almost mascot like. These are professional sportsmen not kids being rewarded with a phoney day out. I’m absolutely sure the likes of Robson, Alo etc are absolutely chuffed to bits to be picked. That doesn’t mean there is any rugby benefit at all in it. I’m equally as sure thousands at Twickenham will have a great time - some might even watch some of the game. Again, that doesn’t make it of any benefit to anyone. For players who have had a slog of a season another training camp and game is precisely the last thing they need. But while it’s all about cash that will never be a consideration.

So the players are happy. The fans are happy. The money earned keeps people like me able to play rugby and coach more kids, and therefore keeps them happy.

We've got arguments that these are players that won't make the RWC team (and are happy to be playing), playing 1 extra fixture, and perhaps getting to wear the England shirt in the only time in their lives.

We've got arguments that these are some players that may make the rwc team (and are happy to playing), and have a chance to continue their training that they'll be doing ready for Aus anyway, so will likely be happy to improve their England game.

And there's no benefit? We have very different definitions of benefit.

Raggs, as this is effectively a social media site you will get people who are outraged and have prejudicial views that won't shift whatever the argument!

It makes me laugh that the Drunken Wasps site refer to this as the glee club given the amount negativity I read here.

A good example of someone coming from nowhere in a World Cup year is Josh Lewsey. He was called up for the 2003 6 nations because there was no one left standing at fullback, having had no chance of being picked for years. He played brilliantly and then not only made the trip but played in and won the final.

That's why any chance to work with potential backup players is worth it. It might just throw up an unexpected gem. But that's my view and I don't expect anyone with a contrary opinion to change their mind.

Odd how debate, point of view and opinion is always seen by some as negativity. Many on this board hide behind sarcasm because they have nothing else to offer, which for me is a greater form of negativity.

I’ve no doubt they were. But for me lack of fluency through 12 was a bigger issue for me than one or two missed kicks.

Absolutely..isn't it a bit mind blowing, some of the decisions that are being made by our so called coaches, especially knowing that Gops was off. None of it makes sense and kicking exposure for Atkinson, whether he slots or not can only be good. On that note, I haven't noticed he's a particularly bad kicker, he slotted a lovely one at the weekend.

NW - I agree with everything you stated.
I've said it before but our coaches appear to be clowns.
We have a dedicated skills coach yet our skills are age grade 10. This isn't the much vaunted 'Confidence'..it's been going on for 2 seasons now and doesn't look like changing next season.
We have a foward and previous defence coach now in charge of attack, which is garbage at best and as above..2 seasons of it.
We have Mitchell..i'm not sure what he brings but do think our defence has improved, but that could be a product of Everard.
And then we have Blackett, where to start on this one...i'll stick with Clueless.

We have the worst backs/back play in the league and I'm not sure that's even debatable. The only reason we aren't in 12th is down to stellar forwards.