Always a Wasp

We're a few games in now and we have a solitary win. I'm an eternal optimist but so far I'd class it as Irish - disappointing but we should have won. Glaws - well beaten. Bath - much needed win. Sale - more encouraging and we could have won. Bordeaux - encouraging and we could have got something. So personally I think we're fine margins away. Better discipline, better game management in the final stages and just a bit more precision in the red zone and I think we'll be winning games. Personnel wise our front row looks solid with Owlett and McIntyre now options. JL back at SR with an improved looking WR. Back row options are great with JW outstanding and Vailanu an emerging bonus. LS has looked better and JG is back at 12. Minozzi has looked lively and our wing options are better. I'd still like to see more from Fekitoa. So I don't think we're far away but that's just theory and points on the board are the absolute measure. Do others think we're as close to getting them as I do?

Quote from: Shugs on November 17, 2019, 12:17:32 PM

Yes, I'm happy with what we have. Front row is going well. I was just summising that Stuart may well soon be getting an international call.

And your source is? I believe Kieran is a better scrummager.

I have no source at all - it's just my opinion. Yes, I agree Brookes is a better scrummager but Stuart's all round game is better. He always makes good yards in contact and makes his tackles. Watching Cole v SA either could probably have done just as well but internationally Brookes time may have passed.

Thought that was a really encouraging display for the most part. Front row went well and Owlett looked very good. Great to have JL back. Rowlands us progressing but I'd like to see him trim his pen count. Back row was great - J Willis immense. Unfair to criticise the wingers. It was never going to be a game for them. Also thought Wolstenholme looked good. Again we come away with nothing points wise but plenty of positives nonetheless.

Quote from: Shugs on November 16, 2019, 10:59:06 AM

Morning all. I'd probably take any sort of point today. Odd sort of result elsewhere in the group. I'm hoping a good run in this competition can facilitate an injection of much needed confidence.

Why an odd sort of result. 5 points away from home doesn't seem too odd. Yes pedal off the gas but still won. Quite a few first choice to come back. Probably top with Bordeaux close.

I thought Agen would be better on home soil and I've seen Edinburgh a few times and not always been impressed.

That's a really good assessment Mike and just emphasises why JTA will need time. We'll get a look at Owlett on Saturday. He's flown under the radar a bit in terms of signings but with Dai's eye for a prop I have a feeling he could be an asset for us.

Another block of losses and we'll be trying ctrl-alt-delete.

If the cap were lifted the game would descend into a ridiculous state of affairs. The only thing worse would be to keep the cap and not enforce it - not that that would ever happen. 

There is an interesting mind set at the moment that the 2 subjects at the top of the board today (Mind the Gap and this one) have the blame for a coach leaving and players not making the step up from the Championship firmly at Dai's door.  Just an observation, but I am a little surprised why he hasn't be blamed for the Cheats cheating too.

I don't think Dai is to blame regards the championship scenario. I think that is just a combination of circumstances of which he is not one. In terms of Pendlebury he's obviously just taken an opportunity to get involved at international level as the vast majority of others would do. I'm not really sure which individuals people have in mind when they assert that Young stymies development.