Always a Wasp
General Category => Wasps Rugby Discussion => Topic started by: Rossm on March 02, 2020, 10:09:11 AM
-
Bobby Bridge and Ben Jaycock report:
'Outstanding performances'
https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-london-irish-lee-blackett-17843605 (https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/rugby/wasps-london-irish-lee-blackett-17843605)
-
Thanks. The current team coaching seems to be doing a reasonable job at the moment.
-
Love the comments on Biyi.
-
What is a little worrying is that the team took about 30 minutes to get in to their groove and alter their plays. I still think they go on to the pitch too set in what they have planned. Planning is good, but plans are often sot to pieces in the actual game, and thus the coaches need to focus on encouraging that on field decision making that causes new plans to be made on the hoof, where the whole team can adapt quickly and get behind it.
Having Lima in behind Umaga gives us just that. There are also other players who love doing just that, like Carr, Flament, Taylor, Willis, Shields, Gopperth and Fekitoa. When we get Minozzi back, I would prefer to see him on the wing and make a decisive choice to put Sopoaga at FB.
Some players are still on that learning curve. Like Robson, who is gaining in leaps and bounds each week, as he finds a new found freedom to go with the flow. Bassett is also trying, but not so well. In that regard, I think, if fit, I would have Minozzi and Kibirige on the wings. Also is also showing signs of coming to life around the park. Not sure about Rowlands. But, the more they all do it, the better it will get.
I do hope our coaches stay in that groove, rather than try to micro manage it all.
-
What is a little worrying is that the team took about 30 minutes to get in to their groove and alter their plays. I still think they go on to the pitch too set in what they have planned. Planning is good, but plans are often sot to pieces in the actual game, and thus the coaches need to focus on encouraging that on field decision making that causes new plans to be made on the hoof, where the whole team can adapt quickly and get behind it.
Having Lima in behind Umaga gives us just that. There are also other players who love doing just that, like Carr, Flament, Taylor, Willis, Shields, Gopperth and Fekitoa. When we get Minozzi back, I would prefer to see him on the wing and make a decisive choice to put Sopoaga at FB.
Some players are still on that learning curve. Like Robson, who is gaining in leaps and bounds each week, as he finds a new found freedom to go with the flow. Bassett is also trying, but not so well. In that regard, I think, if fit, I would have Minozzi and Kibirige on the wings. Also is also showing signs of coming to life around the park. Not sure about Rowlands. But, the more they all do it, the better it will get.
I do hope our coaches stay in that groove, rather than try to micro manage it all.
Do you think Dai may have been guilty of micro-managing the team too much at times, and the shackles have been loosened since his departure? That's a genuine question, not suggesting it is implied by your summary, but the change at the top has almost become the elephant in the room when discussing the team's improved performance. It's way too early to say I think, but the longer this upturn continues, the more questions will be asked of Dai's final months in charge.
-
What is a little worrying is that the team took about 30 minutes to get in to their groove and alter their plays. I still think they go on to the pitch too set in what they have planned. Planning is good, but plans are often sot to pieces in the actual game, and thus the coaches need to focus on encouraging that on field decision making that causes new plans to be made on the hoof, where the whole team can adapt quickly and get behind it.
Having Lima in behind Umaga gives us just that. There are also other players who love doing just that, like Carr, Flament, Taylor, Willis, Shields, Gopperth and Fekitoa. When we get Minozzi back, I would prefer to see him on the wing and make a decisive choice to put Sopoaga at FB.
Some players are still on that learning curve. Like Robson, who is gaining in leaps and bounds each week, as he finds a new found freedom to go with the flow. Bassett is also trying, but not so well. In that regard, I think, if fit, I would have Minozzi and Kibirige on the wings. Also is also showing signs of coming to life around the park. Not sure about Rowlands. But, the more they all do it, the better it will get.
I do hope our coaches stay in that groove, rather than try to micro manage it all.
Do you think Dai may have been guilty of micro-managing the team too much at times, and the shackles have been loosened since his departure? That's a genuine question, not suggesting it is implied by your summary, but the change at the top has almost become the elephant in the room when discussing the team's improved performance. It's way too early to say I think, but the longer this upturn continues, the more questions will be asked of Dai's final months in charge.
It IS possible, but how can I say? I am not there. What would be worrying is of the coaching team are trying to reapply that control, if it indeed did exists before, and was removed for the Sarries game, as Blackett said it was (and thus implied that it had been so before).
We have a squad full of players who can, it seems, think for themselves, when allowed. It takes a brave person to allow that freedom, as external prssures want to make you accountable, to earn your pay, as it were.
-
What is a little worrying is that the team took about 30 minutes to get in to their groove and alter their plays.
I dont think it's worrying. The sun was extremely bright, low, and right in their faces for the majority of the first half. Look at Watson getting a ball in the face. The fact that we still managed to stay well within touching distance when we could hardly see is a great sign that we've turned a corner.
-
What is a little worrying is that the team took about 30 minutes to get in to their groove and alter their plays.
I dont think it's worrying. The sun was extremely bright, low, and right in their faces for the majority of the first half. Look at Watson getting a ball in the face. The fact that we still managed to stay well within touching distance when we could hardly see is a great sign that we've turned a corner.
In the 2nd half, we were trying to kick the ball into that diminishing sunny corner of the field.
-
It is true - they seemed to be a bit like rabbits in the headlights, you could almost see their cogs going round and round as they processed what was going on in front of them.
Second half was like a different team - I think it will take some time for them to learn to trust their own instincts and there are going to be some mistakes .
Exciting times ahead methinks.
-
What doesn’t seem to get discussed is the number of times they’ve conceded tries right at the death of the game? Is it lack of confidence or lack of concentration, whichever it’s been very costly.
-
What doesn’t seem to get discussed is the number of times they’ve conceded tries right at the death of the game? Is it lack of confidence or lack of concentration, whichever it’s been very costly.
It is frequently the results of a stupid action costing a penalty, or more than one. The most frequent is dropping a driving maul and/or holding on to the tackled player preventing the ball from being played.
-
What doesn’t seem to get discussed is the number of times they’ve conceded tries right at the death of the game? Is it lack of confidence or lack of concentration, whichever it’s been very costly.
How often is it? Against Irish, whilst not meaningless, it meant a lot more to Irish than it did to us at that point.
-
Interesting views on the back three. I think you have to find a place on the wings for Watson, probably with Kibirige on the other flank. FB, impressive though Sopoaga has been he's largely come into broken play and as a playmaker has looked good there. He can tackle but FB is a specialist position and I wonder about his defensive nous. I'd go with Minozzi and have Lima on the bench covering 10 and 15.
-
Conceding tries at the end of matches:
In terms of this season I can think of Northampton game and that's about it. If it genuinely affected match results I'd agree, but it's not happening that much this season. We've only just started playing well, I'm not complaining yet.
In terms of Sops:
I see Sops like Beauden Barrett style (not as good, of course). Good runner and can sit deep, good kicking and highball. To me he is a fullback we should start and see how he does.
-
Interesting views on the back three. I think you have to find a place on the wings for Watson, probably with Kibirige on the other flank. FB, impressive though Sopoaga has been he's largely come into broken play and as a playmaker has looked good there. He can tackle but FB is a specialist position and I wonder about his defensive nous. I'd go with Minozzi and have Lima on the bench covering 10 and 15.
I'm with you all the way..except I haven't seen as much as hoped from Minozzi in either defence or attack...hoping he comes good.
-
Agreed. He's done bits. It's unfortunate for him that he's missed the last two where I really think he could have had an impact with the amount of ball in hand we had. He's still relatively new to it so he has plenty of time.
-
Conceding tries at the end of matches:
In terms of this season I can think of Northampton game and that's about it. If it genuinely affected match results I'd agree, but it's not happening that much this season. We've only just started playing well, I'm not complaining yet.
In terms of Sops:
I see Sops like Beauden Barrett style (not as good, of course). Good runner and can sit deep, good kicking and highball. To me he is a fullback we should start and see how he does.
Fairly sure (could be wrong), we've also scored at, or close, the death to win games (or salvage points).
-
If the score had been closer I am not sure if Umaga would have gone for the chip.
-
What is a little worrying is that the team took about 30 minutes to get in to their groove and alter their plays.
I dont think it's worrying. The sun was extremely bright, low, and right in their faces for the majority of the first half. Look at Watson getting a ball in the face. The fact that we still managed to stay well within touching distance when we could hardly see is a great sign that we've turned a corner.
The sun was in their eyes and there was a tricky wind blowing into that corner too.
The big plus is that we dogged out a poor first half and had the courage to gamble on the try on half time which changed momentum, even though a straightforward 3 points were on offer. To play that badly for 40 mins and come away with 10 points at Irish was good.
An even bigger plus is that we worked it out in the second half which hasn’t been a feature recently. Fixed the lineout, won the collisions by attacking the shoulders/gaps and moving the ball quicker to players who were in motion. Once we started to break the gainline and find space we were a different proposition, especially at the breakdown.