Always a Wasp

At Kingsholm it's a yellow for Fekitoa. At the Ricoh it's one for Fekitoa and Ackerman.

In terms of the question posed I don't think Dai should go. I've just counted 20 players in our senior squad with senior international experience. So, for me, recruitment has been fine. The age of the galactico has been eased out as it had to be and we now have a pleasing blend of youth and experience with several really quality players. But it's not happening on the pitch at the moment. It's certainly not one factor. I think there's a degree of truth that after our final defeat to Exeter and subsequent defeat in the semi to Saracens Dai sat back and thought we needed to get more pragmatic at fly half and dominant up front in order to challenge. We've got better but we fall somewhat between two stools in terms of style and ambition. Secondly I wonder who the "big voices" are in the dressing room/on the pitch. Our co captains are excellent players but they are not archetypal leaders. JL is not either, nor is LS. I believe we're too quiet and for want of a better phrase at times too nice. Thirdly we were dealt a rubbish hand last year in a myriad of ways. We've had to bed more in this year than we would have hoped. For me this is less about talent and coaching and more about mindset. If we can stumble our way to a couple of wins I genuinely think we'll see a better side. We have the quality and we have a good D of R.

So we're looking for a SH twelve. One who is creative and a distributor rather than a bosh it up merchant. But he must take it into contact and be ok defensively. I think we already have one of those. Searle 10, Sopoaga 12??

In Bassett and Watson I think we have two great wingers backed up by Kibirige (needs to work on his defence) and Odogwu (largely unseen) and even Minozzi. So I'm ok with that. Agree re the second row. For me JL and JG is fine and beyond that we're lacking physical presence.

I don't think I'd go as far as saying Jones isnt a talented coach. We sit in the RWC final after all. But I do subscribe to the fact that a few things have aligned for him at the right time. The Curry/Underhill partnership. The recovery of Tuilagi. The progress of Sinckler. You do have to give him credit for one of the biggest factors in our resurgence - the recruitment of Mitchell. You know what they say, a lucky coach is better than a good one. Jones is somewhere in between for me.

Fats, Marlowman, we are two games in. It may turn out that you're right and the wheels have come off. I'm not a hopeless optimist - I'm just prepared to give it more than 160 minutes of rugby before deciding. This is not last season or any other and the playing personnel is different. Initial signs haven't been great but we have quality players. That has to tell sooner or later.

Have a look back at yesterday's game Hymenoptera. Sopoaga was fed slow, ponderous ball that he could never work with. His first receiver was often a defensive minded 13 playing at 12 or some static forwards. I'm not pretending Sopoaga has been great. What I am certain about is that it's easier to impress as a 10 surrounded by Gopperth, Wade, a bought in Le Roux and Daly and a fit Robson. He's on a decent wage. He's played for the All Blacks. He's not a magician.

If Robson is out we need a short term cover signing. We just have no luck with these things. We struggle without either Willis or Young in the side and we also lose the option of Carr at 8.