So what to do v Bath?

[baldpaul101]

Dropping Umaga is partially due to his performance yesterday but mainly due to him maybe needing a bit of a rest. I also think that there has been so much hype about him that this would show him that he always needs to work to make the starting team

Not sure I'd agree with that. ignoring minutes played, I would start him again as he needs to "get back on the horse" otherwise a poor performance starts to get into his brain & affect his confidence. It wasn't his lack of hard work that made him have a bad game, IMO.
Jimmy Gopperth didn't have his best game, would you drop him too?

[SilverShire]

Dropping Umaga is partially due to his performance yesterday but mainly due to him maybe needing a bit of a rest. I also think that there has been so much hype about him that this would show him that he always needs to work to make the starting team

Not sure I'd agree with that. ignoring minutes played, I would start him again as he needs to "get back on the horse" otherwise a poor performance starts to get into his brain & affect his confidence. It wasn't his lack of hard work that made him have a bad game, IMO.
Jimmy Gopperth didn't have his best game, would you drop him too?

I completely understand what you're saying here. I just think that its very easy to take your foot off the peddle a little if you as a player are expecting to be starting every match. I think a player is on a bit of a knife edge with just getting back on the horse without some time for reflection. Either they excel and play better than ever or they stagnate a little.
With regards to Jimmy, I agree he didn't have his best game but my selection was mainly about squad rotation and not fatiguing some players while also giving others a chance to bed in with the team. Ultimately I see Mills, Gopps, Fekitoa and Le B forming a good rotting quartet.
Obviously this is all my opinion and more than welcome to debate over it as I'm very open to having my opinion changed!

On a side note, I thought that Miller has player SH for us a couple times when the SH playing got crooked. That was the reason for me not having a SH replacement and a 6/2 split on the bench 

[mike909]

 Ultimately I see Mills, Gopps, Fekitoa and Le B forming a good rotting quartet.

Blimey - is Covid 19 that serious?

[SilverShire]

ahahaha not sure how auto-correct got that  obviously meant rotating quartet

[baldpaul101]

Miller playing Scrum half? I can't remember that happening, anyone else?

I think Wasps are a long way from having a fully rotatable squad in certain positions.
I would also be very surprised if Umaga was the type of player to coast or "take his foot off the pedal" He's young, was on a hot streak of form, and is playing without fear. He did do some very good things last night, its a shame he made a few mistakes too. I guess you can't have one without sometimes having the other.

As a side note, and not having a pop at you here Silvershire, I think people tend to be critical of "flair" players when they have a bad game and accuse them of not not trying hard enough, or having their head turned by media attention or get told they need to "concentrate on their game". Cips suffered form that a lot and I hope Umaga doesn't end up with the same problem.

[Rossm]

Miller playing Scrum half? I can't remember that happening, anyone else?

Not me.

[Shugs]

I guess the other side of the Umaga argument is if not him then who? Lima looked too deep again against Wuss albeit with an unfamiliar back line and a non to dominant scrum. Not sure about Jimmy slotting back in - it's been a while although I'm sure he could do it. I think on balance I'd play him but there are certainly good arguments both ways.

[Heathen]

Throw Atkinson in at the deep end? Left field thought, but?

[HDAWG]

Out of Sopoaga and Atkinson I'd like to see Atkinson at fly half. But Sopoaga at Fullback I'd strongly consider. (Both wrt the Bath game)

[Hymenoptera]

Normally i'd say too early for Atkinson but this season is different from others in that he can have exposure without cost, we are not title winners so whilst it'll be nice to hit a playoff, top 8 qualification should be achieved.
Lima will be off soon enough, economics tells me that, so we'll need a #3 10 beyond Mills, Miller, Gops. Question is will the Wasps fans appreciate the risk / reward.
I'd say go for it

[DGP Wasp]

Miller playing Scrum half? I can't remember that happening, anyone else?

Not me.

Might be getting him confused with Mauro Bergamasco??

[baldpaul101]

I would have said that unless Atkinson is showing something sensational in training and is looking better than any of the other options, then its too early.

Judging when to play a young player, especially in a critical position is very hard, too early & he could be ruined.

[InBetweenWasp]

Personally, I don't think it's form, or fatigue that was an issue for Umaga last night and instead I think it was just experience and that's to be expected given his relative inexperience.

Cips only really learnt to manage a game after he came back from the Rebels when he was at Sale. 

Umaga's performance was compounded by handling errors and a couple of waylaid kicks - There was a pass he sort of dropped and volleyed through that was spooned when we looked like we could have ended up with an overlap and then the kick to touch for a 5m lineout that ended up behind the try line.

It pretty much went: Tried to play in bad conditions and ended up on the back foot > Made a few errors > trying too hard to rectify and over-playing.

He's a huge talent and comes across well when interviewed - Level-headed.  He'll be fine.  I'm not sure the answer is to put Jimmy, or Sops in for a more conservative kicking approach.  Umaga has great kicking skills, the answer is that he'll (hopefully) learn from his mistakes and do better in similar circumstances next time.

[DGP Wasp]

Might Atkinson be an option at FB?  It's worked for other young fly halves in the past (no names mentioned!)

[mike909]

ahahaha not sure how auto-correct got that  obviously meant rotating quartet

My humble apols.....was just too good to miss!

I agree with the point!