Match Thread

[Laterontoday]

Was houilgan on the pitch. He didn’t get mentioned in commentary. Kileridge  can’t tackle. 14 shirt up for grabs.

Now breathe. Credit to the guys we didn’t completely collapse as before. Dan didn’t add anything. Too many needless changes made.

Credit to the guys after the week they have had a win should bring a smile.

[DGP Wasp]

We seem to be great when we have the momentum, but once we lose it we really struggle to regain it.

[hopwood]

I think the players won that despite Lee trying his hardest to lose it for us by taking off a load of players needlessly.

I actually think he had to make changes because the legs were starting to go a bit.
We were dropping in tackle intensity.

If he hadn’t made changes, I don’t think we would have held them on our try line for 4-5 minutes at the end.
I thought that was a magnificent defensive set.
Really gutsy.

[wasps]

I think the players won that despite Lee trying his hardest to lose it for us by taking off a load of players needlessly.

I can see why West was brought off.
We likely need him starting for a lot of games in the near future, and the game looked won at that point


McDonald was limping shortly before he was swapped so maybe there was no choice there


I don't understand the changing of scrum half, and it's been discussed at length on another thread.
But I can see that Lee would assume he's strengthening things by bringing Robson on... Ditto with Ryan.


But however you look at it, we changed 4 players within 3 minutes, and 3 minutes later their comeback started in earnest.

[hopwood]

But I agree about Dan being a bit off the pace when he came on.
Not sure if that was strategic, but slowing the game down actually worked against us.

[wasps]

Was houilgan on the pitch. He didn’t get mentioned in commentary. Kileridge  can’t tackle. 14 shirt up for grabs.

Now breathe. Credit to the guys we didn’t completely collapse as before. Dan didn’t add anything. Too many needless changes made.

Credit to the guys after the week they have had a win should bring a smile.

Hougaard was injured early on and replaced by Kibirige

[Wombles]

Substitutions need to strengthen performance not undermine it. Another reason the time has come to markedly reduce substitutions and create a 80 minute player.

[BdeB]

There was an article at the beginning of the season I think in the Times where various DORs were asked about pre-season and the season ahead. One question was about fitness during preseason and Lee said he didn’t really look at it and they didn’t collect the numbers like other clubs. I thought it was odd and worrying as for me I thought fitness would be an absolute given. These second half collapses and the need to substitute players at set times makes me think that our fitness is lacking.

[Chunky24]

There was an article at the beginning of the season I think in the Times where various DORs were asked about pre-season and the season ahead. One question was about fitness during preseason and Lee said he didn’t really look at it and they didn’t collect the numbers like other clubs. I thought it was odd and worrying as for me I thought fitness would be an absolute given. These second half collapses and the need to substitute players at set times makes me think that our fitness is lacking.

In that interview he said he didn't collect numbers like bleep tests / yo yos etc not that he ignored fitness but did it in a different way to that.

[DGP Wasp]

Nice, sympathetic comments from Johann van Graan before even getting into the nuts and bolts of his post match interview. That's why we all love rugby.

[wasps]

On the flip side of replacements.
If bath had kept Dunn on the pitch, I think they'd have won


Terrible hair though

[FishingWasp]

Man of the match for me : Luke Pearce. Wasn't it great to have his fairly minimal but crucial interventions, combined with a ref who was prepared to properly consider the TMO.. Recently have also thought David Rose has been a good TMO, though I never thought I'd have any praise for him after pizzagate/that Saints game/ benefits shenanigans.

[Shugs]

Phew. Just about kept our heads. Willis brothers just immense. Main reasons for our improvement for me. Carr, West, Umaga. Don’t like to harp on about players but what has happened to Kibirige? Silly pens, no pace, no desire to tackle. Anyway, enough of the negatives - a five pointer away. Blackett post match saying he’s still frustrated - I understand why.

[WonkyWasp]

I had to go into a Quiet Room for the last 20 minutes when Will Porter was taken off, Dobby fumbled again and Jack won a yellow card. I knew exactly wot would happen and stone me it deid.  So good to see Tom back where he belongs;  Will played a stormer, Barnes got corrected by the TMO, Josh got a brace and Jacob kicked better at conversions and the newbies shone as did Nemo.  Lee??  Oh dear me.  Why why choose to disrupt a machine functioning as it is supposed to just for the sake of change/fresh legs? Not a good idea as had been already proved. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[NellyWellyWaspy]

That last 30 minutes Wasps were awful. Kibirige was more than a waste of space on the pitch, but the whole team cohesion fell apart. Robson looked like he was on slow motion drugs, is he still hung over from his wedding?

Lee, we can't keep on conceding so many second half points. We need to field a 23 who know how to play rugby, at the moment we have maybe 14 or 15 out of the 23 doing that.