RugbyRebels

Roberts is very good at what he does, but it takes so many backs out the game. Would prefer to have Scott Williams at 12 so we could bring JD2 and the back 3 into the game.

Congratulations guys. I feel that you've got a great base there and are an innovative backs coach away from challenging the SH.

Anyone remember watching Roberts start out at full-back? He used to have a great step on him. To be fair he almost always gets you over the gain line and a lot of you problems would be solved with a playmaker at 13 to bring those big, fast back three players into the game. A bit leftfield but Priestland could really do a job out there.

That's a relief. Roberts and North tries aside, the whole team upped the ante in defence, our line speed was much better.

That random kicking was dire. Words fail me for how bad some of our kicking was, we looked clueless.

Considering our game plan needs quick ball, why are we do bad at delivering it? Faletau is on good form, but I'm not convinced Warburton is. Tips, well the debate continues on how effective he is at the breakdown. I think I'd prefer Lydiate starting for the remaining games with Warburton or tips at open side.

Sandydragon wrote:That's a relief. Roberts and North tries aside, the whole team upped the ante in defence, our line speed was much better.

That random kicking was dire. Words fail me for how bad some of our kicking was, we looked clueless.

Considering our game plan needs quick ball, why are we do bad at delivering it? Faletau is on good form, but I'm not convinced Warburton is. Tips, well the debate continues on how effective he is at the breakdown. I think I'd prefer Lydiate starting for the remaining games with Warburton or tips at open side.

I think that Warburton improved when Lydiate came out. He doesn't enjoy being a 6

Good to see us getting our shit together at the end. Revert to something closer to Gatball? Go wide, when you learn how to play wide.

glamorganmorgan wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:That's a relief. Roberts and North tries aside, the whole team upped the ante in defence, our line speed was much better.

That random kicking was dire. Words fail me for how bad some of our kicking was, we looked clueless.

Considering our game plan needs quick ball, why are we do bad at delivering it? Faletau is on good form, but I'm not convinced Warburton is. Tips, well the debate continues on how effective he is at the breakdown. I think I'd prefer Lydiate starting for the remaining games with Warburton or tips at open side.

I think that Warburton improved when Lydiate came out. He doesn't enjoy being a 6

Agreed.

This wide game idea doesn't suit our key players. Warburton definitely prefers being open side with Lydiate supporting him. The Warburton and Tips combo works when the front five are dominant.

Roberts is a key player for us, but he is not a creative player. Foxy has done nice touches, but our back three aren't brought into the game. A fit and on form Scott Williams would help, but we would get far more joy out of offloading in the tight following Roberts and North breaking the gain line.

Bloody frustrating match. A fair scoreline in the end but why do we always let in late scores when we would have a comfortable win? We're so difficult to watch; even when we're winning, it's agony. Fair play Scotland, they showed us up a bit today.

Davies wasn't offside, though.

I also think that JD2 is a bit rusty. Roberts plays his one dimensional game very well. Wish he could pass tho.
Scott Williams would be a creative addition

Those stats they showed about Faletau were impressive, I wish I'd recorded them now so I could read them properly.

Pretty sure one of the pages showed Faletau, Warburton and Lydiate as 3 of the top 4 tacklers, presumably from all 6N sides.

Anybody get a better look than me?

There were some truly awful moments in that game, but to be fair to Scotland, they took the game to us. Highlights for me were the front row, Faletau, Roberts and North. The lowlights were Williams, Biggar, AWJ and the bloody experiment with Sam at 6 - THIS HAS TO STOP NOW.

AWJ wash his normal self today.

WTF is going wrong with our recycling? It got better when Davis, Geth and Lydiate came on. We need to find a replacement for Geth so I don't advocate starting with him. Charteris is too important with stopping mauls and line outs. We need Lydiate back.

Sandydragon wrote:AWJ wash his normal self today.

WTF is going wrong with our recycling? It got better when Davis, Geth and Lydiate came on. We need to find a replacement for Geth so I don't advocate starting with him. Charteris is too important with stopping mauls and line outs. We need Lydiate back.

I though AWJ was off the pace and his try aside, Gareth was awful. Lydiate is a must start - the only question is whether we start Sam or Tipuric. I have mixed feelings about Gethin. It's clear he weakens our scrum enormously, but he does great work at the breakdown.

UKHamlet wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:AWJ wash his normal self today.

WTF is going wrong with our recycling? It got better when Davis, Geth and Lydiate came on. We need to find a replacement for Geth so I don't advocate starting with him. Charteris is too important with stopping mauls and line outs. We need Lydiate back.

I though AWJ was off the pace and his try aside, Gareth was awful. Lydiate is a must start - the only question is whether we start Sam or Tipuric. I have mixed feelings about Gethin. It's clear he weakens our scrum enormously, but he does great work at the breakdown.

Can't argue with any of that. Moving on from Geth is a must. But the flanker experiment is going to cost us. Tips is in better form, but I think he is a better impact player

Sandydragon wrote: Can't argue with any of that. Moving on from Geth is a must. But the flanker experiment is going to cost us. Tips is in better form, but I think he is a better impact player

Tips is only in better form as a 7 than Sam is as a 6. Sam isn't a 6.

UKHamlet wrote:

Sandydragon wrote: Can't argue with any of that. Moving on from Geth is a must. But the flanker experiment is going to cost us. Tips is in better form, but I think he is a better impact player

Tips is only in better form as a 7 than Sam is as a 6. Sam isn't a 6.

Definitely not a six. Sam hasn't played much at open side for a while, a Tips has been in good form. But be of them needs to be on the bench for the next game.

Glad to see people are finally realising that Lydiate, Faletau and Warburton are our best back row.

They somehow seem to complement each other perfectly, and Warburton is nowhere near as effective with Tipuric against decent opposition.

Tipuric is a very talented player, and is a good bench option.

I also think that we need our most creative forward for when the game opens up, hence I'd prefer Warburton to start. It's harsh on Tips that he is seen as a super sub, but it's realistic.

Playing Tips from the start doesn't make our game wider, when we have a lack of creativity in the back line.

Andy Howell (I know, I know) is making the point that we don't have players in the starting lineup who can spot an overlap or mismatch and have the skills to exploit them. Henson had the skills to exploit advantages with his passing, Shane was just unique.

Who do we have now who can release other players in such a way? Roberts and Foxy can't, as good as they are in their own way.

So either we replace them with other players who do have that vision, or we lot to be more creative using the players strengths that we currently have. I'd prefer an offloading game entered on our big ball carriers and set piece moves than aimlessly flinging it wide. And the less said about the aimless kicking the better.

Frankly, you have a lot to build on- set piece pretty solid, odd scrum wobble not withstanding, great defence. I think you just kick too much- i see the creativity complaints, but frankly defences are hard to unpick, but you'd increase the odds by keeping the ball.

We do, but I think our players seem to think that the answer is just to throw the ball wide. That final Scottish try was made by a beautiful pass. I can't see either of our centres delivering one like that.

Sandydragon wrote:We do, but I think our players seem to think that the answer is just to throw the ball wide. That final Scottish try was made by a beautiful pass. I can't see either of our centres delivering one like that.

I think both have decent all round games, they are just discouraged from using them and Davies especially kicked almost by default. Its mindset rather than ability.

Sandydragon wrote:We do, but I think our players seem to think that the answer is just to throw the ball wide. That final Scottish try was made by a beautiful pass. I can't see either of our centres delivering one like that.

I think both Roberts and JD2 can, previously Roberts has but perhaps it is just mindset or playing to a plan?

Sandydragon wrote:We do, but I think our players seem to think that the answer is just to throw the ball wide. That final Scottish try was made by a beautiful pass. I can't see either of our centres delivering one like that.

That was quality flat ball. I bet Roberts could do that all day if he was allowed.

An interesting point was made on Radio Wales. A journalist travelling back from Dublin with the team, said he had never seen the squad look so shagged. They were all carrying minor niggles and completely out on their feet.

morepork wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:We do, but I think our players seem to think that the answer is just to throw the ball wide. That final Scottish try was made by a beautiful pass. I can't see either of our centres delivering one like that.

That was quality flat ball. I bet Roberts could do that all day if he was allowed.

I think he has spent so long playing to type, I'm not sure that his instinct is to look for such opportunities. He had a good opportunity to go wide in yesterday's game and took contact instead.