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HungryLikeTheWolf
Assume Woody and Ribbans injured. Remember Paterson was a standout lock for Sale a couple of years ago.... the rest as expected.

Please tackle Harry, just get something on them.... if that channel is secure and scrums ok like last week then we win....

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ancient mariner
Seems reasonable to me, and Austin occasionally gets it right. His piece today was quite balanced for an ex-Tiger.

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ancient mariner

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HungryLikeTheWolf
Assume Woody and Ribbans injured. Remember Paterson was a standout lock for Sale a couple of years ago.... the rest as expected.

Please tackle Harry, just get something on them.... if that channel is secure and scrums ok like last week then we win....

I looked at the stats and Harry looks really bad, but little Austin had some interesting words in today's DT

"There was a complete absence of intensity or workrate from the forwards, particularly in the first half. A symptom of that was Harry Mallinder often defending at guard or bodyguard where he got caught looking at the ruck rather than scanning what was in front of him. Mallinder should not really be there but he is there because he has got a high work rate and the front five have not got themselves into position. He will get criticised for missing tackles, but at least he made the effort to get there in the first place."

Seems reasonable to me, and Austin occasionally gets it right. His piece today was quite balanced for an ex-Tiger.

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twsaint
Grayson was playing Level 4 rugby last year. Hutchinson played 10 on Monday for the first time for ages. Did you watch him? I did. He'll be fine for the Wandies tomorrow evening.

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saintsfella
Think we could've maybe justified Api in at 2nd row over Paterson. Could've used Api's pure bulk for the big pack face off which I think it will be. Would be strange for Ribbans to be dropped if he is fit- didn't do much wrong from the bench?
Tom Vickers suggesting Wood has a shoulder injury so makes sense, although I'd have gone Ludlam at 7 and Gibson on bench.

Like the look of the backs line a lot. Harry an obvious weakness at 10 but I guess it was too much to ask to throw Grayson in this early.

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Deesaint

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ancient mariner

Quote:

HungryLikeTheWolf
Assume Woody and Ribbans injured. Remember Paterson was a standout lock for Sale a couple of years ago.... the rest as expected.

Please tackle Harry, just get something on them.... if that channel is secure and scrums ok like last week then we win....

I looked at the stats and Harry looks really bad, but little Austin had some interesting words in today's DT

"There was a complete absence of intensity or workrate from the forwards, particularly in the first half. A symptom of that was Harry Mallinder often defending at guard or bodyguard where he got caught looking at the ruck rather than scanning what was in front of him. Mallinder should not really be there but he is there because he has got a high work rate and the front five have not got themselves into position. He will get criticised for missing tackles, but at least he made the effort to get there in the first place."

Seems reasonable to me, and Austin occasionally gets it right. His piece today was quite balanced for an ex-Tiger.

@#$%& - hate to agree with AH but he has a point.
Do you remember when Samu Manoa was stopping oppo in their tracks and forcing them backwards at a rate of notts
It inspired the rest of the team
Unfortunately, and I hope I am proved wrong, when I look at our scrum No. 1 / 3 / 4 / 5 and 7 have question marks over them regarding intensity, speed, stamina, dynamism I think they want to do it but just don't seem able at present.
Is it fitness is it in the mind is it just old legs.
When I called for change on a previous thread it was knocked back as 'our scrum went well'
That's only a small amount of a forward's input into the game.
Bath beat Tigers last week by stopping them on the game line then forcing them back
Unless we repeat that intensity and do what we did with Sarries and allow them to punch holes at will
It could be a long afternoon.
T is a 7 !!

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HungryLikeTheWolf

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Deesaint

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ancient mariner

Quote:

HungryLikeTheWolf
Assume Woody and Ribbans injured. Remember Paterson was a standout lock for Sale a couple of years ago.... the rest as expected.

Please tackle Harry, just get something on them.... if that channel is secure and scrums ok like last week then we win....

I looked at the stats and Harry looks really bad, but little Austin had some interesting words in today's DT

"There was a complete absence of intensity or workrate from the forwards, particularly in the first half. A symptom of that was Harry Mallinder often defending at guard or bodyguard where he got caught looking at the ruck rather than scanning what was in front of him. Mallinder should not really be there but he is there because he has got a high work rate and the front five have not got themselves into position. He will get criticised for missing tackles, but at least he made the effort to get there in the first place."

Seems reasonable to me, and Austin occasionally gets it right. His piece today was quite balanced for an ex-Tiger.

@#$%& - hate to agree with AH but he has a point.
Do you remember when Samu Manoa was stopping oppo in their tracks and forcing them backwards at a rate of notts
It inspired the rest of the team
Unfortunately, and I hope I am proved wrong, when I look at our scrum No. 1 / 3 / 4 / 5 and 7 have question marks over them regarding intensity, speed, stamina, dynamism I think they want to do it but just don't seem able at present.
Is it fitness is it in the mind is it just old legs.
When I called for change on a previous thread it was knocked back as 'our scrum went well'
That's only a small amount of a forward's input into the game.
Bath beat Tigers last week by stopping them on the game line then forcing them back
Unless we repeat that intensity and do what we did with Sarries and allow them to punch holes at will
It could be a long afternoon.
T is a 7 !!

That's all fine from Austin but it's over analysis of Harry. He doesn't have very good technique one-on-one, gets head caught often, doesn't put weight forward into it etc, clearly injuries for a young lad haven't helped mentally. He may have been in position x or y for whatever reason but he needs to drastically improve basic tackling.

Thank the lord manu isn't playing....

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HungryLikeTheWolf
Fair enough. On the flip side I hear back rowers complain last year that they had to basically cover that porous channel which ballsed up the entire defensive unit. Especially when he played 12, flankers were running marathons each game!
Hopefully Aussie Rob has passed on some guidance already. I think he's going to be huge for us....