Ah, it's all a bit airy-fairy for us on the outside looking in - we are speculating for fun, of course. To counter your concern based on past games, I suppose there are two factors where NZ may no longer have the edge over 80: 1. our players are fitter; 2. our depth is more solid and our bench, whoever is there/starting does not involve a major drop-off. In terms of NZ, maybe it's fair to only have concern about the 2nd row, perhaps? To give SB credit, Itoje on the bench for Fiji is a trial of that.
There are two general factors, for me. First, we need to constantly give them cause to fear us - Freeman, IFW, Roebuck at 13/11/14 for example. Second, we should kick accurately and intelligently (not speculatively). They need to be under pressure from us and we should not give them easy ball to counter-attack with. I know, to an extent that that is how it should always be but it just seems so much more important against them.
Not unfair on all counts - I'd still mark Spencer as being an utter handbrake of a player to have coming off the bench, but it is very much a case of who the hells else is there. As long as we keep Mitchell fit and he can play 70 minutes, our bench is probably good enough.
Puja
Pray that JvP recovers in time?
I do think we've missed a trick not having a look at Potter though. Quirke is a good player but he's made of glass and those injuries have meant he's not really kicked on in a long time.
I am falling away from JvP enthusiasm at present. Apart from his own glassness at present, his service has been poor since returning and I've spotted him passing off the wrong hand at a breakdown because he's not got himself in the right position on his approach.
Not unfair on all counts - I'd still mark Spencer as being an utter handbrake of a player to have coming off the bench, but it is very much a case of who the hells else is there. As long as we keep Mitchell fit and he can play 70 minutes, our bench is probably good enough.
Puja
Pray that JvP recovers in time?
I do think we've missed a trick not having a look at Potter though. Quirke is a good player but he's made of glass and those injuries have meant he's not really kicked on in a long time.
I am falling away from JvP enthusiasm at present. Apart from his own glassness at present, his service has been poor since returning and I've spotted him passing off the wrong hand at a breakdown because he's not got himself in the right position on his approach.
Puja
I find it strange that there is not a queue of SHs. In terms of game involvement and visual appeal is it not most youngsters' favourite position aspirationally?
I can remember advocating Mitchell on here 4 or 5 years back and getting pilloried. Now, he's the best and McParland, a half-decent prospective back-up, is at the same club (not that I dare mention his ceiling).
Maybe, Quirke, with maturity, will toughen up in injury-avoidance terms.
Mitchell worked hard on his game. He went from being a tactical weakness to transforming his kicking game into a weapon. He should be held up as an example to what you can do if you fix your work ons. That pre world cup camp with Wigglesworth has transformed his career.
JvP, yeah Puja is right. He's not particularly robust either. I do think he suffered at the start of the season by our insistence on playing off 9 and him being the fulcrum of the attack. We saw Whiteley offer up some horror show appearances being asked to do the same. Given how the attack has evolved at Tigers since JOC came in I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in that set up. It's a shame really because JvP is one of those rare options that has a strong running game and an absolute cannon of a box kick (now he's largely fixed the long wind up) which makes him handy at international level, particularly as Mitchell's back up.
Bracken at Sarries seems to have a lot about him, I'm hoping this is going to be a breakout season for him.
I do think we've missed a trick not having a look at Potter though. Quirke is a good player but he's made of glass and those injuries have meant he's not really kicked on in a long time.
I am falling away from JvP enthusiasm at present. Apart from his own glassness at present, his service has been poor since returning and I've spotted him passing off the wrong hand at a breakdown because he's not got himself in the right position on his approach.
Puja
I find it strange that there is not a queue of SHs. In terms of game involvement and visual appeal is it not most youngsters' favourite position aspirationally?
I can remember advocating Mitchell on here 4 or 5 years back and getting pilloried. Now, he's the best and McParland, a half-decent prospective back-up, is at the same club (not that I dare mention his ceiling).
Maybe, Quirke, with maturity, will toughen up in injury-avoidance terms.
Mind, 4-5 years back, we were right to pillory you - he wasn't half the player he is nowadays.
I am falling away from JvP enthusiasm at present. Apart from his own glassness at present, his service has been poor since returning and I've spotted him passing off the wrong hand at a breakdown because he's not got himself in the right position on his approach.
Puja
I find it strange that there is not a queue of SHs. In terms of game involvement and visual appeal is it not most youngsters' favourite position aspirationally?
I can remember advocating Mitchell on here 4 or 5 years back and getting pilloried. Now, he's the best and McParland, a half-decent prospective back-up, is at the same club (not that I dare mention his ceiling).
Maybe, Quirke, with maturity, will toughen up in injury-avoidance terms.
Mind, 4-5 years back, we were right to pillory you - he wasn't half the player he is nowadays.
I find it strange that there is not a queue of SHs. In terms of game involvement and visual appeal is it not most youngsters' favourite position aspirationally?
I can remember advocating Mitchell on here 4 or 5 years back and getting pilloried. Now, he's the best and McParland, a half-decent prospective back-up, is at the same club (not that I dare mention his ceiling).
Maybe, Quirke, with maturity, will toughen up in injury-avoidance terms.
Mind, 4-5 years back, we were right to pillory you - he wasn't half the player he is nowadays.
Puja
Fair enough.
It’s all about recognising a player’s ceiling, hey Dors. Chapeau on spotting Mitchell’s.
I'd obviously rather we were winning a lot more convincingly and had things like more accuracy, much better defence, a breakdown monster and weren't losing the set piece, but I am loving the ambition in attack we're showing
