lummy wrote:Few things in perspective today. It was played like a pre-season friendly by both teams. Any number of individual errors cost us, none more so than the ref missing that blatant knock on (trying to intercept) in the wire 20 when we had just scored with ease on our first real attack (great line from Hadley) and would surely have gone 12-6 up with the next set. That was a massive 12 point turn around which we simply didnt recover from. Other errors like Wattsy throwing interception balls out and Michaels simply deciding he didnt want to challenge added to our downfall.
No one can blame Radders for today for the on-pitch errors but i do hold him responsible for selecting Lineham in the 19 with no intention of picking him. Especially when the 3/4 line was so inexperienced and small! Add to that, Rankin looked injured and is never a centre. The rest of the 3/4s had very little experience relatively speaking.
The other obvious thing from today was the size difference. Back line was like tiny tots and the likes of Fash and Downs tried hard but again are just so small. Hopefully Radders has learnt a lot from the game, it was a trial game in all reality.
I think the Fash/Downs thing underlines the need for the U23s initiative, if it comes off. The step up is just too great to make the transition to competing on a weekly basis, most obviously in the forwards. As said elsewhere, next year we'd have Rllis, Taylor, Pritchard and Sika Manu for Bowden, Paea, Fash and Downs.
The worry for me is the backs. I do think we've one too many back rowers and 1-2 too few experienced 3/4s. I'm not wholly sold on Shaul at FB either.
