Harold Rigby Jnr wrote:
Now what? We go and beat Catalan that's what.
Some big decisions needed on team selection prior though.
Does Drinkwater keep his place on the back of today? He took a big hit off Scruton early doors. Not sure if that affected him but he simply was not at the races all afternoon. We have beat Warrington, Wigan, Hull, St.Helens and Huddersfield with Ben Reynolds at 6.
Does Liam Hood keep his place? Do we now need Pelissier to inject something extra with his pace around the ruck?
Is Cory Paterson still effective? Is it time to bring in Sam Hopkins offering some badly needed go forward?
Are both these wingers good enough? Does it now need a bold decision from Jukes to start James Clare in addition to Mitch Brown in Perpignon?
I feel we need fresh impetus. We got done over again at home by a side offering just one attacking threat in Sean Lunt but an abundance of sheer dogged determination, desire and motivation to win.
Add to that, why do we keep persisting with the idea of Stewart being an "organising 13", reduces our go forward and turns a one dimensional attack into a half dimensional.
As for Drinkwater or Reynolds, I honestly don't know, I think Reynolds' reputation enhances more when he's not in the team than when he is, but would probably pick him over Drinkwater.
If Stewart is going to be picked as an interchange 13, then Hopkins may as well have that role. I think there's a case of interchanging 11 and 12 however.
Are both wingers good enough? No. Higson simply makes costly bad decisions. Could see from 80 yards away that his offload in the first half wasn't going to end well, at a point when we just needed some possession. And I don't know what he was thinking for Shaw's try. I thought Hampshire was now back in contention? He should be playing wing. If Clare is fit, would say there's a case for replacing both wingers.
Undone by one attacking threat, and our goal line defence with multiple defenders on one attacker is found wanting again.
Worse still is we have again failed to close out a close game. Need to treat next week as a free swing, hopefully not as many forwards getting the ball with a standing start and playing with less fear. There's a difference between play off rugby and turgid dross.