Just interested to know what people think is our 1st team with everyone available. Lots of changes to the squad and injuries/players out of favour.
Marler *
Elia
Sinckler
Horwill *
Merrick
Robshaw *
Clifford
Chisholm
Care *
Catrakilis
Earle
Saili
Marchant *
Visser
Brown *
* = Clear choice
Weird situation where probably only 6 players are nailed on starters. Does suggest to me that we don't have enough top class players. Obviously we have some good players who have been out for a long time(saili, cat, Clifford) and some positions we are blessed (thp for example)
Im not sure Care should be first choice at this moment. He really needs to stop waving his arms around and trying to ref the game. There have been a few occasions this season he has stood there pointing/telling the ref how he should be reffing, claiming a pen and sure enough the ref has given one, to the oppo. Just get in and get the ball out. Really frustrating.
Think its a bit harsh on Symons and Tapuai also. Symons has been playing with ok and has had a few different partners (one of which, Lamb I think is no where near ready just yet). WOuld like to see him with Horwill.
Yeah, completely agree there are loads of potential changes. Ok care might not be in the greatest of form right now but I think it's a bit of a push to say he's not our starting 9. I agree taps has been excellent for us so far, and I'm being generous to saili who has done very little but display poor tackling technique! But this is a hypothetical selection based on the best 'quality' players we could have at our disposal. As I say, only those 6 are what I'd call nailed on.
Oh to be a fly on the wall at one of Guzzees selection Committee meetings....
I would like to see Catrakilis and Saili play at least half a dozen games between them before including them. Personally I am looking forward to Horwill and Symonds playing together.
Better to think about the XXIII than just the starters. I would go with:
Marler
Elia
Sinckler
Horwill
[Not clear - could be Merrick or Symonds]
Robshaw
Clifford [if he is ever fit]
Chisholm
Mulchrone [on the basis of recent performances]
Smith / Lang / Catrakilis [depends on the conditions and opposition]
Brown [think he will play 11 this season because that's what Eddie wants]
Tapuai
Marchant
Earle
Morris
Lambert [but expect Boyce or Auterac to overtake him if they get a run]
Crumpton
Collier
[whichever one doesn't get in to the starting team]
Bothma [or Wallace, given Clifford can also play 8]
Care
[perm 2 from 3]
Saili
My first choice 23 would be as follows:
1. Marler
2. Elia*
3. Sinckler
4. Horwill
5. Symons
6. Robshaw
7. Clifford
8. Chisholm
9. Care
10. Smith
11. Earle
12. Tapuai
13. Marchant
14. Walker
15. Brown
16. Crumpton
17. Boyce
18. Collier
19. Merrick
20. Bothma/Wallace**
21. Mulchrone
22. Lang
23. Lasike/Saili
* I like Elia but his throwing isn’t currently good enough to be undisputed first choice. I’m curious to see how Crumpton gets on as he was highly rated at Bristol. If his basics are good, he’ll quickly jump ahead of Elia and Ward. Sadly, I think Buchanan is a retirement waiting to be confirmed.
** I could easily be swayed by Kunatani, but I haven’t seen enough of him in 15 as side rugby to judge
I’m amazed that people are picking Saili as first choice. I have no doubt he could be fantastic for us, but unless he can get an injury free spell, we’ll never know.
Just interested to know what people think is our 1st team with everyone available. Lots of changes to the squad and injuries/players out of favour.
Marler *
Elia
Sinckler
Horwill *
Merrick
Robshaw *
Clifford
Chisholm
Care *
Catrakilis
Earle
Saili
Marchant *
Visser
Brown *
* = Clear choice
Weird situation where probably only 6 players are nailed on starters. Does suggest to me that we don't have enough top class players. Obviously we have some good players who have been out for a long time(saili, cat, Clifford) and some positions we are blessed (thp for example)
Tapuai way ahead of Saili - wouldn’t give Visser a place - Brown is 11 not 15 - Lang/Smith/Cat impossible to know best 10 yet - Symons over Merrick until proven otherwise.
Not sure Brown is a certain starter at full back , Morris is winning me over with his command of the high ball line breaks and off loads ,but is behind Brown in his defence and positioning which will come with experience.
Has poorfour missed any of our squad out? 🙂
Not sure Clifford is going to ever be the player he was
Still don’t see Brown as an 11. A few games where he’ll look ok against bottom 6 sides but above that, he’ll struggle.
May be wrong on that but not convinced.
Not sure Clifford is going to ever be the player he was
Yeah or frankly he just turned out not to be as good as his early promise. Not sure it’s injuries that have done for him.
What team gives away least penalties?
Worst offenders -
6 - Symons
5 - Marler, Robshaw
4 - Marchant, Collier
3 - Tapuai, Lasike