That was immensely frustrating to watch, because it was a game that we could and should have won, thrown away for want of trying too hard to make miracle passes on multiple occasions, rather than just take the ball in.
On the plus side, we were on the front foot for most of the game, tended to win the collisions and the breakdown, maul defence was pretty good and Saili, Kunatani, Earle, Marchant, Smith, Chis and Clifford all played well.
The main cause for concern was lack of composure in the 22, followed by game changers who, Cliff apart, added little, and a scrum that disintegrated late in the game.
However, it was a positive in terms of controlling the game for long periods and attacking intent, the defence continued to hold up well (the decisive try was an interception), and there is still all to play for in the group. Even more importantly, having Clifford and Saili back and fit makes a very big difference to our squad depth.
