It's not a false dawn. It is what it is. A position achieved (yes, that is the right word) by dogging out games that last season we would have given up on. The lack of actual wins is down to 3 yellow cards in Bristol's case. There does seem to be a culture of not listening to the coaches, and then there's the question of whether the coaches have the right idea. Gustard's comment that we'd have been better off playing without the ball for the middle 40 minutes seems bizarre, but he has the stats and the GPS and all that, maybe he's right.
Anyway, if the players sort out the discipline and Gustard sorts out the defence, and we get some of the walking wounded back in the game, then I'm confident we'll start surprising a few people. Maybe next week is too early and then Saracens is too early to meet them, but after that?
The only thing I could maybe think of re the playing without the ball, PG looked at the conditions (esp after we were 10-0 up) and decided to let Gloucs have the ball and trust our defence (which is pretty good on paper, only 9 tries against. Only Exeter are better with 8.) and wait or their mistakes (bit like Sarries used to tbh) The problem was the pens gave them points and territory. I still think (not sure others will agree) that had we behaved better, not give away those pens (which cost at least 6 points) we could have won that game.
Madigan was the difference. Nobody thought he could kick from distance accurately in those wet and windy conditions. But he did.
False dawn isn’t the right words but we are not a top six side in my view as things stand and won’t be after the next two games
Madigan was the difference. Nobody thought he could kick from distance accurately in those wet and windy conditions. But he did.
Wish we never gave him the chance to though!!!
The only thing I could maybe think of re the playing without the ball, PG looked at the conditions (esp after we were 10-0 up) and decided to let Gloucs have the ball and trust our defence (which is pretty good on paper, only 9 tries against. Only Exeter are better with 8.) and wait or their mistakes (bit like Sarries used to tbh) The problem was the pens gave them points and territory. I still think (not sure others will agree) that had we behaved better, not give away those pens (which cost at least 6 points) we could have won that game.
I agree we could and maybe should have won. But not giving away penalties is part of good defence. A penalty won is better than a line break. I'm not sure we can say our defence is good when we give away 13 penalties and 3 yellow cards. The flipside of being 2nd best in tries conceded is we're worst in penalties conceded and therefore 8th in points conceded.
The other problem, of course, is that we only broke their line twice.
Quins can’t expect ‘flyers’ like they do have to produce in defence for 80minutes and let the attacking game pass them by. If you’re going to keep the ball in the tight then why field a backline of speedsters not renowned for their defence?
This is the pertinent paragraph I think.
I really don't know why we're not trying to put the ball through the hands at all.
False dawn isn’t the right words but we are not a top six side in my view as things stand and won’t be after the next two games
Where do you think we'll be after the next 15 games?
Assume written by the 19 year old who knocks out stuff for that rugby site and gets syndicated into hyper local websites. He’s never actually done any sports journalism or watched much more sport than a 19 year old can. It’s hardly a searing insight is it.
Well, two predictions. Neither very optimistic. It will be interesting to see how accurate they are.
Well 2 wins from 12 matches this calender year doesnt exactly look like top 6 form. The bonus points are keeping us alive so far this season. Seems like a fair article.
Richmond and Twickenham Times 
Agree x 1
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