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Author Topic: Smith - not ready?  (Read 2604 times)

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honkytonk

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #30 on: Monday 27-Aug-2018, 18:49* »
Im not dropping him for some poor performances, if anything I am almost protecting him. I like the look of Lang (little bit older and a bit more experienced).  I think the team in general would benefit from Lang/Cat as both seem more  steady at the current point in time.  Also Langs kicking seems better currently (not sure what the stats say??).  Hopefully as the team gains confidence (which I think it will) the more expansive play comes out and Smith fits in the team.  Its not a negative mark against Smith, more a case of where I think the team are.   

dinsdale

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #31 on: Monday 27-Aug-2018, 23:22* »
I have not seen anything yet that makes me think that Lang is premiership quality.

Gone

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #32 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 08:42* »
I have not seen anything yet that makes me think that Lang is premiership quality.

Blimey, I realise the phrase "utter garbage" was a bit over the top, but you don't think Lang is good enough for the Premiership?

But Lambert, Matthews, Merrick, Lewis, Morris, Swiel (to name but a random few) are?

He's just toured with Scotland for goodness sake. He's probably good enough to have a Premiership career.

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Quinten Poulsen

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #33 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 09:14* »
Blucher, I agree, although it's pretty much what you said about Smith.

Gone

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #34 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 09:22* »
Blucher, I agree, although it's pretty much what you said about Smith.

I was over the top, and did say so -- I am generally worried that Smith (who clearly has great talent) isn't yet ready to lead Quins from 10 but is being expected to.

Slightly different from saying a player isn't up to Premiership standard.

Quinten Poulsen

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #35 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 09:27* »
You said he wasn't ready for prem rugby, so slightly different I guess, with the emphasis on slightly.

Gone

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #36 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 09:34* »
You said he wasn't ready for prem rugby, so slightly different I guess, with the emphasis on slightly.

I said he wasn't ready to be our starting 10 - not sure that's the same thing.

T-Bone

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #37 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 10:06* »
I'm not sure that Lang is really any more experienced than Smith, other than touring with Scotland this summer.

I've also not seen anything from the Cat (having not heard of him before we signed him) to show me that he is a better player than Smith. He's obviously much more experienced, so I guess it's a choice between the more experienced but perhaps less naturally talented player, or the player learning on the job but who is pretty more capable of turning a game.

Smith did struggle towards the end of last season which is hardly surprising. I think if we're continuing to struggle as a team this season then may the Cat is the best person to try to control the game more, but if we're generally playing well then I'd like to see Smith get the starting shirt. Obviously injuries will be an important factor, and I'm sure there will be a degree of rotation as well

Quinten Poulsen

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #38 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 10:15* »
You said he wasn't ready for prem rugby, so slightly different I guess, with the emphasis on slightly.

I said he wasn't ready to be our starting 10 - not sure that's the same thing.

You should re-read your post then!

Fearless Fred

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #39 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 10:25* »
I'm not sure that Lang is really any more experienced than Smith, other than touring with Scotland this summer.

Lang has played non-age group rugby longer than Smith has. He was with RGC before he joined us, and also had some time on loan from us to Esher.

Quinten Poulsen

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #40 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 10:30* »
I think his point is that Smith is more experienced at a higher level.

poorfour

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #41 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 19:39* »
Smith was basically our only option for most of last season, and for a teenager thrown into the deep end of running a faltering team he did very well. He was consistently one of our better players, and if he tailed off towards the end of the season then that hardly puts him in a minority.

His overall progress last term was very promising - his defence in particular improved rapidly and after his first few games he wasn't usually the guy at fault even when crash ballers tried to use him as a speedbump.

This season will be harder. Last season he was an unknown quantity and took several teams by surprise. This season they will have a better idea of what to expect. We can't expect him to run the Quins attack all by himself and not get flattened. We need players like Sinck, Bothma, Tapuai and Lasike to be giving him options and front foot ball, and Marchant, Walker, Earle, Visser and Brown to be playing off their shoulders.

To be fair, in the Ealing game I thought Quins were trying to do that. The execution was lacking but the intent was there. If the passes start to stick, there are signs of more variety in our game.

I also expect more rotation of fly halves this season. We have three primary options who each play a different type of game. I'd expect the choice of starter to depend on how much time and space we expect the pack to give the backs. Smith is more likely to start in the games where we have a definite edge and there's room for him to play - or to be on the bench so we have a genuine option to change the game. When it's likely to be closer, I'd expect Catrakilis to start so we have more positional control.

JammyGit

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #42 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 19:43* »
I have not seen anything yet that makes me think that Lang is premiership quality.

Blimey, I realise the phrase "utter garbage" was a bit over the top, but you don't think Lang is good enough for the Premiership?

But Lambert, Matthews, Merrick, Lewis, Morris, Swiel (to name but a random few) are?

He's just toured with Scotland for goodness sake. He's probably good enough to have a Premiership career.



Like dinsdale, I too have not seen a performance from Lang that has been Premiership quality. Even his good games have been either cameos or have had major issues attached to them.

Lambert has had countless good/great games for Quins. He might be past it now.
Matthews had plenty of decent games for Quins, some even good.
Merrick's had a few good games for Quins and a few anonymous ones.
Lewis is awful and isn't Premiership standard.
Morris has had a couple of good matches for us and a couple of poor ones.
Swiel is a utility back who can't work out his best position, I'm not sure he's Premiership standard either.

I was amazed that Lang toured with Scotland and I look forward to seeing him deliver on the hype.

raedarius

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #43 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 19:58* »
I wonder.  How many Premiership players are not Premiership quality?

Gone

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Re: Smith - not ready?
« Reply #44 on: Tuesday 28-Aug-2018, 21:35* »
Well quite - makes you wonder where the Premiership quality ones are.

We finished second last - so our players are generally at least capable of being among the worst in the Premiership. But does that make the not Premiership quality?

 

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