Team for visit to Kassam

[tigerburnie]

First thought is do we pick last weeks heros or do we have one eye on the forth coming fixtures and maybe try a thing or two?
Personnaly I would prefer that the team evolves around the core of players we have available, rather than try anything revolutionary.Possibly start with Fraser Balmain and bring Dan Cole on later would be my only change in the front row. Might give Brad Thorn a rest on the bench and let Sea Bass have a go in the second row. Sounds like we might get Laurence Pearce available for the back row, maybe give Julian Salvi a seat on the bench. Start with Sam Harrison at 9 and let the Mele ensue later in the second half. Is Tombstone fit to play yet? ditto Loamanu?

[Noddy555]

No against the weakest team in the Aviva we should field our strongest side just like Wasps did last week, and then we should be able to achieve the maximum 5 pointer that is needed and just hope the other results go our way so that we find ourselves only 3 0r 4 points behind the 4th place championship club, if we do that and get a 5 pointer against Wasps on the 29th
then our matches againast Sale (Away) and Bath (Home) could be crucial if we have any hopes of a semi final place.

[RagingBull]

Same team but if poor weather would put Bell in for Benjamin.

Would start Cole again he needs game time also feel Balmian carrying would come in handy if we can put him in position like wasps did with Hughes would like to see Pearce if fit come on with Burns (@ 12 with Allen 13 maybe) if the game opens up.

Hopefully Harrison and Pearce are both fit as both could make a huge impact in a game like this.

Depends on who is fit like if Loamanu is alright do we give him a run out as Wasps big runners were causing havoc.

But if players like Loamanu are fit I would be tempted to go with:
1) Rizzo, 2) Thacker, 3) Cole
4) Thorn, 5) Kitchener
6) Gibson, 7) Salvi, 8) Crane
9) Mele, 10) Williams
12) Allen, 13) Loamanu/Smith
11) Benjamin, 14) Scully, 15) Tait

Bench: 16) Farnwoth, 17) Bristow, 18) Balmain, 19) De Cheves, 20) Pearce/Milne/Beckett, 21) Harrison/Tresidder, 22) Burns, 23) Bell/Smith/Loamanu.

Benjamin imo should start if nice weather his running against Sale showed what he can do and looking at wasps there strike runners destroyed them and hopefully it should give Benjamin a boost confidence wise.

[tigerburnie]

No against the weakest team in the Aviva we should field our strongest side just like Wasps did last week, and then we should be able to achieve the maximum 5 pointer that is needed and just hope the other results go our way so that we find ourselves only 3 0r 4 points behind the 4th place championship club, if we do that and get a 5 pointer against Wasps on the 29th
then our matches againast Sale (Away) and Bath (Home) could be crucial if we have any hopes of a semi final place.

So you wouldn't rotate your squad and make sure we know that we have our best side fit and ready for the Champions Cup then?

[AlphaWiseOwl]

For me whatever side we think can come away with 5 points and a huge PD credit is the one we should field. That's what everybody else has done and I'm not feeling charitable right now. It is too easy to get complacent and think that this is a done deal. London Welsh have to improve at some point this season, hopefully it will be after we have collected our two "free" games and we do not slip on a banana skin. We need to be in the 50 points plus range on Sunday to keep up with those teams which have already played them.

[Rykard]

i don't think we can afford to rotate. we need to get them all playing together consistently..

[Christophelp]

No against the weakest team in the Aviva we should field our strongest side just like Wasps did last week, and then we should be able to achieve the maximum 5 pointer that is needed and just hope the other results go our way so that we find ourselves only 3 0r 4 points behind the 4th place championship club, if we do that and get a 5 pointer against Wasps on the 29th
then our matches againast Sale (Away) and Bath (Home) could be crucial if we have any hopes of a semi final place.

So you wouldn't rotate your squad and make sure we know that we have our best side fit and ready for the Champions Cup then?

Don't see the point of rotating the squad - given the injuries we've had, there are very few (Salvi/Balmain/Gibson maybe) who have played 'too much'. Some players, including Salvi, Thorn and Tait had a rest over the LV Cup & Baa-Baas weeks so don't need to be rotated now.

I'd say the only one who might 'need' to be rotated is Balmain.

[kpj tiger]

I would go with: (with alternatives depending on fitness)
1. Rizzo
2. Thacker
3. Cole (needs game time)
4. De Chaves
5. Kitchener
6. Beckett
7. Gibson/Salvi
8. Pearce/Gibson
9. Harrison/Mele
10. Williams
11. Benjamin
12. Allen
13. Loamanu/Smith
14. Thompstone
15. Tait

16. Brugnara
17. Briggs/Farnworth
18. Balmain
19. Price/Maksymiw
20. Milne
21. Mele/Tresider
22. Burns
23. Bell

I think that team has a good balance of youth and experience and should be able to get the 5 points, I think players like Milne, Mele, Burns and Bell would be particularly effective coming of the bench when Welsh have tired a bit and gaps start to open.

[trendylfj]

Strongest side needs to be put on the field without question. A good opportunity to see if the moves worked on in training work against opposition who will try to stop them - if they don't work against the Welsh then they are unlikely to work against stronger opposition.

A question - when is Fonua Opeti available for the Welsh?

[kpj tiger]

A question - when is Fonua Opeti available for the Welsh?

He played against Wasps last weekend so he can play against us

[Noddy555]

For Tigerburnie, the answer is no even if we fielded our best team on paper against Toulon that is with everybody fit ie. Slater,Parling,Manu etc I don't think we'd win either fixture against them home or away.

[RagingBull]

Disagree with that Noddy. a completely fit squad now imo is better than the one that played them in the 1/4ers 2 seasons ago and imo one that should have beaten them.

[tigerburnie]

Here's me thinking we are abject failures and Cockers will have to go if we don't get out of our pool in the Champions Cup. Now Noddy says we can send the extras out as we are not going to win it anyway..............really?
My thoughts are that we need to win at the Kassam, a bonus point is just that a bonus. We are now in a nice place and could easily "protect" a couple of key players a bit like those naughty Irish chappies used to do in the old Heineken...................................

[Spicer]

Any word on Scully's fitness for this match? Also I have forgot who is injured now.

1- Rizzo
2- Thacker
3- Cole
4- Thorn/ De Chaves
5- Kitchener
6- Gibson
7- Salvi
8- Crane/ Pearce
9- Harrison/ Mele
10- Williams
11- Scully (if fit, if not then Loamanu)
12- Allen
13- Smith
14- Thompstone
15- Tait

16- Farnworth
17- Brugnara
18- Balmain
19- Thorn/ De Chaves
20- Pearce/ Crane
21- Benjamin
22- Loamanu
23- Bell

[L Smith]

Scully's good to go and will play.
I'm guessing from Cockers' interview tonight, that Barbieri will get the nod over Pearce.
Ps: Loamanu won't be fit