Tait...not good enough??? - UPDATED

[Snorbins]

Should have Matt Smith available every week.

[BFG]

We've always needed a scapegoat. Crane, Lloyd, Goode, Kardooni.... now it seems to be Tait. It's weird really.

You are not wrong.
Unfortunately in Tait's case he gets moved around due to his natural ability and is unsettled and often looks worse than he actually is.
Chasing the game against Glasgow from outside centre when hardly played there is not ideal.
If he looks like a bag of nerves in those circumstances then it's understandable.
If Saracens were to switch Goode from full back to centre or Quins move Mike Brown on a whim from week to week I'd put money on them being not good enough.

[Jose]

What total rubbish. Tait has put in some try saving tackles and IMHO only him, Thompstone and Laccy came out of the Glasgow game with any credit. People should actually watch games properly

+1. Tait did far more right than many of the team and a lot less wrong. Game was lost up front where we got bullied for 60 minutes. Tait not responsible for lack of defence through the middle and round the fringes of rucks, or for the fact that we lack anybody who can truck the ball up these days (with the possible exception of Genge). Whilst the backs didn't cover themselves in glory, Tait was probably next after Thompstone in terms of those who actually didn't give a bad account of themselves. I think if you were being honest the worst 5 performances are all going to have been in the pack. If your pack and half backs can't get you across the gain line then there's not a whole lot 11-15 can do about it.

[mol2]

The team as a whole isn't functioning which makes it difficult for individuals to shine and very easy to single out individuals. However we are short on fit centres and he is a former international centre.

Is that fair toblame it all on on Tait? Were those intercepts simply howlers or were the receivers not where he was expecting them to be?

I think we have seen over the second part of last season and the start of this he has lost too much pace to play full back. He's lost the speed to run himself out of trouble or to chase his kicks to put his own team on side or to pressure the opposition receiver. The return to centre doesn't expose the loss of pace to the same extent as full back does, but perhaps needs a physically robust player, which was perhaps the reason he moved to full back to minimise the injuries he seemed to suffer.

[Grimlish]

I dont get this 'he's lost his speed' idea. The tackles I remember Tait making, this season and last and at Full Back as well as at centre include several occasions when he has chased down some really fast players. I'd love to know his speed stats from training....

[Cagey Tiger]

Agree that he has chased down and tackled some fast players this season.

One thing that I have noticed though is that he is often fast enough in attack to get just past the defensive line, but is then immediately tackled from behind by a player he has just gone past. Our follow up players are slower getting to him than the defence (who are between him and our players) and he gets pinged for holding on. It would almost be better for him to take the tackle, giving our players a chance to support him, than to go for the line break unless he is 110% sure he will make a clean break.

[Noddy555]

I have been labouring that point for at least the last 18 months, unless a back player is exceptionally talented, once past the age of 30 they begin to lose speed and edge. In a central position it is that ability to straighten out play and gain huge amounts of ground that is vital to a winning team. Discoumting wingers like Pietersen and Thompstonr whose main job is to support their centres by being on the end of a pass usually from an inside or outside centre or maybe the fullback, we currently only possess two players who have that ability i.e.
Betham and Veianu. Tait was originally brought in as a full back replacement for Geordan Murphy but he has failed in that job too and Veianu has shown by his acute sense of positioning that he fulfills that role. So where does Tait go? He's definitely not a winger and in the short term I feel that the central positions should be filled by Betham and Toomua. A place on the bench maybe, but whagt message does that give to aspiring youngsters like Jack Roberts etc. No thankyou Taity for your service but it is time to call it a day.

[BFG]

I have been labouring that point for at least the last 18 months, unless a back player is exceptionally talented, once past the age of 30 they begin to lose speed and edge. In a central position it is that ability to straighten out play and gain huge amounts of ground that is vital to a winning team. Discoumting wingers like Pietersen and Thompstonr whose main job is to support their centres by being on the end of a pass usually from an inside or outside centre or maybe the fullback, we currently only possess two players who have that ability i.e.
Betham and Veianu. Tait was originally brought in as a full back replacement for Geordan Murphy but he has failed in that job too and Veianu has shown by his acute sense of positioning that he fulfills that role. So where does Tait go? He's definitely not a winger and in the short term I feel that the central positions should be filled by Betham and Toomua. A place on the bench maybe, but whagt message does that give to aspiring youngsters like Jack Roberts etc. No thankyou Taity for your service but it is time to call it a day.

Harsh, but true.
Surely some sympathy for Tait though in how he has been used.
He was at 15 against Gloucester, Wasps and Falcons, at 12 for Bath, Sale and Worcester and then gets put at 13 for the big one against Glasgow.
All the talk of defensive systems etc and then look at how Tait has been played.
Should we really be that surprised at conceding points at this level given those type of circumstances?

[MrPartridge]

Of course a 'swallow doesn't make a summer' but his best game for a long-time yesterday v Racing IMHO!

[AlphaWiseOwl]

I have been labouring that point for at least the last 18 months, unless a back player is exceptionally talented, once past the age of 30 they begin to lose speed and edge. In a central position it is that ability to straighten out play and gain huge amounts of ground that is vital to a winning team.

In response to that pearl of wisdom, I will just say "Peter Stringer".

[AlphaWiseOwl]

With reference to yesterday's game in particular and his performances in getting the team across the gain line time and time again in general, I rest my case. It is not his fault that he gets scragged when he has burst through defenders and has to hold on to the ball. His team mates need to back him up better and work harder to be there quicker for the lay-back or better still, a swift offload.

[WhitecapTiger]

No thankyou Taity for your service but it is time to call it a day.

Well, I for one am glad Taity was there to put in a major contribution last night, full of running and tackling.

One of those tackles contributed hugely to stopping Dan Carter scoring another try, mind you, Carter is 34 now, obviously on the scrapheap..........

[Southerntiger]

No thankyou Taity for your service but it is time to call it a day.

Well, I for one am glad Taity was there to put in a major contribution last night, full of running and tackling.

One of those tackles contributed hugely to stopping Dan Carter scoring another try, mind you, Carter is 34 now, obviously on the scrapheap..........

Casually forgetting what Carter went through on his inside and he didn't even bother to throw an arm out.

Better game from him but its worrying we are relying on him as a starting centre for weeks to come now

[trendylfj]

Yes he did have his best game for some time yesterday and long may it continue, but, unless he maintains this week after week, he will probably be allowed to go at the end of the season. He will not be 1st choice centre or full back if and when everyone is fit but we will need a back-up fullback if he does go.

[4071]

No thankyou Taity for your service but it is time to call it a day.

Well, I for one am glad Taity was there to put in a major contribution last night, full of running and tackling.

One of those tackles contributed hugely to stopping Dan Carter scoring another try, mind you, Carter is 34 now, obviously on the scrapheap..........

Casually forgetting what Carter went through on his inside and he didn't even bother to throw an arm out.

Better game from him but its worrying we are relying on him as a starting centre for weeks to come now

Tait was covering the outside man. He may have been partly at fault for leaving his inside man covering too large a gap, but it would be churlish indeed to hold Tait responsible for that score.

Particularly given the attempts at tackling from Veinau and Youngs.