Excellent piece!

[BFG]

Watching Wasps versus Saracens yesterday highlighted an obvious lack of direction in Leicester's game to me.
Sarries big and physical, a relentless use of direct play with the players to suit, all effective ball carriers for their respective areas even the kid on the wing Earle.
Wasps, very mobile with quick ball movement away from contact and the breakdown.
Yesterday's result would suggest that Saracens style is hard to beat.
Looking at Leicester by comparison I see something between Wasps and Saracens, neither mobile enough or as skilled to play like Wasps and neither big and physical enough to be as direct as Saracens.
A confused squad, confused in recruitment, confused in coaching, confused in style, confused in leadership.
I've heard much about Ben Youngs and George Ford complimenting eachother, I don't see it at Leicester, and I see a 9 that looks suited to Saracens and a 10 that looks suited to Wasps.
It's the same elsewhere, Brendan O'Connor looks like he'd suit Wasps all over and Mike Williams the opposite.
There is no such thing as the perfect player and good players can be made to look very average when made to play a style that does not suit their attributes.
It's a confused state with a quite obvious lack of direction, not the current coaches fault but more one that he has inherited.

[jgriffin]

Nicely put. I made the comment yesterday 'neither fish nor fowl, we've lost our style' and I think you've nailed it with apposite examples.

[drc_007]

5 of Saracens pack were into double figures on metres carried, 7 into double figures for tackles made. Huge work rate on and off the ball.

[Tiglon]

Well put BFG.

And, although Williams may suit the Saracens style, he would get nowhere near the first XV if he was a Saracens player.

In terms of the backs, I think without a half decent pack in front of them it's difficult to judge.

[LE18]

Watching Wasps versus Saracens yesterday highlighted an obvious lack of direction in Leicester's game to me.
Sarries big and physical, a relentless use of direct play with the players to suit, all effective ball carriers for their respective areas even the kid on the wing Earle.
Wasps, very mobile with quick ball movement away from contact and the breakdown.
Yesterday's result would suggest that Saracens style is hard to beat.
Looking at Leicester by comparison I see something between Wasps and Saracens, neither mobile enough or as skilled to play like Wasps and neither big and physical enough to be as direct as Saracens.
A confused squad, confused in recruitment, confused in coaching, confused in style, confused in leadership.
I've heard much about Ben Youngs and George Ford complimenting eachother, I don't see it at Leicester, and I see a 9 that looks suited to Saracens and a 10 that looks suited to Wasps.
It's the same elsewhere, Brendan O'Connor looks like he'd suit Wasps all over and Mike Williams the opposite.
There is no such thing as the perfect player and good players can be made to look very average when made to play a style that does not suit their attributes.
It's a confused state with a quite obvious lack of direction, not the current coaches fault but more one that he has inherited.

Agree with all of that except last point about MOC. He was brought in before the end of season and could probably have got rid of more players he didnt want.

[BFG]

Well put BFG.

And, although Williams may suit the Saracens style, he would get nowhere near the first XV if he was a Saracens player.

In terms of the backs, I think without a half decent pack in front of them it's difficult to judge.

Yes it's an interesting debate and on the face of it you are probably correct but I do wonder, would Williams look so much better in Saracens style that it would catapult his performances beyond a level that we are yet to see at Leicester given all the circumstances!

[drc_007]

More along similar lines

http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport ... rs-1023651