9. JVPScott1 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 5:14 pmFord will play almost the full 80 minutes bar an injury or if we are comprehensively winning. If Burns starts at 15 and Hegarty at 23 that’s a like for like if he replaces Burns or he could go to 15 if Burns replaces Ford at 10. But what about an early injury at 11,13 or 14? Porter covers all 3 and Muri can cover 11,14 and 15 as well as 13. I’m not going to say SB won’t do it,he’s surprised us before with his picks including the first time he started Steward on the wing. But for me all 3 in the 23 has no balance and you lose too much cover elsewhere.sam16111986 wrote: ↑Tue Oct 26, 2021 5:08 pmCan't say I agree. Heggarty isn't primarily a flyhalf like Burns so I'd not say they are similar as options at 15. He's nothing like Ford. From what I saw in pre season Heggarty is the closest we have to a like for like replacement to Steward. The fact he's played some games at 10 in the past I think (happy to be corrected) was as cover as he's a good all round footballer. I think he'll offer better aerial security and defence which we'll need to weather the initial storm the high tempo Saints are likely to bring.
I'm a big fan of Kini and was very happy when he joined but given how we play and the aerial challenge that Biggar provides that he is the ideal option at 15. I'd like to see him come off the bench Vs tired legs. Saints have tended to stack the bench with forwards because their forwards tire in games due to the high tempo workload. That will only be worse for them with Lawes and Ludlum unavailable. The lack of first choice backs could also open things up for a fresh legged Kini to hopefully run riot.
10. Ford
11. Nadolo
12. Scott
13. Moroni
14. Potter
15. Heggarty
21. Wigglesworth, 22. Burns, 23. Murimurivalu
How does that give us less cover that what we had last weekend? You could argue if Scott gets injured then Moroni goes into the unfamiliar role of 12 but we could also move Nadolo into 12 where he played internationally albeit some time ago. That's the only position we'd be potentially short.
Porter hasn't been in the squad since he went off injured Vs LI, he'd be the only option to include that would offer more over all cover to the squad but I'm not sure he's fit.