Sacking due to recruitment

[Southerntiger]

The team has been in disarray for a while. However, the coaches can't be blamed for last night. No coach teaches players to not defend at guard around a ruck first.

However, the recruitment in the pack in particular has been diabolical. Ghilradini, Barbieri, O'Connor (has the guy really loved up to expectation in last 12 months?), McGuigan, Rizzo, Hamilton, Loamanu, De Villiers, you could go on and on, Rizzo


Cockers has frequently recruited absolute :censored:. Journeymen and we now have another Italian average back rower on the way

Who in their right mind gave Tait an extension? Guy has been past it for 3 years

450k a year for Tuilagi?! Could have got Picamoles for that!


Recruitment has been a joke. You arent going to win anything with your best 4-8 being Kitchener, Barrow, Hamilton, Fitzgerald, O connor and Mccaffrey. None of those 5 would get in Sarries and Wasps team, so why does best supported team in england have them?

Our spending just doesn't add up, I dread to know how much we are paying Slater, Tait, Croft etc

[Southerntiger]

Massive apologies, I forgot Opeti fondue.

Who was apparently on a packet.

And remember when we let 3 8s go and didnt recruit one

[Skin_and_Muscle]

You mention Rizzo twice, imply De Villiers was a forward, identify two players who have only played a handful of games for the club and one who was excellent between injuries last year and has had flashes of excellence this year, too.

In short, I think you're speaking out of anger or frustration more than anything else. Something is not working but I don't think you can single out individual players for criticism.

[Southerntiger]

You mention Rizzo twice, imply De Villiers was a forward, identify two players who have only played a handful of games for the club and one who was excellent between injuries last year and has had flashes of excellence this year, too.

In short, I think you're speaking out of anger or frustration more than anything else. Something is not working but I don't think you can single out individual players for criticism.

Do you honestly think recruitment has been correct? Our 4-8 isn't top 4 quality, who else can shoulder that responsibility except Cockers?

[Skin_and_Muscle]

You mention Rizzo twice, imply De Villiers was a forward, identify two players who have only played a handful of games for the club and one who was excellent between injuries last year and has had flashes of excellence this year, too.

In short, I think you're speaking out of anger or frustration more than anything else. Something is not working but I don't think you can single out individual players for criticism.

Do you honestly think recruitment has been correct? Our 4-8 isn't top 4 quality, who else can shoulder that responsibility except Cockers?

McCaffrey has been our star player this (and last) season. O'Connor has shown his ability to link and be a pain in the backside at the ruck. Kitchener always been a skilful line-out forward and decent carrier. Barrow is widely considered to have a bright future in the game. Fitzgerald is a grafter, both aggressive and smart.

They are, objectively speaking, very good signings. They may not be having the best of seasons, but that is true of the whole squad. You mention Saracens as the standard by which we should judge ourselves but their real strength is not in the individuals they have signed but in their ability to create a very proficient and coherent team.

[Hot_Charlie]

You can hardly rate McGuigan and Hamilton, having been here for all of 5 minutes.

Ghiraldini was mainly injured, Rizzo same. O'Connor has actually been quite good. Fitzgerald was immense for all of last season and McCaffrey, although he's not a fashionable 20st 8, did a lot to contribute and is still probably on our best 3 performers week in week out. Most other teams would play at 6 or 7 though.

I tend to agree with SandM though. Oh, and your best 4-8 has 6 players listed.

[ellis9]

Nice try but what a very poor opening post.

Woeful

[Southerntiger]

Would you pick any of those players ahead of Kruis Itoje Rhodes Burger Billy? Or Launchbury Symons Haskell Guy Thompson and Hughes?

I wouldn't.

People on here are deluded. How can you blame Mauger when the pack isn't good enough to start with?

Ellis9, why do you persistently stand up for Cockers?

[G.K]

Just compare the current team with that from 10 to 15 to 20 years ago. If you can't see the difference then you need glasses.

[strawclearer]

Would you pick any of those players ahead of Kruis Itoje Rhodes Burger Billy? Or Launchbury Symons Haskell Guy Thompson and Hughes?

I wouldn't.

People on here are deluded. How can you blame Mauger when the pack isn't good enough to start with?

Ellis9, why do you persistently stand up for Cockers?

Hmmm - joined the Forum today but suggests that Ellis9 persistently stands up for Cockers???

I wonder..........

[SirGordonRamsey]

The team has been in disarray for a while. However, the coaches can't be blamed for last night. No coach teaches players to not defend at guard around a ruck first.

However, the recruitment in the pack in particular has been diabolical. Ghilradini, Barbieri, O'Connor (has the guy really loved up to expectation in last 12 months?), McGuigan, Rizzo, Hamilton, Loamanu, De Villiers, you could go on and on, Rizzo


Cockers has frequently recruited absolute . Journeymen and we now have another Italian average back rower on the way

Who in their right mind gave Tait an extension? Guy has been past it for 3 years

450k a year for Tuilagi?! Could have got Picamoles for that!


Recruitment has been a joke. You arent going to win anything with your best 4-8 being Kitchener, Barrow, Hamilton, Fitzgerald, O connor and Mccaffrey. None of those 5 would get in Sarries and Wasps team, so why does best supported team in england have them?

Our spending just doesn't add up, I dread to know how much we are paying Slater, Tait, Croft etc

I understand the frustration but alot wrong with this:

Brendon O'connor was in the Lovell rugby team of the week, 4 weeks running this season, and already has a hand full of tries behind him. He's the ex Auckland blues captain, quality with pedigree.

Kitchener has been called into the saxons previously.
Barrow is 23, with alot of potential.
Hamilton, was rated as the best player for Agen, sparked an uproar when he left.
Fitzgerald, is a work horse who is reguarly in the top tacklers stats most games.
Mccaffrey having come from London Welsh has not had a bad game since being here (probably abit dramatic)

And finally whilst Manu has been a clubs nightmare he is, when in form, the best centre in English rugby. Its been a while since we've seen him but you would have been moaning even more if we'd let him go to Sarries or Worcester and you'd be watching him run over the likes of Tait and Betham.... can't have it both ways. All players get injured even star players.

Hope the rugby knowledge isnt as bad with all Southern fans.

#IdiotSandwich

[Southerntiger]

The team has been in disarray for a while. However, the coaches can't be blamed for last night. No coach teaches players to not defend at guard around a ruck first.

However, the recruitment in the pack in particular has been diabolical. Ghilradini, Barbieri, O'Connor (has the guy really loved up to expectation in last 12 months?), McGuigan, Rizzo, Hamilton, Loamanu, De Villiers, you could go on and on, Rizzo


Cockers has frequently recruited absolute . Journeymen and we now have another Italian average back rower on the way

Who in their right mind gave Tait an extension? Guy has been past it for 3 years

450k a year for Tuilagi?! Could have got Picamoles for that!


Recruitment has been a joke. You arent going to win anything with your best 4-8 being Kitchener, Barrow, Hamilton, Fitzgerald, O connor and Mccaffrey. None of those 5 would get in Sarries and Wasps team, so why does best supported team in england have them?

Our spending just doesn't add up, I dread to know how much we are paying Slater, Tait, Croft etc

I understand the frustration but alot wrong with this:

Brendon O'connor was in the Lovell rugby team of the week, 4 weeks running this season, and already has a hand full of tries behind him. He's the ex Auckland blues captain, quality with pedigree.

Kitchener has been called into the saxons previously.
Barrow is 23, with alot of potential.
Hamilton, was rated as the best player for Agen, sparked an uproar when he left.
Fitzgerald, is a work horse who is reguarly in the top tacklers stats most games.
Mccaffrey having come from London Welsh has not had a bad game since being here (probably abit dramatic)

And finally whilst Manu has been a clubs nightmare he is, when in form, the best centre in English rugby. Its been a while since we've seen him but you would have been moaning even more if we'd let him go to Sarries or Worcester and you'd be watching him run over the likes of Tait and Betham.... can't have it both ways. All players get injured even star players.

Hope the rugby knowledge isnt as bad with all Southern fans.

#IdiotSandwich

So to get this clear, you are saying our back 5 of scrum is Prem and European Cup winners quality? Can I have one of what you are drinking?[olist=][/olist]

[WiggoTiger]

Just compare the current team with that from 10 to 15 to 20 years ago. If you can't see the difference then you need glasses.

A million miles away from teams of yesteryear. No cohesion or leadership in the team. Even when we had average forwards we made something out of nothing in the backs through pace and inventiveness (Cusworth and Underwoods etc).
Todays forwards should look at old videos of how to look after the ball in mauls, rucks, lineouts and scrums.

[ourla]

So to get this clear, you are saying our back 5 of scrum is Prem and European Cup winners quality?

Winners perhaps debatable. But last season we were top 4 in each of them.

Can I have one of what you are drinking?

I think you've had enough son.

[ourla]

Recruitment, in general, is certainly not the issue.