When a team like Exeter use a game against Tigers to rest players you realise how far we have fallen.
I think they only rotated four didn't they? I thought they might have rested more as some of their key players played again on the back of the European double header. In the current age of rugby you've got to rotate the squad round or you're going to wear down your players before the business end of the season. Saracens are excellent at it though of course they do have an advantage...
White, Simmons x 2, Ewers, Now-ell, ? others?
A number of players missing who were either not selected or injured.
Cowan-Dickie, Yeandle, Francis, Hepburn, Dollman, O'Flaherty and Bodilly to name a few more.
Quite possibly an entire competitive fifteen and then some capable of going away to anyone and getting a result.
They have an excellent squad.
Harlequins Starting XV:
1 Joe Marler (197)
2 Elia Elia (48)
3 Kyle Sinckler (142)
4 Stephan Lewies (10)
5 Matt Symons (34)
6 James Chisholm (79) (VC)
7 Chris Robshaw (285) (Captain)
8 Tom Lawday (10)
9 Danny Care (267) (VC)
10 Marcus Smith (70)
11 Vereniki Goneva (3)
12 Paul Lasike (13)
13 Michele Campagnaro (6)
14 Cadan Murley (24)
15 Ross Chisholm (113)
Game Changers:
16 Jack Musk (5)
17 Santiago Garcia Botta (8)
18 Will Collier (161)
19 Tevita Cavubati (7)
20 Alex Dombrandt (35)
21 Martin Landajo (10)
22 Brett Herron (4)
23 Gabriel Ibitoye (30)
Not available due to injury:
Forwards
Rob Buchanan
Max Crumpton
Scott Baldwin
Phil Swainston
Glen Young
Jack Clifford
Archie White
Will Evans
Backs
James Lang
Ben Tapuai
Francis Saili
Joe Marchant
Nathan Earle
Aaron Morris
Mike Brown
Great looking team but where’s Manu? Big loss and not sure KE is a quality replacement.. Great to see Lewis getting a start, like the look of that back row combination
OakhamTiger32 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 12:32 pm
Great looking team but where’s Manu? Big loss and not sure KE is a quality replacement.. Great to see Lewis getting a start, like the look of that back row combination
Manu came off with some muscle soreness last weekend. Murphy has decided not to risk him as it might be a case of have him this weekend and then miss him for a longer period. Taute was brought in for occasions just as this so make sense to use him. Eastmond presumably rotated in to try and give us some more flair in attack.
Good to see Lewis get a start, chance for him to lay down a marker in the first team and give Murphy a welcome selection headache.
OakhamTiger32 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 12:32 pm
Great looking team but where’s Manu? Big loss and not sure KE is a quality replacement.. Great to see Lewis getting a start, like the look of that back row combination
Manu came off with some muscle soreness last weekend. Murphy has decided not to risk him as it might be a case of have him this weekend and then miss him for a longer period. Taute was brought in for occasions just as this so make sense to use him. Eastmond presumably rotated in to try and give us some more flair in attack.
Good to see Lewis get a start, chance for him to lay down a marker in the first team and give Murphy a welcome selection headache.
Ah ok thanks for the clarification, had forgotten about that
Last edited by OakhamTiger32 on Fri Dec 27, 2019 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Manu came off 'sore' from last week so is being 'managed'. Bit concerned we have 3 natural 6s in the back row - would have liked to see Reffell starting with Lewis benched but still looks good. Eastmond's a waste of space imho - if it gets tough he'll come off injured.
Happy days clearing straw from the pitch before the Baa-Baas games! KBO
Wear a Mask>Protect The NHS>Save Lives
Let’s hope we can replicate our first half performance of last week. If we can play like that the game is definitely there for the taking... although a better second half is certainly required... start of the recovery, let’s hope so!
Paul Lasike is an absolute missile of a man, 18st former NFL fullback, not who I'd have lined up against two injury-prone centres ideally. Other than that I think we look pretty good, fingers crossed for another big one from Lavanini and Taufua.
« Matthew Carley will be the man casting his eye on proceedings at headquarters, joined by assistants Andrew Jackson and Roy Maybank and Rowan Kitt as TMO.«
OakhamTiger32 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 12:53 pm
Let’s hope we can replicate our first half performance of last week. If we can play like that the game is definitely there for the taking... although a better second half is certainly required... start of the recovery, let’s hope so!
With you on this one.Personally would have gone with Reffell as natural 7 keeping Taufua (8) & Kalamafoni (6)
with Lewis on bench.Would not argue with selection of back row combination though.
The only problem being selection of the side is not necessarily the biggest problem we have.
Whatever , best of Luck.
Seemingly heading rapidly toward senility .....Not long or far to go now , in fact, getting worse daily.....
OakhamTiger32 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 27, 2019 12:32 pm
Great looking team but where’s Manu? Big loss and not sure KE is a quality replacement.. Great to see Lewis getting a start, like the look of that back row combination
