by doedin on Mon Dec 24, 2018 11:19 am
We played our simple game plan fantastically well and deservedly won the game. We suffocate teams with our strong pack, excellent kicking from Pyrgos, a good chase and a fast defensive line sending out a player out wide to cut off teams going round us. If they try and go back and around we just blitz them and send in our back row. Eventually teams have to kick and we take our chances with our back 3, with all of them able to beat a man and get behind the defence. Our set piece is excellent, line out is strong and scrum is better than most. We dont create lots of tries but we make good use of any turnover ball and we can create a couple of chances every game. We can be open to teams attacking our midfield particularly off first phase ball when we get a bit square and static.
The Weegies struggled up front and never had fast ball, we pushed them back behind the gain line time and time again. Their set piece struggled and they couldn't attack of first phase, our blitz defence pushed them back and inside to our forwards. Hastings got caught going backwards, way behind the gain line and in possession and our back row loved it! When he tried going around our defence he didnt spot our defender being sent out the line. Im surprised they didnt try more short kicking behind our defence or kept the ball in hand up front for longer to try and create a mismatch.
When we have our first choice pack out we are a match for most teams and the game plan works. However we will struggle against the bigger teams who can match us up front and our pressure game doesn't work. Thats when we miss the likes of Scott who can run the angles at pace like he did against Toulon when he gets a mismatch. Our gameplan is still limited but plays to our strengths. Cockers has us well drilled, fit and hungry. However I think he needs a few more players to take us up a step.