Although they were not at there best today i would leave McGuire and Sinny together at Halfback. We have played our best Rugby in recent weeks with these two together.

Whatever happens and this is a fact of facts lee smith is a big game player who comes up with big game plays in big games

As someone stated earlier in this thread, I'd leave Sinfield & Mcguire at 6 & 7. Played the best rugby of the year so far with this combination. Webb back in at 1. Donald & Smith on the wings. And a bit of a gamble but I'd stick Hall in at 13, see what he can do up the middle - he's certainly got the build and would offer at least as much as Clarkson, who's had a couple of starts there recently. Give one of the backrowers a rest, maybe JJB who picked up a knock at the Bulls last week. Thoughts?

Webb in the halves.
Smithy at FB
Sinfield at Loose.

in the centre. donald, for me, is a better winger than smith simply due to blistering pace from a standing start. he gives us options. webb is a better full back than smith for me too. i'm not sure about delaney.good defence and a decent player but no more than that. i just happen to think smith is better than delaney

Smith's form has been disappointing so far. He looks overweight, yards slower and drops the ball far too much. I hope his try yesterday will have given him the boost he so desperately needs. It was a try that required skill and determination to score, and he obliged, but I honestly feel, were it not for injuries/suspensions he would be lucky to get a run out as the water bottle carrier.

Webb and Delaney are streets ahead of the current Smith, and to even compare him to them is as laughable as trotting out the old line that Smithy is a big time player who can be relied on to rise to the occasion. As has been pointed out before, past performances are no indicater of present form.

So. for me it comes down to what I think is his best position and that is winger, and puts him in competition with Donald. At the mo, I don't think Smithy has not done enough this season to claim the spot.

Webb at FB for me. I wasn't convinced by Smith's performance there yesterday. Unless we have injuries, I'd agree with Tad that Delaney is the one player that Smith might profitably replace at present.

Webb at 1. Keep Sini and maggs at half backs as finally we are playing some decent rugby with this pairing. Smith to bench and when he comes on move Senior to the forwards and slot Smith in the left centre. IMO Webb is a better full back and Sinfield is playing better this year in the half backs and Ablett and JJB are fine at 13. I'd only move Sinfield back to 13 when Burrow is back.

It's obvious...Webb on present form is still the better FB; the present halves Sinfield and McGuire are looking good and Scotty and Hall should keep their wing positions (Hall to LF is a step too far I think at this stage). Delaney for me is the more impressive convincing centre.

Smithy would be good coming off the bench....in place of (here I go again) Diskin. What the hell do we persist for in wasting the impact of Buderus on the field for the replacement who offers nothing extra but sentimental thoughts of what "he's done for the club" in the past) ??

Without being sentimental, I didn't think there was a great deal to choose between Buderus and Diskin yesterday. And I thought Senior had a better game than Delaney. Having said that, I'd have preferred Buderus on while Farrell was in the bin (unless he was sneaked on & I didn't notice).

Nantwich, I think you're probably correct as to the respective merits of Buderus and Diskin. But yesterday's was a big game and Buderus played a relatively minor role. As it stands, his contract's running down and he still hasn't contributed a match winning performance in a big game. As for your other point re the centres, I misunderstood: I thought you were claiming that Delaney was more reliable than Senior; my bad.