Agree.
Was Jon Wells Director of Rugby at Cas before stepping down to take up his role with Sky?
Or did the two roles overlap at any time?

From memory, yes

Not at all sure on that one. If it did overlap it can't have been by much. Perhaps the conversation was indeed had. Regardless, though, it's not appropriate imo.

He was already on sky when he got the Cas job. His bias went through the roof when he was doing both.

What are WE reining in exactly?

To be fair Lisone and McDonnell were good finds given the limited resources he had. MacDonald was good too before the weird. Who else? Roberts is young and has been okay as back up in patches. Olpherts I am probably the harshest critic of anyone on here. Hooley has also been okay at FB other than debut. Point is a) not all RS players are terrible and b) he has very little cap to play with.

When he has got cap I will be less understanding for the side’s performances myself.

Sorry Jim, but this is nonsense.
We can't keep making the excuse that these are not his players.
Why should a quality coach not be able to come in and take over a team (that he has not assembled) and 'coach' them to perform???
It's basic coaching ability.
We can't just keep waiting until every single player in the squad has been signed by Smith, to judge his coaching ability.

The performance of a side is a function of players and the coaching - both. That’s not nonsense.

I understand that many of you just don’t like RS and the knives are out. My point is that the squad just isn’t good enough still and especially with half the team missing, literally.

I don’t know whether RS is the man to helm up glory days again but neither does anyone else on here without better evidence than we’ve been given this season. The only caveat to this is if he has lost the dressing room and the players aren’t wanting to listen and work under him - which again I doubt anyone on here really knows.

As an outside observer it appears that things have got much worse this season. Surely you'd expect a gradual improvement over time and not the opposite? Even allowing for a few injuries and departures you shouldn't be conceding 50+ per week.

thing is all season people have made excuses for smiths ineptitude. they still are.

Look we’ve had serious disruption.
1) Leeming fallout. Was closest thing we had to a Captain. Not replaced.
2) pack leader Tet lost in bad circumstances.
3) best two young players in Gannon and Newman hardly played
4) only creative spark in Austin gone. Other Senior half given up, and only cover injured.
Not even mention Nene as not relevant to season.
Obvious outcome given the above….

Sorry Jim, had a few too many last night. Didn't mean to be rude.
I just think that we are going backwards.
People keep saying that we're only a handful of players from being a top team.
Maybe we are.
But at the moment, there's something very wrong.
We have spent the majority of the season looking completely disorganised and absolutely clueless.
That's got to be mostly down to the coach.
FWIW I don't think we should sack Smith now. It would be pointless really.
Presumably he has a grand recruitment and retention plan, so we have to let him see it through.
I think he knows where we need to strengthen and hopefully GH is backing him.
He has 10-12 games next year.
If we are not in the top 6, then he has to go and we are starting again.

I think that's a sensible approach. Smith did amazingly in 22, he and he team have been poor this year. The first 3rd of 24, with his own picks on board, is a fair time for him to facilitate considerable improvement.

No problem mate agree with you here.