IMO Sts had and have a better basic structure to their game than Leeds. Where Leeds have a definite edge is in strike power in the outside backs. If Sts had a decent set of threequarters they could and should score a lot more points. As it is they have two error-prone wingers, neither of whom are much threat with the ball, and yesterday had a glacial centre and a rookie who showed what they could achieve with a bit of punch out wide.

I'd hope that as well as the new signings, Bluey looks at the basics of structured play, because right across the field from our own line to the opposition, we don't often look like we have a plan in a set of six.

Thats pretty conclusive to me!

I think that Saints had a really good kicking game in the first half, which disappeared in the second half. Leeds had an average kicking game in the first half, which massively imrpoved in the second.

Don't really think our outside backs got much over theirs yesterday. It was just that their errors ended up being punished while ours didn't.

Looks like they have just lined Smiths feet up with Pryce's @rse. Perhaps you could enlighten us and show us where the ball actually is? Because from all the wide angles they aren't conclusive because Pryces's body obstructs the view.

When the view from the other side was shown on sky the ball was exactly where the invisible mans jacksy was hence both feet behind the ball!
Either way we won end of!!!!!!!!!

Exactly. And I think you'll find that's why Bentham cannot disallow the try.

One thing is pretty certain the ball had to be infront of McGuire's front foot (so Sky's talk about smiths position relative to McGuire's back foot is nonsence).

The BBC highlights yesterday were interesting - they drew a line from what appeared to be McGuire's front foot (not the ball, so in actual fact Smith had a couple more inches) and it was pretty much level with Smiths feet (i.e. ONSIDE!).

Smiths body is leaning way forward of the line but that doesn't matter.

Great call by the VR.

Ref Smith's try – there is inefficient evidence to conclusively say that Smith was in an on-side/off-side position when the ball left McGuire's boot thus shrouding the incident in doubt. The fact that we are STILL debating this obviously indicates that is the evidence is inconclusive.

If there is an element of doubt then the assumption falls with the attacking team – result = try.

Anyway, as Long said in his post match interview, chalk the Smith try off and they'd have still lost.

Please don't bring in a balanced argument into the OP's blatent attempt to have a dig at a saints player who has given a sound assessement of the game!!

Except it wasn't announced as benefit of doubt.

hats off to wilkin for such a measured response so soon after the defeat.

Probably learnt from last years little outburst.

I thought both Wilkin and Long (haven't heard anyone else form the Saints camp discuss it yet) were pretty close to the mark with their post-match comments. Long summed it up when he basically said there wasn't much between the sides other than Leeds took their chances and Saints didn't. I thought it was a really tight game. That said, I had a feeling that it turned when Burgess, Lauititi and Bailey came on around the alf hour point. Saints' pack was beginning to look leggy (and why not given the effort they'd put in) and we started to punch holes straight away.