RhinoNeil - It doesn't sound like Maximillion was blaming Watkins for the score but he was blaming Watkins for conceding the penalty for the high shot that gave the field position for the score.

That said the Watkins penalty gave the field position for the second Manu try rather than the 1st - which came after the Peacock knock on which was followed then by the Ablett interference at the play the ball.

Both of St Helens tries followed the recurring theme of an error leading to a penalty which was highlighted as an issue in the build-up last week.

Yeah it's all to do with having Burrow at hooker and Sinfield no longer defending more in middle like he did when at Loose. Teams like to limit the defensive workload of their 2 halves by putting them out wide and away from the bigger guys. We however kind of have 3 halves to protect thus make others have to step up and move in and cover for not having a hooker in the middle of the pitch.

Good defensive hookers will usually make around 30 tackles at least for you in a game, Burrow doesn't usually make even 10 (but still a great tackler for his size btw).

Plus right side is usually busier defensively than left.

Thanks Tvoc....You knew what i meant

Centres usually make 20+ tackles, Senior for example, always had a high tackle count. The number I object to is the number of carries, we simply don't get the ball to him often enough (although as a centre he porbably passes the ball a lot more than say a prop so maybe not an accurate count of the times he gets his hands on the ball). We still don't use his attacking skills adequately. Moon still doesn't leave enough space for his winger and still has a habit of running till he's wrapped up then flinging the ball into a supporting players face.

Comments about our half back/hooker are also relevent. Burrow as a hooker would normally be expected to be near the top of the tackle count and defend more centrally. I guess what we do is play with what we've got in the best way we can. We don't have an outstanding hooker so we shoehorn the players we have into roles that combine the best and make up for that deficiency.

I remember when Matt Diskin got injured in his GB debut, we played for much of 2005 without a hooker at all. Smith got us playing some of the most exciting rugby I've ever seen from a Leeds team. I know we fell short (just) in all competitions, but they were a joy to watch. It can be done.

One more thing, you rarely (if ever) see both centres combining these days. I have always thought that if you can plant both centres on the same side of the field early in the tackle count (particularly deep in your own 22) then it's a superb option to attack wide, early and from deep.

Having Burrow out wide is not completely unique. Chris Sandow generally defends in the centres because he's basically a hopeless defender. Centres generally have a field day against him, but the idea seems to be to hope that cover gets across if he can at least make a nuisance of himself.

My apologies, was a case of selective reading Watkins - missed tackle - first saints try

Was watkins caught slightly out of position for saints 2nd try?

The dummy runner (Wellens) attracted Sinfield in and in turn Watkins followed leaving Manu to cruise through the gap.
I'd say both ST's trys were well worked and knew to target Sinfield/Watkins on the right edge and both mis-read the plays.

Struggling with my memory, but did both Manu tries come from the gap between Sinfield and McGuire?

Wouldn't be the first time if it was, some of the communication and reads between those two this season has been very ordinary leaving some sizeable gaps on that right edge.

www.therhinos.co.uk/matchdaytv/ Watkins and Sinfield for the 1st try ,Watkins and Mcguire for the second!!

www.therhinos.co.uk/matchdaytv/ Watkins and Sinfield for the 1st try ,Watkins and Mcguire for the second!!