Indeed. Our inability to hold onto a win and close the game out was the reason we lost. A familiar set of circumstances. We need some cool heads that can take a step back and control the game.

Is Meadows an out and out scrum half or has he played at stand off? Realistically nether Gaskell or Sammut are going to be here next year. As for Lawrence I really can't see him being "held back". You're either fit or you aren't.

Other than gently rolling the ball to the loose forward's feet at scrums, there's no difference between them these days, is there? Every team has a left-side half back and a right-side half back, and it's not very often that they pass the ball to each other during a game.

I tend to think of the scrum half as a the first ball player and the stand off as the second, particularly if you're moving the ball from one side to the other. You're probably right though. What we need are some really vocal leaders who the rest of the team actually listen to. Ideally they'll make it onto the field for most games. At the moment we have Lilley who isn't really a playmaker and who doesn't really manage the game well under pressure and Sammut, another instinctive player who's 37 and past his best.

I suppose the only potential area of increased risk for your first game back is if it's been a muscle injury and it's an away game involving sitting in a bus or plane for 3hours+. Might be wise to hold someone back in that one specific instance.

That's a good point. I've a painful memory of putting my back out ill advisably playing almost immediately after a four hour flight home from Turkey.