Smithy must really like the lad!

IMHO Johnson is lucky to get a place, let`s hope he can up his game(lets hope the whole team do, to be fair) and make an impact off the bench. If Clarke was fit would that have been a straight swap for Higham

Well at least he can tackle, unlike Rauhihi who just lets people run round him without laying a finger on them.

By all accounts him (Rau) and Smith dont get on very well, probably due to his poor attitude.

Good luck to McCarthy, lets hope he becomes a winner

Here here.

I'm glad Harrison is back, bench looks a little light to say the least.

Agree with that. Playing Micky H must also have a bit of risk with it. So sorry for Jon Clarke, he doesn't deserve to miss out this way. Only
playing with one prop on the bench suggests that TS is going for a quick paced game with more mobile forwards. Hope he's got this right.
ISWT

COME ON THE WIRE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Team is strong enough for me.

All the way wire.

I'd suggest that he doesn't want a lump of lard being exposed in defense. I think Moore and Crabtree would run rings round him.

I think moving Westwood up to prop when crabtree comes on might be a good option as he'll be straight on him before he can build momentum and there should be less chance of an offload.

Agreed - Benny and Harrison will rotate I think.

At the end of the day - that's what we're going with - we have to trust TS.....

Sorry for being a bit of a pessimist. but i'm a little concerned by the team. Rugby is a 17 man game nowadays, especially if the weather is gonna be hot down there. McCarthy looks a decent prospect, but even he admitted he was struggling to keep pace with the step up in the speed of the game at first team level. This is a CC final and no place to ease youngsters in gently. And higham will be nowhere near match fit and i wonder how many minutes we will get out of him. We will win though. Louis anderson first try - 25/1 at betfred, get on him.

He aint being eased in, he put 2 good performances in and he hasnt be scared to try and put big shots on IMO i think hes ready

Absolutely. We are more mobile then they are & Benny stepping in at prop for the odd shift smashing Crabtree & Mason early on so they don't gain momentum will be the way forward.

Is it Brown or whateira (sic) who will be facing Chris Bridge?

The bench looks light.
We always seem to struggle with Hudds up front and only having 3 props is a gamble.
TS must see the 'mobility' of their props as a key factor rather than out an out brute strength and size.
It's a brave move but I guess he's paid to make those calls.

Either Harrison or Westwood will have to step in at prop for a spell or Moz/Carvell be called onto do more than usual.
Just wish wood would have been available becasue he'd have been there for sure in the interchanges.