Poor old Garside can't have played on the right-hand side of the field for years - never mind two places nearer the touchline. An odd option even without hindsight.

Agreed.

I thought our defence round the ruck area was pretty poor also.

Why is our defence around the ruck poor? Look at the tackle technique we very rarely turn the tackled player on to there back, they probably 50 or 60% of the time landed on elbows and knees and were getting a quick ptb, we were generally getting turned, it's an issue in our game.
If the attacker is landing on hands and knees they will be up quick so the markers are on the back foot getting in position.

Because when our team have tries to do this they always get pinged for laying on. Some teams can get away with slowly turning the opposition on their backs others can't. Unfortunately we are the former. Some teams are extremely quick and good at doing so - great why cant we, me thinks train, train and train again at this and then we may be able to use this style of play.

are you suggesting this is match officials again? Am asking not accusing btw. Teams don't get away with slowly turning the player at all, teams are just much better at executing the tackle, if the bloke hits the floor on hands and knees then you don't have the right to turn him, you can stay on him a little longer if the ref calls surrender though.
What we are very poor at is turning the bloke before he hits the ground. The ideal tackle is with them on there back head towards there own posts. The important thing is staying in control as you take him to ground, and listen to the dominant and surrender calls.
As the tackled player the ref is looking for an attempt to regain yr feet, dragon has been caught out here a few times he dives back on the ground doing the flopping fish trying to claim interference. Placing a foot soilidly on the ground and making that positive attempt to stand up is what is looked for.