Quote: Cherry.Pie "It's incorrect to say Richards offers no attacking threat from fullback, but I think to say he offers very little threat would be more accurate. What he demonstrated when supporting Goulding's run was simply good support play, something all players should be capable of. What lets Richards down at fullback is poor passing in the attacking line and an over reliance on simply driving the ball in rather than looking for the pass. It's hard to do a sweeping attacking move like the ones involving Tomkins when Richards is coming into the attacking line. That's where Roberts offers far more than Richards. Richards also doesn't really have much of a step or much agility, which I think is pretty useful for a fullback because often they are well marked and a player will charge out of the line at the fullback expecting them to get the ball. Tomkins gets caught out quite often by this but he can also step the challenge, whereas Richards isn't quite as agile and can be closed down too easily.'"
It's obvious Richards is a different type of player to Sam, which makes comparing the 2 a little problematic. Support play is something we don't do as well as other teams, and it's easy to underestimate it's importance - in fact, a lot of players have made careers out of it! Pat showed on Sunday that he knows the right place and time to chime into the line in attack, which can be very useful. I agree that he doesn't have the stepping ability/elusiveness of Sam, and it would be hard to find a more effective attacking full back in SL (than Sam) - and I also believe Richards is better suited to the wing - but without Sam, Pat would be our best option at FB imo. Granted other players can play there, and if MM believes that Roberts is doing enough in the U20s to warrant another go, then so be it. I'd just be surprised, that's all.
