Catalans (h)

Quote: Cherry.Pie "I don't think mixing up the spine is going to make too much difference if our pack can't put in a dominant performance when our opposition actually puts up a bit of resistance.

Out of our props not one really excelled. A few did some good things. Mago made a handful of strong carries but it's nothing but a brief cameo. Ellis's offload for Smith's try was smart play but ultimately the first notable thing he's done since punching Jordan Dezaria in the face. Singleton, Cooper, Havard did little of note (lets not talk about Singleton's 'effort' on Manu Ma'u).

Whether we've got Isa or KPP it's a shockingly ineffective right edge for a top level team. Isa has had a good career out of being slightly above average most games but average should never be the benchmark. KPP should have taken his chance to be a regular starter and shown what he's capable of but he's all stylish offloads with no substance (minus the stylish offloads). There's not enough threat from that right edge.

Powell, sometimes an easy target but I thought his decision making (40/20 aside - that was great vision) was pretty terrible tonight and there was absolutely zero pace in anything that he did. He runs the ball at the wrong times, doesn't run the ball when there's an opportunity to do so. Sometimes the easiest way to trouble teams is just to threaten middle defenders that someone quick and agile is going to run at them.'"

Some really good points here, have to disagree about Cooper - good workrate but no decent hooker to take advantage and Havard ran his blood to water in attack and defence - that there was no outcome is down to the creative players?