Ok i will hold my hand up iv had a pop at southern he seems to be going backwards at the moment.I also agree he has adjustments to make so can anybody explain to me why are great coach,is making it harder for him playing him out of position,benching him when captain surely this will add to his woes.James for prop anyone?[agar included].

As I said a couple of weeks ago - met him just after training and he was battered and bruised, carrying two head injuries, a busted finger and a nasty calf injury that meant he had trouble walking.

I'm sure there's nothing sinister going on.

I saw the interview with R.A. and his comments about Steve Southern were very interesting. He seems to acknowledge that there was a fitness issue with Southern and that its been worked on for the last 4 weeks whilst he's been recovering from a calf injury. He more or less stated that Southern will be like a new signing with his much improved fitness levels and has had almost a mini pre-season.

Hopefully Southern will now be used in the second row position within the 17 along with Kirmond and Lauititi against Warrington. Playing him at Prop made him ineffective I think.

I'm sure playing him at prop probably did cause him to be ineffective. That said, he's no line buster as a second row forward either, although if he does get full fitness and demostrates his reputation as a tackling machine then there is a place for him. He is probably the man to 'get in the oppositions faces' and lead by example. That is something we've been lacking this season.

I didn't take that as being unfit, just that he has fittness issues in relation to injuries.

Sorry Richard if i misquoted you.