I think JC will go with the experience of Briscoe on Friday so a straight shootout between Martin and Barron for the other wing spot. Martin for me after his performance on Saturday.
Also don't think Holmes will be risked with his knee so wouldn't be surprised if Fash is used off the bench as interchange second row.

Shows how short we are in back row if we have to use Fash there in round 1. He was getting drawn into Acorns niggle on Saturday despite warnings pre match, very poor.

Sims/Whitehead will have a field day if Fash is in the second row

This is a match where discipline wins
The last game of last season we had the match won after 10 mins
Then we knocked on 3x
Have 6 penalties and 6 agains away

Then we were behind and the heads went in a game we could easily have won

So for me it’s very very flookin simple

Completion rates and efforts in Defence and no penalties

Do that and we win

Piss around with 6 agains and knock ons and we’re inviting big trouble

Carty will be hammering the basics into them I can only hope and pray

Wasn't the case against Fax at the weekend

I don’t even know who Fax’s back rowers were at weekend but I know they’ll be better than Fash.

We need to attack Pangai Jr, he was behind the play so much at the weekend, his fitness is way off - make him do back to back tackles

I can't believe how bad they was, agree with what you say, same with Satae, he looks unfit and was caught out early. Also they have a loose forward at hooker for our two hookers to try and exploit.

The only player that looked good was Cotric

Also the away game early last season. MM got sent off in the first 10 mins, we were drawing 6-6, only needed to play basic rugby for 30-40 mins, then let the extra man make the difference in the 2nd half. Then Ashworth got sent off on 20 mins (albeit slightly unfairly).

Discipline is going to need to be a huge improvement area for us this season. Think it was about the first 10 games last season before we completed the game with 13 men on the pitch for all the 80 minutes.

Was Sao, but agree with the rest.

Whilst our first 2 games is very much a tough start to our 2025 season I always feel it better playing the better teams at the very start as its a bit of a leveller as teams haven't had chance to hit their stride and everyone is naturally a little ring rusty.

I'm not expecting to come away from France with the 2pts available but the minimum requirement has to be for us to be a tough team to beat, show significant improvements in our discipline, fitness & structure and play and compete and work hard as a team from minute zero to the 80th.

Catalans so far haven't looked a team that gelled yet so there is a slight opportunity to upset the odds, however slight that maybe.