RobLambert

Astonished at both this comment and the number of likes. I'd had totally underestimated the levels of PC-ness on here. imo if you don't say what you are thinking there's no point in a forum.

Re. that first bit. You may be right. But I've lost count of the number of people I've worked with who advanced not on merit but more due to a box ticking exercise. Whether or not this is the case here - we may well find out. Actually my original comment was as much to do with the fact that the BBC are not interested in us but do show the ladies final.

Crikey. Are the BBC televising it or something ?

A shame that Brown retired - didn't know that. I thought that Doyle had a great future in the game. He could definitely finish and I recall that John Ferguson-esque shimmy to score in 2021.

This might be getting overly complicated but its not SKY is it. So you have to register but its not a SKY account.

Yeah its crazy that - even though we're not half way through the league season yet - Fax were 10 pts clear of us a few weeks back but we're now looking at catching them. We'll need to win the return fixture in a couple of weeks to have a realistic chance of that - you would think. At the moment it's difficult to know who we want to win or lose each week if we are to get in the 6. I'm sure its going to be tight come the end of the season but at least we're back in the game - for now....

This is potentially great news for those of us not going. I wasn't aware of the channel but looking on the website it only mentions the ladies and mens cc finals in the listings as live games on Saturday ? Hopefully that's just because they don't think our final is worth mentioning - given that way more people will be tuning in to the ladies final

I take back what I said about Olpherts then. A shame for him in particular - I'd assumed he'd played there last year for Wakey but just checked and he didn't make the 17. I'm sure Bailey will get another chance - I think he's been very good since forcing his way into our best starting 13.

For me......... 1. Beckett - that first half in particular was outstanding 2. Vuniyayawa 3. Hampshire So many others could have got a vote but got to mention Reynolds, Aekins, Webb, Day, Hampshire, Glover.

Yeah I said by 18

That wasn't a good performance. That was nothing short of an astonishing performance. To come through it with such early injury losses and have to play Reynolds on one leg showed an unbelievable amount of grit and determination. Plus we somehow continued throughout to look dangerous with the ball and probably clicked better than we have all season. Such a shame that just when we've definitely turned a corner and found ourselves in an average injury situation - we're back in the mire. Did Olpherts sub himself to rest for next week ? (If he doesn't start next week I'll take that back) Ref was terrible.

Yeah noticed that. Similar to the Oldham league game when he was limping and Hampshire took over kicking. He didn't play the next week.

Hard to know whats going off as the camera is so zoomed in on the player with the ball. Plus had to turn sound off as it was so poor. Just our luck that 2 backs get injured and theres no replacement - when recently we had Hardy and Gale on the bench. That said - our first try - a middle makes a break and passes to a middle in support. Who needs backs

Regarding resting players and with the greatest respect for our opposition surely we shouldn't be even thinking about that until Hunslet at home in a couple of games time (injuries permitting). I really hope I don't regret saying that. I thought Cooke was very canny in that respect against Batley and took key players off when the game was won.

Always interesting to hear other peoples opinions but for me O'Connor has booked his place at Wembley already - whether or not he is rested and Hatton has a stormer against Barrow.

That's low targets we have for our wingers then

Ok I'll be the first to say it...... Olpherts...... wtf. Did he have a bet on himself to score just one try or something ? That first blunder ?! - I really need to see it again. He seemed to just forget to put the ball down. It was like watching NFL.

That'll be 2 matches then

1. Glover 2. O'Connor 3. Jones

Sounds like Wynne and Williams are injured not being rested. Either way I'm not sure we can afford to rest players at the moment. For me we need to win out next few league games just to get back in the hunt so we need to put our best team out. Do our rivals rest players ?

Seriously though - looking at the squad we'd need two more injuries in the forwards (on top of Boothroyd leaving this week and Williams omission) before Akuola gets in my 17.

Hope not

1. Aekins 2. Reynolds 3. Webb Difficult to pick 2nd and 3rd. Could have given it to any of them (for once!)

I'm sure we could compile a cracking team of overseas players who didn't hang around for long. Then again we'll never know how good they might have been.

Well on the bright side it looks like yet again nobody will be suffering from selection headaches again this season. Maybe that forward we signed from Toulouse can be ar$ed to put in a couple of shifts.