Match thread: Championship Round 14. Featherstone Rovers v Toulouse. Saturday 10th June 2023.

[The Phantom Horseman]

4 minutes ago, RobLambert said:

Is Laurent Belmas and Lambert Belmas (no relation) the same person ?  Either way - how does that work ?  Surely England games don't count if a Rovers players gets a ban !!  A bit lucky for Toulouse then.  What with the other players coming back this game is looking a bit more interesting again - no bad thing.....

Yes my bad his name is Lambert not Laurent.

As for the rule, it applied to Morgan Knowles too for the same international. 

I think the player has to be named in the squad for it to count, though how that works when the selectors presumably already know he's banned I'm not sure!

[The Phantom Horseman]

1 minute ago, Les Tonks Sidestep said:

He was named in the 30 man French squad in April so is allowed to count the game against his ban. 

I'm disappointed the French assistant coach, a fella called Monsieur S. Long, didn't insist that he was rubbish and shouldn't be selected.

[Les Tonks Sidestep]

5 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Yes my bad his name is Lambert not Laurent.

As for the rule, it applied to Morgan Knowles too for the same international. 

I think the player has to be named in the squad for it to count, though how that works when the selectors presumably already know he's banned I'm not sure!

(I think) Belmas was given his ban on 13th April (for an offence committed in February!), the same day as the squad was announced although that was probably made earlier in the day than the tribunal hearing?

[sentoffagain2]

1 hour ago, marklaspalmas said:

Fair comment on Moors in 2023 but I feel he's just starting to get fit and show that 2022 form. No problem with any two from Hall,Hank and Hardy at centre.

Day definitely a second row for me, not a middle.

  Yes but without Koppy we are a prop or middle short.No proper props in todays game.I started in second row ,went to blind side and then when we lost our open side prop i finished up playing there.That was an education i can tell you.

[marklaspalmas]

40 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Yes but without Koppy we are a prop or middle short.No proper props in todays game.I started in second row ,went to blind side and then when we lost our open side prop i finished up playing there.That was an education i can tell you.

No doubt!

Of course there is a lot of versatility these days. JD can operate in the middle, as can Bussey. Moors has made the move permanently. Koppy and Spinger are born props, the size, the bulk. At the moment, I see Day still in the second row/edge defender role.

Either way, it's great to have this wealth of options available 

[Phil Briscoe]

Moors wasn’t everyone’s player of the year last year for no reason. I think he’s just getting back to full fitness but it’s a brave man who leaves him out of the 17 when he’s at full tilt he’s very difficult to handle. 

[marklaspalmas]

7 hours ago, Phil Briscoe said:

Moors wasn’t everyone’s player of the year last year for no reason. I think he’s just getting back to full fitness but it’s a brave man who leaves him out of the 17 when he’s at full tilt he’s very difficult to handle. 

Yes. He obviously had some niggling injuries at the start of this year, and he's just starting to show his previous form I feel.  It'd be a boost to the squad to see him back to his best.

[The Phantom Horseman]

26 degrees forecast for kick off tomorrow. No excuses for Toulouse anyway!

[marklaspalmas]

Possible line up....

Exactly the same 17 as last week?

[POR]

According to reports TO have put some of their stars back in the squad   one of their fans' doesn't think al of them will play but those who do haven't played much so how will they cope with the collision both in attack and defence against us who looking at the table have the best attack and defence

We  have scored a boat load of tries late on which proves we keep going for the full 80 so they will have to do the same to shall we say cause an upset

[Monkeymagic22]

On 09/06/2023 at 09:46, marklaspalmas said:

Possible line up....

Exactly the same 17 as last week?

I’d think that Springer will play, but can’t see any other changes, if they are all fit.

[POR]

7 minutes ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

I’d think that Springer will play, but can’t see any other changes, if they are all fit.

Correct Gadwin will play M so if rest going to be based on last weeks 17 then James or Junior will be sat in the stand but don't forget Brad missed out as well and he's played every game up to last week

[Monkeymagic22]

12 minutes ago, POR said:

Correct Gadwin will play M so if rest going to be based on last weeks 17 then James or Junior will be sat in the stand but don't forget Brad missed out as well and he's played every game up to last week

I’d just swap Locky for Gadwin. Moors looks like he’s hitting top form, so keep him in. 

[POR]

5 minutes ago, Monkeymagic22 said:

I’d just swap Locky for Gadwin. Moors looks like he’s hitting top form, so keep him in. 

And I'd swap Junior for  Dan in starting line up 

[Monkeymagic22]

Hot conditions, maybe we need to play a young mobile team?.

[POR]

HERE YOU GO

[POR]

NOW OUR TURN

[Monkeymagic22]

Looks like it’s been poor. Clearly when they get their best team together we have an issue. 

[Monkeymagic22]

Utter garbage 

[Dog forever]

Didn't expect that result, but having said that some teams are starting to hit some form and some are going off the boil.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Our vulnerability out wide in defence caught up with us today.

We dominated them up the middle, but the early loss of Ford meant we had no composure in attack - twice this season we have had Lacans and Wildie at half back and twice we've been beaten.

They had the ball in our 30m or so 6 times and scored every time, all of them out wide.

That's the area where we need to improve. Wake up call in that respect.

 

[georgeb1]

Kick up the backside Fev needed , probably go the rest of the season unbeaten, but will skeletons in the cupboard come back to haunt them again

[elppaxr2i]

What can go wrong did go wrong

Clearly all we worked on during the week is let it all go through Ford & let him run the show - Then Ford breaks his arm after 10 mins & we have no plan B & produce rudderless garbage 

We drop our most consistent centre so we have a goalkicker in the team as Hankinson is still not fit to do it & Hall has a shocker & proceeds to kick 1/4 

Yet again we go on a decent social media drive all week & produce that performance - can see many giving next week a miss 

Both edges were shocking all game - defence paper thin, all the backs were shoddy to be honest - the forwards had a dig, but that became Plan B - smash them up to try & juice them

I know what i would be doing if i was the Wire heirachy after weve messed them about for the few weeks when we ultimately go begging for Dean again - starts with F & ends in off

Well done to TO had 6 chances at the line & took all 6 

Lucky for us we built up an 8 pt gap

Edited June 10, 2023 by elppaxr2i

[lingaro]

The forward were miles better than theirs, doubled their yardage all game.  Hall' worst game in a Fev shirt.  A good pass with only the fullback to beat would have put a completey different spin on the second half.   TO should of had their no. 30 sent off for a deliberate head but. 

[J Phil Loxton]

We were still trying to tire them out in the 79th minute with one man rugby. Something that didn't work from the word go. We can't play expansive nor can we cope with a team that does. Our usual tactics didn't work and once Ford went off the backs had no chance. Having said all that there are thirteen teams in the league that would swap us their league position. We'll have similar problems at Sheffield, Halifax and AT Toulouse against teams of an expansive style and we should be wary of the ever improving Broncos next week. It's an interesting run in from now on which makes for an exciting league that once many thought was over and done with.