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YouTube clips of players aren't going to provide any answers. Have a look, I've said plenty of times what I'd do with this side. No point signing somebody like Foggy, or Cullen, or Scarlett because we already have halves of that kind of ability, if not better at the club. No doubt we are struggling a little in terms of halves because we have a few injuries, but it's just something we have to get through short term.
Right now I'd settle for a half who can kick. I don't care if it's one of the ones we got or someone we bring in but that's a must. We can't expect to continue with two ordinary punters at 6 and 7.
Beside that, against the best teams we need to value possession more, and expect a greater degree to attention to detail. A kick out on the full happens, but within two kick offs with the one in the middle nearly doing so too? Our fullback was caught out of position too many times. Our replacement hooker needs to value defence as well as attack. Our 5/8th seems to have no idea how to cope under pressure (the very reason he is there).
On the other hand too much is made of our forwards lack of metres. You turn big men into tackling machines then that is what you'll get.
We need to concentrate on discipline in the simple, mundane things like numbering up, accurate passing, and following the game plan.
Our biggest problem this year has been rushing younger players in, expecting them to have old heads, and expecting a few select senior players to drive discipline. They can't do so if: A they are struggling for form, and B, they are playing unfamiliar roles to make up for a lack of a back up option.
I'm not saying our half crisis was avoidable, but certainly the problems with our outside backs defence was avoidable. Indeed defence in general has been given the short shrift in favour of promising attack, but you need both. If anything a good defence can create attacking opportunities, but no attack can flourish, no matter how good, when constantly trapped playing one up hit ups followed by mediocre kicks.
