United Rugby Championship

[Numbers]

I enjoyed the Dragons match other than the end result, I though Rhodri Williams was a bit hot and cold, Cai Evans was nowhere near as bad as I though he'd be at 10, Dee was very good and Wainwright and Carter put in a good shift ( I thought he was unlucky to see red as ity looked very much like the Connacht just ran straight into him and he didn't have time to react).

The Scarlets were much improved but their defence and general physicality is still sorely lacking, it seems Peel picks players on skill levels rather than making sure they are abrasive enough as a first priority, Lousi was very good, Rogers looked solid and Nicholas was Scarlets' best player on the night.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I enjoyed the Dragons match other than the end result, I though Rhodri Williams was a bit hot and cold, Cai Evans was nowhere near as bad as I though he'd be at 10, Dee was very good and Wainwright and Carter put in a good shift ( I thought he was unlucky to see red as ity looked very much like the Connacht just ran straight into him and he didn't have time to react).

The Scarlets were much improved but their defence and general physicality is still sorely lacking, it seems Peel picks players on skill levels rather than making sure they are abrasive enough as a first priority, Lousi was very good, Rogers looked solid and Nicholas was Scarlets' best player on the night.

Yeah, agreed on Carter's red. There seemed to be plenty of scope for mitigation eg the ball is passed a split second before impact so Carter isn't expecting that player to have the ball at all, the Connacht player provides all the speed to the impact, in fact he causes the impact.

More generally I think these decisions should be looked at in a different way if the tackled player causes the impact, with the possibility of no foul play or even the penalty & cards going against the tackled player.

Re Peel, do you mean his match selections or his signings?

[Sandydragon]

I enjoyed the Dragons match other than the end result, I though Rhodri Williams was a bit hot and cold, Cai Evans was nowhere near as bad as I though he'd be at 10, Dee was very good and Wainwright and Carter put in a good shift ( I thought he was unlucky to see red as ity looked very much like the Connacht just ran straight into him and he didn't have time to react).

The Scarlets were much improved but their defence and general physicality is still sorely lacking, it seems Peel picks players on skill levels rather than making sure they are abrasive enough as a first priority, Lousi was very good, Rogers looked solid and Nicholas was Scarlets' best player on the night.

Yeah, agreed on Carter's red. There seemed to be plenty of scope for mitigation eg the ball is passed a split second before impact so Carter isn't expecting that player to have the ball at all, the Connacht player provides all the speed to the impact, in fact he causes the impact.

More generally I think these decisions should be looked at in a different way if the tackled player causes the impact, with the possibility of no foul play or even the penalty & cards going against the tackled player.

Re Peel, do you mean his match selections or his signings?

Agreed, felt like a very harsh red. Carter simply had no time to react, that surely has to be a mitigation.

[Numbers]

I enjoyed the Dragons match other than the end result, I though Rhodri Williams was a bit hot and cold, Cai Evans was nowhere near as bad as I though he'd be at 10, Dee was very good and Wainwright and Carter put in a good shift ( I thought he was unlucky to see red as ity looked very much like the Connacht just ran straight into him and he didn't have time to react).

The Scarlets were much improved but their defence and general physicality is still sorely lacking, it seems Peel picks players on skill levels rather than making sure they are abrasive enough as a first priority, Lousi was very good, Rogers looked solid and Nicholas was Scarlets' best player on the night.

Yeah, agreed on Carter's red. There seemed to be plenty of scope for mitigation eg the ball is passed a split second before impact so Carter isn't expecting that player to have the ball at all, the Connacht player provides all the speed to the impact, in fact he causes the impact.

More generally I think these decisions should be looked at in a different way if the tackled player causes the impact, with the possibility of no foul play or even the penalty & cards going against the tackled player.

Re Peel, do you mean his match selections or his signings?

His match day selection I find puzzling at times and some of the signings aren't that great, I'm not convinced by Leatherbarrow for instance, I don't think a back row should be under 100KG.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I enjoyed the Dragons match other than the end result, I though Rhodri Williams was a bit hot and cold, Cai Evans was nowhere near as bad as I though he'd be at 10, Dee was very good and Wainwright and Carter put in a good shift ( I thought he was unlucky to see red as ity looked very much like the Connacht just ran straight into him and he didn't have time to react).

The Scarlets were much improved but their defence and general physicality is still sorely lacking, it seems Peel picks players on skill levels rather than making sure they are abrasive enough as a first priority, Lousi was very good, Rogers looked solid and Nicholas was Scarlets' best player on the night.

Yeah, agreed on Carter's red. There seemed to be plenty of scope for mitigation eg the ball is passed a split second before impact so Carter isn't expecting that player to have the ball at all, the Connacht player provides all the speed to the impact, in fact he causes the impact.

More generally I think these decisions should be looked at in a different way if the tackled player causes the impact, with the possibility of no foul play or even the penalty & cards going against the tackled player.

Re Peel, do you mean his match selections or his signings?

His match day selection I find puzzling at times and some of the signings aren't that great, I'm not convinced by Leatherbarrow for instance, I don't think a back row should be under 100KG.

I don't follow the Scarlets closely enough . . . which players do you think he should be selecting more often, to give them a harder edge?

[Numbers]

Yeah, agreed on Carter's red. There seemed to be plenty of scope for mitigation eg the ball is passed a split second before impact so Carter isn't expecting that player to have the ball at all, the Connacht player provides all the speed to the impact, in fact he causes the impact.

More generally I think these decisions should be looked at in a different way if the tackled player causes the impact, with the possibility of no foul play or even the penalty & cards going against the tackled player.

Re Peel, do you mean his match selections or his signings?

His match day selection I find puzzling at times and some of the signings aren't that great, I'm not convinced by Leatherbarrow for instance, I don't think a back row should be under 100KG.

I don't follow the Scarlets closely enough . . . which players do you think he should be selecting more often, to give them a harder edge?

He could pick Craig or Tuipulotu at 6, maybe things will pick up now Plumtree is back. Unfortunately we haven't replaced Kalamafoni and are sorely missing his carrying, Fifita has been good but he's not in the same mould. Our defence and attack this season have been shambolic, I would rather have Pivac or Mooar back as I don't think Peel is up to the job.

[Son of Mathonwy]

His match day selection I find puzzling at times and some of the signings aren't that great, I'm not convinced by Leatherbarrow for instance, I don't think a back row should be under 100KG.

I don't follow the Scarlets closely enough . . . which players do you think he should be selecting more often, to give them a harder edge?

He could pick Craig or Tuipulotu at 6, maybe things will pick up now Plumtree is back. Unfortunately we haven't replaced Kalamafoni and are sorely missing his carrying, Fifita has been good but he's not in the same mould. Our defence and attack this season have been shambolic, I would rather have Pivac or Mooar back as I don't think Peel is up to the job.

How do you replace Kalamafoni? Excellent as Fifita and Lousi are, Kalamafoni is/was on a different level, just carrying the rest of the team. But (and this is not a new thing) the Scarlets look like they need a bit more of their budget spent on the forwards.

Defence is where the Scarlets are failing - they need a good defence coach. I think that was a big part of the Scarlets' success under Pivac (although Beirne and McNichol made a big contribution).

[Son of Mathonwy]

Another whitewash weekend for Wales. I guess none of the results were a surprise but I'd hoped for closer scorelines for the Ospreys and Cardiff matches. The second half capitulation by the Ospreys was particularly sad, even though it was against Leinster, at home.

[Sandydragon]

Just when you have a bit of confidence that then Ospreys were starting to look like they might challenge for the playoffs, boom.

They can have big games but not consistently. It must be a depth thing.