Not really look at T.Briscoe.

yeh ino but like i say SOMETIMES it can give you an indication of how we may line up, eg if berro is given the no 3 shirt then we know that hes likely to be played at centre depending on injuries/suspensions/form/oppisistion. ino not every time like briscoe last year but sometimes it can go this way

Briscoe got 3 because Raynor had 5, and Byrne had left without a centre being signed.

1. Tansey
2. Briscoe
3. Berrigan
4. Yeaman
5. Sharp

That's how i want the back line numbers to be given. Although I'm still 60-70% sure Berro will get 9 and play hooker.

personally i want berro to play centre but think agar might go with him at hooker but hopefull he will get the number 3 shirt and go on to play centre. now will sharp played left wing for quins and with briscoe having played alot on the right wing i wonder which way he will go hopefully briscoe will be on the left.

1 Tansey
2 Sharp
3 Berrigan
4 Yeaman
5 T. Briscoe
6 Horne
7 Long
8 Fitzgibbon
9 Houghton
10 O'Meley
11 Manu
12 Tickle
13 Westerman
14 Whiting
15 Lauaki
16 Radford
17 Moa
18 Old Faithful
19 Turner
20 Washbrook
21 Dowes
22 Burnett
23 Lyne
24 J. Briscoe
25 Kent
26 Nicklas
27 Cunningham
28 Green
29 Crooks

Wouldn't argue too much with that really.
Dunno why, but for some reason I always look at number 20 like it's a prop's number. Maybe because 10 fits into it? I don't know!

Would really like to see Briscoe on the outside of Berro. Yeamo to Left Centre to accommodate this, or Sharp to Right Wing?

If, and it's a big if, Berrigan does play right centre I hope Briscoe plays outside him.

Just gives us some thing to discuss in the off season, its been a long off season already.For the record Sir Fitz will never get the number 7 shirt!

i think that berro playing alongside briscoe could be a quality combo but then again i would have no problem with him playing hooker as long we can get the best out of his ability

it would probably be more effective having the berro/houghton hooking interchange rather than play berro in the centres. i have my doubts houghton can handle a full 80 every single match and i don't understand why some people would be happy with washbrook sharing the hooker role

if we aren't going to make any more signings, you would've thought the squad numbers would've been released by now

I think they should get rid of that Old Faithful bloke - he was useless

Looks about right to me! Will be great if Berro does get a centre's number, but so for some reason I really can't see it.

I think Agar used the end of last season to have a decent look at him in that role to inform his off season recruitment. If Agar has anything about him at all he should have liked what he saw.

If we bring Rovelli in we have cover, if we dont Washy will play there with Houghton imo.

Berro needs to be given a run at centre. I'd even consider giving him a new 5 year deal if he played centre.

I hope you're right, I would definatley have Berro there myself. With no news on Rovelli for a while, I'm starting to think less and less it will happen! And I'm unconvinced Washy can cover there.

I bumped into Washy in town at the weekend and asked him where he'd be playing. He was non-commital about playing 9 but did smile when i posed him the question.

I'm convinced he can do a job for us there. (i've argued the point numerous times on here)

We'd obviously rather have a specialist 9 but as he's contracted and as he'll do a job i would have no nervousness about playing him 9.

Don't get me wrong, I am one of the few in the Washy fan club. If he can get some good training experience at 9 and it proves to kick on Houghton's game better by spelling rather then playing 80mins, then I would be more convinced.

I'd like to see Berrigan play in the centres and Washy off the bench as cover for Houghton. Rovelli off the bench would be better but if he does not come then I would be using Houghton and Berro for a while in this way and see how it develops.

I'd go the other way and start Washy and then bring Houghton on for the last 20 of each half against tiring defences.

I can see the principle behind your thinking on this, but I think there are too many question marks over Washbrook's suitability for the position to start off that way. Houghton is an out-and-out, very good hooker. Washbrook is a loose forward who might do a job there, but is still only really in the frame by default because of our lack of options (I also still have my doubts that his distribution is good enough). Houghton has earnt the starting spot for the foreseeable future IMO.

I think times have changed whereby you earn a starting spot. I believe you earn a spot in the 17 and should then be used as is most beneficial for the team.

For me we get more benefit out of both Manu and Houghton coming off the bench. Agar will start them both though.

On the hooker debate i believe Washy has a better defence that Houghton and will deal better with the opening 20 mins of a game with regards to defensive work needed. I've likened Washy to Cunningham before and could seriously see him starting like Kieron did and then for Houghton to come on and do the Roby. Works in my head anyway!!

I agree to a point. Some players are more suited to coming off the bench against tired players. However, when one player is clearly better than another (as I think is the case here), he should be playing the most minutes possible, and the best way to do that is having them in the starting lineup.



Not sure I think that about Manu any more. He's been excellent over the last 2 seasons whilst starting, and Lauaki is more suited to the bench than him IMO.



Debatable. Washbrook is a bit stronger in the tackle but also gives away significantly more penalties as well. And whilst it's not been ideal to see Houghton playing 80 minutes, I think it has at least proved that he is physically more than capable of playing from the kick-off.

If we had a better option at hooker/centre I'd then be inclined to agree with you, but I'm simply not yet convinced Washbrook will be good enough there to justify it.

I agree, Houghton needs to spend more time on the pitch than Washbrook and he should be the person to start games. He no longer needs to come on to make an impact he has started to have an impact when starting games and has become a major influence in games.

Washy will be an experiment and until we know how he is going to go in that position I would be reluctant to start him. He defends well and his distribution is ook but it's whether or not he has enought pace to get out of dummy half and engage defenders plus does he have the fitness to get to every ptb.