Wigan squad for Magic Weekend

[Exiled Wiganer]

I was hugely encouraged by Keighran’s performance at 6, and clearly he gives us some great options. But French is the finest 6 we have had in decades. He is off the scale good there. So, if he’s fit he plays there, if he needs a rest (either completely or during a game, particularly when he is coming back from injury), then Keighran could go there. It spells the end of the road for Hampshire though.

Farrimond’s position is simple enough - he has shown that he has what he takes. He can and will bulk up, and can and will improve his defence. We can compensate in part by squeezing the gaps around him, as we did on Saturday. You can teach defence - what you can’t teach is what he has naturally: vision.

Happy days.

[medlocke]

Could Keighran not be used at 13 as an extra playmaker/distributor, move Ellis to the second row and bring back Toby King, works in my mind

[Charriots Offiah]

I was hugely encouraged by Keighran’s performance at 6, and clearly he gives us some great options. But French is the finest 6 we have had in decades. He is off the scale good there. So, if he’s fit he plays there, if he needs a rest (either completely or during a game, particularly when he is coming back from injury), then Keighran could go there. It spells the end of the road for Hampshire though.

Farrimond’s position is simple enough - he has shown that he has what he takes. He can and will bulk up, and can and will improve his defence. We can compensate in part by squeezing the gaps around him, as we did on Saturday. You can teach defence - what you can’t teach is what he has naturally: vision.

Happy days.

I thought that he defended a lot better on Saturday. He amended his tackling technique, aiming much lower rather than trying to attack the ball, and it paid dividends. If I remember correctly, on one occasion he chopped Walmsley down.

[Firestarter]

Could Keighran not be used at 13 as an extra playmaker/distributor, move Ellis to the second row and bring back Toby King, works in my mind

I thought french was your preffered 13?

[moto748]

On Farrimond, as I think I mentioned before, there is always the option to not start him, but use him as a 'supersub' to run at tiring defences in the last 20 minutes.

And when we are full strength, who are you suggesting gets subbed off? Smith or French?

Plus, this would mean not having an interchange hooker...

Neither obviously. I don't know why you think it's so far-fetched, NRL teams do it; Melbourne for a start.

[Firestarter]

On Farrimond, as I think I mentioned before, there is always the option to not start him, but use him as a 'supersub' to run at tiring defences in the last 20 minutes.

And when we are full strength, who are you suggesting gets subbed off? Smith or French?

Plus, this would mean not having an interchange hooker...

Neither obviously. I don't know why you think it's so far-fetched, NRL teams do it; Melbourne for a start.

Didnt we do a similar thing with morgan escare?

[moto748]

Watched the full game now, and yes, Farrimond did fine. Was never MotM, though! Not in front of Keighran or Ellis. Nice to have two kicking options on the pitch. And Keighran looking comfortable in the halves makes life a lot easier for us.

[nathan_rugby]

Could Keighran not be used at 13 as an extra playmaker/distributor, move Ellis to the second row and bring back Toby King, works in my mind

His defence is too weak to defend in the middle.

It would also be too many people trying to get involved. Ball handling 13 worked when fullbacks where runners but now they are runners and passers you don’t need the creative 13 as much.

[nathan_rugby]

On Farrimond, as I think I mentioned before, there is always the option to not start him, but use him as a 'supersub' to run at tiring defences in the last 20 minutes.

And when we are full strength, who are you suggesting gets subbed off? Smith or French?

Plus, this would mean not having an interchange hooker...

Neither obviously. I don't know why you think it's so far-fetched, NRL teams do it; Melbourne for a start.

So what player / position would Farrimond come on for and in what scenario would this happen?

I’m struggling to make sense of it.

[medlocke]

Could Keighran not be used at 13 as an extra playmaker/distributor, move Ellis to the second row and bring back Toby King, works in my mind

His defence is too weak to defend in the middle.

It would also be too many people trying to get involved. Ball handling 13 worked when fullbacks where runners but now they are runners and passers you don’t need the creative 13 as much.

Why though, is it some sort of rule?