Bristol

Like the title, it's probably just me being a little too precious (or something) but I can't help it.
Yesterday was embarrassing.
Really embarrassing.
And I suspect the majority of the squad and set up were deeply embarrassed by the team's performance yesterday.
And I know a lot of the blokes playing yesterday will be great blokes and know each other in opposing teams etc and have a bit of a craic on and off the field etc.
And I also appreciate (from the boiler room and back row which is where I plied my rugby trade when I played) the front rows almost have their own battles on the park, and their own brotherhood etc.
And that's all good.
Honestly.

But. (Here's the but).
But if I was John Afoa after the game yesterday, I don't think I would have been grinning like the proverbial Cheshire cat whilst walking down the Worcester players' tunnel before forming our own Bris players' tunnel.
Like I say, he may have been jovially teased by a fellow front rower and we may have won all our own scrums yesterday (we should all the time of course with this modern day crooked feed and no hooking gubbins) and that's all great...
But I don't remember ever walking off a rugby park, after my team got hammered, yes... completely outplayed... in a very important game... and grinning.
For whatever reason.
For whatever reason at all.

I'm sure John Afoa is a great bloke.
Great company.
A great craic.
And a great front rower.

But his beaming grin didn't half wind me up after the game yesterday.
Maybe just me.
But like I say... I can't help that.

As a long time player who still turns out, have to agree with everything you say.

It's not just you. Personally, I feel disappointed and let down.

Hand on heart, I feel that I've been taken in by our own propaganda......all the hype and razzmatazz surrounding what I felt (and still feel) to be a totally unnecessary re-brand, all the talk of a top 6 finish and European qualification, all the promises that this time it'll be different - I fell for it all.

Ok, so we managed two wins against under performing Bath & Harlequins sides and a two bonus points against Northampton. People are saying we'd have taken that at the start of the season, but lets tell it like it is - yesterdays result was a total, unmitigated, b****y disaster..!!

Let's look at the facts shall we. We've handed a team that were supposed to be our joint favourites for relegation:-
1/ Their largest points haul EVER.!
2/ Their biggest winning margin EVER.!
3/ A 'leg up' to seventh place in the league.!

Please don't talk to me about 'positives' or 'lessons learned'.......I don't buy it..!!

I lay the blame for where we are firmly and squarely on the Club's coaching and management teams..... you promised us more, and you've got five weeks to identify the issues, correct what's going wrong, and deliver on your promises.

If you fail, you'll never be forgiven......not by me anyhow..!!

I'm sure people will jump on my comments and accuse me of being negative and disloyal;, but speaking as someone whose supported this club for over 35 years through thick and thin I'm entitled to my say.

That's it - rant over and soap box stored away..

tbr firstly thanks for your comments on the Wuss site.
I completely agree with you and have felt the same on many occasions when watching Warriors players reactions after a poor game. It is only emphasised by some players showing how gutted they are i.e Chris Pennell of Wuss has on occasions looked distraught after a poor performance. I recognise that you have to be gracious in defeat as well a victory it does however mean more to some than others.

Nope, 100% correct with all the above.

As I said in another thread it's not just Afoa; Lam was grinning and laughing whilst JT in the same shot looked a mix between horrified and depressed. Was it one of the Jakes that threw the ball at Uren after he passed to him and spilled it? Madigan just casually standing around doing nothing during an attack phase and then very surprised when the ball made it's way to him (he's our 10 no less!). Looked truly awful and I'm embarrassed and angry. Sort it out Bris.

Oh and just to reiterate my stance that there would have been no shame in losing to that Worcester performance yesterday, it is just the manner of it and the attitude expressed by many (not all) involved.

It's was a laugh or cry situation. Don't think you can judge an awful lot about how the players genuinely felt, they will have been in shock.

It's how they react to it over the next 5 weeks (which we won't see) and then vs Exeter that matters. Jumping to conclusions and judgments in the immediate aftermath is pretty pointless IMHO.

Worcester were very good.

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chuckynut
It's was a laugh or cry situation. Don't think you can judge an awful lot about how the players genuinely felt, they will have been in shock.
It's how they react to it over the next 5 weeks (which we won't see) and then vs Exeter that matters. Jumping to conclusions and judgments in the immediate aftermath is pretty pointless IMHO.

Worcester were very good.

Agree with this.

You can't judge how a player is feeling based on facial expressions and demeanour. I would bet my house that they are feeling it worse than any fan...because of the same drive, commitment and pride that means they actually made it to the top 0.03% of rugby players in England.

Fans are too quick to judge professional players based on their own experiences playing for Old Pisspoorians 2nd XV.

I couldn’t believe how poor we were yesterday and considering the squad and support team we have in place questions need to asked. At the start of the season was feeling very optimistic now thinking it’s back to old times and relegation. This is possibly the most competitive league we have seen but I’m worried other teams have worked out our game plan or lack of, there appears to be no plan b etc. Hope I’m wrong got the feeling Pat Lam might prove to be no better than Andy Robinson and at the start of their tenures had great confidence in both. Steve L must be wondering whether it’s worth wasting his money on this team, he must surely be asking some searching questions already. At times we can look fantastic although overall it doesn’t happen too often.

My sentiment is exactly the same as Rinkadink’s above - we will lose games, there are better teams out there, we are learning etc etc. I can accept all of that - what I can’t accept is yet again, in what is likely to be one of if not the biggest game of the season, our players quite simply did not look up for it.

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T J
My sentiment is exactly the same as Rinkadink’s above - we will lose games, there are better teams out there, we are learning etc etc. I can accept all of that - what I can’t accept is yet again, in what is likely to be one of if not the biggest game of the season, our players quite simply did not look up for it.

This.

The rose tinted brigade are failing to really grasp this.

I think that the most galling thing for me is the manner in which we just seemed to panic - these are meant to be professionals but had little to no composure at all (Piatua’s intercept!!!)
Also, whilst I felt this would be the marker of how far we have come after believing that it’d be between us and Wuss for the drop, I think we do Wuss a huge discredit in comparing us to them as they were simply brilliant yesterday. They have been close in all their games and but for a few dodgy calls and a missed kick, could have won more games. Perhaps a more accurate barometer will be when we face Sale and Newcastle at home as on form, they are also not hitting their straps. However, this Prem is relentless and if we do not adapt and learn from yesterday, we will struggle to win.
This has been a humbling which whilst embarrassing and difficult to swallow, is not a massive surprise - the only excuse I can see is that the team were tired (it’s not a good one however). I cannot be bothered to further dissect the game and hope to see a significant raise in perofmance levels when the prem returns (we may not win but we must be more competitive) otherwiseSL’s dream of 27,000 ain’t going happen as we scrap around the bottom and possobly worse.
Rubbish Bristol - time to earn these millions boys

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Big Dave

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T J
My sentiment is exactly the same as Rinkadink’s above - we will lose games, there are better teams out there, we are learning etc etc. I can accept all of that - what I can’t accept is yet again, in what is likely to be one of if not the biggest game of the season, our players quite simply did not look up for it.

This.

The rose tinted brigade are failing to really grasp this.

It's not rose tinted but recognising that at this level games aren't won or lost by players being/not being 'up for it' - as AlexInSouthville said it's not Old Pisspoorians 2nd XV.

Besides which they looked plenty 'up for it' in the first few minutes, after then it became very clear that whatever plan we had was not the right one and we were just unable to adapt. The players weren't good but a lot points to the coaches.

Every one needs to look in the mirror, re group and go from there. I think more muscle is needed in the lock positions. I like Joe Joyce but for me at this level he is an impact player. Once Sam Jefferies is 100% fit he will partner Ed Holmes. So many questions, I trust Lam, kicking to touch for territory must be incorporated into the plan. Small rambling rant over.

Chris Vui

But is Vui, for all his qualities, a second row forward? And if he is, is he the type of second row that we actually need? Personally I'd have taller and heavier locks to give some heft to what tends to be a relatively light or inexperienced front row. Vui is, to me anyway, a 6 who can operate in the second row if required.

He's the best ball carrying second row option we have, in my view.

I would like to see of the type you describe. I am also surprised we didn't really sign one, considering we were once in the market for a certain Etzebeth.

Actually, I wonder if we should watch this space on such signings, on a short term basis, over the next couple of months.

Quote:

Big Dave
He's the best ball carrying second row option we have, in my view.
I would like to see of the type you describe. I am also surprised we didn't really sign one, considering we were once in the market for a certain Etzebeth.

Actually, I wonder if we should watch this space on such signings, on a short term basis, over the next couple of months.

Agree with all that, we have missed Vui the last 2 games. And, yes, think we may well be signing a few before too long.

Games at this level certainly are lost by players not being up for it! And won by them being well up for it. It's hard to be fully up for every game and for a number of reasons (taking oppo lightly, tiredness etc) if enough players in a side are not up for it then it can cost the team the game.

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Gray_Lensman
But is Vui, for all his qualities, a second row forward? And if he is, is he the type of second row that we actually need? Personally I'd have taller and heavier locks to give some heft to what tends to be a relatively light or inexperienced front row. Vui is, to me anyway, a 6 who can operate in the second row if required.

We will have him back in a heartbeat if you guys don't want him. Pure quality, someone who would "Walk" into any Premiership side.