Big question is whether Max is ready. I'd give him all the way up to squad submission and make a call then. We want him firing for Cas - if that means resting him or giving him a chance to get back up to speed, I don't know. 

If he's fully fit, I'd go: Rourke, Johnstone, Pratt, Scott, Walmsley, Jowitt, Lino, McMeeken, Hood, Uele, Vagana, Croft, Pitts; Smith, Atoni, Rodwell, Nikotemo.


If he's not, I'd go: Rourke, Johnstone, Pratt, Scott, Walmsley, Lino, Pitts, Rodwell, Hood, Uele, Vagana, Croft, McMeeken; Smith, Atoni, Faatili, Nikotemo.


Either way I'd start Croft and bring Nikotemo on at half time if fit.


But looking at those two teams, it makes a huge difference if Max is back. He's a quality 6 - can organise, kick, play off the cuff, and played plenty there.

Let’s call it like it is. 

There were two players mainly responsible for the errors and issues in our first half. 


Vagana and Lino. Vagana dropped 3/4 balls cold and Lino dropped one, ripped ball on 4th tackle for a 6 again and gave away a penalty or 
2. 


They tidied up that second half but all those instances above led to us conceding field position and points. 

I hardly think you can say he dropped them cold. Vagana dropped 2 balls he received as he hit the line. 
We adjusted how he got the ball but it was too late by then.

Yes he had a stinker of a first half with and without the ball but they weren't easy unforced errors. 

There was one that went between his legs too I think with nobody close after we had spread the ball. He should have taken them all and usually he does but the facts are that the mistakes from him and Lino lead to points and put us on the back foot on numerous ocassions. 

Luckily they were sorted but we can’t be repeating  those kind of mistakes again especially against Cas. 


We move on and I’m confident they will put it right. 


I can take losing to Saints away and it being relatively close in the end but I won’t see it as acceptable to lose vs Cas at home if we are truly building to be a top 6 team. 


The ruck was diabolical though. I can see why Powell keeps raising it after games. 


Players must be annoyed fighting to get up to play the ball quickly with players straddling round them and wrestling while the refs shouting get up and play the ball. What’s our players supposed to do? Phase through defenders on top of them. 

Good assessment PB.Cozza has defo stepped up and improved over time, good to see him going well.
Not having a bash here, but I still think there is that mindset with refs re the "bigger teams" - seeming to get more favourable decisions still...... 

Agree completely with Cozza's performance, but for me that's a good reason to bring him off the bench again. For me, you don't need to start players just because they're playing well - sometimes they're most effective off the bench. Atoni is a case in point; he was very ordinary in his first spell at 13, and lacked the intensity in defence that Pitts always starts with. Atoni, however, is so destructive off the bench once the opposition has been softened up. Play to your squad's strengths, not just their form.


Pitts wasn't good at 6, but we also missed him at 13. There's a bit of talk above about Max not being a 6, but he genuinely is - played loads there as a youth, in our reserves, and much of last season there. He's a great organiser, good kicker, and his pass selection will be just as effective there as at full back. Rourke has never played there, not even amateur.


If Max is fit, Thursday's team picks itself: Rourke, Johnstone, Pratt, Scott or Hall, Walmsley, Jowitt, Lino, McMeeken, Hood, Uele, Vagana, Nikotemo, Pitts; Smith, Rodwell, Atoni, Cozza.