I'd love to start Parks but if not available I'd start Nikora with Jarvis on the bench. Nikora for me is one of those players who runs hot and cold. Yes he was bad this week but he could be very good next week. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and if after 40/50 minutes he still wasn't performing I'd throw on Jarvis.

I must admit I had a little chuckle too when on another post most respondents nominated Parks as likely to be flop of the season. Utter bullshit. If Parks had played Saturday, we would have four points in the bag now. Until he's fit I think we have to play Jarvis at 10. Nikora doesn't cut it on many different levels and we need someone playing 10 who can kick! Fets has to spend some time off the 23 while the coaching team try to teach him how to catch a ball, and McCrea should start at 14. These changes with Moore and Marmion swopping to starter and bench scrum half respectively and possibly Henshaw for Fitifa at 12 and I'd leave the change at that.
Defeat against Zebre would be unacceptable.

There is no point changing the entire team for next week, whilst i have defended Fetu here and still do i think he will drop to the bench. people are right, Macca had no pre season and should have started on the bench Saturday, ease him back in. No way should Buckley be dropped, what message is this sending to young players. He's developing into a exceptional prop so leave him at it.

There is merit to having Swifty on the bench for home games. There is a lot of talk of energy moments in games and in a tight match, releasing a caged Swifty from the bench around the 50 min mark would lift the crowd and the team and would pro long what has been a legendary career.

I think the one thing that most people are getting at here is that we have to have higher standards at this club and some performances do not meet our minimum expectations as to whats an acceptable performance. We all have different ideas about whos at fault and how to solve it but most importanly most of us expect a reaction from management and the leaders within this group of players.

i watched conor o shea on itv4 this evening.before match He was asked about areas for improvement this season and he said three areas and listed last seasons stats re tries scored, conceded and penalties conceded as areas to improve on. They had a miraculous comeback from 27 pts down to win by 2(42-40) but he wasnt happy after game. They won the premiership last season but have set higher standards for this season.
I only read the soundbites from EEs interview on saturday and he did say that loss wasnt acceptable and that they had targetted a win here so we will have to wait and see what he does about it. if standards are allowed to drop now we are in for a long season again!
Yes players were missing and it was the first game but it was a decent team and we were at home, That has to be made to count for something!

Some people seem to be very forgetful of Macca's consistency over the last couple of years, he's is the heartbeat of our team, the main man in the pack. I've spoken to a couple of players recently and they all say that he's key man in the team.

He had no pre season games, so obviously his match sharpness was going to be a bit off. Being taken off early was due to IRFU player management. He was struggling a bit which was always going to happen because he isn't match fit, and then he was asked to field every lineout. We didn't use George once, we used Muldoon once and he claimed it.

Macca is a key player and leader for us and I'm shocked to see calls for him to be dropped.

Very good point Porterbelly and don't get me wrong I'm a huge fan of Macca but I think you've hit on the reason he should be dropped to. I'd like to see Macca on the bench next week partly to stop complacency setting in and partly we could give him 20 minutes were he could give his all until he hits peak match fitness again.

In fact I think starting all our guys on the bench who toured this summer and bringing them back gradually is the way to go.

My team for next week depending on injuries is:

1. Buckley 2.Flavin 3. Loughney 4. Gannon 5. Swift 6. Muldoon 7. JOC 8. Naupou 9.KM 10. Parks (if fit) 11. Healy 12. Fafita 13. Griffin (if fit) 14. McCrea 15. McAuley (Duffy rested on player wellness)

16. Ah You 17. Wilks 18. ER 19. Macca 20 Faloon 21 Moore 22. Jarvis 23 Hemshaw.

We're playing Zebre so we should win which is why I'd give young guys like Healy and McAuley a chance also if Griffin and Fafita are going to be a partnership there going to need to play together.

micktreacy wrote: I'm not going to claim to be a rugby guru by any means but to be fair some of the comments on here are very harsh to put it mildly.
The team fielded had a few creases that need ironing out, that doesn't excuse the amount of silly knock ons but the weather was a major factor from what I could see. The arguement could be made that they train in that most days and I'd agree.

The major factor was the amount of big names on the stand especially the four new greats!

IMO the guys did excellently to keep Cardiff pinned back to their own half. Yes there was a clear and open chance for at least one great try in the second half but to be fair Blues only scored from the four chances they got ok they used them unlike our own crew but it could have been a bigger margin.

Had Nikora taken the 6 points from both penalties before half time then we'd likely have won and they'd all be deemed legends!!!

Plus there were a number of questionable decisions by the matchingly dressed ref (jersey plus hair).

mick im not sure if you went to the game or not but none of these comments are to harsh.
we are talking here about a second choice cardiff team not new zealand, we cant be making exuses on the first day, that should be gone if we have any hope and most people did hope we would kick on and win these tight games. we were muck.
our game plan didnt change till the last 10mins. some people were saying we have to get used to the kicking game since parks is here, well at least when he will do it he'll do it right.
kick the ball away and not chase it.(apart from buckley).
i didnt think TOH was that bad apart from the lack of ball he got.
i was sickened listening to 'supporters' shouting at fetu when he came of. yes connacht supporters. although standing next to them it felt like i was in a pub the shit they were going on about. sadly after a year ill have to move from my spot, tunnel area bothermore side.
as pointed out we are like the irish team, not giving chance to players who do well when given the chance.

no point dropping the whole team as thats stupid but now give the lads who have improved a chance. gannon and browne are not much behind swift and mccarty. i only seen dave moore play a few times, mostly coming on so id stick with KM.afew here saying bring back murphy and POD. it was a long summer but i wont forget how bad they are. at leat young lad can learn.

my team and as injury stand now
buckley flavin locks
brown macca
muldoon faloon george
KM nikora
mccrea jarvis fifita toh
duffy...

subs
17 wilko 16 ER 18rodney
19 swift 20 joc
21 moore 22 griffan 23 henshaw

I'm not going to claim to be a rugby guru by any means but to be fair some of the comments on here are very harsh to put it mildly.
The team fielded had a few creases that need ironing out, that doesn't excuse the amount of silly knock ons but the weather was a major factor from what I could see. The arguement could be made that they train in that most days and I'd agree.

The major factor was the amount of big names on the stand especially the four new greats!

IMO the guys did excellently to keep Cardiff pinned back to their own half. Yes there was a clear and open chance for at least one great try in the second half but to be fair Blues only scored from the four chances they got ok they used them unlike our own crew but it could have been a bigger margin.

Had Nikora taken the 6 points from both penalties before half time then we'd likely have won and they'd all be deemed legends!!!

Plus there were a number of questionable decisions by the matchingly dressed ref (jersey plus hair).

ummm, wrote: Money does talk, and if you want to keep sponsors, you pick a team to win.

We didn't win !!!

Porterbelly wrote: Macca is a key player and leader for us and I'm shocked to see calls for him to be dropped. Now Fetu'u is another matter.

Couldn't agree more re Macca.

I wasn't at the game, but I can't imagine a display that would justify some of the knee jerk reactions some of the posters on this thread are advocating. It was the first proper game of the season - disappointing that we didn't do better obviously, but I'd be more inclined to make incremental change than try and change a load of things in one go.

Regarding next week, I think the pack did enough to earn a recall on-masse. Just get them to sort out the line out this week. Backs, barring Gav there is a case for changing every one of them and seeing what form the alternatives are in.

theCulk wrote: Why go for that penalty kick at the end of the 1st half when they should have taken a quick tap.

Ref told them them he would blow up apparently.

A few other things irked me. When Griffin went down, he was hobbling around after and clearly in no shape to continue. Why was this let happen.

Griffin and the physios were talking and the physios signaled from the pitch to Tim Allnut that Griffin would be ok in two minutes. It looked like Eoin thought the knee was total gone initially, but then figured it wasn't too bad after all. The lads on the line can really only work with what they are being told by the player and physio so wouldn't fault them on that.

Some people seem to be very forgetful of Macca's consistency over the last couple of years, he's is the heartbeat of our team, the main man in the pack. I've spoken to a couple of players recently and they all say that he's key man in the team.

He had no pre season games, so obviously his match sharpness was going to be a bit off. Being taken off early was due to IRFU player management. He was struggling a bit which was always going to happen because he isn't match fit, and then he was asked to field every lineout. We didn't use George once, we used Muldoon once and he claimed it.

Macca is a key player and leader for us and I'm shocked to see calls for him to be dropped. Now Fetu'u is another matter.

I have a feeling Eric could wield the axe a little for next week to keep everyone on their toes. We now have a squad, we might as well use it. I could see Wilkinson and White come in in the front row, no slight on Loughney's and Buckley's performances, but it's all about building match fitness and commpetition and these lads won't weaken the side, they may even strengthen it.

My team v Zebre (if all fit)

1. Wilkinson
2. Reyneke
3. White
4. Swift
5. McCarthy
6. Muldoon
7. O'Connor
8. Naoupu
9. Moore
10.Parks
11.O Halloran
12. Tonetti
13. Griffin
14. Poolman
15. Duffy

i think we need a change at hooker, 10, 12 and wing. we will also prob be forced to change 13 through injury. i think griffin needs to be rehabed properly if he is to become the player he has potential to be. that will require an extended rest period but he needs it.
Reynecke has to take responsiblity for the lineout. Some of the calls made were baffling. im not flavins biggest fan(i think hes weak defensively)but he is more consistant on lineout ball. i havent seen harris wright but he was injured so may not be considered.
Nikoras kicking game just isnt strong enough so id bench him and start jarvis if parks isnt ready. Jarvis has improved from the tee and has a serious boot on him from the hand.we need an outhalf who knows how to play the game in the opposition half and jarvis offers the best possibity of this until dan is fit. Nikora offers a clear plan b from the bench.
I thought fafita was a willing ball carrier but knocked on a lot in contact. the weather in parma should be better so that will help but if mcsharry or tonetti are available i would use them. if not then hes worth another run.
Id replace fetu purely because of his well documented inability to deal with the high ball. i dont think this can be covered by another player and he clearly has issues with the ball in the air. i dont know what the solution to this is and there may not be one. Again if tonetti and mcsharry are fit id have them in the centre and bring in poolman(if fit) or mccrea to wing.
I agree with salmson about using Jonnie off the bench on the 50-60 min mark. His energy and workrate would be a great boost at this time so id start faloon. I think swift is a different player so i think he offers more as a starter with gannon coming in with jonnie. maybe moore and nikora around this time also.
i dont know if wilko is available but id stick with buckley for this week reegardless.
My team for what its worth would be-
buckley, flavin, loughney.
macca, swift.
muldoon, faloon, naoupu.
marmion, jarvis.
toh, mcsharry+tonetti(if fit),poolman.( fafita at 12 if one unavailable)
duffy.
there are a lot of injury concerns in the 12, 13 positions so its difficult to get a read on what might happen and could impact the wing selections.

For my own mind I'd drop Griffin, TOH, Fetu and Macca the last thing this club needs is untouchable's like EOS had with Ireland. We've the strength in depth now to do this a give other players chances. Guys such as McCrea who have points to prove I'd bring in. We need to hold ourselves to a higher standard this season and showing some of the first teamers there not going to walk into there places every week is the way to go IMO.

Before I forget, I was chatting to a friend who knows Dave Moore, and it seems he picked up an injury a couple of weeks ago. Hamstring I think. I suspect that explains why he didn't start.

I missed the game on Saturday so I can't comment too much on that. However, in the lead up to the game I was reading one of the prediction threads here, and several people had Dan Parks down as their prediction for "flop of the season" etc. I thought most people welcomed his signing when it happened so that surprised me. Anyway, having read this thread it seems we need him to play ASAP. Anyone know when he is due to be available for selection?

Money does talk, and if you want to keep sponsors, you pick a team to win.