JM2K6 wrote: ↑Sat Nov 06, 2021 7:22 pmMarcus Smith is brilliant at the things a fly half has to be good at. Max Malins is currently pretty shaky at some of the things a fullback has to be good at.Kawazaki wrote: ↑Sat Nov 06, 2021 6:55 pm
They're not major weaknesses. He's a genuine attacking threat, has lots of very positive attributes.
The English disease* hates players like this and that includes a player like Marcus Smith. Smith will miss a few tackles and people like you will say he has a major weakness and Farrell will be back at 10.
* Jones has caught a fatal dose.
It can't have escaped your notice that Malins' best rugby has come on the wing, and that he's made a habit of costly mistakes in the air and poor defending at 15? You were banging the drum for his inclusion after matches where he performed brilliantly on the wing. I agree that he's a fantastic attacking talent! The thing is, it's shown up most on the wing and that's also helped him with the problems in his game.
Play him on the wing like Bristol and Saracens have done, let him develop the weaker parts of his game.
The English disease is that a fullback without a quarter of the attacking instincts of Malins (or the pace to achieve them even if he did) is lauded as the new best thing at fullback because he has caught some high kicks. The attributes that Steward doesn't possess are related to attack so are overlooked.
Marcus Smith will miss tackles and it will be cited as a reason to drop hm - that will happen, I guarantee it.
