Originally Posted by
Dux
For me our two biggest problems this year have been chopping and changing on the edges, which has caused problems with our defence, and a relatively blunt attack, caused also by changes on the edges but mostly by the absence of Dodd and Hopoate.
For those reasons I’d be against any solution which involves moving around three-quarters and/or second-rowers, which would introduce yet another new combination on the edge. For me the best option is to field the same back line as last week but with Hopoate at full back if fit and Bell at 13. I wouldn’t normally advocate a back on the bench in a big game like this, but as we’re more or less through our top-line forward depth, as having Sione at centre gives us a bit of flexibility, and as we might want to plan for the possibility of Hopoate not getting through the 80, I’d give Bennison that last bench spot.