Sue is 100% correct. Orford had a bad 2009 and the decision to move him on was the correct one. However when he arrived in '06 we were battling and within the space of 3 yrs he captained us to a record-breaking GF win and a WCC. Not too many on here would have predicted that. He can't take all the credit but no one can argue he was very influential.
I don't think we should be pretending that the knives only came out in '09 either. Prior to the final series in '08 there were calls on here for Le Strange to be made no. 7!! For some reason he was maligned by many on here throughout his 4 yrs with us.
I reckon we are missing his leadership at the moment. In the first half of both games so far we have been great, much better than last year when Ox was crabbing across field. However as soon as things have started going pear-shaped we've seemed rudderless. It may take Lyon a few weeks to develop the confidence to lay down the law or it may not be in his nature. But leadership is perhaps one of the unforeseen negatives of him leaving. Not that this was a reason to keep him.....
He does deserve more respect that he gets on here though.....
I don't think we should be pretending that the knives only came out in '09 either. Prior to the final series in '08 there were calls on here for Le Strange to be made no. 7!! For some reason he was maligned by many on here throughout his 4 yrs with us.
I reckon we are missing his leadership at the moment. In the first half of both games so far we have been great, much better than last year when Ox was crabbing across field. However as soon as things have started going pear-shaped we've seemed rudderless. It may take Lyon a few weeks to develop the confidence to lay down the law or it may not be in his nature. But leadership is perhaps one of the unforeseen negatives of him leaving. Not that this was a reason to keep him.....
He does deserve more respect that he gets on here though.....