I was watching out for Robshaw as well - played like a 6 and even scrummed down on the blindside too
Not sure why they didn't just give him the 6 shirt?
I didn't notice that latter detail, but I did notice Quins did seem to be playing more left and right than open and blind in terms of duties. Which, fair enough, if you want a specialist 7 at 7, isn't what you want to see. Ironically, I think Robshaw actually needs to slow down and stop chucking himself at everything slightly from a 7 point of view. If you want that turnover, then you need to pick your moment, which often means standing out of a ruck and lurking close to where you think the next one will be.
Still, Quins got smashed up top. I said Robson's name partly because I rate him, partly because I'm curious the Quins fan didn't mention him, but he didn't have a great day at the office, which is the same for a lot of Quins forwards (although I'm surprise and pleased the Quins scrum didn't get butt****ed). There isn't a lot any 7 can do if you're on the spot to clear up attacking ball (which Robshaw was a lot, he performed the role better in attack than defense where he was definitley more 6-like) and there's two or three of them waiting and no one to help you. That's a pack failing, not an openside failing.
Me, I'd still consider him for 7, but would want to see more before the 6N - and if he's not 7, then it's definitley 'Your Move Croft' after that performance.
Unfortunately, I can't see a way to get Mike Brown and Ben Foden into the same team. Which is slightly gutting.
In attack the openside should be on the ballcarrier's shoulder as often as possible, which he frequently was.
However, what he's doing in attack shouldn't really impact what he's doing in defence, so I don't see how its relevant.
Although, because I'm feeling pedantic, an openside can't be at every ruck. He just won't make a difference if he is. He needs to pick and choose to an extent, and look for people getting isolated (Tolouse didn't make that mistake nearly as often as Quins). To a large extent, he is reliant on his other back row members not being anonymous at the breakdown (paging Nick Easter...) slowing ball up in the tight to let him cover the wider channels. Which Robshaw wasn't doing. Plus the 7 should also be looking to do a lot of disruptive and destructive tackling around the fringes, which he did a fine job of.
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