Redpath: We need to be smarter

They head to Nottingham on Friday desperate to bounce back after last week’s 10-7 loss to London Welsh, a result that saw county rivals Doncaster Knights replace them in second spot.

It was a fourth league loss of the season so far and each one has been by a margin of just five points or less.

Given lowly Welsh had been struggling all season, it was an opportunity lost to maintain pressure on leaders Bristol.

Carnegie head to Nottingham on Friday, who have moved up to fifth just six points behind Redpath’s side who dominated possession but struggled badly with their execution in the rain last Friday.

“There was situations that came up, like taking a (five metre) scrum instead of the line-out, which is a big decision in a game where there was free-kicks, scrums going down and people slipping,” he said.

“It was a big call and it didn’t work out for us in the end. Sometimes they do but on Friday it didn’t.

“The key thing is we’re still in the games but we’re not winning the tight ones where we need to be a little bit smarter.”

Redpath added: “I’m disappointed. I thought London Welsh deserved to win the game.

“Our endeavour was great and energy but it was just execution in little parts of the game that get highlighted when the conditions aren’t so good.

“They make the game very even; if you don’t execute you don’t generally win.

“I’ve not gone mad at anyone. I just said we’ve got to accept it, dig in and we’re all together.

“We have to look at ourselves, including myself, and see what can be better and smarter and then go hard for the win this week.”