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**Wales have had a rather staggering downwards trajectory performance wise over the past year. Was there a major change that I missed? Someone injured?**
1. 2005 Grand Slam winning coach Mike Ruddock resigned half way through the last 6 nations. He was replaced (eventually) by the utter fuckwit that is Gareth Jenkins.
2. Jenkins has the tactical nous and coaching ability of a small plastic soap dish. He's managed to turn a hard-scrummaging yet mobile pack into a bunch of whey-faced fops. The Scots have got a barely international class front-row, yet at the first scrum of the game tight-head Adam Jones got lifted, the whole thing went backwards and we got pushed off our own ball. Criminal.
3. He hates Gavin Henson and won't pick him. Henson is probably the most talented player Wales has had in a decade. He can do stuff that other players can't, that we really need. e.g. time a pass, pass out of the tackle, kick long and accurately for position. But fuckwit Jenkins can't see past that fact that Gavin wears silver boots, has spiky hair, is shagging a celeb and isn't a coalminer.
4. Shane Williams is injured, so we have insanely decided to play Chris Cjekaj instead of a seasoned, tough tackler like Dai James. CC has been so far out of his depth in the first 2 games that it's been painful to watch. He had to go to fullback vs the Scots when Morgan went off injured - we had no adequate cover on the bench because GJ won't even give Henson a place in the 22.
5. GJ selects donkeys like Sidoli and Stephen Jones, when they are useless and way out of form respectively.
6. Never underestimate the Welsh capacity for infighting and self-destruction.
We can still recover and win a couple, but only if we :
a) switch James Hook to 10
b) bring in Cockbain at lock. We need a really nasty bastard in there.
c) get Shane Williams fit or pick Luscombe or James on if not. Drop CC.
d) Try a different hooker. The line-out problems appear to be down to TRT. Don't replace him with M.Rees, bring back Mefin Davies (hard, experienced) or go for someone with a bit of dog like Aled Gravelle.
e) Get a fucking game plan together.
― Dr.C (Dr.C), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 11:06 (seventeen years ago) link
Sorry Irish contingent, but it cheered me up after Saturday! I have to say that Ireland have surprised me a bit - the front-row has improved no end this season. But the backs still run sideways too often - they didn't make France commit to the tackle enough. The winning France try just shows what's possible when you straighten up and go for the gap.
― Dr.C (Dr.C), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 11:15 (seventeen years ago) link
I used to like you up until that point. Ronan OTM.
Nah, thanks for the info about Wales. I didn't realise that Henson was so valuable. I too am unfortunately quite like the coach as in I can't see past that fact that Gavin wears silver boots, has spiky hair, is shagging a celeb and isn't a coalminer. Well it's the spiky haird really and his weird orange-ness!
What are the odds of any of the changes being made do you think?
― kv_nol (kv_nol), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 11:37 (seventeen years ago) link
Boss is good, yes. I thought he tried a bit too hard on Sunday - should have stopped and thought at a penalty near the end (after Horan's run IIRC), but he's streets ahead of Stringer.
― Dr.C (Dr.C), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 14:22 (seventeen years ago) link
I feel bad slating Stringer as he put in so many good years but he's just not great anymore.
Boss forced a couple of things stupidly but I'm really hoping a bit of experience (or being shouted at for the next while) will sort him out :)
― kv_nol (kv_nol), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 14:24 (seventeen years ago) link
It seems as good a place as any to announce that I have retired from all rugby, including internationals, with immediate effect. Much as the Welsh R.U. would be tempted to play a 44 yr-old number 8 in the rest of the 6 nations, I shall be writing them to tell them of my unavailability. I expect a place in the BBC Studio as a summariser to be offered as a matter of course. Highlights of a glittering 30-year career include being the only member of my team to enter the opposition half in a 0-78 loss (1987), passing to the referee when clear and 5 yards out from the line (c.1995) and being knocked out by ex-British Lion M1ckey Sk1nner (2006). The rugby world salutes a legend.
― Dr.C (Dr.C), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 15:32 (seventeen years ago) link
Truly Rugby has lost one of it's brightest stars :(
I expect after the next international that Grandstand will have a five minute highlights reel for you to "The Scientist" by Coldplay.
― kv_nol (kv_nol), Tuesday, 13 February 2007 15:44 (seventeen years ago) link
Now Kevin Morgan is out of the France game. This is a huge distaster as he is one of the few backs with real pace and the ability to run angles. Jenkins SHOULD pick Henson, but will pick the pedestrian Lee Byrne instead, I should think.
― Dr.C (Dr.C), Wednesday, 14 February 2007 11:33 (seventeen years ago) link