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A dark, dark day!
So much for improvement, was the words on the lips of many Welsh fans after the battering England gave us on February 3rd. The under achievment of the national team continues and it must be asked whether or not that was the best starting Xv we could have put out. There was no flair, pride or determination for the last 70 minutes. The first 10 minutes showed how we can compete if we put 100% into the cause. The problem remains however that we can play against the worlds best for 10 minutes only and can't sustain it for the entire match. For us supporters it is ununderstandable how when you put on that red Welsh shirt and play infront of 72000 people you don't give anything but your best. Seasoned internationals such as Dai Young, Darren Morris, Chrys Wyatt, Scott Quinell and Scott Gibbs seemed to give nowhere near their 100% best for the cause. Scott Gibbs earned his 50th cap in the very same game a hurdle which should have given him so much inspiration, but we see important players such as Gibbs playing as though it was just another club game against some minnow team from way down West Wales. The bitter truth of the matter is that Wales Vs England is not just another game , it is a game that unless you commit everything you have in the tank to the cause you will lose and lose badly at that.
Questions must also be asked about how well the team was prepared for that game. Admittedly they had only had a week because of the Euoropean cup but having said that so did England. The Welsh defence was ragged and disorganised and the attack was pittyful. At full back although Steven Jones did his very best it was obvious he was out oif position and was caught flat footed on several occasions. Graham Henry must take some of the blame for his selection and his rallying. Those players should have been absolutey fit to explode as they stepped onto that turf, prepared to do anything for a Welsh win. Instead they were half paced and sluggish. Henry had said in papers all week that he thought England would "probably" win and it must be asked whether or not that is the attitude a coach should be filtering through to his players all week.
What made matters worse for Henry was his plippent comments after the game. When he was asked about the performance he did not simply say "yes we were dreadful and we have loads of work to do" which would have earned him at least some respect but instead started to say that Wales had in fact played reasnobly well against a good side. I'm sorry Graham but i don't bye that. taking nothing away from our friends from across the bridge but the England team that played on Saturday was now where near unbeatable. They showed weaknesses in defence and attack and one felt that a country such as Scotland or Ireland who may show a bit more grit and determination and take the game to them may pull off a surprise win.
To wrap up a dreadful weekend to be Welsh and some serious work needed before the trip to Murreyfield.
Shocker at 15!
Graham Henry has named Steven Jones his chosen full Back for Saturday's game against England. Jones has not played the position since 1997 and will get his "warm up" game against one of the worlds unfortunate best. However although Henry admitts it is a bit of a gamble he is sure that Jones will be fine since he has a good cool head and an eye for the game. All will be revealed on Saturday afternoon however at around 5pm when Jones will either be zero or hero.
This is for you Steven - All the best and don't let some arrogant swine say at the end of the game "Stephen who...."
Welsh team to play against England on February 3rd at the Cardiff Arms Park
1.Darren Morris
2.Robin McBryde
3.Dai Young (capt)
4.Ian Gough
5.Chris Wyatt
6.Colin Charvis
7.Martyn Williams
8.Scott Quinell
9.Robert Howley
10.Neil Jenkins
11.Dafydd James
12.Scott Gibbs
13.Mark Taylor
14.Gareth Thomas
15.Steven Jones
Bad weekend all round
The weekend did infact proveto be a test for all the Welsh teams, a test to far indeed. Cardiff well beaten on Saturday and Swansea demoralised on Sunday. Prehaps looking on the "brighter" side of things it is for the best that test matches especially between England and Wales don't always go on form and there may still be hope for us. Realistically though no one can deny that it is a huge task for Graham Henry to turn around our fortunes. But again looking on the brighter side if anyone can do it it must be GH. Anyway can things get much worse? At least the Welsh team may show a bit of pride against the old enemy which is more than can be said for Cardiff and Swansea. All our hopes and dreams lie with you now lads, at the end of the day it's 15 vs 15 (so long as he doesn't pick Swansea's James Griffiths) and if everyman beats his opposite number then the job will be done. All the best from all at Land Of My Fathers - THE NATION AWAITS
TEST! before big test match
This weekend Cardiff and Swansea will be representing Wales in the later stages of the Heineken cup. These matches will surely judge how we as a nation can compete against England and the other home nations. These matches will also mark the retern to fitness of a few key players, mark Taylor to name one and judge whether or not these players are fit enough to play on the big stage next week. this weekend will indeed be the big test before the even bigger test match against England on February 3rd at the Cardiff arms park (lets not call it the Millenium stadium for ever shall we?)
Come on the boys - good luck to all Welsh teams playing this weekend!!
Something missing from test matches?
It is not surprising to find out that players can be lifted in a match by the support they get from each other, coaching staff and of course supporters. Of these three areas of encouragement none is more important in the modern day game than the support the crowd offers a team. This however is not always in plentiful supply in Wales. Right from the grass roots of the game at schoolboy level to senior professional rugby it is often the case that a team is lacking in support. As I have already stated supporters can lift teams to perform better especially in tight matches. One can not underestimate the extra bit of encouragement a player feels withy every extra decibel of sound and with every extra person who watches them perform. The lack of support is not always intentional however. In the recent Wales Vs Samoa game the Millennium Stadium was almost at full capacity but the atmosphere, which can give the players so much was missing. We have seen in Wales what a good atmosphere in an international match can do.
Remember England at Wembley in 1999? Wembley was alive in that match and the atmosphere was electric. The Millennium Stadium in the Samoa match was not a shadow of it. Hardly none of the traditional songs are sung anymore and the state of the game in Wales is worse for it. Imagine walking out onto the hallow turf of Cardiff Arms Park with Bread of Heaven in one ear and the cry of 70,000 Welshmen in the other. Surely that would send intimidation into the bones of the most seasoned international. Although a Wales, Samoa match could not expect to live up to a Wales, England match there should not be such a vast border between them. Therefore as I see it the best way we can support and help our national team is for in all the home matches to make the National Stadium somewhere where even the worlds best would fear coming to.
Brief News – Wales appoint Taylor as new Skipper
Swansea’s Mark Taylor has been named new Welsh captain instead of the injured Dai Young. The Swansea outside centre although unused to leadership is relishing the new challenge and honour of leading his country. Mark Taylor will lead Wales for the first time on Saturday 11th November as Wales take on the Samoans.
Graham Henry and the Lions
With the appointment of Graham Henry as the new Lions coach, there have been many that have questioned whether or not it is the right thing to do by Wales. After all Graham Henry already has enough a tough task ahead of himself with the Welsh team. Also it must be appreciated no matter how hard that presently there are probably not many members of the Welsh team who will push for a Lions test place. With this in mind questions must be asked about Graham Henry’s suitability for the task, however it must be said that if there is any coach in the world that can juggle two jobs it is Mr.Henry himself.
With these facts in mind I would say that Graham Henry approaches his job or indeed his jobs with such professionalism that he will not let either one affect the other and will in my opinion do as good a job for the Lions as he has done and is doing for Wales.
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Why Robert Howley didn't leave Wales
Everybody in the rugby world had expected to see Robert Howley at Leicester next season after negotiations with the English club. However after meeting club officials including Dean Richards, Howley put a stop to all rumours and called the whole thing off. He explained that he felt that it would be too difficult to move to Leicester especially since Howley and his wife now have a young child. Although Howley would have liked to play in the Allied Dunbar league in the same team as the likes of Martin Johnson and Neil Back he made clear that his family ties were more important to him than the move to England. He does stress however even though he did think about leaving his Cardiff club his commitment to their cause will not suffer. He vows always to do his best whatever club he is part of. He hopes that although Cardiff’s performance in both the cups were not good this season that next season they will be once again in contention against Europe’s finest.
Howley firmly believes that he will be able to return as an international player next season, and will hopefully find his again form ready for the Lions tour to Australia. But he is well aware that he must regain his Welsh No 9 shirt before any Lions spot can be thought of. His long awaited Lions cap is still waiting to be collected. He claims that he has already had his fitness program from the new Welsh fitness coach Peter Herbert and emphasises that Herbert is a far different type of coach to Steve Black. He claims that Herbert is a more sports minded coach and although he differs in the approach of Steve Black Howley confirms that all you get out of training is what you put in. If you would like to fine out more about Robert Howley click the link below.
Robert Howley fact file
Full Name: Robert Howley
Nickname: Stan
Date of Birth: 13.10.70
Birthplace: Bridgend
School/College: Brynteg Comprehensive; Swansea University
Marital status: Married to Ceri; daughter Megan
Occupation: Professional rugby player
Former Jobs: Development officer with Ogwr Borough Council
Other sports played: None
Hobbies/Spare time: Going to the cinema; golf
Favourite food: Steak and chips with chasseur sauce
Best rugby memory to date Gaining first cap at Twickenham and beating South Africa at Millennium Stadium
Biggest influence on your career: Keith Crockett at Brynteg
Most Respected Opponent: Joost ven der Westhuizen
People you most admire in the world: Paramedics
What would you most like to be if you weren't a professional rugby player: CID detective
Favourite phrase/quote: “It‘s a game of two halves“.
Postion: Scrum half
Height: 5'9" (1.76m)
Weight: 13st (83kg)
Club: Cardiff
Previous Clubs: Bridgend
Honours: Wales Under 18, Wales Under 20, Wales Under 21, Wales Students, Wales A, British Lions
Test Debut: 3 February, 1996 (v England)
Test Record: 38 caps (W 21, L 17; 35 pts - 7T)
