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Rugby World Cup Drinking Game

Rugby Nick — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:21:20 +0000

Ok the work starts here. Now we know for sure that ITV will be showing the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand we need to find a way of making their coverage enjoyable… which means drinking vast quantities of alcohol. So a drinking game sounds to be the perfect solution.

This is a collaboration so please do use the comments below to suggest new phrases to drink to, or new ideas, changes etc.

The Rules

Are simple, played much the same way as many other TV drinking games. Everytime you hear or see one of the things below you take the corresponding amount of ‘fingers’ from your beer (hard core players can try doing it with shots). This game is NOT to be played whilst watching England as you will end up wasted inside about 5 minutes. Games in their pool are also not recommended.

Drink 1 Finger When

You hear someone say 2003
You hear someone mention Wilkinson
You hear someone mention Sir Clive Woodward
We have to sit through some 2003 highlights
Stuart Barnes mentions Munster when talking about Ireland
Choose a player before each game, every time their name is mentioned by the commentary – Take 1 finger. Used to be lethal when Gregor Townsend was playing and Bill McLaren was announcing.
1 finger every time an announcer says “you can follow all the world cup action on” and mentions any sort of online stuff

Drink 2 Fingers When

Someone mentions how the game being watched will effect England’s chances
Sod it – any time anyone mentions England in a game that has nothing to do with them
Will Greenwood verbally ejaculates over a player (anyone with Sky Sports will know what I mean)
Gavin Henson is mentioned (assuming he isn’t back, playing and in the Welsh squad)

Finish Your Drink When (if)

Wales beat a Pacific Islands team
New Zealand choke. Finish 2 if it was against France

Please do help out by adding more ideas in the comments!

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Rugby World Cup with ITV

Rugby Nick — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:57:44 +0000

Rugby World Cup with ITV

ITV have the broadcasting rights for both 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups. Hands up who is happy with this decision?

Ok, now hands up who not from England is happy with the decision. I should imagine that’s a big zero. Because whilst England will get plenty of coverage we will be left, yet again, pondering how Wales vs South Africa will effect England’s chances of winning the World Cup.

ITV’s coverage has been traditionally awful, so I assume that the tendering process included no reference to quality and everything to do with price.

Think for a moment about the commentators. John Taylor may have been a class act in a Welsh shirt but his commentary has been some of the least exciting stuff I have ever been sent to sleep to – and I include my old Physics lessons in that.

Going by previous occasions we can assume that ITV will again borrow some ‘talent’ from Sky. Which means we again have to suffer through Will Greenwood trying to be poetic whilst he verbally ejaculates over anything in an England shirt. Stuart Barnes shall be hyping up anything and everything that England do (with brief moments of how England might counter something another country does).

We shall certainly have to sit through some 2003 montages, and a shed load of references in a game that has nothing to do with England. I may even sit down and make a World Cup drinking bingo (in fact I have done – see this great drinking game) – doing shots for each time certain phrases are mentioned in non-England related games. Although I will have to leave out the name ‘Wilkinson’ or we will all be in a drunken stupor before kick off.

Worse there is the possibility that the permanently smug Adrian Chiles will be asked to present some of it. I do hope this is not the case, he can barely manage football never mind rugby.

Those with memories of Formula 1 will remember how ITV can butcher a sport. Those with memories of any World Cup will know how we will have to sit through masses of adverts in between biased and incomprehensible analysis before, during and after the game.

I don’t know if you have noticed but I am really not a fan of ITV getting the World Cup.

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The Welsh Rugby Blog Needs YOU!

Rugby Nick — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:10:26 +0000

Ever fancied yourself to be a bit of a rugby pundit? Fancied getting your views across to thousands of people every month?

To be honest I fancied neither – but it seems to have happened somehow thanks to the Welsh Rugby Blog. As ever it is a case of rolling with the changes, accepting new things – such as people actually coming to read what I write (a novel experience). The problem is that I am simply too biased to the Ospreys – and know no other way of being!

As a result I am hoping to take on a few new bloggers for the upcoming season, fans who can fill in the skills gap that I lack. Namely the ability to write and any sort of understanding of rugby.

Failing that I am at least looking to find some people who are interested in blogging on here who are also Blues, Dragons or Scarlets fans (any fans of London Welsh or Welsh Premiership teams also welcome).

In fact there is a lot of changes planned for the Welsh Rugby Blog over the next month or two, from ‘grass root’ rugby bloggers showing that the art of coarse rugby is very much alive, through to high level refs able to give us a Q&A when needed. We are trying to turn the blog into something of a portal for people who love rugby and who want to dig a little deeper, find out more – or just have a laugh at some idiots thinking they can write.

So if you ARE interested in writing for the blog let me know using the form below, and say what sort of thing you would like to cover. We could give you a coloumn, a separate blog section or simply have you as one of the main writers!

Look forward to hearing from you

Rugby Nick

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Heineken Cup Fixtures

Rugby Nick — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:41:23 +0000

The Heineken Cup fixtures have been announced, and with all the Welsh regions taking part again this year (with the Scarlets thankful the Blues won the Amlin cup) all are looking forward to taking on the best that Europe has to offer.

The Ospreys have one hell of a start – away to Toulon, whilst the Blues have life a little easier at home to Edinburgh. The Dragons start away to Glasgow

Ospreys

Sat 9 Oct Toulon V Ospreys – 2.35pm – Stade Felix Mayol – Canal +
Fri 15 Oct – Ospreys V London Irish – 8.00pm – Liberty Stadium – Sky Sports
Sun 12 Dec – Munster V Ospreys -1.00pm – Thomond Park – Sky Sports
Sat 18 Dec – Ospreys V Munster – 3.45pm – Liberty Stadium – Sky Sports
14/15/16 Jan – London Irish V Ospreys – TBC – Madejski Stadium – TBC
21/22/23 Jan – Ospreys V Toulon – TBC – Liberty Stadium – TBC

Cardiff Blues

Sat Oct 9 Cardiff Blues v Edinburgh Rugby KO18:00 Cardiff City Stadium
Fri Oct 15 Castres Olympique V Cardiff Blues KO21.00 Stade Pierre Antoine
Sat Dec 11 Northampton Saints V Cardiff Blues KO17.45 Franklin’s Gardens
Sun Dec 19 Cardiff Blues V Northampton Saints KO15:00 Cardiff City Stadium
Cardiff Blues v Castres Olympique KO TBD Cardiff City Stadium
Edinburgh Rugby v Cardiff Blues KO TBD Murrayfield

Dragons

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER, 2010 Glasgow Warriors v Newport Gwent Dragons 19.30
SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER, 2010 Newport Gwent Dragons v Toulouse 17.45 S4C*
SUNDAY 12 DECEMBER, 2010 Newport Gwent Dragons v London Wasps 13.00 S4C*
SATURDAY 18 DECEMBER, 2010 London Wasps v Newport Gwent Dragons 13.00 Sky Sports
14 / 15 / 16 JANUARY, 2011 Toulouse v Newport Gwent Dragons
21 / 22 / 23 JANUARY, 2011 Newport Gwent Dragons v Glasgow Warriors

*Highlights

Scarlets

9/10/10 15:45 Scarlets v Perpignan Parc y Scarlets
17/10/10 15:00 Leicester Tigers v Scarlets Welford Road
11/12/10 15:00 Scarlets v Benetton Treviso Parc y Scarlets
18/12/10 14:35 Benetton Treviso v Scarlets TBA
14/15/16 Jan TBC Scarlets v Leicester Tigers Parc y Scarlets
21/22/23 Jan TBC Perpignan v Scarlets TBA

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RiP Mike Wlg

Rugby Nick — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:42:15 +0000

RiP Mike Wlg

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, rugby is a family. It connects millions of people all over the world. And never is that more obvious than on rugby message boards.

You may have seen that I link to the Rugby Rebels forum on a frequent basis – it is a forum I personally use a lot. It is also a forum where I have met many people, made many friends, and even met my better half on.

However it is a sad day on Rebels as we have lost someone who meant a lot to a huge number of us. MikeWlg was a hugely respected poster on Rebels. He helped out as a moderator, talked a lot of good rugby and was a sensible head when the more heated posters (like me) went too far.

People would seek out his rugby posts and his general advice, and because he was the sort of person who liked to help others he gave it.

That is not to say he didn’t clash with posters. I had strong debates with him, especially over the direction the forum should be going – but there was no ones opinion I respected more.

Unfortunately he has just lost his battle with illness. I don’t want to go into the details but he had been fighting with his health for a long time, a fight he bore with tremendous dignity, strength and courage. He was an inspiration to others in the way he conducted himself.

Mike is lost to the world now, but his memory lives on with his friends, with his family and with all on Rugby Rebels. You may not have known him but believe me when I say the rugby world is poorer without him.

Goodbye Mike, RiP bach.

p.s. In his memory the users of Rugby Rebels are making a collection to help his charity of choice – the Te Omanga hospice. If you can spare any money at all in memory of a wonderful human being please do make a donation

https://secure.fundraiserpro.com/teomanga/

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Andy Powell Joins Wasps

Rugby Nick — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:10:27 +0000

It is now finalised that Andy Powell has left the Cardiff Blues and joined Wasps – not the move to rugby league that many were predicting.

This is interesting in a number of ways. Firstly that the Blues are prepared to get rid of their Lions and Welsh star despite him having two years left on his contract. Whilst they may have managed to somehow keep Xavier Rush when he looked set to join Ulster the loss of Andy Powell is a significant loss in depth at the 8 position.

But it doesn’t seem too much of an issue – reports from those ‘in the know’ (be careful of Chinese whispers mind) is that Andy Powell has burnt a lot of bridges in recent months, especially with those at Cardiff. This certainly seems confirmed in what is a very final statement from Dai Young on the Cardiff Blues Website

”
Everyone at the Blues would like to thank Andy for his services to the region over the past five years.”

When he is fully focused, Andy in one of the best back row forwards in the country, as he showed when he was deservedly called up to represent his country and the British and Irish Lions during his time with the Blues.”

“However, I think it’s fair to say that this last season has been a difficult one for Andy following the unwise incident with the golf buggy and he has lost his way somewhat.”

“Both parties felt it was in the best interests of the region and Andy if we parted company and we wish him well with his future rugby career.”

When you filter that through what is usually more polite ‘media speak’ it seems like there is one not very impressed head coach that is happy to see Andy Powell leave.

Now it is no secret that this blog is not exactly a big Andy Powell fan. But with the rise of importance of dynamic number 8′s, and the loss of form of Ryan Jones, Powell is still an important cog in the (much dilapidated) Welsh machine – and so his move to England comes as a bit of a blow.

That means of the 3 best Welsh 8′s currently plying their trade only Ryan Jones is following the stated wish of the Welsh coaches to have Welsh players in the Welsh set up. Andy Powell moves to Wasps in the same summer Gareth Delve moves down to Australia.

Has Ryan Jones now become immoveable as the Welsh 8?

EDIT: Wasps have now confirmed the signing – saying this

On the news, Wasps Director of Rugby Tony Hanks said, “We are delighted to announce that Andy Powell, a hugely talented and highly regarded international back-row forward, joins Wasps ahead of the new season. Andy makes his move from Cardiff based on his desire to drive both his club and international career and whilst his rugby ability is obvious, the Wasps coaching team have all warmed to Andy immediately and are impressed by his drive and enthusiasm to relocate to London and join Wasps.

“Andy is the first high profile Welsh signing at the club since Rob Howley and we are confident he will benefit from the environment and ‘Wasps way’ in a similar fashion and become a favourite with the Wasps faithful. He will be a welcome addition to the squad and is held in high regard by people in the game that we at Wasps trust and respect – none more so than Wasps’ Lions players who played alongside him and forged friendships with him in South Africa in 2009.

“This is a good fit for both Andy and Wasps – we want to give him the platform, on the back of good club performances, to play at the highest level possible and Andy is committed to developing his game and ensuring success for Wasps in 2010/11.”

On joining Wasps Powell said, “I am extremely excited to be joining London Wasps. My decision was a pure rugby decision. After all the talk and speculation about where I will be playing, all I want to do now is get my head down, improve as a player and hopefully if selected, play in the World Cup next year for my country.

“To do that I need to be playing well for my club, and I think with the coaching team and setup here at Wasps, I will have the perfect opportunity to do that. I know Shaun Edwards well of course from my time with the Welsh team, and I took little persuading once I met with Tony Hanks and Trevor Woodman about how serious this team is about success and winning.

“Wasps have pulled together a great squad, with some great coaches and I think this is an environment in which I will thrive as a player and I hope to do my part to help bring success and trophies to Wasps.”

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Welsh Premiership Fixtures

Rugby Nick — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:58:45 +0000

The WRU have released the new fixtures for the Welsh Premiership in the upcoming 2010/2011 season.

The season kicks off on Saturday, 28th of August with defending champions Neath taking on Glamorgan Wanderers at the Gnoll. It concludes on Saturday, 16th of April 2011 – a date which includes the age old rivalry of Swansea vs Cardiff.

The full fixture list

Saturday, 28 August 2010

Cardiff v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Llandovery v Swansea, 14:30
Neath v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Newport v Llanelli, 14:30
Pontypool v Bedwas, 14:30
Pontypridd v Cross Keys, 14:30
Tonmawr v Aberavon, 14:30

********

Saturday, 04 September 2010

Aberavon v Pontypool, 14:30
Bedwas v Neath, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Newport, 14:30
Cross Keys v Cardiff, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Pontypridd, 14:30
Llanelli v Llandovery, 14:30
Swansea v Tonmawr, 14:30

********

Saturday, 11 September 2010

Aberavon v Bedwas, 14:30
Cardiff v Llanelli, 14:30
Neath v Cross Keys, 14:30
Newport v Swansea, 14:30
Pontypool v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Pontypridd v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Tonmawr v Llandovery, 14:30

********

Saturday, 18 September 2010

Aberavon v Pontypridd, 14:30
Bedwas v Cardiff, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Swansea, 14:30
Cross Keys v Llandovery, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Newport, 14:30
Llanelli v Tonmawr, 14:30
Pontypool v Neath, 14:30

********

Wednesday, 22 September 2010

Newport v Carmarthen Quins, 19:30
Pontypridd v Glamorgan Wanderers, 19:30

********

Saturday, 25 September 2010

Cardiff v Aberavon, 14:30
Llandovery v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Llanelli v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Newport v Bedwas, 14:30
Pontypridd v Pontypool, 14:30
Swansea v Cross Keys, 14:30
Tonmawr v Neath, 14:30

********

Saturday, 02 October 2010

Aberavon v Newport, 14:30
Bedwas v Llandovery, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Tonmawr, 14:30
Cross Keys v Llanelli, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Swansea, 14:30
Neath v Pontypridd, 14:30
Pontypool v Cardiff, 14:30

********

Saturday, 09 October 2010

Cardiff v Neath, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Cross Keys, 14:30
Llandovery v Aberavon, 14:30
Llanelli v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Newport v Pontypool, 14:30
Swansea v Bedwas, 14:30
Tonmawr v Pontypridd, 14:30

********

Saturday, 16 October 2010

Bedwas v Cross Keys, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Tonmawr, 14:30
Neath v Aberavon, 14:30

********

Saturday, 23 October 2010

Aberavon v Swansea, 14:30
Bedwas v Llanelli, 14:30
Cross Keys v Tonmawr, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Neath v Newport, 14:30
Pontypool v Llandovery, 14:30
Pontypridd v Cardiff, 14:30

********

Saturday, 30 October 2010

Carmarthen Quins v Bedwas, 14:30
Cross Keys v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Llandovery v Neath, 14:30
Llanelli v Aberavon, 14:30
Newport v Pontypridd, 14:30
Swansea v Pontypool, 14:30
Tonmawr v Cardiff, 14:30

********

Saturday, 06 November 2010

Cardiff v Swansea, 14:30
Neath v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Newport v Llandovery, 14:30
Pontypool v Cross Keys, 14:30
Pontypridd v Llanelli, 14:30
Tonmawr v Bedwas, 14:30

********

Tuesday, 09 November 2010

Aberavon v Llandovery, 19:30
Bedwas v Swansea, 19:30
Cross Keys v Carmarthen Quins, 19:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Llanelli, 19:30
Neath v Cardiff, 19:30
Pontypool v Newport, 19:30
Pontypridd v Tonmawr, 19:30

********

Saturday, 13 November 2010

Aberavon v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Pontypool, 14:30
Llandovery v Cardiff, 14:30
Llanelli v Neath, 14:30
Swansea v Pontypridd, 14:30
Tonmawr v Newport, 14:30

********

Saturday, 20 November 2010

Bedwas v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Cardiff v Cross Keys, 14:30
Neath v Llandovery, 14:30
Pontypool v Swansea, 14:30
Pontypridd v Newport, 14:30
Tonmawr v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30

********

Saturday, 27 November 2010

Llandovery v Pontypridd, 14:30
Llanelli v Pontypool, 14:30
Newport v Cardiff, 14:30
Swansea v Neath, 14:30

********

Wednesday, 01 December 2010

Llandovery v Bedwas, 19:30
Llanelli v Cross Keys, 19:30
Newport v Aberavon, 19:30
Swansea v Glamorgan Wanderers, 19:30

********

Saturday, 04 December 2010

Carmarthen Quins v Pontypridd, 14:30
Cross Keys v Neath, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Pontypool, 14:30
Llandovery v Tonmawr, 14:30
Llanelli v Cardiff, 14:30
Swansea v Newport, 14:30#

********

Saturday, 11 December 2010

Aberavon v Tonmawr, 14:30
Bedwas v Pontypool, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Cardiff, 14:30

********

Saturday, 18 December 2010

Cardiff v Pontypool, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Aberavon, 14:30
Cross Keys v Bedwas, 14:30
Tonmawr v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30

********

Monday, 27 December 2010

Aberavon v Neath, 14:30
Bedwas v Pontypridd, 14:30
Cross Keys v Newport, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Cardiff, 14:30
Llandovery v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Llanelli v Swansea, 14:30
Pontypool v Tonmawr, 14:30

********

Monday, 03 January 2011

Cardiff v Bedwas, 14:30
Llandovery v Cross Keys, 14:30
Neath v Pontypool, 14:30
Newport v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Pontypridd v Aberavon, 14:30
Swansea v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Tonmawr v Llanelli, 14:30

********

Saturday, 08 January 2011

Aberavon v Cardiff, 14:30
Bedwas v Newport, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Llanelli, 14:30
Cross Keys v Swansea, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Llandovery, 14:30
Neath v Tonmawr, 14:30
Pontypool v Pontypridd, 14:30

********

Saturday, 15 January 2011

Bedwas v Aberavon, 14:30
Cardiff v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Tonmawr v Pontypool, 14:30

********

Saturday, 22 January 2011

Pontypool v Aberavon, 14:30
Saturday, 05 February 2011
Cardiff v Pontypridd, 14:30
Llandovery v Pontypool, 14:30
Llanelli v Bedwas, 14:30
Newport v Neath, 14:30
Swansea v Aberavon, 14:30
Tonmawr v Cross Keys, 14:30

********

Saturday, 12 February 2011

Aberavon v Llanelli, 14:30
Cardiff v Tonmawr, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Cross Keys, 14:30
Neath v Bedwas, 14:30
Pontypool v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30

********

Saturday, 26 February 2011

Carmarthen Quins v Llandovery, 14:30
Newport v Cross Keys, 14:30
Pontypridd v Bedwas, 14:30
Swansea v Llanelli, 14:30

********

Saturday, 05 March 2011

Aberavon v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Cross Keys v Pontypridd, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Neath, 14:30
Llandovery v Llanelli, 14:30
Tonmawr v Swansea, 14:30

********

Saturday, 12 March 2011

Carmarthen Quins v Glamorgan Wanderers, 14:30
Llanelli v Newport, 14:30
Pontypridd v Neath, 14:30
Swansea v Llandovery, 14:30

********

Saturday, 19 March 2011

Bedwas v Carmarthen Quins, 14:30
Cardiff v Newport, 14:30
Cross Keys v Aberavon, 14:30
Neath v Swansea, 14:30
Pontypool v Llanelli, 14:30
Pontypridd v Llandovery, 14:30

********

Saturday, 02 April 2011

Aberavon v Cross Keys, 14:30
Cardiff v Llandovery, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Bedwas, 14:30
Neath v Llanelli, 14:30
Newport v Tonmawr, 14:30
Pontypridd v Swansea, 14:30

********

Saturday, 16 April 2011

Bedwas v Tonmawr, 14:30
Carmarthen Quins v Neath, 14:30
Cross Keys v Pontypool, 14:30
Glamorgan Wanderers v Aberavon, 14:30
Llandovery v Newport, 14:30
Llanelli v Pontypridd, 14:30
Swansea v Cardiff, 14:30

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Vuvuzela at the Parc Y Scarlets?

Rugby Nick — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 21:10:20 +0000

It may sound like your idea of hell. I know it is mine and I am very grateful it looks like the vuvuzela will be banned from the rugby world cup. But apparently this isn’t obvious to everyone.

The Scarlets haven’t decided to ban it. In fact they are so unsure they are asking the fan(s) what they think. They want to know if the fans want it.

http://www.scarlets.co.uk/eng/news/2881.php

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Vuvuzelas Banned for World Cup

Rugby Nick — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:32:51 +0000

Some great news – the Vuvuzelas are likely to be banned from the World Cup. Bit late for the football world cup, but who cares about them? The Rugby World Cup, the one that matters, have them banned for all of the games in New Zealand – following on from certain venues banning them in the Tri-Nations

Any one who has tried to sit through the football World Cup will welcome the banning of the vuvuzelas with open arms. Those bloody awful plastic trumpets (best I can think of to describe them) have spoilt the little pleasure I manage to derive from watching the the over paid wendyballers fall over anyway. Every match it is the same thing, droning, monotonous noise from start to finish.

Some might wish they were there to drown out the ITV coverage (yes, sorry, it is on ITV again) but in the main their noise will not be missed.

“We are concerned about their potential to spoil the experience for fans,” a venue management executive said.

Good to see someone is. And good to see that yet again rugby turns out to have more brains than football. Good bye you annoying plastic noise polluters. You will not be missed.

Thanks to @the_welsh_idiot on Twitter for bringing this to my attention

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Things We Learned From the Tour – #3 Lack of Ideas

Rugby Nick — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:50:38 +0000

Things We Learned From the Tour – #3 Lack of Ideas

How many times have we bemoaned the lack of plan B for the Welsh rugby team? And yet it seems we are still left bereft of ideas, clueless, when our plan A is figured out. And that is no surprise as everyone knows Plan A and so simply need to devise a way of countering it.

What is Plan A? Simply soften up the midfield with Roberts, move it as close the the touchline as possible with successive blind forward drives and then spin open into the massive open field. But because we are so slow in doing it, and because teams have us worked out, there are no miss-matches created. The defences against us are well organised.

That is not to say that even vs well drilled defences it doesn’t work. We can and do make ground. But when it is consistently the same tactic then we are left letting the defences know what we are going to do, and set up accordingly.

Brief Moments

The Welsh Tour of New Zealand showed us, yet again, that we are reliant on these tactics working. And when they don’t we rely on individuals producing a moment of magic – and as this tour had no Hook and no Shane Williams (as well as the still missing Gavin Henson) we lacked the required players who are able to create something out of nothing.

There were brief moments, moments that gave us a glimmer of what could be. The most notable of which was the final 10 minutes of the 2nd test against New Zealand. Yes the Kiwi defence had, to a degree, gone to sleep with their job seemingly done. But that does not detract from what was some very promising attacks – one of which led to a try for Jamie Roberts, the other of which should have been a try but for a moment of white line fever causing Jonathan Davies to go for the line rather than use the two man overlap, and the get caught.

The Welsh Way

These attacks were promising not just because of their success but because they showed inventiveness. The forwards had secured front foot ball, and had started interpassing. Not just hitting the deck and rerucking, but offloading and running into space. Whilst the concept of the ‘Welsh Way’ is, imo, misleading media speculation used for brand purposes only it does describe a certain type of rugby.

A type that we have used before to success (2005) and a type that led us to go backwards (2006), or at the very least sideways – a lot. I certainly don’t want us to go back to those days of throwing the ball around willy nilly, but moving the point of attack, providing something different, aiming at space – these are things that have been missing from our game, and should be reintroduced as a method of varying our game, of keeping opponents guessing.

For instance the ‘move it as close to the touchline as possible’ (AKA Plan A) would work far better, imo, if the opponents were genuinely worried about a blindside break. So having the forwards interpassing there, mixing in with Shane and co to provide a real attacking threat down that side that occasionally breaks, will cause the opponents to be worried, forcing them to commit more numbers and so possibly exposing overlaps on our preferred openside wide attack.

A quick change of direction when it looks like we are starting to set our selves up to go blind often will cause hesitation, especially if a few offloads can put us beyond the first up tackles.

These are simple things – and I certainly don’t assume I have thought of them when Warren Gatland hasn’t. But whatever they have thought of, or even trained, isn’t getting put in place. We run the same predictable moves on the same predictable lines game after game – with only James Hook and Shane Williams showing any real invention – and even they bring other faults to their games.

Right now, to me, Wales are showing a complete lack of invention, barren of ideas. It really is time we had some much needed back up plans brought into our game.

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