Continuing on in our series of things that we already knew but will pretend we learned on the tour (yesterday’s was dedicated to Gavin Thomas) we have the panic that sets in to the Welsh rugby team. And not just any panic (though we will be covering defensive problems later in the series) – this is the panic we get when we look like we are going to score.
One try. One try in 3 games vs New Zealand. You think that would tell you all you need …

Things We Learned From The Tour… #1 Gavin Thomas
As part of a series studying what we learnt from the Wales tour to New Zealand, let’s call is a vain attempt at salvaging something from such a pointless trip, we are going to look at things that we ‘learnt’ from the tour.
To be honest in most cases we knew them already and things will have simply been reinforced by this tour. But we may as well get something to talk about after such an abject showing.
Gavin Thomas
The most obvious thing …

New Zealand: Mils Muliaina (Chiefs); Cory Jane (Hurricanes), Richard Kahui (Chiefs), Benson Stanley (Blues), Zac Guildford (Crusaders); Daniel Carter (Crusaders), Jimmy Cowan (Highlanders); Tony Woodcock (Blues), Keven Mealamu (Blues), Neemia Tialata (Hurricanes), Brad Thorn (Crusaders), Tom Donnelly (Highlanders), Jerome Kaino (Blues), Richie McCaw (capt, Crusaders), Kieran Read (Crusaders).
Replacements: Aled de Malmanche (Chiefs), Owen Franks (Crusaders), Sam Whitelock (Crusaders), Adam Thomson (Highlanders), Piri Weepu (Hurricanes), Aaron Cruden (Hurricanes), Rene Ranger (Blues).
Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Tom Prydie (Ospreys); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), …

Talk to any Welsh rugby fan about big prospects coming through and one of the first names mentioned will be Tom Prydie. After all this is the youngest ever Welsh player and, if I recall correctly, the youngest ever player to play in the Heineken cup, having come off the bench for the Ospreys.
This weekend he faces up to New Zealand (the poor sod, does anyone hold ANY hope for this game?) having already made two starts for Wales. And he is barely 18.
But take a look at …

From the WRU
Wales have made three changes to their starting line-up from the side narrowly defeated (34-31) by South Africa at the Millennium Stadium last time out for the first clash of their two-Test summer tour in New Zealand at Carisbrook on Saturday (KO 7.35pm local time).
Andrew Bishop replaces fellow Osprey James Hook in the centre and up front another Osprey lock Alun-Wyn Jones gets the nod ahead of Blues second row Deiniol Jones who moves to bench.
In the back row Dragons flanker Gavin Thomas returns to a Wales shirt …

15 Lee BYRNE (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,041)
DoB: 01.06.80. 6’3″ / 1.91m. 15st 1lb / 96kgs
International record: 32 caps (W 14, L 17, D 1; 40 pts – 8T)
14 Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,060)
DoB: 22.12.88. 5’10” / 1.77m. 12st 11lbs / 81kgs
International record: 14 caps (W 6, L 8; 53 pts – 7T, 6PG)
13 James HOOK (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,047)
DoB: 27.06.85. 6’0” / 1.83m. 14st 10lbs / 93kgs
International record: 42 caps (W 18, L 23, D 1; 224 pts – 9T,34C,35PG,2DG)
12 Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – …

Rugby is fantastic. Not only is it the best sport in the World (made up statistics proving this available on request) but t also has the best people playing it. Nowhere else do you get the same sense of camaraderie, of family, as you do with other rugby fans.
No segregation of fans, no violence (off the pitch) – just people you can talk with, have a beer with after the game. No matter what your backgrounds.
Stop Slapping Yourself on the Back!!!
Rugby may be all this, but it …

That is the only conclusion I can make from the farcical decision to dock the Ospreys 4 points next season, and fine them £100,000. This is because they refused to play a league game vs Ulster.
But it is not as clear cut as all that, in fact it is nothing like you would think from hearing that those nasty Osprey people (trust me, read any non-Welsh message board and you will see many people calling them a lot worse, based on nothing but hearsay) cancelled a game.
Rearranged
First up it …

In an unexpected twist to the political wranglings over who will form Government it is expected to be announced today that the parties have unanimously chosen David Moffett, ex WRU Chairman, to be Prime Minister. His plans have impressed a lot of West Minster politicians.
In a sneak preview of what the country can expect we managed to get hold of a copy of the manifesto he laid out in his bid for power.

He shall unite all the councils into 5 regions. Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Nothern England and …

Filo Tiatia, one of the Osprey’s kiwi backrow players, has announced that he is going to retire at the end of the season.
At 38 it might be expected but it is a loss. And as an Ospreys fan all I can say is ‘thank you Filo’.
As far as I am concerned he is one of the first of the Ospreys legends that will go down in folklore. He is inspirational and hardhitting on the pitch. I know when he first signed I wasn’t much of a fan, …