This is a league that gets much derision for a number of reasons, for teams not taking it seriously, for a lack of fans, for a lack of interest. But yet again we see just how the Magners League address this issue – they do nothing and hope it works.

Now I do think the Guinness Premiership is an over rated league. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a number of things going for it – not least because they know how to interest the fans.

Double Header

This season, having moved to London, I have ‘acquired’ a Wasps season ticket. Obviously I would prefer to be watching the Ospreys but that isn’t logistically possible. But I look at what Wasps start out with and then I look at the Ospreys fixture list and I am left thinking that maybe watching the GP is the right choice.

Wasps start with the ‘double header’ at Twickenham. I did this last year and it is a great day out, loads of fans, loads of buzz, a lot going on and two great games against traditional rivals. Kicks the season off well.

Compare this with the Ospreys start. Two trips to Ireland, which most fans are going to be unable to get to, and two home games vs the new Italian teams.

Now I know that having a league in so many countries is going to lead to a number of games you don’t care as much about – but there has to be a better way of starting the season off than this!

Why can’t we look at the Welsh teams getting a double header together at the Millenium? Goodness only knows the clubs don’t take the league that seriously anyway so the move of a ‘home game’ to the Millennium will not be too concerning, and will create a lot more interest amongst fans.

Even if that not is the case a local derby to kick us off allows all fans to get to their teams first game of the season, will lead to some sell outs and create a lot of media and fan interest. Surely it is important to start the season off with a bang?

Not in the Magners League though, a whimper is more accurate. But then what else can we expect from a league that doesn’t want good players playing in it.

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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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Enjoy – if you like that kind of thing!

Hi,

I’m Sammy from an advertising agency called Jam. We’re working with the News of the World, and we want to give you exclusive access to this weekend’s hottest scoop.

Your post about vuvuzelas being banned was great (they are so annoying), and we thought that you might be interested in an exclusive story about Welsh rugby star, Gavin Henson.

This Sunday in the News of the World’s Fabulous, we’ve got a bare all interview with Gavin Henson in which he reveals how his torrid love life has affected his game and his plans for the future. We’d like to give you an exclusive picture from the interview as a little taster of what’s to come. I couldn’t imagine Stephen Jones in a shoot like that!
Enjoy!

Sammy

http://welshrugbyblog.co.uk/?attachment_id=878 <– the picture. Again I warn it is NSFW. You can click on the picture to make it bigger. If you dare.

Although how he has the cheek to hold a rugby ball in a promotional shoot I have no idea!

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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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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

If any of you are one of the ten Scarlets fans that go to the games please let them know that they aren’t wanted. Otherwise all that will be left at the stadium is…

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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 that start for a moment. It is his 3rd cap. What is, in my opinion, more worrying is that it is only his 5th senior start. In fact he will, after Saturday morning, have started more games for Wales than he has for the Ospreys. And even then his only starts for the Ospreys has been in the LV= Cup.

Calm The Loving Down

Now don’t get me wrong, he looks to have it all. He is apparently exceedingly quick (though a discussion on Rugby Rebels has cast doubts on how reportedly quick he is), he is a big lad (the Ospreys website has him at 6’3″) and in the few occassions I have seen him he has looked very assured, not over-awed by the big stage.

Certainly the Welsh coaches are big fans, and they may know a thing or two about rugby.

But when you hear people talk they sound like they talk from authority about how well Prydie is going to do, about how he is ‘there’ already (wherever there is).  But can someone explain to me where this authority has come from.

Let’s face it – almost none of us know anything about him.  We will have seen him for 2 Welsh games, and that’s just about it.  Most won’t have watched the Ospreys in the LV= cup (and who can blame them), he only has 2 sub appearances other than that (one Heineken cup, one Magners League) and so you will have to go watch Swansea in the Welsh Premiership to have any idea on what his ability is – and how many people do that?

It is very possible Tom Prydie will turn out to be a world class player.  But given our history of putting all our hopes on youngsters, just to see them crack under the pressure, let’s try cool down the Prydie love in and see how he performs, rather than loving him for how we think he will perform in the future.

The press may love to build up players only to tear them down again.  Let’s not follow their lead.

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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 was a rearranged game. Why was it re-arranged in the first place? Because Ulster failed to provide adequate facilities. Quite simply they had no under soil heating and were amazed to find they had to call a game off at short notice (freezing conditions in Ireland in the winter? Who’d have thought it?).

We then find that they put forward a date to the Magners League that not only did the Ospreys not agree to, but offered 3 alternative dates for. Ulster ignored the Ospreys and did it anyway. This, of course, sets a dangerous precedent. It seems that any home game can now be called off and rearranged for whenever you want it (even if it was called off for you not having adequate facilities). How much would the Dragons prefer to take on Munster in an International window? Or the Ospreys require Leinster to play them a day after Leinster play Munster? One hell of a good reason for calling off EVERY home game you have, to be rearranged for when you want.

Clashes

The game was never agreed to by the Ospreys, and for good reason, they knew they had little chance of fulfilling the fixture. The Magners League had, at the start of the season, insisted that no games took place whilst there were Internationals – and made the Welsh regions rearrange the EDF so that EDF games took place in the window instead. But apparently that didn’t count this weekend. The rearranged game was in the International Window for the 6 Nations, and so the Ospreys had all their Internationals out (including 3 front rowers, and another on Under 20 duty).

The game was also held at the same day as another big game. We will get onto the idea of ‘feeder clubs’ in a moment but the two that people suggested the Ospreys turn to for front row cover, Swansea and Neath, weren’t available. Why? Because the date Ulster chose not only had all the Welsh stars out but was the same day that first was playing 2nd in the Welsh Premiership. Which clubs were they? Ah yes, the supposed two ‘feeder clubs’ to the Ospreys, Neath vs Swansea.

Now before we get onto feeder clubs let us be very clear on something – there is no way a Magners League game can ever take precedent over a Welsh Premiership game because they are separate competitions, involving different teams and run by different people. The Magners League could no less insist that the Ospreys used one of the Neath or Swansea players any more that they could insist that they used Status Quo to sing before hand. They could ask, but they could not insist.

Feeder Clubs – The Myth Exposed

Now the idea of ‘Feeder Clubs’ is a failed one anyway, they are a myth. The Ospreys are owned by a company owned half by Swansea, half by Neath. this is a separate company for all intents and purposes – think about it, in a joint venture how many companies risk all their current business assets? None that survive that’s for sure.

So the direct relationship is out. Now think about the clubs for a moment. They contract players that they want, with an eye to being as successful as possible. Now it is suggested that the Ospreys could turn to any of them and take a player. But under what right is this true? these players are contracted to one company, another company can’t come in and demand they play for them instead.

Magners League

Some have suggested the Ospreys should have sought out short term cover. but this is missing the point. Firstly short term cover makes sense when you are talking about injuries, and the Ospreys did have some injuries (and a suspension), but they had the cover – if the games were played when the Magners League said they would be, outside of the International Window.

Magners League rules insists on a maximum of 36 players being registered, a minimum of 10 of which must be front row players. The Ospreys met this requirement, and still couldn’t play because of

1) Injuries
2) A suspension
3) International call ups

On a day that a game shouldn’t have been on, to a game that they didn’t agree to, and one they gave a lot of notice they weren’t going to attend.

Questions to be Answered

So tell me, why should Ulster have been allowed to dictate the game date? A dangerous precedent. Why should the Ospreys be punished for having 4 front row players in the Internationals? (at that point remember, the first choice Welsh front row as Geth and Rees were injured)?

From now on the message is clear. Retired ex-Internationals and those not good enough for International duty only. Otherwise you will be forced to play games without your players, and docked points and fined if you refuse.

I do hope the World is paying attention to how seriously the Magners League is taking itself, and acts appropriately.

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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, concerned his discipline was going to be a major problem. I was wrong.

He continues on at the Liberty as contact coach, with some rumours his role may be more encompassing next season as he becomes a full time coach. To many O’s fans that is good news as, like Dan Baugh over in Cardiff, he is a foreign flanker who we identified with, and in many cases idolised.

So cheers for the memories Tiatia, let’s hope we can sign you out, playing wise at least, on a high.

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Ospreys: Lee Byrne; Tommy Bowe, Andrew Bishop, James Hook, Shane Williams; Dan Biggar, Mike Phillips; Paul James, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Jerry Collins, Marty Holah, Ryan Jones (capt).

Replacements: Ed Shervington, Ryan Bevington, Ian Gough, Filo Tiatia, Jamie Nutbrown, Gareth Owen, Nikki Walker.

And a much depleted Dragons team

15. Will Harries, 14. Adam Hughes, 13. Rhodri Gomer Davies, 12. Pat Leach, 11.Richard Fussell, 10. Jason Tovey, 9. Wayne Evans, 1. Aaron Coundley, 2. Tom Willis, 3. Ben Castle, 4. Robert Sidoli, 5. Hoani MacDonald, 6. Andrew Coombs 7. Gavin Thomas, 8. Lewis Evans,

16. Lloyd Burns, 17. Pat Palmer 18. Jevon Groves, 19. James Harris, 20. Tom Riley, 21 Adam Greendale, 22. Jonathan Evans

anyone giving the Dragons a chance?

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In an article about what is wrong with the Ospreys he claims

I’m certainly not saying that there are not fans who are passionate about the Ospreys, still less that the players do not care enough. And collective passion by itself will not turn a bad team into a good one. It might, though, make a good team slightly better. There is no doubt that passionate mass attachment to an identity is a huge plus for a team. Munster may be the most obvious case, but I’m equally reminded of it every time I go to Northampton. One reason I love visiting Franklin’s Gardens is that it recaptures what rugby felt like when I first watched it as a child in Wales, with large crowds whose investment in the outcome is an expression of a deeply-rooted collective identity.

Now forgive my bluntness but never have I heard so much shit in my life – not even when Stuart Barnes talks (and God knows him and his Sky cronies manage to take shit talking to a whole new level).

What the Ospreys need, more than decent replacements for John Humphries and Sean Holley, is some loud fans. If we are talking about the wage bill maybe more fans would be a wortwhile point, but when talking about underachieving? No thanks.  The set up, the coaches and the players have to take responsibility for their own actions.

What I find most amazing about rugby journalism these days is not that the standard is poor, their lack of thought or insight.  What surprises me most is that I am still occassionally surprised by it.  But then I am an Ospreys fan and, as such, part of what is wrong with the Ospreys.  I hope all you other so called fans take  along hard look at yourself, it is your fault we have an away fixture in this year’s quarters – obviously it was the fans that caused us to throw away such a promising position away at Leicester.

Oh, wait, did I say away?  Ah well, it was the fan’s fault anyway…

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