But outside that? Not good enough.

Firstly let’s try give some positives. I still think that if it wasn’t for some over eager 20 year olds we would have won that game by 20 points. If Warburton had held onto the ball and recycled it in his 3 breaks we would likely have scored at least 1 try more, if not 2 or 3. If Biggar hadn’t got impatient we wouldn’t have conceded a try… both would have made this a far more comfortable game.

Our tight 5, tight head aside, looks good and Charteris is showing he is a useful 2nd row player and line out option at international level. Also Biggar and Warburton, mistakes aside, both showed they have a huge amount of potential and in a year or so will be even better, and this experience will have hopefully made them a tad more patient.

Ryan jones was back to his best, doing the work of a 6 and the carrying of an 8. Hook broke well, Halfpenny and Tom James covered when needed and Peel looked lively. All good stuff.

Negatives

Unfortunately for Welsh rugby there were a lot of negatives to be taking from this game as well. And worse they are lessons we haven’t learnt yet.

First ANDY POWELL IS NOT A 6! If he has to play (and I would honestly rather he wasn’t in any starting line up) then he is an 8. At 6 he doesn’t do the tight work and his ball carrying ability is removed. We were 2nd best at the breakdown again because the supporting blindside never materialized, Ryan was often having to perform that role as well.

Our centers don’t work as a partnership. It is that simple and most people have been saying it for a long time. Put a creative player at 12 or 13 and either of them as the other option and Roberts or Shanklin shine, but they are not creative enough to play together. We are predictable and lack any nous.

Similarly both half backs seemed reluctant to move the ball when it was on. Let’s stop taking it right to the touchline no matter what, let’s stop religiously sticking to hitting the fringes and play some heads up rugby instead, if it’s on then move it… too often great opportunities out wide were wasted by sticking doggedly to a game plan.

I intend to do a post in the week about just what our repeated problems are and how Gatland and co seem to ignore them, suffice to say I am furious that, yet again, we aren’t learning the lessons that have been evident in our games for the last year.

Come on Wales, we’re better than this, time to start showing it. Otherwise the Argies are going to beat us.

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James Hook has spoken to the Ospreys website and has assured fans that the rumoured move to France is based on nothing, and that, far from being unhappy with playing 12 he is happy to do his bit for the team.

Good news for Ospreys fans who were worried that next season might see the team without two of their most creative players – with Gavin Hensons future also uncertain.  Obviously you need to be aware of a certain level of spin, this is Hook talking to his employers – he would be very careful about what he is saying, but that he is prepared to come out and say it is good news.

Should he move?

Whether that is good news for Welsh rugby or Hook is another matter.  there is a strong feeling amongst fans of rugby in Wales that James Hook should look to move on for the sake of his own game, that getting out of the goldfish bowl that is Wales would help.  more he might learn to mix his natural running abilities with some control when playing in France’s Top 14 – game control being the major let down in his game at 10.

However at the Ospreys he is more likely to get game time as a 12, a position many see as being his most natural position – and a point of view I am coming around to seeing.  I have been keen to see Hook kept at 10 as I do think he can develop into a world class outside half but his development there has been slow (though better than some doom sayers seem to suggest).  At 12 he has looked far more natural, and brings with him a kicking option that the Ospreys have lacked without Henson.

A move brings its own draw backs and positives, but Hook suggests in this interview that he is happy to stay at the Liberty Stadium, happy to do his bit for the Ospreys and that, with his first kid on the way, he is happy to settle.  Good for him.

The James Hook Interview

“At the moment, in fairness to Dan, he’s playing well at 10 and I’m doing alright at 12 as well. At the end of the day, I can say where I’d prefer to play, but I’m not in a position where I can tell the coaches where to pick me. If they want to pick me at 12, then I’m happy to do that job and I’ll do it to the best of my ability. You’ve got to look at the bigger picture; you’ve got to do what’s best for the team. Every player has a favourite position, yes mine is outside half, but I’m not the first person to be asked to try something for the sake of the team and I won’t be the last. I’ve been picked at 12 for the last couple of games and I think it’s going well, I’m enjoying playing there.

“Dan has taken his opportunity and deserves to have the number 10 shirt at the moment. At the end of the day, I’m still playing, I’m in the team and I’m making a contribution. I think I’ve been playing quite well and we seem to be putting a decent partnership together. Being honest, I’m just happy to be playing, and not twiddling my thumbs on the side. I’d play anywhere if it means I’m playing and it helps the team out. It’s a long season, there are lots of games still to be played, and maybe I’ll get another chance at 10. If I do, it’s up to me to take the opportunities and make it difficult for the coaches to pick Dan ahead of me. If I don’t, we know what the result will be and I can’t grumble about it.

“I’m not in a position where I can say I want to play 10 or nothing, that’s not my style anyway. The team comes first and I’m happy to be able do my bit at 12. I’ve spoken about the decision with the coaches and I know the reasoning behind it, so I just want to get my head down and do my best for the Ospreys, wherever I’m picked. At the moment, I think it’s going well for the Ospreys and it’s going well for me.”

“I can’t stress enough that I’m happy here, I’ve grown up here, and been a part of this region since I was a youngster, and it’s a great place to be. I’m looking forward to a big step in my life in December with Kim, with my first child on the way. That’s enough to focus me on my priorities in life.

“It’s nice to know that clubs are interested, it means that I must be doing something right, but I’m an Osprey and I’m happy where I am. It’s all just speculation though at the end of the day, and I’m not going to go to the directors and say I want to go anywhere. I’m under contract here for another two years, so even if I were interested there’d be nothing I could do about it! When the right time comes to sit down and talk with them about a new contract I will, I’ll just deal with that when it comes.

“You can’t worry too much about what gets written, or allow it to bother you. People who know me, know that I’m under contract and I’m happy being where I want to be, and they realise that it’s all paper talk. If anyone else asks me am I going to France, I just tell them exactly the same thing. I’m going nowhere. If I’m honest, it’s not just about the Ospreys, I’ve also got international hopes and ambitions, and I don’t know where a move to France would leave me, it could well be the end of my Wales career if I went there and I don’t want that.”

“Of course we are disappointed not to have held onto the lead, but we have to look at the positives, and we would have taken two points before the game. We’re got one more point on the board than we did at this stage last year, and we’ve also benefited from being able to stop them getting full points. After one game last year we had just the one point and they had four, so we were three points behind and we still went through. At the moment, we are just one point behind them, and we have a massive game against Clermont Auvergne coming up. If we can win that one then I think we’re in a great position ahead of the next set of fixtures.

“It’s going to be very tough though, we know that, hopefully there will be a big crowd there to help us. The crowd at Welford Road was unbelievable, the last 20 minutes they really lifted their team and made a difference, they were awesome. That’s what players like, myself and other players here want to play in front of big crowds every game, when you have the support of a passionate, packed stadium it brings the best out of you. We know that we’ve got a job to do and we have to keep putting the performances in to get the crowd coming in regularly, but it’s important that they come on Sunday and give us their support as every little thing will make a big difference against such a good side.”

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15 Lee Byrne
14 Tommy Bowe
13 Sonny Parker
12 James Hook
11 Shane Williams
10 Dan Biggar
9 Mike Phillips

1 Paul James
2 Huw Bennett
3 Craig Mitchell
4 Alun-Wyn Jones
5 Jonathan Thomas
6 Tom Smith
7 Steve Tandy
8 Ryan Jones ©

Replacements:
16 Richard Hibbard
17 Duncan Jones
18 Ian Evans
19 Jerry Collins
20 Jamie Nutbrown
21 Gareth Owen
22 Nikki Walker

But for me the focus is up front, can this team compete at the break down better than they have been?  AWJ and JT are two athletic locks who will do well there, Tandy puts himself about but Tom Smith is just a liability.

Very intrigued to see the game plan for this one, Biggar has his big chance, Hook has some more space and we have a 12 who can miss out Parker when something is on.  If we hadn’t been so rubbish recently I would be predicting an easy O’s victory, but right now I reckon us sneaking a close win.  I hope.

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But I had hoped they would listen to me when I said that James Hook needs to stop being messed around, that he needs to be picked as an outside half or not at all.  They, of course, didn’t listen.

No doubt in part because Sean Holley is on the tour – the man who inherited Lyn Jones’ tombola for picking peoples positions.  Holley is the man responsible for picking James Hook at outside center for the last few games, and has suggested before that Hook may have a future there. Now Robin McBryde has piped up, saying to the BBC:

“As to where he’s best, I’m not sure anybody’s completely sure of that.  “It’s down to the skill levels and the skill acquisition that James Hook has got. He’s had a bit of exposure at 13 with the region.

“He can play at full-back as well. He’s such a skillful player, I think to have him on the park is a huge asset.”

He’s had some exposure at centre and we’ll be considering him in that position on the tour.”

Great.  So the man in charge of the Welsh tour this summer thinks that Hook is yet to find his best position.  I will say this again for those who are wondering… James Hook’s best position is outside half!  Not inside center, not outside center, not full back – but at 10.

He can control a game – that he hasn’t been is in part down to form, in part down to coaching and in part down to the inexplicable refusal of the Ospreys tactics to kick for touch.  He has still brought forwards into the channels well, defended his own channel far better than Dan Bigger (who also tours and has been playing 10 for the Ospreys whilst Hook is at 13) and still breaks with great skill and elusiveness.

So Welsh coaches, I know you have never listened to my rugby pleas in the past, but please listen to this one.  Leave James Hook at 10 – he’s going to be world class there.

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