That is my official opinion on how this season of Welsh rugby has gone – it’s been a big pile of pants. I hope to do a more in depth analysis of the season for each of the sides over the next couple of weeks but for now lets quickly look over the underwear selection that has been 2008/2009 – watch out, some of them have skid marks.
The Welsh Rugby Team
Mixed bag, but most of it pants – and a few of them smelly. Highpoints were the win over Australia in the Autumn, the first half vs Scotland in the 6 Nations, the haka stand off, the first half vs New Zealand and the awesome Shane Williams try vs South Africa last summer. Beating England is always a plus point as well, even if it was done rather poorly this time.
Low points were losses to France and Ireland, letting chances vs South Africa go when we could have won it, some shockingly poor performances and an outright refusal to recognize the limitations of our game plan and try something different. Something the opposition did notice. Oh, and Ryan Jones not going on the British Lions tour.
Cardiff Blues
Pretty much freshly washed and folded pants here. Did very well in the Heineken cup, the only side, I should imagine, who have never lost a game yet not won the cup. EDF win means they have finally got the trophy they have been threatening. Leigh Halfpennys emergence has been tremendous, whilst youngsters like Tom James and British Lion Jamie Roberts have shown that their potential can last more than one season. Oh and Gethin making a case to be the best player in the world, certainly the best prop.
Low points, obviously missing out on the Heineken Cup final on a penalty shoot out has to rank up there. Magners league performances were at times poor, mostly due to the lack of strength in depth – hopefully something they will work on over the summer. Saying goodbye to the Arms park is definitely a low point (especially considering what it is costing them financially).
Dragons
Smelly pants here. Hard to do a positive and negative summary as both seem to be pretty much the same. As ever they narrowly lost a lot of games, as ever they will be taking on the Italians in the last ever Magners League European play off.
Tovey coming through, the form of Bearman and Charteris starting to add some performances to go with his caps are pluses I suppose. Negatives, well there’s a lot – including crowds, issues at halfback, lack of real talent in a lot of positions…
Scarlets
A big pile of stinky pants here. Awful in Europe, woeful in the Magners league until the last week, and a mostly clueless coaching team when it comes to tactics or defence. they have some attacking talent no doubt, but without a pack or a defence to base it on they won’t amount to anything.
Pluses were; somehow hanging on to Stephen Jones, Martyn Roberts looking like he could become a top class player and Lyons being a very good signing.
Minuses include coaching staff being seemingly clueless, lots of injuries, defence, set pieces, pack, lack of crowd numbers, no impact in any competition – oh and lacking any morals or integrity whatsoever.
Ospreys
Very stinky pants indeed. Despite still being in contention for all 3 trophies at the turn of the year the ospreys were inept, clueless and, all in all, rather shocking. They couldn’t even find a head coach for ages.
Positives; Lee Byrne being excellent, Adam Jones coming into a huge amount of form, Paul James really improving, Gareth Owen looking the real deal (more so than Biggar imo), signing Jerry Collins.
Negatives; Sean Holley, Jonathon Humphries, Andrew Horse, struggling to find a head coach, inept tactical performances, clueless at breakdown, lack of go forward on ball, overthrown lineouts in defence again and again (never throw to the back on a defensive line out guys), Jonny Vaughton, Tom Smith and much, much more.
Like I said, all in all, a big pile of pants.
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As a loyal Dragons fan it felt like another almost season – we managed a few good wins, but all too often we lacked that extra 5% needed to close out a game and we’ve suffered for it. Totally agree with you on our lack of talent in certain areas. We’ve got some good forwards and some half decent backs (Tovey and Fussell in particular) but we’re really lacking in the centre of the field.
Couldn’t agree more Nick. It’s been pretty bloody woeful especially with all the promise of last year. Lets hope things improve before the end of the year. Gethin deserves his place in the sun but Halfpenny has been a bit of a revelation.