NPR

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:59 pm

New guy wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:56 pm

penguin wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:47 pm Ospreys must be phoning everywhere for a 10 right now. If they're stuck with Cai Evans and Luke Price for the next year it's not going to be pretty.

All this because Gatland let him play on with a knock in a friendly. Infuriating really.

Gatland out!

Also: have you read the slagging we're taking on the Scottish thread? Did someone do or say something to upset the sweaties?

They do this from time to time. Chippiness based off of our 15 years of success.

They seem to be ok with Ireland and England being better but cannot abide losing to us for some reason.

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:59 pm

New guy wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:56 pm

penguin wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:47 pm Ospreys must be phoning everywhere for a 10 right now. If they're stuck with Cai Evans and Luke Price for the next year it's not going to be pretty.

All this because Gatland let him play on with a knock in a friendly. Infuriating really.

Gatland out!

Also: have you read the slagging we're taking on the Scottish thread? Did someone do or say something to upset the sweaties?

Their thread has twice as many pages as our thread so they have that going for them.

We're only 1 page behind the Irish though.

New guy wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:02 pm We're only 1 page behind the Irish though.

I think that's because the swarm spread themselves over about ten threads. They have more posts per hour than the GDP of most African countries.

But onto a different topic. Would it be better to abandon the regional model and return to the club sides? Is that what fans want, if Welsh rugby is low on cash how is it going to get more?

bessantj wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 4:21 pm
But onto a different topic. Would it be better to abandon the regional model and return to the club sides? Is that what fans want, if Welsh rugby is low on cash how is it going to get more?

You can have just put a smoking 'ol' timey' bomb gif at the end, just as a visual representation like. This'll end up as a right to do once everyone reads it. Naughty boy!

I read the Scottish thread statements, there were some good points in fairness.

Not Frankie wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:48 pm

bessantj wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 4:21 pm
But onto a different topic. Would it be better to abandon the regional model and return to the club sides? Is that what fans want, if Welsh rugby is low on cash how is it going to get more?

You can have just put a smoking 'ol' timey' bomb gif at the end, just as a visual representation like. This'll end up as a right to do once everyone reads it. Naughty boy!

I read the Scottish thread statements, there were some good points in fairness.

I think it's a couple of decent questions. how is Welsh rugby going to get more money? Is the regions the best way? Perhaps being from Newport I'm not as effected by the regional model as others because the Dragons are pretty much Newport by default.

Not Frankie wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:48 pm I read the Scottish thread statements, there were some good points in fairness.

Yeah the "winning environment" point is a good point.

I like the Scottish posters, apart from the Welsh they're my favourite group.

They really dont rate our players though.

Yeah the Scots are generally great. They don't rate our players as a defence mechanism

New guy wrote: ↑Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:05 pm I like the Scottish posters, apart from the Welsh they're my favourite group.

They really dont rate our players though.

Nobody rates our players tbf

We have players?..

TB63 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:32 amWe have players?..

No players, just poaches. Even they aren't rated

TB63 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:32 amWe have players?..

I'm a bit of a player

But seriously though, we're awful.

frodder wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:08 am

TB63 wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 9:32 amWe have players?..

No players, just poaches. Even they aren't rated

Just a collection of super rugby rejects.

We need more South Africans, just like South A... Ireland and Scotland. Pesky Welsh players, playing in Wales, ruining our teams.

Seriously though, I really miss the club's being fully pro. But going back to that, I think many would struggle. Most Premiership clubs are in dire need of modernisation, clubhouses like something out of a Mike Leigh film, little training facilities, poor hospitality. Would it be ring-fenced if we went back? If not, how the f would that work? The Irish/Scottish clubs wouldn't be to happy trying to sell us as part of a wider bundle (TV rights) either me thinks.

The only way we could have survived in a club format was if a British league had got of the ground, back when the English clubs were shite. When was it that Cardiff and Swansea were playing those friendlies?? But that's not going to happen now, not unless the CVC lot force it.

I'm happy enough with the regional format, but it needs refining. Inter region poaching and stacking internationals in certain regions isn't a good thing as is the imbalance of funding. Having a draft system would help massively I think, as all the region's need to be competitive, otherwise what's the point?? Before we start waving our Dicks about who's done what, let us remember that none of the region's have done much in recent years, and trading in past glories is pointless.

4 strong regions, parity, well run academies and quality coaching, surely this isn't beyond us? The coaching bit seems problematic, but it's getting better. Unfortunately, most decent up and coming coaches are working abroad, but in the following years, they'll start returning to Wales, bringing their experience with them. So we have to wait and see.

All this is irrelevant if we let the grassroots die out, but you'd have to be Elon Musk with Gandalf's magic to make some changes there. Very worrying.

Most Welsh boys prefer turbo tans and 'roids to make them look 'ard, as opposed to actually getting stuck in at their local clubs and proving themselves. I blame Love Island and tanning salons for the demise of Welsh rugby. We used to keep the Romans terrified, the English and French fortified more buildings in Wales than anywhere else on the planet, just because we were a f*cking nightmare, warrior peoples of great heart and spirit. Now, we are as wet as a bucket of piss.

I blame Henson.

Not Frankie wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:28 pm

I'm happy enough with the regional format, but it needs refining. Inter region poaching and stacking internationals in certain regions isn't a good thing as is the imbalance of funding. Having a draft system would help massively I think, as all the region's need to be competitive, otherwise what's the point?? Before we start waving our Dicks about who's done what, let us remember that none of the region's have done much in recent years, and trading in past glories is pointless.

4 strong regions, parity, well run academies and quality coaching, surely this isn't beyond us? The coaching bit seems problematic, but it's getting better. Unfortunately, most decent up and coming coaches are working abroad, but in the following years, they'll start returning to Wales, bringing their experience with them. So we have to wait and see.

All this is irrelevant if we let the grassroots die out, but you'd have to be Elon Musk with Gandalf's magic to make some changes there. Very worrying.

Problem is you'll get regions complaining like fuck if they're the ones producing the majority of talent, putting talented players through their academy and then watching as they're assigned somewhere else because the receiving region can't produce enough, how do you get around that? At the end of the day regions are businesses and they won't want to give up their best assets to competitors.

Is rugby a sport you can make a profit from if you're not something like the WRU? I'm betting that some of the English and French clubs make a tidy profit and maybe Leinster or Munster but we are so far behind them in Wales. If we want to have something like a draft (which is an interesting idea but maybe a bit too American and not fair enough for some) then we'll need a strong supporter base that is pumping money into the club so that it's covered.

I do agree re: grassroots that need to be strong. Also coaching I do find myself agreeing with theflier there must be a few NPC coaches that would be happy to come to Wales a bring one or two select players to rejuvenate the regions. With any luck the WRU will be able to put in place a decent programme to bring coaches through.

Koalabyte wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:51 pm https://twitter.com/i/status/1282403900830646273

Lewys Jones is heading out to Nevers...18 years old on a 3 year contract. WOL talk about him being lost to welsh rugby, but this seems like a good move to me. 3 years of being a tighthead in France should be a great experience, both for his rugby and his enjoyment of life. If he's any good he'll only be 21 at the end of that contract which would be a perfect time for Welsh regions to try and get him back.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... g-18583901

I just watched the Wales-Western Samoa RL Quarter final from '95...christ, missed it entirely at the time, but what absolute carnage. If you were reffing to modern high tackle laws (and zero tolerance on punches) there wouldn't have been a player left on the pitch. Ridiculous really. At one point Martin Hall was wobbling all over the shop - can't think everyone would have passed a concussion test at the end of that match.

Never enjoyed league much but it was entertaining - particularly looking at all the players we lost in their prime years.

penguin wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:36 pm I just watched the Wales-Western Samoa RL Quarter final from '95...christ, missed it entirely at the time, but what absolute carnage. If you were reffing to modern high tackle laws (and zero tolerance on punches) there wouldn't have been a player left on the pitch. Ridiculous really. At one point Martin Hall was wobbling all over the shop - can't think everyone would have passed a concussion test at the end of that match.

Never enjoyed league much but it was entertaining - particularly looking at all the players we lost in their prime years.

Yeah, what a great match! Dai Young gave some of the best Gulag death stares caught on camera in that game... Makes you wonder what could have been achieved in union in those days had we kept a full strength side. Bateman, Jiffy, Devereaux, Gibbs, Hadley...

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:39 pm

penguin wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:36 pm I just watched the Wales-Western Samoa RL Quarter final from '95...christ, missed it entirely at the time, but what absolute carnage. If you were reffing to modern high tackle laws (and zero tolerance on punches) there wouldn't have been a player left on the pitch. Ridiculous really. At one point Martin Hall was wobbling all over the shop - can't think everyone would have passed a concussion test at the end of that match.

Never enjoyed league much but it was entertaining - particularly looking at all the players we lost in their prime years.

Yeah, what a great match! Dai Young gave some of the best Gulag death stares caught on camera in that game... Makes you wonder what could have been achieved in union in those days had we kept a full strength side. Bateman, Jiffy, Devereaux, Gibbs, Hadley...

There was one point where I didn't see a tackle that I didn't think was a shoulder charge, high tackle, elbow to the face, or punch on the floor for a good couple of minutes. Supremely nasty. The fact that we had the sorts of players that could stand up to it in Quinnell, Moriarty, Skerrett, Young and give it back was outstanding.

Was great listening to Jiffy's thoughts - I hadn't realised that the bulk of that Samoa RL side had also played in the WC union game when Samoa beat us... the spite levels must have been off the charts!

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 2:06 pm Was great listening to Jiffy's thoughts - I hadn't realised that the bulk of that Samoa RL side had also played in the WC union game when Samoa beat us... the spite levels must have been off the charts!

You'd have thought that Wales vs Samoa was some ancient grudge match, based on the way they approached the game.

I'm reminded of the words of the late, great Bill McLaren when he called the '87 'Battle of Cardiff'.

'All the trappings of a Bruno Tyson fight'

Koalabyte wrote: ↑Sun Jul 12, 2020 9:51 pm https://twitter.com/i/status/1282403900830646273

Not going to lie, I was worried what would happen if he tried to do an impression Faletau.

penguin wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:36 pm I just watched the Wales-Western Samoa RL Quarter final from '95...christ, missed it entirely at the time, but what absolute carnage. If you were reffing to modern high tackle laws (and zero tolerance on punches) there wouldn't have been a player left on the pitch. Ridiculous really. At one point Martin Hall was wobbling all over the shop - can't think everyone would have passed a concussion test at the end of that match.

Never enjoyed league much but it was entertaining - particularly looking at all the players we lost in their prime years.

I remember watching that and thinking Wales had a chance to be the team that lost to Australia because they'd beaten England that year to win the European championship (I was there! (not in the Northern Enclosure)). England whipped Wales in the semis though. Ah the days when Welsh league was interesting.

I used to work for ICI in the late 80s and used to watch Widnes regularly. It was like watching a Welsh rugby reunion especially when they played St Helens.

They must have been in bits for the semis... No wonder they were hammered.

penguin wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 6:26 pm They must have been in bits for the semis... No wonder they were hammered.

I'm being a bit uncharitable when I say they were hammered. they weren't, they put up a good fight but England just had the better team. 25-10 wasn't that bad of a result really.

I agree with Jiffy that this was the best time to do something with Welsh league. Five years later during the next world cup Wales would again make the semis and put up a pretty credible display against Australia before losing again. But the governing body didn't seem to have a clue what to do, so much like the WRU really.

To be honest I'm glad league didn't take hold, we'd have really struggled I think had there been a small but consistent splitting of our resources.

Unrelated, saw this on Wales Online

In conjunction with the regions and the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association, the union have hand-picked 10 current or recently retired players to undertake a new coach development programme.

Justin Tipuric, Leigh Halfpenny and James Hook were flagged up as being on the course earlier this summer.

To their names, those of Bradley Davies, Paul James, Rob McCusker, Aaron Jarvis, Brok Harries, Angus O’Brien and Dan Fish can be added.

The 10 began the inaugural Player to Coach programme last September, overseen by WRU performance coach manager Dan Clements.

I like the idea - I was just surprised by some of the names there. Dan Fish for example, I always got the impression that he was an entertaining but dim bulb.

penguin wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:21 am To be honest I'm glad league didn't take hold, we'd have really struggled I think had there been a small but consistent splitting of our resources.

Unrelated, saw this on Wales Online

In conjunction with the regions and the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association, the union have hand-picked 10 current or recently retired players to undertake a new coach development programme.

Justin Tipuric, Leigh Halfpenny and James Hook were flagged up as being on the course earlier this summer.

To their names, those of Bradley Davies, Paul James, Rob McCusker, Aaron Jarvis, Brok Harries, Angus O’Brien and Dan Fish can be added.

The 10 began the inaugural Player to Coach programme last September, overseen by WRU performance coach manager Dan Clements.

I like the idea - I was just surprised by some of the names there. Dan Fish for example, I always got the impression that he was an entertaining but dim bulb.

Nobody but nobody knocks The Fish

frodder wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:22 am

penguin wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:21 am To be honest I'm glad league didn't take hold, we'd have really struggled I think had there been a small but consistent splitting of our resources.

Unrelated, saw this on Wales Online

In conjunction with the regions and the Welsh Rugby Players’ Association, the union have hand-picked 10 current or recently retired players to undertake a new coach development programme.

Justin Tipuric, Leigh Halfpenny and James Hook were flagged up as being on the course earlier this summer.

To their names, those of Bradley Davies, Paul James, Rob McCusker, Aaron Jarvis, Brok Harries, Angus O’Brien and Dan Fish can be added.

The 10 began the inaugural Player to Coach programme last September, overseen by WRU performance coach manager Dan Clements.

I like the idea - I was just surprised by some of the names there. Dan Fish for example, I always got the impression that he was an entertaining but dim bulb.

Nobody but nobody knocks The Fish

Do you think he's coach material? Genuine question - I'm only going off the few times I've seen him interviewed.

penguin wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:34 am

frodder wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:22 am

penguin wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:21 am To be honest I'm glad league didn't take hold, we'd have really struggled I think had there been a small but consistent splitting of our resources.

Unrelated, saw this on Wales Online



I like the idea - I was just surprised by some of the names there. Dan Fish for example, I always got the impression that he was an entertaining but dim bulb.

Nobody but nobody knocks The Fish

Do you think he's coach material? Genuine question - I'm only going off the few times I've seen him interviewed.

You judge his coaching ability on interviews?

frodder wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 9:21 am

penguin wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:34 am

frodder wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 8:22 am

Nobody but nobody knocks The Fish

Do you think he's coach material? Genuine question - I'm only going off the few times I've seen him interviewed.

You judge his coaching ability on interviews?

Bored today, and feeling the need for a bit of fishing? Go on then I'll bite.

I judge intelligence (to an extent) off communication skills. Players who communicate well in interviews strike me as more likely to be able to articulate their vision to players when the time comes, should they choose to be coaches. In the absence of compelling evidence like a coaching CV I have to make do with an opinion based on what I have seen of them...like interviews. I'm not saying he shouldn't be on the list, I'm saying that on what I saw he didn't strike me as a coach, but I'm perfectly happy to be proven wrong on that.

Sione Kalamafoni confirmed for the Scarlets. Seems like a good signing...although tough to know what the first choice backrow will look like now.

Player to coach programme seems like a good idea. I hope they look to the premiership for recruits, there are bound to be people that would be better coaches than players.

Oooh. Ben fry signs first professional contract but more interesting than that, his brother Harry signs from Gloucester! Great signing that...