More Frustration for Pooler

There can be few things that are as changeable as the Welsh weather but the structure and the governance of the leagues in Welsh rugby must come close. This is particularly so for the Premiership which sits at the pinnacle of the so called community game in Wales and therefore changes to that affect those below to a greater or lesser amount. Anyone involved in running a club in either the Premiership and particularly the Championship that sits immediately below it must think they are trying to build on quicksand.

 An impartial observer would be pardoned for thinking that it should be so simple. There are league structures in most sports and once the size of the league is determined based upon the season length then there is only the matter of promotion and relegation to be determined. Promotion and relegation are vital to give the pyramid energy and allow those who have ambition to flourish.

The Welsh Premiership has been subject to changes it seems like every year although surely that cannot be the case. The size has changed umpteen times with the size both increased and decreased seemingly on a whim. New cup competitions have been introduced and discarded. Relegation has decided on the field and by algorithm. Play offs have been introduced and the league has even been split in two. Most damaging of all has been the introduction of ringfencing for extended periods. All this with little warning to the clubs in the Premiership and the leagues below.

As a Pontypool fan, it is fair to say that I feel that we have been thwarted unfairly in our ambitions to gain Premiership status more than most. Although our neighbours in Ebbw Vale and Bargoed also suffered considerable frustration before they managed to make the step up. Pooler were originally relegated by algorithm and almost went out of existence after daring to challenge the WRU in court. Thankfully under the stewardship of Peter and Ben Jeffreys the club has rebuilt and now looks every inch ready for the Premiership and has demonstrated this admirably both on the field and with investment in top class facilities.

The last few years these ambitions were frustrated firstly by the ringfence imposed on the Premiership and then an almost farcical one-off playoff against a Llanelli team bolstered by Scarlets players.

Finally in the 2019-20 season things looked set fair, with no ringfence in place, promotion was a distinct possibility. Pooler won their first sixteen matches and were set for a ding-dong battle with Bargoed who were just five points behind. Then Covid struck and the season was abandoned. More frustration for all involved but this was beyond everyone’s control.

Season 2020-21 was a complete write-off due to Covid but we all looked forward to season 2021-22. The WRU, rather prematurely I thought, initially said that league rugby would not restart until January 2022. In the mean time, they introduced optional competitive rugby with law tweaks at the start of the season. Pontypool decided not to participate in this preferring to prepare for the season proper and hopefully a battle for promotion.

The latest is that the leagues will now start on November 13^th and that there will be no promotion and relegation. The teams in the Championship will play each other only once rather than home and away and there would be a playoff to decide the champions. This is of course a huge disappointment to all at Pontypool whose ambitions are yet again thwarted. Understandably people are thinking what can happen next to keep the club from the Premiership.

I am not sure why November 13^th was decided upon as the starting date. If that had been brought forward a month there would surely have been time to complete a full season. I have never really understood why there were large gaps in the normal season when Wales played. Even starting in November and playing once a week a full season could be completed before the end of May 2022.

I feel as fed up as most Pontypool fans but I am sure nothing like as frustrated as the management and players of the club who have invested so much to achieve the ambitions of making Pontypool a club to be proud of. The squad has been strengthened and the ground looks a picture – all we need is the opportunity!

One thing is certain we will stand by them in whatever course they choose to pursue.

We will prevail!

A Win for South Africa as the Lions are Tamed

It is fair to say that the quality of rugby in the South Africa v B&I Lions will not live long in the memory. It will be remembered for its ferocity, the Springboks ability to stifle any hopes that the Lions had of playing open rugby and the willingness of both sides to kick the ball up in the air and chase like hell. Sadly, the South Africans were better at the kicking and chasing.

We duly gathered to watch the third and deciding test match yesterday afternoon. The Lions had by choice made six changes from the side that was well beaten in the second test. The South Africans were without two of their most influential players in de Clerk and du Toit due to injuries. The mood of the room was slightly pessimistic it has to be said. Beer was on hand to quell the nerves.

A cagy start to the first half saw Biggar miss a kickable penalty and shortly afterwards leave the field with a leg injury. Cue the entrance of the mercurial Russell at fly half. The early signs were promising as the Lions managed to put a bit more pace into the game and look to have an edge. It was the Springboks who took an early lead though with a Pollard penalty. This was cancelled a couple of minutes later by a penalty from a nerveless looking Russell – he must have had a master class or two from Neil Jenkins.

There followed the best quarter of rugby that the Lions have played in the series. It started when they spurned a kickable penalty in favour of kicking for the corner. An excellent lineout drive saw Owens touch down for a try which was converted by Russell (3-10). The Lions were definitely on top and were managing to up the tempo and even get some offloads away which was stretching the home defence.

On the half hour, a great chance of a try was butchered when Williams held on to the ball instead of passing to Adams who looked to have the try line at his mercy. A couple of minutes later the Lions again kicked a penalty to the corner and looked for all the world like they were going to score. Sadly this was called back as Curry was deemed offside. These two missed chances in such a tight game would surely cost the Lions dear, we groaned and called for another beer. Plenty of “if onlys” and shaking of heads followed.

As the half drew to a close, Wyn Jones who had scrummaged well went down clutching his back. As these things happen, he had to pack down in a scrum straight after. The result was a penalty to South Africa and Pollard obliged. This left the score at half time 6-10 and you really felt that the Lions had missed a great opportunity to build a decent lead. We all knew that the Springboks would return with fire in their bellies after some mentoring in the changing room.

The third quarter belonged well and truly to the Springboks as they pinned the Lions in their own half. Wyn Jones tried to continue but was soon replaced by Vunipola. The Springboks missed an early penalty as the Lions came under pressure. Russell was lucky not to be carded after a high tackle of Kolbe and the ensuing penalty again went wide. Perhaps the luck was with the Lions today, I thought.

Moments later I knew the luck was not with the Lions as one of many high kicks turned into something resembling a basketball tip-off. The outcome of this untidiness was Kolbe scurrying down the right wing. Kolbe easily jinked around Liam Williams to score an all-important try. The TMO took ages to decide whether there had been a knock on but there was no clear evidence of this and the try stood. This time Pollard made no mistake with the kick and with twenty minutes or so left the home side had taken the lead at 13-10.

The final quarter was pretty frenetic with plenty of mistakes as both sides tried to get a grip on the game. There was an exchange of penalty goals - one for Russell and one for Steyn who had come on as a substitute. It was 16-13 with thirteen minutes to go. The Lions were awarded another kickable penalty. Murray who was now captain as Alun Wyn Jones had been substituted decided to kick for the corner. Another great lineout surge was held up over the line. The Lions continued to press but then, disaster, they conceded a penalty at a scrum and the home side gleefully cleared their lines. With only seven minutes remaining had the Lions blown it?

Well, not really, they were awarded another penalty and this time they opted to kick for goal. Again, Russell struck the ball perfectly and the scores were tied at 16-16 with only five minutes left. This was agony especially for those of us who remember Steyn kicking a last-minute penalty to secure the Springboks a win in the last test series.

Our worst fears were realised when the Springboks were awarded a penalty in the 78^th minute. It was no surprise when Steyn converted it with aplomb to give the home side a 19-16 lead. The Lions did well to reclaim the restart and give themselves a glimmer of a chance to snatch a draw. What might have been a penalty was a Lions’ scrum. The Lions were penalised as the scrum went down and that was that.

As I suggested earlier, this was not a series that will win many new converts to rugby as it was dour and attritional. When you compare it with some of the newer sports on view in the Olympic Games that are far more fast moving and exciting, fifteen a side rugby comes off very much second best I would venture.

Was the tour a success? The absence of a crowd was big miss as this would surely have brought more atmosphere. There were far too many off the field shenanigans and far too many delays for TMO decisions. The tactics of the two teams to a large extent cancelled each other out so there was little enterprising play. It was gripping because it was close. I still watched every minute of it but in some ways felt sad for the game of rugby that I love.

There will no doubt be plenty written about where we went wrong and endless analyses of each player and Warren Gatland’s tactics and team selections. I don’t propose to do any of that but I will say that I was delighted for Adam Beard who will now surely go from strength to strength.

I don’t think anyone can criticise the Lions for lack of commitment. They put their bodies on the line and pushed the world champions mighty close in difficult circumstance.

Well done boys – have a safe journey home.   

Boks’ Kicks Win It

 I think everyone who watches rugby knew what to expect from South Africa following last week’s defeat by the Lions. The winning formula that secured the Rugby World Cup when they dismantled England would surely be coming. They would be fierce and combative up front and they would employ the box kick and chase game to apply maximum pressure. The defence would rush up and stifle any attempts by the opposition to make inroads on the gain line. The only question was how much would they have improved from the previous week?

I have to admit that we all felt a little apprehensive with overtones of pessimism as we waited for the match to start. It would be nice if the Lions had an anthem before the game, we thought, as the South African team belted out theirs. Perhaps some clever soul could come up with a rap sampling the four nations’ anthems. My guess at the final score was 22-6 to the Springboks but was that just Welsh pessimism?

The match started fairly well for the Lions and the first half though ferocious was nip and tuck with the Lions having a narrow lead at 6-9. The home side were certainly better than the previous week with the Lions’ scrum beginning to creak and the Springboks' physicality giving them an edge in the contact areas. There had been a yellow card for each side with van der Merwe dismissed for a rather Norman Hunteresque trip on Kolbe and Kolbe dismissed for tackling Murray in the air. Either or both of these could have been red cards.

On the positive side, the Lions did cross the South African but the TMO ruled that Henshaw had not grounded the ball. He certainly should have but it was hard to see conclusively whether he had done so. The Springboks had suffered a blow with the loss the influential du Toit through injury.

Half time arrived and I did feel that the Lions seemed to be hanging on and the home side were gaining confidence. The Springboks forwards must have been practising against the elephants in the Kruger National Park as they looked to be taking control. The South African kicking game was playing havoc with a shaky Lions’ back three. It was a replay of the World Cup final.

The second half started with a try from the Springboks as Mapimpi caught a kick ahead and left the cover defence for dead. The conversion was missed but the home side were in front 11-9 and the Lions needed to react and quickly.

Try as the tourists might, they could not escape the stranglehold that the Springboks were exerting on the match. The Lion’s scrum was overpowered and the lineout was under pressure following the introduction of the giant de Jager from the South African bench. The home side bossed the break down and that meant a rash of penalties being conceded. All this on top of the back three spilling far too many high kicks. We looked on despair – perhaps the replacements could turn the tide?

Matters became worse when Am touched down a clever kick from de Klerk – or did he? The TMO and Nigel Owens on the TV had a field day with this. I have to say it looked like a try to me but others in the room disagreed.  The try was awarded and duly converted by Pollard.  Even though the score was 18-9 and twenty minutes to go there seemed to be no way back for the Lions.

The last quarter saw the Springboks in complete control. They continued to follow their game plan to the letter and resisted any temptation to run the ball. The Lions didn’t have any ball to run even if they had wanted to with their replacements making negligible impact. The outcome of the Springboks power game was more penalties and Pollard helped himself to three more as they moved to an emphatic victory with the final score 27-9.

This defeat was comprehensive and squares the series at 1-1 with the deciding test next week. All the momentum is with South Africa and it is a huge task for the Lions to find a way to fight back. After yesterday, surely no one can be considered certain of retaining their place in the test squad. We can be certain that South Africa will continue with the same game plan so the challenge is how to negate it. We can rest assured that the Springboks will probably bring a rhinoceros or two to beef up their training sessions when the elephants begin to tire.

So, what to do? The back three needs looking at as the fielding of the inevitable high kicks has to improve. Surely this means Liam Williams has to start along with Josh Adams at the expense of Hogg and van der Merwe. I think we might need to go to six forwards and two backs on the bench to give us more options in what will be a huge forward confrontation. If we did this there are implications on the midfield selection in the backs. It would be madness to go into this decider without two highly rated goal kickers….. Ouch! my brain hurts already.

I think I will leave this to the men who matter but I can see straight away how difficult a selection this is going to be. In simplistic terms, we need to field the biggest strongest pack we have plus sufficient fire power to bring on from the bench. We need to be able to defuse the South African high kicks and take every three points on offer and, yes, it would be nice to score a try or two. All this against the world champions in their own backyard. Good luck Warren!

Can the Lions do it? Of course they can - but they will have to play out of their skins.

Come on the Lions!