Wales Labour, England Conservative

Rugby these days can be very much absorbed with defence and, while spectators look on in awe at the big collisions, it does rather stifle the entertainment value. So it was when Wales took on England in Parc Y Scarlets in what has become “a Son of the Six Nations” tournament. England duly won 13-24 in a match that never really got the pulse racing.

True, an early Welsh breakaway try by Williams from a charged down kick gave the Welsh some hope but once England had overhauled them there was only going to be one winner. The Welsh defence had become more Edwardsesque in its ferocity and England never managed to achieve the score-line that we had feared so there always a faint semblance of hope that a miracle might happen. But, rather like the England v Ireland match, England successfully managed to keep Wales at arm’s length.

Was this a good performance from Wales? Well it was certainly a step up from the previous matches in the tournament that is for sure. The scrum remains an Achille’s heel, although Wales did seem to be harshly judged by referee Poite. Far too many penalties were conceded and it both stifled the Welsh attacking intentions and gave England possession and field position. The only workable option in the lineout seemed to be front ball which is not ideal for attacking but at least we did get some possession from this source. The Welsh attacked in fits and starts but came up against an aggressive and well-organised English defence and did not look like scoring a try. No one could fault the Welsh defensive commitment and effort as, for the most part, they stood firm against the English juggernaut. Losing to England is never palatable for anyone associated with Wales and it really hurts but some good may come of it.

Yesterday, I thought that Rees Zammit and Johnny Williams looked the part and Wales should stick with them. Faletau is improving with every game and hopefully will be back to his best by the Six Nations. Alongside him, Botham and Lewis-Hughes are both athletic and strong and did all they could in the circumstances. As the current injury list shows, you can never have too many good backrow forwards and these two are now well placed in the queue for starting places.

Wales do need to settle on a scrum half as chopping and changing this crucial position is unsettling to say the least. I assume that Tomos Williams is the longer term first choice when he returns from injury but I am not at all clear who is next in line.  There is no doubt that we have missed Ken Owens and his longer-term replacement is also far from clear. None of the three hookers tried in this series has been truly convincing with Dee possibly shading it for me. It is a shame that Scott Baldwin is playing for Harlequins as he is showing good form at the moment.

Whilst sacrificing continuity, the Wales management team have at least had a chance to assess the capabilities of the squad and to blood some young players over the last few weeks. It has come at the cost of results but it may stand us in good stead in the future.

What of England? They have so much talent to choose from and when they move the ball they really do look dangerous. As always, they have plenty of big powerful forwards and are strong at the set piece. They do employ a very conservative approach with the box kick employed at nauseum. It is not pretty to watch but it is mighty difficult to get the better of.

It was with great sadness that I heard of the passing of Ray Prosser. If ever there was a larger than like character it was Pross. Along with Terry Cobner he masterminded an almost mindblowing transformation in the fortunes of Pontypool. I was fortunate enough to be there on the Bank as the beast from the east was unleashed. It was hardly a caterpillar turning into a butterfly but it was thrilling all the same. Pontypool’s style was criticised by many but it was mighty effective as they won championship after championship – didn’t I just say that about England? Perhaps Pross was ahead of his time.

I was working in Panteg Steelworks in the great days of Pontypool RFC. On a Monday morning Ray would often poke his head around my office door and ask me what I thought of Pontypool’s latest match. I would rather cautiously give my views. Ray would listen and then say “Now this it what really f*****g happened,” and proceed to dissect the game like a neurosurgeon. It was always entertaining and incisive. He had, on the face of it, the simple philosophy of having the fittest team around, a pack with six “man-handlers” and two “ball-handlers”, a scrum half to run the game, hard running backs and an expert goal kicker. Crucial to this was having the right players and Ray’s tough selection and coaching regime led to the development of a stream of international players.

Ray was the kind of man you would want by your side in times of trouble. Rest in Peace Pross.

At Least We Won

Phew Wales have done it! They ended their losing streak against Georgia with a scrappy but invaluable 18-0 victory in Llanelli. This very much had the feel of a second division match with Wales ranked nine taking on Georgia ranked twelve in the world rankings. Add to that a club ground with no spectators and it was hardly atmospheric. Wales, with an experimental side, knew to retain any form of credibility as a world force they simply had to win. In fairness, it was a match Wales never looked like losing but they never established sufficient lead to feel comfortable against a physical Georgian outfit. Just over a year ago Wales beat Georgia by over forty points in the RWC and at the moment we are happy to get any sort of win against them!

The good news was that the new boys did all right. Hardy and Sheedy were a decent half back pairing. Rees Zammit took his try well and had one storming run. Johnny Williams and James Botham battled hard and grew into the game. Whether they did enough to make the starting fifteen against England next week is debatable but the fact that there will need to be a debate at all is encouraging. Perhaps the most important aspect was the scrum which did really well against the renowned Georgian scrummaging. We really do need this to be a solid platform against England so I would go with the front row en bloc next week. The defence was solid although it was not severely tested by Georgia and it is always good to not give away any points.

The match itself was pretty forgettable with the conditions not really conducive to the open style of play we believe Wales are trying to adopt. A couple of decent tries from Rees Zammit and Webb (on as a substitute) were the highlights of a low quality, mistake-ridden affair. If the England team were watching they would hardly be quaking in their boots.

What of England? They dismissed the challenge posed by Ireland with a formidable defensive display at Twickenham. Despite being physically dominant, England did not really fire in attack which meant that the Irish just about managed to stay in touch throughout the game. Two opportunist tries from May, the second a brilliant solo effort from his own goal line, were all England had to show in an 18-7 victory. The Irish try from a chip kick over the onrushing England defensive line might be a clue for Wales next week.

Can Wales beat England? Of course they can but the need to go up a couple of levels in intensity and physicality and not give away too many penalties. Have we got the players to achieve this? It depends very much on match fitness and injuries.

In my view, the front five should be the same as yesterday with the exception of Alun Wyn Jones coming back in to replace Davies. The back row selection is entirely dependent on injuries but I do think Faletau should play. At half back, I would pair Dan Biggar with Lloyd Williams who has looked the sharpest scrum half in the recent matches. I would have Liam Williams at full back with North and Adams on the wings. The pairing Jon Davies and Owen Watkin is the safe option in the centre although hardly likely to set the world alight on current form.

I know you will say that we should give the younger players a chance but against a rampant England experience could count for a lot. The bench should be filled with the younger players apart from Tomas Francis. It might be advisable to have a six-two split in favour of forwards on the bench.

Well done Wales on your victory. We need to be thankful for small mercies these days.

Good luck to Wales against England

PS I hope Wales play in red jerseys. Perhaps the black jerseys yesterday reflected the country’s mood. 

Wales Pay the Penalty in Dublin

 I held my breath as the ball was put into the very first Welsh scrum. I let out a large sigh/curse as Carre was penalised and even that early in the game you felt the writing was on the wall for Wales. When it was closely followed by the Irish stealing a couple of Welsh lineouts and a couple of penalties against Wales at the breakdown, I knew that this was going to be a miserable evening. The same problems that Wales had against Scotland were clearly visible. It was no surprise then that Ireland dominated the first half with seventy odd percent of the possession and Wales did not show in attack. Ireland are a much stronger and more physical side than Scotland and it was only down to tremendous Welsh defence that the game was not over by half time. Wales were only 16-6 down and it certainly could have been a lot worse but all that tackling was sure to take its toll later. In the last minute of the half, thankfully Carre was replaced by Wyn Jones for a crucial scrum on the Welsh line. The Welsh scrum was solid and Wales escaped from what would have been a truer reflection of the balance of play on the scoreboard. The game was being playing at a higher pace than the Scotland game and the collisions were ferocious. Unfortunately, Wales seemed to come off worse in most of the impacts. On reflection, if you pick virtually the same team why would you expect the outcome to be any different when you play against tougher opposition?

Wales did enjoy better fortunes at the start of the second half as they won a few penalties and gained some reasonable possession. Lloyd Williams came on at scrum half and got the ball away quicker than Gareth Davies and the backs could stretch their legs. The highly motivated Irish defence was not going to let Wales back into the match and the Welsh period of dominance petered out as a 3-3 draw.

As the second half wore on, things went back to normal with the Irish regaining control. A series of penalties and a last minute try saw the home team stretch out to a comfortable 32-9 victory. Wales have now lost six matches on the bounce against European opposition. Hopefully they can beat Georgia to bring the grisly run to an end.

Winning in Dublin was probably not a realistic prospect for a Wales side lacking in self-belief but a losing bonus point must surely have been within their grasp. In the end, there were few positives to take away from the loss. The key areas that need to be fixed are still the set pieces and finding a way to contest the breakdown without being penalised. Selection has a big bearing on all these areas so the management team can expect justifiable criticism. Sweeping changes can be expected for the Georgia fixture but with a match against England looming we need to settle on our strongest team and a modus operandi quickly or it could be embarrassing.

It is, of course, easy for us armchair critics to criticise but the fall from grace by Wales has been spectacular since Gatland departed what was certainly not a sinking ship. Yes, there have been injuries to key players and there are no vociferous supporters, but that has been the case for all the other teams too. Do we need to do what the French did and give youth a chance while suffering the short-term consequences during their learning curve? The Welsh public will need to be understanding but it might be a good idea.

Come on Wales give us something to cheer!

Wales Hopes Go West

 A windswept Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli with empty stands was no way to mark two special moments in Welsh Rugby history. The first the sad passing of Welsh legend J.J.Williams  and the second Alun Wyn Jones running out against Scotland to win the world record number of international caps. Both would have deserved the full pomp of a packed Principality Stadium. These are difficult times for everyone.

The Scots clearly had no fear about playing in the all but silent stadium. There was no Welsh hwyl for the Welsh team to extract from the crowd so they would have to generate themselves. It’s at times like this that you need your experienced British Lions to come to the fore. Wales had no less than five Lions’ test players in their ranks. Three: Faletau, Liam Williams and Jon Davies were on their way back from long injury breaks with Alun Wyn Jones and Halfpenny the other two. Faletau and Davies had what one could euphemistically say were “quiet” games and had little impact on proceedings. Liam Williams was typically aggressive but never really had enough ball to show what he can do in attack. Halfpenny, on a difficult day to be playing fullback, stood up reasonably well but I bet he wished the Scottish kicking had put as little pressure on him as the Welsh kicking did to, Hogg, his Scottish counterpart. Alun Wyn Jones was his usual fully-committed, confrontational self but he and his pack had the utmost difficulty in containing the well-knit Scottish eight.

For all that, it was a close game with never more than a few points in it. For the record the Scots won 10-14 with both teams scoring one try. The weather had a major impact with the visitors managing to cope with the swirling wind a bit better. Scotland deserved to win and looked the more likely to score a try although even they created few chances.

Where did it go wrong for Wales? The biggest issue was the penalty count with Wales transgressing far too often at the breakdown. This coupled with a shaky lineout and too many handling errors scuppered their chances of creating any meaningful pressure. It was a disjointed performance from Wales and it is still difficult to discern what they are trying to do tactically. Losing midfield general, Biggar, quite early on didn’t help things that is for sure. Scotland were hardly rampant but at least you can see what they are trying to do and they do seem to be on an improving trend. Wales unfortunately look to be heading the opposite way with the worrying run of defeats continuing.

Were there any positives for Wales?   Well the defence certainly seemed to be a bit stiffer and the choke tackle created a turnover on the odd occasion. The scrum held up until the substitution of Francis. Lewis-Hughes won his first cap and looks like a good prospect for the future. I am clutching at straws I think.

Where do Wales go to from here? Some might say that Wales never play well in the Autumn internationals and everything will be all right by February and the Six Nations. That was normally the case against Southern hemisphere opposition. A starting point for Wales must be to get everyone super fit. There was a time when Wales were the fittest team in Europe – it doesn’t look like that any more to the tubby observer on the couch! The coaching team have to be given a fair crack of the whip and they now have a run of games and a good chance to show what they can do with what is a talented group of players. They must be ruthless in selection and pick in-form players rather than relying on past reputations. I will support Wales through thick and thin but I really don’t want the thin to last too long.

England ended up winning the Six Nations on points difference from France in second place. France has been my team of the tournament and, barring a stupid red card for a French prop that probably cost them the match against Scotland, would surely have won the Grand Slam. The French look to be on a really positive trajectory with the Sean Edwards’ steel starting to stiffen their resolve. The young halfbacks Dupont and Ntamack are a class act and have the priceless ability to change games. I would be amazed if Dupont is not named Player of the Tournament.

Wales ended up in a dismal 5^th place with only Italy below them. They lost four matches out of five. It has to get better than this doesn’t it?

Come on Wales!

French Leave Wales Floundering

Wales continued their recent dismal run with against Six Nations opposition with France winning convincingly 38-21 in Paris yesterday. Yes, it was a “friendly” but the gulf in class and power was there for all to see. It was quite reminiscent of those European Champions Cup encounters between the Welsh regions and the French, English and Irish teams.

As always, Wales tried their damnedest till the end but this French side with Sean Edwards glowering in the wings was not about to let this slip as they might of in the past.  Wales did get off to a dream start with an early try and penalty giving them a ten point lead. The rest of the first half was given up to the French showing what they can do once they get a bit of momentum in attack. The speed and power left the Welsh defence floundering as they scored three converted tries to lead 21-10.

The second half was quite scrappy with both sides being guilty of losing possession through handling errors and penalties. Wales briefly closed the gap but, with Biggar missing a few crucial kicks at goal, never got within touching distance. Wales did manage a close range try from Smith but the French countered with two further tries to run out clear winners at 38-21.

So where did it all go wrong? France are clearly a much improved team and have managed to combine flair and power in attack with a strong defence. They will give any side in the world a run for their money as they build up to their home Rugby World Cup. Wales seemed a bit undercooked and are still appear to be searching for a style that suits them under the new coaching regime. The once virtually impregnable Sean Edwards defence has gone and Wales are leaking points alarmingly. In attack they are not firing despite having some fine attacking players in their ranks. With Halfpenny running into brick walls from defence, and the ball being passed on like a hot potato it all seems a bit chaotic.

Yesterday Wales were overpowered at the breakdown and fallible under the high ball which led to their downfall against a French team that seized their opportunities with glee. Of course, the players have not played much since the lockdown and they will surely improve against Scotland next week but the signs are not good. A losing streak is notoriously difficult to end and Scotland look to be building a strong squad. They will surely fancy their chances of beating Wales.

The Welsh management have some serious thinking to do if they are to arrest the decline in the Welsh fortunes. I cannot imagine that there will be wholesale changes but I think a bit more bulk in the pack is essential.

Wales and Scotland are not in contention for the Six Nations Championship nor thankfully for the Wooden Spoon. France, Ireland and England will be battling out for the spoils next weekend. While England can be expected to secure a bonus point win against Italy, the game between France and Ireland should be a cracker. A bonus point win for Ireland will secure the title but other than that it will be down to the mathematicians to decide the champions. The Barbarians’ shenanigans have denied England a run out this weekend but I still think they will crowned Six Nations Champions.

I did watch Ireland v Italy and Exeter v Wasps but did not feel particularly inspired by either. Exeter did what they do in a close encounter and ground out a win. Ireland brushed Italy aside just as Scotland brushed Georgia aside the previous evening. A match between Italy and Georgia would be interesting.

So on to next weekend. Can Wales pick themselves up and end this pesky losing streak? I certainly hope so.

Come on Wales!  

The Best in the West

Congratulations to Exeter Chiefs on lifting the European Champions Cup. There is no doubt that they were the most powerful and effective team in the competition. Racing did show some flashes of brilliance but that was, in the end, not quite a match for the cohesion and nous of Exeter. I am sure that Exeter will remain a dominant force in rugby if they continue to recruit a limited number of top-class players judiciously whilst retaining their identity.

Unusually for a major final, the game was entertaining with the contrast in styles adding to the spice of the occasion. The result was in doubt until the final whistle. I am sure that Tomas Francis was mightily relieved that his indiscretion towards the end did not cost Exeter the match.

I do sometimes wonder about the countless phases that the better teams manage to put together as they relentlessly pound away at the goal line. The opposition to a large extent finds it virtually impossible to legally relieve the pressure and concede a series of penalties and often a yellow card. I suppose this is why Rugby League and US Football restricted the number of phases thus enabling the defending side a way to regain possession. It is at its most galling when a team in the lead can wind down the clock for five minutes or more towards the end of a close game and effectively kill the game when the neutral would like the other team to have one last chance to save the day. I shouldn’t complain really as Pontypool and Wales have both benefited from this approach in close games.

The other thing that struck me was how incredibly short the distance from the goal line to the dead ball line was. I have mentioned this problem before as I cannot imagine any other sport having such a disparity as there is between say Murrayfield and Bristol. I understand that this is due to the increasing use of football pitches but it does have an impact on the tactics employed.

In the absence of any Pontypool action, I am relieved that Wales will be playing soon. I need rugby where I really care about who wins. Being a neutral observer is all very well but nothing can take the place of that feeling when your team runs out on to the pitch. Yes, I won’t be there in person but the couch is a good second best.

This Brutiful Game

 

Saturday was a bit of a rugby marathon as I watched three live games on the TV. At the end of it all, I gained little satisfaction and it only served to reinforce just how much I am missing rugby in the flesh and Pontypool in particular.

On paper, the two English semi-finals looked likely to be close and competitive but for the impartial observer sadly this was not the case. In both cases it was power rather than artistry that won the day.

The Wasps’ pack, backed up by a canny scrum half and excellent goalkicking, was too strong for Bristol. In particular the Wasps’ back row was outstanding and I am pleased to say that Wales hopeful, lock Will Rowlands, also contributed forcefully. Jack Willis is some player that is for sure.

At Exeter, it was a similar story where Exeter’s cohesive power play eventually wore down Bath. This was real “rope-a-dope” stuff with Exeter soaking up Bath’s best punches before landing some killer blows themselves to pull well clear. I know it sounds fanciful but Exeter do put me in mind of Pooler in their pomp with their devastating last quarter in matches and their ability to be unstoppable from five metres from the opposition try line. They do like a Garryowen or two too!

That was two down and the final stanza was Cardiff Blues v. Connacht from the unusual venue of Rodney Parade. Cardiff did look pretty lively early doors playing with plenty of pace. They did not really capitalise fully on their initial dominance and slowly but surely Connacht came strongly into the match. This meant it became a close fought affair as Connacht monopolised possession and territory in the third quarter. Cardiff’s slender lead was all but wiped out and it began to look like an Irish victory. All credit to Cardiff Blues, they found the necessary inspiration and, with Josh Adams prominent, bounced back with a flurry of tries to take the spoils.

When I compare the Cardiff Blues with the top English sides there seems to be a definite power gap in the pack and this is also likely to be the case when Wales face England. The English Premiership is brutal battleground unlike the Pro 14. Wales can of course call on players such as Francis, Faletau and Rowlands who ply their trade in England and I think it would be wise to select all three.

Congratulations to Alun Wyn Jones, Warren Gatland and Gareth Thomas on their honours. All have been great servants to Welsh rugby and beyond. Rugby is a team game but there is still room for the recognition of outstanding contributions. There are still plenty of unsung heroes who give so much to the sport as I am sure the three gentlemen would be only too willing to admit. We should never forget them as rugby would not survive without them.

Wales will be embarking on their Autumn tests soon enough but this still won’t make up for the severe Pooler withdrawal symptoms.