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Happy to agree to disagree. Gats has never beaten any top teams, even with a slam winning side. I don't dislike the bloke at all, but I do think we'd have a better chance with a more pragmatic coach.
He has beaten S. Africa and Australia who are the other top teams 😆 he is 50 50 against england never lost to Scotland, oh you said top teams 😉
I dont disagree that he's not the best coach but he is pretty good and does have a good record. I would also prefer wales not to be rudderless for a year. Wales did ok in NZ this june till injuries mounted up. If we had some decent bench players we would have given them 2 good games for the full 80 and played some good attacking rugby. They had the likes of Ardie Savea and Bauden Barrett on the bench we had Tomos Francis and Anscombe. Wales suffer the same problem v Aus or SA we lack the bench to compete beyond 60 mins and with a few injuries to key players we are screwed for a starting 15 too. Luckily for us England and France have underperformed in recent years and despite their stronger benches we can get far enough ahead to win beforehand.
If you look at Gatland's 6N/Grand Slam record with limited player resources he's done pretty bloody well. He also has a 100% series record with the Lions already - albeit against a very disorganised Australia.
I think, given the lack of preparation time, someone who's been there and done it is ideal.
EJ would probably do a good job but (rightly) he wants to concentrate on England.
EJ would be me favourite too but even if he wanted it would England release him?
Varndell still has some wheels!!!
Yeah I was surprised he never threw his hat in the ring for the Olympic 7s.
is that what we are calling the a************r now EJ? 😆 i have a real problem with him 😆 he is a fantastic coach though and turned around england in very short order. There was never anything wrong with the trundle muppets that a decent coach couldn't sort out and he certainly did it.
I think we are going to see a period of domestic dominance from england but hopefully not another world cup 😀
ej coaching the Lions would be interesting but I think it would be an england side in disguise.
Great team try by Stade Francais at 2:10
ej coaching the Lions would be interesting but I think it would be an england side in disguise.
Indeed but thats what we need to compete with the all blacks England plus with a strong bench. Problem is if Gatland picks England plus can he coach the system in such a short lead in. This is why Gatland pucked Wales plus last time.
Do you think that the establishment of a Wales "a" side will help with strength in depth a_a?
Gats beat SA once in 18 meetings? All through the slam years? The only aus wins were with the lions yes?
He's not bad, but I'd look elsewhere. The lions will get thrashed anyway but it would be nice to have a win. Not convinced he has the dog to do it. Warrenball won't do it that much is for sure. If I'm proved wrong I'll put my hand up and admit it though.
Do you think that the establishment of a Wales "a" side will help with strength in depth a_a?
We dont have enough players to have two 30 man squads!! When Tomos Francis is your second choice tighthead and Gethin Jenkins is still the best loosehead at 86 years old we dont have players. The players who it would hep like Patchel for example are only 2 injuries away from the starting 15. Liam Williams is our best full back and right wing!!
The only thing that would help are stronger regions but the cash isnt available due to the pro12 being shit. I'll get flamed for saying it but the welsh and irish subsidise the scots and italians. How the scottish regions have bigger budgets than the welsh when only 3 dogs and cat go to watch them should be a question people are asking. Only way to save pro rugby in Wales long term would be a British League and that aint going to happen.
Gats beat SA once in 18 meetings? All through the slam years? The only aus wins were with the lions yes?
Yes but wales are no very good. The fact that England and France could not beat them is because they under performed badly. Add to this autumn series with 4 games and invariably playing Aus last outside the window with key players missing back in France or England and other injuries from the previous 3 tough games and its no wonder. Had we played just 3 games and played them all in the window like Ireland or Scotland with just 1 of the big 3 then we might have crawled over the line once or twice. As it is playing NZ then SA then Argentina and then Aus outside the window the team gets flogged to death.
Gethin Jenkins is still the best loosehead at 86 years old
I thought he was in his nineties, plenty of life left in him 😆
the team gets flogged to death
Yeah read an article with Bradley Davies saying that playing in England and also playing for Wales is nigh on impossible. He decided it had to be one over the other. I pity Faletau at Bath.......
[url= http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/bradley-davies-sends-warning-wales-11778947 ]HERE[/url]
Faletau, touch wood, has been unbreakable, hope Wales use him carefully.
Cooper starts for the Wallabies, with Foley at 12 as Toomua and Giteau both crocked. Lienart-Brown at 12 for the ABs as Crotty, Moala, Ngatai and SBW all out.
Australia
1. Scott Sio,2. Stephen Moore (c),3. Sekope Kepu,4. Kane Douglas,5. Adam Coleman,6. Scott Fardy,7. Michael Hooper ,8. David Pocock ,9. Will Genia ,10. Quade Cooper,11. Dane Haylett-Petty ,12. Bernard Foley,13. Samu Kerevi ,14. Adam Ashley-Cooper ,15. Israel Folau ,
Replacements :16. Tatafu Polota-Nau,17. James Slipper,18. Allan Ala’alatoa ,19. Will Skelton,20. Dean Mumm ,21. Nick Phipps ,22. Tevita Kuridrani ,23. Reece Hodge*
New Zealand
1. Joe Moody, 2. Dane Coles , 3. Owen Franks , 4. Brodie Retallick, 5. Samuel Whitelock , 6. Jerome Kaino, 7. Sam Cane , 8. Kieran Read (c) ,, 9. Aaron Smith , 10. Beauden Barrett , 11. Julian Savea , 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 13. Malakai Fekitoa , 14. Israel Dagg , 15. Ben Smith ,
Replacements : 16. James Parsons , 17. Wyatt Crockett , 18. Charlie Faumuina, 19. Liam Squire, 20. Ardie Savea , 21. TJ Perenara , 22. Aaron Cruden , 23. Seta Tamanivalu
That Kiwi pack is something else, another humping coming up for Australia.
The backs are not too bad either! Dagg and Smith switched. Smith is wasted on the wing as good as Dagg is Smith is the best 15 in the world by far!
4. Brodie Retallick, 5. Samuel Whitelock
Gulp!
Smith is the best 15 in the world by far!
True but, on recent form, Dagg is probably the second best so they want him in there too. When Milner-Skudder returns it'll make things more interesting.
Aus are looking as buggered in the centres as England!
Giteau is crooked (possibly for good) and Toomua is off to Tigers after this tri nations (or whatever it is) so will be unable to be picked.
Another humping coming I feel
NZ only playing in flashes this week. Aus defending better but only looks like being one winner.
NZ only playing in flashes this week
Indeed but still 4 tries to nil and a comfortable 20pt win.
You can still marvel at the basic running and handling skills of the ABs from 1-15. They dominated in the set piece too. I think some of the lack of cohesion can be attributed to the absence of Crotty although Lienert-Brown played well.
Barrett looks ever more assured and Dagg and Smith were excellent as was Coles. Sam Cane impresses me more with each game he starts.
Cane is going to be really special.
Well, the Wallabies brought out their "secret weapon" : Quade Cooper! 😆
NZ countered with Lienert-Brown... hmm, which had the biggest impact?
Can't wait to see what'll happen when Argentina beat Australia.
Well, the Wallabies brought out their "secret weapon" : Quade Cooper!
NZ countered with Lienert-Brown... hmm, which had the biggest impact?
You must be welsh given the ability to focus on the 10 when the team is being utterly destroyed up front.
Having that little 10 outside Quade didnt help either. He did manage one brilliant pass to Folau near the end, it was about the only time he got front foot ball with anyone running angles off him. Felt sorry for the guy.
Yeah Cooper is a great player but with the pack going backwards and virtually no ball even Barry John would've looked poor. Their lineout was destroyed for the 2nd week running.
They needed to get Folau into space with ball in hand but didn't manage it until the 78th minute.
Yeah, a_a you're right, but Australia need more dramatic changes- to me, Cooper plays like he's scared.
Cooper is a fantastic rugby player, had he gone with his homeland, he would definitely have got AB caps. If you don't win up front, you don't win.
Big Gav & @DannyCipriani87 share same pitch today. Bristol hasn't seen so many hunks since the @Chippendales came to @FleeceBristol in 1995!
Friendly at Clifton RFC today, whose bridge, prior's to Big Gav's arrival, was the most impressive physical structure in all of Bristol.
I love this twitter account.
Just bought tickets for Eng v Argentina in the Autumn internationals.....upper tier behind the posts! Scale of 1-10, how bad is the view going to be? Will we need sherpas and a climbing guide?
Someone is (or bloody well should be) in a lot of trouble...
Disgusting.
That is absolutely ****ing awful!!!! Had two or three attempts at it, deliberate and for no apparent reason (not that there's even a justification, but seemed to be about as standard a maul as there can be?)
Hopefully as minimum 6 month ban will be on it's way in the post.
My guess though is 10 weeks actually served.
Tom, there are no bad seats in the Stadium (except possibly low down in the corners on a rainy day). Up high and central is pretty good as you can see the game unfold, width on overlaps and the kicks - yeah or nay.
I'm not sure there is as much as we think in that gouge. Its careless and should see 8-10 weeks but the aussie lock doesnt throw his head back like he would if someone was having a proper go at his eyes. I guess a lot will depend on what he says.
Franks did look like he was having a good go at the eyes, but the Aussie didnt react at all and it was right in front of the ref. Needed another angle.
Thought as much Jamba....been in the corner on a dry day before, and behind the posts lower tier a few times too. Never been to an international though let alone England, so me and my old man will have a top day out I'm sure (even if it does mean venturing to the hell whole that is London!)
He had no reason whatsoever to have his hands anywhere near the other players face. Spiteful and intentional IMO.
He had no reason whatsoever to have his hands anywhere near the other players face.
Pulling him out of the way. Its careless and his made contact with the eye area. A ban will rightly follow. I dont think he's tried to gouge him though the locks reaction isnt one of someone being gouged.
Tom Twickenham is the suburbs 😉 Think row upon row of 1930's semis ! Depending on where you are coming from we can make some recommendations for travel and eating / drinking options also dependent upon how far you and your Dad want to walk.
Yeah I know it's not quite London London! ......am I right in thinking some of the surrounding areas are a bit rough? Last time we went we drove down and saw a couple of scrotes breaking into a house in broad daylight!
We'll be getting the train down from Stoke I'd guess. How far away from the ground will we need to get to find somewhere to sit down for food afterwards?
Pulling him out of the way.
You'd think that as a professional, he'd know that he's not allowed to pull anyone out of the way by their face. That's not some little naughty law written somewhere near the end, it's a BIG ASS no-no!
Tom. Never found it rough at all although as I am coming from South/south West we are in that part of Twickenham which is very leafy and solidly middle class.
Train from Stoke. You'll need to get to Waterloo then on a Twickenham special. Stadium is about 15-20 min amble from the station. Plenty of places to eat in the town but you should book something - typical form is to arrive and have lunch then game and a beer after before heading home but you can do match/dinner if that suits. You can have a beer at the stadium and/or in the town. Other STWers may have different advice.
You'd think that as a professional, he'd know that he's not allowed to pull anyone out of the way by their face.
I am sure Coles knew that using a forearm to clear out a maul was illegal too but it happend. He'll get a ban for "making contact with the eye area" I dont think he'll have the book thrown at him for gouging. Mind you he is an All Black so he will most likely get nothing!!
Franks: Very odd. He knows that's not allowed but his hands spend a lot of time around the Ozzies face and all in full view of the Ref. Maybe that will be his savioir, ref saw it and took no action.