Gone a bit quiet on here this weekend, hasn't it.
With all the shenanigans going on within the WRU this season the Wales (my team) results have been, perhaps, fairly predictable. Anybody got a
good reason why Mike Ruddock, the first Wales coach to achieve a Grand Slam for 27 years, should be ditched mid-campaign? Think about it - the WRU dispense with a coach (Ruddock) who would not commit himself beyond the present tournament and replace him with a coach (Johnson) who will not commit himself beyond the present tournament. What a mess! You couldn't make it up.
As for England in Paris yesterday ........... well ........... abysmal.
The old stagers really are starting to look like old men. Dawson, as usual, seemed to spend much of his time moaning to the referee, rather than getting on with the game, which he seemed unable to do with much effect. Dallaglio, when he came on, seemed unable to add much to the team's performance. Looking at England's team performance, big and powerful they may be, or may think they are, but they are just still so predictable. This must be down to Andy Robinson who, in my opinion, has largely wasted the time since the last World Cup to rebuild for the next one in that he still persists with older players and Plan A, but apparently no Plan B or Plan C .......... how much good will some of those older players be in eighteen months time? Clive Woodward tried it with some of those older players with the Lions a while ago - it didn't work with those players then yet Robinson still persists with some of them now. One even retired then came back and offered himself for international selection on the strength of a few good club games.
Your comments, Bean, are so relevant. England, to be a world force again, desperately need to develop some younger players at international level. A young Mathew Tait was hailed as England's saviour at centre, was Hensoned (legally within the rules!) in his first full international, and hasn't been heard of since. Did he deserve to be ditched and forgotten after one game? If so, then he was probably a pretty poor selection in the first place, or has Robinson lost his bottle for persevering with younger players?
Although not particularly a football fan to give one example I have seen the Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, bring Cesc Fabregas over from Spain (for nothing - on a free transfer) at the age of 16. Although he reportedly had problems settling in London, he has now played two seasons in the Premiership and is generally regarded as having developed into one of the best, probably the best, midfield player in the country. He is now set to form part of the nucleus of that team for many years to come. Another example which comes to mind is Will Carling. Appointed England rugby union captain at the age of 22, love him or hate him, it can be said that he fully repaid the confidence that was shown in him by leading the England team to many achievements over a number of years. I feel Robinson has left it too late to develop a 'new' team for the next World Cup if, indeed, he is capable of doing so.
...... and I dunno what Wales are going to do, 'cos as it stands at the moment they haven't got any coach at all after the end of this month. :roll:
Oh, and
WELL PLAYED IRELAND. A fitting farewell to Lansdowne Road.
Cheers,
Trev.