Lets talk about Wales!

First topic message reminder :

We knew Wales can win European grand slams and championships, but the monkey on the back of the players was for them to win in the Southern hemisphere. In all fairness that has now been accomplished.

So many of them have played a huge part in this series, surely now Gatland and these players can go to the next level?

15 Leigh Halfpenny
14 Alex Cuthbert
13 Jonathan Davies
12 Jamie Roberts
11 George North
10
9 Mike Phillips
8 Toby Faletau
7 Sam Warburton
6 Dan Lydiate
5
4 Alun-Wyn Jones
3 Adam Jones
2 Richard Hibbard
1

It's quite incredible that all of these players have now started a test game and won in Australia. While Gethin Jenkins probably would of played some role had he stayed fit.

This could be a massive shot in the arm to these players and maybe a new golden era dawn for us!  

mystiroakey wrote:I shouldn't have started this debate should I. Sorry I must be very bored.

But yes they are all english dude.. We ruled the world at one time- so we can take who we want when we want .

Reminds me of that one time at band camp......

Yes as I said i am very bored.I am going to do some work!

Well actually it was the British, not the English, but never mind. It's quite handy that the English get all the stick for the bad stuff from the days of Empire.  

or was it the British and Irish empire . dont start sin off

 

Ospreys chairman Roger Blyth says financial rewards should not be the only factor players consider when contemplating a move to France.
The Welsh region have lost a number of high-profile players to France in recent years including Wales stars Mike Phillips, Lee Byrne and James Hook.
But Blyth believes Welsh players can prolong their careers by staying in Wales rather than moving to France.
"If they do go further afield they're sort of flogged," Blyth said.
The former Wales full-back contrasted Wales and British and Irish Lions flanker Dan Lydiate's introduction to life with French club Racing Metro to what Ospreys and Lions lock Alun Wyn Jones can expect as the season begins.

“
We firmly believe it's not just right that they play in Wales we firmly believe they're looked after very, very well in Wales
”
Roger Blyth
Ospreys chairman
"I notice with interest that Dan Lydiate has already played two full games for Racing Metro," said Blyth.
"By the time Alun Wyn Jones plays [for Ospreys] - he's earmarked to miss the first couple of games - Dan Lydiate would have played six games.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:My concern with Rob Howley is whether he's capable of coming up with his own tactics and strategies. While Gatland was away he was just holding the fort and that's very different to being the main man. He's completely untried in that role. What's more, the players knew he was just holding the fort.

I am not as worried about him as I was.  During the summer and AIs you could see the string that Gatas was using to control him, however during the 6Ns, he did seem to make a few decisions that I think, at least appeared, to be his own.  Dropping Warburton, cough injured cough.  And then feilding Warburton and Tips in the back row.  Time will tell I guess.

It will be interesting who his team will be post Gats, maybe Dai Young (forwards), Nigel Davies (backs) and Shaun Edwards (defence)?

Young, Davies and Edwards would be a very good set up IMO though I have always said I would love to see Kingsley Jones involved.

However would Young and Davies be happy with not being the top man, both harbour that ambition with Davies having done it (albeit in caretaker role) and Young regulalry being top dog of the Barbarians touring side.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:My concern with Rob Howley is whether he's capable of coming up with his own tactics and strategies. While Gatland was away he was just holding the fort and that's very different to being the main man. He's completely untried in that role. What's more, the players knew he was just holding the fort.

I am not as worried about him as I was.  During the summer and AIs you could see the string that Gatas was using to control him, however during the 6Ns, he did seem to make a few decisions that I think, at least appeared, to be his own.  Dropping Warburton, cough injured cough.  And then feilding Warburton and Tips in the back row.  Time will tell I guess.

It will be interesting who his team will be post Gats, maybe Dai Young (forwards), Nigel Davies (backs) and Shaun Edwards (defence)?

Young, Davies and Edwards would be a very good set up IMO though I have always said I would love to see Kingsley Jones involved.

However would Young and Davies be happy with not being the top man, both harbour that ambition with Davies having done it (albeit in caretaker role) and Young regulalry being top dog of the Barbarians touring side.

Are Dai Young and Nigel Davies now considered good coaches? Surely they need to prove themselves first...?

Dai was given a sh#tty deal at the blues, he had just retired and inherited a poor side and he struggled. But you could see over time he started to put together a decent team and the pinnacle was the Amlin cup but there was some top performances leading up to that. We had back to back second place finishes in the league, HEC QF and then the next year a SF. He got out at the right time as it's back to square one for us

Maybe someone who follows the Aviva can fill us in with how he's getting on at Wasps?

gcBlues wrote:Dai was given a sh#tty deal at the blues, he had just retired and inherited a poor side and he struggled. But you could see over time he started to put together a decent team and the pinnacle was the Amlin cup but there was some top performances leading up to that. We had back to back second place finishes in the league, HEC QF and then the next year a SF. He got out at the right time as it's back to square one for us

Maybe someone who follows the Aviva can fill us in with how he's getting on at Wasps?

True, and Davies got the Scarlets playing some great rugby, only let down by injury and a decent front five. But I wouldn't say Nigel or Dai have anywhere near the experience of a bloke like Gatland, and they won't have with only two more years worth of coaching.

For me Howleu is a logical and sensible choice, other options would be bring another coach in or looking at maybe Lyn Jones and Phill KJ?

[quote="maestegmafia"]

gcBlues wrote:I wouldn't say Nigel or Dai have anywhere near the experience of a bloke like Gatland, and they won't have with only two more years worth of coaching.

They still have more experience of being head coach than Howley has.

That's true but they would likely change the system the players are used to.

Continuity is a strong argument in this case.

I doubt they'd change anything that was working unless they thought they could improve it.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I doubt they'd change anything that was working unless they thought they could improve it.

Thinking they could improve it might be the crux of my argument.

There are two years to go until Gatlands contract is up. So far he has been the most successful head coach Wales have had since the 70's, not just on the field.

There are things they could improve.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:There are things they could improve.

As always but knowing Dai Young do you really think he would be the man to improve them?

I would say Jonathan Humphreys has been a better Welsh forwards coach than Dai, that Lyn Jones has been. Better head coach than Dai or Nigel. Can't think of any backs coaches I rate highly enough to contest Nigel as a suggestion, maybe he would be a good welsh attack coach.

It's also hard to know whether these guys are in their DOR/Head Coach roles for man management or coaching ability. I always saw Dai and Nigel as being more managers than hands on coaches but I could be wrong..!

We actually played some good stuff in the backs when Nigel Davies was coaching them.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:We actually played some good stuff in the backs when Nigel Davies was coaching them.

True, the new backline sound quite slick too. Jordan Williams is a rare and exciting talent.. Could be well utilised on the wing where he played last week. Shane did a similar job for us and never let us down.

I have a great deal more respect for Nigel than Dai as a coach, I would be a touch despondent if Dai was seriously in line to take over unless he had achieved a bit more at club/regional level first...

In regard to both I would rather see them do another 4 year RWC term proving their ability as coaches rather than see either promoted to national coach in two years time. I just don't think they have the experience or value yet to take us forward from where we are likely to be in 2015.

Let's talk about Wales, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about Wales
Let's talk about Wales
Let's talk about Wales
Let's talk about Wales

Jordan Williams looks class, but I'm not sure if he's a winger. I'd have him at full back or outside half.

I'd probably have him on the wing and hope he's the next Shane. I think he'd be exposed at 10 or 15, though he could provide good cover there if necessary.

The Saint wrote:I'd probably have him on the wing and hope he's the next Shane. I think he'd be exposed at 10 or 15, though he could provide good cover there if necessary.

Shane similarly played at fullback for Neath and Scrumhalf for Neath and Amman. But his ability to beat a man, his vision and his pace were best utilised out wide.

No matter where Jordan plays, he is a very exciting player to watch for us rugby lovers.

Good footballing skills (usually found in a full back) are very useful on the wing as well. It's a shame his brother didn't stay put.

He's such a talent that I'd want him to get the ball in his hands as often as possible, which he wouldn't necessarily do on the wing. It's also a bit of a fallacy that he'd be less of a defensive liability on the wing, when you consider how many tries are scored in the corner.

The Saint wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:When has gatland ever picked 15 welshmen ?

Throughout his career. It's not like we're the Barbarians, containing SA's, Kiwi's, Samoan's now is it? Or would that be someone else a lot closer to home?

 
Kiwi picks 15 Welsh players  

The Saint wrote:Good footballing skills (usually found in a full back) are very useful on the wing as well. It's a shame his brother didn't stay put.

Is that the flyhalf Owen Williams? Left for the Tigers...?

He looked a very handy player last season. Could see him do well in the future.