Warran Gatland says ! !

Todays game is one of the worst game since he took over.


"It's probably one of the worst performances that we've had since I've been involved," said Gatland.
He may make changes to face France on Friday 21 February in Cardiff after Wales' pack were "well beaten".
Gatland said that he and his fellow coaches also need to take responsibility for the manner of the loss at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.

Who do you think he will drop, and who will he bring in? for me Mike Phillips for 1 Rys Priestland for another.

Who do you think he will change for the next game?

Will he keep Warburton? He didn't look up to the pace of todays game, I know he's a better player than that. Tipuric wasn't anything special last week but offers something different.

We have to aspire to Ireland's intensity at the breakdown. Not sure we've got the players to do it, but that's what we need.

Also, that rolling maul of Ireland's is feckin' immense! We need to practice and replicate. So hard to stop, legally.

At least he's honest lets hope he follows that through.

Changes well for me its not so many changes more about giving players a flee in their ear.

Changes:

James - Would have started him anyway
Charteris - Though that is harsh on Coombs
No9 - Really though who else, all back ups are untried really
JD - We really have missed him

Flee in the ear, kick up a**e

A Jones
Hibbard
Lydiate
Halfpenny

Maj,

Why have you singled out Priestland, he's not perfect but by know means our worst player and behind that pack today most would have struggled.

I just think that Priestland would be a better bench playwer than a starting player. I do believe Biggar is a better 10. I do agree with you that most would of struggled behind that pack.

But i also think bringing players back into the team/ squad when they have not fully recoverd from injurie is also a bad thing. Gethin Jenkins, although he lasted about 65/70minutes, which was a great surprise to me to be honest. He did look like he would be coming off after about 2 minutes.

Also Sam Warburton looked out of sorts today as well.

Well judging by posts I now know I am in the minority regarding Warburton as didn't think he had that bad a game and with that Ireland performance Tipuric would have been killed.

Maj,

I must admit I would have started Biggar today but Priestland didn't play has bad as some suggest.

Bedford- you say that there is no one else. The trouble is Phillips is 33 and age has caught up. He is simpky not going to make the world cup. Wales need to start experimenting with young scrum half a now as the situation is just going to get worse and worse

wrfc1980 wrote:Bedford- you say that there is no one else. The trouble is Phillips is 33 and age has caught up. He is simpky not going to make the world cup. Wales need to start experimenting with young scrum half a now as the situation is just going to get worse and worse

I totally agree but no one is really pushing their case, there are a few out there - Webb, Rh Williams, Davies, Ll Williams (hope not) but for me none are really putting their hand up and pushing Phillips.

wrfc1980 wrote:Bedford- you say that there is no one else. The trouble is Phillips is 33 and age has caught up. He is simpky not going to make the world cup. Wales need to start experimenting with young scrum half a now as the situation is just going to get worse and worse

     I could not agree more with you.

If we (Welsh) are honest we should have started to experiment 12 months ago maybe even given whoever he choose the AIs and while we at it we should have done same with a T/Head.

majesticimperialman wrote:Todays game is one of the worst game since he took over.


"It's probably one of the worst performances that we've had since I've been involved," said Gatland.
He may make changes to face France on Friday 21 February in Cardiff after Wales' pack were "well beaten".
Gatland said that he and his fellow coaches also need to take responsibility for the manner of the loss at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.

Who do you think he will drop, and who will he bring in? for me Mike Phillips for 1 Rys Priestland for another.

Who do you think he will change for the next game?

I'm not a great fan of priestland but to lay blame on him is ridiculous. The welsh pack were smashed and the backrow in particular were outplayed. Warburton was ineffective, lydiate trully anonymous and falatau ok but outshone. Main other difference was sexton and murrays tactical play and awareness were excellent. Great result for an irishman. Not saying wales are out of it but need to sort backrow and get phillips playing better at a minimum.

hi. drop HP (for now) liam williams playd well, and is a natural FB. doesnt solve all wales' problems.

We don't need to make wholesome changes but some are needed to show players they aren't guaranteed there places. Vs France i would persoanlly go for
1. Gethin Jenkins - justified his selection today and Mike Ross folded under the pressure every scrum. One of the better players on the pitch (still no at his best though)
2. Richard Hibbard - worst game he has had in years but he will bounce back, one of those days for him
3. Adam Jones - done what he needed today, shame not many others did
4. Alyn Wyn Jones - Wasn't at his best, need him to bounce back for the better of the team
5. Jake Ball - some bulk and power will be needed for the French it would definitely be a big ask but just watch him for the Scarlets this season.
6. Sam Warburton (C) - Personally wouldn't have him captain but need him to put pressure at the break down
7. Justin Tipuric - he deserves another chance but need to step up
8. Falatau - quite today, will want a big game

9. Rhys Webb - anyone but Mike Phillips
10. Dan Biggar - deserves a chance
11. George North - it's a shame we don't use him enough
12. Jamie Roberts - when he had the ball he done well but again didn't use him enough
13. John Davies - will be a long waited and welcome return
14. Alex Cuthbert - felt for him today because he had to go looking for work, nit fair on him
15. Leigh Halfpenny - needs a good game as he has been poor of late

Subs = Ken Owens, Paul James, Samson Lee, Andrew Coombs, Ryan Jones, Rhodri Williams, James Hook, Scott Williams

Jhamer25 wrote:
15. Leigh Halfpenny - needs a good game as he has been poor of late

The main part of Leigh's game (as designed by Gatland) is I'm sure we all admit - his kicking game - as in penalty shots, conversions. That's his potency for the team and I'm not sure he has ever been encouraged to bring the other side of his game into the Welsh gameplan - namely his ability to take on the opposition as another attacking option. Seems to me most of his game is directed to sitting in his position waiting for Welsh pressure to allow him to do the kicks.

He's not really reponsible then that he hasn't had the frequency of shots he might have been expecting as the forwards aren't getting the dominance they were probably expecting. I think Halfpenny is a fantastic player but , ironically, I think Wales underuse him and his qualities.

JHamer,

Totally 110% dis-agree on Jenkins how you think he deserves his place his beyond me and also judging by other post (I am in minority) Warburton had poor game so how does playing him out of position would make any difference.

SecretFly wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:
15. Leigh Halfpenny - needs a good game as he has been poor of late

The main part of Leigh's game (as designed by Gatland) is I'm sure we all admit - his kicking game - as in penalty shots, conversions.  That's his potency for the team and I'm not sure he has ever been encouraged to bring the other side of his game into the Welsh gameplan - namely his ability to take on the opposition as another attacking option.  Seems to me most of his game is directed to sitting in his position waiting for Welsh pressure to allow him to do the kicks.

He's not really reponsible then that he hasn't had the frequency of shots he might have been expecting as the forwards aren't getting the dominance they were probably expecting.  I think Halfpenny is a fantastic player but , ironically, I think Wales underuse him and his qualities.

Very fair and very true, Gatland has this style of play where he wants our kickers to just pin the ball back into the oppositions half 99% not even finding touch. Kearney proved that today when he just ran the ball back to where we kicked it.
If Neil Jenkins is our kicking coach then wtf is he and Gatland thinking. Ireland have always ha d a good kicking game like Ronon O'Gara has always shown and Sexton showed today. That's what killed us, Halfpenny is a great kicker but as you said I think he is being told the worn things. Look i'm far from a kicking expert, really far to be honest but it's not hard to see that we are just giving possession away.

Secretfly

re Halfpenny i do agree that he is underused,abit like Cuthbert and North i do feel that hey are both under used to be honest. Unlike Jamie Roberts who in my opinion is (OVER USED) and is not as effective as he could be.

bedfordwelsh wrote:JHamer,

Totally 110% dis-agree on Jenkins how you think he deserves his place his beyond me and also judging by other post (I am in minority) Warburton had poor game so how does playing him out of position would make any difference.

Well again I can;t agree with you there

Honestly Bedford look back at the game and tell me what he did wrong at the scrums or around the park for that matter
He won those three penalties at the scrum (not Adam) and lost one which was a very bad call because Ross (like Castro did to James last week) lost his feet and collapsed under the pressure. What can Paul do that Gethin can't or is capable of
Warburton didn't have a poor game he was competing at lot of rucks and was getting around really well but it's hard for him to do it all on his own am I not right. The Irish as a whole were just more dominant. he would have gained 2 penalties if our players had rolled away quicker. I just think it would be good to try something new, it payed off against England last year and it would be nice to see if it did this year.

wrfc1980 wrote:Bedford- you say that there is no one else. The trouble is Phillips is 33 and age has caught up. He is simpky not going to make the world cup. Wales need to start experimenting with young scrum half a now as the situation is just going to get worse and worse

But in his own mind he is about 10....

I for one dont think Sam had bad game and I would start James which is new if Jenkins fit

bedfordwelsh wrote:I for one dont think Sam had bad game and I would start James which is new if Jenkins fit

No it's your view and I just thought Sam and Justin deserved a chance to prove themselves together. i just think Gethin did really well, won a few penalties (shushed a few critics saying we were coming under pressure at scrum time) and can give that bit more than James can't. It's not like we got smashed in the scrum like people predicted, it was the opposite actually.

Derwyn Jones said, something along the lines of, "Listening to Warren talking today I believe there will be changes... Gethin was not up to the standard today, he hasn't played in a while... I would bring Paul James in to make sure that the scrum is strong, and maybe, also, Ken Owens and Rhodri Jones in the front row," on S4C tonight.

international197 wrote:Derwyn Jones said, something along the lines of, "Listening to Warren talking today I believe there will be changes... Gethin was not up to the standard today, he hasn't played in a while... I would bring Paul James in to make sure that the scrum is strong, and maybe, also, Ken Owens and Rhodri Jones in the front row," on S4C tonight.

Oh for christ sake down listen to him, i don't understand why he is even on T.V. He would drop Hibbard, arguably the most consistent player in the team of late (untill today). Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins who were rocks and didn't take a step backwards against a much improved Irish front row. The man is a joke, a bit like Stuart Barnes really.

I wouldn't change the whole front row, its Hibbards first poor game for long time James to start for me and Jones with a flea in his ear

Wales' pack underperformed badly yesterday (except Faletau) but that happens.

I also thought that Priestland (given the situation of the game) actually played well. To me Phillips is really a weak cog in the team, capable of some brilliant play but is way to easy to wind up and get him to give away penalties.

Tactically we were naive, Ireland outplayed us in every facet, we didn't look like scoring once, were infringing at the breakdown far too much and our lineout was a shambles.

Phillips was a liability, he could have easily been sent off by another ref. Should have been replaced in the second half.
Lydiate was a penalty machine and should have either been replaced at half time by Tipuric or brought Ball on and move Coombes to 6.
Adam Jones did not look his best, and the scrum was more stable once Rhodri Jones came on.
Liam Williams was caught out of position a number of times by Sexton giving them the platform to put pressure on us in our 22.

What I'm mostly disappointed about was that we didn't change tactically, we just hoofed the ball back to Ireland and they in turn kept pinning us back in our own half and had a much superior lineout. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Anyway my team for France:

1. Jenkins
2. Hibbard
3. Jones
4. AWJ
5. Coombes
6. Warburton
7. Tipuric
8. Faletau
9. R. Williams or Webb
10. Biggar
11. North
12. Roberts
13. Davies
14. Cuthbert
15. Halfpenny

16. James
17. Owens
18. R Jones
19. Ball
20. Lydiate
21. R Williams/Webb/Phillips
22. Hook/Priestland
23. Scott Williams

But honestly speaking, selection isnt as important as the tactics, and if they keep doing what they did, they will lose badly against France who are looking the most dangerous counter attacking team so far.

Would just like to say fair play to Gatland for his graciousness in defeat,he was very complimentary of the Irish crowd and people who he had met over the last few days.He didn't need to bother mentioning all that but went out of his way to put it out there.

From an independent point of view, Wales were simply outthought. They tried to play their usual Gatball game in weather than wasn't suitable. Ireland kicked more than Wales, but they kicked shorter and higher allowing the Irish to contest the ball, usually successfully as they came through in numbers against an isolated player. The Welsh support to the catcher was unbelievably poor all game.

What is very worrying from a Welsh point of view is that as everyone thought, when it was obvious that it was all going wrong, there was no alternative, plan B doesn't exist and a bit like the English last year playing what is in front of you is discouraged as it does not fit the Gatland way.

Phillips has had it, even slower than usual, lucky to remain on the field having a crack at the ref like he did.

Both props came off second best, Adam J needs to go back and learn to scummage properly, Gethin needs to retire. Amazing to see what a "change" to actually enforce the laws of the game can have on a once great prop.

Hibbard has got can't hit a barn door syndrome again

A distinct lack of grunt at lock and no bite in the back row. Warburton was a shadow of himself, brought back too early I suspect, one way of knocking the confidence out of a player ( the English have I hope learned this).

Predictable backs, if it is run it rarely get past 12, when it does it's so slow that 13 gets man and ball.

Two excellent wings that hardly see the ball passed to them, in space anyway and who the opposition have learnt not to kick deep to, and give them free space.

I'd been in favour of Biggar over Priestland, but it's hard to apportion too much blame as he spent almost the entire game on the back foot in his own half due to Wales' mistakes and indiscipline. I really wish one of our young 9's could displace Phillips though.

Priestland had an ok game, kicked to touch well enough, but yeah was on the back foot most of the time.

Griff wrote:We have to aspire to Ireland's intensity at the breakdown. Not sure we've got the players to do it, but that's what we need.

Also, that rolling maul of Ireland's is feckin' immense! We need to practice and replicate. So hard to stop, legally.

Griff

Gatland said they spent almost two days in training countering the anticipated Irish rolling maul, so there is no real excuse that they were surprised by the change in Irish play.

This article is about Gatland's view that the Welsh pack was well beaten, surely no arguments there. It's a bit embarrassing for the main points of contention being which of the back to drop!

Phillips lost the plot a bit but he had good reason because Barnes let Ireland get away with murder at the breakdown and was particularly strict on Wales, Priestland played very well when you consider the poor back foot ball he was getting and the pressure he was under. I would not suggest any changes in the backs with whoever is it from Scot Williams and JD to play at 13.

Changes in the pack are a bit more difficult to predict. Charteris must play ahead of Coombes if fit, as he and Evans are the only specialist jumpers. James may get the nod over Jenkins, Owen played well when he came on but Hibbard is one of the stars. Maybe start Warburton and Tipuric with Lydiate to come on.

I would also like to see Lee instead of Jones on the bench, Wales must pick props who can scrimmage and Jones and Bevington can not.

flyhalffactory wrote:

Griff wrote:We have to aspire to Ireland's intensity at the breakdown. Not sure we've got the players to do it, but that's what we need.

Also, that rolling maul of Ireland's is feckin' immense! We need to practice and replicate. So hard to stop, legally.

Griff

Gatland said they spent almost two days in training countering the anticipated Irish rolling maul, so there is no real excuse that they were surprised by the change in Irish play.

I didn't say it was unexpected. I said we need to replicate, I.e. Try to build a decent rolling maul into out game. We never do it. Possibly because we never kick to touch because our lineout is so rubbish. The rolling maul is so hard to stop legally that it's a great source of penalties and field position. It would be a welcome other string to our one string bow.

Think about all the facets of the game we don't do at all or don't do well, and you then see how limited we are and easy for the opposition to analyse and anticipate:
No rolling maul
Weak lineout
No kicking for field position
Poor at the breakdown
Slow service/slow tempo from phase to phase
Poor/slow kick chase
Very little use of the cross field kick (even though our wingers are 6'4" and 6'6")
Hardly ever try the grubber
Nearly never chip over the top to turn the opposition.
Players rarely running from deep, instead we take it flat from a standing start.

So all we really do is bash up the middle or kick long and in field. And we wonder why we're not breaking down defences: it's 'cos they know what's coming and have been ready for it since before the game.

Variety is the spice of life. I think we've got the players to do it. We just need to give them the nod to do it.

Warran Gatland as stated that this was one of the worst games that Wales have produced since he took over.
He did look really disgusted yesterday. If Wales play the same/or simaler way again in the 6ns, (unlikely) maybe. Do you think he will be looking at removing some of his coaching staff and a dropping players from the squad all together?

Italy and Francs's service from both 9's were superb today, quick ball and quick phase play. It was great to watch. This is what we must aim for to give our giant backs the ball and gainline otherwise what the point. If we used our back more we would have the most dangerous backline in the championship. Open your eye's Gatland, if we wan't to excel we must achieve quicker ball. Yes  his plan has won 2 grand slams and a championship but it doesn't work vs the big 3 and won't win us the World Cup. He really needs to drop Mike Phillips completely and start building on a new 9 NOW

In my view Wales need a rethink in the oack and their halfback pairing.

For North, Cuthbert, Davies and Roberts to be effective they need quick ball.

That can only happen if the forwards learn and combine to win the breakdown.

Warburton for me was a liability this oast weekend, Phillips is simply not quick enough with his service, how many times must we hear he is a fourth loose forward.

Well the fact is Wlaes don't need an extra loose forward, they need a scrumhlaf who will clear the breakdown quickly.

Priestland might improve his performance if he has an extra half a second to make the right decisions.

Wales line out also struggled.

Fix the pack, get a quick servicing scrumhalf, then see how the backline performs before making any other changes.

Biltong wrote:In my view Wales need a rethink in the oack and their halfback pairing.

For North, Cuthbert, Davies and Roberts to be effective they need quick ball.

That can only happen if the forwards learn and combine to win the breakdown.

Warburton for me was a liability this oast weekend, Phillips is simply not quick enough with his service, how many times must we hear he is a fourth loose forward.

Well the fact is Wlaes don't need an extra loose forward, they need a scrumhlaf who will clear the breakdown quickly.

Priestland might improve his performance if he has an extra half a second to make the right decisions.

Wales line out also struggled.

Fix the pack, get a quick servicing scrumhalf, then see how the backline performs before making any other changes.

+1 well said

Biltong wrote:In my view Wales need a rethink in the oack and their halfback pairing.

For North, Cuthbert, Davies and Roberts to be effective they need quick ball.

That can only happen if the forwards learn and combine to win the breakdown.

Warburton for me was a liability this oast weekend, Phillips is simply not quick enough with his service, how many times must we hear he is a fourth loose forward.

Well the fact is Wlaes don't need an extra loose forward, they need a scrumhlaf who will clear the breakdown quickly.

Priestland might improve his performance if he has an extra half a second to make the right decisions.

Wales line out also struggled.

Fix the pack, get a quick servicing scrumhalf, then see how the backline performs before making any other changes.

We've been saying this for years though, Gatland is not going to change the way we play and thus Phillips will always start.

Jonathan Davies said, something along the lines of, "I think we want more zip to get the, you know, pace between the backs and forwards... does Rhys Webb come in?" on Scrum V Sunday Six Nations Special tonight.

Gwyn Jones said, something along the lines of, "I can't see him making many changes... I think it will be one more chance for some of them", on the same programme tonight.

Kingsley Jones said, something along the lines of, "I don't think they'll make changes... I don't agree with Jiffy... about Webb... the first place you review that, as a coach, is the front five... that's where you start... because if your front five don't play, they don't work, they don't tackle, they don't manage their set pieces, you can have... whoever you like behind the scrum... that's where you've got to start your review... if those guys go again... we know they can play better than they did yesterday... I don't think they're at their peak in match fitness... I'm sure he'll give them all a go again", on the same programme tonight.

on the same programme tonight we heard the usual dust him down, create a debate, put hook at 10.   the producers or the chair of this programme always push hook at us.   don't they realise that hook does not play 10 anymore, he is third choice 10 at Perpignan. and he plays at 15.

not one person on the panel mentioned this. kingsley jones did say it wouldn't have mattered who was there, sort it out up front . and quickly he added, thats not to say hook wouldn't be any better than anyone else.    its ok kingsley you will get your cheque as long as you don't say anything negative about hook.   it has become a joke now on bbc. . dr gwyn did say that hook is the one covers all and nothing else.     at last, they have someone who tells it like it is.

with regard to jinks as kicking coach, yes he is, he coaches kicking !!!!!!!!!!!!! but as rp said on his way to the melt down when questioned about kicking the ball out of play, its howley calls the tactical kicks and in the area of the field they are executed.
jinks is the kicking coach, the how to , howley tactics, the where and when to.

Gav

Gwyn Jones is one of the few presenters who has the three qualities that the Welsh media don't like, Intelligence, Awareness, Straight-Talking.

Wales (The WRU) have attempted to promote the pop culture, attempting to replicate the cool Britannia Posh&Becksesque brand that England marketed in footy..... the Western Snail loved the Henson/Church brand and even the Phillips/Duffy brand, and the clones that followed them, hence their incomprehensible support of Hook and Phillips the last remnants of the Galácticos era. Lazy marketers', only matched by the equally gullible management team relying on the throwaway society to increase the WRU pot on the back of the 6Ns and the Autumn Internationals and the "pink cowboy hat generation" to generate income whilst almost ignoring the traditional fan base as they entered the birth of regional professional rugby. As a result you lost a great coach to Ireland because of the way the WRU run things in the late 1990s to the mid 2000s, whilst the regions have almost never got off the ground.  

Now you have a coach who is autocratic and stubborn, and with one eye on the top job in the land of his birth. He was brought in because of "player power" and now they have created a monster, a coach who has never had a Plan B let alone a Plan C, you saw on Saturday that he would not bring on Tips or Hook and to send on with three minutes to go is bordering on total disrespect. I would say his initial success was due to "a new broom" (2005) and his defence coach (2008) rather than his selection policy. To top it all you have an extra Autumn International match to generate income to the detriment of player performance later in the season, and players who are looking to leave in droves knowing they still can play for their country and the potential income it will generate when they eventually hang up their boots.

Now look at Ireland, they also have a Kiwi coach who has totally changed tactics in two games and almost beat the All Blacks with a great strategy. modified it against us and then totally changed it to dismantle Wales. The provinces are doing pretty damn good and very few Irish players are leaving their country.

If you listened to Dr Gwyn Jones (a superb intelligent respected former captain) he has always told the welsh public as it was, a lot of it the WRU and welsh public didn't like but its always made sense to me.

There's two ways to look at it.

1. Wales have a lions hang over
2. The lions would've won 3-0 with more Irish and English players.

GloriousEmpire wrote:There's two ways to look at it.

1. Wales have a lions hang over
2. The lions would've won 3-0 with more Irish and English players.

The crazy thing about the Lions and the WRU stance is that the Lions were always going to have a large contingent of Welsh players and yet they still crammed an extra Autumn International and you wonder why we are surprised that the Welsh players are looking sluggish.

Money motivated to the detriment of player performance, so short sighted

Kingsley Jones also said, something along the lines of, "I can name drop if you want... because I haven't named dropped yet tonight... Philippe Sant-Andre told me last week 'Why don't they use James Hook? Him and Lee Byrne are the two best Welsh exports in the Top 14 in France'", on the same programme yesterday evening (about 28 minutes and 45 seconds into this video [linked below]).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03vnyzg/Scrum_V_Sunday_2013_2014_Six_Nations_Special/

For me it was so obvious the way Wales were going to play that Ireland could set up to counter it perfectly. For example Ireland could kick deep and keep the ball in field knowing it would not be run back but kicked back. Ireland could blitz the Welsh midfield knowing that denying them time and space would nullify the runners and no one would have the ability / nous to vary the play to stop this.

Gatland has a hard core of favourites - including Phillips, Lydiate, Priestland, Roberts, Warburton, Gethin, amongst others - who not only will always be picked, but are almost never taken off, short of injury.   He seems to have made up his mind they will be World Cup starters regardless of form between now and then.  

This group has done well for us, but some are long in the tooth and not the playes they used to be. Others are short of form. In any case we need to be developing strength in depth, but it is not happening...

Gatland is maybe (just maybe) at the point in his time with Wales where Yes, he has formed an opinion about favourites that might distract him from his opinions on the game and where he wants to take it (his earlier years).
I guess every coach reaches a point, if long enough in position, where belief in the select few is smothered in memories and history and clouds out the probable truth that the current team has done it's bit and a newish one needs to be whipped into condition for the next adventure - WC?

But that's all only 'maybes' of course.  I still think Wales could give both England and France a rude awakening.  So 'maybe' Gatland's continuing faith will be rewarded again.

TJ wrote:For me it was so obvious the way Wales were going to play that Ireland could set up to counter it perfectly.  For example Ireland could kick deep and keep the ball in field knowing it would not be run back but kicked back.  Ireland could blitz the Welsh midfield knowing that denying them time and space would nullify the runners and no one would have the ability / nous to vary the play to stop this.

But Wales have been playing that way since 2008. It's been obvious what we'll do every game since then. As I posted elsewhere, we hadn't lost away from home since 2010. The real question, then, is why it's taken teams (in the NH) so long to work it out and counter. Or is it that Ireland were awesome on the day and Wales had a particularly bad day at the office and didn't follow through on their usually robust (albeit inflexible and not attractive) game plan?

I think it's a bit of both. Ireland played exceptionally well and did everything right. But for Wales, the kick chase was non-existent. Sorry, the kick was there but the chase wasn't. For a game predicated on chasing the kick and keeping the opposition pinned back, this severely limited us on the day. However, I think it's an area we can improve on before the end of the tournament.

I've given it some more thought, and consulted the local spiritual advisor. His initial recommendation was that it was utterly unimportant. Frankly I've corrected him on that and given more time to think we have established that the whole thing is most likely a rouse to lull the English into a false sense of security so that they get battered.

Now listen, second thing, would you trade the majestic sight of a Wales based lions team clinching the first lions series win in the professional era for a random win against a fairly good Ireland team? Nope didn't think so.

I also notice that the telegraph has resorted to describing England as their default "improving". Obviously I didn't see the game, so I can only speculate on media reports; but, and this is a big but, it sounded like England delivered a fairly lacklustre performance yet again - is that really an improvement? Or is it the same sort of game that saw them lose to France? Is it good enough to beat Ireland? Wales? And how long have they been "improving" for? A couple of tries against what is a woeful Scotland is hardly laying down a marker for a six nations title, let alone the World Cup. Isn't it time they delivered on the promise? And started putting away weak sides? Sounds like another huffing and puffing pack display and little return from the dysfunctional Backline again.

England played well GE. You'll be back supporting us again soon!