hammett gone

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/cardiff-blues-coach-mark-hammett-8687811

Have they got a replacement lined up?

Not good news for the Blues

Don't know but it shows an unwillingness on the players (and hierarchy) to make the necessary changes to raise standards

This is a shock isn't or has there been any rumblings, who will be next in line I wonder?

Who is out there?

This is a shock for me - I had the idea he was there for long term and was being given time to build something. So did he get shown the door, or run out?

I'm surprised at Hammer leaving. I would doubt he is leaving through his own choice though.

Mark Anscombe next up? If the players thought Hammer was tough, I don't think they will gel well with Anscombe.

That is a big surprise and a big blow for Cardiff Blues. They need to attract coaches of his calibre and give them time. Its really hard to find decent coaches mid-season.

From what I understand about Hammett, he is basically a better version of Mark Anscombe so I doubt Anscombe is the answer. All the same problems regarding falling out with players, flogging them in training and generally being Captain Hardarse with a bit less coaching talent to go along with it. But in mid-season it would be a good choice.

Shocking.

I hope that the family reasons given are the ONLY reason.

If he has been pushed out because of the players of fellow coaches then we are in even bigger trouble.

What coach would want to take over when he knows any chances they put in place will be criticised and that the board will back his backroom/players over him.

We need to somehow magically make a quality coach appear out of nowhere who can be told NOW that they are taking over next season (or immediately) and be given free reign to choose their players/coaches.

Unfortunately I don't expect to see that, and we aren't going to be going anywhere with the same people in charge, the same players on the pitch and the same culture.


So that is now 4 years of 'rebuilding' completely wasted by some absolutely shocking board decisions regarding coaching, at least this one might be slightly excusable if it is down to family reasons.

Shocking

Ponty's Chief gone yet?

So is the 'family reasons' thing a smoke screen???

"Hammett incurred the wrath of the Blues’ board and the region’s supporters for refusing to change his policy of treating that tournament (LV Cup) as a development competition."

But that's how everyone treats the LV cup. No wonder he's leaving if he got stick for that.

McIntosh would likely take over until the season's end? As for candidates to take over on a permanent basis, well, is Jake White on the market? Eddie O'Sullivan? Declan Kidney?

Dai Young did the same at CCS IIRC.

Reading on I've also found this:

"A high-powered player delegation, led by Blues captain Matthew Rees, voiced its concern at the 29-times capped former New Zealand hooker’s punishing training regime early in his reign.

However, the players weren’t exactly coming from a position of strength with the Blues haven’t done much of real note since lifting the Challenge Cup with a stunning victory over star-studded Toulon during the final in Marseilles five years ago.

Further discord occurred when Hammett claimed last November he had found preparation methods at the Blues were 15 years behind those used in New Zealand."

So there is substance to what wales606 is saying it would seem? An extreme fitness regime is EXACTLY what is needed at the regions so early on and throughout the season in Wales. How professional rugby players who are payed to bloody play rugby can complain about that beggars belief. Disappointed in Matthew Rees who seems to be an instigator in this, who hasn't been at the team long and already seems to be leading mutinies. He'll never be anywhere near the Wales squad again. Hammett is exactly the type of coach needed at every team in Wales. When we get one over here he gets stabbed in the back and sent back home - the rugby in these lands has become an absolute shambles.

I take no great pleasure in saying this, but with Hammett gone you're royally fu**ed for a good couple more years.

Yes, we're starting to be able to piece together the pieces at the regions now: Gatland says players start tournaments/autumn slowly as they are not conditioned appropriately so he needs to do work with them for a few weeks; the regions are generally poor in their club competitions (barring Ospreys who are decent in the league); now a coach has said training, prep and conditioning at his region are light years behind NZ and has a near mutiny when he tries to put something in place to address it.

What is potentially emerging he is the culture of laziness in the Welsh pro game. Could this be a problem in the system when you limit competion by having a strict overseas player limit? I.e lazy local lads given contracts just to fill the Welsh quota. Perhaps a bit of an extreme view by me after a couple of wines, but this is the sort of thing that can happen if you take the competition away. Like the driving up of prices for average Welsh players because you have to have so many in your squad.

Griff wrote:Yes, we're starting to be able to piece together the pieces at the regions now: Gatland says players start tournaments/autumn slowly as they are not conditioned appropriately so he needs to do work with them for a few weeks; the regions are generally poor in their club competitions (barring Ospreys who are decent in the league); now a coach has said training, prep and conditioning at his region are light years behind NZ and has a near mutiny when he tries to put something in place to address it.

What is potentially emerging he is the culture of laziness in the Welsh pro game. Could this be a problem in the system when you limit competion by having a strict overseas player limit? I.e lazy local lads given contracts just to fill the Welsh quota. Perhaps a bit of an extreme view by me after a couple of wines, but this is the sort of thing that can happen if you take the competition away. Like the driving up of prices for average Welsh players because you have to have so many in your squad.

Unlikely. Rees isn't a lazy welsh player just been given a contract. Also guys like Navidi don't come across like that.

With regard to the fitness regime, apparently the Blues Wales players loved it and liked Hammett's approach. It was the senior non-wales players who didn't like it (Rees being mentioned actually makes sense).

Players like Amorisino, Tuculet and Vosawai have come in and worked their socks off by all account, so I can only assume that the lazy ones are the experienced welsh player who are not good enough to play for Wales. Kind of wish Hammett had really taken hold and released them to the rfc squad each week, and I suspect that might have happened if he had the board and coaches support.

Griff wrote:Yes, we're starting to be able to piece together the pieces at the regions now: Gatland says players start tournaments/autumn slowly as they are not conditioned appropriately so he needs to do work with them for a few weeks; the regions are generally poor in their club competitions (barring Ospreys who are decent in the league); now a coach has said training, prep and conditioning at his region are light years behind NZ and has a near mutiny when he tries to put something in place to address it.

What is potentially emerging he is the culture of laziness in the Welsh pro game. Could this be a problem in the system when you limit competion by having a strict overseas player limit? I.e lazy local lads given contracts just to fill the Welsh quota. Perhaps a bit of an extreme view by me after a couple of wines, but this is the sort of thing that can happen if you take the competition away. Like the driving up of prices for average Welsh players because you have to have so many in your squad.

Sadly, Griff - I think you're probably right.

I think this is one of those stories that we won't hear full account of but if it is due to standards then surely the board should have the guts to back a coach who is coming in to improve them rather than side with the (possible) sub-standard players who are complaining that he is pushing them to hard - awwwww bless em.

bedfordwelsh wrote:The board should have the guts to back a coach who is coming in to improve them rather than side with the (possible) sub-standard players who are complaining that he is pushing them to hard

Exactly right. Hammett was brought in because these same players (by and large) weren't producing, so why then would you back the players? You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, but at least give him time and support him to get the best out of what he has, or let him bring in personnel who are up to the task.

Professional rugby is all about results, Hammett was no doubt on a big salary and the Blues has also spent a lot of cash recruiting an impressive squad. The performances and results however have been poor, Hammett has not built on the impressive improvements (with a weaker squad) shown by the Chief and Paul John at the end of last season, if anything the Blues have been weaker this season. Hopefully the Ponty two will now get a chance to show what they can do.

Seagultaf wrote:Professional rugby is all about results, Hammett was no doubt on a big salary and the Blues has also spent a lot of cash recruiting an impressive squad. The performances and results however have been poor, Hammett has not built on the impressive improvements (with a weaker squad) shown by the Chief and Paul John at the end of last season, if anything the Blues have been weaker this season. Hopefully the Ponty two will now get a chance to show what they can do.

I hope not.

The Chief and John have been coaching the Blues all season. There will be NO change with them in charge.

Hammett had no chance to recruit his own coaches, decide on his own players or it appears institute his professional attitude.

There are some long time Blues fans on the Blues forum saying they will have given up all hope if the Chief and John are given the reigns.

The Blues improved towards the end of last season under the chief and John after Davies made a mess. The Blues bring in more imported players and a coach and it all goes pear shaped, they should stick with the no nonsense Ponty lads. The problem with some of the Kiwis is they are like marmite.