Welsh regional injury crisis

Well, after the much discussed injury woes at Dragons, it seems to be quite an epidemic of injuries throughout the four regions:-

RDW EDIT - link added

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/full-extraordinary-list-every-injured-13715731

Cardiff Blues

Ellis Jenkins - Tore his hamstring off the bone in the final pre-season game against Exeter and is now recuperating from surgery. Should return some time in December.

Gareth Anscombe - Has been having specialist treatment on a long-standing groin problem, but faces another four to six weeks on the sidelines.

Sam Warburton - Underwent a neck operation last week and will be out until the end of January, leaving him facing a race to be fit for the Six Nations.

Gethin Jenkins - Missed Wales’ summer tour due to knee surgery and his return has been delayed by a calf problem, which will keep him out for another few weeks.

Jack Roberts - Lasted just 15 minutes on his competitive debut against Munster at the weekend before picking up a knee injury which will keep him out for up to six weeks.

Kristian Dacey - Missed the start of the season after surgery on a long-standing groin complaint and sat out the Munster match after a slight reaction on his return.

Rhys Gill - Absent for the last two matches with a calf injury and it remains to be seen whether the prop will be available for Friday’s derby against the Dragons.

Josh Navidi - Having reverted to No 7 in the absence of Warburton and Jenkins, he joined them on the sidelines last weekend, a bit battered and bruised.

Jim Botham - Yet another openside casualty. The grandson of cricketing legend Sir Ian Botham faces a long lay-off after ankle surgery.

Damien Welch - A rib injury saw the lock miss his first game of the season last weekend and he now awaits a fitness test.

Anton Peikrishvili - A lower back problem means the Georgian prop forward is yet to feature this season.

Kirby Myhill - The hooker has picked up a hand injury which keeps him out of action

Dillon Lewis - A back spasm issue for the young prop.

Dragons

Hallam Amos - It’s been great to see him back after nine months out with shoulder damage, but a dead leg picked up during his two-try display against Southern Kings makes him a doubt for the derby clash with the Blues.

Ashton Hewitt - The speedster winger, who missed the second half of last season with concussion issues, has been in a protective boot this week after suffering an ankle knock versus the Kings.

Zane Kirchner - The Springbok full-back dislocated his shoulder in the victory over Connacht and won’t be seen on the park again for some three months.

Thretton Palamo - No sooner had the centre arrived on loan from Bristol to cover for injuries than he suffered a suspected broken foot!

Sam Hobbs - One of the Dragons’ best players last season, they have missed him as he has battled to recover from a knee problem.

Nic Cudd - Damaged knee ligaments in a friendly against Glasgow in August and will miss pretty much the whole season.

Rynard Landman - Calf trouble forced the second row to pull out of the meeting with his Southern Kings countrymen.

Harrison Keddie - Shoulder surgery will rule out the highly rated young No 8 until at least late November.

Lewis Evans - The stalwart Dragons skipper is yet to feature so far this season due to Achilles tendon trouble.

Jared Rosser - The young wing has had an abdomen problem and faces a fitness test ahead of the Blues game.

Pat Howard - Just the one outing so far this term for the versatile threequarter due to a quad problem.

Carl Meyer - The South African-born utility back hurt a thigh muscle in training this week.

Gerard Ellis - A summer signing from London Irish, the hooker had a fractured cheekbone.

Tavis Knoyle - The Welsh international scrum-half is out for the season with knee damage.

Sam Beard - Sidelined for the past month with a chest muscle injury.

Charlie Davies - Concussion is the issue for the ex-Wasps scrum-half.

Rhys Buckley - Back problem. An occupational hazard for a hooker.

Adam Hughes - A foot injury for the experienced threequarter.

Robson Blake - The young No 8 has a collarbone complaint.

Ospreys

Dmitri Arhip - The Moldovan prop missed the second half of last term with shoulder damage and

suffered a re-occurence in the pre-season game against Bath. A big loss.

Ashley Beck - Has just had no luck with injuries during his career and it’s his shoulder that’s the latest issue. Yet to play this season.

Hanno Dirksen - The winger has had a lot of knee trouble over the years and it’s kept him off the field again so far this term.

Eli Walker - Another player who has been plagued by injury, mainly to his hamstring. Now it’s his back keeping him out.

Owen Watkin - No regional rugby since May 2016 due to serious knee damage. But happily back playing with Bridgend.

Brian Mujati - Signed on for another year in May, but hasn’t figured yet this term because of a shoulder issue.

Rory Thornton - Started the league opener against Zebre, but a shoulder injury has kept the lock out since then.

Brendon Leonard - No rugby yet this term for the All Blacks scrum-half due to a foot problem.

Dafydd Howells - The winger hasn’t figured due to a shoulder injury.

Luke Price - A foot problem for the outside-half.

Scott Baldwin - Hand. Lion-related incident.

Scarlets

James Davies - The one big injury for the Scarlets so far this season. Will be out until early December after shoulder surgery.

John Barclay - Fellow back rower Barclay will miss the Ospreys game after picking up a HIA a couple of weeks ago.

Rob Evans - Also likely to miss the west Wales derby with a head injury.

Samson Lee - Picked up a HIA against Edinburgh.

Gareth Davies - Same story. HIA.

Will Boyde - And another HIA!

To be honest, I never really pay much attention to the amount of injuries what side has, but this seams an awful lot, all at one time, is this normal ?

There are almost 50 injured players between the 4 regions, surely something must be wrong somewhere to be getting all the injuries.

There was I hoping to see some sort of climb down from your tirade against squad rotation by clicking on this, you gonna oblige Andy?

FFS.



Listen Stone Motif, I am getting a bit fed up of you and the constant name calling. If you do not want to debate properly, crawl back into your hole and shut up.

Debate

Last week you debated that the Dragons were all but bringing the game into disrepute by the team they put out at Ulster, Andy, would you not say he article you wrote above undermines that stance a little?

I'd love you to debate otherwise.

Dowlais, you haven't cited your source again (unless you wrote all that yourself).

To answer your question though, I'm sure there aren't normally that many players out injured at once, but then, like you, I don't keep a list of who's injured.

LordDowlais wrote:FFS.



Listen Stone Motif, I am getting a bit fed up of you and the constant name calling. If you do not want to debate properly, crawl back into your hole and shut up.

I'm struggling to see the name calling here

Stone Motif wrote:There was I hoping to see some sort of climb down from your tirade against squad rotation by clicking on this, you gonna oblige Andy?

Unless you consider "Andy" as "name calling"

He's been quite polite, I was going to question whether we needed another article copy pasted from the internet from our resident carpet mogul

Stolen again. Stop trying to take credit for others work ld.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/full-extraordinary-list-every-injured-13715731

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Dowlais, you haven't cited your source again (unless you wrote all that yourself).

To answer your question though, I'm sure there aren't normally that many players out injured at once, but then, like you, I don't keep a list of who's injured.

Click on the Fail site, if it says 'Andy Howell' at the top it's all Lord D.

FFS.

Come on.

I put a thread up worth debating and the usual members are all over it, not debating, but attacking the member.

This place is really spiraling out of control, where are the MODS ?

All I have done is give a list of injured players and what their injuries are, does it matter where I got it from ? Can't we all discuss it like adults ?

There are three or four members who are ruining this place, and they are on this topic, attacking me again.

Well the Dragon's injuries are all 'mind games' according to the CF10 lot

Let he who hath never cut and paste before cast the first stone.

According to Dai Young (there is a bit of an injury crisis in the English top flight too) his theory on the reason for the greater prevalence of injuries at this early stage of the season is the new experimental laws (are they experimental/trials, or permanent?!). He reckons that the laws have been brought in to speed the game up, make it look more attractive, reduce the amount of kicking and keep the ball in play more, but what this amounts to is more contacts, collisions and tackles. An extra 50 collisions per game he reckons.

Anything in this?

Thank you Griff.

At least the more decent members are now trying to debate.

Anyway, I will see if I can find a list of the injuries in any of the other leagues later on perhaps we can do a compare, Dai Young might be onto something.

Stone Motif wrote:Debate

Last week you debated that the Dragons were all but bringing the game into disrepute by the team they put out at Ulster, Andy, would you not say he article you wrote above undermines that stance a little?

I'd love you to debate otherwise.

No, because a lot of injuries have happened after or during the Ulster game. Not before.

P.S grow up and stop calling me Andy.

Someone tell him to acknowledge the article. You shouldn't try and take credit for others work.

LordDowlais wrote:

Stone Motif wrote:Debate

Last week you debated that the Dragons were all but bringing the game into disrepute by the team they put out at Ulster, Andy, would you not say he article you wrote above undermines that stance a little?

I'd love you to debate otherwise.

No, because a lot of injuries have happened after or during the Ulster game. Not before.

P.S grow up and stop calling me Andy.

Apart from being factually incorrect if you look at the list and the number of players injured prior to the Ulster game, the number who were then injured v Ulster kind of shows why you have to rotate your squad, Andy. It is a sport of collisions and Dragons are one of he smallest pro teams out there. Only an imbecile would deny the need to mine squad depth the the maximum to manage a squad through today's never-ending season, particularly on a limited budget.

Stone Motif - I don't know if LD is called Andy or not but if he doesn't want you calling him it then please don't, as doing so is just going to lead to bickering and ruin even more threads.

LordDowlais wrote:FFS.

Come on.

I put a thread up worth debating and the usual members are all over it, not debating, but attacking the member.

This place is really spiraling out of control, where are the MODS ?

All I have done is give a list of injured players and what their injuries are, does it matter where I got it from ? Can't we all discuss it like adults ?

There are three or four members who are ruining this place, and they are on this topic, attacking me again.

In your opinion obviously

Can you create a thread called Dowlais' daily bluster and WOL clickbait and post all your nonsense in there. it'd be far easier for me to avoid

LordDowlais wrote:

Stone Motif wrote:Debate

Last week you debated that the Dragons were all but bringing the game into disrepute by the team they put out at Ulster, Andy, would you not say he article you wrote above undermines that stance a little?

I'd love you to debate otherwise.

No, because a lot of injuries have happened after or during the Ulster game. Not before.

P.S grow up and stop calling me Andy.

Eddie baby, shouldn't the title read "crises"?
On second thoughts, it's probably correct. Could've left out the two middle words though.

LordDowlais wrote:All I have done is give a list of injured players and what their injuries are, does it matter where I got it from?

The point is it's not your list. Someone else spent time researching and compiling it. You should acknowledge that.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:All I have done is give a list of injured players and what their injuries are, does it matter where I got it from?

The point is it's not your list. Someone else spent time researching and compiling it. You should acknowledge that.

please stop the bitching.

It's not bitching Dowlais, and even if it was, there's a simple way of stopping it. If you can copy and paste an article, you can copy and paste a link.

This place is getting ridiculous:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/full-extraordinary-list-every-injured-13715731

Incredible arrogance.

Anybody actually care to talk about all these injuries ?

Or are we all content with just circling around and picking at me ?

Saw this in the link

'The suggestion is the new laws at tackle and ruck time are contributing to the problem, with fewer players committing to the breakdown meaning more ball in play time, more men in the defensive line and more big collisions.'

If we only allowed say 4 substitutes for tactical reasons and the other 4 would only be for injury, verified by an independent doctor, it would help.

Props these days, are only 45-50 minute men.
Make them play 80 mins and spaces will appear and teams will have to change tactics

Good shout geoff. Also, I reckon they should allow more subs. But not allow already subbed players to be brought back on.

If you had a replacement for all specialised positions, I don't know, all front row cover, all scum half and outside half cover, say two or three of each, and then some others of your choice, but you are only allowed to change each player once. This should stop the injuries.

With the Scarlets injury list, I've heard that Rob Evs, Barclay and Boyde may be available this weekend.

Will Boyde has been a very good find SS, where did they pick him up from ?

LordDowlais wrote:Ospreys................

Scott Baldwin - Hand. Lion-related incident.

I don't remember Baldwin being on the B&I Lions tour. I wonder how he picked up an injury

LordDowlais wrote:Will Boyde has been a very good find SS, where did they pick him up from ?

Local lad from Narbeth (I believe), a bit like Cubby was on the radar, but just having to wait his turn.

Yeah, I knew he was from Narberth.

I was just wondering where he started, was he playing for a local side as a kid ? Narberth RFC ?

That's good use of the region going that far west.

Also, with the injury list we have in the back row at the minute, he could be a surprise bolter for the AI's.

Players too big and too powerful these days, it seems to me. Gives them a sense of invincibilty no doubt. Some appear to be more suited to Olympic weightlifting rather than rugby.

Cardiff Dave wrote:Players too big and too powerful these days, it seems to me. Gives them a sense of invincibilty no doubt. Some appear to be more suited to Olympic weightlifting rather than rugby.

Look more like WWE wrestlers than weightlifters to me but point well made

Unfortunately pro rugby players are becoming too homogenous. One of the things I've traditionally loved about rugby, in both the amateur game and top flight, is the ethos of a position or role for all shapes and sizes. The mismatches really made the game. Small quick players spotting a fatty in midfield and being able to exploit the space and create an overlap. Equally, the fatties then getting their revenge by turning up on the wing and steamrolling a small winger. But the pro game has lead to an arms race for wingers who can hold their own against forwards in defence and forwards fit enough to keep pace with the backs. And so we have teams developing and/or splashing the big cash for big, supremely fit, strong and athletic forwards and backs, which leads to players packing on the bulk in order to stand out and secure a contract. And we're getting to a point where the lines are blurred and we have forwards and backs with similar stature, weight, strength, etc. So instead of a game of mismatches leading to gaps and space we have a game based on collisions and winning collisions and the speed a team can recycle the ball after collisions. And as such with faster, heavier players colliding more, and with connective tissue not being any stronger than it ever was, we're bound to see more injuries. Too late to turn back now though I think. We can't exactly say that teams have to employ only fat (and not muscly fat) props, and wingers under 13 stone! It's a product of the pro game and subsequent arms race for the competitive edge, IMO. It's all gone a bit rugby league.

Griff I could not agree more.

My nephew is currently playing flanker for Abercynon. He is 16 years old, and he is already touching six foot and he is built like a brick shoite house.

Cardiff Blues have come in and asked him to start playing in the front row ???????

What is all that about ?

Understandably he is not very happy, and neither are his parents, the kid has been enjoying his rugby in the back row, now all of a sudden, he needs to start changing his game that he has been playing since a young kid.

If he ends up in the front row, and if he keeps growing, and the speed he can get up to, littler scrum halves, wingers, outside halves and even smaller props need to look out. Gone are the days where you can dodge and sidestep a prop forward.

LordDowlais wrote:Griff I could not agree more.

My nephew is currently playing flanker for Abercynon. He is 16 years old, and he is already touching six foot and he is built like a brick shoite house.

Cardiff Blues have come in and asked him to start playing in the front row ???????

What is all that about ?

Understandably he is not very happy, and neither are his parents, the kid has been enjoying his rugby in the back row, now all of a sudden, he needs to start changing his game that he has been playing since a young kid.

If he ends up in the front row, and if he keeps growing, and the speed he can get up to, littler scrum halves, wingers, outside halves and even smaller props need to look out. Gone are the days where you can dodge and sidestep a prop forward.

Will they be asking him to bulk up too, so and he'll lose half a yard of pace? That's what often happens doesn't it? Maybe some control should be introduced to prevent players bulking up too much for their own good. In relation to height too possibly. Dunno, just thinking out loud. Been watching Rygbi Pawb recently and games involving the not so big younger players seem far more entertaining than the bish-bash pro stuff on offer.

Lord, going back a good ten years I had a mate who was picked up my the Scarlets. He played fly half, and had a similar physical shape, and game style as Steve Jones (blatantly nowhere near as good, but definitely a fly half/centre) however they tried to convert him to a loosehead! He got told to bulk up, and in the end he told them to get stuffed and pretty much stopped playing Rugby full stop.

Not sure if many of you will remember Nathan Williams, a tighthead, who was a the Dragons a few seasons ago? He was a similar story. A really promising back rower, told in the Llanelli academy that he would be a good prop. And then his career pretty much stalled.

I know we want front row players with skills, but it makes more sense to teach all kids the skills as kids, rather than raising loads of fly halves and flankers, only to ‘convert’ them.