Howley In Charge

Its official, Howley will be in charge of Wales for the AIs and 6Nations.

God Help Us

Does Howley actually do anything different to Gatland in terms of selection and playing style?

I fail to see how thats bad news?

HERSH wrote:I fail to see how thats bad news?

Yeah dead right HERSH. Howleys our man. Gats thinks so too that's why he wants him for backs coach on the Lions tour.

Chin up Bedford mate.

I don't think he's doing a bad job. We have plenty of talent in the squad. Hopefully in seven months we will have uncovered even more awesome youth talent to add to the list.

I guess being the man in charge of the international side being a tour down south that people are expecting us to win (and be hoenst there were a few who were) is not the best place to start your career as a head coach (has howley ever done that at any level before), especially when the job was sort of dropped upon you.

Hopefully now that he is well prepared for having a bit of experiene, and being at home this Autumn before the 6Ns will give him a chance to settle in a bit.

Hope your right Scarlet.

So do I.

The other thing I am hoping is that with the likes of Dan Evans, Tom Prydie and hoepfully Jason Tovey getting a new lease of life in the backs, and R Jones, and Bevington all getting regular action in the front row, we should have some real options in even when the non-rabo players are missing.

SS,

Both Evans and Prydie looked handy last week and Prydie is getting very consistent with his boot. Both should get regular game time for us down at Dave.

WIth Sweeney as the only other option at 10 for the Blues then surely Tovey will seem some decent game time.

Tovey has again been very unlucky with injury. Prydie has been full of life, really maturing nicely and Dan Evans has re-found the good form he showed at Scarlets a while back.

Another lad looking very positive in my opinion is Aaron Shingler for Scarlets, great scavenger and opposition spoiler.

I'm not worried about Howley taking the role from Gatland, I don't see the Australia tour as a failure. It was more of a disappointing success and that reflects positively on Howley for me.

Maes,

I didn't see the tour as a failure given our shocking record against the SH I just really doubt some of his selections and do fear similar come the AIs and 6 Nations

Aye, I agree with some opinions and not with others. Omission of Ian Evans and the expectation on four key players returning from injury was a bold call that can realistically, critically and with the condition of hindsight be categorised as in correct.

But I think we can all see that for every decision there was a counter argument. That argument may not support your personal preference or the decision you would have made, and you are far from alone in your thinking.

But we can't right Howley off as a no hoper on his first three games in a very tough environment. One where, as per usual, we were very close but still didn't win.

I think he's still learning his trade as a coach. Just not sure it's right that he gets to learn in the hot seat. His coaching career seems to have been fast tracked based on his exceptional skills as a player.

Martin Johnson springs to mind

Personally i am stunned by what the WRU is allowing to happen in Cardiff - in order to accomodate Gatland's ambitions the whole future of Wales national side is being put on offer. Not least because Gatland is being allowed to dictate his level of involvement and is allowing an unproven coach to take the reins in his absence. I think Howley has as many qualifications to run Wales as Johnson had to run England i.e none

mowgli wrote:Martin Johnson springs to mind

Personally i am stunned by what the WRU is allowing to happen in Cardiff - in order to accomodate Gatland's ambitions the whole future of Wales national side is being put on offer. Not least because Gatland is being allowed to dictate his level of involvement and is allowing an unproven coach to take the reins in his absence. I think Howley has as many qualifications to run Wales as Johnson had to run England i.e none

Howley is qualified, he has the diploma and he had coached for four and a half years before assuming the reigns.