The Welsh Management Team - A Longstanding Problem

First topic message reminder :

First of all I would like to say that Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards have done some really positive things for the Welsh team. I don't need to list this as it is quite an extensive list, admittedly.I mean last years Grand Slam and World Cup will never be forgotten by Welsh fans. However I will balance that with the incredibly frustrating series in Australia and the fact that you are judged against the 3 Southern Hemisphere powers.

BUT

My issue is the same one that I have noticed with us in the last few years. People are getting into/or being left out of the Wales squad without any justification or sense of fairness in some cases. It is very frustrating that you have the untouchables who are assured of a place time and time again despite having done nothing for two years. Then you have younger players that the management had hopes for who have failed, even at magners level being retained over players who are really playing well in the league and in Europe.

It seems to me that the management, clearly, dont watch any club rugby, or care about form or performances of their players. It can be seen in this squad:

McCusker - hasn't pulled up any trees for a year or so and has been out of his depth at European level on a couple of occasions.
Turnbull - Ditto
Knoye - Ditto
Lloyd Williams - Not anywhere near good enough for International Rugby. Has performed at an average to fair level at club level recently.
Tavis Knoyle - You cant afford brainless players at International or European level. Senselss box kicking, slow service etc
Scott Andrews - May as well give up Rugby, and find something he is good at.
Hook - Has never cut it, time to leave him be and find a new alternative.

Prydie, Webb, Navidi, Gareth Davies, Samson Lee, Lewis Evans, Lee Byrne are unlucky. It's a shame Tovey and Patchell got injured as a squad place would have been OK and hopefully Eli Walker will get into contention in another 3-4 months.

Also it will be a shame (but a foregone conclusion) that Jamie Roberts will start the big games and be our main weapon when he hasn't had a good game since Justin Bieber last considered getting the razor out!

Its not just the players though, it was the lack of a decent game plan. The wind was behind them first half as Prydie hit from 50m or so, but not one offencive kick was made in an attempt to pin Ulster into their own half!!!

Infact it looked like Dragons were playing into the wind first half?!?!?!?!!?!

There was some shocking tactical knowledge on show, and execution of the poor tactics compounded things!

miaow wrote:Yep, pretty much true, and might this be Gatland mirroring NZ's selection policy? A whole host of early-to-mid Kiwi players have been disregarded, with favour falling upon players aged 18-21/22. I have no issue with all of the players I've highlighted, and Hughes, not being capped though. It's one thing to be a good regional player, but another to be a good international player. For example, I've never seen Warburton play anywhere near as well in a blue shirt as in the red of Wales, and it works vice versa with these boys: they're either steady and competent all rounders, like Maule and Fenby, or swift runners, like Harries, Fussell and Hughes, who would get battered up against an English, Kiwi or Saffa backline defence (I'd include ours in that as well, we pretty much have the biggest backs in the world).

I think you might be a bit misinformed on that one. A bunch of new young players have been brought on board this year but not at the expense of anyone older.
Faumina, Smith, Rettalick, Romano, Savea, Barrett are new this year and young but then there wasn't a lot of people in front of them in fact most clearly the best or near best in their position. Two new players for the AIs, Dane Coles is young but then we are desperate and there is no other choice. Kerr Barlow is without doubt a top 5 half back for NZ.
B Smith and Ellison are mid to late 20s so not young.

The problem for NZ is taking useless old players to the UK like Ali Williams and Pieman Weepu.

Looks like a strong kiwi team for the Autumn Tour to Europe.

maestegmafia wrote:Looks like a strong kiwi team for the Autumn Tour to Europe.

Yeah, unlike the usual rabble they send eh!

RubyGuby wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Looks like a strong kiwi team for the Autumn Tour to Europe.

Yeah, unlike the usual rabble they send eh!

Nice to see them take it seriously...!