JPR on Gethin Jenkins' Selection

" am not going to blame our second rows for not providing the drive, but I have to question what Gethin Jenkins is still doing in a Wales jersey when he has not been playing in France.

I know how good he was and I understand that his reputation goes before him. But there is one thing that never changes – you have to be playing rugby to survive at this level. You simply cannot expect players to play and perform at this level when they have spent so long kicking their heels on the touchline.
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Source:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/sixnations/9845025/Six-Nations-2013-Wales-v-Ireland-failure-to-shake-off-lethargy-will-cost-dearly-for-this-years-Six-Nations.html

It's good to see people are commenting on the ludicrous selections made by Howley -- choosing people on rep rather than form.

I was questioning the same thing in the Ais.

More truth from JPR. The last time I quoted him the fans on here said he was clueless. It seems he's right again. Good to see somebody with a high profile in rugby come out with it.

Nothing we weren't all agreeing about for months, before the Argy AI game I threw a hissy fit when seeing Jenkins name on the sheet!!

Pros always take about fitness and match fitness.

Bluesman being a coach (if i recall) should know more about this then most?

They always say that there is nothing that can replicate game time.... Gethin looks like he has been on the cadburys diet whilst cleaning andy sheridans boots this season. I doubt he's been playing much reserve rugby and probably has spent his fair share of bib wearing during training too.

Didn't think he did that badly though... Nt as bad as I expected.

Vs. Nicholas mas though he will be destroyed... That man lives for scrum time.

yet BOD can come back form an extended holiday without even the training ground kick abouts and dominate for a MOM award in a position demanding more fitness *shrug*

Dominate??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

A few passes with no blitz in front of him, a totally dominant Irish pack performance for 42 minutes... ye he was awesome.

Where was he 2nd half???

BOD getting MOTM was a joke, playes like Best and SOB performed so well for the full 80, and a few glimpses of quality in the biggest armchair ride Ive seen ensured he gets MOTM, by who HSBC?

Well I loved JPR as a player and love him now,pity more people don't come out and say the truth.

Jenkins shouldn't even be in the Welsh squad at the moment let alone starting James and Gill should be our loosehead props

Despite BODs contribution to Zebos try it was Cuthberts clueless defence that let him score.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Dominate??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

A few passes with no blitz in front of him, a totally dominant Irish pack performance for 42 minutes... ye he was awesome.

Where was he 2nd half???

BOD getting MOTM was a joke, playes like Best and SOB performed so well for the full 80, and a few glimpses of quality in the biggest armchair ride Ive seen ensured he gets MOTM, by who HSBC?

Bod set up a try with a wonder pass, scored a try and made a try saving tackle. I think he was pretty worthy of it.

Surprised that some cannot appreciate the difference between propping and playing at centre!

RE match fitness, it's difficult because at that level training intensely just wouldnt aid players, training will be performance focused and more about making set plays instinctive, and reaction times being reduced etc rather than trying to create match intensity for the sake of a player (after all players are meant to be called up based on club form and performances).

Int training will be so carefull not to create new injuries they will probably be very gently in physical demands in comparison to club training. Players are generally at their physical peak to be in the squad in the first place.

Thats what worries me, Howley is clearly running training how Gatland taught him, yet isn't noticing different situations as they arise ie lineout operators when Evans has to leave the pitch through lack of match fitness, Jenkins lack of game time etc...

If Howley is basing selection on what he sees from low intensity, shortened timings and non reactional responses in training ye Jenkins may look the dogs blox, but come that first scrum on match day it'll be clear to see who is up there and who is lacking, and IMHO Jenkins, Warburton, Evans, Shinglar and Biggar, JD2 all looked like they hadn't played at top insensity in a while, or at least were still trying to shrug off a touch of rust.

That wonder pass was pretty standard, a wrong footed centre gave him an outside shoulder and a very poor wing turned his back. What was wonderfull about a drift and pass off his right hand? Arguably forward too, it was decent stuff but I won't remember it by next week.

The try also was the remit of him deciding he was to cover the 9, and IMHO any player who went in to do so wouldve fallen over the line too as Warbs was busy taking a breather!

The 'try saver'? Really?

Leinster do you honestly beleive BOD sontributed more to that performance than Healy, Best and SOB, who were nothing short of world class first half and extremely determined 2nd, they went through double the workload BOD did!!!

BOD = legend

Thus;

Speculative pass goes to hand = "genius play"

Abysmal mistimed basic grubber kick = "surely that was D'arcy?"

You make a good point there Cas, don't get me wrong he still offers something but he was certainly not the factor Ireland won, he was more the polishing elements on 3/4 superb performers hard work!

I've got to think if we had any other 13 in we would have lost the second half even more heavily, simply because of his defence and just as importantly his role as an organiser in that defence.

Ultimately, I thought Rory Best was the best player out there but if it's between a hooker and a big name outside back the BBC will always go with the more glamourous name. It's the way it is man! BODs contributions fits nicely on a highlights reel. Bests was vital, but they don't call it the unseen work for nothing. Plus he got the yellow card; that was a team yellow for a jackal another ref might have let go and then we'd be saying what a steal... but again, viewer perception is he got sin-binned.

MoM awards go that way.

Best probably would have got only for a couple bad lineout throws and that very unlucky yellow. He had a great game though.