Rubgy World Cup

[41st]

Having been lucky enough to be a schoolboy in the 70's I have so much pride that for a small nation I am able to sit and watch a 3rd Grand Slam in 8 years with my 8 1/2 year old son. He is playing yfory against Llandaff.
Dros Urddas Cymru

[GriffMJ]

Lets go for the Shackle draggers now...... with the aim to beat the All Blacks in November...... this Welsh team can do it!

My boy will be playing in the Loughborough Tournament tomorrow in the U11s, he is Flyhalf for his team and will be wearing his Welsh skinny with pride. The future is bright..... the future is Scarlet

His first try for his new side this season

[elgee45]

Well done Wales. Great young team - a lesson for selectors world wide. The November AB match should be a cracker. Can't see Australia getting up to beat them on home turf in December though . . . unfortunately.

[GriffMJ]

Do you think Australia will lose to Wales on the up and coming Tour....... really, is that the mood down under?

[elgee45]

Originally Posted by GriffMJ

Do you think Australia will lose to Wales on the up and coming Tour....... really, is that the mood down under?

I don't get out much to take readings, mate. Badge collecting is a lonely pursuit, and besides, I've got gout. My non-collecting spare hours are spent in front of the telly or sleeping - often at the same time.

Just my opinion that the current Wallabies, especially under Deans, would be hard pressed to beat Wales - I'm very unhappy when we do get beaten, but I'm somewhat used to it - getting done by the Poms or the South Africans is unbearable though - thank goodness that's rare.

[GriffMJ]

Well, Australia outplayed us in the last two encounters...... made it look easy as well...... I cant see what has changed. I am watching the S15 on Sky and the level of Rugby in the SH is far better than our Pro12 or Prem'. The amount of foreign players we have dilutes the new talent coming through as well......

Wales v Baa Baas in June...... hopefully that should be chock full of SH players plus Shane Williams..... lets see how we got on with them

[elgee45]

Interesting point you bring up about foreign players, Griff. In the Super Rugby comp, the newer Australian clubs, Western Force and Melbourne Rebels have the most foreign players - five and seven respectively. This is to give them a bit of a hand to get started and to stop them poaching from other Aussie clubs. The other Aussie clubs have from one to four foreign players, and these are mostly New Zealanders and Pacific Islanders, who, if they make it big, are 'Australianized' and drafted into the national team - much as, across the pond, the better Tongans, Fijians etc. find their way into the All Blacks.

Personally, I don't think the importation of foreign talent should be allowed to get out of hand, as has happened in English football. To go slightly off-topic on the 'Off Topic' thread, I believe English football at national and premier league level has been hurt by having so many foreign players - many of whom are hired on reputation alone or just because they're favoured by imported foreign coaches who have no in-depth knowledge of the English football scene. That is, they know the Premier League, but don't know enough to discover and nurture young talent from the lower divisions.

To stay off topic, look at Swansea, where a coach and management team who really know the national scene from top to bottom have put together a side without any great expensive stars but good rock-solid team players. In my opinion, building a structure that provides a career path for local talent is vital - success on the European and World stages will follow.

Well enough. I'll be tuning in early tomorrow morning (oz time) to be disappointed by Liverpool . . . again.

[GriffMJ]

Wales have one stand out player in Toby Falatau..... but I dont see any problem with Toby...... he has been in Wales since the age of six and was educated and played all of his Rugby in Wales..... his mental outlook is Welsh effectivley.

Something is lost in Sport when the $£ will create National Players and not their country. Buying in talent created elsewhere does not give the home grown a chance and creates a false image of the health of the sport in that country it could be argued.

[41st]

Gruff,
The extent of the damage could be seen recently when Cardiff returned to the Arms Park for two games.
Whilst I refuse to go and see them in that soccer stadium that they chose to go to I went to see them at "home", along with 8,000 others. They are barely achieving 4,000 at some games in the CC Stadium, but that's another issue altogether.
My point being that shorn of their Welsh internationals and baring the obvious talents of the 5 or 6 Kiwis and SS Islanders that they have the standard of rugby was poor. The lads who had stepped in from the semi-pro second side were not up to snuff. These lads in the second string are kept out of the senior side by foreign nationals and I believe the numbers should be limited to 2/3 a side in order to safeguard homegrown talent and give them more game time at the higher level.
None of this naturalised cr*p after 3 years either.
Interestingly the chant at the two games was for "Cardiff" and not the WRU creation, "The Blues". It was great to be back.
You probably will not understand as I know that for some inexplicable reason you support the Turks. I will pray for your deliverance.
Hwyl a cofion,
Kevin

[pukman]

I was impressed by the Welsh at the world cup,they look a likely unit.Its been a long time since they have beat the All Blacks ,despite running us close a few times of late,especially when they are playing on home turf .But close loses are not wins ,and they must get over that physological hump when facing the All Blacks .

The All Blacks will have some key losses in the forwards with Thorn and Kaino gone.These men will be hard to replace.But expect a solid backline ,epecially midfield were Conrad Smith is playing some of the best footy of his career.I'm predicting we will have a couple of new halfbacks blooded this year,as there is some real talent emerging,and a few old ones on the decline.

If the Welsh are to beat the All Blacks then it must be done in the tight five.Good luck in November ,may the best team win.

Cheers Iain

[GriffMJ]

Kevin

Scarlet runs through my veins, it has done since birth and I know no different....... held aloft at Stradey at the age of 5 to watch the All Blacks getting beaten by the best in the west Scarlets have been the trend setters in promoting the Academy boys into the top flight and have really benefited from this and so has the WRU..... the like of JD, North, Priestland, Liam Williams, Scott Williams etc etc. We still cant produce a good pack in West Wales ......but our back line has always turned out real class.



Iain

Wales have the best chance, in many many years, of beating the All Blacks this year. The RWC exposed the weakness in the Blackness that we have not seen for a couple of decades..... I am looking forward to an immense battle in November Everything from now until "that" match is training and build up for it...... the RWC2011 final should have been Wales v ABs..... this coming match IS BIG..... VERY BIG!

[pukman]

Good luck to my friends in Wales for the upcoming game with the All Blacks.Knowing our long fierce rivalry ,i know it will be a well contested game,not one to be taken lightly by the World champions.If i were not a loyal Kiwi ,i would be cheering for the underdog.

Go you boys in Black,go you boys in Red.Heres for a good game.

Cheers Iain

[matti467]

I feel like chucking a large angry cat into a small aviary of pigeons. \the imp in me is overflowing. Born in England? You are English so you should play for England whatever the nationality of your parents...third generation Welsh or Scots...how does that work if you were all born in England...
Born in Wales to Englais parents...well you must be Welsh
Born in Scotland to English parents ...well you must be a Scot...