Rugby championship

Two full on games fair play. My abiding thought - how painful it is going to be watching 3 of those sides confront the Welsh team. 

The one thing we all know at international level is you can turn the form book on it's head when you get the environment, coaching and squad selection right.

To that end, we have yet to bottom out. Winning one of the two games against Japan just stopped a recurring headline, it doesn't change the trajectory that we are on.

We have no chance in the AI's against anyone but Japan, and will likely suffer the embarrassment of being the new 'Italy' i.e where the outliers in the opposition tour party get a run out.

You really can't expect players to put their bodies on the line when the environment (in this case the WRU) is playing the rugby equivalent of Russian roulette with the club game ( their livelihoods).

My suggestion above is of course totally unfair on the players but sometimes enough is enough. 

sospanman wrote: Wil Chips wrote: The one thing we all know at international level is you can turn the form book on it's head when you get the environment, coaching and squad selection right. To that end, we have yet to bottom out. Winning one of the two games against Japan just stopped a recurring headline, it doesn't change the trajectory that we are on. We have no chance in the AI's against anyone but Japan, and will likely suffer the embarrassment of being the new 'Italy' i.e where the outliers in the opposition tour party get a run out. You really can't expect players to put their bodies on the line when the environment (in this case the WRU) is playing the rugby equivalent of Russian roulette with the club game ( their livelihoods). This is absolutely what it comes down to. As I have suggested before, I would like to see our regional players (at least Scarlets, ospreys and dragons) become more militant and make themselves unavailable for Wales. It is their futures which are at stake by the gross incompetence of wru. It would make some statement of player unity - and the prospect of getting hammered out of sight, or having to cancel games, would terrify the powers that be who think they know what welsh rugby is all about.

I'm not a fan of withdrawal of labour as an approach tbh. However the list of players that have or are contemplating putting club before country (i.e.their continuity of employment in real terms) is becoming evident.

It applies to Tomos Francis and George North. Strong rumours that Carre is off to Munster next season.
Top end talented guys that were brought up/through in Wales but have elected to play for and in England ( Hamer, Feyi Woboso, Kepu Tuipolotu) will be followed by the stream of talent electing to go to Hartbury and Exeter (dual qualified).

The Lions call ups don't lie. We have 2 players (and no 'unlucky to miss outs') at that level. One already in England, the second has no end of suitors watching how things go at the Ospreys ( and he's out of contract this season).

Bottom line is, if you play in Wales, and can represent Wales, but are considered to be a value addition to any English/French side then it's going to be very hard to say no, and if that means giving up on caps, so be it.

This is my rationale for saying we haven't bottomed out yet.

Wil Chips wrote: sospanman wrote: Wil Chips wrote: The one thing we all know at international level is you can turn the form book on it's head when you get the environment, coaching and squad selection right. To that end, we have yet to bottom out. Winning one of the two games against Japan just stopped a recurring headline, it doesn't change the trajectory that we are on. We have no chance in the AI's against anyone but Japan, and will likely suffer the embarrassment of being the new 'Italy' i.e where the outliers in the opposition tour party get a run out. You really can't expect players to put their bodies on the line when the environment (in this case the WRU) is playing the rugby equivalent of Russian roulette with the club game ( their livelihoods). This is absolutely what it comes down to. As I have suggested before, I would like to see our regional players (at least Scarlets, ospreys and dragons) become more militant and make themselves unavailable for Wales. It is their futures which are at stake by the gross incompetence of wru. It would make some statement of player unity - and the prospect of getting hammered out of sight, or having to cancel games, would terrify the powers that be who think they know what welsh rugby is all about. I'm not a fan of withdrawal of labour as an approach tbh. However the list of players that have or are contemplating putting club before country (i.e.their continuity of employment in real terms) is becoming evident. It applies to Tomos Francis and George North. Strong rumours that Carre is off to Munster next season. Top end talented guys that were brought up/through in Wales but have elected to play for and in England ( Hamer, Feyi Woboso, Kepu Tuipolotu) will be followed by the stream of talent electing to go to Hartbury and Exeter (dual qualified). The Lions call ups don't lie. We have 2 players (and no 'unlucky to miss outs') at that level. One already in England, the second has no end of suitors watching how things go at the Ospreys ( and he's out of contract this season). Bottom line is, if you play in Wales, and can represent Wales, but are considered to be a value addition to any English/French side then it's going to be very hard to say no, and if that means giving up on caps, so be it. This is my rationale for saying we haven't bottomed out yet.

would a mass exodus play into the hands of the wru? Its really hard to get into their mindset as they seem to be doing everything to kill the regions. Is judgement day also finished?

SA took the ABs downtown !

Were bottom-now top!