For Gareth Jenkins to come out and admit Wales were taken totally by surprise by England is almost unprecedented in my experience.
It is rare indeed for any Test coach to admit he and his team have been outwitted, but it's still not what people want to hear.
The question is surely: WHY were you so taken by surprise?
Surely it is one of the key parts of a coach's job to second guess as close as possible what the opposition are planning and be prepared for it.
I'll say one other thing.
Jenkins has put all his cards on his best players coming back to rescue him with what he has said this week.
"Judge me on the World Cup" and "There's more to come from this team" was the gist of his sentiments.
But having said all that, he now HAS to deliver results because he has run out of excuses.
If his best team fails him, there is nowhere else for him to turn.
As I said in print this week, only his players can save him now.
But I think if they do they will have done it for themselves and their country rather than for their coach.
Keep the comments coming in - everyone is getting a good platform, on this board and in the paper itself.
Remember, your comments (the fans) are always the most important.
Keith Jackson wrote...
The man seems more suited to the self delusional world of politics rather than rugby.
Is he a technical coach at all? if so why is it that even with 20 years experience we still have one of the worse line out's in world rugby.What has he been doing in the last 12 months?
Why are our players so poor at ball retention? when everyone was told how much stronger they are.
What game plan are we trying to play? because it seems to consist of defending for 79 miniutes and hoping for an interception.
In short , just what has this caoching team been doing? speaking of which
Why is our pack coach a man who has never coached even at club level?
Why is the backs coach not insisting on a faster off-load game to counter our poor retentive ball skills?
Why is the coach so arrogant to think that, an admittedly 3rd side could have any hope, what does that say and how can players re-act when they have no platform to do so.
And last - but probably no means least - what is this "David Brent" type PR rubbish that the "coach" spouts
Posted by: Keith Jackson | August 8, 2007 7:09 AM