Total shambles

julie wrote...

I have decided not to go to the world cup now and I have cancelled my trip. What was going to be the culmination of the progress we had made under Henry/Hansen, Ruddock and Johnson is going to turn into a debacle.
Gareth Jenkins is trying to turn this side into 'little england' seeking contact rather than space, not offloading in the tackle, set piece and defence all over the shop.
There can now be no doubt about the situation and even the stupid prejudices of many pundits and ex players will have to admit that this coaching team has no clue.
GO AND GO NOW and the sooner the better.

Posted by: julie  | August 6, 2007 9:26 AM

Peter Stephenson wrote...

As an Australian I must admit I'm disappointed that Wales didn't play better. We put out full strength squads against New Zealand and South Africa in the recent Tri Nations. The Welsh coach should be doing the same. You can't experiment this close to a World Cup. You should be team building. I love the passion of Welsh rugby, but lessons need to be learnt by now.

Posted by: Peter Stephenson  | August 6, 2007 11:18 AM

tom morgan wrote...

Jenkins is a disaster.Get rid of him.
I have always felt that the world cup was a shambles,lets opt out of it and get back to club rugby.

Posted by: tom morgan  | August 6, 2007 12:35 PM

Bobby Boy wrote...

Bring back Ruddock, he was stitched up by the then Chief Executive, he is our only hope because Gareth Jenkins is out of his depth completely.
I was embarassed on Saturday.

Posted by: Bobby Boy  | August 6, 2007 1:42 PM

Ellis Williams wrote...

This was so bad in the first 30 minutes it was obvious that it was going to be a thrashing, so I went to play golf. This is the firts time in 40 years that I have given up the ghost.And yes we were thrashed

For Gareth Jenkins to comment that England didn'ty play attractive rugby is amazing. They played winning rugby attractive or not Wales didn't play are weren't allowed to play. How disingenuous of Jenkins

The line out remains a farce ... why ? These guys are 6ft 6in plus, hookers can't throw straight. Are these not basisc skills that professional players should have?

The hierarchy at the WRU need to swallow some of their pride and get a grip and get in a coaching set up that can lead and not make excuses

The prospect is bleak for the World Cup, and Jenkins is record must either be the worst and approaching so for Welsh coach.

Answer- engage the gentleman who lead us to a Grand Slam. Result will be a realism that we won't win the WC but at least we will play in a fashion that will be to our strengths are we will restore some pride. If the status quo remains we will continue to be the laughting stock of world rugby.

Posted by: Ellis Williams  | August 6, 2007 2:05 PM

Chris Beynon wrote...

I'm glad I didn't go to the game at Twickers. I hope all those Welsh fans who went demanded a refund. It is treating our loyal supporters with utter contempt to put out a B team, who then play like a Z team.

What's the matter with the coach? Why does he pick a captain that is not as good a player as the obvious choice for his position (ie, no 10)? He hasn't got a clue about how to win international rugby matches. I was brought up in the heady days of Wales rugby in the 70s, and I am sick to death of the mediocrity I now see.
There are good players out there. So get a coach who can do the job.

BRING BACK MIKE RUDDOCK!!!!!!

Posted by: Chris Beynon  | August 6, 2007 4:31 PM

Siôn Jones wrote...

Could we have done any worse if we had not been coached? I doubt it. In fact it is possible that, as the Barbarians sometime do, we could have produced some pretty rugby from nothing.

These players, some of them talented, and all of them competent, have had all the flair and natural elan coached out of them, and nothing at all put back in return.

Only a thought, but do we need a coaching team at all if this is the result?

Posted by: Siôn Jones  | August 6, 2007 9:47 PM

richard jones - Japan wrote...

Can you imagine if a England went down 10 - nil to Germany a month before the soccer world cup? What kind of coach plays third string players against their arch rivals and tells them their selection depends upon a good game. No pressure there then and a sure way to build some confinece. What a complete muppet. After the final Grand slam game we all thought now we are heading for the world Cup - tails up. Then Ruddock's stabbed in the back for the most meaningful coaching contribution to Welsh rugby in 20 years or so. It is so sad for Welsh rugby supporters everywhere.

Posted by: richard jones - Japan  | August 7, 2007 2:04 AM

Cockney Jeff wrote...

I'll not pretend to be an expert on rugby because I'm not, but as a Londoner living in Germany in an Anglo Welsh household (Cockney and Swansea Jacks) I was looking forward to a good spectacle.
England have been far from the level they need to be heading into a World Cup defence and rugby is a sport, not rocket science guys, please get your act together so that the Welsh and English can enjoy the game that we both deserve and wanted to see!

Posted by: Cockney Jeff  | August 7, 2007 9:37 AM

Howard wrote...

The WRU needs to take the blame for getting rid of the most succesful coach Wales had in the last 25 years.
Jenkins needs to step down before Wales sink deeper.
Eat humble pie and approach Ruddock

Posted by: Howard  | August 7, 2007 1:58 PM

Geoff Howells wrote...

I live abroad and I miss going to Wales's games. The fact that I can see them on T.V. helps to alleviate my occasional home sickness. However after that appalling performance I was glad to be 2000 miles away.
But wait a minute, wasn't it the fitness coach (Max Wiltshire I think) who said a few weeks ago that he would not be surprised if Wales lost all the pre-world cup games. The reason given was that they were aiming to peak at the world cup.
OK, maybe he has a point but why hasn't he said anything since Saturday or have I missed it! Perhaps we should wait and see or perhaps I am an eternal optimist.
The one inescapable fact however, is that no matter what team we put out we are capable of being beaten by 40 points by the best teams. This has been evidenced in the past and recent past.
We need the best coaches in all aspects of the game. They are unlikely to come from the same club! We need the WRU to be lead by people who understand what is required to be the best e.g.David Watkins, JPR, Gerald Davies, Graham Price. We need men who are passionate about Wales e.g. Phil Bennett and we need men who have vision e.g. Scott Johnson et al.
Will we do OK at the world cup? probably. Will we continue to be all over the place after the world cup? probably.
Time for a 10 year plan, time to change, time to have an objective to make Wales proud again, time to forget individuals, time to be a TEAM!
Will it happen? probably not!

Posted by: Geoff Howells  | August 9, 2007 8:36 AM