H-Cup

• Posted by Dan Owen at 11:39 AM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Good to see the return of the Heineken Cup at the weekend, mixed bag really for the Welsh sides. Blues had a nice stroll, and good to see the dragons getting a win too.

Scarlets must be gutted to have thrown things away against Quins but they showed enough to suggest they can be competitive in the competition - just need to do it for both halves.

It was Ospreys I was disappointed with. Liecester have not looked anything too impressive in the Premiership this season and although the Ospreys have not found anything close to top gear I really thought they could turn them over. The first half display was totally toothless - especially up front. It does not take a brain of Britain to know if you are coming away from Welford Road with something then the forwards are going to have to put in a real display. As it was it just didn't happen and we had to be thankful going in at half time not 30 points down.

Second half was better but it just never quite looked like happening - but to still almost steal it in the dying minutes would have been nice. not to be.

On to the next round of games this weekend.

• Tags:
• blues
• dragons
• heineken cup
• ospreys
• scarlets

ELVs - do the right thing

• Posted by Dan Owen at 3:50 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Have to say after having watched the Australia v South Africa tri nations on saturday i'm a bit concerned about the ELVs.

South Africa looked shattered after two weekends getting beaten up by the All Blacks but Australia cetainly made the most of the experimental laws.

They deservedly won but the game just seemed to be playing into their hands.

Endless hoofing, along wioth certain things at the breakdown that would make even the most devious of player blush made for a game that was built for them - George Smith had a field day on the floor.

The beauty about union is it is not league.

We want to see players bridging at the breakdown, using a whole lot of skill to both turnover and recycle the ball.

We like the ball in hand for more than five phases.

We have a wonderful game, let's not pander to those who would make it different just for TV ratings in certain parts of the world.

Today ELVs. Tomorror unified rugby?

• Tags:
• australia
• elv
• south africa
• tri nations

Interesting times ahead

• Posted by Rob at 3:32 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The season is just around the corner again and I'm already looking forward to the new campaign, both locally and internationally.

But it doesn't seem as though the season actually ever ends any more.
No sooner has the curtain come down on the season then the summer tours - disastrous as they often are - come knocking on the door and then also this summer we were treated to the IRB Junior World Championships.

So it honestly feels as though the game is becoming a 12-month spectacle, especially seeing as though I've been getting out of bed at silly times in the morning on a Saturday to watch the recent tri-nations encounters.

But this season promises to be one to remember for a number of reasons.

Not only do Wales go head-to-head on home soil with the three tri-nations this autumn, but the Celtic League looks to be heating up already with a number of new and exciting signings for the four regions, and then of course there's also the added prospect - or burden in some cases - of the new ELVs.

These ELVs will prove to be a real shake up to the game, not one I'm sure it necessarily needs, but it will at least make the game a lot more interesting as players and referees get to grips with them, and also myself sitting on the sidelines.

At the moment I'm going to sit on the fence on the issue of the ELVs and I'm going to wait and see how they pan out before deciding whether they are necessary. Should be interesting whatever happens on and off the field this campaign.

• Tags:
• celtic league
• elvs
• welsh rugby

Catch up....

• Posted by Dan Owen at 3:56 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sorry folks for the delay in posting, been a bit of a mad one.

Firstly last saturday I went down to the racecourse to watch the under 20s action.

Scotland versus the USA was not the best, the Scots ran out very deserved winners, and in comfortable fashion too. USa put a lot into the game but just didn't have the guile to really threaten.

That was follwed by Samoa and South Africa which was edge of the seat stuff. really top quality stuff. I was looking forward to seeing the boks after hearing some very good things about them.
In truth though it was the Samoans that stole the show and only a piece of indiscipline and a really poor bnit of decision making stopped them getting a result.

Saw chunks of Wales v NZ and felt the lads put on a decent show but were always going to struggle against the All Blacks.

Seniors wise, Wales were better on Saturday from the highlights I saw but still not really in the same ball park at the world champs. this however is a particularly bright spot....enjoy. One Shane. Five Boks. One winner!

Next generation

• Posted by Rob at 4:50 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

In what can only be described as a 'rare' day off I had a few options yesterday with how to fill my time.
Chester races were on, while a game of golf also loomed large, but in the end the chance to watch the next breed of young rugby stars in Wrexham was just far too tempting.
The first match at Wrexham saw Samoa take on the USA in what has to be described as well not exactly a snooze-fest, but hardly a game that will see fans flock back for the next round of matches.
Samoa were too good for the Americans - as you would no doubt expect - but it took them far too long to hit anywhere near top gear and show the flare that they are so capable.
However, the second match of the night was one to savour. South Africa put 100 points on USA in their opener and threatened to so the same to Scotland. It's not that Scotland were particularly that bad, it's more that the Baby Boks were simply that good.
I hate it when people see a junior match - in any sport - and then come out with the cliche 'remember the name...he's going to be a really big star', but the Boks have a number of players who have certainly got a huge future ahead of them.
I would name them all, but I've been limited in my word count and to be honest I could actually just name the whole squad.
South Africa were simply awesome at Wrexham and it kind of fills you with a little bit of dread. The Boks proved on Saturday that the gap between the two hemispheres was as big as its ever been and now with this group of players set to step up any time in the next four years, they have a strength in depth that could see the Webb Ellis trophy remain in South African hands for a long time to come.

Bok down to earth

• Posted by Dan Owen at 1:50 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Thought i'd give it a few days before venting my spleen on Saturday's display.

I made the three hour drive back from Newark in Nottinghamshire on Saturday morning so I could watch the game and frankly wish i hadn't bothered.

Littered with indiscipline, the error strewn display was hopefully as bad as it can get. All over the park they were second best to a Bok side that was missing key players and still looked like they had four gears to go through.

Poorly given away penalties gave them a cushion, over committing to a ruck gave them a walk in try and when things opened up in the second half it was almost score at will.

Going forward Wales were one dimensional - oh for Mike Phillips to have been there just to give them a bit of physical presence at breakdown time.

Every time Wales tried to break the gainline they were rebuffed - and with a fair bit of interest too.

We badly missed a bit of inventiveness in the middle of the park (come back soon Gav), and Jamie Roberts looked nervy at full back - he will come good with time though.

And then there was Shane, a bright spot on a pretty dull background. Three real touches, set up one try, scored another and denied another by a forward pass.

Must see more ball next week.

Saturday must see us compete more physically, be a little smarter and inventive in attack and cut out the soft errors and penalties.

Maybe then we can compete to a decent standard, I'm not saying we will win by any means but lets just given them a good game and be taken seriously against the best the southern hemisphere has to offer.

And it was all yellow

• Posted by Dan Owen at 1:18 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Wales to play in yellow?????

After nearly spraying my tea across the room this wan't as bad as I first feared.

Initially i thought it was a plan for the new home shirt but thank goodness it is just about the change strip.

It seems the wru are in talks with new kit manufacturer Under Armour about having the lads trot out in a nice shade of yellow.

nice.

I'm not a great fan of yellow sports kits, personally I always liked the black change jersey from a few years back. White one was ok, grey was grim.

Sure yellow will brighten things up but it's not the most manly colour is it?

Yes the football team have a yellow change strip but I'm still not convinced.

Fortunately they won't have to play in it too often.

What do you think? Fill in the comment form below and we'll see what the consensus is.

A heavy weekend away

• Posted by Rob at 4:26 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Following what can only be described as a heavy weekend away in deepest darkest Ireland, I am back and reday to continue blogging.
First of all I want to make special mention of Munster claiming the Heineken Cup at the Millennium Stadium. I watched the match - well as much of it as possible through the bottom of a Guinness glass - and have to say I wasn't exactly over enthused with either side.
It wasn't that it was a bad game, or that either side played particularly badly, more that it just nver caught fire the way it should do between these two sides, and therefore left me feeling somewhat disappointed.
But I also couldn't help thinking what it would have been like had either the Cardiff Blues or Ospreys managed to make the final against Munster. As a proud Welshman and also a Welsh rugby writer I would have found it quite difficult to hold my tongue for so long even surrounded by a host of mad-cap Munster fans.

While I've been away I've been an avid reader of my fellow bloggers Celtic League combined player of the season, and I'd like to offer my own opinion on a couple of aspects.
I know Dan said he had no interest in the hair of the player, but honestly you can't really overlook Colin Charvis or either of the Hair-bear bunch boys Adam and Duncan Jones.

But I'm going to look at the best rugby brain and after careful consideration the award has to go to Martyn Williams.
I know he's got a few miles on the clock, and it starting to slow in his old age, but when it comes to speed of mind against speed of body I don't think anyone in world rugby let along the Celtic League, comes close to our nugget.

H Cup/Bath/Ultimate player part 2

• Posted by Dan Owen at 3:19 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Good weekend of rugby all in all.

Great Heineken Cup final, Munster bossing things from about 20 mins onwards. Paul O'Connell was an absolute hero. Such a different prospect to the man who was so off colour in the world cup.

Enjoyed the Bath v Worcester final yesterday too, if not watch michael Lipman's lip hanging off - if ever there had be a hint of comedy timing in a name this was it.

Seiously though, again the right side won on the day. Nick Abendanon's try being the highlight.

I have to say of all the Guinesses Prem sides I have most enjoyed watching Bath this year. Nice flowing game and in Buth James and Michael Claassens they have probably the best half back pairing in the league.

Finally following on from the last blog here is the start of the Magners' Ultimate player.

Best Hands - Gavin Henson (Ospreys)

Reason: Because they are. Full stop. One of the most maligned payers around (especially Ruperts in England shirts), Henson is a fantastically gifted player with great speed of mind and hand. Sees and makes passes others can only dream of. What a dream it would be to see Gav and Regan King together in the centre.

The ultimate player.....

• Posted by Dan Owen at 3:19 PM | add or read comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

People with nothing better to do have come up with a breakdown of which players, when combined would make up the ultimate player in the Guinness Prem.

They have gone for.......

Best hair - Sebastien Chabal (Sale Sharks)
Best rugby brain - Mike Catt (London Irish)
Best cauliflower ears - Peter Buxton (Gloucester)
Most damaged nose - Mike Tindall (Gloucester)
Strongest player - Andrew Sheridan (Sales Sharks)
Best hands - James Simpson-Daniel (Gloucester)
Fastest Legs - Tom Varndell (Leicester Tigers)
Best right boot - Charlie Hodgson (Sales Sharks)
Best left boot - Danny Cipriani (London Wasps)

Firstly these things should not have a 'best hair' category.

Also not sure about the left boot either, sure a certain Jonny might have something to say about that.

I'm gonna work on a Magners League ultimate player - reckon we can beat this one.