Hell of a game

Wahay Wales for the World Cup! well perhaps not, but a hell of a game. The only thing certain during a game of that pace and intensity was that Mike Catt would probably pull a hamstring,after having to play 2 games in 6 days!! I don't know whether to be delighted or just relieved to get a win after winning only twice in the last ten games and those were against Canada and the Pacific Islands.
Wales were a little wasteful in a great opening twenty minutes and nearly blew it, the defence is still not convincing. The pack though, with Alun Wyn Jones in great form and to my mind the find of Wales' championship, were too much for England and Ashton must be gutted about that.
Wales' need was probably greater and it showed, they were more intense and more aggressive. This was likely to be the last true test with their best team on the park before the World Cup, as I can't see them taking key players to Oz. As for James Hook, what a game, what a talent but compared with what Stephen Jones had to play with, he did have a lot of high quality quick ball.
For Brian Ashton two players stood out again - Harry Ellis (Eng player of championship) and Martin Corry, but on top of that a lot of youngsters like Tom Rees, gained an enormous amount of experience at a top class level. Question has to be for England, Why wait so long? I would have liked Ireland to have snuck the championship but great end to the tournament.
By the way my players of the championship Parisse, Darcy and Ibanez.

Roman adventure

Well 800 years of oppression wasn't enough the English now conspire with the Italians to deny Wales a glorious victory in Rome!! In all honesty I cannot believe Wales blew that game and even though the officials and in particular the TMO who seemed to morph into a power crazed megalomaniac and thought he was the referee. For that reason I have some sympathy for Chris White who is one of,along with Joel Jutge the best referees in World rugby at the moment.
Wales have no one to blame but themselves for the loss, 20pts to 13 up with ten minutes to go and with the wind in their favour the game that game was there for the taking. Lack of leadership and clear thinking again cost Wales, whatever game Gareth Jenkins and the Welsh management are trying to sell to the players,they are not buying into.Wales games so far, seem to be characterised by individual not collective performances on the field.
Wales have just announced the same 22 for the game against our nearest and dearest. Personally I would have made a couple of changes Stephen Jones looks battered and bruised, mentally and physically,i would have moved Hook to 10 and brought Gareth Thomas to 13 alongside Shanklin and change the bench to include Charvis.

The Welsh get stronger, The English get weaker while the French go skiing.

The valleys have woken up this morning to news that Kevin Morgan is ready to face Italy this weekend. In my opinion, a remarkable return for someone who not only broke their jaw a month ago but also cracked two wisdom teeth in the proccess. As tough as nails!

In all seriousness though i hope its not too much of a chance we are taking. It worries me that we pick someone who has only just recovered from a serious injury when we have Gareth Thomas back from suspension, ready to play. I suppose we will have to wait to find out if it pays off.

Crossing over to England, poor old Brian Ashton. As if the whacking from Ireland wasn't enough, he now has a list of injuries to deal with. Wilko and Farrell i doubt will play and as for Vickery, i really dont see him making an appearance after such a blow. And what a blow it was. It makes me laugh aswell that Jason Hobson, the Bristol Prop who threw the punch is said to be devastated. He says it was a rush of blood to head and he shouldn't of hit Phil. It makes me wonder if he would be making the same sincere apologies had he lashed out at somebody else? I think not.

Now, another thing which has made me laugh, this time out loud, is the whole skiing incident with Marconnet, who is pictured here mid fall! Now what the hell was he doing skiing during the six nations. I mean, the French have gone absolutely mad. I dont know if he was given permission to go or went without anyone knowing but the whole situation is crazy. Not only because it happens in the middle of the six nations, a week before England face France at Twickenham but it's a '4-6 month' injury. Which means Mr Marconnet will have a spare month or so come the Rugby World Cup, a good time to maybe hit the slopes?