Yes. This. Gatland and his backroom team's coaching is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Half of our team being shit is far more of an issue. Just like England post 2003 as you rightly state (but without a W/C in the bag
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It's because Jiffy has made a cushy career out of spouting hackneyed shite as a pundit and never actually challenging the status quo in any way given its closeness to his paymasters. Jackson, while irascible is also someone unafraid of speaking truth to the powers that be and in doing so presents a threat to Jif's luvly gravy train. Hence the hatred. It's the likes of Davies and Martyn Williams unquestioningly spouting party line platitudes in the studio that are just as responsible for the deepening clusterfuck as the blazers and coaches who got us here in the first place.
When have we done that ever?
Without googling I wouldn't know. But bendeus asked me what my opinion was and that's what I think that. I don't think that's unachievable. Teams ebb and flow and right now the gap between the NH and the SH is narrowing.
Is its pessimism on the same level as bendeus thought. 6 years of being in the doldrums? Can't see that which is why I'm gonna enjoy my pint from bendeus
I'll happily take the pint bet with you too teaboy. Wales will not be in the doldrums for 6 years.
You're using the wrong metrics. It has nothing to do with the gap between NH and SH and everything to do with the one between Wales and teams we would normally regard as our equals.
I'll save you the hassle of googling. We have NEVER, repeat NEVER beaten any SH team consistently, let alone 2 out of the big 3.
Cash. Greed. It's insane. That extra match, instigated by Roger, helped him to pay down the stadium debt faster: seemingly his ONLY meaningful performance measure as WRU CEO. That it's scant few days before the next round of the HEC/Championship and thus has traditionally robbed Welsh regions of key players going into the most crucial phase of European group stage rugby seemingly means nothing to them.
100% yes, and I'll stake much more than a pint that we both go to our graves before it happens if it ever does.
It's the right metric if I'm suggesting I see consistently beaten two of the 3 big SH team as a positive result?
Seriously, mate. Who's coming through that gives you confidence that we won't be whipping boys for the next x years (6 may be an underestimation, btw - England had thriving clubs and a solid development pathway in 03; we have neither)?
I'll happily take that pint from you. That's two pints coming my way.
Are you smoking something?
Depends, dunnit? If the new world order is NZ, England, Ireland, Scotland, Aus, SA then simply beating SA and Aus regularly is not enough as they'll be down the pecking order and 5th and 6th should be a minimum we should aspire to being, let alone beating .
Thanks. My point all along: fuck plucky defeats
That hurts.
I'm well chuffed for starfish though. He's borne well over a decade of bummings with customary good grace. It's now the turn of myself, 1927, Threshers Flail and Grandma Death to pick up the mantle. Can't promise the good grace, though.
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