NPR

Biffer wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:09 pm

PCPhil wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:08 pm Lol. Italy fish last.

No they don’t

PCPhil wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:10 pm

Biffer wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:09 pm

PCPhil wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:08 pm Lol. Italy fish last.

No they don’t

Ah, my error, like the commentators

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:10 pm That scoreline massively flatters Wales.

2 wins and a draw. Best Italian 6N haul of all time?

el capitan wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:12 pm Scoreline not really a reflection of the game. Italy performance patchy, but comfortable. Wales totally cack and you have to wonder if Gatland sticks around.

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:15 pm

el capitan wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:12 pm Scoreline not really a reflection of the game. Italy performance patchy, but comfortable. Wales totally cack and you have to wonder if Gatland sticks around.

Where else would he go? His tenure with the Chiefs was rubbish, Wales was a bit of a life line for him.

Equally, who would come in? You'd have to be very confident in your ability as a coach to think about turning this Welsh side around.

el capitan wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:24 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:15 pm

el capitan wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:12 pm Scoreline not really a reflection of the game. Italy performance patchy, but comfortable. Wales totally cack and you have to wonder if Gatland sticks around.

Where else would he go? His tenure with the Chiefs was rubbish, Wales was a bit of a life line for him.

Equally, who would come in? You'd have to be very confident in your ability as a coach to think about turning this Welsh side around.

Maybe just go home? Fair or not, defeat after defeat will only take more shine off his first tenure. Out of all these players they're having to throw in and try to rebuild something, I mean what three or four of them maybe look like you could do anything with them at test level? I haven't bothered to look what sort of deal he's on and how much it is filling up his pension pot, but you couldn't blame him if he said fuck this. I'm sure he has said already numerous times that if he knew the reality of the job he wouldn't have come back to it.

Uncle fester wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:49 pm Well done Italy.
My how Wales have fallen.

el capitan wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:24 pm

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:15 pm

el capitan wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:12 pm Scoreline not really a reflection of the game. Italy performance patchy, but comfortable. Wales totally cack and you have to wonder if Gatland sticks around.

Where else would he go? His tenure with the Chiefs was rubbish, Wales was a bit of a life line for him.

Equally, who would come in? You'd have to be very confident in your ability as a coach to think about turning this Welsh side around.

Maybe just go home? Fair or not, defeat after defeat will only take more shine off his first tenure. Out of all these players they're having to throw in and try to rebuild something, I mean what three or four of them maybe look like you could do anything with them at test level? I haven't bothered to look what sort of deal he's on and how much it is filling up his pension pot, but you couldn't blame him if he said fuck this. I'm sure he has said already numerous times that if he knew the reality of the job he wouldn't have come back to it.

Head coach Warren Gatland says he offered his resignation to Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Abi Tierney after leading Wales to their first Wooden Spoon in 21 years.

The 24-21 home defeat by Italy completed a Six Nations clean sweep of defeats for the first time since 2003.

Gatland returned to Wales in 2022.

Asked whether he wanted to guide Wales through to the 2027 World Cup, Gatland replied: "Yes, absolutely. I've made that commitment."

Gatland added: "I just said to Abi [Tierney] in the changing room if you want me to resign, I'm quite happy to do that.

"She said, 'Like hell, that's the last thing I want, that's what I'm really afraid of'.

fishfoodie wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:04 pm

Head coach Warren Gatland says he offered his resignation to Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Abi Tierney after leading Wales to their first Wooden Spoon in 21 years.

The 24-21 home defeat by Italy completed a Six Nations clean sweep of defeats for the first time since 2003.

Gatland returned to Wales in 2022.

Asked whether he wanted to guide Wales through to the 2027 World Cup, Gatland replied: "Yes, absolutely. I've made that commitment."

Gatland added: "I just said to Abi [Tierney] in the changing room if you want me to resign, I'm quite happy to do that.

"She said, 'Like hell, that's the last thing I want, that's what I'm really afraid of'.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/68585149

sockwithaticket wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:15 pm

el capitan wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 4:12 pm Scoreline not really a reflection of the game. Italy performance patchy, but comfortable. Wales totally cack and you have to wonder if Gatland sticks around.

Where else would he go? His tenure with the Chiefs was rubbish, Wales was a bit of a life line for him.

Equally, who would come in? You'd have to be very confident in your ability as a coach to think about turning this Welsh side around.

C69 wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 5:01 pm
Some of Gats selections have been bizarre to say the least
Waboso wanted to play for Wales but was told he had to go back to Wales. The 25 cap rule will be scrapped.

petej wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:17 pm I don't think anyone else will do better than Gatland. The regions are crap with awful attendances with usually crap coaches. Going to take a concerted long term effort from the WRU to turn it around.

petej wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 10:17 pm I don't think anyone else will do better than Gatland. The regions are crap with awful attendances with usually crap coaches. Going to take a concerted long term effort from the WRU to turn it around.

C69 wrote: Sat Mar 16, 2024 5:01 pm
Some of Gats selections have been bizarre to say the least
Waboso wanted to play for Wales but was told he had to go back to Wales. The 25 cap rule will be scrapped.

You either have a rule or you don't as it is not like reffell has been made to return. That feyi-waboso ended up at at Wasps then Exeter shows piss poor organisation from the WRU and Regions.

Jim Lahey wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 2:05 am I havent seen too much of Wales this tournament but today they were a shambles.

Where are the rays of hope coming from in the next generation Welsh fans? The 6N is much better with a strong Wales.

C69 wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 8:51 am

Jim Lahey wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 2:05 am I havent seen too much of Wales this tournament but today they were a shambles.

Where are the rays of hope coming from in the next generation Welsh fans? The 6N is much better with a strong Wales.

Well we do have our RWC captains to come back Morgan and Lake as well as Anscombe and Plumtree and Faletau and Christ and a few players from France, Japan and England will hopefully be available for the Oz Tour.
Jarrod Evans and Callum Sheedy are injured as is Jonny Williams and hopefully Regan Smith will soon replace Adams.
Some players should never play for Wales again
Costello Adams Tompkins Mann and Beard and a few of the useless props.
The front row is the biggest issue and Gats inexplicably not picking Will Rollands and playing some truly terrible players who are semi pro level at best.
That and no coherent playing style at all.

sockwithaticket wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 11:53 am Really in trouble if perma-crock Anscombe, Sheedy and J.Williams are seen as the cavalry.

sturginho wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 1:59 pm Sky Italia reporting some very good TV numbers, plus a lot of news coverage. Small but important steps!

sturginho wrote: Sun Mar 17, 2024 1:59 pm Sky Italia reporting some very good TV numbers, plus a lot of news coverage. Small but important steps!

"I just think you've got to invest more in the pro game and then the interest will naturally come," said Warburton...........

"A lot of people won't like this but I just think it's true," he told the BBC's Rugby Union Daily podcast.

"It's the easy thing to say - they just moan about the fact there's grassroots clubs who can't put kids out and can't make teams - 'oh the WRU need to invest more in grassroots'. I completely disagree.

"Let's go Premier League football, if you look at them as businesses. If you said to Arsenal, where is the majority of your budget spent, it's on the first team. If you actually looked at their income it's on the first team. And yes of course you do community, of course you support grassroots.

"Everyone back home just goes 'oh we need more grassroots, we need to increase the pyramid'. No, you increase the pyramid by having something aspirational like kids want to chase.

"Having a successful national team, having successful regions, will generate much more interest in the game. So you need to invest money into your national team, into your regions."

inactionman wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:20 am Warburton with a few thoughts on Welsh rugby

"I just think you've got to invest more in the pro game and then the interest will naturally come," said Warburton...........

"A lot of people won't like this but I just think it's true," he told the BBC's Rugby Union Daily podcast.

"It's the easy thing to say - they just moan about the fact there's grassroots clubs who can't put kids out and can't make teams - 'oh the WRU need to invest more in grassroots'. I completely disagree.

"Let's go Premier League football, if you look at them as businesses. If you said to Arsenal, where is the majority of your budget spent, it's on the first team. If you actually looked at their income it's on the first team. And yes of course you do community, of course you support grassroots.

"Everyone back home just goes 'oh we need more grassroots, we need to increase the pyramid'. No, you increase the pyramid by having something aspirational like kids want to chase.

"Having a successful national team, having successful regions, will generate much more interest in the game. So you need to invest money into your national team, into your regions."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68594896

SaintK wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:51 am

inactionman wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:20 am Warburton with a few thoughts on Welsh rugby

"I just think you've got to invest more in the pro game and then the interest will naturally come," said Warburton...........

"A lot of people won't like this but I just think it's true," he told the BBC's Rugby Union Daily podcast.

"It's the easy thing to say - they just moan about the fact there's grassroots clubs who can't put kids out and can't make teams - 'oh the WRU need to invest more in grassroots'. I completely disagree.

"Let's go Premier League football, if you look at them as businesses. If you said to Arsenal, where is the majority of your budget spent, it's on the first team. If you actually looked at their income it's on the first team. And yes of course you do community, of course you support grassroots.

"Everyone back home just goes 'oh we need more grassroots, we need to increase the pyramid'. No, you increase the pyramid by having something aspirational like kids want to chase.

"Having a successful national team, having successful regions, will generate much more interest in the game. So you need to invest money into your national team, into your regions."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68594896

Where's the money coming from?
I trhought Welsh rugby and the regions were skint?

SaintK wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:51 am

inactionman wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:20 am Warburton with a few thoughts on Welsh rugby

"I just think you've got to invest more in the pro game and then the interest will naturally come," said Warburton...........

"A lot of people won't like this but I just think it's true," he told the BBC's Rugby Union Daily podcast.

"It's the easy thing to say - they just moan about the fact there's grassroots clubs who can't put kids out and can't make teams - 'oh the WRU need to invest more in grassroots'. I completely disagree.

"Let's go Premier League football, if you look at them as businesses. If you said to Arsenal, where is the majority of your budget spent, it's on the first team. If you actually looked at their income it's on the first team. And yes of course you do community, of course you support grassroots.

"Everyone back home just goes 'oh we need more grassroots, we need to increase the pyramid'. No, you increase the pyramid by having something aspirational like kids want to chase.

"Having a successful national team, having successful regions, will generate much more interest in the game. So you need to invest money into your national team, into your regions."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68594896

Where's the money coming from?
I trhought Welsh rugby and the regions were skint?

Tichtheid wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 11:02 am

SaintK wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:51 am

inactionman wrote: Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:20 am Warburton with a few thoughts on Welsh rugby



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68594896

Where's the money coming from?
I trhought Welsh rugby and the regions were skint?

I imagine the Welsh money comes from the same place as the SRU's money comes from - international rugby and the URC tv deals, but especially the internationals, which is why they usually put on an extra match during the Autumn.

We have the same problem in Scotland with the clubs trying to wrestle power and money from the professional game, totally blind to the fact that without the pro game the whole sport in Scotland would be dead beyond the private schools and their FP teams.