The Great Escape

There are an alarming number of players being linked with moves away from Wales in the wake of their World Cup campaign which could undo all the good work Warren Gatland has done since his reign began in 2007. Nobody could have thought the way in which the Welsh players went about their work would end up being detrimental to the national game, but at the moment, that’s exactly what’s on the verge of happening.

There was a time where players went to France to develop their game and to test and hone their skills in a different environment with the overall goal of enhancing themselves as test rugby players, a la Stephen Jones. These days are a thing of the past with the players moving abroad for two reasons, lifestyle and money. Unfortunately, French clubs have funds that stretch much further than the Welsh regions and there’s no way for them to compete.

Most rugby players have families to support and given the short nature of a professional rugby career, they’d be idiotic to turn the pay rise down. Adam Jones has been linked with a move to France when his contract expires in June and discussing Gethin Jenkins’ reported offer of a £500,000 salary, he revealed:

“If they have to do something that is financially right then they have to go…It is the world we live in. If the region is not going to offer you a new contract or the type of money on offer elsewhere, you might have to go.”
This seems to be exactly the case with the re-invented dragon, Luke Charteris. He’s announced that he will be leaving the Gwent region at the end of the season with Perpignan in prime position to snap up the giant 6’ft 9”in second row stating:
"The chance to live in a different country and enjoy a new culture and way of life is one not everybody gets.
A player's career doesn't last forever and I want to experience as much as I can."
With so many frontline players already playing in France and England, Warren Gatland’s foreign player policy is no longer. He can’t possibly dismiss anyone playing outside of Wales because he simply wouldn’t have the players to pick from. Whereas before, players moving to France would mean possible exile from the national set-up, this is no longer the case. Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins are two of many players allegedly being offered big-money deals to play in the Top 14 or the Aviva Premiership. Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny, Rhys Priestland, George North, Scott Williams, Jon Davies and Aled Brew but to name a few have apparently been approached with big offers to lure them away from Wales.
If the majority of us were in their positions, we’d already be brushing up on our French because despite the game being the national sport of Wales, the elite domestic competition is failing miserably to capture the imagination of the public. All four Welsh regions have recorded all time low figures this season in the Celtic League and it’s becoming a genuine cause for concern. The Cardiff Blues have been especially outspoken, expressing their concern over the dwindling numbers:
· Scarlets – 7,243 (7 games)
· Blues – 6,723 (6 games)
· Ospreys – 6,528 (8 games)
· Dragons – 4,766 (4 games)

Regions are battling against themselves in many ways and this is acting as a deterrent to the Welsh players. They must be asking themselves what has happened to the 65,000 people that crammed into the Millennium Stadium at the break of dawn to watch their world cup semi final. From the highs of the word cup, the Welsh squad have returned to their regions and the accompanying bland, generic and empty stadia. Compare that to the partisan crowd that watched Clermont Auvergne beat Leicester at the weekend and is it any wonder that the Welsh elite are being drawn abroad?

With the regional game unable to draw the crowds despite every region boasting many internationals, it’s adding to their economic struggles. Even if we take a look over the bridge, you very rarely find a 25,000-seater stadium occupied by 6,000 shivering souls. These shortcomings are completely self-inflicted from the regions’ point of view. Ask any Cardiff Blues fan and they’ll tell you that the move to the Cardiff City Stadium has been a drastic flop. Why on earth they aren’t playing their home games at the vacant Arms Park is anyone’s guess. At least 6,000 people in there would create an atmosphere as opposed the cauldron of awkward silence that currently fills the new stadium. Those attendances would have more of a chance of rising if the matches were held at the heart of the capital. The atmosphere developed upon the arrival of Jonah Lomu to Cardiff in was meteoric and it saw attendances soar to upward of 20,000 packed into the old, traditional ground. It seems that the board think that bigger is better; it most certainly is not. If they were drawing the 44,000 people that watched the Blues lose to Leicester in the Heineken Cup penalty shoot-out in 2009, their perseverance with the Cardiff City Stadium becomes justifiable, but let’s face it, they’re nowhere near.

The Ospreys are in the same boat, struggling hugely to fill the Liberty Stadium. An LV Anglo-Welsh match was shifted to the Brewery Field with relative success. On a horrid Friday evening in front of the sky cameras, 6,662 came through the turnstiles of the 8,000 capacity ground when the Ospreys beat Leicester in front of the Sky Sports cameras. They proved that there’s a niche in the market, yet that’s the first and last time it’s happened? Their relationship with Neath Rugby has effectively evaporated, but if they were to re-establish that connection, The Gnoll would be another option open to them as well as The All Whites’ ground down the road at St Helens. Again, moving the fixtures to these alternative grounds would at least create an atmosphere and this could possibly increase the numbers.

The Dragons’ new stand has failed to spark an interest in Gwent despite landing deals with Toby Faletau and Dan Lydiate to keep them at the region. Their problem has always been not having the superstars to bring in the numbers, that isn’t true any more. The Scarlets’ new stadium was doomed to fail before it even began to be built with so many supporters opposing to the move. This has been the catalyst for so many empty seats at the ‘home of heart & soul rugby country’. For them and the Dragons, they have their hands tied because there’s no other significant sports ground in the area. The Scarlets should play some games in North Wales given that it’s in their region and the fact that it’s produced a certain 6’ft 4”in winger.

An area that isn’t being explored is the heartbeat of Welsh rugby. Since the collapse of the Celtic Warriors in 2003, the valleys have been without first grade rugby. Sardis Road could be the perfect tonic both for the area of Pontypridd and any region brave enough to take the gamble.

With the regional game in its current state, more and more players will opt for the glamour of French rugby. Rugby Union is Wales’ biggest marketing tool bar none and the national team is the pinnacle in advertising power. Without these players, there is nothing. Therefore, the WRU and the Welsh Assembly Government need to urgently come up with a plan to keep players in Wales. The money on offer abroad is obscene in comparison to their current wages. The only foreseeable solution is for a top-up system where the regions pay half of the players’ wages and the rest made up from the WRU and governmental budget, equalling the money they’d be getting abroad and hopefully stifling the player’s potential move.

It’s a very complicated issue, but it if the Welsh game is to continue developing, the players need to be playing in Wales and be available for national duty as and when Warren Gatland sees fit or the good work he’s done thus far in his tenure could be nil and void. WRU, over to you.

Shane's Swansong

It turned out to be what everyone expected. It was a non-event as far as rugby was concerned but a fitting finale to a Welsh rugby great. A stagnant first half finally came to an end with the home team leading 6-3 after Rhys Priestland and James O’Connor had traded penalties. The game ambled its way to the turning point which was the unfortunate sin-binning of Leigh Halfpenny. From where Jonathan Kaplan was standing it was an undoubted penalty and given that James O’Connor would have inevitably slid in for the try had he not been hauled down, the sanction had to be a yellow card.

While the fullback was sat on the naughty step, he watched his side yield 21 unanswered points as Will Genia, Lachie Turner and Berrick Barnes all crossed for tries that were converted by James O’Connor. Rhys Priestland then answered back for Wales with a smart finish only to see his conversion attempt rebound back off the upright. With Wales trailing 11-24 going into the last play, the game was over but there was still time for Shane Williams to sign off with a trademark finish as he slipped the tackle of Berrick Barnes to race in for his 60th test try (58 for Wales, 2 for the Lions) to send the 69,537 crowd and Jed Thian’s rugby universe into a state of delirium.

The game struggled to spark into life with the error-strewn first half dominated by the sound of the abrupt whistle of the South African referee. No team was able to put any significant phases of play together and although Wales held a 6-point advantage for the majority of the half, they were never in control. The scrappiness of the match was emphasised by the amount of kicks in open play. Wales kicked away possession 33 times to Australia’s 27. We saw the return of the dreaded aerial ping-pong that marred the game prior to the new breakdown interpretation last season. The Wallabies were penalised countless times for breakdown infringements early in the game which added to the stop-start nature of the contest. Had these illegalities happened in the last 10 minutes of the game Kaplan would have almost certainly reached for his pocket, but his tolerance was frustratingly generous for the viewing public who wanted to see a flowing game. Add to this the constant handling errors from both teams and an eternity spent crouching, touching, pausing and engaging and you have a pretty dire test match.

Although the Shane Williams fairytale moment put a gloss on the performance, there’s a well known adage about polish and excrement that must be remembered.

With the 6 Nations fast approaching, it was a chance for the maybe men of Welsh rugby to put their hands up. Only Ian Evans stood up to the test. Injury and poor form had resulted in a three year international rugby exodus for the Osprey and it showed. He was a rare banker at the lineout with 4 takes and made 6 effective carries and 9 tackles in the loose. Another who stood out was Toby Faletau who was the top carrier of with 14 beating 3 defenders on the way as well as a 13-tackle defensive shift. Ryan Jones replaced Ian Evans in the second row and was on laughable form once more with 5 carries amassing an incredible 6 metres, an incredible feat for the 6ft 5in, 18st man. Another who flopped was Lloyd Williams. Although he was playing behind an inferior pack of forwards, the skills that got him into the team let him down. He was painfully slow at the back of the ruck and his basic handling on the whole was poor. Something he has to pick up quickly if he wants to oust Richie Rees from his starting berth down at the Cardiff City Stadium is that starting a game at number 9 is a very different assignment than coming off the bench.

The same old problem reared its ugly head for Wales, the set piece. This brings more pressure on the already under fire Robin McBryde, the only clunky cog in the Wales coaching machine. Following the RFU fallout, Graham Rowntree has been strongly linked with McBryde’s position as forwards coach which expires. Rowntree was one of the very few individuals representing England to come back from New Zealand with his reputation still intact. His work with the Lions in South Africa during the 2009 tour brought him rave reviews, stark contrast to Wales’ set piece statistics. On Saturday, they lost a third of their scrums against the head whilst their opposition took 100% of their own ball. The line-out wasn’t much better with the home side’s 78% success rate missing out to the visitors’ 81%.

The upsetting thing is; the front row that dismantled the Wales scrum offered very little outside the set piece. The Welsh front rowers carried the ball 10 times and made 26 tackles between them whilst their Australian counterparts managed 6 carries and 10 tackles.

Player
Carries
Tackles
Gethin Jenkins
3
6
Huw Bennett
4
8
Scott Andrews
3
12
James Slipper
0
5
Tatafu Polota-Nau
4
2
Salesi Ma’afu
3
2

This just shows that the endeavour is there by the players, it’s a simple case of technique. Granted, Wales were without their boulder-like corner stone in Adam Jones and the specialist scrummager Paul James, but this isn’t the first time that Wales have been beaten in the battle of the set piece. The backline were without Mike Phillips, Jon Davies, Lee Byrne and James Hook, but they coped. Given the nature of the match and the amount of restarts witnessed because of errors, the set piece had a huge bearing on the outcome. Leigh Halfpenny’s yellow card resulted from a wide backs move that was made possible by Australia demolishing the Welsh scrum and taking the back row out of the game.

Let us not forget that no more than a couple of years ago, Wales pulverised the same Australian scrum at the millennium stadium and the Wallabies were renowned around the world for being a team who could not and did not want to scrummage. Jim Williams and Robbie Deans have turned that around in a matter of months, Wales have been static in this department for a matter of years. It’s paramount that this area is addressed before the 6 Nations to propel the team forward as they look to continue their form from the World Cup.

The game and the outcome itself isn’t important, but it was a chance for Warren Gatland to assess his options ahead of picking his squad to take on the Northern Hemisphere. One man’s services he won’t be able to call upon are those of Shane Williams. The match was dubbed Shane Williams’ farewell and it was one facet of the game that lived up to its expectation. It may have taken 80 minutes, but it was what we’ve come to expect from the flyer from The Amman. The first 80 minutes were frustrating for him as he tried his utmost to make an impact on the game. It seemed the more he tried to unlock the golden wall, the more worse it got for him. Uncharacteristically, he made a big impact in defence with 2 of his 4 tackles being try-savers on Turner and Barnes. That was until the last of his 7 runs in a Welsh shirt carried him over the line for his final 5-pointer. He’ll be sorely missed by his adoring fans and it’s been an honour to watch him light up the international stage. The once-in-a-lifetime, half-pint sized winger leaves behind him a legacy that he can be extremely proud to look back on. His shirt read at the home of Welsh rugby; Diolch. Diolch yn fawr, Shane.

The Outside-Half Factory

It’s not a report than can be documented often, but there is somewhat of an embarrassment of riches in the Welsh rugby game at the moment. The flamboyant Scott Johnson has come out in the press revealing that he thinks his protégé, Dan Biggar, was born in the wrong country and that he isn’t appreciated by Wales. Many have criticized the 22 year old over the past two seasons, but he must be doing the business on the training paddock at the Ospreys seeing as he ousted James Hook from the 10 shirt to such an extent that he left to Perpignan to get his career at fly-half back on track.

Johnson believes that Biggar is suffering on the Wales backburner down to Wales’ “fascination with certain types of 10s”, referring to the likes of Barry John, Cliff Morgan and Phil Bennett of yesteryear. The Aussie also makes the valid point that the days of the product of Max Boyce’s famous outside-half factory gracing the famous red shirt are a thing of the past.

“You’re going back a long way before you have the so-called flairy type 10s”

Very true, with the exception of Jonathan Davies’ 37 caps between 1987 and 1995, Wales’ outside halves have been much more reserved since the great Phil Bennett’s last game in 1978. His immediate replacement in Gareth Davies is renowned as being Wales’ first kicking fly-half and his 7-year tenure contained little flair. Following Jonathan Davies came Neil Jenkins who was ultimately replaced by Stephen Jones who claimed 87 and 104 (and counting) caps respectively, a point raised by Wales’ former skills coach:

“Stephen Jones & Neil Jenkins don’t fit into that type of category but they have stood Wales in pretty good stead as a nation.”

James Hook can be the only exception and although his early international career was blazed with glory, his recent performances in the hallowed jersey left much to be desired. The selectors in the professional modern era have opted for a more sturdy, point-accumulating figure; much like the Ospreys talisman, Dan Biggar.

Why is it then, that he finds himself at 4^th on the pecking order? His big-game temperament has come under scrutiny, but he went some way to silence those critics when he produced a match winning 23-point haul against Biarritz on the opening weekend of the Heineken Cup. This isn’t a one off either with the Swansea-born product averaging a shade less than 16 points a game in the Celtic League. Despite not selecting the ‘traditional’ outside-halves, Wales are still playing a very positive brand of rugby. This is where Biggar finds himself behind the others and unfortunately it’s through no fault of his own.

In spite of having arguably the most talented squad in Europe two or three years ago, The Ospreys still played a monotonic, droning style of rugby. Hugely frustrating for the spectators and pundits alike, but it proved relatively successful down at The Liberty Stadium, producing some regular Celtic silverware. They’re by far the most successful of the Welsh regions, but fall well short of the European elite. The amount of kicking is a constant source annoyance for anyone watching the Neath-Swansea outfit. If we take the 1^st weekend of the Celtic League as an example, the Ospreys were comfortable winners over Leinster at the Liberty Stadium. In open play, they kicked 29 times, passed 125 times and ran the ball 96 times. Compare that with the Blues who travelled away to Edinburgh who kicked 14 times, passed 196 times and ran the ball 112 times. The Dragons were also on the road against the fearsome Munster and even they only kicked the ball 16 times. This paints the picture as to what sort of game they are playing down in Swansea and the orchestrator is Dan Biggar. This may well be what is holding him back in that he’s restrained by his region’s preferred style of play and although his workmanlike kicking talent is admirable, Warren Gatland isn’t able to see him showcase his full array of talents. Without this, it’s unlikely that he’ll be included as a solid, kicking, controlling 10 whilst steady eddy himself, Stephen Jones is still in the fold.

However, the fact that Wales are even in a position to discard Dan Biggar as they have done is somewhat reassuring given the nature of other countries’ fly-half flaws.

If we take the home nations for example, England’s Jonny Wilkinson is under relentless pressure to perform as he has done in the past and Toby Flood is seen to be his predecessor. If these two were simultaneously incapacitated, there aren’t many 10s they could call upon. Owen Farrell is untried and untested at international level, Charlie Hodgson has unfortunately proven that he’s not up to the mark for England. Apart from these Saracens, who else is there? Joe Carlisle, Ryan Davis, Freddy Burns and Joe Ford all show promise, but would the English readers be comfortable with one of these four stepping into the playmaking position for England in the six nations? Probably not. Danny Cipriani was dubbed England’s next 10, but quite ironically he’s being a rebel in Melbourne and the injury-ridden Olly Barkley has shifted into the centre. Not ideal.

The Scottish situation is even worse, first choice Dan Parks wouldn’t make it into any of the other home nations’ squads let alone the starting 15 and their backup is a who’s who of distinctly average rugby players. Duncan Weir, Greig Laidlaw and Ruaridh Jackson are hardly going to make a game-changing appearance from the bench are they?

Ireland have two proven international outside halves in Ronan O’Gara and Jonny Sexton, but with the former’s imminent retirement, who is pushing their way through? Ian Humphries has all the makings of a quality fly-half, but he’s never been exposed to the international stage and at 29, he’s no spring chicken. Apart from him, there’s Connacht’s Niall O’Connor and that’s about as far as it stretches.

In which case, from a Welsh perspective, things are hugely promising. Dan Biggar’s credentials have already been discussed, yet despite only earning 9 caps, Rhys Priestland is the man in possession of the number 10 shirt following his outstanding showing in New Zealand. Behind him, you have Stephen Jones’ 917 test points pushing him all the way and the newly invigorated James Hook who will hope consistent selections in his favoured position will take him back to the form he showed in the 2008 six nations. Consider the way Nicky Robinson has played for Gloucester and Wasps since his move over the bridge and you have the deepest pool of outside halves Wales has seen in some years. With the likes of Jason Tovey and Matthew Morgan shining for the Dragons and Ospreys respectively, the future is bright.

One of the many things in recent years that the Welsh rugby nation has been criticised for is a lack of strength in depth. This is categorically not the case any more. If Dan Biggar had been born in a different era, he may well be right in contention for the jersey, but for now he’s going to have to bide his time and take his opportunity when it comes.

The Welsh outside-half factory may not be churning out the glitzy produce of days gone by, but rather focuses its attention on delivering good, solid internationals en masse.

Heineken Cup Preview

Tonight sees the beginning of the 2011/12 Heineken Cup campaign, and it’s one that is met with anticipation and a sense of the unknown. With the start of the Celtic League (still refusing to acknowledge the ridiculous rebrand of the league), Aviva Premiership and the Top 14 going ahead without the world cup stars, there is an element of ambiguity surrounding the form of the teams around Europe. The return of the internationals almost signals a second beginning for the regions, clubs and provinces of Europe, and where better to kick it off than the pinnacle club tournament in world rugby?

As is the level of competition, every year produces a group of death. Last year saw the Ospreys battle it out with Munster, Toulon and London Irish for European supremacy. This year it’s the turn of their neighbours from down the M4 to take the trip to Thomond Park as well as Franklyn’s Gardens and Stade Pierre-Antoine. Pool 1 is a hideous concoction of Irish muscle in Munster, English superstars in Northampton, French juggernauts Castres Olympique and the raw Welsh talent of the Scarlets. Two or three years ago, anyone looking at this group would see Nigel Davies’ team as the whipping boys, not now. Since their heroics in 2006/07 when they beat the giants Toulouse 34-41 on French soil, they’ve struggled in the Heineken cup. However, the big returning names from the world cup coupled with the return of their captain Matthew Rees means they are fully equipped to deal with the trials and tribulations that is the pool of death. If everyone is fit, the potential is staggering, especially in the backline: 9.Tavis Knoyle 10.Stephen Jones 11.Morgan Stoddard 12.Scott Williams 13.Jonathan Davies 14.George North 15.Rhys Priestland. Unfortunately, these groups are usually so competitive that only one team progresses through the knockout stage. It’s very difficult to look past Munster given their history in the tournament, but absolutely anything can happen in this group. Northampton’s improved squad will take some beating at home and travelling to Castres won’t be easy. This group will be the tightest in terms of points, but home form is absolutely crucial and given that importance, Thomond Park will produce an Irish victor, just.

Pool 2 is intriguing in a different way. The teams are all considered 2^nd tier European sides apart from maybe the Scottish outfit, which finds itself flirting with Connacht in the 3^rd tier. However, Edinburgh along with the Cardiff Blues, Racing Metro and London Irish will all fancy their chances of winning the group given the lack of a European colossus in their ranks. Edinburgh and the Blues find themselves 10^th and 5^th in the Celtic League respectively whilst Irish are flying high in the Aviva in 3^rd spot leaving Metro a respectable 6^th in the Top 14. This group will again be a tight one, but with the feel-good factor that still lingers in the Welsh capital following the World Cup, if the Blues can take something away from France this evening, expect them to qualify as winners.

The holders Leinster who will be without the talismanic figure of Brian O’Driscoll for the entire qualifying campaign as he undergoes surgery on a shoulder problem that’s been dogging him for the previous couple of campaigns. It’s a great shame that he won’t feature during the group stage, but there’s a fair chance we’ll see the man they call BOD in the latter stages of the competition given their relatively uncomplicated qualifying schedule. Montpellier lie one off the bottom of the Top 14, Bath continue their unremarkable last few seasons at 7^th in the Aviva and although Glasgow are sitting pretty at 4^th in the Celtic League, none of these teams will trouble the Irish giants and expect them to qualify easily for the last 8.

There is always a team that’s seemingly there to make up the numbers, this year it’s the turn of Aironi. The group is the most likely to produce a qualifier through the backdoor as best runner-up, simply because Aironi are very likely to leak 4 tries home and away to each team. Whoever can remain unbeaten at home and pick another victory up on the road will qualify automatically; the other two teams will battle it out for the next best place. With Leicester’s uncharacteristically shaky start to their premiership campaign and Clermont Auvergne placed on top of the pile in the French Top 14 it’s a difficult one to call. Add Ulster’s outspoken ambition to the mix and you have a cracker of a group. Clermont have recruited ambitiously adding Lee Byrne, Benoit Cabello and Sitevini Sivivatu to their already star-studded squad and their dominance is likely to carry them through as group winners relatively comfortably. Given the Midlands outfit wretched start to their domestic campaign, Richard Cockerill will demand a European backlash. Leicester’s Heineken Cup pedigree speaks for itself and it’s this experience that will see the wounded Tigers scrape through as runners-up.

Pool 5 will be decided at the Stadio Monigo. Those unfamiliar with the Celtic League newcomers in Benetton Treviso are likely to think that they will be the whipping boys of the group that includes Premiership Champions Saracens, Basque country’s finest Biarritz and the now non-Galacticos Ospreys. In the same way that Connacht is a ‘tough place to go’, any side in this group that has aspirations of European success has to come away with a bonus point win. Anything less will simply mean, they won’t qualify as group winners. It’s a step into the unknown for Biarritz and Saracens, but the Ospreys are all too familiar with struggling to victory against Treviso. Although the Welsh side have tried to rid their Galacticos label by banning fake tan and coloured boots, in truth they didn’t have much option. The players that made them the elite in Welsh rugby have left them, tired of failure and constant underachieving. Lee Byrne, Mike Phillips, Marty Holah, Jerry Collins and James Hook to name but a few are plying their trade elsewhere. If they couldn’t make an impact with some of world rugby’s biggest names, how are they expected to do it without them? Saracens have invested smartly over the summer bringing in some real quality in Charlie Hodgson and John Smit and their 2^nd place position in the Aviva proves that there are great things happening at Vicarage Road, with the egg shaped ball anyway. This will push them through to the last 8 as group winners. Biarritz have always shone in Europe, but their league form suggests that this year might be a step too far. Lying at the very bottom of the league in France, it’s strange to say that it’s going to be a toss-up for the runners up spot between them and the Ospreys, who are top of the Celtic League, but it’s exactly what it is. In their comfort zone of the Celtic League, the Ospreys are a very good club side, constantly in and around the Top 4 of the league, but their European woes are evident for all to see. With the departure of so many big names, it’s difficult to see their shortcomings changing. Biarritz, like Leicester, will be keen to right their domestic wrongs. For this reason, the Basque outfit will just hold on to the runners up spot, but they’ll be pushed all the way by the Neath-Swansea coalition. The two teams meet on at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday and will shape the group; it’ll be a ripsnorter.

The final group sees Connacht, Gloucester and league-leaders Harlequins take on the irrepressible Toulouse. It’s simple, Toulouse will win this group, they are a cut above the rest and their squad oozes quality. No one will go to France and pick up anything more than a losing bonus point and they’ll go to the Sportsground to pick up a routine win as well as a win at Kingsholm. If the Quins can remain unbeaten at The Stoop, and pick up a bonus point win at Connacht, their chances of qualifying will hinge on the game at Kingsholm, which takes place in the second round of matches. It’s a huge game for a Quins side that desperately want to return to the top of the English heap.

This year, like last year, gives all the teams in the competition a reprieve. Once the final 8 has been decided for the main event, the next best three teams will fall into the Amlin Challenge Cup. This is a route that the Cardiff Blues took to win the competition last year and it’s a move the ERC can be proud of. It’s given the tournament a real fillip, and last year proved that having the calibre of Toulon, Munster and the Cardiff Blues dropping down produced greater spectacles and quality of rugby.

If everything goes as predicted, the draw for the final 8 will look like this:

Ø Munster (Q)

Ø Cardiff Blues (Q)

Ø Leinster Rugby (Q)

Ø Clermont Auvergne (Q)

Ø Saracens (Q)

Ø Toulouse (Q)

Ø Leicester Tigers (q)

Ø Harlequins (q)

This means three places being up for grabs for the Amlin Challenge Cup. If the Scarlets can gain parity against their group opposition, their backline can match anyone in the competition. Leinster’s expected dominance in pool 3 opens the door to one of the other three teams, Glasgow simply aren’t good enough, Montpellier are indifferent while Bath are good enough to push their way through with world cup hero Stephen Donald joining their ranks. This could be the catalyst that could catapult the West Country outfit out of the lull that’s been humming around The Rec for the past few years. If this is to be the case then the teams joining the likes of the London Wasps and Stade Francais will be:

Ø Llanelli Scarlets

Ø Bath Rugby

Ø Biarritz Olympique

Predictions are of course predictable, and one thing that the Heineken Cup is not is predictable. That’s what makes the tournament not only great, but the best domestic competition in the world.

Paddy's Law

Law 10.4(j) reads: Lifting a player from the ground and dropping or driving that player into the ground whilst that player’s feet are still off the ground such that the player’s head and/or upper body come into contact with the ground is dangerous play.

A directive was issued to all Unions and Match Officials in 2009 emphasizing the IRB’s zero-tolerance stance towards dangerous tackles and reiterating the following instructions for referees:

- The player is lifted and then forced or ‘speared’ into the ground (red card offence)

- The lifted player is dropped to the ground from a height with no regard to the player’s safety (red card offence)

- For all other types of dangerous lifting tackles a yellow card or penalty may be considered sufficient.

Where Sam Warburton’s tackle rates on this scale is your opinion, unfortunately Alain Colm Pierre Roland saw it as a red card, the rest is history. The argument is, the IRB’s stance here is wrong.

The specific provisions of Law 10.4(e) in relation to High Tackles are as follows:


- A player must not tackle (or try to tackle) an opponent above the line of the shoulders even if the tackle starts below the line of the shoulders. A tackle around the opponent’s neck or head is dangerous play.

- A stiff-arm tackle is dangerous play. A player makes a stiff-arm tackle when using a stiff-arm to strike an opponent.

An illegal high tackle involving a stiff arm or swinging arm to the head of the opponent, with no regard to the player’s safety, bears all the hallmarks of an action which should result in a red card or a yellow card being seriously considered.

Attached are two clips, the first is Sam Warburton’s tackle on Vincent Clerc which, as we all know, resulted in a red card as per law 10.4(j). The second is a challenge made on Olly Morgan by Chris Hala’Ufia that saw the Tongan sit in the sin bin for 10 minutes by the guidelines of law 10.4(e).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9nn33vOtQk&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk6nh5xwWi8

Having watched both, which one is the more dangerous? According to some studies which were researched in February of this year at an IRB medical conference:

“stricter implementation of the Laws of Rugby relating to collisions and tackles above the line of the shoulder may reduce the number of head/neck injuries”.

And a separate study concluded that:

“ball carriers were at highest risk from tackles to the head and neck region”.


The IRB then came to the decision that tackles above the line of the shoulders have the potential to cause serious injury and noted that a trend had emerged whereby players responsible for such tackles were not being suitably sanctioned.

Given that this was the initiative set in February, why are we still constantly seeing yellow cards or even just a penalty for these types of challenges? The answer is that Paddy O’Brien, Head of the IRB’s Refereeing Board has lost his grip on rugby. It’s become apparent through Kingsley Jones, Russia’s Director of Rugby, that the Kiwi sent an email to all the world cup coaches highlighting the issue of zero-tolerance when it came to tip or spear tackles. As well as this, meetings were held out in New Zealand whereby coaches, players and referees discussed the interpretation of the law and heading these meetings was Mr Alain Roland. Therefore, despite medical evidence, Paddy O’Brien has opted to scrutinize the spear tackle as opposed the more dangerous stiff arm shoulder charge.

Yes, Roland should have managed it better, realized that it wasn’t a tackle of malicious intent and pleased everyone with the sanction of a yellow card. He couldn’t because of the strangle-hold the IRB’s bigwigs have on the game. They’ve demonstrated their complete alienation to the game by handing Sam Warburton a 3 week ban which will see him miss the bronze medal clash with the Australians Friday morning. Instead of sympathizing with the vast majority of the rugby world and holding their hands up, like an old mule, they’ve dished out their punishment and propped Alain Roland up onto his pedestal.

That aside, many people have been questioning why he was allowed to officiate the game in the first place given the French blood that runs through his veins. The integrity of international referees isn’t in question and although Roland was poor in his controlling of the game, it certainly wasn’t because he speaks fluent French. That’s important to note as Nigel Owens has coped his fair share of flack because of the South Africa Vs Samoa game and the bearing it had on the Welsh team’s progression. It’s not an issue of race, but why are the IRB even letting it be a topic to be discussed? Paddy O’Brien had 10 referees to choose from, why let it be a talking point if there’s a possible clash of interest? Regarding the semi-finals, just swap Craig Joubert and Alain Roland, there is nothing to question.

O’Brien has not only ruined what could have been one of the most titanic clashes in world rugby history with one red card, he’s ruined an entire tournament. The final will be a non-event with the All Blacks absolutely crushing a French side that is being held together by onions, garlic, snails and frogs legs. They couldn’t muster a try against a 14-man Wales, so how the ‘spoilt-brats’ are going to do anything against the greatest team of the professional era is anyone’s guess. Furthermore, it’s ruined one of the great fairytale stories of the Welsh team making the final of the world cup and setting up the delicious prospect of two small nations that hold rugby dearest to their hearts battling it out to be crowned the best. The Welsh would have come second, of that there is little doubt, but at least it would have been a climax to a great tournament.

This world cup will now not remembered for the All Blacks finally claiming the prize that has eluded them since 1987 on their own turf, it will be remembered for four words”

“SAM WARBURTON: SENT OFF”

Well, in this part of the world it will anyway.

100% Weekend

The firsts travelled to Blackwood through the driving rain to be greeted with a wicket that held more of a resemblance to a swamp than a cricket pitch. With rain in the air, the start was delayed and a 33 over match scheduled to start at 3 o clock. Sam Docherty won the toss and predictably decided to have a bowl at Blackwood. Penarth’s openers bowled poorly on a seamer-friendly wicket and Blackwood found themselves 50 for no wicket after 9 overs. Spin was introduced in the form of Richard Skone and Mike Provis which started the landslide. Only opener Simon Davies made any runs of note with an aggressive 34 as the home team slumped to 102 all out. The wickets were shared around between Richard Skone and the best left arm bowlers in the league in Mike Provis and leading wicket taker Mark Thomas.

Penarth made very light work of the target with an opening stand of 74 before Matt Thomas was out for 37 having batted majestically. Mike Provis carried his bat for a very fine 54 while Nick Morgan finished proceedings as he registered 12 not out. Penarth won by 9 wickets.

The seconds meanwhile had an even easier time of it at The Athletic Field as the first team witnessed Blackwood’s second team arriving back with their tails between their legs at 17:30! On another wet wicket, Blackwood won the toss and decided to have a bat, which surprised skipper Dave Stevens so much that he felt the need to ask his opposite number why. His repost, “we don’t fancy chasing 300”. Unsurprisingly, Blackwood were bowled out for 88 with Matt Birch doing most of the damage with 10 overs 4 for 20 showing once again that he’s too good to be playing 4^th team cricket.

The second half of the contest was just as one-sided with the home team knocking the runs off comfortably. The only wicket to fall was that of Rob Jones for 16 while leading run scorer James Erasmus and the deadly Andrew Sims both finished 37 not out. Penarth replicating the first team with a 9 wicket victory.

The 3^rd team played host to Radyr at The Athletic Field which now boasts a fully white pavilion thanks to the able hands of James Davies. Stand-in skipper Steve Newman lost the toss and his team were put in to bat. Amassing 238 was a superb effort thanks mainly to the reliable Conrad Adams who fell for 84. He was supported by the in-form Tom Cole (30) and the newly wed Richard Bromiley (22*) who made his maiden appearance for the Bears this season.

In reply, Radyr looked to be well in control of the game until the irresistible Steve Newman rolled back the years with an imperious spell of bowling which saw him finish with figures of 6 for 38. Zeeshan did the rest with 2 for 34 and Radyr could only manage 216-9 off their allotted overs despite fine performances by Duncan Miller and Phil Haines who scored 75 and 57 respectively. The celebrations went well on into the night at the club with the cocktail and casino night proving to be a success, Tom Sidford and Morgan Humphreys the sharks on the evening, let’s hope they both can transform their form on the roulette table to the cricket field!

There was a feast of cricket Sunday as the Second XI hosted Pentyrch in a league fixture and the elite of the club were professionally representing the club at the St Fagans sixes tournament. At the Athletic field, Dave Stevens maintained his 100% weekend record of losing the toss and more conventionally, the visitors decided to bowl. Penarth finished the innings on 211-9 with Matt Thomas looking good again for his 75, James Erasmus with a watchful 45 and Andrew Sims with a murderous 32.

Pentyrch were the victims of some very useful bowling and never really looked like threatening the required target. The eventually reached 180-9 from their 50 overs with Peter Ingram producing a magnificent spell of 10 overs 4 for 20, Robert Crimp took 3-33 after shaking off the cosmopolitan’s and the very promising Ryan Todd taking 2 for 15, proving that Andy Jones’ youth section is producing the goods for the senior set-up.

Meanwhile, in the land of the goat, Tom Sidford gathered his merry men and were eventually beaten by a very aggressive Pontypridd (who had called upon the services of a celebrity in the form of Alan from The Hangover) in the semi-final. The day started brilliantly with the Bears beating Tondu in swashbuckling fashion. Batting first, Penarth registered 109 from their 5 overs and then bowled out the opposition for a measly 23. Regulation wins against Dinas Powys and St Fagans saw the Bears top the group and were being dubbed as heavy favourites to win the tournament by the neutral spectators. The semi-final draw saw Penarth draw Pontypridd on the first team pitch whilst Tondu and Bridgend caught a taxi to the far pitch to commence battle. Tom Sidford familiarly failed on the big stage with a 2^nd ball duck and Penarth could only muster 52. Penarth made a solid start with Gareth Davies’ first over going for just 5, but Andrew Collins took a liking to the bowling and began to pepper Van Os’ famous shed and the damage was done. A great day had by all and evidence that alcohol can have an adverse effect on performance was proven by St Fagans’ profit made from Thatchers Gold.

All the best to the touring party who ascend on Bournemouth this week on what we’re sure will be a quiet couple of days by the seaside.

Test of Time

This time, two years ago, England were preparing for an eagerly anticipated home Ashes test series. Cardiff was controversially chosen as the venue for the 1st test ahead of the traditional scene for the opening match, the home of cricket, Lords. There was much debate surrounding the decision, with many ex-players, current players and officials voicing their displeasure of The Swalec Stadium being awarded its first test match. Legendary Aussie spinner Shane Warne claimed that the decision to play the opener at Sophia Gardens was a ‘disgrace’ and the venue wouldn’t generate excitement. Sir Ian Botham and Nasser Hussain, too, questioned the credibility of the decision to bestow Wales with their first ever test match experience. The reason the England and Wales Cricket Board chose to make this high profile decision is known only to those who made it. It could well have been to try give England a winning start to the series given the Australians’ poor record at Sophia Gardens having lost to Bangladesh there in 2005. That, coupled with England’s awful track record against the old enemy at Lords. Before 2009, England hadn’t beaten Australia for 75 years which may have added to the reasons to hold the inaugural match of the series.

All these questions and queries, however, were completely blown out of the water when Cardiff hosted one of the great survivals in cricketing history. Jimmy Anderson and Monty Panesar played centre stage on the sold out fifth day, holding on for 40 minutes to force a draw when an Australian victory seemed imminent. The match was an undoubted success and Cardiff had held its own as a venue despite the sceptics’ constant chuntering. Sophia Gardens was hailed as a 1st class test venue and all the doubters had been silenced.

Two years on, and the doubters and sceptics seem to have been proved right. Cardiff’s second test was always going to be a tough follow up to the Goliath-proportioned 2009 package. The comparatively David-proportioned Sri Lankan match proved to be just that, somewhat insignificant. Whereas David prospered in the fable, this time he fought rather pathetically for 5 days punching and kicking at Goliath’s ankle until he eventually collapsed into a damp, lifeless heap and rolled into the Taff.

The sad thing is, the fifth and final day against the Sri Lankans provided the audience with one of the best days of cricket in living memory. Andrew Strauss declared with England’s first innings score on 496-5 and the Sri Lankans slumped to 82 all out in their second innings to hand England the most unlikely of victories. The reason that it was such a sorry day for Welsh cricket in particular was that these phenomenal, once-in-a-lifetime scenes were only witnessed by 922 people inside the 15,000+ stadium.

The first test match at the Swalec Stadium saw Glamorgan make a healthy 7-figure profit when England played out a draw against the Australians. Their most recent venture into the world of test cricket was a considerably tamer affair. The Welsh county are still paying back the £2.5m to the ECB that they bid in order to host the game. Unsurprisingly, the county recorded a sizeable loss during the 5 days of over £1m due to their hapless ability to sell the test to the Welsh public. This has added to their inability to pay their way and has cost them the right to host the 2012 test match against the West Indies.

There are many factors as to why the stadium was packed so sparsely throughout the test. The weather was typically atrocious, the Sri Lankans aren’t deemed as an attractive side to go and watch (and the majority of their batsmen’s strike rates justified that) and those that had been to the Ashes test match greeted this one with the mentality of ‘been there, done that’. Truthfully, the underlying factor is that Glamorgan as a county is so poorly followed that they don’t have a regular stream of bodies coming through the turnstiles. These home fans would usually make up the majority of the numbers at international matches, but there aren’t any. Somerset fill their ground at Taunton on every occasion. 8,000 packed into the modest arena which creates an atmosphere that would drag people back and this is even at £25 a ticket. Glamorgan are lucky to get a thousand in their ground, and with an ocean of empty blue seats making up the rest of the audience, the sight is nothing short of embarrassing.

In a strange way, it’s a good thing that the test match has been stripped from the county. Why? Because it will force the county to look at their own team and fixtures to generate revenue. In recent years, Glamorgan’s pedigree has been seriously questioned and with every justification. Their Cardiff City-esque finish to last season’s county championship season meant another season playing against Gloucestershire and Derbyshire (their fellow slagheap teams). Glamorgan’s one-day game is laughable achieving absolutely nothing and playing some dreadful cricket along the way.

Charging £20 to see a t20 game at Sophia Gardens is nothing short of insulting. The team haven’t come close to the quarter finals of the t20 competition since reaching finals day in 2004 and that year was their last one-day success under Robert Croft. Everybody knows that success breeds followers and whereas there will always be a small minority that will follow a team through thick and thin, in order to drag the fence-sitters in, they need to be successful.

During the off-season, the decision makers at the Swalec made intrepid and gallant changes to the setup which saw both Maynard’s and skipper Jamie Dalrymple leave South Wales. Under Matthew Mott and new skipper Alviro Petersen, not much has changed. They are mid-table in the county championship and are typically way off the pace in the shorter form of the game.

It’s impossible to change things now, but they must look to the 2012 season and they must breed some success. Glamorgan should identify where they are likely to be able to be successful, target and concentrate on it. Additionally, the recruitment team will have to work overdrive to bring in at least one big name. This will help on the field bringing some much needed quality to a dithering team as well as putting some bums on seats.

Although Wales have invested heavily in order to host test matches, it’s vital that these events don’t provide the money that balances the books. They should be an added bonus. The bread and butter of the county game should be the home Glamorgan matches and hopefully this forced shift of impetus will see an improvement in the cricket played in Wales which in turn will produce some company in the stands for the hardened fans that brave the elements to watch the Dragons.

Off-Field Issues

In the light of recent misbehaving by yet another international rugby player, it seems that we have an epidemic of unruly behaviour in the world of rugby union and the problem is visibly magnified in Wales. Mike Phillips was suspended indefinitely by the Welsh Rugby Union following an incident outside a fast food restaurant in Cardiff city centre in the early hours. Although the former Osprey was on an agreed holiday period, he was asked not to report to training with the national squad due to a clear breach of the standards Warren Gatland’s men have set.

With anyone else, it could be argued that it’s a one-off. However, anyone who has seen the 6’3” scrum half out in Cardiff on a night out knows that he’s no angel. He recently dropped the charges for an assault made on him back in October which left him knocked unconscious outside a Mill Lane bar. We’re in no position to say for sure how he gets himself into these positions, but the line “do you know who I am?” is one that the Camarthen-born star has made a bit of a trademark for himself.

The worrying thing is, Phillips is not unique in finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Andy Powell’s most recent antics ended up with the ex Wasps man losing almost two pints of blood following an altercation with Queens Park Rangers fans on a night out in London. This added to the back-rower’s feeble track record that includes the infamous trip he took up the M4 in a buggy following a dramatic victory over Scotland in the 2009 Six Nations Tournament.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to write anything about Welsh rugby without mentioning the name that sends a shockwave of fury and excitement from Blackwood to the Beacons of Brecon, not Haldane Luscombe but Gavin Henson. Since taking his sabbatical from rugby 21 months ago, he’s been nothing short of a desperate cry for attention. When he closed the rugby door following his departure from the Ospreys he found himself opening a door to a room full of like-minded individuals. Such creatures go by the names of Jodie Marsh, Kerry Katona, Paris Hilton and Chantelle from big brother but to name a few. Luckily for everyone involved in rugby it looked as if he’d finally decided to concentrate on the one thing that he was put on earth to do (because let’s be honest, there’s not much prospect for him as an academic). Saracens had offered him a reprieve and a chance to play rugby and be a father at the same time. A month after his debut, he was in the South of France allegedly beating up his team-mates on nights out. Needless to say he wasn’t offered a full time contract and he’s now, once again, looking for someone who is willing to work with his given his wretched history of being a nob.

Of course, these players aren’t alone in getting themselves into trouble off the pitch. There are plenty of non-Welsh examples of disciplinary problems. Danny Cipriani, Matt Stevens and the Bath drug trio Alex Crocket, Michael Lipman and Andrew Higgins are just a few recent examples of this. It’s very rare, though, that you hear of Dan Carter, Quade Cooper, Richie McCaw and co involved in a booze-fuelled fracas, so why is it becoming a regular occurrence in the home nations?

The media in this country doesn’t help by scrutinizing players’ off-field antics, but the players are their own worst enemies the majority of the time. The players know that the goldfish-bowl environment they find themselves in requires them to act whiter than white on and off the field. It was argued that the South Wales goldfish-bowl was the reason for the rebellious nature of the players’ actions. However, it took one career move of notorious wild-boy Andy Powell to prove that this is just not the case.

Gone are the days that international rugby stars socialize with supporters following games. The pre-professional era allowed this. Players weren’t contracted to behave in a certain manner, they were just rugby players that fought hard for club or country for 80 minutes, showered up and had a beer, much like the rest of us. The game has changed infinitely since 1995, which has led to the elite being very isolated. In bygone years, bumping into an international rugby superstar in the local pub was nothing out of the ordinary. Nowadays, spotting a famous face in a social environment triggers a frenzy of camera phones and a bombardment of praise or abuse. With the amount of rugby played in a season, these social outings are limited for the elite level sportsmen. Perhaps this is half the problem in that if they do go out, they go out all guns blazing because they don’t know when their next drink is going to be.

Of course, this isn’t a defence for the minority of players that do go over the top and end up with their face in a Queen Street/Fat Bouncer sandwich. There is a licence for us to go out and do as we please, these people are being paid to play rugby and with that comes a responsibility off the field.

Rugby is becoming increasingly professional with every season, but it’s vitally important that the sport doesn’t forget its roots. In order for the game to move forward, it must look back. Coaches, physiotherapists, analysts and the rest of the laptop crew are developing their skills year on year which is being passed onto their playing staff. Unfortunately in doing so, the rich history and tradition of the game is being left further and further behind. Socially, a lot could be learned from the past players and the way that they go about their business when they step off the field.

One of the great claims rugby union has is that it is constantly compared to other sports, and in many facets, it comes top of the class. Ground atmosphere, respect for officials, respect for opposition for example are areas that we, as rugby fans, can hold our heads high. For socializing, we used to be right up there too, but over the last few years rugby has started to slide down the pecking order. It’s by no means a crisis, but if something isn’t done to nip it in the bud, it’s a matter of time until a rugby player turns up at the training ground and shoots a work experience student with an air rifle.

Hook, Line and Sinker

So this week confirmed the final details of Wales’ biggest export. James Hook had previously stated that he’d be leaving The Liberty Stadium at the end of the 2010/11 season, but his final destination had yet to be established. He had originally been linked with the Cardiff Blues in the summer after their outside-half berth had been left vacant when Sam Norton-Knight(mare) moved from the club having (extremely) unsuccessfully deputised after the departure of Nicky Robinson in 2009. When talks amounted to nothing within Wales, clubs outside of the land of the leek showed their interest. Leicester, Harlequins, Toulouse, Biarritz and Toulon all expressed their want for him, but the likely winners were always going to be Perpignan. With Nicholas Laharrague, Thomas Bosc and Manny Edmonds sharing the number 10 shirt in the South of France, Hook has been promised regular rugby at outside-half, a position he has publicly spoken of his desire to play at the Ospreys.

The mule-like stubbornness of the Ospreys coaching staff has essentially cost them their most skilful and all-round footballer. Sean Holley and Scott Johnson have reiterated their beliefs that Hook is better suited to the 12 or 13 shirt, which has riled many rugby fans in Wales and further a field. The constant selection of Dan Biggar at 10 is somewhat similar to a fire alarm singing its tune when you’re trying to butter your slightly browned toast. The Ospreys academy product is an undoubted talent for a 19 year-old, but nevertheless, he is still a teenager. Hook had barely turned 24 when the Ospreys management began looking for a fresh-faced number 10 to replace him. It’s a mystery to many why he hasn’t been employed at 10 more often for region or country. Of his 44 Welsh caps, only 13 of them have been at fly-half and the ratio is even less compared with this season’s statistics with his region.

The fact that James Hook isn’t playing regular rugby at 10 has sparked comment from a number of past and present players. Phil Bennett stated:

“James has had to move with Wales and the Ospreys into the centre or sometimes to full-back and has become a bit of a utility player. I think he needs to be the star man. When you look at the recent great international teams, who are their star men? For New Zealand it's Dan Carter and Matt Giteau and Quade Cooper for Australia (playing at outside-half).”

This lack of game-time at fly-half is made all the more staggering by the fact that he was the 1^st choice 10 when Wales won the grand slam in the 2008 Six Nations Championship. Scoring 44 points along the way and only missing with one kick, the then 22-year-old was already being hailed as the latest product of the ‘Welsh Outside-Half Factory’. Staggeringly barring Marty Holah, Justin Marshall and Filo Tiatia the remaining 13 Ospreys took the field in the opening game of the tournament against England at Twickenham. At this time, he was starring for the Ospreys at fly-half having made a big impression playing for in the Principality Premiership with Neath RFC. Since then, the boy from Baglan has found himself out wider at 12, 13, 15 and sometimes in the distant, bitter 21 and 22 shirts. His versatility has probably cost him at times, but his class cannot be argued and is the first name on the team sheets of Messer’s Gatland and Johnson the only decision to me made is where to play.

In recent years, French rugby clubs have developed themselves into real driving forces in the European game, reflected in the fact that 4 of the 8 Heineken cup qualifiers ply their trade in the French Top 14 Championship. These powerhouses of club rugby boast squads jam-packed with internationals and produce some truly thrilling rugby. However, this doesn’t come cheap. The wage bills of Welsh regions compared with their French counterparts are miniscule and in reality, if a French club wants a player, they’ll get that player. It’s a reality that rugby fans have to deal with that careers are short and players can’t make the fortune that footballers can make in the same time. The Ospreys have had their wicked way with every player they wanted from within Wales, but now, players are being attracted elsewhere to gain more money and experience rugby outside of the goldfish bowl that is South Wales a la Andy Powell, Gavin Henson, Nicky Robinson and Stephen Jones.

For those that will argue “well look what it did for Stephen Jones’ career”, here’s a short summary of why you are wrong. Stephen Jones went to France and developed his skills tenfold. James Hook is the most skilful ball-player in Wales and his skills will remain at the level they are regardless of where in the world he plays rugby. Stephen Jones came back galvanised and had added a running game and unnerved kicking to is armory, both of which James Hook has in abundance. The thing that James Hook needs is regular rugby at outside-half to develop him as an outside-half (ground-breaking stuff isn’t it?) again regardless of where in the world he does it.

Fundamentally, the move will do him a world of good as a stand-off, for the simple reason that that is the position he will be selected. From an Ospreys point of view, it’s a dark day, but for all other Welshmen, it’s a great day. Why? Because finally, the likes of Barry John, Phil Bennett and Jonathan Davies have a chance of being joined by another great Welsh fly-half as opposed to a great Welsh utility back.