posted May 9, 2008

Listening to Roger Lewis on the radio, spouting the nicknames of the coaching staff and backroom boys, it was like watching the school nerd trying to pretend he was mates with the rugby team - and about as plausible

LOL it was cringeworthy stuff especially when he kept going on about how he was hugging martyn williams in the studio!

As for Maw I didn't think he was the right man in the first place so Im not surprised hes gone.

White was tipped for that role now he is employed by the wru and the day later Maw is gone, doesn;t take an expert to see the link there does it?

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posted May 9, 2008

Despite usual spin from Lewis aparently the real reason was that Maw wanted back room staff to report to him outside of 6N, AI and summer tours and Gatland disagreed.

Since Roger Lewis has been in post the amount of money paid out in compensation to ex-employees is massive. He cannot afford any more expensive mistakes. Maybe Maw was the wrong choice because he did not have a rugby background. Then again, neither does Lewis!

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posted May 9, 2008

In preparing for the future we can now see the benefits of having the Kiwi's (Henry, Hanson & Gatland) on board. I think they're vision of how we should train and play is spot on.

Gatlands recent comments about adding bulk and intensity to the game are exact!

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posted May 9, 2008

Knowing the relationship between the WRU and the Scarlets, it wouldn't surprise me if Nigel Davies goes back there and Phil Davies takes that position. Lets face it stranger things have happened between the WRU and Llanelli!!!!!!

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posted May 9, 2008

Gatlands recent comments about adding bulk and intensity to the game are exact

everything both he and sean edwards say has so much common sense to it as opposed to the spin we get from lewis and the nonsense we got from the previous coach.

If we need an EPD someone like Hansen would be ideal but could he work with Gatland, they should ask Gatland who his 1st choice for EPD is and then just appoint him.

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posted May 9, 2008

Knowing the relationship between the WRU and the Scarlets, it wouldn't surprise me if Nigel Davies goes back there and Phil Davies takes that position. Lets face it stranger things have happened between the WRU and Llanelli!!!!!!

I take it the scarlets will be paying the wru compensation if Nigel Davies leaves his role

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posted May 9, 2008

Any chance of anyone suggesting that Roger Lewis is "Surplus to Requirements"? Another non-rugby person in the WRU.
Unfortunately, I have to agree with most of the negative comments about him. He does come over as rather pompous and self-centred. The term "school nerd", used by another correspondent, is very apt indeed, sad to say.

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posted May 9, 2008

Lewis was presumably appointed because he was a businessman first and a rugby fan second or lower.
Unfortunately the WRU can not be run solely as a business and that is the bit Lewis and his predecessors are having most difficulty with. Considering where we were when he took over I think he warrants another year. If he can avoid the post Grand Slam 05 implosion then he may be worth keeping.
I hate to say it but Tony O'Reilly apart how many great rugby players have made great business managers and none of the UK RFUs are exactly well run are they?
In fact can you name a national RFU that is well run? The answer is not Australia as once again they are pushing for rule changes to offset decreasing demand in their local product as League and Aussie Rules bite again.

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posted May 9, 2008

As the creator of the cringeworthy 'school nerd' description, might I be permitted to comment further on this thread?

There's nothing wrong with employing a non-rugby man as chief. The important thing is to appoint a good man as chief. Anytime you see a manager who appears to be doing things for effect - and shooting Gareth Jenkins on the poop-deck was more about sending a message that 'the WRU is going to take action' than saving the poor sod the ritual debagging in the mess with the press boys - then you can be sure someone is going to have to sign some big payoff cheques.

The unseemly haste in which Mr Maw was signed after Bowering and Hore declined our generous offer does appear to be another such gesture. After all, if they'd wanted an audit of the WRU structure or elite performance, they could have hired Maw as a management consultant.

The big problem is that in the lack of genuine business nous at the WRU. Who is actually there - on the board or employed - who has run anything larger than the average whelk stall and can then question whether the chief executive is doing a good job?

It's not enough to spout platitudes - you have to walk the talk (he said, resorting to cliche).

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posted May 9, 2008

I wonder if the WRU thinks it has solved Welsh rugby's problems with two reviews.

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