posted Nov 7, 2009

No excuses, we played well and were beaten by the better side.

I do think we missed a full back and blind side flanker at times but the team done well and we had our chances but it didn't go our way.

Good game to watch though and at the end of the day, the best side won.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 7, 2009

New Zealand will be dissappointed with the result I think.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 7, 2009

One thing I noticed about the Welsh forwards is that they also go to ground. They never take contact and off load to a supporting player. This is where they lose momentum and is the main difference between them and Southern Hemisphere sides.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 7, 2009

I thought it was the best performance from Wales since 2008 when they looked like winners but the Blacks were well within their comfort zone.
I would have settled for a win through penalty kicks but when was the last time Wales scored a try against a good side?! Is it me or have one of the world's most flamboyant teams lost their Mojo?

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 8, 2009

All these comments about the tackle area go on and on, but nothing is done. Defensive player gets to his feet quick and holds ball in against body of tackled opponent and is awarded a penalty. Ref has no idea.
Answer is simple. Tackled player has to release the ball once he hits the floor and put his hands on his head as in the old days of rucking (then to protect his head). He can not possibly be pinged for holding onto the ball.
Also collapsing scrums and penalties. get the front rows to go down first, you cant push till the ball is in, hooker has to strike (making it a contest, and the ball has to go in straight just like the rules dictate.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 8, 2009

Why pick wingers who are good at running at the opposition and hopefully causing problems, if they always kick the ball away long before they are anywhere near being tackled. A swerve or a sidestep at speed at close range is more likely to break the line than a punt 40 metres down field to the opposition back three who take time and return it with interest into the space where the winger kicked from.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 8, 2009

As an ardent Welsh supporter, I seemed to have viewed this game in a completely different light to others.

Why oh why are we not playing running rugby any more ? Why do we continue to box kick off the base of a scrum and not even get a 50 - 50 chance of retaining the ball. When it works it's brilliant, but we seem to give the ball back to the opposition more times than we secure it. Please Wales stop the overall kicking game, believe that we can hold onto and run the ball. We've won grand slams before keeping the ball in hand with good support.

And why oh why did sj kick the ball to a nz centre from a kick off only for him to give an easy 10m pass to dc to put us back 25m in our own half ? we wer'e competing well with a 10m restart up to that point.

Coach out the silly mistakes !

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 9, 2009

I agree with Midlandsjones. Running rugby is a must for Wales, especially with our current backline. Head to head with NZ our kicking game was a distant second - one of the critical differences between the two sides. Even with a fit Lee Byrne, we don't need aerial pingpong to gain ground as we have the players (ie: Hook, S Williams, Halfpenny) who can run with ball-in-hand.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 11, 2009

MiddlandsJones, I fully agree with your point regarding long kick-offs. Its a return to Neil Jenkin's approach under Graham Henry - it didn't work then and it didn't work on Saturday.

add comment | complain about this comment

posted Nov 13, 2009

Can't agree more with Midlands Jones; play to our strengths and we can take on the big boys. I have just witnessed another very disappointing 40 minutes of Welsh rugby against Samoa - only Wales at the moment can pretend to be up there with the best and then come out and produce shocking rugby, inept, lack of commitment and sloppy.

add comment | complain about this comment