Whitewash? Wales aren't looking good
Warren Gatland returns to the helm of an injury depleted Wales camp facing the prospect of a winless end-of year Test series ahead of clashes with the All Blacks and Wallabies.
Gatland takes over from Interim head coach Rob Howley with Wales staring at a sixth successive defeat - their worst results sequence in nine years - when New Zealand, whom they have not beaten since 1953 visit Cardiff next Saturday.
Already without the services of key forwards Adam Jones, Dan Lydiate and Alun-Wyn Jones, hooker Richard Hibbard and fly-half Dan Biggar are injury worries due to shoulder problems that forced them off early against Samoa.
George North accepts that the coming week will be crucial if they are to keep their heads above water.
"We have got a big week ahead of us," said North following Friday's 26-19 Samoa loss.
"It has been a bit of a poor start for us, but hopefully we can conjure up something against the All Blacks.
"They are the hardest team in the world to try to get a win against, but we are really focusing on it.
"We suffered in terms of discipline, our basic skills under pressure. We lost that battle," North added.
"Leading into the game, we trained well and everything felt pretty smooth, but our basic skills let us down, and without them you can't put a platform down.
"You can't play the brand of rugby we want to play if you haven't got quick ball, and that starts from the basics. I think there were a few decisions where we should have played, and some other decisions when we should have kicked more.
"We tried to play too much out of our own half, when we should have put them under pressure with the high ball.
"It is a blow to us, but come Monday morning we will look at ourselves and work hard.
"It is Test rugby. You have your highs and lows. We had highs with the World Cup and the Six Nations last season, and we are in a tough autumn series now."
Comments
jontheref says...
Lot of sense said on this thread.
I hope we can beat Aus!
Howley does have to accept some blame, for picking out of form players.
Priestland has not had a good game for Wales since Ireland at the start of the 6N.
He can be good again, but not if he doesn't get his mojo back at a lesser level.
He hasn't performed for Scarlets, so why would he for Wales?
5 on 2 and he kicks?
This led to scrum back on the half way.
It was one of the true chances of the game, backs were set and up for it, and puts it dead!
Duh!
As to the rankings, if Wales slip to the 3rd tier, not a disaster, as they were in the 3rd tier for the last RWC, and still got to the semi's.
Really depends on who is in your pool.
If Samoa stay at 9th., who would want to play them?
Wales could get Samoa even if they stay in the top 8!
Posted 08:44 19th November 2012
dropkick says...
Yet more evidence that Samoan Rugby's time has come. Hey NZRFU how about an old fashioned tour of NZ. Imagine Samoa vs the Maori ABs at Eden park - that would be a sell out and a ripper of a match.
Hands up if you'd like to see the Samoans belt England at Twickers??
Posted 01:34 19th November 2012
ShamanSheep says...
"We tried to play too much out of our own half, when we should have put them under pressure with the high ball.'' - That's just wrong, there were chances to go in the backs but we couldn't catch and pass. Kicking lots of high ones would not have won us the game. If you've got an overlap in your own half then use it; if you can't use it you shouldn't be playing international rugby. The players may as well be robots most of the time.
Posted 21:27 18th November 2012
Isograford says...
Really, even most New Zealanders don't think the All Blacks are playing all that well at the moment. They've really only strung two, maybe three, complete performances this year.
The Welsh will probably play a blinder and it'll be a lot closer than most people think.
Posted 20:06 18th November 2012
three6three6 says...
Without a full coaching team Wales clearly do not perform.... they really do need Gatland back in the coaching set up.
Wales played well in Australia and certainly should have won the second test.
But playing the All Blacks will be a completely different type of test match. Wales will need to play with plenty of hwyl next Saturday..... or they will be smashed into oblivion.
Posted 15:54 18th November 2012
paddy91317 says...
Wales are absolutely brilliant when people say there crap and crap when people say there brilliant.
Posted 14:37 18th November 2012
whatisthis says...
The way I see it Wales need to target the Oz game for a win. Without it I see Wales dropping to 10th place in the rankings(having worked out all the probable results in the forthcoming weeks and calculating the ranking points. Sad I Know) with a win though they will be back up to sixth.
Wales will win I think as Oz will want go home for their summer holidays and ranking points won't matter and it will be a must win for Wales.
Posted 14:26 18th November 2012
ArmchairGeneral says...
If the players need a coach to motivate them you can't blame Howley. I think perhaps they're just losing momentum, copying what they did last year in the hope that Poland and cryotherapy can win the games. Freshness is needed. Also Warburton has gone flat. Jenkins is flat. Lydiate is essential and Jones is useful. Can't put it all onto Howley although I agree he should not replace Gatland long term. If I had to pick on cause of the staleness and flatness I think it was the morale blow of the three losses to Oz. The 4 year plan for world dominance is in tatters and players will be losing faith in themselves as a team. On the up side France may now be on that road.
Posted 14:01 18th November 2012
DaveJ says...
I thought Gatland was away working with the Lions for the full year?
Posted 11:50 18th November 2012
rico says...
We are simply lulling the ABs into a false sense of security and everything is going to click and we're going to win by 6-10pts. Or maybe not, and our shitty regional form continues to impact on our national form. What is it with Howley seriously... I know Gatland is only one man, but without him the W record is abysmal, what's Howley saying/not saying in that dressing room to make Wales' performances so dire?
Posted 11:24 18th November 2012