schmidtyforpres says...

@Chubbylugs and @ crunchfit

Crunchfit is right - Ireland's problems are coach related.

Posted 15:08 20th April 2012

rico says...

Hopefully team will still perform without Gatland in Oz, I think S.Edwards and R.Howley will ensure contunuity and Modern Technology will mean Gatlands input can still be as intstant as if he were there....does raise the question though that nobody in Wales anywhere near primed to replace Gats - Darren Edwards, Steve Tandy, Gareth Baber and Nigel Davies 4 incumbent regional bosses are so far away from being International coaches aren't they!? (even good enough as regional coaches maybe?) we've now got good players coming thick and fast but any World Class coaches?

Posted 07:59 19th April 2012

JayStarr says...

Listen Richard Anderson, you've already decided that you weren't going to like the white cards before they season even started... Can you stop moaning about them now please - it's getting tedious.

We actually don't mind them. They don't delay the games, in fact they don't change the games at all... If anything, there is just a brief moment of excitement for fans followed by immediate disappointment when we realise it's a white card and not a yellow one!

Yes, if the citing officers are doing their jobs properly it shouldn't be necessary. But we all know that they are NOT doing their jobs properly - AT ALL - so as far as I'm concerned they need all the bloody help their blind, biased eyes can get..!

Now lay off the white cards. Leave your assessments for the end of the season when you can actually have something substantial to analyse... And then try, just TRY, to be a little more objective.

Posted 04:12 17th April 2012

Headhunter99 says...

As a lifelong Wasps fan its horrible to see what is happening to the club. This season with all the injuries has been awful but you cannot blame just that for all the problems. Plenty of other Premiership clubs have suffered huge casualty lists in the past few years, even the mighty Leicester. A lot of the problem was the lack of planning for when the golden age players retired and when the Gatland/Edwards partnership broke up. Since that partnership we've never had a top drawer management team. Additionally Adams park is an awful place for both home and away supporters. We need to get back to a London base proper. If we avoid administration it might be best if we get relegated and spend a year or two in the championship. Northampton and Quinn's both went down but came back stronger. Thats the beauty of relegation past reputations mean nothing. That said will be at Bath on Saturday cheering them on.

Posted 19:10 16th April 2012

welshmac says...

Hard to believe that wasps started the year with wins over Saracens and Leicester. shows how important injuries are in making/breaking a season

Posted 16:26 16th April 2012

melkdave says...

Wasps woes in the league are more down to their chronic injury list ,and the amount of players retiring.No one could have forseen that paticular situation .As to the off field woes well thats down to them having a new stadium perposal turned down by the local council .The present owner was prepared to invest his money for a return in the long haul .Now that return wont be forthcomming. it seems Every club needs to be self sufficant and commericial stable so theycan reinvest for he future and develop players .Raising the salary cap wont make that happen .I would rather teams develope young talant and instill good skills a good team spirit and work ethic which will in the long run pay off.White cards what amess a total waste of time and more headaches for referees as if they havent enough to watch out for atm ,which they seem to be failing at at scrums /rucks ect.GET RID OF THE WHITE CARD MADNESS before every player is suspected /accussed of something.As to WG well im sure Wales will do ok in Australia even if his unable to go .After all SEandRH have worked with him for a number of years and im sure will keep him in the loop.Also lets not forget he willnot be there in 13 but rather working on ensuring a LIONS series win against AustraliaSo all it really means is them biting the bullet a tad earlier than expected ,and whos to say the wallabies this year will be the same next year QC will be back then most probably and im sure new players will also be in the squad and others injured it could be a toyally differant team in 2013

Posted 16:08 16th April 2012

pierredelot1 says...

Salary caps may affect teams to a small extent. But consider that Toulouse whose budget is said to be in the area of 30 Million Euros (some cap) are complaining that their players are worn out. Toulouse can field the best part of 30 Internationals when all are fit. Despite topping the Top 14 at present they have lost the last two and are struggling to get to the end of the season. Then look at Exeter, no Internationals to speak of, most of us unable to name more than two players and they are in the Heinekin for 2012/13, but its proper teamwork. professional pride and a great work ethic thats got them there. Far too often people talk of money but really its a matter of sorting the men from the boys, unless that is you lose players through chronic injury in the numbers that have affected Wasps this season. Clubs could also reduce costs by avoiding expensive imports and really getting to grips with development and proper training of youth. I understand that it is not unusual for many junior plays to have a collection of set plays which they are instructed to follow. It seems thinking for yourself is no longer fashionable and the age of the robotic rugby player is fast approaching. Youth should enjoy their rugby, but at the same time receive a proper schooling in the basics, passing, kicking, ball retention, positioning etc etc but above all play it with a smile on your face The RFU could look at insisting on a set number of homegrown players under the age of 23 to be nominated in every matchday squad. Some of this could of course be proposed and pushed by the RFU Director of Elite Rugby, Mr Rob Andrew, but it's probably too much work for the likes of him. But if Elite rugby is what we want, its fair to say we haven't seen a lot of it in England for the last 9 years. With the amount of money collected annually at the Twickenham tills, it's about time we did.

Posted 14:16 16th April 2012

GCP_JONES says...

I have to say what has befallen London Wasps becomes more bizarre by the day, since the end of last season 6 of their players have been forced to retire, then major injuries to several players, you really have to feel for them.I for one have loved watching them over the years and it would be criminal to see them go into administration. However if they manage to overcome these issues they look to be building a good squad for next year.

With regards to the Salary cap, I think that its not really the answer to teams that fail to qualify, Money solely will not buy success, look at the likes of Bayonne they spent nearly ¿11 million building there team and yet they face relegation in France.

Leinster have acheived huge success but mainly on the back of a great academy structure, and not spending a fortune signing players in the hope that they will also bring trophies.But I think the way they play is the most vital, Joe Schmit has encouraged them to think for themselves and not solely rely pre-programmed moves and tactics.

Posted 12:10 16th April 2012