Triple Frown

I’ve just got back from the long trek to Edinburgh. We had a great weekend with Scottish hospitality as usual second to none. Unfortunately their hospitality didn’t extend to the second half of the Scotland v. Wales rugby international!

The first half performance by Wales was powerful and purposeful and they really should have built a substantial lead. Yet again we do not seem to be able to crack well-organised defences with our playing pattern. It took a quick tap penalty from the excellent Webb to release Liam Williams for our solitary try. A key period in the match came just before half time when Halfpenny missed a reasonably easy penalty and almost immediately afterwards Scotland showed how dangerous their backs could be with Jones only just being halted close to the line. Scotland were awarded a penalty and instead of it being 16-6 it was 13-9. I am sure this changed the dynamic in the Scotland changing room during half time.

You just knew Scotland were going to come out for the second half breathing fire and brimstone and the task for Wales was to repel their initial assault. Instead of that we had the worst possible start with Halfpenny drooping a high ball giving Scotland field position and possession. The rest, as they say, is history. The momentum shifted and a rampant Scottish team totally outplayed us winning the second half 20-0. True Wales had a couple of chances but anything other than a Scottish victory would have been an injustice. Howley was certainly sent “homeward tae think again”.

I had predicted a Scottish victory in the sweep but not one that was quite this comprehensive. Wales looked befuddled and bereft of ideas as they game drew to its conclusion. Instead of a Triple Crown it looks like a Triple Frown with Wales looking favourites to lose all three matches with the powerful Irish coming to Cardiff in a week or so. What can Wales do? – we don’t even have Cuthbert as a scapegoat this time. His replacement George North certainly didn’t have any positive impact on the game. Can we risk making wholesale changes? Can we risk not making wholesale changes? Have the personnel to make wholesale changes? It is quite a dilemma. Having watched our struggles with Scotland’s kicking game, we had better find a way of dealing with what is sure to be a barrage of similar missiles from Sexton and co.

In the pack there is a case of Charteris and Faletau coming off the bench and replacing Ball and Tipuric. In the backs it must be time to give Sam Davies a start and move Williams to fullback. Let’s give one of the young wings a run possibly at the expense of the out of sorts North. Anyway let’s do something! Where are our strike moves I wonder? One worked perfectly against England are there no more? It doesn’t bode well for the Lions if there are not.

I had better move on – I guess I just feel a bit liverish after all that Scottish hospitality.

I did get home in time to see the England v Italy game and tacklegate. It was quite comical to see England in disarray as the wondered how to find a way to deal with the Italian tactics. It just not rugger don’t you know!

It strikes me that the England starting XV is no better than anyone else’s. They have been at least matched in all three of their encounters so far. Where they come into their own is with the strength of the players on their bench and the way they use them. Clearly if you have so many more players than anyone else you are bound to have greater strength in depth particularly when you bolster it with overseas players. This is the way the All Blacks win many of their games too. Wales do not quite seem to have mastered the use of their replacements.

A sobering though is that if Wales did manage to beat Ireland and England beat Scotland next week, England will be champions with a game to go.

Enough of this Six Nations stuff. The most important match of the season is only six days away with Pontypool travelling to Pandy Park to take on Cross keys in the quarter final of the cup. Cross Keys must start as favourites as a Premiership team with home advantage but I am sure that Pooler are quite capable of providing yet another upset if they bring their A game. Let’s hope for a game like the one that we watched in the Arms Park in last round.

Come on Pooler!