Joe Ford in temporary charge at crisis club Yorkshire after sacking of Martyn Wood
Yorkshire Carnegie’s terrible season at the foot of the Championship has just gone from bad to worse, the Leeds-based club sacking director of rugby Martyn Wood.
The former Wasps and Bath scrum-half, who was capped twice for England by Clive Woodward in 2001, was handed the poison chalice of taking over Yorkshire just last summer but he is already past tense.
His side lost all 13 of their matches, seven in the league to leave them facing the threat of relegation to National One. The lack of victories was no surprise, though, as Wood had minimal time to assemble a squad after the club switched to a part-time set-up.
All is not yet lost as Carnegie sit just seven points behind Bedford Blues on the table and hopes still exist that they can somehow turn around their fortunes now that they have elbowed aside Wood who had only joined in late July from Hull Ionians.
“Martyn joined Yorkshire Carnegie at a very difficult time for the club and he faced having to build a squad in a short space of time ahead of the current season,” said Chris Gibson, Yorkshire Carnegie managing director, in a statement.
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RugbyPass recently sat down with former Ireland and Lions star David Wallace
“Regretfully, results have been disappointing and we find ourselves at the foot of the table facing a challenging second half of the season.
“It is the ambition of everyone involved with Yorkshire Carnegie to retain our place in the league and with 15 games remaining the board felt that immediate changes needed to be made to give us the best chance of survival.
“We would like to thank Martyn for all he has contributed to the club and his hard work over a tough period and we wish him all the best for the future. Joe Ford will remain head coach and we will now aim to bring in a new director of rugby as soon as possible.”
Carnegie’s next match in the Championship is ironically away to second place Cornish Pirates, who now have New Zealander Chris Stirling as director of rugby after he stepped away from Yorkshire last April.
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Comments on RugbyPass
1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to comments