Wales stricken by same 'huge adversity' that effects English club rugby
Assistant coach Jonathan Thomas says there will always be “external noise” as Wales approach the final fortnight of a Guinness Six Nations campaign that has produced far more questions than answers.
Wales head to Rome for an appointment with Italy on Saturday week that is likely to decide which country props up this season’s Six Nations table.
It is 20 years since Wales last finished bottom of the pile but successive defeats against Ireland, Scotland and England have left them scrambling around the basement.
With reigning Six Nations champions France their final opponents in Paris, victory over the Azzurri is essential to hopes of Wales avoiding the wooden spoon.
Off the field, it has also been a difficult time with the threat of a players’ strike engulfing the build-up to England’s Cardiff visit before compromises were reached with Welsh rugby powerbrokers on subjects like Wales’ 60-cap selection rule and fixed-variable contracts.
“As we all know, there has been some adversity for the players in the last few weeks, so that has been challenging for them,” Wales assistant coach and contact specialist Thomas said.
“I have been involved with English rugby for the last few years and there is huge adversity with the clubs there. It’s where rugby is a little bit at the moment.
“Rugby goes through these cycles. My first (Wales) cap in 2003 was off the back of a disappointing Six Nations. The players threatened to strike. It is almost a little bit like history is repeating itself.
“There are peaks and troughs, politics come into it now and again. Is it ideal? No.
“It’s important we stay focused. There is external noise – that is always going to be the case – but it is important that you worry about the things you can control.”
Wales have lost 12 of their last 15 Tests, including a home defeat against Italy a year ago, while they last won a Six Nations game in February 2022.
And there are just five Tests left before Wales’ World Cup opener against Fiji in Bordeaux, so time is not on their side ahead of that global showpiece.
Thomas added: “In international rugby, the margins are really small.
“When you win, you are never as good as you think. When you lose, you are never as bad as you think. You are never as far away from turning the corner as potentially people on the outside think you are.
“I think it is probably one of the best Italy teams I have seen. It’s really impressive how they have grown and developed, and we know it is going to be a tough challenge.
“For us, we can’t be afraid of failure. We can’t fear failure. It’s staying focused on us and us getting better. It is still a game where you need to do the basics repeatedly well.”
Thomas, meanwhile, delivered encouraging fitness news on fly-half Owen Williams and prop Gareth Thomas, who were both forced off during the England game.
“We are pretty confident with Owen and Gareth. They are back in training,” Jonathan Thomas said.
“Owen was a little bit of a hip, a high-ball collision; Gareth was a bit of a back spasm, and we are confident about both of those players.
“‘Cuthy’ (wing Alex Cuthbert) is to be assessed. He has got a foot injury, and at the moment it is not known how severe that is.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments