Though Im an Irishman, I was very disappointed to see that Wales have basically come away with nothing from the WC. No reward for all the entertaining and scintilating play with which they regalled us!
I feel that this was down to a certain surprising naiveity on the part of the Welsh coaching staff and management. The simple fact of the matter is, that if the Welsh had, had even a half decent, consistent place kicker they would be rightfully taking part in tomorrow's final or at the very least already holding their bronze medals aloft triumphantly! Just kicking one of their many misses against France or Australia would have done the trick!
Alas, Hook's howling miss from almost in front of the posts today against Australia proves that far from having a World Class place kicker, Wales do not even have one of club class! To persist with Hook as kicker even after his howler was pure folly and probably cost Wales the match.
To go to the WC without a competent place kicker is extremely foolish, the equivalent of taking a knife to a gunfight. To stubbornly persist with an obviously out of form kicker is even more foolish!
I blame this foolishness on the Welsh coaching staff/management. Their intransigence and lack of foresight has cost the Welsh fans and the rest of us dearly! If it was not for them we could all be sitting down to the mouth watering prospect of a Wales NZ final and Wales would have something to show for all their inventiveness!
Welsh naiveity
posted on 22/10/11
Agreed, Wales missed so many kicks, for all their great play, if they just got 1 more kick between the posts they'd have probably won both games, shame really!
posted on 22/10/11
Bit of sting in this article mate but to be fair its nigh on impossible to argue with the basic point.
Raises an interesting point from my side. Hook at ten.
On the old 606 i had so many arguments and got berated badly for suggesting that he was not a "real" fly half but was a chap who was being shoe horned in to the 10 position.
I have always aserted that Hook was a top class player but I have only seen him at his best when playing in the centre. now 2 years ago i had a point that he should play at 12 but got shot down in favour of.... wait for it.... HENSON.
OMG anyway, with Roberson playing smashing rugby it would be hard to get that position but really i have never seen Hook as a valid 10 replacement. The problem is he seems to have been moved from pillar to post in recent times and has been seen at 10, 12, 13, and 15.
Again a great player, but not a ten. no way.
Anyway bitter disappointment for wales, NZ and Wales have been the shining lights of the RWC, and it would have been the perfect final.
posted on 22/10/11
I think you're oversimplifying this a little. We didn't go to the World Cup without any kickers at all. What was Rhys Priestland's stats like?
Also, Stephen Jones has normally been very reliable from the tee. But he, like many other (highly rated) kickers have struggled in this tourney. As for Hook, he's generally sublime or tragic with his accuracy. We know which way it went for this period.
I'm not sure slotting one more kick in any of the three games would have changed the result tbh. I had an impression that SA, France or Oz could always squeeze a last-minute penalty out of us if one of our kicks had gone over. I'm disappointed yes, but I don't think we should assume poor kicking was our only fault - it's more a mindset we cant match against teams like that.
posted on 23/10/11
Gecko
U know me from here mate so its with sadness that i have to disagree with you and normally dont.
One missed kick that had gone over in the french game would have seen u in the final. The french had nothing, and with 8 mins to go and a 25 meter obvious drop goal chance being passed up by Jones i knew ur goose was cooked. Jones bottled it in that game (which was surprising!) and hook... well he's just not a ten plain and simple. Hook is the hero wales never had because he has been playing out of position, just about every game he played in. Damn shame if you ask me.
but just 1 kick could have changed it all.
posted on 23/10/11
I'd love to agree with you cos it would give us more credit but I don't think we deserve that. If Stephen Jones had slotted over a drop goal on the 70th minute, that would have been a very very nervy last 10. I would not have been confident of keeping that lead. Our lineout was not functioning, and France proved that they had worked out that with the man advantage they could just spread the field and not contest the breakdown and keep us pinned down territorially.
We've been in this situation before. We had the lead against Ireland in 2009 with 5 minutes to go. And I cant name other instances off the top of my head but I know that wasn't the only occasion (possibly SA). Wales haven't mastered defending a close lead yet. Nor robbing it at the death either it seems.
posted on 23/10/11
Wales have come back from the World Cup having lost 3 games whilst managing to beat Ireland!
Before we all go too far how good actually are this Welsh side. Haven't we been here before. Playing attractive rugby but not getting results when it counts & at the highest level. The naiveity they had 10 years ago hasn't really changed has it
In a close game you expect Wales to still come second & nothing that has happened at this World Cup has changed that.
We are in serious danger of trying to build them into something they are far away from proving!
posted on 28/10/11
agreed