I wish I could say it was surprising, but it's not. Strange is a fair description though.
We have long known that there are players in Gatland's favour, and others who are always out of favour. Peel, Delve, Popham would be examples of the latter.
I don't believe Gatland's claims that Delve is so much less fit than the rest of the squad. I can't remember if he's missed some of the training or not. However, he has played every game in the Super XV season (I believe - or at least every game the Rebels have had) - and is this a league known for being slow and stodgy?
I don't believe that Powell's indiscipline in the England game 3 years ago is the reason he has never featured again. He gave away one penalty in that game to my memory, and I remember Shane Williams having a mare that game - giving away more penalties and possession than Powell that's for sure.
So I'm not surprised that Peel isn't really too injured to be taking part in the RWC warm ups.
I'm disappointed in Gatland's manipulative tricks to be honest. I don't mind if these players aren't being picked cos they're not in form, or because there are better players, players available to do more training or whatever. It's just that when we've been short on 8s and 9s, I don't like the way that these people have been dismissed and the reasons seem totally invalid. And to a certain extent I'm miffed that we've persevered with the 8s and 9s we have when they've been badly out of form.
gecko
Thanks mate , thats a very decent and well rounded view and to be fair i was thinking that this business of telling lies was completely crazy, but did not want to come across as a WUM so didn't say it.
On your example i would have to say that Popham is a very good player well respected here in ireland and its certainly strange not to see him... From my point of view anyway. Delve equally considered a good player he could certainly do a job if not a first team player but a squad player for sure.
Powell is marmite and in this case most people dont like marmite hahaha
I think what he brings to a team are far outweighed by his flaws which are numerous and would not have him in any team but maybe to carry the water Just my opinion sir.
Or Or maybe drive the buggy during soccer games when the players need to be stretchered off after pretending to be injured..... mmmmm
I can accept that other teams and coaches have persisted with arguable players but the coaches will be honest or at least keep quiet about it, rather than spread some weird stories that just causes negative headlines.
All he had to do was say Powell/ Ryan Jones has performed better in training with the other players than Delve, or that the squad has been fully firing with the current scrum-halves and we dont want to disrupt the dynamic by bringing in a new one.
At the end of the day, I'm not going to kick off over his choices - I trust he knows more about the players and he is seeing how they're performing in training when we're not. Some of the calls between Andy Powell/Popham/Delve would be marginal at best, and likewise Phillips/Rees/Peel, but when the publicised reasons seem to be false you question things...
You ever get any cases like this with your respective teams?
gecko
Under Eddie O'Sullivan i have questioned many times why Geordan Murphy was giving FB attacking master classes in the English premiership and yet was barely ever used for ireland. EOS preferred Gervin Dempsey and while i am related to Gervin, i quite frankly thought that EOS didn't like Geordan Murphy and thus we only saw him when we had a bunch of injuries. USED and ABUSED is a term that comes to mind. BUT... its speculation because Geordan has never come out against his coach and said it... That said... Brian O'Driscoll went on the Late Late show in ireland (most popular talk show) and said that Geordan Murphy is the most gifted rugby player he has ever played with... that was about 6 years ago... and still EOS never gave him a look in.... So the speculation seems most probably spot on.
Also we have had and still do the old age tactical "BOD is injured" and at the last second makes a magical recovery and is fit to play.. hahaha but thats just tactics so i guess it dont count.
Anyway, realistically this is Gats and no one else. he has a funny way of handling things, i don't remember this happening with previous coaches?
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Dwayne Peel rejects Wales claim of injury..
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posted on 17/8/11
I wish I could say it was surprising, but it's not. Strange is a fair description though.
We have long known that there are players in Gatland's favour, and others who are always out of favour. Peel, Delve, Popham would be examples of the latter.
I don't believe Gatland's claims that Delve is so much less fit than the rest of the squad. I can't remember if he's missed some of the training or not. However, he has played every game in the Super XV season (I believe - or at least every game the Rebels have had) - and is this a league known for being slow and stodgy?
I don't believe that Powell's indiscipline in the England game 3 years ago is the reason he has never featured again. He gave away one penalty in that game to my memory, and I remember Shane Williams having a mare that game - giving away more penalties and possession than Powell that's for sure.
So I'm not surprised that Peel isn't really too injured to be taking part in the RWC warm ups.
I'm disappointed in Gatland's manipulative tricks to be honest. I don't mind if these players aren't being picked cos they're not in form, or because there are better players, players available to do more training or whatever. It's just that when we've been short on 8s and 9s, I don't like the way that these people have been dismissed and the reasons seem totally invalid. And to a certain extent I'm miffed that we've persevered with the 8s and 9s we have when they've been badly out of form.
posted on 18/8/11
gecko
Thanks mate , thats a very decent and well rounded view and to be fair i was thinking that this business of telling lies was completely crazy, but did not want to come across as a WUM so didn't say it.
On your example i would have to say that Popham is a very good player well respected here in ireland and its certainly strange not to see him... From my point of view anyway. Delve equally considered a good player he could certainly do a job if not a first team player but a squad player for sure.
Powell is marmite and in this case most people dont like marmite hahaha
I think what he brings to a team are far outweighed by his flaws which are numerous and would not have him in any team but maybe to carry the water Just my opinion sir.
Or Or maybe drive the buggy during soccer games when the players need to be stretchered off after pretending to be injured..... mmmmm
posted on 18/8/11
I can accept that other teams and coaches have persisted with arguable players but the coaches will be honest or at least keep quiet about it, rather than spread some weird stories that just causes negative headlines.
All he had to do was say Powell/ Ryan Jones has performed better in training with the other players than Delve, or that the squad has been fully firing with the current scrum-halves and we dont want to disrupt the dynamic by bringing in a new one.
At the end of the day, I'm not going to kick off over his choices - I trust he knows more about the players and he is seeing how they're performing in training when we're not. Some of the calls between Andy Powell/Popham/Delve would be marginal at best, and likewise Phillips/Rees/Peel, but when the publicised reasons seem to be false you question things...
You ever get any cases like this with your respective teams?
posted on 18/8/11
gecko
Under Eddie O'Sullivan i have questioned many times why Geordan Murphy was giving FB attacking master classes in the English premiership and yet was barely ever used for ireland. EOS preferred Gervin Dempsey and while i am related to Gervin, i quite frankly thought that EOS didn't like Geordan Murphy and thus we only saw him when we had a bunch of injuries. USED and ABUSED is a term that comes to mind. BUT... its speculation because Geordan has never come out against his coach and said it... That said... Brian O'Driscoll went on the Late Late show in ireland (most popular talk show) and said that Geordan Murphy is the most gifted rugby player he has ever played with... that was about 6 years ago... and still EOS never gave him a look in.... So the speculation seems most probably spot on.
Also we have had and still do the old age tactical "BOD is injured" and at the last second makes a magical recovery and is fit to play.. hahaha but thats just tactics so i guess it dont count.
Anyway, realistically this is Gats and no one else. he has a funny way of handling things, i don't remember this happening with previous coaches?
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