Wales rugby captain says form will return

Colin - seconded. Even Martyn Williams said something similar recently in Rugby World.

The Ospreys are playing well IMO, and the Blues are middling along with a youthful and inexperienced side. Even the Dragons are doing some good things. They just don't have the resources anymore tbf to them.

''Bakkies the regional set-up doesn’t seem to work for them. They would have done better with 4 or more of the old clubs, and given the limited financial scale of the country in having private owners. In fact it’s questionable if a regional model works for anyone. It’s probably best only for particular teams to represent whole regions rather than every teams having to represent one.'' It does work for them with player development. Having 4 of the old clubs wouldn't have worked as there was too much self interest and politics involved. A superior model was put forward but wasn't voted through so that's how they ended up with the current system. The Dragons are operating on a shoe string and may end up like Connacht, a development region.

Justin, I hear you loud and clear. Being one of the top 10 teams in the world is no big deal. I definitely am not having a personal dig but I come from a different era and I think it is. Let me put in my thoughts. Back in the days when we were kings, I played; captained a first division club side, attended trials for representative rugby (not international) went on a number of rugby trips etc.etc. Like many millions before and after me. The position we had in rugby in those days was a big deal for us, and some others, it seems. What do I remember of the rugby environment we occupied? Well we always knew about who we were playing, and respected and sometimes feared the opposition (in a rugby sense) and worked towards trying to counter them. On some of our trips I recall ancient rugby tragics wanting to come up to us in a bar after a game and talk rugby, and how they loved it. I recall kids coming up to us after a game and wanting an autograph. I didn't even have a special signature in those days. I recall going back to my home town and having old rugby salts who had known me when I was a kid coming up to me as if I was now someone special. In our small way we had a role to play and we definitely weren't in the world's top 10. So when I read about players or teams being "no-good", or worse being ridiculed for some perceived inadequacy, yet they are good enough to be involved in international rugby, whatever the team, I feel the people calling them out sometimes go beyond what is reasonable. Being a sports tragic is a challenge. None of us, least of all the perpetrator, want a WB's scrum to collapse and give away a penalty; or have Beale drop a high ball, or Cooper miss a tackle or make a no look pass to the opposition winger. Or Deans to lose an important test match. We don't want Watson to run out Punter, or Mitchell Johnson to lose his way. But it happens and what is the reasonable way to respond when it happens? Well, I don't know. My old coach said if we lost we must be good losers; but more importantly we had to be modest in victory. That's not a bad start. But in the case of being a supporter I tend to take the position that each player is trying his best. If his best isn't as good as another's might be, I imagine it needs to be pointed out. But it would be nice if individual players or teams are not overly ridiculed for perceived faults. Remember Greg Crowden. Remember also only one team can win, and generally a team wins because it's the better team, unless, of course, a referee's interpretation of some of the many impossible rules they work under has played a role in the result. So I would like to think Wales are a pretty good team. They might not win every game. But I really think they will do their best and that they will move up the international rankings a little. And I think they will beat Ireland next week. But if they do I will still think Ireland are a pretty good team as well, but just lost this match. And now I'm done with moralising the WBs will beat the Lions 2-1.

Bakkies the regional set-up doesn't seem to work for them. They would have done better with 4 or more of the old clubs, and given the limited financial scale of the country in having private owners. In fact it's questionable if a regional model works for anyone. It's probably best only for particular teams to represent whole regions rather than every teams having to represent one.

'' If you watched the June series, you’d have noticed that the 1st test aside they dominated Australia. Imo, the tail end of last year was nothing tp do with their ability, but rather the problems to do with the regional set up. It’s easy for the English, French and to a certain degree the Irish clubs. They can import the Carters, and Habana’s of the world. That’s why they are strong at club level.'' The Welsh clubs/regions in the past have been able to recruit players like Montgomery, Holah, Marshall, Collins, Paul Tito, Ricky Januarie those days are over. The Ospreys won the Pro 12 with a young squad with a lot of players coming through the systems in Wales in recent times. Their Under 20s beat NZ last year in the Junior RWC and they are still 7s RWC champs. Their player development is the best it has been in the pro era but that could change with funding problems. The salary cap freezing out high profile players has forced the regions to develop more players continuously which costs money but the talent will keep on coming through. As for the 6Ns last year in regards to England and France, both teams had new coaches. France in particular played like headless chooks. They were also coming off a loss to Tonga in the 2011 RWC pool match. The cancelled match against Ireland forced them to reschedule the match on a bye weekend which effected both Ireland and France. England were very poor against Scotland and Italy. Got on top of Ireland after Ross went off and the Irish pack gave up after scrum problems. Stiched up France.

Colvin - top 10 is no great feat, that's a given. Some wallaby supporters believe that top 3 isn't enough for the talent that exists, that's the issue for me along with some of the puerile football we have played over the past 2 years Inparticular

I simply asked a question which you can't or won't answer yet are happy to have a very strong point of view on a similar subject. Any chance you may address it? Somehow you have come to a conclusion about my thoughts from what exactly?

Fark I wish I was as good as you ht, you really should be coach of the wallabies or at least on the board. You ability to know everything is unquestioned and I am so glad to have such wisdom to turn to in times of need.

Bakkis - it's very similar to how the Boks played in the PdV days with Morne in charge. The best way to deal with it was shut down the space of JdV and co. The Boks had a much better pack than Wales currently do so they could match it with better teams.

Gatland was highly rated in Ireland and it's a bit obvious that he is still bitter about being shafted from the head coach position for Eddie O'Sullivan. He won the Grand Slam just after Wales had a poor RWC in 2007. The WRU have given him a lot of time to build up a team so they obviously learnt from the 2005 Grand Slam when Mike Ruddock departed afterwards. Another factor was that they didn't have a lot of options for the Lions job. It was probably down to McGeechan and Gatland for the position. The losses that Howley had after the 6 Nations has driven them down to tier 3 in the IRB rankings for the RWC draw so Wales will have to rebuild again post Lions Tour they have a young enough squad to do it to prepare for the pool of death in 2015.

If you watched the June series, you'd have noticed that the 1st test aside they dominated Australia. Imo, the tail end of last year was nothing tp do with their ability, but rather the problems to do with the regional set up. It's easy for the English, French and to a certain degree the Irish clubs. They can import the Carters, and Habana's of the world. That's why they are strong at club level. May I ask though; how were England and France not settled for last years 6N? The French had just reached a WC final and nearly beaten the best team in the world, NZ.Why would they change anything? England were trying new players, i accept, but then so were Wales at the previous WC and by their standards they did fairly decently. Excuses are being made. I don't see Wales as massively overrated, but hey that's your opinion. To me, they were establishing themselves and will continue to do so over the next year or so. I also don't believe they're limited out wide. I think it's the 10 and 12 they have that screws it up. With a different combination they'd have put away most of the teams from last year. So It's kind of similar to Australia's situation. With Mccabe they were one-dimensional, but with Tappers they were cutting England to shreds outwide.

Hightackle it might occur to you that the Welsh players lift for Gatland, there is a reason why he was offered a 4 year extension before the last RWC. He also gave youth a go and picked a young captain. Being an outsider he has no club ties in Wales so he is less likely to pander to internal politics.

I do, yes, but then I think he has a stronger backroom team in the Lions with Rowntree and Farrell. However, I can't believe Howley is there having seen how Wales' backs have performed during his time with the team. Having said that, Howley was part of the 2009 Lions and they worked well on that tour. But yes, I'm personally not so sure about Gatland myself.

Really? Gatland won the grand slam? I knew Wales had done that but Gatland did it by himself. Bakkies you must be a real Deans supporter. After all Deans won 5 super titles. I cant believe the players had nothing to do with it. Oh well Im sure Gatland would have won those grand slams with Italy also. Its all about the coach...unless you think about it. Look up coaches "records" with different teams Bakkies. Its really strange. Somehow depending on what team they are with matters. Why do you think that is?

The biggest problem I have with Wales they have a big backline and if you shut down their space they lack of variety shows. Priestland is a very hot and cold player and he has been poor since the RWC so the direction isn't there at 10, he is out with a bad injury. Dan Biggar and James Hook will probably share the flyhalf duties. They were very lucky to beat England last year at Twickenham, the match deciding try came from Scott Williams ripping the ball of Lawes then of course there was the incident in the corner at the end. What England did well was cut down Wales' space so they were forced to run laterally it was one game where they badly missed Shane Williams' creativity and variation. Their attack offered little and this was mirrored in the first 3 AIs tests. What Ireland did wrong in the RWC QF was allow Wales to get quick ball which knocked the stuff out of the Irish pack and opened up gaps in the defence due to tiredness. Ireland ran laterally and out of space which has been common under Kidney since the Grand Slam win. Some say Wales have the wood on Ireland but two of those wins have come from bad refereeing decisions in the 6 Nations. Before that Ireland were well on top of Wales from 2000 onwards.

Not just the Welsh camp but the regions as well.

Gatland is a far better coach then Howley. He has two Grand Slams and 4th place at the RWC to back that up. Wales were poor under Howley's coaching in the AIs losing to Argentina and Samoa, their attack was very limited. Go on to any Welsh Rugby forum (Gwlad, etc) and they don't like the thought of Gatland being absent and Howley taking the reins. Re the 2010 results it's common for Wales to have a poor Six Nations after the Lions Series.

Losing by 1 is losing but its not losing by 101. Nobody forgot losing is losing but maybe uou forgot coming close exists also.

I was not for or against any coach if you mean me.