The Week that Was...
Wales win 6N Championship
By Andrew Collins
March 22 2013
"The disparity between the regions and the national side has never been greater..."
If ever there was a week which summarised the extreme highs and terrifying pitfalls of Welsh rugby, this truly was it…
30-3.
North-hampton.
Blues lose all 4 of their 6N starters to injury.
Walking around Cardiff last Saturday was incredible. The buzz, the noise, the confidence, the nerves. Then, finally, the triumph and celebration. Man of the tournament Leigh Halfpenny, 2-try hero Alex Cuthbert, Tuilangi-nulifier Jamie Roberts and unofficial captain Sam Warburton were all starters in that incredible match and are set to return to Blues action this weekend with the adoration and hero-status they deserve.
Except, they won’t. All 4 are injured.
Leigh Halfpenny - Sprained ankle fitness next week.
Alex Cuthbert - Grade two hamstring strain sustained in the first half against England, back in four to six weeks.
Jamie Roberts - Knee injury assessed on Monday.
Sam Warburton - Knee injury - Assessed on Monday.
I’m not doubting the fact these boys are probably in need of a rest. It was a grueling 6 Nations campaign, with some monstrous defensive displays from all 6 sides. There’s no question, rugby is tougher than ever before. But it does make you wonder, how much does ‘Team Wales’ value the RaboDirect and the 4 regions?
I understand the need to protect players, and there is of course the argument that if these players weren’t so delicately handled then we wouldn’t have been in such a healthy condition during the 6N, but it’s galling to think that, yet again, the Blues will be without their best players for an important league match.
When every single one of the Welsh starters gets withdrawn from regional duty, it breeds a sense of apathy, both among the players and the fans, towards the league and club rugby in general.
And it’s not just the Blues either. The Scarlets are resting Wales stars George North, Jonathan Davies and Ken Owens while the Dragons have left Toby Faletau on the bench. Only the Ospreys include their champions, with Dan Biggar, Richard Hibbard, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans and Justin Tipuric all starting.
Add to that the news that the Scarlets are considering releasing superstar George North a year early from his contract and you start to wonder, is it even really worth it? If the regions are just nurseries for Team Wales and stepping stones until English and French clubs come looking, why don’t we just jack the whole lot in.
The disparity between the regions and the national side has never been greater. We are in a state of absolute turmoil and something has to be done. Money doesn’t come easily to any professional sports side these days, but when 70,000 people pack out the Millennium Stadium with a further 300,000 estimated to have made the journey to Cardiff city center to soak up the atmosphere then obviosuly the appetite for rugby still exists in Wales. But much, much more needs to be done to embrace and engage it. Change in ideas and attitudes are badly needed. The WRU must act now or else admit that regional rugby has no future and call time on our dying club game.
The Blues take on Treviso on Saturday, with the match being shown live on S4C. there’s a first start for new Samoan singing Filo Paulo, but otherwise a weak side with a lengthy injury list (below).
The team is as follows:
15 Jason Tovey 14 Owen Williams 13 Gavin Evans 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Chris Czekaj 10 Ceri Sweeney 9 Lloyd Williams
8 Luke Hamilton 7 Rory Watts-Jones 6 Michael Paterson 5 James Down 4 Filo Paulo 3 Benoit Bourrust 2 Kristian Dacey 1 Taufa'ao Filise
16 Marc Breeze 17 Sam Hobbs 18 Scott Andrews 19 Lou Reed 20 Thomas Young 21 Robin Copeland 22 Lewis Jones 23 Gareth Davies
Injury List
Bradley Davies - Ankle ligament damage back in early May
Josh Navidi - Hamstring injury - fitness test next week
Sam Warburton - Knee injury - Assessed on Monday
Andries Pretorius - Shoulder reconstruction, back in early May
Tom Williams - Shoulder dislocation, back in pre season
Liam Davies - Back spasm
Rhys Patchell - Shoulder injury assessed on Monday
Jamie Roberts - Knee injury assessed on Monday
Alex Cuthbert - Grade two hamstring strain back in four to six weeks
Leigh Halfpenny - Sprained ankle fitness next week
Andi Kyriacou - Neck injury ongoing
Rhys Williams - Shoulder injury back in four weeks
Tom James - Fractured sesamoid (big toe) fitness assessed next week
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Our entire first choice backrow not starting, our first choice 10-12 axis injured and our entire first choice back3 injured.
Our record against the Italians is about to disappear I fear.
It is a good job none of the regions are in the HEC what sort of team woild they be able to put out
Finacing the reagions has to be changed
Pity Allen is with the 7s, still I would have started
10. Tovey
11. Czekaj
12. Evans
13. Williams
14. Robinson
15. Fish
If they are all fit.
But based on the fact that Copeland is sitting on the bench, I guess they have already given up on this game.
I am not hopeful at all for our chances.
As for the Blues, I didn't expect the Welsh players to play this weekend and I don't begrudge them a weekend off. I doubt we will see Jamie Roberts play again. But he has hardly played in 2 years so we won't miss him.
I agree with Wales606 in that leaving Copeland (player of the season in my opinion) on the bench suggests we are not going for the win in Italy.