Certainly not a turgid England under Jones, I can't wait until he's replaced. Won't happen until after we've been walloped in the World Cup though unfortunately.
England getting schooled by SA.... 6 -24 at the moment..... mind I think we said the same thing last week against NZ....
ridiculous Sin-Bin 'Power Play' proposed by RFU along with other huge reforms to the domestic game The Rugby Football Union has set out its plans for a brand new Premiership and Championship cup competition which will include a raft of new rules. The new domestic competition will include 20 Prmiership and Championship clubs (11 premiership, 9 championship) and is designed to run during the Autumn Internationals and Six Nations. The thought is that a competion reminisicent of the FA Cup in football will give Championship clubs much needed exposure and limit the time world stars are absent from Premiership games. ADVERTISEMENT If the proposal is successful, the new competion will begin in the 2023/2024 season, with the possibility of the first round of games being held during the World Cup window. One of the key individuals behind the plans is RFU director of performance, Conor O’Shea, who also outlined changes to the game which will be trailaed during the competion. It is unclear how the majority of these adaptions will be achived pratically, but O’Shea noted the following reforms: Incentivising tries scored from outside the opposition’s 22 Reducing the amount of kick-tennis” Reducing the time wasted by reset scrums A sin-bin ‘Power Play’ The last point is of particular note – once a game the opposing team captain will be able to chose a player to spend 10 minutes in the sin bin. The captain can choose when to use this but will have the power to reduce their opponents to 14 men, without them being sent off by the ref. Quite the radical proposal!
Warren Gatland will return to Wales before Christmas to replace incumbent head coach Wayne Pivac. Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) CEO Steve Phillips has confirmed Gatland will take charge of Wales for the 2023 Guinness Six Nations and at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, with the ability to go through the next World Cup cycle up to and including Australia 2027. Wales’ most successful and longest serving coach is back to take over from fellow New Zealander Pivac, who has agreed to part company with the WRU after the official 2022 Autumn Nations Series review was completed and approved by the WRU Board. “This is one of the toughest calls to make in sport, but the review process has reached its conclusion and we have acted quickly and efficiently in the very best interests of our national team,” said Phillips. “Ultimately we are in the results business and we have agreed with Wayne that the current trajectory for Wales is not where we want it to be and we thank him sincerely for his time, enthusiasm, diligence and effort, which is unquestioned, as head coach over the last three years.” Gatland leaves Super Rugby side the Chiefs to return, after formerly serving Wales over a 12-year period. He completed his first Six Nations clean sweep in his debut season with Cymru in 2008, before repeating the feat in 2012 and finishing on the same high to win the 2019 tournament. “In Warren we are bringing in one of the very best coaches in the international game,” continued Phillips. “We were sorry to see him go when he left and we are delighted that he has agreed to return. “We know him well and, most importantly, he knows us well too. We are extremely excited about this latest chapter for Wales-and-Warren-Gatland and I know the feeling is mutual. “He will undoubtedly be able to make an immediate impact, just as he did when he joined us for the first time in 2008. But it has also been important to both parties to ensure we get absolute maximum gain out of the return of such an experienced and highly regarded individual. “It is for this reason that we are particularly pleased to have been able to secure Warren’s services for the next few years with the ability to go to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. This appointment is no quick fix, nor sticking plaster, it is part of our long term planning for the game in Wales. “We have been able to take swift action in difficult circumstances and that is testament to the good grace and professionalism of Wayne and the efficiency of our review process.” Native New Zealander Gatland, who took charge of two successful British & Irish Lions tours during his time with Wales, was also in charge for three Rugby World Cups, reaching the semi-final stages on two occasions (2011 and 2019) and took Wales to the top of World Rugby’s rankings – for the first time – by virtue of a record 14-match unbeaten run during his final season.
In my view, Pivac should never have been appointed in the first place. He basically had just one good season with the Turks (as the Scarlets are ‘affectionately’ known). In my opinion, this was always going to be an accident waiting to happen…. (If you go back and review my posts on the Swansea page, you will see that I’ve been consistent in this view) Which other Top Ten rugby nation would have appointed him? Not sure, if I were in Gatland’s shoes, that I would have gone back - I guess he knew that he wasn’t going to replace Eddie, so Wales were the best option, particularly as he managed to secure a 2 year deal.
Ahh being called a Turk, my dad told me that it was a proud nickname...better than being called a Jack, which was just the name of a dog...but a heroic dog at that
