I Haven't Recovered Yet!

I wasn't going to write about the disaster last Saturday but, after hearing Gareth Jenkins making excuses for our performance, I had to comment.

I have followed rugby for many years but I am not a coach. However, even I could tell the sort of game England were going to play so how come Jenkins and his coaching team were taken by surprise? What planet do they live on?

I was never a big fan of Jenkins but I was prepared to give the man a chance. It just goes to show how rubbish the WRU is to have appointed him in the first place if this is the best he can do. And also to let him bring his mottly crew of inexperienced mates with him was stupid. Wales has not only gone backwards since he's been in charge, they've stopped playing rugby as I know it.

I was ashamed and embarrassed by our performance at HQ. The only player who stood up to be counted was Charvis and that is a sad indictment of the younger lads that an old-timer like him was our best player by a mile. OK, so the backs didn't get the ball but did they go and look for it? At times like this you need all 15 players to be hungry and combative. Our boys looked jaded and disinterested. What exactly did they all do in their camp in France? Not play rugby, that's for sure. I don't think the pack were even introduced to each other!

Jenkins didn't want to show his hand, or so he says. Why not? Surely our best players should be getting on to the field together now so that they can hone their skills before the World Cup? Or am I missing something? Does the coach not think that he has had plenty of time to make judgements on the training park? His final 30 should be an mere formaility now, surely? What did he learn about the fringe players? That they will always be on the fringe, I would say.

As a proud Welsh person, I want us to do well in the World Cup and I sincerely hope the next two friendlies are more competitive and give us hope for the tournament. However, I fear that France will be too clever for us and Argentina too strong up front. Going into the World Cup with three losses in August would not do our lads any favours so I pray that I am proved wrong.

I know coaches are always criticised when the team loses and I expected England to beat us, even if they are still in a mess themselves, but you would expect to be able to take some positives out of every game. Jenkins is deluding himself if he can see any good in that debaucle last Saturday.

I'm as miserable as I can be so I dread to think how the players must be feeling. Come on boys, prove to us, your long-suffering fans, that you are good enough to take on the best in the world. At the moment, even qualifying from the group stages looks unlikely so there needs to be a concerted effort made in the next few weeks to turn this around and help us forget that black, black day at HQ.