New Year, Old Gripes

Gareth Anscombe seems to be finding his feet in Welsh rugby, displaying a cool head in the heat of the local derby at Rodney Parade on New Years Day. Welsh fans will be charting his progress keenly, although the performances of Dan Biggar in the Autumn seem to suggest that the No 10 shirt fits the Osprey quite snugly. Still, it is traditional that we debate that hallowed shirt above all others, so there seems little point in trying to make that obvious point. English fans will be engaged in the same kind of frenzy now that Big Sam has made the move from League, but I suspect that his arrival will only serve to complicate matters. Lancaster and his predecessors seem to have been engaged in a protracted game of Lucky Dip when it comes to the 12 and 13 shirts (43 centre combinations since the 2003 WC, folks...). Sometimes less is more, but more choice gives you less...
Anscombe's floated miss pass to Cory Allen proved to be the game winning decision that decided a match that seemed to splutter its way from one collapsed scrum to the next. Lots of kicking, as we could expect on a day when the high ball was swirling around in the leaden skies over Newport, but so much of it is becoming the standard ploy from the maul. The plain fact is that you stand more chance of creating a scoring opportunity by booting it up in the air than you do by keeping the ball in hand. Defensive lines are so strong in the modern game that many sides prefer to play without the hassle of a bit of leather getting in the way.
Likewise, some front rowers seem blissfully happy to set and reset the same scrum, perhaps revelling in the attention they're getting from indulgent referees. Nice cozy chats in a huddle, sympathetic nods about the state of the pitch, coaching tips on how to keep on their feet and maintain their angles from the bloke with a whistle who probably played junior rugby on the wing.
Now that Christmas is over I can say "Bah, Humbug!" to all that. The scrums, Mr Ref, are going down because someone in that nice cozy huddle wants them to do so. In the short term, the yellow card has to be brandished. Longer term, a panel of gnarled veterans have to sit down with referees and law makers and sort this out. Scrums ARE better since "the hit" was taken out of the equation, but it is still an area of concern.
Too many box kicks (why not re establish a "mark" for any area of the pitch?) and too many collapsed scrums (handles sewn onto prop shirts???!) will do nothing to turn people on to rugby in World Cup year.

Ryan left singing the Blues

EDF Final at Twickenham
Cardiff 50 – Gloucester 12

The work in progress that is Gloucester Rugby Club again failed to turn up on the day, and surely time is running out for the self styled Big Bad Wolf, Dean Ryan. Although infamous for his no nonsense approach as a player, he has singularly failed to put together a side that can play to win often enough to keep the denizens of the Shed happy.
Meanwhile, across the Severn, Dai Young has assembled a team that plays like one. Unlike Ryan, Young has bought wisely. His foreign imports, Rush, Tito, Blair et al are high quality, consistent performers. The raft of Welsh internationals give them a home team feel, but keep their standards high. The evergreen Martyn Williams was Man of the Match, although Tom Shanklin and Leigh Halfpenny must have been close behind.
Next in their sights are the Tigers over the Bank Holiday weekend. Expect a packed Millenium Stadium to roar the Blues on. The Ruckandroller expects the gnarly Leicester forwards to test out the Blues front row, though…

Just what the doctor ordered...

Medical student Jamie Roberts grabbed the Heineken Man of the Match award as the 14 man heroics of the Blues silenced the Shed. A late try by replacement second row Bradley Davies means that Gloucester have to travel to Biarritz next weekend with their hopes of qualifying fading fast. The Blues, on the other hand, top the group and seem to have shed the also rans tag which has bedevilled them in the past few seasons. Now, with clever leadership from Martyn Williams, and the potent threat offered by some of the best ball carriers in the Principality (Powell, Rush, Shanklin, Roberts) Dai Young's outfit will go into next week's fixture against Calvisano secure in the knowledge that they have qualified for the next round.