Will Gatland make a difference ?

With Gatland away with the Lions for the best part of 18 months and Wales going on an eight game losing streak, then brining it together to win the 6N and then ballsing things up in Japan, does anybody think that Gatland will make a difference to having Howley or McBryde in charge ? We all know how Warren Gatland like's to operate, so do people think our chances of beating South Africa, Australia, Argentina and Tonga are better with him at the helm, or do you think that we would be better prepared with Rob Howley and Robin McBryde ? I think that certain quarters under estimate just how much Gatland brings to the Welsh set-up and I think Wales are twice the team with him in charge, so for me I am in the we are much better with him than without him camp.

Can he do any worse than last year?

butterfingers wrote:Can he do any worse than last year?

He wasn't there last year.

If he returns to his previous form against SH teams then it does not bode well for Wales!

Having said that it is the players who need to step up to the plate against SH teams not the coach. I personally suspect they will play well. Whether they can beat SA even at their best is doubtful. SA and NZ look a class apart.

His selections is the issue for me - I don't think he selects the game plan to suit the players rather he has a game plan in mind and selects players for that. Wales would be better with quick ball and use the fast backs to attack ball in hand

TJ wrote:His selections is the issue for me - I don't think he selects the game plan to suit the players rather he has a game plan in mind and selects players for that.  Wales would be better with quick ball and use the fast backs to attack ball in hand

Most coaches do that. Lancaster for instance picks a team to strangle the opposition by defence and then hopes they can win via penalties and opportunistic tries.

The Welsh players really need to stop being so precious and ditch this weak attitude they have against Southern teams.
Gatland should get a slide show of all the 22 games they have lost against Southern teams since 2008, and the slide show should be of the final whistle with the stills of the oppose team celebrating and cheering!
FORGET ALL THIS POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE CRAP!
They just need to grow a pair.

Exiledinborders wrote:

TJ wrote:His selections is the issue for me - I don't think he selects the game plan to suit the players rather he has a game plan in mind and selects players for that.  Wales would be better with quick ball and use the fast backs to attack ball in hand

Most coaches do that. Lancaster for instance picks a team to strangle the opposition by defence and then hopes they can win via penalties and opportunistic tries.

Yep agreed ,it seems to be a tactic favored by NH coaches,all a bit rope-a-dope.
Find it quite disrespectful to the players.

With wales having probabloy the best attacking backs in the 6N then pick a ruddy team to maximise this. A SH who gets the ball moving quickly. a 10 who can pass and vary the game. centres who can pass and create space - then those finishers get the chance to finish. I hate to see North for example not receive a decent pass all game. Get him one on one with a bit of space

I agree with the OP. Wales are a different animal with Gatland at the helm. Falatau missing is a huge blow though, particularly against South Africa.

Is Ryan Jones fit to start, or will Warburton play at 8 with Tipuric at 7?

I'm genuinely not sure what the team selection for this one will be.

LordDowlais wrote:Do people think our chances of beating South Africa, Australia, Argentina and Tonga are better with him at the helm, or do you think that we would be better prepared with Rob Howley and Robin McBryde ?

No offence, Dowlais, but that's a bit of a daft question. Not even Howley and McBryde would say we'd be better off with them in charge!

funnyExiledScot wrote:I agree with the OP. Wales are a different animal with Gatland at the helm. Falatau missing is a huge blow though, particularly against South Africa.

Is Ryan Jones fit to start, or will Warburton play at 8 with Tipuric at 7?

I'm genuinely not sure what the team selection for this one will be.

I thought Faletau was ok. 

My apologies - I had heard he was out injured for a while. Great news if he's fit.

funnyExiledScot wrote:My apologies - I had heard he was out injured  for  a while. Great news if he's fit.

                  phew.  

LordDowlais wrote:

funnyExiledScot wrote:I agree with the OP. Wales are a different animal with Gatland at the helm. Falatau missing is a huge blow though, particularly against South Africa.

Is Ryan Jones fit to start, or will Warburton play at 8 with Tipuric at 7?

I'm genuinely not sure what the team selection for this one will be.

I thought Faletau was ok. 

He is  

Weirdly enough, SA coach has come out and said he 'hopes for the worse possible conditions' when playing Wales - he doesn't want us to use our backs either

Roof closed then. 

Not our choice

What is the point of owning a stadium with a roof if the opposition gets to decide if its to be closed or not? I were the head of the WRU , the roof would be closed for all the AI games , so the opposition can brick themselves when they hear the noise of 80 thousand home fans baying for blood !!!

Wales can decide about the roof just not in the six nations,
or am i wrong?

I thought it was the oppo team head coach to decide if the roof is open or not?

But surely with Rugby being an out side sport. Why would you want too play indoors?

TJ wrote:With wales having probabloy the best attacking backs in the 6N then pick a ruddy team to maximise this.  A SH who gets the ball moving quickly.  a 10 who can pass and vary the game.  centres who can pass and create space - then those finishers get the chance to finish.  I hate to see North for example not receive a decent pass all game.  Get him one on one with a bit of space

You say Wales have the best backs then you want to change 4 of them. Make your mind up!

They best back 3. The best attacking backs those 3

majesticimperialman wrote:I thought it was the oppo team head coach to decide if the roof is open or not?

But surely with Rugby being an out side sport. Why would you want too play indoors?

Im pretty sure i have read once that only in the Six Nations Wales can't decide on the roof.
If you have been to the millennium ,maybe you have?! you would know the roof closed can really lift the atmosphere.

majesticimperialman wrote:I thought it was the oppo team head coach to decide if the roof is open or not?

But surely with Rugby being an out side sport. Why would you want too play indoors?

People always bring up this traditional gem in regards to the MS roof. Surely now that it's permitted to play international rugby matches under a roof (I assume allowance is expressed somewhere in the IRB rulebook) means you can no longer define it as a strictly outdoor sport, by the customs of today that seems to have altered somewhat.

the roof in Dunedin can't be open so no arguments there.
Do you think the SA players will be bricking themselves?

The latest forecast I've seen shows heavy rain for Saturday - and rain for most of the week between now and then. It's hammering down here here now. From what Heyneke Meyer's said about building / planning for the World Cup it makes perfect sense to want the roof open, so the players can experience the kind of conditions they might get in 2015.

So, where are we, roof open or closed ?

I haven't heard anything official yet.

with regards to the roof i think it should be shut when raining and open when sunny . with regards to gatland making a difference of course he will . now that the Welsh and British lions is over for another four years then he can concentrate and actually be there for the Welsh team . sorry meant Irish and British lions  

The Roof:
Austin Healy's Mouth:
Jordan's Legs:
The Crown in Glynneath:
My Wallet:
Sainsbury's at 11pm:
The A30:

Answers on a postcard  

jimmyinthewell68 wrote:with regards to the roof   i think it should be shut when raining and open when sunny . with regards to gatland making a difference  of course he will . now that the Welsh and British lions is over for another four years then he can concentrate and actually be there for the Welsh team .   sorry meant Irish and British lions  

He woz concentrating on, and there with, the Welsh team.

Did you not see the Lions tour, jimmy?

RubyGuby wrote:The Roof:
Austin Healy's Mouth:
Jordan's Legs:
The Crown in Glynneath:
My Wallet:
Sainsbury's at 11pm:
The A30:

Answers on a postcard  

A postcard;
A flock of seagulls;
Granny Dryden;
A sack of spuds;
Route 66;
Your mother;
Linford Christie.

Answers by carrier pigeon.

SecretFly wrote:

jimmyinthewell68 wrote:with regards to the roof   i think it should be shut when raining and open when sunny . with regards to gatland making a difference  of course he will . now that the Welsh and British lions is over for another four years then he can concentrate and actually be there for the Welsh team .   sorry meant Irish and British lions  

He woz concentrating on, and there with, the Welsh team.  

Did you not see the Lions tour, jimmy?  

you got me . you right .