Pacific Heights? Rugby 2022

[Antepli Ejderha]

Pivac pulled from the RWU pre RWC trip to France, the end of nigh.

The talk is still of Gatland short term and Robertson or possibly O'Gara long term.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Very strong rumours that Will Rowlands is going to leave the Dragons and head to Bath meaning he'd be ineligible for Wales, all in a RWC year.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Very strong rumours that Will Rowlands is going to leave the Dragons and head to Bath meaning he'd be ineligible for Wales, all in a RWC year.

Racing 92 in the end. Nobody is quite sure if he's still eligible to play for Wales.

There are many more players in the same situation and if the WRU doesn't act quickly this exodus is going to really damage the regions.

[Ray de Galles]

It may lead to a scrapping or extreme relaxation of the geographic eligibility rules, which would be a very good thing.

[Antepli Ejderha]

It may lead to a scrapping or extreme relaxation of the geographic eligibility rules, which would be a very good thing.

It's going to have to or else we'll have no RWC squad.

In other news Pivac is still in a job.

[Antepli Ejderha]

https://twitter.com/ProgressiveRug/status/1599442288286932993?t=gRZcLtabthA_KDrALAZnzA&s=19

This is really worrying, during the Covid-19 lockdown players took pay cuts, I think this time they won't and will follow the money as it really is a short career.

[Antepli Ejderha]

He's back.

[Ray de Galles]

Daddy's home for Xmas!

[Patrick Thistle]

It's on the breaking news ticker on Sky Sports. Warren Gatland back for the 6 Nations and World Cup.

[Ray de Galles]

The surprise is that it's not a straight one year deal but with an option through to the 2027 World Cup.

The coaching staff now are all-important, I don't think Gatland could match the impact of his first spell even if he had the greatest coach in the world Shaun Edwards back with him but who he goes for to support him is crucial.

[Ray de Galles]

At least next year's rugby thread title is sorted, 'Return Of The Gats, You Knew That He'd Be Back'.

[Antepli Ejderha]

The surprise is that it's not a straight one year deal but with an option through to the 2027 World Cup.

The coaching staff now are all-important, I don't think Gatland could match the impact of his first spell even if he had the greatest coach in the world Shaun Edwards back with him but who he goes for to support him is crucial.

I came on to post that.

There's more, we know he favors 3 regional sides as well and he is certainly the person to revolutionise the game.

https://twitter.com/rossharries1/status/1599740194588340225?t=IGX-J7aPMXuRxA7gaQlerQ&s=19

[Ray de Galles]

Yes, saw that and interested in any detail about this major review.

This is significant too ;

https://twitter.com/cardiff_rugby/status/1599795736194973697?s=46&t=e3xcLb4YZ63EfVff_pv0kA

[Antepli Ejderha]

There's a lot being implied but we really need some details.

The IRFU model is the way forward or we'll end up like Scotland with two teams and our best players playing abroad.

[Flynnie]

There's a lot being implied but we really need some details.

The IRFU model is the way forward or we'll end up like Scotland with two teams and our best players playing abroad.

That's going to require the WRU to put its hand in its pocket, which so far it has been reticent to do.

I'd also still monitor developments in England very closely. That would be my dream scenario.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Gatland is costing £580k per year and will almost certainly be bringing in some of his own coaches. Neil Jenkins will probably stay, Gethin Jenkins probably will as Wales looked much better with him, but Stephen Jones and probably Jonathan Humphreys will go. Jones for Howley is almost certain. Humphreys for Adam Jones would be sensible.

[Antepli Ejderha]

That's going to require the WRU to put its hand in its pocket, which so far it has been reticent to do.

I'd also still monitor developments in England very closely. That would be my dream scenario.

You mean an Anglo Welsh league? Nice on paper but I'd rather see a British Isles league, would make more sense but won't happen.

[Flynnie]

You mean an Anglo Welsh league? Nice on paper but I'd rather see a British Isles league, would make more sense but won't happen.

Yeah. That’s the traditional axis of rivalry in Welsh club rugby, Glanmor turning down four places in the English Premiership in 1999 has to rank as one of the most shortsighted decisions in rugby history.

There would be issues with a British and Irish league, nothing insurmountable* but the whole “Irish stars getting rested for pretty much every away game” thing would have to stop.

*the traditional sticking point was union controlled franchises/clubs versus privately owned ones, but I think the Premiership’s financial struggles have probably humbled some people.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Eddie Jones expected to be sacked today, I presume they've got a replacement lined up.

With at least 3 internationals leaving for France after the RWC and the club game in crisis it's a huge task and probably very short sighted.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Borthwick is expected to be the new England coach.

[Patrick Thistle]

I heard a bit of Five Live this evening where they were discussing Jones's departure. They were being very careful in how they worded it but clearly a lot of people considered him an unpleasant individual.

[Ray de Galles]

That is not exactly breaking news. Jones has a long reputation of being a nasty, toxic little shit willing to throw anyone under the bus (players, coaches, administrators, media) to preserve or enhance his own position.

[Eggchaser]

Ding dong etc.

Although a dream team of Cockerill and Borthwick doesn't fill me with confidence. The former has the same career path as Jones, early improvement followed by fall outs, players on the shit list and a general bad smell, and Borthwick's Leicester team built their success last season off the boots of Wigglesworth and Ford.

However, if we can dump some of the players who are clearly past their sell by date, it will be a step forward.

[Flynnie]

People consistently forget Jones has alienated everybody at every coaching job he's ever had, except maybe Japan*. There's a reason this guy has had several spells in the rugby wilderness and ended up coaching Japan in the first place.

*There is a current movement to get USA Rugby to hire Jones, which makes some sense considering what he did with Japan and how awful the Eagles are at the moment, failing to even qualify for the World Cup. His fabled Japanese mum is actually Nisei and American, actually. But his personality really does make me pause.

[Antepli Ejderha]

That is not exactly breaking news. Jones has a long reputation of being a nasty, toxic little shit willing to throw anyone under the bus (players, coaches, administrators, media) to preserve or enhance his own position.

Add in spiteful too.

Which is why I could see him ending up in Argentina short term just to put one over on England.

I think that might be pie in the sky of course but he does strike me as being that type.