What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
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tyleri82
International Player
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:00 pm Posts: 983
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
As were the entire England team yesterday. Does playing poorly in one game make you an average player? No.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:22 am |
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gwladok5
Club Player
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:12 pm Posts: 231
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
So are you saying Wales were outstanding in all the previous 6 Nations & Autumn Internationals?
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:42 am |
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Penfold
Regional Player
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:28 pm Posts: 590
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
The players mentioned may not be average, they are good players after all, but they are definitley inconsistent, and I don't think many of them are truly world class. I define that as putting in outstanding or very good performances regularly, with only an occasional off day where they are ranked as just good!
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:48 am |
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gwladok5
Club Player
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:12 pm Posts: 231
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
The word that set's us well apart from the best - inconsistency?
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 11:58 am |
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Penfold
Regional Player
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:28 pm Posts: 590
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
We have been inconsistent for a while. One good performance, then a bad one. Then another good one when the team is given yet another chance to redeem themselves. Then they are rewarded for an improvement, only to drop again. A lot of them seem to know they will only ever be dropped through injury.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 12:01 pm |
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gwladok5
Club Player
Joined: Fri Oct 21, 2011 10:12 pm Posts: 231
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
I can tell you one difference from 2008-13, the current use of the phrase "lack of strength in depth" which quite frankly is shameful.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 1:16 pm |
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najbritcol
World XV Player
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 5:42 pm Posts: 2877
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
An interesting article I found, which says that in the 6N tournaments 2011-16, Wales were the biggest "over-achievers", meaning they won more games against higher-ranked opponents than any other team did. What this probably means is that, despite Wales' success in the 6N, their global rankings were seldom that high because of their poor results against SANZAR, which has led to such a conclusion. https://www.statslife.org.uk/sports/314 ... erachiever
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:03 pm |
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tyleri82
International Player
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:00 pm Posts: 983
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
The secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13 was training at 5am in Poland followed by standing in cryotherapy chambers intersperesed with trying to catch tennis balls hit by Rob Howley from point blank range.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:30 pm |
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najbritcol
World XV Player
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 5:42 pm Posts: 2877
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
That was only done one Summer, wasn't it?
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:32 pm |
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tyleri82
International Player
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:00 pm Posts: 983
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
Probably, but you get my point.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:46 pm |
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Eddieedwards
Schools District Player
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2015 10:53 pm Posts: 32
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
You have to ask what happened summer 2013?
Wales haven't been right since.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 3:39 pm |
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tyleri82
International Player
Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2013 4:00 pm Posts: 983
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
I'll tell you what happened- Warren Gatland was coaching the Lions.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 3:41 pm |
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najbritcol
World XV Player
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 5:42 pm Posts: 2877
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
Actually, Wales had an OK AI series in 2013, which featured a record 40-6 thrashing of the same Argentina team to whom they lost a year earlier. The 2014 6N was OK, except for the 26-3 loss to Ireland, which did seem like something out of the pre-Gatland days. Wales almost won in South Africa for the first time but for a penalty try caused by Liam Williams carrying out a tackle that George North should have done. They then did actually beat South Africa for the first time since 1999 in the AI series later in the year. Wales were serious contenders for the 2015 6N, notwithstanding the opening loss to England. Imo the cracks really started to be visible during the RWC - unable to score against 13 men Australia, a narrow and unconvincing win over Fiji and the fewest tries scored by any Tier One country bar Italy. However, the point was that, at the time, this could have been explained at least in part by the ever-growing injury list, so what is disappointing and shocking is how the team has been as bad if not worse since then even with a close to full compliment of players.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 3:56 pm |
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Penfold
Regional Player
Joined: Fri Feb 26, 2010 5:28 pm Posts: 590
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
The team certainly has not developed since 2015, though I think the cracks were showing before that despite what the stats might say.
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 6:58 pm |
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eborr
British & Irish Lions Player
Joined: Thu Aug 18, 2011 1:01 pm Posts: 1707 Location: on a big rock in the Irish Sea
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 Re: What was the secret to Wales' relative success in 2008-13?
They won a lot of matches
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Sun Mar 19, 2017 7:26 pm |
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