MERTHYR

[david brown]

Just read in the jolly old SOUTH WALES ARGUS that JOSH LEWIS is playing for us tonight ???

[marshomano]

i have just read the same. Missed last weeks game at ponty, did Mr RGC get on the field at all? I wonder whether Greg would look to start Josh, or keep with the trusted Mr Jones at 10

Should be a cracker of a match, really looking forward to it

[123]

Josh is at 10 and Jones at 12

[123]

Got to say someone said on the Ponty forum that we were the Wimbledon of football and after the last two weeks I got to agree! Our back play and creativity is non existent

[Malpas69]

I think that it is just as well we won those seven games in a row as injuries are now starting to take their toll. We already have Ashley Sweet out for a few weeks and it looks like Rhys Clarke will be joining him on the sidelines for a while (he never looked 100% fit taking the field to me). Not sure whether the Lance Randall substitution was tactical or whether he was injured as well. Things are looking a little bleak in that department at moment. One thing I have noticed in the games this season is that other teams make changes and seem to bring bigger players on to increase their forward bulk, we seem to be doing the opposite and our forward pack seems to get smaller/lighter. Tackling bigger players for eighty minutes is bound to start taking its toll. I realise that (as above), we are currently decimated by injuries, but it is just an observation. Apart from Lewis Young, all of our back row (good players though all of them are) seem to be smaller/lighter than the opposition. Great though it is to have the likes of Josh Lewis and Jacob Botica playing for us, I think that we would be better off (at the moment) having access to players to cover our injuries in the second and back rows. Our forwards for the last 15 minutes consisted of two props, two hookers, our only fit second row, our number eight, our openside flanker and our left wing! And that was against the best team in the league. It just descended into a bit of a farce in the end. That said, you cannot fault the effort of any of our players tonight, but special mention to Lewis Young (who I thought worked tirelessly for eighty minutes), Kristian Parker, Paul King and our "wing come back row forward", Toby Fricker.

[Malpas69]

... and also, I am not sure that Nigel Owens had the best game he has ever had tonight either!

[The Watcher]

It’s a big budget v a small budget, they bring on big experienced men to replace big experienced men, we do not have that luxury!!
The coaches did a good job with the Dragons draft, we went for backs as most would agree that is where we lost are weaker, hopefully we can take advantage of 2 weeks off and get some of the walking wounded back
Lance tire his bicep and will be out for several months, Dom Franchi out for 4 weeks, Ash, Cam and Clarky should be ok for Llandovery. We also lost Joel Harries in the warm up with an ankle injury, that’s a few weeks minimum and could be longer
With what was left we did a manigficent job of giving away zero points in last 20 minutes, most sides would have capitulated, hats off to players and coaches for the pride, guts and organisation showed, we should all be proud of that. This forced Merthyr to kick penalties and not go to corner which is highly unusual
If you want to improve squad, more people need to support the Friends of Ebbw Vale initiative
To the players, thank you for the pride in the shirt, sheer guts and endeavour !!!

[Stevey]

It’s a big budget v a small budget, they bring on big experienced men to replace big experienced men, we do not have that luxury!!
The coaches did a good job with the Dragons draft, we went for backs as most would agree that is where we lost are weaker, hopefully we can take advantage of 2 weeks off and get some of the walking wounded back
Lance tire his bicep and will be out for several months, Dom Franchi out for 4 weeks, Ash, Cam and Clarky should be ok for Llandovery. We also lost Joel Harries in the warm up with an ankle injury, that’s a few weeks minimum and could be longer
With what was left we did a manigficent job of giving away zero points in last 20 minutes, most sides would have capitulated, hats off to players and coaches for the pride, guts and organisation showed, we should all be proud of that. This forced Merthyr to kick penalties and not go to corner which is highly unusual
If you want to improve squad, more people need to support the Friends of Ebbw Vale initiative
To the players, thank you for the pride in the shirt, sheer guts and endeavour !!!

Hear, hear.

[html junkie]

It’s a big budget v a small budget, they bring on big experienced men to replace big experienced men, we do not have that luxury!!
The coaches did a good job with the Dragons draft, we went for backs as most would agree that is where we lost are weaker, hopefully we can take advantage of 2 weeks off and get some of the walking wounded back
Lance tire his bicep and will be out for several months, Dom Franchi out for 4 weeks, Ash, Cam and Clarky should be ok for Llandovery. We also lost Joel Harries in the warm up with an ankle injury, that’s a few weeks minimum and could be longer
With what was left we did a manigficent job of giving away zero points in last 20 minutes, most sides would have capitulated, hats off to players and coaches for the pride, guts and organisation showed, we should all be proud of that. This forced Merthyr to kick penalties and not go to corner which is highly unusual
If you want to improve squad, more people need to support the Friends of Ebbw Vale initiative
To the players, thank you for the pride in the shirt, sheer guts and endeavour !!!

One of the best posts I've read on here in a long while.
Money talks.

[jadegoodiesfridge]

Think the Watchers post has highlighted some relevant issues as to where we are at this present moment.It didn't occur to me that we didn't concede the last 20 but ,indeed,we didn't .A remarkable feat considering our makeshift team in the last 20.It appears to me that the boys will play anywhere as long they get a game for Ebbw.As Jessie J stated .It's not about the money,money,money.Our boys played for the badge ,albeit against far superior opposition.Yes ,Merthyr were awesome.They have to be with that budget.What annoys me about the Ironmen is they have undoubted riches of talent in their ranks .Their scrum half is by far the best in the premiership.They have Jay Baker,Phil Rees..etc..etc.players that would walk into any Pro 14 side ,and who knows ,the next step up ,Wales ! Yet they choose to plot the downfall of Ebbw ,Bedwas,Cross Keys et al instead of locking horns with Ulster,Munster,Glasgow.....They are ,without a shadow of a doubt the most unambituous squad of players ever assembled.Plain and simple.and in ten years ,will be forgotten about .What a loss to our national game.As for Ebbw,we now have a crippling injury list ,that could drag us down into a scrap to avoid the bottom five places.I hope that doesn't happen,but having seen the guts of the boys last night ,playing out of position ,Ebbw will fight tooth and nail to get ourselves away from that situation.By the way .Carl's injury update wasn't mentioned.How long will Carl be out.Anyone Know?

[123]

Let's get some realisism.... current Merthyr players good enough for Wales ! Excellent premiership players but that's as far as they go!

[jadegoodiesfridge]

Just an opinion mate ! Pro 14 deffo.

[david brown]

Notice many of the other clubs give updates on players injuries.just wondered in view of the crippling list we now have if it would be possible if we could adopt this system.???

[jadegoodiesfridge]

Let's get some realisism.... current Merthyr players good enough for Wales ! Excellent premiership players but that's as far as they go!

Hang on a minute !!!!weren't you the guy who described us as the Wimbledon of Welsh rugby ???? You get some realism ,maybe try and support someone else !! Miserable get !

[The Watcher]

The club regularly posts injury updates and has done for many years, I'm sure they will when they have clear information on the latest situation.