the landscape of club rugby

[robert rees]

http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/11/24/ ... lub-rugby/


Comments and thoughts welcome

[viewfromthestand]

Rob , there are a few relevant points. I agree the scoring changes in the premiership have not worked as the WRU would have wanted. I find it hard to move around the differing scoring systems. IE. I watched a local club last Saturday and got really confused when I saw a penalty go over and 3/0 posted. Then I remembered it only happens in our division. As for the British and Irish cup I don t know but I would say the article was written by a disgruntled Ponty fan. I believe what the WRU have done and allowed the regions to form these premier select 15's is the way forward. Last season there was a club identity but the sides in no way resembled the club side , so this is transparent and a way of a good premiership player getting noticed in the full time pro world . EG. Ashley Sweet , Adam Jones who both had stormer's for the Dragons Select 15. I think the BI C cup needs time to develop and then the Fosters Cup needs to be embraced by all involved. Teams need to play lower league younster's on the bigger stage to see how they cope. Last week V Newport there was a really talented outside half on display in Simon Veall. He scored two tries and only missed one kick. He was a bit chunky around the midriff and needs to work on his pace but he could make it at a higher level. This is what this competition is all about. Development . I think that bringing in the extra four teams maybe a good idea and on the other hand maybe not. Who will know. I believe Bargoed are victims just like we were but it seems to me that they have accepted their fate and rolled over and died, unlike us we kept fighting , we kept winning and we just put ourselves in a position where they in WRU H/Q could not ignore us anymore. I think people like Jon Jones, Jason Strange, Alan Gall, Ian James and many more worked relentlessly to get EVRFC back to it s rightful place. It s only the fate of EVRFC I care about and hopefully some of our better players will get noticed a gain pro contracts and then there will be a stready flow of younger talent coming through the system to replace the ones we lose.

[robert rees]

Cheers for feedback. I do try and push lots of opinions over in my work and maybe this article wasn't the best at that,but id agree with what ur saying un developing talent and all about the vale.

It had been pushed for checking and publication on Friday evening so I couldn't comment in the game down at pandy park, especially since i wasn't there.

Hope to produce some more soon on various rugby topics and hope to create some interesting reads.

[Wynne]

Fully agree with your thoughts VFTS as mentioned in another topic, I was at the game at Pandy Park and enjoyed the game immensely, it had loads of endeavour and skill along with excitement right to the last 10 seconds. Ash and Adam were outstanding and did not look out of place, as you said it's good for these lads to test themselves at a higher level as well as younger players coming up to the prem. good luck to all.

[robert rees]

Fair enough. Hope my future articles plz u better and connect with you more.

[viewfromthestand]

Is this article part of your college work Rob?

[robert rees]

Not really. I want to study sports journalism at university and this sounds good on my personal statement,but also gives me a feel for how too do articles as well as working with other journalists and editors.

[viewfromthestand]

Best of luck with your quest to study sports journalism , I hope you make it. Have you spoken to our very own REL. Every week REL posts a new scripture on our website. His knowledge is second to none on all things Ebbw Vale but also, on the sport of rugby union in general. His wit , and wisdom have been glorified by rugby writers and culminated in a rugby writers award. Keep your articles coming I enjoyed reading the first one. Maybe , get involved with the club match day magazine (programme) in some capacity, this will be good on your personal statement and give you the experience in article writing .
Just a thought, perhaps do interviews with supporters of the club and get their views on the way the club is moving forward, backward and sideways. I m sure you would be overrun with witty banter and a new world of wisdom.

[robert rees]

Tbh never spoken to REL. But a good idea to perhaps think about looking into having an article or some sorts in the programme,cheers.


Never know perhaps I cud be the next REL, nit that there cud ever be another as good as him

[robert rees]

RWC 2015: Rise of the new nations.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/11/25/ ... ons-arise/


Not club related but I'll stick to one thread for my articles as I get them published.

Cheers all again for feedback on my club rugby article.

[CJ]

In fairness, it wasn't the WRU who come up with the changes to the scoring system, it was World Rugby (IRB).

It made sense to trial this system in a league that has little/nothing on it.

I think we were all quite aware at the start of the season that there were problems.

I think it has definitely reduced the number of kicks at goal which in theory should lead to more rugby being played. The downside obviously is that sides know this and therefore giving penalties away can sometimes go unpunished. I think it has legs in some respects but falls flat in others.

[robert rees]

http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/12/01/ ... ng-behind/

Northern rugby falling behind southern counterparts.

Just an article looking at the divide between north and southern hemisphere rugby.

[robert rees]

http://lastwordonsports.com/2015/12/12/ ... mas-hopes/

Newest article. Feedback welcome as usual although this one is more based on regions.

[robert rees]

http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/01/05/ ... gn-talent/


Welsh nationals or foreign talent?

[viewfromthestand]

Once again I enjoyed the read and as always I will make my comment. I believe by bringing in foreign talent we would most certainly lose quality home grown talent. You only need to look at the French National Team to see what happens when your country's clubs/regional teams start playing players from other nations, who in general are retired from international sport. France have gone from being a top performing nation to one that barely performs on the big stage. They have limited resources in key areas namely second row, outside half and full back. They have played Morgan Parra at outside half on a number of occasions when he is a scrum half for his club. Now look throughout French rugby and you will note that the majority of outside halves are foreign nationals.Clubs like Toulon can field 23 players who have all played international rugby in their careers but none of them have played for France. They have Boks, All Blacks and Wallabies with a smattering of English, Welsh and Irish intermingled. This has demeaned the French National team. I would say that playing so many foreigners has been the downfall of English Football . Every premiership side has a huge foreign contingent and therefore homegrown talent does not get a look in.
I believe that dual contracts are the way forward . I believe the WRU should bend over backwards to keep all our of our quality players in Wales. I saw the Falatau debacle as a complete injustice to The Dragons . He should never have been allowed to go across the Bridge to Bath. I firmly believe that every current Wales player should be dualled and also the majority of the up and coming under 20's too. Only once they have quit international rugby should they be allowed to ply their trade on foreign soil. Bring in a few quality overseas players in coaching capacities or very young talent who could qualify for Wales on the strength of residency. (ie Carl Meyer, Rynard Landmand ) at the Dragons. I would stay away from the French Blueprint at all costs. Wales is a small nation and we can ill afford to have all of our top stars playing abroad.