Kirwan: I’d love to coach Wales
Aug 19 2007
by Nick Rippington, Wales On Sunday
JOHN KIRWAN is eyeing a shot at the Wales job after the World Cup.
The All Black great is out to wreck Welsh hopes once again when he brings minnows Japan to Cardiff for the World Cup pool match on September 20.
Coach Kirwan could have been leading the Three Feathers into battle this autumn had circumstances been different, but the former Italy coach has not given up on one day taking on the job in the only country to rival his native New Zealand for their passion for the game.
He said: “I love going to Wales because the passion is still there and I’ve always said it would be a great honour to coach them.
“I was considering putting my name forward when Mike Ruddock left last year. But it became obvious that Wales were looking local and I didn’t bother applying. But it is still a job I would love to do.”
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Wales by a slither beat Argentines
From The Sunday Times
August 19, 2007
Underfire coach sees dignity restored
Gareth Jenkins’ side thrived by going back to basics, a lesson that must be remembered in France next monthMark Palmer
THE DEBATE has lingered in the Welsh game for longer than you would expect from a country that knows and cares about its rugby. In a year of gut-wrenching fixtures round these parts, performance versus result, the philosophical struggle to determine the relative importance of each, has cause the most angst.
The roar that rattled round the half-filled Cardiff stands as the Wales pack gritted their teeth, hunched their shoulders and crossed their fingers to see off what seemed an inexorable late Argentine thrust finally put a full stop to the discussion.
After experimentation brought extermination at Twickenham, Wales have their dignity back, and Wales have their hope back. Only a win, any win, could have had such a powerful double effect. An occasionally panicky second-half display compared unfavourably with the impressive gloss of the first, but to hell with the aesthetics, the immediate future suddenly looks much better. After beating a side ranked three places above them, and whose recent scalps made the prospective gap even bigger, Wales can look upon the World Cup as an opportunity, rather than a penance. They stumbled, sure, but still cleared some significant hurdles here, not least warming a sceptical public that had arrived quietly braced for more trouble.
Jenkins is a man under pressure and a man under scrutiny as the public seek evidence that there is a master plan after all. Mercifully, his selections and his game plan yesterday seemed geared to no more far-reaching an aspiration than winning this match and winning it well.
Related Links
Fiery Wales get back on track
Not coincidentally, both objectives were achieved, although not without some anxious moments along the way. Coach and team went back to basics. The right players played the right positions. Elementary stuff, but something the Welsh set-up has had repeated difficulties with of late. Kevin Morgan, the hardest-running, surest-kicking full-back in the country, was given his head, and kept it admirably in the face of the exacting aerial examinations posed by Felipe Contepomi and Federico Todeschini. Gareth Thomas, a stronger tackler than James Hook or Stephen Jones, the other potential World Cup 12s, was keen to splinter the battering rams that Argentina tried to float up the midfield channels. Although short of a yard or three of pace, he brings clout to an area where Wales have severely lacked it since those heady days of early 2005. And because he offered immediate atonement at the other end, keeping pace well with the skiddy Hook, we won’t dwell on that eyewatering fourth-minute interception.
Suffice to say that it again threw neon light on the continued folly of Gavin Henson’s exile. Whatever the undulations of his private life, one thing he has never been in a Wales jersey is rash, or even just unreliable.
There was, mystifyingly, still no starting place in the front row for Gethin Jenkins and Chris Horsman against arguably the best scrummaging unit in world rugby, but the Joneses, Duncan and Adam, kept up well with the tricks and twists that make Rodrigo Roncero and Martin Scelzo such dastardly customers. Wales, on the whole, struck parity in the scrum, a resounding achievement in light of how pitifully they struggled against England and even against as apparently unthreatening a front five as Scotland’s in the spring.
You would hesitate to extend the compliment to their lineout. The first, unremarkably reached and slapped down by Jonathan Thomas, drew a round of ironic cheers from the crowd. This lack of confidence was shown to be based on sadly sound reasoning. The game progressed amid a sorry bag of tremulous throws from Matthew Rees, haphazardly coordinated leaps from the Welsh jumpers and general anarchy. Still, the breakdown was good enough, and two out of three was a better haul than most expected to be drawn from this brilliant Argentina pack. Yesterday was all about the bottom line, not the detail, and Wales, tentatively, are back in the money again.
- BAYONNE’S Mikaera Tewhata has been banned by the French Rugby Federation for punching Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll in a World Cup warm-up game. O’Driscoll will miss their first World Cup match after suffering a fractured sinus. The FFR said the Kiwi lock was banned until it received the match referee’s report and the results of its own investigation. Before the FFR ban, Bayonne had already suspended Tewhata for two matches. The New Zealander said he was deeply sorry for his actions, and wanted to apologise to O’Driscoll in person.
August 19, 2007
Underfire coach sees dignity restored
Gareth Jenkins’ side thrived by going back to basics, a lesson that must be remembered in France next monthMark Palmer
THE DEBATE has lingered in the Welsh game for longer than you would expect from a country that knows and cares about its rugby. In a year of gut-wrenching fixtures round these parts, performance versus result, the philosophical struggle to determine the relative importance of each, has cause the most angst.
The roar that rattled round the half-filled Cardiff stands as the Wales pack gritted their teeth, hunched their shoulders and crossed their fingers to see off what seemed an inexorable late Argentine thrust finally put a full stop to the discussion.
After experimentation brought extermination at Twickenham, Wales have their dignity back, and Wales have their hope back. Only a win, any win, could have had such a powerful double effect. An occasionally panicky second-half display compared unfavourably with the impressive gloss of the first, but to hell with the aesthetics, the immediate future suddenly looks much better. After beating a side ranked three places above them, and whose recent scalps made the prospective gap even bigger, Wales can look upon the World Cup as an opportunity, rather than a penance. They stumbled, sure, but still cleared some significant hurdles here, not least warming a sceptical public that had arrived quietly braced for more trouble.
Jenkins is a man under pressure and a man under scrutiny as the public seek evidence that there is a master plan after all. Mercifully, his selections and his game plan yesterday seemed geared to no more far-reaching an aspiration than winning this match and winning it well.
Related Links
Fiery Wales get back on track
Not coincidentally, both objectives were achieved, although not without some anxious moments along the way. Coach and team went back to basics. The right players played the right positions. Elementary stuff, but something the Welsh set-up has had repeated difficulties with of late. Kevin Morgan, the hardest-running, surest-kicking full-back in the country, was given his head, and kept it admirably in the face of the exacting aerial examinations posed by Felipe Contepomi and Federico Todeschini. Gareth Thomas, a stronger tackler than James Hook or Stephen Jones, the other potential World Cup 12s, was keen to splinter the battering rams that Argentina tried to float up the midfield channels. Although short of a yard or three of pace, he brings clout to an area where Wales have severely lacked it since those heady days of early 2005. And because he offered immediate atonement at the other end, keeping pace well with the skiddy Hook, we won’t dwell on that eyewatering fourth-minute interception.
Suffice to say that it again threw neon light on the continued folly of Gavin Henson’s exile. Whatever the undulations of his private life, one thing he has never been in a Wales jersey is rash, or even just unreliable.
There was, mystifyingly, still no starting place in the front row for Gethin Jenkins and Chris Horsman against arguably the best scrummaging unit in world rugby, but the Joneses, Duncan and Adam, kept up well with the tricks and twists that make Rodrigo Roncero and Martin Scelzo such dastardly customers. Wales, on the whole, struck parity in the scrum, a resounding achievement in light of how pitifully they struggled against England and even against as apparently unthreatening a front five as Scotland’s in the spring.
You would hesitate to extend the compliment to their lineout. The first, unremarkably reached and slapped down by Jonathan Thomas, drew a round of ironic cheers from the crowd. This lack of confidence was shown to be based on sadly sound reasoning. The game progressed amid a sorry bag of tremulous throws from Matthew Rees, haphazardly coordinated leaps from the Welsh jumpers and general anarchy. Still, the breakdown was good enough, and two out of three was a better haul than most expected to be drawn from this brilliant Argentina pack. Yesterday was all about the bottom line, not the detail, and Wales, tentatively, are back in the money again.
- BAYONNE’S Mikaera Tewhata has been banned by the French Rugby Federation for punching Ireland captain Brian O’Driscoll in a World Cup warm-up game. O’Driscoll will miss their first World Cup match after suffering a fractured sinus. The FFR said the Kiwi lock was banned until it received the match referee’s report and the results of its own investigation. Before the FFR ban, Bayonne had already suspended Tewhata for two matches. The New Zealander said he was deeply sorry for his actions, and wanted to apologise to O’Driscoll in person.
Wales win but only just!!!!!
Wales 27-20 Argentina
Wales (24) 27
Tries: G Thomas, Wyn Jones, M Jones
Cons: Hook 3
Pen: Hook 2
Argentina (7) 20
Tries: Corleto 2
Cons: Todeschini 2
Pen: Todeschini 2
Wales hung on for a morale-boosting win over Argentina to get their World Cup preparations back on track and relieve the pressure on coach Gareth Jenkins.
After Ignacio Corleto's interception try put the Pumas ahead, Wales hit back through Gareth Thomas's stylish score. Alun Wyn Jones and Mark Jones put Wales 24-7 up at half-time but Argentina were much improved after the interval.
Federico Todeschini's boot and another Corleto try cut the gap, but Wales held on by the skin of their teeth.
Reaction: Gareth Thomas and Alun Wyn Jones
Jenkins has been under intense pressure in the Welsh media since his side's capitulation in the 62-5 thrashing by England two weeks ago.
Wales were eager to make an early statement but that ambition was ended after just five minutes at a sparsely populated Millennium Stadium when Thomas telegraphed his flat pass to Tom Shanklin.
The pass gave Corleto every chance to intercept on halfway and the winger made the most of the opportunity as he showed a clean pair of heels to Hook on his way to the tryline.
Wales had the chance to hit back through Hook's boot, but his long-range penalty struck the post and bounced away for Argentina to clear their lines.
But any Welsh nerves were settled soon after when Hook's textbook dummy took five Argentina defenders out of the equation.
The fly-half straightened his line, drew the full-back and handed the supporting Thomas his 39th Wales try on a silver platter.
Heartened by the try, Wales upped the tempo and punished a string of cynical Argentina offences when Wyn Jones went through two tackles to score from Dwayne Peel's quick tap.
Wales' next score came courtesy of a dreadful pass in Welsh territory from the out-of-sorts Agustin Pichot, which Federico Serra knocked-on.
Hook hacked the ball on for Tom Shanklin to take up the chase with two team-mates outside him, and Mark Jones finally dotted the ball down after the chance was almost butchered.
A dreadful challenge on the airborne Wales full-back Kevin Morgan by Argentina winger Lucas Borges was deservedly penalised by a yellow card and Hook's penalty two minutes later put Wales even further ahead.
Argentina offered little in attack, although they did manufacture an overlap only for Serra to inexplicably take an inside line off the ball carrier.
Dominating both possession and territory, Wales ended the half well on top and were unlucky to see Shanklin's scorching break end with the ball bouncing into touch.
Argentina's ragged first-half display was quickly put behind them though as Todeschini's early penalty got their scoreboard ticking again.
A clever kick to the corner from Peel saw Argentina concede another penalty at the subsequent line-out, and Hook had no trouble in converting it to three points.
Argentina were beginning to get their hands on the ball though, and the next score went there way after some dazzling play by their wingers, Borges and Corleto, opened up Wales.
Some delightful handling from a Felipe Contepomi-inspired backline kept the pressure on Wales, and the home side did themselves no favours with a series of missed kicks to touch.
With 10 minutes to play, Todeschini stroked the ball over from another penalty to narrow the gap to just seven points.
And Argentina pushed Wales to their limits in the closing stages, with some ferocious forward play keeping Thomas's side pinned in their own 22 and leading to Matthew Rees being sent to the sin-bin.
Replacement Martin Durand looked to have earned his side the chance of a draw in the dying seconds, but the video referee ruled out his effort for a knock-on in the act of scoring, thanks to a heroic tackle from Duncan Jones.
Referee Chris White promptly blew up for full-time to hand Jenkins and his team a much-needed victory ahead of their final World Cup warm-up Test against France next Sunday.
Wales: Morgan; James, Shanklin, G Thomas (capt), M Jones; Hook, Peel; D Jones, Rees, A Jones, Gough, Wyn Jones, J Thomas, Williams, Popham.
Replacements: Rhys Thomas, Jenkins, James, Charvis, Phillips, Sweeney, Robinson.
Argentina: Serra; Borges, Gaitán, F Contepomi, Corleto; Todeschini, Pichot (capt); Roncero, Ledesma, Scelzo, IF Lobbe, Albacete, Leguizamón, JF Lobbe, Longo.
Replacements: Basualdo, Bonorino, Alvarez, Durand, Vergallo, M Contepomi, Agulla.
Referee: Chris White (England).
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/6951094.stm
Published: 2007/08/18 15:21:28 GMT
© BBC MMVII
Wales (24) 27
Tries: G Thomas, Wyn Jones, M Jones
Cons: Hook 3
Pen: Hook 2
Argentina (7) 20
Tries: Corleto 2
Cons: Todeschini 2
Pen: Todeschini 2
Wales hung on for a morale-boosting win over Argentina to get their World Cup preparations back on track and relieve the pressure on coach Gareth Jenkins.
After Ignacio Corleto's interception try put the Pumas ahead, Wales hit back through Gareth Thomas's stylish score. Alun Wyn Jones and Mark Jones put Wales 24-7 up at half-time but Argentina were much improved after the interval.
Federico Todeschini's boot and another Corleto try cut the gap, but Wales held on by the skin of their teeth.
Reaction: Gareth Thomas and Alun Wyn Jones
Jenkins has been under intense pressure in the Welsh media since his side's capitulation in the 62-5 thrashing by England two weeks ago.
Wales were eager to make an early statement but that ambition was ended after just five minutes at a sparsely populated Millennium Stadium when Thomas telegraphed his flat pass to Tom Shanklin.
The pass gave Corleto every chance to intercept on halfway and the winger made the most of the opportunity as he showed a clean pair of heels to Hook on his way to the tryline.
Wales had the chance to hit back through Hook's boot, but his long-range penalty struck the post and bounced away for Argentina to clear their lines.
But any Welsh nerves were settled soon after when Hook's textbook dummy took five Argentina defenders out of the equation.
The fly-half straightened his line, drew the full-back and handed the supporting Thomas his 39th Wales try on a silver platter.
Heartened by the try, Wales upped the tempo and punished a string of cynical Argentina offences when Wyn Jones went through two tackles to score from Dwayne Peel's quick tap.
Wales' next score came courtesy of a dreadful pass in Welsh territory from the out-of-sorts Agustin Pichot, which Federico Serra knocked-on.
Hook hacked the ball on for Tom Shanklin to take up the chase with two team-mates outside him, and Mark Jones finally dotted the ball down after the chance was almost butchered.
A dreadful challenge on the airborne Wales full-back Kevin Morgan by Argentina winger Lucas Borges was deservedly penalised by a yellow card and Hook's penalty two minutes later put Wales even further ahead.
Argentina offered little in attack, although they did manufacture an overlap only for Serra to inexplicably take an inside line off the ball carrier.
Dominating both possession and territory, Wales ended the half well on top and were unlucky to see Shanklin's scorching break end with the ball bouncing into touch.
Argentina's ragged first-half display was quickly put behind them though as Todeschini's early penalty got their scoreboard ticking again.
A clever kick to the corner from Peel saw Argentina concede another penalty at the subsequent line-out, and Hook had no trouble in converting it to three points.
Argentina were beginning to get their hands on the ball though, and the next score went there way after some dazzling play by their wingers, Borges and Corleto, opened up Wales.
Some delightful handling from a Felipe Contepomi-inspired backline kept the pressure on Wales, and the home side did themselves no favours with a series of missed kicks to touch.
With 10 minutes to play, Todeschini stroked the ball over from another penalty to narrow the gap to just seven points.
And Argentina pushed Wales to their limits in the closing stages, with some ferocious forward play keeping Thomas's side pinned in their own 22 and leading to Matthew Rees being sent to the sin-bin.
Replacement Martin Durand looked to have earned his side the chance of a draw in the dying seconds, but the video referee ruled out his effort for a knock-on in the act of scoring, thanks to a heroic tackle from Duncan Jones.
Referee Chris White promptly blew up for full-time to hand Jenkins and his team a much-needed victory ahead of their final World Cup warm-up Test against France next Sunday.
Wales: Morgan; James, Shanklin, G Thomas (capt), M Jones; Hook, Peel; D Jones, Rees, A Jones, Gough, Wyn Jones, J Thomas, Williams, Popham.
Replacements: Rhys Thomas, Jenkins, James, Charvis, Phillips, Sweeney, Robinson.
Argentina: Serra; Borges, Gaitán, F Contepomi, Corleto; Todeschini, Pichot (capt); Roncero, Ledesma, Scelzo, IF Lobbe, Albacete, Leguizamón, JF Lobbe, Longo.
Replacements: Basualdo, Bonorino, Alvarez, Durand, Vergallo, M Contepomi, Agulla.
Referee: Chris White (England).
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/6951094.stm
Published: 2007/08/18 15:21:28 GMT
© BBC MMVII
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Jenkins ~ the future is bleak ~ Can he get the side to Semi Finals??????
My job is on the line - Jenkins Aug 12 2007
Wales On Sunday
GARETH JENKINS has admitted his future as Wales coach hangs on his side’s performance at the World Cup.
The former Scarlets supremo’s contract as national coach ends after the 2008 Six Nations campaign.
But he acknowledges Wales performance in the quarter-finals in France 2007 will decide whether he will get a new contract.
Jenkins has publicly stated Wales are good enough to reach a World Cup semi-final in this year’s tournament.
But a victory or even the manner of the defeat at the quarter-final stage in Marseille holds the key for his reign in charge.
“If we can get to the quarter-finals and we get a win it means we are in a semi-final,” said Jenkins.
“If we do get to a quarter-final it will be acceptable, but if we win and get to a semi-final it means I will have an opportunity to coach Wales for another couple of years.
“If I had three or four years as national coach I could then reflect and look back on what I have done.
“But I know it all depends on getting to the quarter-final and its result.
“What I do think will need to happen after the World Cup is that Welsh rugby needs to appraise itself.”
Jenkins was appointed as coach in 2006 and was handed a two-year contract.
He was the people’s choice for the job and his appointment was greeted with great fanfare.
But since he took charge Wales have hardly set the rugby world alight.
Jenkins can rightly point to the fact he was given the job with a World Cup looming on a horizon and with little time to prepare.
He has drawn up his own plan for the tournament and is sticking to it.
He knows, and wants, to be judged on Wales’ performance at the World Cup.
But Wales’ abject capitulation to England at Twickenham saw his ability to do the job called into question.
He has been a successful coach for more than 20 years but does he feel his reputation is on the line now?
“I don’t feel that,” said Jenkins. “It’s nearly an impossible situation I have found myself in.
“I had just over a year to a World Cup. Clive Woodward took seven years to win it, Eddie O’Sullivan and Bernard Laporte are going to a second World Cup.
“What chance have you got in 15 months to actually do something.
“Coaching takes time and it takes three years to get instant success.
“I am not daunted by it and I will give it my best shot with all the experience I have. I know I will have done it my way.
“I am on course and I wouldn’t change any major thing I have done. I am excited and I have waited a long time for this opportunity.”
Jenkins, though, does admit he plans to drop his monitoring role and start coaching himself.
He has clearly been stung but the flak which has been flying around this week.
“The time has come for us to switch on,” said Jenkins.
“I am definitely going to have a bigger influence now we are going into the tournament.
“I have tended to oversee the coaching and give others the responsibility for particular jobs.
“It’s time now that I become tighter with the coaching group. I have to be more hands-on.
“I will be accountable for all aspects of performance.”
But would he consider adding another pair of hands to his coaching team?
Would he consider going down the same route as Jake White, the South Africa coach, who has appointed Eddie Jones, the former Wallaby coach, to his Springboks backroom team for the World Cup?
“You cannot be an island but I am choosing to involve myself more,” said Jenkins.
“It’s not as if we don’t look for views or input from around the game.”
Jenkins has already laid down the marker for Wales’ clash with Argentina at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday.
He has told his players there is a minimum requirement for that game - a victory.
“We do need to evolve and develop our performance but more important than that we need to win,” said Jenkins.
“If we win, that is the most important thing. We win well and it’s a bonus. It’s certainly not about playing well and losing.
“We have to realise that every game we now play is about winning. We have to be absolutely clear that everything is about winning.
“It will be a bigger achievement for me than performing.
“The England defeat was tough and we all got bruised by that. But our reaction has been that we are better than that.”
Jenkins and his players know it’s time to prove exactly that.
Wales On Sunday
GARETH JENKINS has admitted his future as Wales coach hangs on his side’s performance at the World Cup.
The former Scarlets supremo’s contract as national coach ends after the 2008 Six Nations campaign.
But he acknowledges Wales performance in the quarter-finals in France 2007 will decide whether he will get a new contract.
Jenkins has publicly stated Wales are good enough to reach a World Cup semi-final in this year’s tournament.
But a victory or even the manner of the defeat at the quarter-final stage in Marseille holds the key for his reign in charge.
“If we can get to the quarter-finals and we get a win it means we are in a semi-final,” said Jenkins.
“If we do get to a quarter-final it will be acceptable, but if we win and get to a semi-final it means I will have an opportunity to coach Wales for another couple of years.
“If I had three or four years as national coach I could then reflect and look back on what I have done.
“But I know it all depends on getting to the quarter-final and its result.
“What I do think will need to happen after the World Cup is that Welsh rugby needs to appraise itself.”
Jenkins was appointed as coach in 2006 and was handed a two-year contract.
He was the people’s choice for the job and his appointment was greeted with great fanfare.
But since he took charge Wales have hardly set the rugby world alight.
Jenkins can rightly point to the fact he was given the job with a World Cup looming on a horizon and with little time to prepare.
He has drawn up his own plan for the tournament and is sticking to it.
He knows, and wants, to be judged on Wales’ performance at the World Cup.
But Wales’ abject capitulation to England at Twickenham saw his ability to do the job called into question.
He has been a successful coach for more than 20 years but does he feel his reputation is on the line now?
“I don’t feel that,” said Jenkins. “It’s nearly an impossible situation I have found myself in.
“I had just over a year to a World Cup. Clive Woodward took seven years to win it, Eddie O’Sullivan and Bernard Laporte are going to a second World Cup.
“What chance have you got in 15 months to actually do something.
“Coaching takes time and it takes three years to get instant success.
“I am not daunted by it and I will give it my best shot with all the experience I have. I know I will have done it my way.
“I am on course and I wouldn’t change any major thing I have done. I am excited and I have waited a long time for this opportunity.”
Jenkins, though, does admit he plans to drop his monitoring role and start coaching himself.
He has clearly been stung but the flak which has been flying around this week.
“The time has come for us to switch on,” said Jenkins.
“I am definitely going to have a bigger influence now we are going into the tournament.
“I have tended to oversee the coaching and give others the responsibility for particular jobs.
“It’s time now that I become tighter with the coaching group. I have to be more hands-on.
“I will be accountable for all aspects of performance.”
But would he consider adding another pair of hands to his coaching team?
Would he consider going down the same route as Jake White, the South Africa coach, who has appointed Eddie Jones, the former Wallaby coach, to his Springboks backroom team for the World Cup?
“You cannot be an island but I am choosing to involve myself more,” said Jenkins.
“It’s not as if we don’t look for views or input from around the game.”
Jenkins has already laid down the marker for Wales’ clash with Argentina at the Millennium Stadium next Saturday.
He has told his players there is a minimum requirement for that game - a victory.
“We do need to evolve and develop our performance but more important than that we need to win,” said Jenkins.
“If we win, that is the most important thing. We win well and it’s a bonus. It’s certainly not about playing well and losing.
“We have to realise that every game we now play is about winning. We have to be absolutely clear that everything is about winning.
“It will be a bigger achievement for me than performing.
“The England defeat was tough and we all got bruised by that. But our reaction has been that we are better than that.”
Jenkins and his players know it’s time to prove exactly that.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
Monday, August 6, 2007
I've heard it all before....
Jenkins: We must learn our lessons
Eurosport - Sat, 04 Aug 20:32:00 2007
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins vowed his side would learn from their record 62-5 defeat to England at Twickenham.
Jenkins's second-string pack was completely outplayed as England ran in nine tries to one, scored by wing Daffyd James.
Despite England making it quite clear from the early stages how they intended to play, the Wales forwards provided feeble resistance.
"We've learnt a hard lesson but it's a lesson that's not impossible to come back from," said the Wales coach."People back home are going to be totally unsatisfied but we've got to keep our heads up.
"There is no doubt this could have been an emotionally denting performance and we have to protect ourselves from feeling as poor a side as we looked."
Not surprisingly, Welsh defence folded late in the game, the constant tackling clearly taking it toll on the players' energy levels.
"The last 15 minutes we were completely out on our feet and could do little about half-a-dozen tries that were easy run-ins," Jenkins added.
"England dominated as a pack, they really put us under the hammer and there was nothing much we could do.
"We played with 29% of the ball again and you can't play Test rugby without having a share of possession.
"There were a couple of phases where we put rugby together that showed we have a lot to offer.
"But we're not getting enough of the ball and penalties are a major factor, we're too expensive and we give sides like England an opportunity to put the ball in the corners.
"It wasn't attractive from England, to say the least, but it was very effective."
Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport
Eurosport - Sat, 04 Aug 20:32:00 2007
Wales coach Gareth Jenkins vowed his side would learn from their record 62-5 defeat to England at Twickenham.
Jenkins's second-string pack was completely outplayed as England ran in nine tries to one, scored by wing Daffyd James.
Despite England making it quite clear from the early stages how they intended to play, the Wales forwards provided feeble resistance.
"We've learnt a hard lesson but it's a lesson that's not impossible to come back from," said the Wales coach."People back home are going to be totally unsatisfied but we've got to keep our heads up.
"There is no doubt this could have been an emotionally denting performance and we have to protect ourselves from feeling as poor a side as we looked."
Not surprisingly, Welsh defence folded late in the game, the constant tackling clearly taking it toll on the players' energy levels.
"The last 15 minutes we were completely out on our feet and could do little about half-a-dozen tries that were easy run-ins," Jenkins added.
"England dominated as a pack, they really put us under the hammer and there was nothing much we could do.
"We played with 29% of the ball again and you can't play Test rugby without having a share of possession.
"There were a couple of phases where we put rugby together that showed we have a lot to offer.
"But we're not getting enough of the ball and penalties are a major factor, we're too expensive and we give sides like England an opportunity to put the ball in the corners.
"It wasn't attractive from England, to say the least, but it was very effective."
Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport
Just not Cricket
Bish: "Hold your hands up"
Eurosport - Thu, 02 Aug 14:39:00 2007
Eurosport.Yahoo.com's cricket expert Ian Bishop says the England side should take the lead in improving behaviour in the final Test.
More StoriesCook: We didn't overstep the mark
Whatever the players and coaches said after the match, there is no doubt in my eyes that the aggression shown between England and India went too far at Trent Bridge.
The way I looked at it is that any father would not want his son to see players reacting in such a manner and he certainly wouldn't want his own son behaving that way on a cricket pitch - and I think that all of the 22 players would agree with me.
It crossed the line. There is talk of 'mental disintegration' and 'gaining a mental advantage,' but the West Indies team that I was involved in did little of that; we were of the view that the bat and the ball should do the talking.
England should come out and take responsibility. Before the next Test, as a team they should come out and apologise and promise to improve their behaviour on the field.
I know Michael Vaughan quite well, we used to play together a long time ago in Sheffield; Vaughany isn't someone who usually likes to get involved in chat. It was out of character for him.
Now, I don't blame the players for defending themselves afterwards. They have to stick together and defend their approach and their tactics; that is what helps build good team spirit. But, deep down, I think they will all be thinking that the match went over the line of acceptable behaviour.
By all means play the match hard, offer no quarter and play with intensity. But no-one wants to watch players constantly chatting, shoulder-barging each other, dropping jelly beans on the pitch or brandishing bats at each other.
In the end, India were deserved winners. Last week, I spoke in this column about India having to start the match well, to put England under pressure from the first ball to give themselves the confidence to go on and win the match - well, they certainly did that.
Winning the toss helped, but they utilised the conditions well and in the end, their bowling performance in the first innings went a long way to winning them the match. Their lines were much tighter than in the first Test at Lord's, and with regular seam and swing movement it was very difficult for the England batsmen to make a decision on whether to play or not.
That said, I think if England had managed to set India a total of around 180 in the second innings, they might have been able to defend it, as Chris Tremlett showed with his three wickets on the final morning.
He is a bowler that is ideal on a wearing, last-day wicket. But more than that, when I saw Tremlett bowl yesterday I saw a guy who is quickly becoming an ideal bowler in almost all conditions. I think Tremlett will be a tremendous bowler for England if he can stay fit.
He is acclimatising to Test cricket quickly and gaining confidence. His obvious asset is his bounce, but he also gets the ball to regularly move away from the right-hander thanks to a brilliant seam position. Comparisons with Steve Harmison are obvious but he goes for far less runs than Harmison, meaning he can be used as a defensive option as well as an attacking one.
Finally, on to matters closer to home, with the news that the West Indies Cricket Board on Sunday appointed Julian Hunte as their new president.
I am pleased that Mr Hunte immediately spoke about rebuilding the confidence and credibility in the board, although it is going to be a very demanding but not impossible task.
As president, what people don't always realise is that he has to try to convey to and convince a number of people as to his vision of the way forward. Governance by committee can be challenging, and he has a democratic system to abide by therefore presiding over such a large administration is a tremendously difficult task.
I am pleased thar Mr Hunte has identified the topic of confidentiality and issues leaking out in the press, also improving the relations with the players, because these have deteriorated recently.
I wish him all the best. It is unwise to prejudge him and I hope he can make a difference. He will have to call on all his life-skills to be a success.
One of his first jobs will be to try to sort out the row over the proposed Stanford 20/20 tournament in the West Indies. Personally, I don't agree that the tournament is in anyway hampering the West Indies cricket.
The Stanford tournament is moving in a very professional manner. Sir Allen Stanford is giving over US $250,000 to each territory for preparation and development; that is development money that these territories have not been able to comeby in West Indies cricket before.
A lot of cricket pratice facilities at, but particularly beyond the test venues in the Caribbean are not great, as some players echoed during the World Cup earlier this year. Players have never had a truly professional system through which to develop in the sport. This money will go some way to assisting in this vein.
Sir Allen Stanford and the Stanford committee have always sought to work hand-in-hand with the WICB. The allocating of over a quarter of a million US dollars to each territory for development, and additional funds to the board itself shows that he is interested in a mutually beneficial relationship with West Indies cricket.
If both parties can work together, it has the potential to be a good venture for all concerned.
Ian Bishop / Eurosport
Eurosport - Thu, 02 Aug 14:39:00 2007
Eurosport.Yahoo.com's cricket expert Ian Bishop says the England side should take the lead in improving behaviour in the final Test.
More StoriesCook: We didn't overstep the mark
Whatever the players and coaches said after the match, there is no doubt in my eyes that the aggression shown between England and India went too far at Trent Bridge.
The way I looked at it is that any father would not want his son to see players reacting in such a manner and he certainly wouldn't want his own son behaving that way on a cricket pitch - and I think that all of the 22 players would agree with me.
It crossed the line. There is talk of 'mental disintegration' and 'gaining a mental advantage,' but the West Indies team that I was involved in did little of that; we were of the view that the bat and the ball should do the talking.
England should come out and take responsibility. Before the next Test, as a team they should come out and apologise and promise to improve their behaviour on the field.
I know Michael Vaughan quite well, we used to play together a long time ago in Sheffield; Vaughany isn't someone who usually likes to get involved in chat. It was out of character for him.
Now, I don't blame the players for defending themselves afterwards. They have to stick together and defend their approach and their tactics; that is what helps build good team spirit. But, deep down, I think they will all be thinking that the match went over the line of acceptable behaviour.
By all means play the match hard, offer no quarter and play with intensity. But no-one wants to watch players constantly chatting, shoulder-barging each other, dropping jelly beans on the pitch or brandishing bats at each other.
In the end, India were deserved winners. Last week, I spoke in this column about India having to start the match well, to put England under pressure from the first ball to give themselves the confidence to go on and win the match - well, they certainly did that.
Winning the toss helped, but they utilised the conditions well and in the end, their bowling performance in the first innings went a long way to winning them the match. Their lines were much tighter than in the first Test at Lord's, and with regular seam and swing movement it was very difficult for the England batsmen to make a decision on whether to play or not.
That said, I think if England had managed to set India a total of around 180 in the second innings, they might have been able to defend it, as Chris Tremlett showed with his three wickets on the final morning.
He is a bowler that is ideal on a wearing, last-day wicket. But more than that, when I saw Tremlett bowl yesterday I saw a guy who is quickly becoming an ideal bowler in almost all conditions. I think Tremlett will be a tremendous bowler for England if he can stay fit.
He is acclimatising to Test cricket quickly and gaining confidence. His obvious asset is his bounce, but he also gets the ball to regularly move away from the right-hander thanks to a brilliant seam position. Comparisons with Steve Harmison are obvious but he goes for far less runs than Harmison, meaning he can be used as a defensive option as well as an attacking one.
Finally, on to matters closer to home, with the news that the West Indies Cricket Board on Sunday appointed Julian Hunte as their new president.
I am pleased that Mr Hunte immediately spoke about rebuilding the confidence and credibility in the board, although it is going to be a very demanding but not impossible task.
As president, what people don't always realise is that he has to try to convey to and convince a number of people as to his vision of the way forward. Governance by committee can be challenging, and he has a democratic system to abide by therefore presiding over such a large administration is a tremendously difficult task.
I am pleased thar Mr Hunte has identified the topic of confidentiality and issues leaking out in the press, also improving the relations with the players, because these have deteriorated recently.
I wish him all the best. It is unwise to prejudge him and I hope he can make a difference. He will have to call on all his life-skills to be a success.
One of his first jobs will be to try to sort out the row over the proposed Stanford 20/20 tournament in the West Indies. Personally, I don't agree that the tournament is in anyway hampering the West Indies cricket.
The Stanford tournament is moving in a very professional manner. Sir Allen Stanford is giving over US $250,000 to each territory for preparation and development; that is development money that these territories have not been able to comeby in West Indies cricket before.
A lot of cricket pratice facilities at, but particularly beyond the test venues in the Caribbean are not great, as some players echoed during the World Cup earlier this year. Players have never had a truly professional system through which to develop in the sport. This money will go some way to assisting in this vein.
Sir Allen Stanford and the Stanford committee have always sought to work hand-in-hand with the WICB. The allocating of over a quarter of a million US dollars to each territory for development, and additional funds to the board itself shows that he is interested in a mutually beneficial relationship with West Indies cricket.
If both parties can work together, it has the potential to be a good venture for all concerned.
Ian Bishop / Eurosport
Hamilton has his say!
Hamilton tells Dennis: Go f*cking swivel!
Mon 06 Aug, 07:23 AM
The full extent of Lewis Hamilton's temporary falling out with McLaren team boss - and long-time mentor - Ron Dennis came to light ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, revealing the heated post-qualifying exchange that was the apparent cause of Dennis' headphone-throwing display on pit-wall.
While many guessed that the displeasure was directed at Fernando Alonso, after the Spaniard had blocked Hamilton at the session's final tyre change, analysis of the radio traffic between Dennis and his protégé provided interesting reading for Britain's Sunday newspaper buyers.
"The 22-year-old Brit then swore at Dennis over the team radio, blasting: "Don't ever f****** do that to me again"," reported both News of the World and The Sunday Times.
"Dennis hit back, blasting: "Don't ever f****** speak to me like that."
But Hamilton responded: "Go f****** swivel."
Things were rosier following the race, which Hamilton won from a pole inherited when Alonso was demoted five places on the grid for his pit-lane indiscretion, but the Briton admitted that there had had to be a lot of bridge-building in the aftermath of the session, in which he was accused of precipitating the blocking incident by not allowing Alonso through in the fuel-burning phase.
"I came back, everything was quiet, we didn't really speak too much," Hamilton revealed in the post-race press conference, "I went back to my engineers, we did the same job as always, a debrief. Then we had a sit-down with Martin Whitmarsh - Fernando and his mechanic and me and my mechanic - and we went through what the programme was.
"They asked me why I didn't do the part that they want me to, and I explained to them. I said 'I made a mistake, I apologise, it won't happen again. But it has happened, let's forget about it and move on. We are both on the front row, so we can still smile'.
"I thought that, because of the argument I had with Ron over the radio, he was obviously angry, I thought that perhaps he was just teaching me a lesson, so I just took it on the chin. Obviously, yesterday, he wasn't very happy. We just had to be professional, we spoke about it. I told him my views, he respected those. He said 'okay, I respect that because it is part of your personality and perhaps, in your situation, maybe that was better for you or whatever'.
"We came to a mutual understanding and started on a clean slate today. It is not great because of all the problems we are having already with the FIA and with Ferrari. It is just more pressure on the team. The comforting thing is that considering we have all this stuff going on, even this weekend, it just shows how strong the team are because we still came here and still qualified 1-2. We came here and weren't distracted from our job. That's the main thing.
"I think, going on from now, we need to analyse the weekend as always. We need to sit down, I guess, and talk as a team and re-unite. But I have no worries about it.
"I have been working with Ron for nearly ten years now so, okay, it is quite a big event and a problem for the team, but I think the relationship we have is very very strong and something like this is not going to come between us. We will move on and move on to bigger and better things."
Mon 06 Aug, 07:23 AM
The full extent of Lewis Hamilton's temporary falling out with McLaren team boss - and long-time mentor - Ron Dennis came to light ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix, revealing the heated post-qualifying exchange that was the apparent cause of Dennis' headphone-throwing display on pit-wall.
While many guessed that the displeasure was directed at Fernando Alonso, after the Spaniard had blocked Hamilton at the session's final tyre change, analysis of the radio traffic between Dennis and his protégé provided interesting reading for Britain's Sunday newspaper buyers.
"The 22-year-old Brit then swore at Dennis over the team radio, blasting: "Don't ever f****** do that to me again"," reported both News of the World and The Sunday Times.
"Dennis hit back, blasting: "Don't ever f****** speak to me like that."
But Hamilton responded: "Go f****** swivel."
Things were rosier following the race, which Hamilton won from a pole inherited when Alonso was demoted five places on the grid for his pit-lane indiscretion, but the Briton admitted that there had had to be a lot of bridge-building in the aftermath of the session, in which he was accused of precipitating the blocking incident by not allowing Alonso through in the fuel-burning phase.
"I came back, everything was quiet, we didn't really speak too much," Hamilton revealed in the post-race press conference, "I went back to my engineers, we did the same job as always, a debrief. Then we had a sit-down with Martin Whitmarsh - Fernando and his mechanic and me and my mechanic - and we went through what the programme was.
"They asked me why I didn't do the part that they want me to, and I explained to them. I said 'I made a mistake, I apologise, it won't happen again. But it has happened, let's forget about it and move on. We are both on the front row, so we can still smile'.
"I thought that, because of the argument I had with Ron over the radio, he was obviously angry, I thought that perhaps he was just teaching me a lesson, so I just took it on the chin. Obviously, yesterday, he wasn't very happy. We just had to be professional, we spoke about it. I told him my views, he respected those. He said 'okay, I respect that because it is part of your personality and perhaps, in your situation, maybe that was better for you or whatever'.
"We came to a mutual understanding and started on a clean slate today. It is not great because of all the problems we are having already with the FIA and with Ferrari. It is just more pressure on the team. The comforting thing is that considering we have all this stuff going on, even this weekend, it just shows how strong the team are because we still came here and still qualified 1-2. We came here and weren't distracted from our job. That's the main thing.
"I think, going on from now, we need to analyse the weekend as always. We need to sit down, I guess, and talk as a team and re-unite. But I have no worries about it.
"I have been working with Ron for nearly ten years now so, okay, it is quite a big event and a problem for the team, but I think the relationship we have is very very strong and something like this is not going to come between us. We will move on and move on to bigger and better things."
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