Although conceding height and weight to their English counterparts, Wales had some real nut-jobs in that pack eg Dicky, Ikey, Spike, Perky. Not to mention a hard-as-nails scrum half in Terry Holmes and a more physical outside half in Dacey rather than Gareth "Mr Perfect Hair" Davies. Saying that, Swansea's Mo Colclough ( RIP ) wouldn't be out of place in the modern game physically.
Pooler hard man Perkins seems to be dwarfed in the line out alongside Swansea's Mo Colclough. Was Perky exceptionally small for a lock forward or was Tom Baker lookalike Colclough an exceptionally big guy?
Rob, what this valley's boy who has worked all his 56 years on earth cannot understand is, how Welsh Rugby has succumbed to "Regionalism" and political correctness so easily?
Bravo Mingus Pingus....agree with every statement....and more. What's the point of scrums if 70 plus percent result in a penalty...that sounds like the scrum is important, but not enough so to require the ball to be put in straight as opposed to the second row of one's own team. I played until I was 39...20 years...including in northern-ish California...at Davis for a year. I keep looking at the "laws" to determine how the maul has fallen out of the game except following line outs. It would seem to me that maul drags opposition into defend and thus create space for backline. The so-called ruck is oft rarely defended, and yet one will have 4 or 5 attackers on the ground retrieving a slower ball, and defense as they aren't allowed to play by going over the tackled player who is "placing" not releasing...fan out in defense ie take away space from attack. Thus, the way to attack is "bash" through which means bigger and bigger players....and thus the need for subs as 260 plus pounds isn't the body type to run about the pitch for 80 mins ( used to be 90)....Alas, having gone professional ( ie the adverts on the shirts which I hate as well) and allowing for a placing of the ball in a tackle rather than immediate release of it, have created a whole different game and mindset. I played for 3 years in England, and mates there sigh and say, "just glad to have played when I did"...not much of an endorsement for the game....so, who benefits currently if at the club level mates fall out over the difference in a wage packet between the first and second side players? Indeed, the flow of the game currently is much of a bore...lots of movement but to no point. Line out laws have improved the game somewhat, and protection of player in the air, but other than that, the game honors American football too much and the marketing that goes with it. I also am glad to have played when I did and was once an enthusiast in recruiting young folks to the game...male and female....but not currently. Pip pip
You seem the man with the knowhow. Any chance you could get a recording on your channel of Eng Wal 2015 world cup (itv wales commentary) as they had their own commentator in Eddie Butler, as well as an all Welsh panel. Its not anywhere on RU-vid
Paul "Judge" Rendall just 30 at the time. Are you kidding me? Ps Eddie Butler is the only regret that this Taff has of a Pooler player representing Wales. He belongs in France where he can pronounce French names perfectly! Oui?
There used to be a thread on the Gwlad website that was quite popular - welsh rugby players who look like Hitler i believe it was called - Although the likes of Norster and Holmes are putting in sterling work - Ladies and gentlemen i give you Hywel Davies 1:16:03
In the English side a few of the remnants of the `miracle of 1980` and a few of the seeds of 88/89 when England rugby finally began to wake up. On the Welsh side Terry Holmes and Robert Norster and noone else. In conclusion two really dreadful rugby teams. So heres one for all the rheumy eyed old farts to whom yesteryear was always a veritable paradise.
Right on Medwyn....not since the "laws" allowed placement of the ball in a tackle rather than immediate release. Nothing for defense to do as not allowed to ruck over etc...so they spread about the pitch and it becomes Gridirion football where bashing through as opposed to finding space is the key...ie players are not much larger and allowed more rest and subs. I played for 19 years in the US and UK, and would not play a single match if what I see now was what I saw then by way of introduction.....line outs may have improved, but the scrummaging is a joke, why bother if ball can be put into one's own second row.?