Monday 28 September 2015

Reflections on England v Wales a Game to remember

Sometimes sport gives me greater satisfaction to comment on than politics, current affairs or world events. Saturday night was such a time.

Dan Biggar’s finest hour and Warren Gatland’s Welsh emotions

There has been international rugby matches between England and Wales since 1881 and remarkably the number of games won by either country are almost identical. Wales having won 57 and England 58 with 12 matches drawn. There have been however periods of supremacy for both countries – Wales in the 1970’s and England 2000-4.

I was born into an obsessive rugby orientated environment be it at my home, village, school or the surrounding areas of the Amman and Gwendraeth Valleys. The rivalry on the rugby field between so many these mining and working class villages was more often than not fierce and they were high quality second class teams playing in a West Wales League of some 25 teams. Winning the League or the West Wales Cup was the pinnacle every season. The same pattern of course existed in the mid-valleys and the east of Wales.

The best example I can give of the passion, seriousness and dedication that existed then was that on Christmas morning Tumble would play the neighbouring village of Pontyberem and I estimate there would be some two thousand or maybe more watching. I remember one occasion cycling from my home to Pontyberem as I was playing for Tumble then – that was a return journey 8-10 miles. Such large attendances were not unusual at these village matches from Saturday to Saturday.

To give some insight into the standard of play this is where Barry John, Gareth Edwards, Gerald Davies, Phil Bennett, Derek Quinnell, Terry Price, Ray Gravelle, Delme Thomas, Shane Williams and dozens of other Welsh internationals developed their playing skills.  In the 1950’s and 60’s the big teams were Amman United, Felinfoel, Kidwelly, Llandybie, Loughor,  Penclawdd, Pontardulais, Pontyberem, Seven Sisters, Tumble and Cefneithin. I played for the last two and the occasional first class outing with Llanelli and Maesteg. The first class teams in West Wales of that era were Aberavon, Llanelli, Neath and Swansea where the rivalry was immense and crowds of 15,000 – 30,000 would turn up. Sadly the introduction of the professional era has destroyed those great traditions.

In Wales the game was essentially based on a working class upbringing and so many of our great players of that period were miners, steel workers, policemen and teachers. In England rugby has always been more of a middle or even upper class game and that can best be illustrated by the educational upbringing of the current English World Cup squad. More than two-thirds of them attended private boarding schools where the fees range from £10k to £35K per year. Chris Robshaw, Haskell, Launchbury, the two Vunipola’s and the Young brothers being in that top category. There has of course been the odd Welsh example of which Sir Gareth Edwards is one.

The first England versus Wales game I can recall was in 1951 and it was played at St Helens.  In those days I would be sitting round the kitchen table with my father, uncle and grandfather listening to G V Wynne Jones or Rex Alston commentating. They were such ebullient and eloquent commentators you could imagine being there and then straight after the end of the game I would go on to the field outside the house and relive the game on my own. By the way if the ball had been punctured and the inner tube of no use I would stuff the leather ball with grass and hay! 

Times have moved on beyond all recognition and now it is wall to wall television coverage. So it was that a massive world-wide audience watched a compelling and tantalising game of rugby Saturday night. The two countries had played each twice before in World Cup tournaments. Wales’s most successful tournament was the one in 1987 when they beat Australia in the third place play-off match having defeated England on the way. Then in 2003 England defeated Wales in the quarter- finals. This time the game was not in some far and distant land but on British soil, at the home of rugby and more than ever so much depended on the outcome.   

The game didn’t have the flowing, open and attacking rugby of the period I referred to earlier – there was no Cliff Morgan, Bleddyn Williams, Barry John, Gerald Davies, Gareth Edwards or a Jeff Butterfield and David Duckham on the field. The game has changed beyond all recognition in style, pattern, intensity and physicality. Defences are so tight and strong, the physical contact and tackling fierce. Little wonder that there are so many long-term and serious injuries these days. It is a worrying trend and I do have concerns for the safety of players. These are massive men in height, weight, strength, speed and fitness levels. Without question certain aspects of the game will have to be reviewed. So it is that Wales have six or seven of its top players out of action for up to eight months.
 
The game was truly remarkable and either side could have won. In fact England having been 10 points in the lead twice during the match should have won. At half-time it very much looked like that because they were better at the scrum, lineout, general play and discipline. But gradually during the second half one could see the change taking place. Wales improved considerably in discipline, intensity, energy and consistency. Three of its key players were injured so in that final quarter no praise is high enough for the adaptability and skill levels of the team.

It is invidious to single out players but Farrell and Dan Biggar were impressive with their kicking, tackling, determination, courage and consistency. Biggar has played some 36 times for Wales but this was truly his finest hour and it was a masterclass of modern No10 play.

As the game was coming towards the end England still held the lead but then came a for me a moment of Deja vu when Lloyd Williams a No 9 but playing on the wing executed a cross field kick for Gareth Davies to pick it up at speed and score between the posts. I had seen something similar in 1953 when Wales played the mighty All Blacks of the 1950’s. New Zealand was leading then R.C.C. (Clem) Thomas hemmed in on the touchline and surrounded by All Black players made a speculative cross field kick for the flying wing Ken Jones to gather a high bouncing ball to score beneath the posts. I watched the match on a Bush 12” black and white screen at home - so times have truly changed.

The cross field kick that was often used in my playing days has to all intents and purposes disappeared from the game but it should be used more often as should J J Williams’s tactic of chipping ahead and regathering the ball when hemmed in on the wing. But modern players are taught to hold on to possession, play to the patterns that they have been coached rather than play what is in front of them. Having watched the two cross kicks there is little doubt that Saturday’s was the most skilful. Lloyd Williams’s kick was not as speculative but deliberate and Gareth Davies’s pick up of a low rolling ball was excellent – although in slow motion he almost dropped it!.

A word about the Welsh coach Warren Gatland. He has not often been my favourite mainly because of his player selections and the style of play he has been training the team to carry out over the years. Yet his record does speak for itself. When he was the coach of Ireland his winning rate was at 47%, with Wales it has been 52% and as British Lions coach 67%. His emotions and after match reactions yesterday makes me believe that a lot of the Welsh nation has entered his heart.

Gatland played 17 non-internationals for New Zealand but never won a cap.  I read somewhere that he had been a substitute to the great All Blacks captain and hooker Sean Fitzpatrick some 50 times but Fitzpatrick was never replaced during any game. Now I don’t know what to make of that I will leave you to surmise. Just one other ‘tit-bit’ of information Sean’s middle names are Brian Thomas – a great Welsh second-row forward’s name to conjure with.

Finally about the great talking point, Chris Robshaw’s crucial decision not to take the kick at goal in the dying minutes. I suppose one can argue both ways, personally I would have chosen to kick but one thing was clear having chosen not to then England had to score from the ensuing lineout. I am afraid it was all too predictable in its intent and the throw in to the front of the line was a bad tactical decision. It made it easier for the Welsh forwards in a concerted and determined move to push the English forwards into touch.


In life, sport and in politics I always believe in the former Labour Prime Ministers adage when talking of current affairs matters ‘a week is a long time’. This World Cup is not over yet for England and it is not a ‘given’ for Wales either.