Wales V Japan

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Cruel is exactly what I thought when I saw Cuthbert trying and trying. The pain etched on his face was awful.

[webbyinjapan]

Cruel is exactly what I thought when I saw Cuthbert trying and trying. The pain etched on his face was awful.

Eugene,,,,you have the soul of a poet. I felt the same! The problems we face (i.e. us welsh) go far deeper than Cuthbert, Howley,,,or indeed any player on the park yesterday,,,better minds than mine are paid a great deal to sort it out,,,,They are failing I feel.

[whatisthejava]

Well Italy just beat the Bokke, not sure if thats a good or bad sign for next week

has there ever been a 0-0 draw at international rugby?

Scotland v All Blacks in years gone past, last team to keep the all blacks from scoring

18 January 1964 Murrayfield, Edinburgh 0 – 0 draw 1963-64 New Zealand tour of Europe

[ALunpg]

Cruel is exactly what I thought when I saw Cuthbert trying and trying. The pain etched on his face was awful.

The guy was beating himself up trying to find what was missing, you cant but admire his commitment but that is sadly not what is missing from his game.

But he was not the only one with that pain etched on their face.. it was an expression worn by many Welsh fans.

What it looked like was some mutation of a plan that no one really understood and at times looked as unclear in its structure as ever did Gypoball.

I wont assault individuals because this was a team failure..again. So please lets not say...dont worry ..we wont be as bad as that again... we were ...and we can be.

[Sourdust]

Very true.

After a traditionally disappointing first Autumn game, it's always tempting to imagine that it was an outlier, that there were mitigating circumstances and that all will be well. Again.

But now we've got three games in the bank. Three performances, the best of which was hugely indifferent. That's not a blip, it's a pattern. That's not becoming a bad team overnight; it's being a bad team.

[pompey-zebra]

Very true.

After a traditionally disappointing first Autumn game, it's always tempting to imagine that it was an outlier, that there were mitigating circumstances and that all will be well. Again.

But now we've got three games in the bank. Three performances, the best of which was hugely indifferent. That's not a blip, it's a pattern. That's not becoming a bad team overnight; it's being a bad team.

I'm sure I read somewhere that Wales haven't won more than two autumn internationals in a series since they started playing them, so beat the bokke on Saturday and this could be our most successful AI series yet!

[Sourdust]

Well we keep getting told it's "a results business". I suspect we'll still find a way to lose on Saturday, but if we don't we'll be 3/4 and that's fairly hard to argue with...

Except we will all know, even then, that without an extraordinary turnaround we're heading for 4th place or worse in the 6N.

I never, EVER want Wales to lose. Losing solves nothing. But I can't help suspecting that a win next week would do us more harm than good. Bollocks.

[Lizard]

Well Italy just beat the Bokke, not sure if thats a good or bad sign for next week

has there ever been a 0-0 draw at international rugby?

Scotland v All Blacks in years gone past, last team to keep the all blacks from scoring

18 January 1964 Murrayfield, Edinburgh 0 – 0 draw 1963-64 New Zealand tour of Europe

I did a stat of the day on this once (old board, I think). Since that test, Italy and Portugal have fought out a 0-0 draw in 1972, and Nigeria and Togo matched that effort themselves as recently as 2004.

I myself once played in 0-0 draw for my school 3rd XV. Neither side had a goal kicker of any ability and (in the days before red and yellow cards) both realised that the best way to prevent the oppo from scoring was to foul them before they reached your 22. The level of violence was, I believe, noticed by the headmaster across 2 pitches where he was watching the gods of the 1st XV.

[whatisthejava]

has there ever been a 0-0 draw at international rugby?

Scotland v All Blacks in years gone past, last team to keep the all blacks from scoring

18 January 1964 Murrayfield, Edinburgh 0 – 0 draw 1963-64 New Zealand tour of Europe

I did a stat of the day on this once (old board, I think). Since that test, Italy and Portugal have fought out a 0-0 draw in 1972, and Nigeria and Togo matched that effort themselves as recently as 2004.

I myself once played in 0-0 draw for my school 3rd XV. Neither side had a goal kicker of any ability and (in the days before red and yellow cards) both realised that the best way to prevent the oppo from scoring was to foul them before they reached your 22. The level of violence was, I believe, noticed by the headmaster across 2 pitches where he was watching the gods of the 1st XV.

I've been grannied loads but I don't think I have ever played a 0-0 draw.

[Lizard]

Scotland v All Blacks in years gone past, last team to keep the all blacks from scoring

18 January 1964 Murrayfield, Edinburgh 0 – 0 draw 1963-64 New Zealand tour of Europe

I did a stat of the day on this once (old board, I think). Since that test, Italy and Portugal have fought out a 0-0 draw in 1972, and Nigeria and Togo matched that effort themselves as recently as 2004.

I myself once played in 0-0 draw for my school 3rd XV. Neither side had a goal kicker of any ability and (in the days before red and yellow cards) both realised that the best way to prevent the oppo from scoring was to foul them before they reached your 22. The level of violence was, I believe, noticed by the headmaster across 2 pitches where he was watching the gods of the 1st XV.

I've been grannied loads but I don't think I have ever played a 0-0 draw.

That was our best result of the season, too.

[Spiffy]

has there ever been a 0-0 draw at international rugby?

Scotland v All Blacks in years gone past, last team to keep the all blacks from scoring

18 January 1964 Murrayfield, Edinburgh 0 – 0 draw 1963-64 New Zealand tour of Europe

I did a stat of the day on this once (old board, I think). Since that test, Italy and Portugal have fought out a 0-0 draw in 1972, and Nigeria and Togo matched that effort themselves as recently as 2004.

I myself once played in 0-0 draw for my school 3rd XV. Neither side had a goal kicker of any ability and (in the days before red and yellow cards) both realised that the best way to prevent the oppo from scoring was to foul them before they reached your 22. The level of violence was, I believe, noticed by the headmaster across 2 pitches where he was watching the gods of the 1st XV.

Sounds like a few of the lads went on to play for the ABs, eh Liz?

[Lizard]

Scotland v All Blacks in years gone past, last team to keep the all blacks from scoring

18 January 1964 Murrayfield, Edinburgh 0 – 0 draw 1963-64 New Zealand tour of Europe

I did a stat of the day on this once (old board, I think). Since that test, Italy and Portugal have fought out a 0-0 draw in 1972, and Nigeria and Togo matched that effort themselves as recently as 2004.

I myself once played in 0-0 draw for my school 3rd XV. Neither side had a goal kicker of any ability and (in the days before red and yellow cards) both realised that the best way to prevent the oppo from scoring was to foul them before they reached your 22. The level of violence was, I believe, noticed by the headmaster across 2 pitches where he was watching the gods of the 1st XV.

Sounds like a few of the lads went on to play for the ABs, eh Liz?

Not a single All Black from my time at school, I'm afraid. I think we had a couple of guys get Super Rugby contracts, and possibly one bloke got a cap or two for Tonga.

I do remember one 1st XV player turning out for a mate's team in some league tournament and getting a life ban from Rugby Union (amateur days then) and a call up for NZ Schoolboys league!