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New Wales Coach

Who will Wales' new coach be?

  • Robbie Deans

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Graham Henry

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Nick Mallett

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Eddie Jones

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Scott Johnson

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • John Kirwan

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Steve Hansen

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Phil Davies

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Warren Gatland

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
R

RC

Guest
Ok, so there's a fair choice here and as a Welshman I am firmly putting what happened on Saturday behind me (as we've had to do plenty of times before). The WRU have sacked the culprit and sure enough the rest of the sorry excuses for a coaching team will go as well (maybe with eception to Neil Jenkins).
So who's up next? There are many candidates, but who do you think will take the job in the end:

Robbie Deans: He's guided the Crusaders to 4 Super 14 ***les, and he's had international experience as assistant coach for the All Blacks. Main problem is that his contract doens't run out until 2008 for New Zealand Rugby Union - the WRU however are happy to throw about millions (literally) to get the man they want. Could he be persuaded.

Graham Henry: He's been rumoured (totally unfounded) that he's heading to the Arms Park to coach Cardiff Blues after the world cup. Could he come back and coach Wales?

Nick Mallett: The man is partly responsible for South Africas record winning streak of 17 consecutive test wins in '97 and '98. He's also been linked to England and Italy after the world cup.

Eddie Jones: Ex-Aussie coach, and not doing too bad a job at Jake White's side for the Boks. He's led the Australians to a world cup final only to come out as losers.

Scott Johnson: He's been our coach for a brief time in a hellish period that hasn't seemed to end for Wales, but he was hugely popular with the Welsh boys and seems to be doing well down under. Cardiff Blues are also tracking him as coach.

John Kirwan: The big man hasn't actually got too many things to his name as far as coaching is concerned, but no-one can deny the progress that Japan have made as of late. It seems he has always shown interest in the Welsh job as well.

Steve Hansen: He's been rumoured (again, totally unfounded) that he could be returning to Wales and is being linked to a job at the Ospreys. He got the Grand Slam ball rolling (it wasn't Ruddock as much as people would like to think) and would add the much needed professionalism back into the squad.

Phil Davies: Gareth Jenkins beat him to the Welsh job 18 months ago. He hasn't really proved himself as far as coaching is concerned. He had a brief success with Leeds and Scarlets didn't do too badly in his debut season in charge of them. But is he out of his depth (like Jenkins) in regards to international coaching.

Warren Gatland: He led Wasps to 3 consecutive English ***les and they won the Heineken Cup under his coaching belt.

Other: Would you consider Pierre Berbezier, Clive Woodward or Ospreys coach Lyn Jones (you'd be an idiot if you did)!

*Inspired by The Echo*
 
According to the Daily Mirror, Scott Johnson is the odds on favourite to take over. Thoughts?
 
Yeha, Scott Johnson is odds on favouritesin the Echo as well.
I wonder where they are getting their info from.

Personally i wouldn't want him to do the job.
He's not a coach as far as i'm concerned - i want someone that will really shake up the squad.
 
For me it need to be either Gatlan or Mallet as Head Coach and Scott Johnson to return as skills coach! Need I remind that under Johnson as skills coach Wales's back's looked amazing!

May I add Roland Phillips DID a good job with Wales defense but he cannot be blamed for the players roles, but for myself the Welsh defense did look better than anything else!
 
I just finished watching that scrumV and it was - for once - a very productive programme.
It sounded like something the big wigs at the WRU could learn from.
It certainly looks like it will be a glum near future for Wales, but that's got to be something we're willing to accept if we're gonna get better.
We HAVE TO start from scratch, things can't carry on the way they are. We as fans can't give a solution; whether regional rugby is working or not; whether our attitude to the sport is correct, so this is where an implicit trust comes into your country and the people who lead your team.
I doubt there is anyone in Wales right now that would shrug of the teaming of Henry/Hansen with a carte blanche coming to help us out - and we need to know that the idiots at the top, the guys with the money will make a decision and give Welsh rugby what it needs to finally succeed.

I mean, we need to look at it, we need to see whether we are any good at this sport anymore.
We've been living in the past, we still live on the glory of the days when we were the team who had LOADS of players who were undoubtedly the best of their positions in the world. That was the 70's - that has to be left behind.

Evidently, as we start from the beginning again it means things are going to be awful for us for some time to come, hell things may go a little worse for us, but if that's what it takes to get us up into the top nations of the world then that's what we should do.
Right now, we as Welshmen/women and fans must accept one thing:

We are on the brink of being regarded as a 2nd tier nation.

Our new coach whomever it may be must accept that even though were are a seriously underperforming nation in our main sport this will still be a huge challenge. He will have 3 million people (journalists included) if he gets things wrong - the pressure will be immense.
 
Who would be stupid enough to leave the best coaching job in the world and go back to your old job where people once flagged you. Graham Henry for welsh coach. Not in your most wildest dreams buddy
 
Just a quick question to start RC. You say rugby is your nations main sport, is this still the case?

Down here in little old NZ it's always comforting to know that somewhere else in the world a nation cares about this sport as much as we do (Wales). Is this still the case? Or is your proximity to England coercing the Welsh youth into Football?

If Welsh rugby is waining (and I hope not) then Wales may never get back to the glory days we all want them to. When you only have a small population (like NZ and Wales) the sport has to be very high on the radar if you want to realistically compete.


Now, regarding coaches.

I believe that Scott Johnson will become the next Wallabies coach and will therefore not be available in any capacity to Wales.

Eddie Jones is a backs orientated coach (which is the current welsh way) so I don't see him improving Welsh rugby much, which I see as having a forwards problem. If you could provide more forwards dominance, your backs would wipe the floor.

The 4 NZ coaches you've listed will be completely dependent on how the AB's go in the World Cup. If the AB's win. Henry ends as succesful NZ coach and Hansen takes over. Out of the 4 NZ coaches, Henry is the most accomplished and should be first choice for the WRU. This is the scenario I think is most likely (so it got my vote).

If the AB's lose...Apart from cutting my wrists...Hansen and Henry would both be out (with Gatland and/or Deans taking the AB's job) meaning Henry and Hansen will be trying to get as far away from NZ as possible (hint: Wales).

John Kirwan isn't worth it. Berbezier would be a better choice to develop Wales, but I wouldn't have him for Wales either. Theý're just not good enough.

Nick Mallet would be a good bet to add some much needed steel to your pack. But his lack of attack oriented play might stiffle your backs and you'll end up with another Ruddockgate on your hands.

So me. I'd go with Henry first. Mallet second. Hansen (if you can get him) third.
 
Graham Henry is an unattainable goal. Depending how the World Cup goes, he'll either retire or, as he has hinted in the past, try to win back to back world ***les. Should NZ lose I have a feeling he'll be fired immediately and will retire to some remote land far and away from the NZ media. Even if he wins there's a good chance he'll call it quits, he isn't a young man anymore.



So with the distinct possiblity of a new coaching position in NZ, either Steve Hansen or Robbie Deans will not be available. Those two seem to me to be the front runners. Hansen seems to be a fairly obvious replacement, given that he has played an integral part in the coaching staff and the development of players in the last 4 years. I would assume that with the success of the current regime, the NZRU would like to keep the current system in place for future success.



Robbie Deans, to me, would be the best choice for Wales. Not only has he been part of the most successful proffessional sports franchise on the entire planet, but he continually takes players who may not be the most skilled or talented and turns them into winners. This is the main key. The development that players undergo is emmence. Sure there are a ton of players that come out of the Canterbury conveyer belt, but there are also a lot of players who couldn't crack the rosters of other provinces, most noteably Auckland, brings them and turns them into All Blacks. Another good thing for Wales, it's been widely speculated that Robbie Deans has been looking leave his job at Canterbury for a new challenge. If the NZRU doesn't throw him a bone, he's gone.
 
Any Welshmen ever heard of Dave Nucifora...he's the RIGHT MAN for the Job.
 
Haha, interesting...
A Cantabrian suggesting Deans and an Aucklander suggesting Nucifora...never would have seen that coming.

Jokes aside, it's fair to say that if there was ever a time to be in the market for a highly qualified Rugby coach then Wales have found themselves in a buyers market.

Regarding Deans, I've just read an article suggesting "reliably" that the ELV's will be part of Super14 in 2008 and that Deans (who has had a hand in their creation) might now be favoured as the next AB's coach because of his more extensive knowledge in coaching these new laws. These new laws could negate alot of the previous skills of current coaches, aside from man management etc.

Interesting, but kind of off topic I guess.
 
RC, haven't Mallet and Eddie Jones both said they wouldn't be in the running?
 
I'd say Eddie Jones, but then theres the "crowd favourite" Scott Johnson whom would be a great coach for the Welsh. Also the impressive Nick Mallet and Robbie Deans!

Either of these 4 men would do a superb job if they were to fill the position. They'll just need to be given time to bring results. The first international season will be one of rebuilding, the following establishment and then hopefully improving further and getting ready for a successful campaign in the 2012 RWC.
...The WRU have sacked the culprit and sure enough the rest of the sorry excuses for a coaching team will go as well....
[/b]
Why do people ALWAYS blame the coaching staff??!!

Whilst I agree it is time for their heads to start rolling, the players have to take quite a decent amount of blame.
 
I don't know about Scott Johnson's chances of becoming the Wallabies coach. I think Robbie Deans, Laurie Fischer and possibly Pat Howard are more favoured to take that position.
 
I don't know about Scott Johnson's chances of becoming the Wallabies coach. I think Robbie Deans, Laurie Fischer and possibly Pat Howard are more favoured to take that position. [/b]
87665~Dude-Wtf-Posters.jpg

We're talking about Wales, not Australia :p
 
@rugby's a religion, i dont think that eddie jones is the best coach to get wales out of the slump that they are in, just look at his attempt with the reds trying to get them somewhere ended up worse.....eddie jones works well with a winning team...



imo scott johnson from the wallabies as a assistant coach and graham henry from nz....would make a sweet team...i think also that they need to retain neil jenkins and robin mcbryde
 
Is John Kirwan definetely leaving Japan then, or is that a speculative move? Scott Johnson would be a good call again, but is he too specialised as a coach - I think Wales need an all-rounder at the helm.
 
Ok, so there's a fair choice here and as a Welshman I am firmly putting what happened on Saturday behind me (as we've had to do plenty of times before). The WRU have sacked the culprit and sure enough the rest of the sorry excuses for a coaching team will go as well (maybe with eception to Neil Jenkins).
So who's up next? There are many candidates, but who do you think will take the job in the end:

Robbie Deans: He's guided the Crusaders to 4 Super 14 ***les, and he's had international experience as assistant coach for the All Blacks. Main problem is that his contract doens't run out until 2008 for New Zealand Rugby Union - the WRU however are happy to throw about millions (literally) to get the man they want. Could he be persuaded.

Graham Henry: He's been rumoured (totally unfounded) that he's heading to the Arms Park to coach Cardiff Blues after the world cup. Could he come back and coach Wales?

Nick Mallett: The man is partly responsible for South Africas record winning streak of 17 consecutive test wins in '97 and '98. He's also been linked to England and Italy after the world cup.

Eddie Jones: Ex-Aussie coach, and not doing too bad a job at Jake White's side for the Boks. He's led the Australians to a world cup final only to come out as losers.

Scott Johnson: He's been our coach for a brief time in a hellish period that hasn't seemed to end for Wales, but he was hugely popular with the Welsh boys and seems to be doing well down under. Cardiff Blues are also tracking him as coach.

John Kirwan: The big man hasn't actually got too many things to his name as far as coaching is concerned, but no-one can deny the progress that Japan have made as of late. It seems he has always shown interest in the Welsh job as well.

Steve Hansen: He's been rumoured (again, totally unfounded) that he could be returning to Wales and is being linked to a job at the Ospreys. He got the Grand Slam ball rolling (it wasn't Ruddock as much as people would like to think) and would add the much needed professionalism back into the squad.

Phil Davies: Gareth Jenkins beat him to the Welsh job 18 months ago. He hasn't really proved himself as far as coaching is concerned. He had a brief success with Leeds and Scarlets didn't do too badly in his debut season in charge of them. But is he out of his depth (like Jenkins) in regards to international coaching.

Warren Gatland: He led Wasps to 3 consecutive English ***les and they won the Heineken Cup under his coaching belt.

Other: Would you consider Pierre Berbezier, Clive Woodward or Ospreys coach Lyn Jones (you'd be an idiot if you did)!

--


Eddie Jones is the way to go. A vast amount of experience and I'm sure he'll jump at the chance of a new head coach job. I honestly doubt any of the New Zealanders would be interested in the Welsh job.. especially Henry, who I believe could stay on until 2011.
 
Just a quick question to start RC. You say rugby is your nations main sport, is this still the case?

Down here in little old NZ it's always comforting to know that somewhere else in the world a nation cares about this sport as much as we do (Wales). Is this still the case? Or is your proximity to England coercing the Welsh youth into Football?

If Welsh rugby is waining (and I hope not) then Wales may never get back to the glory days we all want them to. When you only have a small population (like NZ and Wales) the sport has to be very high on the radar if you want to realistically compete. [/b]

Yes, it most definitely is still the case.
Welsh people like football - very much. But we LOVE rugby. Rugby is a bigger established sport in this country. It has more registered rugby players than footballers. The Welsh football team can get about 18,000 to the Millennium stadium on their biggest day. Welsh rugby could fill the stadium twice over.

Honestly, even with england in such close proximity there is no comparison between football and rugby in Wales.
Rugby is our national sport.

RC, haven't Mallet and Eddie Jones both said they wouldn't be in the running? [/b]

I've not heard anything of that nature as of yet - and by that i mean none of the papers have declared that as being so.

<div class='quotemain'>...The WRU have sacked the culprit and sure enough the rest of the sorry excuses for a coaching team will go as well....
[/b]
Why do people ALWAYS blame the coaching staff??!!

Whilst I agree it is time for their heads to start rolling, the players have to take quite a decent amount of blame. [/b][/quote]

Sorry mate, are you saying that the coaches (namely a defensive coach who's never even coached at regional level in Wales, to Scarlets boys who's biggest success is Semi's in HEC and McBryde who doesn't seem to have a clue about rugby, let alone forwards play) aren't to blame? Internationally the most inexperienced coaching staff in the world - i'm more than happy to lay some blame on the players, but hell, the coaches CANNOT be let off the hook.
I think you have to understand the calibre of the coaches we had in place before you can comment on them with validity.
 

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