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Hi Christian, The France game being honest I thought we were in for a chance but those last 20 mins when the French done there changes it was no chance for us they were to big for us they bullied there win in, France were 70 Kg heavier than us in the scrum it was like they had an extra player. Sad to hear that George North is retiring from the Wales team, George had been a rock in our national team and played well for us and what a player he had been. Like you said at the age of 18 I remember his first Wales game against South Africa and scored two tries in the game, he is a legend and going to be missed, Diolch yn fawr George. As always an honest review Take care

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah, I second everything you said mate. George has been amazing for us over the years. I’m absolutely gutted that he’s retiring, but I thank him and wish him the best of luck with whatever it is 👏🏼👏🏼

I had the same thought as Shane Williams did and recon North definitely had the legs for 2/3 more years of international rugby. More and more players are just straight up leaving Welsh rugby... Tells us everything we need to know, not that it wasn't obvious enough already 😮

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yes, I think it’s probably better for him to go out nearer his top than slumped into a bit part player and sacrifice what’s left of his body. I was gutted as I am I’m happy for him and it’s a brave decision

GN is a great player and has been tremendous for us over the years

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah a 100%. He will be missed no doubt

He is a truly great player and ambassador for Wales.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah 100% we’ll said mate 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Do you think George was set in his decision to retire or was it being dropped for the France game? You mentioned you were shocked, myself included. I cant see him being that flippant after the years hes put in for Wales

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

I’m not too sure to be honest. The timing is interesting as you said. It’s clearly something he’s been thinking about. You don’t just retire in the space of a week but maybe missing the squad for France game made him think that he wasn’t prepared to train just to be a spectator ?

Shocking news, and it has filled me with dread. I'm happy to give Gats this year as a work in progress, but by next year we need to see some huge improvements. Unfortunately size has now become an issue, and we need to find this new breed of player pretty quickly if we are to keep up. Get those massive Georgian props over here now, and hopefully in four years we can have a proper front row.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

😂 yeah I get some big French guys from the second division too. Yeah I’m seeing, although I think it’s important to keep trying to pick up wins Gatlin certainly has a bit of time and grace to build things moving forward. My only concern is is Welsh Rugby, even in a position anymore where the men side can compete with these other nations?

Great video as always bud! I think we should win this weekend. Italy have had 2 big performances and that would’ve taken it out of their players. The pressure is off them to get a win and they might be a bit complacent. I’m not disrespecting Italy and I certainly think they can win, but I just feel that at home, Wales will do just enough. I’m gutted about George retiring. He burst onto the scene and has been one of the first names on the team sheet ever since. He could easily go on another couple of seasons. The fact he is choosing to step away signals to me that he’s not enjoying the welsh set up. We’ve seen other guys retire and others choose to make themselves unavailable by playing in England. A few years ago, every player would’ve done anything to pull on that Wales jersey and now guys are happy to turn it down. Very concerning.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Cheers Sam and I agree with everything you’re saying. I worry about the bench but I think we may just have enough. As for North I think it’s a really interesting point to make. I’m not sure exactly what it is whether it’s Gatland or just the way things are in Welsh rugby in general at the moment, but he surely someone who could’ve carried on playing if you wanted to, or it could just be that he doesn’t wanna keep sacrificing his body for losing cause?Who knows 🤷🏻‍♂️

@solinvictus1234

3 ай бұрын

Italy had 3 big performances, they lost by england only by three (and that Mitchell try honestly was in double movement). Apart from the French robbery.

I might get a lot of hate for saying this but As a Kiwi I was surprised that Gatland become the Wales coach again. Gatland was only able to lead Waikato to the quarter-finals, losing to 38-35 to Hawke's Bay.

@xxwales15xx33

3 ай бұрын

It's a valid reason but Gatland's style is just very suited to help us with where we have been for the last 15 years

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

yes, I agree that Gatland is uniquely suited for the position we’re in with all of his experience and understanding of Welsh rugby

Gutted to loose another legend too soon in my opinion, I think being dropped, was the final straw 🙁Good luck tomorrow boys 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿✅✌️

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah so gutted too mate. A real servant to Welsh rugby

I agree with what your saying I think if Gatland picks his strongest side and we lose then questions will be asked of him so I think he tried to find the middle ground with a strong 15 and weaker bench so we can beat Italy but it doesn't look terrible if we don't which keeps the pressure off him. I'm disappointed not to see Taine Basham I thought he deserved at least one start but maybe he's been carrying an injury who knows.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah I think you’re right. We know with Gatland nothing is by accident🤷🏻‍♂️ Not sure what’s wrong with the 2 Cardiff props? I think Basham has had a really bad season and he’s not at his best so would stick with Martin personally. More upside

I wholeheartedly agree with your Nick Tompkins stance, I’m not a fan of his and do not think he’s been up to par this 6N. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts about whether Wales need results in the summer tour for Gats to keep his job. He seems to be using this tournament to ‘develop’ rather than the summer tests so surely he needs to start seeing some wins at that point as his rebuilding phase would be well underway?? Interested to know what you think.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah it’s an interesting point. To me unless the wheels completely fall off and we don’t win anything at all over the next two years I think they will just stick with him. Realistically, we are right at the beginning of a complete rebuild and although I don’t agree with all of his selections at the moment, it makes no sense to not give him the benefit of the doubt while this team is really young. Also, adding on top of that I’m not really sure who else we could get in who would be able to do a better job with what we currently have. The only real one within Wales at the moment would possibly be Toby Booth as he’s done a fantastic job at the ospreys, but would that translate to international rugby and would even want the job I simply don’t know?

@HarryAD338

3 ай бұрын

Yes I would agree with you. I don’t think that this new trend of sacking coaches early on in their tenure has really worked for any team so far especially with no obvious heir. I agree Gats is the best guy to take this team forward but I do wonder if results don’t start to come if the Welsh popular opinion of him starts to drastically switch. Like you say in the video I think winning on Saturday is vital as losing all of the 6N games before going into the summer against South Africa and away in Australia… it could be a while before the results start coming in. I hope I’m wrong though as I’d love to see this young side performing. A good Welsh team is needed for rugby. Good luck on Saturday 👍

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

I think as long as we continue to see good performances and progression from these young players, people will stay patient. The problem with the game on Saturday was we were competitive for a about an hour and then he just fell off a cliff and it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. If we are pushing teams close, consistently get in the odd win or two, I think the public will give Gatland plenty of time

Botha and wyn Jones coming off the bench would of pleased me We

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah I agree. I think Wyn Jones had a good outing at scrum time in the Connaught game. I still think Smith would have been the better option though

How many regional teams can we afford to maintain Chris, anyone?

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Probably only like 2. I’ll be honest its not something I’ve looked into with any depth. Do you have any thoughts?

@halfaquarter2308

3 ай бұрын

No more than two, for me. Remember, we also have two second tier football clubs and no privately owned coal or steel industry to help finance any of them.The professional era has exposed the lack of wealth in our country. While we're at it, Chris, we need a concerted campaign to lobby the law maker's to reduce the influence that forwards have, on the game, whether it be through law changes or reducing the number of forwards on the pitch.

Diolch am dy ymdrech bob tro tra'n gwisgo crys Cymru dros y blynyddoedd - edrycha 'mlaen George. Pob lwc i ti yn y dyfodol. 👍

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Ye mae e wedi rhoi popeth I Gymru so Diolch George 👏🏼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

No Corey Dom or Assaratti which is weird. Mathis and O'Connor are more mobile but not as strong in the scrum. Watkins and Roberts should be on the bench. Evan Lloyd shouldn't be in the squad and Lloyd at 10 isn't good enough. Adams should be dropped and Liam Belcher , Sam Parry. Nicky smith. Are better players. Gilles on the wing. Tom Botha definitely deserves a go. I hope in the next round of international games in June other players get a chance.

@entmeister-general415

3 ай бұрын

Costelow should play the full 80 if Gatland insists on playing Lloyd put at 15 for the last 10 minutes

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

I’m really hoping that these young players pull through this match. I’m getting some vital experience to take back to the regions. If we get hammered with these young boys like lambs to the slaughter, I don’t know what we will do moving forward😬

@richardrees3225

3 ай бұрын

@@TheWelshSportsPodcast Yea I get playing youngsters but some of them haven't even played for the club sides. There are more experienced players out there that we can pick from and Gats still doesn't pick them which I find strange. (Eg.. Nicky smith) I get we are building for the future but he could be doing more damage than good. We need to build a winning culture but there doesn't seem to be that .. Losing to Italy on Saturday will be the biggest thing coz they have a younger squad than us.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yes, I think the winning culture like you said is so important and given players experience is great, but giving them the tag of the first wooden spoon/whitewash for 20 odd years, he’s going to do nothing but harm to the development

I shall be at the game, and I really don't know how it will go, I feel sorry for the players they are trying so hard they don't deserve the wooden spoon, the structure is not serving them well. They will be desperate to win but that could work against them, Wales could fall apart or take Italy to the cleaners. Finally thanks George North great player and sad to see him go, my worry is has George seen enough from inside the Wales camp to say, that's enough for me, good luck Mr North and good luck Wales.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

That’s a really interesting point about North with I hadn’t thought about. Maybe he sees where we are and just thinks that he wants no part of it. Could totally be the reason he’s packed it in 😬😬😬

@clivesilver463

3 ай бұрын

Its a bolt out of the blue North had a good 2 years left maybe more last week dropped after battling so hard against Ireland, and he's thinking younger guns are coming in I don't want to be in one week out the other,@@TheWelshSportsPodcast

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah I think it’s that. Read online he said he didn’t wanna be travelling back from France all the time and leaving his family which is fair enough

Everyone is repeating the size stats that the commentators KEPT highlighting during the game but we lost the last 20 minutes because of poor game management and individual errors which gave France easy field position and the ball. THAT allowed them to bring their power game. We coped with the size when we were moving them around but the last 20 minutes we allowed them to dictate the play …………. And Costello needs to change his face! He LOOKS lost/terrified the entire time!

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

😂 not sure he’s going to have much luck change in his face, but I guess there’s all these 1 percenters they can work on😂 Yeah, your point about game management is so true, it was so blatantly obvious that once Lloyd and Davis came on any direction we had completely collapsed

Dw i'n drist i weld yr ymddeoliad o George. Chwaraewr yn wych i Gymru. Diolch George, pob lwc gyda dy fyw ar ôl rygbi.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Ye mae e wedi rhoi popeth I Gymru Diolch George 👏🏼🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@RRTNZ

3 ай бұрын

@@TheWelshSportsPodcast Cytuno 100%

North has been a good player but was one of those "what could have been" players. Never really got there as a superstar and was more of a great never was.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Oh, I don’t know if I can agree with that. 120 appearances over 40 tries and two Lions tours. He had a slump admittedly in the middle of his career with a few bad concussions, but generally he’s been an excellent international, and I think one of Wales is best ever in the modern era 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

@boswellwhanau

3 ай бұрын

@@TheWelshSportsPodcast Those are nice numbers. However he's not a Jonah or a Johnny or a Dupont. He's just George North. and therein lies his problem, he's just George North. No one fears his name...and maybe thats worked for him 40 times crossing the line?? But he's not one of those blokes other teams live in fear of.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah not anymore but at one point they would have. He was an animal for parts of his career. Just remember him for the lions. He was on another level?

@boswellwhanau

3 ай бұрын

@@TheWelshSportsPodcast Dont get me wrong, he was a good player. Just not a great player in the greater scheme of things BUUUUT a bloody good player to have come out of Wales, and lets be honest, he probably could have been a great player had he had better players around him who could have helped him create some of that Lions magic more often for the red shirt 🙂

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Yeah fair point. He’s been a great servant either way hasn’t he. I wish him all the best

If you switch the name of Assarrati you get ratty arse. Just an observation.

@TheWelshSportsPodcast

3 ай бұрын

Seams fitting some how 🤷🏻‍♂️😂