On a weekend where the weather decided to make a major impact on proceedings, both Edinburgh and Glasgow failed to take advantage of either the conditions or the severely weakened teams they were playing. As predicted, neither the Ospreys nor the Dragons had any Welsh Squad members playing in their respective teams, but still our teams failed to overpower either of them.
The right tactics win matches and I'm afraid in pouring rain the Scottish teams were found wanting. Welsh players seem to be taught to punt rugby balls for miles from an early age and both their fullbacks, Barry Davies, for the Ospreys and Jason Tovey, for the Dragons repeatedly pegged their Scottish opponents back forty or fifty meters.
The Dragons, in their match against
I'm afraid that Phil Godman's development as a No.10 general will continue to be compromised unless root and branch analysis is done on his kicking technique and appropriate action is taken to improve it. I suggest a few sessions under the tutelage of John Rutherford or Colin Telfer might be useful!
To give them their dues, Edinburgh did score a cracking try from a turnover when forwards and backs combined to put Andrew Turnbull over near the corner. The young flanker Roddy Grant was involved in the movement and he continues to impress me. His running style, his ball carrying, often in his left hand and his ubiquity around the field remind me of a young Richie McCaw - not a bad role model to copy.
Once again,
Even with the unfavourable results, both pro teams can very pleased with their Magners League form so far. Sitting second and third at nearly the half way point, many of the younger players can take a well earned rest and recharge their batteries for the rest of the campaign whilst the top players can look forward to very testing Tests against Fiji, Australia and Argentina. I wish them well.
