I'm in my mid-60's, and that 70's team were my boyhood heroes. You are absolutely spot on about the chippy cheekiness being the key: those excellent Backs created off ball won by as brutal and adamant set of Forwards you could find. For every try scored by Benny, there was a spirit crushed by Graham Price. One thing not covered is the effect that John Dawes had on creating the 'modern' rugby player. Time to bin the WRU - and those German feathers along with them.
As an Irish fan living in Wales, the thing about the lie that Welsh fans tell themselves rings so true. I've had so many conversations with Welsh fans who, during the succesful era under Gatland, would still suck their teeth and moan about the style, talking wistfully about the 70's, even though they weren't born then. I've had to listen to friends moaning about Dan Biggar despite all he's achieved, basically because he isn't Barry John or Phil Bennet. What Gatland got out of the Welsh team for years was unbelievable, the only thing more unbelievable was the number of Welsh fans who were glad to see him go, thinking he'd been holding Wales back from playing some brand of free flowing, side stepping rugby that is in every Welshman's blood. Great analysis. Gatland coming back will certainly get Wales playing a more effective brand of rugby again. I worry for Ireland, who will have to play them with no analysis to go off. The only thing to add, is that much of Gatland's latter success was built around the crop of players who came through together in the 2008 Wales U20 team (Biggar, 1/2p, Tipuric, Davies etc.). The Wales U20 haven't even finished in the top half of the 6 nations for the last few years; Gatland might be back, but he might not have the same calibre of player available to him.
I'd agree with this. We never see ourselves as others do, we buy into the stories we tell ourselves and ignore the reality in front of us. Gatland is unsentimental, so didn't buy into the lie. He's also highly pragmatic and will do whatever works. I never complained about 'Warrenball' being boring, (I remember the free flowing hammerings Wales took in the G Jenkins era). The games could be unspectacular, but the team always stood their ground and fought tooth and claw. I loved Gatland for that.
It was much the same story in Ireland with Joe Schmidt; Joe recognized the limitations of the team he had - as opposed to the team many supporters vainly believed they had - and played towards them. His philosophy - low percentages, high work-rate, stingy defense, clever strategic kicking and sharp pre-rehearsed attacking plays - remains the backbone of the current Irish team and their most successful province, even if both are now in the hands of other coaches
@@Formakiwi Yeah, I remember the grumblings during the Schmidt era. For the most part though, I thought there was a grudging acceptance of it in Ireland. I think because we have never had a golden age that we could get all misty eyed about, unlike the Welsh with the 70s. The gameplan has evolved a lot since then. Have you watched Leinster play? They racked up over 184 points in the pool stages of the euro cup. The running lines and inventiveness is a joy to watch. If you need to catch up on the current Ireland play, Squidge did a really good video following the series win in NZ in the summer. You should watch it, it will really bring you up to date with current play, its titled "So How did Ireland dominate the All Blacks?".
At least they have Tshiunza coming through, man's a beast. Add that to a decent amount of talent already in the first team and it's not so bad. 6N round the corner, so we'll see.
the fact it is run by amateurs without the first idea how to run a multi-million pound business/organisation is beggars belief. The fact a businesswoman who was given numerous awards for her competence was driven out tells you all you need to know about the stuffed blazers that run the welsh game
The problem is that they won’t change unless people vote with their feet. The pressure by welsh government might help but ultimately unless they see less than 80-90% capacity at the Ireland match, they might think they can carry on regardless as those that do decide not to attend out of principle will have their tickets sold to people who don’t care
I find this situation amazing, with all the corruption, incompetence and abuse of the game since the 90's the WRU has done, it takes some stories of people saying nasty words to women for there to be a massive public outcry. It's almost like welsh rugby fans weren't listened to for decades, but the 'current thing' steamrolls up and kills everything it touches.
As a latecomer to rugby fandom who lives in a tier-2 nation (USA) and who has never played myself (other than a few games of touch), Squidge Rugby has deepened my understanding and appreciation of the game far beyond what I could have ever thought possible. It's an incredible balance of depth and accessibility. In this video, for example, we learn that Pivac's attacking rugby gameplan depends on wings distributing instead of fly halves, and on forwards staying out of rucks to handle the ball while outside backs clear out... well, that's basically the opposite of what I learned from every "Rugby 101" article I ever read when trying to learn the game! And yet, Squidge explains it - and demonstrates it - to the point that I actually think I'm starting to understand international rugby! Likewise, this channel has a unique ability to simultaneously expose and condemn rugby's sizable dark side, while also spotlighting and celebrating the reasons why the sport is still worth enjoying. It's less of a "careful balancing act" as it is just a gushing fire hose with two nozzles. We get a full-power blast of Squidge's infectious love and pride for Welsh rugby at the same time as his unmitigated disgust at the WRU's toxic culture, and neither emotion takes away anything from the other. Side note: If I could ask for one thing from the channel, it would simply be for the videos to slow down. I find myself having to pause-and-rewind constantly to catch the mile-a-minute commentary, wordplay, inside jokes, split-second captions, and blink-and-you'll miss it observations. Sometimes I resort to watching on 0.75 or 0.5 speed just to catch it all! I would also imagine that anyone unfamiliar with the accent (or still learning the English language) would have even more trouble. I mean, it's your channel and I get that this is your style; I'm going to watch new videos anyways, and the speed settings are there for me. Just a thought!
Could not say it better. These are the two reasons I became a patreon. First and foremost for the stand for inclusiveness, or in other words against racism, sexism, and plain criminal acts (including rape). Second, as patreon, we get the script. I am not a native speaker. A rugby fan since my early days, learning so much from Squidge rugby, the Antoine Dupont of rugby channels. 🏉
Great time to be an American rugby fan, the Eagles are coming! There's a great doco about "the combine" that you should check out if you havent already... And Squidge has something (a LOT) to teach most people about rugby, he's superb, totally agree! (although he's often pretty biased :I )
Agree with all of the rugby bit above, but speed is very important to Squidge videos because his unit of time is human speech as he reads his script, whereas his visual detail can be watched at any speed. Stop start. 0.5X etc. Sometimes he even speeds up the rugby. This allows him to get the most out of the medium, and in my unmade music videos, I am heavily influenced by Squidge, because he understands the differences between sound and sight.
Thank you so much Squidge! Not only for the superb analysis, but for the messages at the start and end of your video today. Absolutely fantastic work. People listen to you, so I'm really pleased to hear you holding the WRU's feet to the fire. The media in Wales (which is basically only BBC Wales Sport and the Western Mail) are far too close to their mates in the WRU to ask any difficult questions for too long. They need their access so they can get tipped off the day before the squad announcements. Even the Welsh Gov seem to be in a thrall to the WRU, they immediately announced there'd be no inquiry the morning after the doc came out! Keep up the good work.
Even better than the knowledgable commentary and analysis - your product promotion is always the highlight of the videos. Outstanding analysis - no one else comes close.
Thanks Squidge, your videos are always brilliant. Such great analysis of the game we love while still being really entertaining. They need to put you on the BBC halftime analysis.
The only people in rugby I feel safe to say are idols of mine are Ardie Savea and Siya Kolisi. Crazy the types of things coming out these days about current or former players,entire unions or teams.
@@jamesrichards2661 The aforementioned WRU scandal and Rufus McLean being kicked out of Glasgow for domestic abuse are 2 things that immediately spring to mind.
@@jamesrichards2661 WRU,Rufus McLean, Sevu Reece,Shannon Frizzell all committed crimes against women wether it be sexual assault, beating a woman or even rape accusations
The south African team is surprisingly clean which is wierd because we used to be absolute mongrels back in the 90s. The people in charge of rugby SA have been working hard to get rid of that image and tbh the only controversy I can actually name with a modern springboks player is the dietitian and Eltons affair
As always, an incredibly well explained and laid out analysis. I'd not had any real exposure to the technical side of rugby formations but Squidge makes it all really easy to understand. And keep shining a spotlight on the ugly side of rugby, a sport that likes to think it has a chivalrous code of honour but often doesn't practice what it preaches
And think, Beirne got his first call for Ireland practically when he was about to leave Llanelli...and he was starting to be lined up constantly not before 2020.
It's just sooooo weird that the Scarletts attack was just amazing under Pivac but the moment he got the job of coaching the country, the attack specifically was like one of the main reasons why he failed to deliver.
Squidge, your serious face at the end of this video made you look like a 70s serial killer! But truly, I applaud the fact that your passion for the game don't blind you to the injustices that gets sweapt under the rug so often. We sometimes forget that there are human victims to these sort of injustices. We need more like you holding rugby and it's bosses to account, but you're doing a great job keeping these conversations alive!
I really enjoyed this video, both from a technical, rugby analysis side; breaking down the overall system, how it worked and what its flaws were in a really well-organized manner is always fascinating, and from the more people-focused conclusion. You can tell how much love Squidge has for the team and the game, and I think he absolutely nailed why I've always found watching Wales play so compelling, being absolute scrappy bastards who never give a damn inch even when it seems like they're roundly outmatched
This is the rare piece that comes along only when someone with frightening intelligence gets the chance to talk about something lying deep in the core of their personal identity.
Saying this ahead of watching the video but after the 40-6 demolition of Australia (best game I have personally seen Wales ever play at the World Cup): really happy Gatland is back. He's a title winner and always gets the best out of our guys during World Cups. 🙌 I do also want to tip my hat to Pivac at least a little: some of the problems with WRU go deep enough that to blame any coach standalone is quite harsh and we did manage to win a 6 Nations under him: hell, only barely missed out on the Grandslam right at the death. Yes, we were very lucky that tournament, but you still have to be playing well enough to make the luck count. As ecstatic as I am Gatland is back and as poor as some of the results under Pivac were, we did get a 6N and triple crown and no-one can take that away from him. Onwards and upwards though: it's hard to see us going all the way with France and Ireland looking as good as they are (and can never write off NZ or SA either) but we'll hopefully have a tournament to enjoy! 🏴 Time for me to shut up and watch. 👌
Straight out of the gate: I agree wholeheartedly with your first statement and personally won't be supporting the WRU with my cash until there's change.
Did you spend a lot before the last few weeks? Being a season ticket holder, supporter and massive critic of the WRU over the last 30 years, I find it embarrassing that a lot of younger semi fans jump on to mysoginy, and ignore the decades of corruption and abuse the organisation has done to the sport. So much bad stuff, but nasty words to women bring it down, baa, baaaaahhh, baahahhahaaahahaahhh
@@leeofdoom4452 a) it isn't just "nasty words to women" it was a misogynistic culture b) I've been to a lot of games, both national and club, over the past decade, as well as regularly purchasing jerseys. I'm going to Paris for the game in March (bought tickets through the French federation). But even if I didn't, it's still my decision where I put my cash. You can do what you want with yours.
Something else to consider is that Wales developed a knack for self destruction under Pivac, most notably in games they performed well in: For the Grand Slam game versus France they were in complete control and playing the best rugby of the tournament. But imploded with two yellow cards dropping down to 13 men. First test v South Africa in the summer, Wales were playing lights out. Briefly down to 12 men before finishing the game at 13. Autumn test v Australia, sitting pretty with a decent lead. Wales drop down to 13 men again and throw the game away. This wasn’t just a case of test rookies making errors. AWJ, Liam Williams and Tipuric were also culpable. I’ve never seen such a worrying trend for a team. This would never have happened under Gatland.
@@clivesilver463 agreed. After much frustration during the 2020 6 nations and the autumn nations cup where Wales just didn’t look at the races at all, I didn’t feel confident in Pivac or the team. Wins against Ireland and Scotland felt hollow due to the red cards. Even the record score versus England felt odd due to the two controversial tries. At 60+ minutes, up by 10 and in complete control versus a good French team in Paris, I finally felt confidence in Pivac and Wales. There wasn’t a red card to blame, or controversial tries. Wales were playing really well and looked fully deserving of a grand slam. When Williamse received the red card on 68 minutes I was in no doubt that Wales would win. But then they just capitulated. I never regained confidence in Pivac and the team after that. Wales looked horrid against Argentina in the summer. The autumn was punctuated by a record loss to New Zealand and wins by virtue of two more red cards versus Fiji and Australia. Falling back to earth in 2022 felt inevitable, but I did not see Wales losing at home to Italy and Georgia.
Yes, it would never happen under Gatland because he wouldn't have made the same stupid and unnecessary substitutions that Pivac made to lose both matches
@@jamesbrawn5458 You make some good points, that French game I really thought Wales and Pivac had arrived at the style of play that was going to get us somewhere, but the wheels fell off , it was clear the pattern of play was not working,, I was at the Georgia game you could see the defeat coming, at that time I thought we would get white washed in the six nations, thank god there is some light out of this tunnel.
yea that shit was insane 76 minutes 20 seconds played Wales are up 10 Points then France ran in 2 tries to snatch the victory just saying you would never see Ireland or England or France do that in a GrandSlam Game
Trust Squidgy to slip a Community reference in. Never change, you mad bastard. Also, speaking of Dan Harmon shows, Justin Roiland's domestic violence charge was buried for two years until a journalist dug it up and brought it to light. It was only after that that people took action and he was fired. Here's hoping the news media hold the WRU's feet to the fire, so some sort of justice can be served.
That reliance on backs to clean out seems to be a theme with a bunch of kiwi coaches. Plumbtree had exactly the same approach at the Hurricanes and while it can work at lower levels it has been a disaster in tests
@@leeofdoom4452 definitely speak out. The only bullshit I've seen squidge express an opinion on that could be construed as jumping on a bandwagon is stuff that basically any opinion could be construed as jumping on the bandwagon (ie both sides of the argument have tonnes of support) and there have been a few things I've seen him speak out about that've barely caused a ripple elsewhere
Great analysis! We need to be as fit as we can, and to sort out basics. The game is a set piece game, we need to control as much as possible. A flair game can only be played when the brutal set piece game is won.
As an England fan, this feels so familiar. Coach makes us win, people complain it's not what they want, so RFU impose themselves. England lose, everyone moans even more, change is forced. It all panned out differently but the root problem is the same. Too many people moaning on the internet and too much rubbish press just lapping it up and having a go at the coaches.
are we going to get an Eddie Jones post mortem, or any reference at all to that "eddie is going to win the world cup" video, or are we just never going to mention it again?
Excellent presentation, really enjoyed! However, one thing I would say that's been missed is that our set piece also went to sh!t under Pivac. This was huge. It was never great, but Gatland had our set piece as functional and just good enough to get by at the least. Under Pivac, it was an obvious weakness and other teams targeted it specifically and wrecked whole games.
I wonder though, is the reason Welsh rugby is lackig passing wings maybe also because Gatland didn't train anyone up to the role (considering he didn't need to) so the focus was not there. Meaning going back to Gatland will just go back to the previous style and perpetuate the problem. Does that make sense?
Great video, thanks. I’ve really enjoyed learning about the various attacking shapes like 1-3-2-2 or whatever from your vids. How about more of this, like a series of mini vids, one explaining each of all the other pieces of rugby play that must exist too? What kinds of defensive structures are there? What kinds of line out throw calls and options do teams take? Scrum techniques? What kinds of different back row balance / centres pairings / etc etc work and why? And how about an analysis of refs and how different guys interpret the rules? Would love to know more about all this, proper rugby nerd stuff! Thanks.
Spot on, Gatlands plan was also genius because of its simplicity. The more complicated and dependent on high levels skills the harder to execute consistently and in poor conditions. It was attritional and so costly in terms of injury at world cups etc..
I don't always have the stamina to get through some of your deeper deep-dives, but I was glued to this - some of your best work. Weirdly, I feel like you would be a good political scientist - the idea of institutions having default myths and shibboleths that cannot be violated even though it violates any rational sense of "what is actually fit for purpose" sounds a lot like my college studies about why rational actor theory isn't terribly useful for understanding the world. Love, love, love this analysis.
This was endlessly interesting as a way of explaining to a rugby fan who still doesn't understand the game, how it can be done wrong :D but it is amazing to me that Welsh fans were as bored as they were 8 | Great video!
25:17 That is not a real headline, right? I can't even imagine the entitlement of the people who would seriously, with a straight face, think, say, write and publish that!
As someone that watched every home game in Parc y scarlets during their two best seasons under pivac. The energy drained out of the team when rumours of him leaving for the Wales job destroyed the team. And it seemed to carry over for Wales. I think as of for the last couple years, Wales has had the players capable of beating any team in the world if they tried hard enough. But a lack of effort and comradery is what really dragged the team down
He was made coach of Wales far too early while Gatland was still in charge then went AWOL with Scarlets after confirmed. During his tenure of Wales he kept on changing the team too much and although some success the game management during the game on substitution was not great. He did succeed in South Africa though and for that he should be remembered.
Gatland's changes always seemed controlled and systematic, Pivac's more haphazard and poorly thought out. Injuries did play a rôle, but he never really seemed to know what his best match 23 was and the steadying hand of Shaun Edwards was removed for some crazy reason .
@@philipmarsden7104 Agreed although WRU took Shaun Edwards out by not renewing contract not Pivac. That Australia game was telling point for me. It was a good entertaining game and Wales played well but they lost it in last 20 minutes due to very poor game management a lot of that with the poor substitutions came from Pivac unfortunately. Tiparic didn't help either glad Ken is captain now.
@@p.thomas7843 I realise that, but Pivac not DEMANDING from the WRU that Edwards stays is like asking your bank manager to repair your car for you, rather than a competent mechanic. Agreed, Pivac didn't cause that problem but he made it predictably and avoidably worse. It was a problem so embarrassingly simple to avoid, like bumping into a tree in a desert with no other trees around for hundreds of miles.
A fine analysis. I thought I was alone in thinking that Priestland was dealt a very bad hand in the Georgia defeat. The WRU is clearly not fit for purpose. As well as the toxic culture, the way it has let the issue of Regional funding and player salaries just drift along without action and solutions makes me furious. So well said Squidge.
I believe Warren Garland’s success was always overstated. He may had his moments against the Northern Hemisphere teams in 6 Nations. However, my understanding is that in his 12 years at Wales he had no win against the All Blacks, three wins against the Wallabies (one in 2018 and one in 2019 when the Wallabies were struggling under Michael Cheika) and one series win against the Springboks in 2018 when the Springboks were at their low. The Pivac era may have their problems but I wouldn’t look at the Gatland era with rise pedalled glasses.
I think a lot of that doggedness in the original Gatland-era team Squidge was talking about could also be attributed to Shaun Edwards. You can see the influence he's had on the French. Hopefully the Welsh will have a resurgence under Gatland. Until they play Scotland that is when hopefully they'll fall to bits and let us get a rare win.
Exactly, in my opinion. If Gatland goes out and wins a Triple Crown, the Championship or a Grand Slam, then just about everything about the WRU recently I expect will be forgiven and forgotten. As for Scotland, quite often it is they who fall to bits under very little external pressure!😂
Love this video for multiple reasons, most importantly the accuracy of the main points. Having just gone through the wallabies coaching change here in Aus, so much of the coverage has been Rennie sucks and Eddie is the GOAT. Glad you pointed out the flaws in Pivac weren't that he was some rugby moron but rather a rugby romantic, he reminded me of Cheika prior to his sacking, game-planning to play 'Australian Rugby' rather than to beat the team you're playing (similarly they both had impressive and self-assuring peaks: Cheika's 2015 RWC final / Pivac's 2021 6Ns)
Wales can still become a great attacking side again, just not with Pivac and Gatland must be convinced to make them play more expansive, plus the attack must WORK AND BE EFFECTIVE.
the lack of ball playing winger issue feels like something that could have been solved by allowing fast or skilful players like George North, Nick Tompkins and Willis Halaholo to play a wing/centre hybrid role and then bring in players like Gareth Anscombe and Jarrod Evans that play a lot like Johnny McNicholl and Steph Evans to play a wing/ 2nd outside half hybrid role alongside Biggar as the main outside half like England did with Ford and Farrell. Also he could have just grown a pair and made up with Steph Evans
Absolutely stunning bit of work 👌 and highlighting what should not stay in the dark. I think this would present itself as the perfect CV to a certain Warren should it not be for the potential employers.
This is the best one - because I am a Welsh rugby fan for the very reasons discussed in this video. Why choose the arrogance of English Rugby over the chippy "little bastards" that are Wales plucky little buggers who never give up - I love it
I love and adore your videos man. I hope to meet you one day if you are down in SA. BUT SRSLY I bet/think you spend way too much time on these videos haha.
Pivac should have been sacked at least 2 years ago. He was never good enough and had one season where through luck got the 6 Nations trophy that win gave Pivac far too much time in a job he was never even close to being good enough for.
“[Scarlets] …also managing to make a European Cup semi final for the first time since 2004”. 2007 was our previous semi final! You’re a bigger fibber than Pivac! ;-)
I think Gatland underachieved in his first spell as Wales coach. He had a team of world class players. He will struggle now the players are not as good.
WRT the allegations you mentioned at the start of the video, this was the first time I'd heard about them. Even The Guardian has spent more time fulminating about tackle height in the past couple of weeks, so I don't hold much expectation for change occurring.
This is really impressive. Opened my eyes to a lot of the positional play that Wales have attempted over the last couple of years which looked good on paper but excluded the game strengths of individual players. Why are you on TV as a pundit? 👍
Would it be fair to say that something similar applies to the post-2019 years for England under Eddie Jones? Not the part about fans telling themselves they want something else, but Eddie sticking stubbornly to a game plan that wasn't working? In your video on how England could win the World Cup in 2023, you break down how Eddie is bringing in an unstructured system, but, like Pivac, this only came together in small bursts. I am not sure he had the players to implement the plan nor the time to do it. As an England fan I wanted Eddie to stay until the World Cup and was guuted at his dismissal, but I have mixed feelings about whether his grand plan would have come together.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm in my mid-60's, and that 70's team were my boyhood heroes. You are absolutely spot on about the chippy cheekiness being the key: those excellent Backs created off ball won by as brutal and adamant set of Forwards you could find. For every try scored by Benny, there was a spirit crushed by Graham Price. One thing not covered is the effect that John Dawes had on creating the 'modern' rugby player. Time to bin the WRU - and those German feathers along with them.
As an Irish fan living in Wales, the thing about the lie that Welsh fans tell themselves rings so true. I've had so many conversations with Welsh fans who, during the succesful era under Gatland, would still suck their teeth and moan about the style, talking wistfully about the 70's, even though they weren't born then. I've had to listen to friends moaning about Dan Biggar despite all he's achieved, basically because he isn't Barry John or Phil Bennet. What Gatland got out of the Welsh team for years was unbelievable, the only thing more unbelievable was the number of Welsh fans who were glad to see him go, thinking he'd been holding Wales back from playing some brand of free flowing, side stepping rugby that is in every Welshman's blood.
Great analysis. Gatland coming back will certainly get Wales playing a more effective brand of rugby again. I worry for Ireland, who will have to play them with no analysis to go off.
The only thing to add, is that much of Gatland's latter success was built around the crop of players who came through together in the 2008 Wales U20 team (Biggar, 1/2p, Tipuric, Davies etc.). The Wales U20 haven't even finished in the top half of the 6 nations for the last few years; Gatland might be back, but he might not have the same calibre of player available to him.
I'd agree with this. We never see ourselves as others do, we buy into the stories we tell ourselves and ignore the reality in front of us. Gatland is unsentimental, so didn't buy into the lie. He's also highly pragmatic and will do whatever works. I never complained about 'Warrenball' being boring, (I remember the free flowing hammerings Wales took in the G Jenkins era). The games could be unspectacular, but the team always stood their ground and fought tooth and claw. I loved Gatland for that.
it took much longer than I am proud to admit to understand that 1/2p is Halfpenny...
It was much the same story in Ireland with Joe Schmidt; Joe recognized the limitations of the team he had - as opposed to the team many supporters vainly believed they had - and played towards them. His philosophy - low percentages, high work-rate, stingy defense, clever strategic kicking and sharp pre-rehearsed attacking plays - remains the backbone of the current Irish team and their most successful province, even if both are now in the hands of other coaches
@@Formakiwi Yeah, I remember the grumblings during the Schmidt era. For the most part though, I thought there was a grudging acceptance of it in Ireland. I think because we have never had a golden age that we could get all misty eyed about, unlike the Welsh with the 70s.
The gameplan has evolved a lot since then. Have you watched Leinster play? They racked up over 184 points in the pool stages of the euro cup. The running lines and inventiveness is a joy to watch. If you need to catch up on the current Ireland play, Squidge did a really good video following the series win in NZ in the summer. You should watch it, it will really bring you up to date with current play, its titled "So How did Ireland dominate the All Blacks?".
At least they have Tshiunza coming through, man's a beast. Add that to a decent amount of talent already in the first team and it's not so bad. 6N round the corner, so we'll see.
The WRU needs a total reshape. The allegations that have come out are horrible. A lot needs to change off the pitch to make Welsh rugby respectable.
the fact it is run by amateurs without the first idea how to run a multi-million pound business/organisation is beggars belief. The fact a businesswoman who was given numerous awards for her competence was driven out tells you all you need to know about the stuffed blazers that run the welsh game
The problem is that they won’t change unless people vote with their feet. The pressure by welsh government might help but ultimately unless they see less than 80-90% capacity at the Ireland match, they might think they can carry on regardless as those that do decide not to attend out of principle will have their tickets sold to people who don’t care
What are the allegations?
I find this situation amazing, with all the corruption, incompetence and abuse of the game since the 90's the WRU has done, it takes some stories of people saying nasty words to women for there to be a massive public outcry.
It's almost like welsh rugby fans weren't listened to for decades, but the 'current thing' steamrolls up and kills everything it touches.
@@Kombo-Chapfika sexist abuse of female employees
As a latecomer to rugby fandom who lives in a tier-2 nation (USA) and who has never played myself (other than a few games of touch), Squidge Rugby has deepened my understanding and appreciation of the game far beyond what I could have ever thought possible.
It's an incredible balance of depth and accessibility. In this video, for example, we learn that Pivac's attacking rugby gameplan depends on wings distributing instead of fly halves, and on forwards staying out of rucks to handle the ball while outside backs clear out... well, that's basically the opposite of what I learned from every "Rugby 101" article I ever read when trying to learn the game! And yet, Squidge explains it - and demonstrates it - to the point that I actually think I'm starting to understand international rugby!
Likewise, this channel has a unique ability to simultaneously expose and condemn rugby's sizable dark side, while also spotlighting and celebrating the reasons why the sport is still worth enjoying. It's less of a "careful balancing act" as it is just a gushing fire hose with two nozzles. We get a full-power blast of Squidge's infectious love and pride for Welsh rugby at the same time as his unmitigated disgust at the WRU's toxic culture, and neither emotion takes away anything from the other.
Side note: If I could ask for one thing from the channel, it would simply be for the videos to slow down. I find myself having to pause-and-rewind constantly to catch the mile-a-minute commentary, wordplay, inside jokes, split-second captions, and blink-and-you'll miss it observations. Sometimes I resort to watching on 0.75 or 0.5 speed just to catch it all! I would also imagine that anyone unfamiliar with the accent (or still learning the English language) would have even more trouble. I mean, it's your channel and I get that this is your style; I'm going to watch new videos anyways, and the speed settings are there for me. Just a thought!
Could not say it better. These are the two reasons I became a patreon. First and foremost for the stand for inclusiveness, or in other words against racism, sexism, and plain criminal acts (including rape). Second, as patreon, we get the script.
I am not a native speaker.
A rugby fan since my early days, learning so much from Squidge rugby, the Antoine Dupont of rugby channels. 🏉
Great time to be an American rugby fan, the Eagles are coming!
There's a great doco about "the combine" that you should check out if you havent already...
And Squidge has something (a LOT) to teach most people about rugby, he's superb, totally agree! (although he's often pretty biased :I )
ruclips.net/video/vThrDuF_R-s/видео.html
Rugby Pass has a few docos about Eagles... another about USA vs NZ...
Agree with all of the rugby bit above, but speed is very important to Squidge videos because his unit of time is human speech as he reads his script, whereas his visual detail can be watched at any speed. Stop start. 0.5X etc. Sometimes he even speeds up the rugby. This allows him to get the most out of the medium, and in my unmade music videos, I am heavily influenced by Squidge, because he understands the differences between sound and sight.
Amazing, balanced and fact checked stuff, with some of the best jokes in the sport 😂 great new series I’d love to see for Dave Rennie & Eddie Jones
Thank you so much Squidge! Not only for the superb analysis, but for the messages at the start and end of your video today. Absolutely fantastic work. People listen to you, so I'm really pleased to hear you holding the WRU's feet to the fire. The media in Wales (which is basically only BBC Wales Sport and the Western Mail) are far too close to their mates in the WRU to ask any difficult questions for too long. They need their access so they can get tipped off the day before the squad announcements. Even the Welsh Gov seem to be in a thrall to the WRU, they immediately announced there'd be no inquiry the morning after the doc came out! Keep up the good work.
"Either have to wait 5 years, or be spain" killed me 😂
Even better than the knowledgable commentary and analysis - your product promotion is always the highlight of the videos. Outstanding analysis - no one else comes close.
One of Squidge's best videos. So right about the terrible state of the WRU
Thanks Squidge, your videos are always brilliant. Such great analysis of the game we love while still being really entertaining. They need to put you on the BBC halftime analysis.
Hear, Hear!!
The only people in rugby I feel safe to say are idols of mine are Ardie Savea and Siya Kolisi. Crazy the types of things coming out these days about current or former players,entire unions or teams.
Elaborate?
@@jamesrichards2661 The aforementioned WRU scandal and Rufus McLean being kicked out of Glasgow for domestic abuse are 2 things that immediately spring to mind.
@@jamesrichards2661 WRU,Rufus McLean, Sevu Reece,Shannon Frizzell all committed crimes against women wether it be sexual assault, beating a woman or even rape accusations
The south African team is surprisingly clean which is wierd because we used to be absolute mongrels back in the 90s. The people in charge of rugby SA have been working hard to get rid of that image and tbh the only controversy I can actually name with a modern springboks player is the dietitian and Eltons affair
@@Forest9528 people who run SA rugby for government 2024? Maybe they can fix the rest of the country lol.
Glad you raised the genuine big issue
As always, an incredibly well explained and laid out analysis. I'd not had any real exposure to the technical side of rugby formations but Squidge makes it all really easy to understand. And keep shining a spotlight on the ugly side of rugby, a sport that likes to think it has a chivalrous code of honour but often doesn't practice what it preaches
Stunning commentary - really laid out the Pivac era in a fair and considered way
This is a more analytical and detailed overview of Pivac's Wales era than I have ever seen the 'pundits' produce. Excellent video.
Shoutout to SquareSpace for helping keep the lights on for Squidge.
Two more sleeps till rugby! 🍻 🏉 🤍❤️💚
Barclay and Beirne were both huge for the Scarlets when they were successful. It's as if Pivac forgot they weren't welsh.
And think, Beirne got his first call for Ireland practically when he was about to leave Llanelli...and he was starting to be lined up constantly not before 2020.
Would Beirne have qualified on residency rule? I must say asa Munster man he’s one of the best players we’ve had in the last 10 years.
@@karlclifford1176 what do you mean? Qualified for Wales? Anyway, no, he spent just two years with Scarlets
After the win over the weekend this is more relevant than ever. Thank you Squidge
Loved that. Especially the last 5 mins.... brought a tear to my eye.
It's just sooooo weird that the Scarletts attack was just amazing under Pivac but the moment he got the job of coaching the country, the attack specifically was like one of the main reasons why he failed to deliver.
Still a huge gulf between club and international standards, especially in northern hemisphere
@@Alfonzridesagain You're spot on mate, that's the exact thing that I though about of why Pivac's attack maybe couldn't have worked out with Wales
Squidge, your serious face at the end of this video made you look like a 70s serial killer!
But truly, I applaud the fact that your passion for the game don't blind you to the injustices that gets sweapt under the rug so often. We sometimes forget that there are human victims to these sort of injustices.
We need more like you holding rugby and it's bosses to account, but you're doing a great job keeping these conversations alive!
I really enjoyed this video, both from a technical, rugby analysis side; breaking down the overall system, how it worked and what its flaws were in a really well-organized manner is always fascinating, and from the more people-focused conclusion. You can tell how much love Squidge has for the team and the game, and I think he absolutely nailed why I've always found watching Wales play so compelling, being absolute scrappy bastards who never give a damn inch even when it seems like they're roundly outmatched
It makes you think how much Pivac’s modus operandi was dictated to from the boardroom. ‘We want an open beautiful game, Wayne. Carry on then’
A superb analysis. 👏 I was unaware of this approach by Pivac but you have explained it so very nicely.
This is seriously excellent analysis Squidge, thanks so much! Honestly Wales could do a lot worse than having you as an analyst
Your name sounds like half irish and half italian, ahahah
@@michelefavaretto627 That would be because it is! Irish first name, Italian surname
@@saoirsedeltufo7436 sorry i thought it was a nickname 😅 well, i'm italian...ciao!
This is the rare piece that comes along only when someone with frightening intelligence gets the chance to talk about something lying deep in the core of their personal identity.
Frightening intelligence 😂
The best thing about Squidge's videos are the hilarious captions he writes for his imaginary Squarespace pages.
"Leinster play their internationals in green". Very funny.
The "smash it up" in the saffa accent, two things just go hand in hand 🤣
And I miight add one of the most informative videos I've seen on RUclips.
Terrific ! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely tip top Squidge content as always.
Saying this ahead of watching the video but after the 40-6 demolition of Australia (best game I have personally seen Wales ever play at the World Cup): really happy Gatland is back. He's a title winner and always gets the best out of our guys during World Cups. 🙌
I do also want to tip my hat to Pivac at least a little: some of the problems with WRU go deep enough that to blame any coach standalone is quite harsh and we did manage to win a 6 Nations under him: hell, only barely missed out on the Grandslam right at the death.
Yes, we were very lucky that tournament, but you still have to be playing well enough to make the luck count.
As ecstatic as I am Gatland is back and as poor as some of the results under Pivac were, we did get a 6N and triple crown and no-one can take that away from him.
Onwards and upwards though: it's hard to see us going all the way with France and Ireland looking as good as they are (and can never write off NZ or SA either) but we'll hopefully have a tournament to enjoy! 🏴
Time for me to shut up and watch. 👌
Lump in my throat at the end of that video Mr Squidge (the original video), very well put.
Let's hope the boys and Gats can deliver an upset today!
Excellent video. Nearly cried. Diolch yn fawr.
Straight out of the gate: I agree wholeheartedly with your first statement and personally won't be supporting the WRU with my cash until there's change.
Did you spend a lot before the last few weeks?
Being a season ticket holder, supporter and massive critic of the WRU over the last 30 years, I find it embarrassing that a lot of younger semi fans jump on to mysoginy, and ignore the decades of corruption and abuse the organisation has done to the sport.
So much bad stuff, but nasty words to women bring it down, baa, baaaaahhh, baahahhahaaahahaahhh
@@leeofdoom4452 shut up
@@leeofdoom4452 a) it isn't just "nasty words to women" it was a misogynistic culture
b) I've been to a lot of games, both national and club, over the past decade, as well as regularly purchasing jerseys. I'm going to Paris for the game in March (bought tickets through the French federation). But even if I didn't, it's still my decision where I put my cash. You can do what you want with yours.
@@jakeyorath2325 of course I can...
But you can falsely claim whatever you want, but myself and the thousands of die hards will laugh at your opinions
Insightful as always! I hope that chippy attitude makes a comeback and soon 😁
Something else to consider is that Wales developed a knack for self destruction under Pivac, most notably in games they performed well in:
For the Grand Slam game versus France they were in complete control and playing the best rugby of the tournament. But imploded with two yellow cards dropping down to 13 men.
First test v South Africa in the summer, Wales were playing lights out. Briefly down to 12 men before finishing the game at 13.
Autumn test v Australia, sitting pretty with a decent lead. Wales drop down to 13 men again and throw the game away.
This wasn’t just a case of test rookies making errors. AWJ, Liam Williams and Tipuric were also culpable.
I’ve never seen such a worrying trend for a team. This would never have happened under Gatland.
Agree with you, the French game for 60 mins was amazing the best rugby Wales have ever played, then suicide.
@@clivesilver463 agreed. After much frustration during the 2020 6 nations and the autumn nations cup where Wales just didn’t look at the races at all, I didn’t feel confident in Pivac or the team.
Wins against Ireland and Scotland felt hollow due to the red cards. Even the record score versus England felt odd due to the two controversial tries.
At 60+ minutes, up by 10 and in complete control versus a good French team in Paris, I finally felt confidence in Pivac and Wales. There wasn’t a red card to blame, or controversial tries. Wales were playing really well and looked fully deserving of a grand slam. When Williamse received the red card on 68 minutes I was in no doubt that Wales would win. But then they just capitulated.
I never regained confidence in Pivac and the team after that. Wales looked horrid against Argentina in the summer. The autumn was punctuated by a record loss to New Zealand and wins by virtue of two more red cards versus Fiji and Australia.
Falling back to earth in 2022 felt inevitable, but I did not see Wales losing at home to Italy and Georgia.
Yes, it would never happen under Gatland because he wouldn't have made the same stupid and unnecessary substitutions that Pivac made to lose both matches
@@jamesbrawn5458 You make some good points, that French game I really thought Wales and Pivac had arrived at the style of play that was going to get us somewhere, but the wheels fell off , it was clear the pattern of play was not working,, I was at the Georgia game you could see the defeat coming, at that time I thought we would get white washed
in the six nations, thank god there is some light out of this tunnel.
yea that shit was insane 76 minutes 20 seconds played Wales are up 10 Points then France ran in 2 tries to snatch the victory just saying you would never see Ireland or England or France do that in a GrandSlam Game
Trust Squidgy to slip a Community reference in. Never change, you mad bastard.
Also, speaking of Dan Harmon shows, Justin Roiland's domestic violence charge was buried for two years until a journalist dug it up and brought it to light. It was only after that that people took action and he was fired. Here's hoping the news media hold the WRU's feet to the fire, so some sort of justice can be served.
That reliance on backs to clean out seems to be a theme with a bunch of kiwi coaches. Plumbtree had exactly the same approach at the Hurricanes and while it can work at lower levels it has been a disaster in tests
I dunno what I love more, your analysis or your willingness to speak out against all the bullshit in the game
Speak out? Or jump on the bandwagon lol.
@@leeofdoom4452 definitely speak out. The only bullshit I've seen squidge express an opinion on that could be construed as jumping on a bandwagon is stuff that basically any opinion could be construed as jumping on the bandwagon (ie both sides of the argument have tonnes of support) and there have been a few things I've seen him speak out about that've barely caused a ripple elsewhere
@@N3vill3 what?! Name me 1 person defending the WRU in this case lol
Same with the Folau issue he was outspoken about.
Great analysis! We need to be as fit as we can, and to sort out basics. The game is a set piece game, we need to control as much as possible. A flair game can only be played when the brutal set piece game is won.
As an England fan, this feels so familiar. Coach makes us win, people complain it's not what they want, so RFU impose themselves. England lose, everyone moans even more, change is forced. It all panned out differently but the root problem is the same. Too many people moaning on the internet and too much rubbish press just lapping it up and having a go at the coaches.
Superb analysis
are we going to get an Eddie Jones post mortem, or any reference at all to that "eddie is going to win the world cup" video, or are we just never going to mention it again?
Very insightful retrospective on Wales. Goes to show you never should let agendas (here playing flashy rugby) dictate your plans.
Excellent analysis and presentation
Have been waiting for this!!
"And if you wanted anything other than that, you either have to wait 5 years, or be Spain"
This one got me :D
I got goose bumps at the end
just an amazing channel.
Excellent presentation, really enjoyed!
However, one thing I would say that's been missed is that our set piece also went to sh!t under Pivac. This was huge. It was never great, but Gatland had our set piece as functional and just good enough to get by at the least. Under Pivac, it was an obvious weakness and other teams targeted it specifically and wrecked whole games.
I wonder though, is the reason Welsh rugby is lackig passing wings maybe also because Gatland didn't train anyone up to the role (considering he didn't need to) so the focus was not there. Meaning going back to Gatland will just go back to the previous style and perpetuate the problem. Does that make sense?
Great video, thanks. I’ve really enjoyed learning about the various attacking shapes like 1-3-2-2 or whatever from your vids. How about more of this, like a series of mini vids, one explaining each of all the other pieces of rugby play that must exist too? What kinds of defensive structures are there? What kinds of line out throw calls and options do teams take? Scrum techniques? What kinds of different back row balance / centres pairings / etc etc work and why? And how about an analysis of refs and how different guys interpret the rules? Would love to know more about all this, proper rugby nerd stuff! Thanks.
Spot on, Gatlands plan was also genius because of its simplicity. The more complicated and dependent on high levels skills the harder to execute consistently and in poor conditions. It was attritional and so costly in terms of injury at world cups etc..
WRU need to push to become a meritocracy looking to the future rather than an old mans club.
Great Vid Squidge! One of your best 🎉
You should come to work for the Springboks!
I don't always have the stamina to get through some of your deeper deep-dives, but I was glued to this - some of your best work. Weirdly, I feel like you would be a good political scientist - the idea of institutions having default myths and shibboleths that cannot be violated even though it violates any rational sense of "what is actually fit for purpose" sounds a lot like my college studies about why rational actor theory isn't terribly useful for understanding the world. Love, love, love this analysis.
No argument from here from this Welsh and here with your rugby analysis. Spot on.
This was endlessly interesting as a way of explaining to a rugby fan who still doesn't understand the game, how it can be done wrong :D
but it is amazing to me that Welsh fans were as bored as they were 8 |
Great video!
bloody amazing !
That's the video I was looking for!!!💪💪💪🏉🏉
1:56 Well that's rich coming from someone with your haircut
It’s always been about the fire in the dragons belly, not the fancy flapping of it’s wings. Warren understands that 😊
Great video!!!
CAPUZZO CAPUZZO, PADAVANNNNNIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!
can't wait for the games to start
25:17 That is not a real headline, right?
I can't even imagine the entitlement of the people who would seriously, with a straight face, think, say, write and publish that!
Every other tier 1 nation should be grateful that the game in their country is run so much better and less corrupt compared to us.
As someone that watched every home game in Parc y scarlets during their two best seasons under pivac. The energy drained out of the team when rumours of him leaving for the Wales job destroyed the team. And it seemed to carry over for Wales. I think as of for the last couple years, Wales has had the players capable of beating any team in the world if they tried hard enough. But a lack of effort and comradery is what really dragged the team down
He was made coach of Wales far too early while Gatland was still in charge then went AWOL with Scarlets after confirmed. During his tenure of Wales he kept on changing the team too much and although some success the game management during the game on substitution was not great. He did succeed in South Africa though and for that he should be remembered.
Gatland's changes always seemed controlled and systematic, Pivac's more haphazard and poorly thought out. Injuries did play a rôle, but he never really seemed to know what his best match 23 was and the steadying hand of Shaun Edwards was removed for some crazy reason .
@@philipmarsden7104 Agreed although WRU took Shaun Edwards out by not renewing contract not Pivac. That Australia game was telling point for me. It was a good entertaining game and Wales played well but they lost it in last 20 minutes due to very poor game management a lot of that with the poor substitutions came from Pivac unfortunately. Tiparic didn't help either glad Ken is captain now.
@@p.thomas7843 I realise that, but Pivac not DEMANDING from the WRU that Edwards stays is like asking your bank manager to repair your car for you, rather than a competent mechanic. Agreed, Pivac didn't cause that problem but he made it predictably and avoidably worse. It was a problem so embarrassingly simple to avoid, like bumping into a tree in a desert with no other trees around for hundreds of miles.
@@philipmarsden7104 agreed Shaun Edwards is probably the best coach of the lot
wow one of your best vids eva !!
Great analysis. I'm glad someone said it, "wales isn't a free flowing rugby nation"
If we had a RWC in the 70's Wales would've probably won it atleast once tbf
A fine analysis. I thought I was alone in thinking that Priestland was dealt a very bad hand in the Georgia defeat.
The WRU is clearly not fit for purpose. As well as the toxic culture, the way it has let the issue of Regional funding and player salaries just drift along without action and solutions makes me furious. So well said Squidge.
I believe Warren Garland’s success was always overstated. He may had his moments against the Northern Hemisphere teams in 6 Nations. However, my understanding is that in his 12 years at Wales he had no win against the All Blacks, three wins against the Wallabies (one in 2018 and one in 2019 when the Wallabies were struggling under Michael Cheika) and one series win against the Springboks in 2018 when the Springboks were at their low. The Pivac era may have their problems but I wouldn’t look at the Gatland era with rise pedalled glasses.
I think a lot of that doggedness in the original Gatland-era team Squidge was talking about could also be attributed to Shaun Edwards. You can see the influence he's had on the French.
Hopefully the Welsh will have a resurgence under Gatland. Until they play Scotland that is when hopefully they'll fall to bits and let us get a rare win.
Exactly, in my opinion. If Gatland goes out and wins a Triple Crown, the Championship or a Grand Slam, then just about everything about the WRU recently I expect will be forgiven and forgotten. As for Scotland, quite often it is they who fall to bits under very little external pressure!😂
Love this video for multiple reasons, most importantly the accuracy of the main points. Having just gone through the wallabies coaching change here in Aus, so much of the coverage has been Rennie sucks and Eddie is the GOAT. Glad you pointed out the flaws in Pivac weren't that he was some rugby moron but rather a rugby romantic, he reminded me of Cheika prior to his sacking, game-planning to play 'Australian Rugby' rather than to beat the team you're playing (similarly they both had impressive and self-assuring peaks: Cheika's 2015 RWC final / Pivac's 2021 6Ns)
I think an apology to Pivac is in order. Gatland certainly no better.
PLEASE let this man be Wales coach one day, he deserves that and much more just because of how good this content is
Also fuck the WRU
Wales can still become a great attacking side again, just not with Pivac and Gatland must be convinced to make them play more expansive, plus the attack must WORK AND BE EFFECTIVE.
the lack of ball playing winger issue feels like something that could have been solved by allowing fast or skilful players like George North, Nick Tompkins and Willis Halaholo to play a wing/centre hybrid role and then bring in players like Gareth Anscombe and Jarrod Evans that play a lot like Johnny McNicholl and Steph Evans to play a wing/ 2nd outside half hybrid role alongside Biggar as the main outside half like England did with Ford and Farrell. Also he could have just grown a pair and made up with Steph Evans
Seems like the WRU want the 70s back in the office as well as on the pitch....
Quality videos
Absolutely stunning bit of work 👌 and highlighting what should not stay in the dark.
I think this would present itself as the perfect CV to a certain Warren should it not be for the potential employers.
This is the best one - because I am a Welsh rugby fan for the very reasons discussed in this video. Why choose the arrogance of English Rugby over the chippy "little bastards" that are Wales plucky little buggers who never give up - I love it
I love and adore your videos man. I hope to meet you one day if you are down in SA. BUT SRSLY I bet/think you spend way too much time on these videos haha.
Pivac should have been sacked at least 2 years ago. He was never good enough and had one season where through luck got the 6 Nations trophy that win gave Pivac far too much time in a job he was never even close to being good enough for.
that 6 nations was so lucky for them i think 3 teams they played got red cards if im not mistaken 🤣
“[Scarlets] …also managing to make a European Cup semi final for the first time since 2004”. 2007 was our previous semi final! You’re a bigger fibber than Pivac! ;-)
I think Gatland underachieved in his first spell as Wales coach. He had a team of world class players. He will struggle now the players are not as good.
Didn't know there was beef between Steff Evans and Pivac. I wondered why he wasn't getting any sort of look in.
"Takapuna's least bad-ass cop" ROFL
The WRU needs fundamental reform. Sacking Philips will be just a start.
And yet this honest review wasn't done in 3 years for exactly the same reason ending the video and keeping with the failed pivac era, nostalgia.
WRT the allegations you mentioned at the start of the video, this was the first time I'd heard about them. Even The Guardian has spent more time fulminating about tackle height in the past couple of weeks, so I don't hold much expectation for change occurring.
Why didt Pivac just put Alun Wyn Jones as the distributor instead of playing him on the bench
Wait, who is that guy! I watch in slow mo and the ginger movembered #9 made me pull this face 🤔 before the text even came up
So basically, Gatland is the hero Gotham needs, not the hero we deserve.
This is really impressive. Opened my eyes to a lot of the positional play that Wales have attempted over the last couple of years which looked good on paper but excluded the game strengths of individual players. Why are you on TV as a pundit?
👍
Would it be fair to say that something similar applies to the post-2019 years for England under Eddie Jones? Not the part about fans telling themselves they want something else, but Eddie sticking stubbornly to a game plan that wasn't working? In your video on how England could win the World Cup in 2023, you break down how Eddie is bringing in an unstructured system, but, like Pivac, this only came together in small bursts. I am not sure he had the players to implement the plan nor the time to do it. As an England fan I wanted Eddie to stay until the World Cup and was guuted at his dismissal, but I have mixed feelings about whether his grand plan would have come together.
Fuck me that was some powerful shit!