View from next door: Fiji

10 losses in a row. It’s not the record anyone associated with Cymru wanted, but it’s the record that years and years of Welsh Rugby Union mis-management at all levels gets you.

I could spend this blog characterising that mis-management and how it has led to this point, but I feel the majority of informed rugby supporters are well aware of that by now. Instead, I want to try and focus on where the men in red improved against Fiji on Sunday as, in spite of the result, there was a lot more to like than we’ve seen across the last 12 months.

It was in attack where we saw particularly promising signs from Cymru, thanks in no small part to a much better balanced team selection. More ball carriers in the forwards, getting them working around the corner and laying the foundation for a back line including a second playmaker at inside centre, two big ball carrying options at outside centre and off one wing, and a genuine poacher on the other wing.

With naturally creative and multi-skilled options throughout the team it was encouraging to see them getting into dangerous attacking shapes and challenging wider channels. Blair Murray’s try on debut was arguably one of the best team scores the national team have produced in some time.

Having shaken for far too long the lineout was solid and put serious pressure on Fiji’s throw too, while defensively there was the compulsory soft try conceded against the Pacific Islanders but on the whole it was a good enough showing that kept the opposition to a lower points total than they secured against us at last year’s Rugby World Cup.

Individually I thought the starting front row, Adam Beard, Taine Plumtree, the starting back line with a particular nod to Blair Murray, Jac Morgan and James Botham were all impressive, and there was some nice touches from Sam Costelow when he switched in to fly-half.

Ultimately there were a few too many accuracy issues, which are to be expected to a degree with newer combinations, plus a failure to deal with Fiji switching to a kick heavy approach in the second half, that didn’t help Cymru on the pitch. The major problem though was not even in the stadium, but in the coaches’ room back at The Vale.

The decision to go for a 6/2 bench didn’t make a huge amount of sense at the time of the team announcement, beyond trying to lever Jac Morgan into the matchday 23 with a minor knock that may not have allowed him to play 50+ minutes if called upon as the back row cover on a 5/3 bench.

Against the Fijians, ensuring fresh legs are coming on across the back line is equally as important as updating the forward pack, but Gatland & co went heavy with the Welsh version of a bomb squad which led to some tired bodies that the opposition kicking game took advantage of in that final quarter.

Beyond that though, the choice of a 6/2 bench was made all the more bizarre by the selection of Sam Costelow in the 23 jersey. Now this is not a criticism of the player at all, it is simply the case that with Gareth Anscombe and Ben Thomas in the starting XV there was no need to have another fly-half on the bench. The only back selection that would have made less sense was a third scrum-half in Rhodri Williams.

When Mason Grady departed with an injury mid-way through the first half there was subsequently no cover on the wing as there would have been if Tom Rogers, Rio Dyer or Josh Hathaway had been given the nod, or if Eddie James wore #23 and Max Llewellyn could switch out wide. With Costelow having to play out of position it hamstrung the attack for the remainder of proceedings.

Decisions like that bench selection point to a coaching ticket, led by Gatland, that is painfully limited. Picking a 6-2 some years too late, making what appeared to be pre-decided substitutions on the 50-minute mark, and not ensuring there is adequate positional cover across the backs.

There will still be elements of improvement over time, also tied to the better quality of playing personnel available during this window, their respective greater experience and increased level of club form, but ultimately the ceiling for this squad under Gatland & co is too low to justify the continued patience with the rebuild of the men’s national team.

It feels as if the New Zealander knows that too, hence his never-ending attempts to throw his players under the bus to shift the focus away from him. This week, as well as bizarre claims about media driving narratives of pressure when his side have just lost a 10th straight test, it was Sam Costelow in the firing line for coming on in place of Mason Grady.

Gatland seemed to suggest that the Scarlets man had simply run on of his own accord when the starting winger got injured, when it was in fact Ellis Bevan who should have been the replacement. How is it possible for that to happen?! With the coaches in the box, Martyn Williams and Neil Jenkins on the touchline, plus the match officials requiring paperwork prior to the substitution.

There was also plenty of time to undo the change before play got underway again, plus the fact that Bevan would still have been playing very out of position so there doesn’t seem to be much material difference. An odd thing to admit to, with the only plausible explanation being that of a deflection from the Head Coach.

The pressure is clearly mounting, the limitations are obvious, but hopefully Cymru can continue to progress at even this slow pace until the WRU are forced into the necessary corner to make a change.

On to the Wallabies!