Despite their lack of tribal identity and affiliations, the health of Welsh international and regional rugby has to be classed as, “Good, and improving”. Wales were RWC semi-finalists, Grand Slam champions and Ospreys have become Celtic champions for the fourth time. This has been accomplished against a background of financial restraint, dwindling crowds and the steady drain of talent overseas.
Ospreys’ victory over the recently crowned champions of Europe on their home ground was a just reward for their reaction to the meltdown that enveloped the region only a short time ago. They are playing an irresistible brand of rugby that is a joy to watch with its blend of pace, power and precision that belies their supine displays in the Heineken Cup. At the RDS Leinster were put under the pump for large sections of the match. Sexton was unable to marshal his players and it was Leinster being pushed into uncomfortable sections of the pitch. In particular the immense physicality the Ospreys brought to every confrontation that sapped Leinster ’s body and spirit. As the game went on the Ospreys’ scrum in particular squeezed the life out of the Leinster forwards; they gave away 8 penalties and had two front row forwards yellow carded. The Ospreys fitness began to tell on the Leinster defence, and as they found the dynamic running and offloading of the Osprey forwards too hard to handle the opportunities began to mount. The Ospreys were able to take every chance that came their way. In the backs the young triumvirate of Webb, Biggar and Beck proved to be a real handful for O’Driscoll and Darcy, who failed to impose their game on the Ospreys tyros.
The fragility of Ospreys recent past seems to have disappeared, they can no longer look to one of their “Galacticos” to get them out of trouble, they realise that they have to do it themselves. Credit for this has to go to Head Coach Steve Tandy, plucked from Bridgend following the acrimonious departures of Johnson and Holley and he has done an excellent job. He simplified the Ospreys approach, play what is front of them and keep trying things. The players have bought into this with relish. The Ospreys have now, perhaps created the blueprint for the other Welsh regions to follow.
All the regions are being coached by Welshmen, by dint of circumstance young players are being given the chance to play at regional level and they appear to be thriving on it.
The Scarlets stand out as the Welsh team that could threaten the Ospreys’ crown. They possess a superb set of backs full of devil, power and subtle skills. If that group could be married to a hard-nosed set of forwards then the Scarlets could threaten on all fronts next season. The key will be to hold onto Coach Nigel Davies, who is in his prime and deserves the chance to see his vision through to fruition.
At the Blues the appointment of Phil Davies is an interesting one, he is an intelligent and perceptive coach steeped in Welsh rugby. He will take whatever time he is given and Cardiff Blues will improve. The loss of several influential players will be sorely felt but there is still the core of a good team, Halfpenny, Cuthbert, Roberts, Brad Davies and Warburton will give the team some much needed ballast but Phil Davies knows that it only be with success on the field will the crowds return. The notion of taking matches to
Sardis Road
is welcome, if a little late. The valleys have been ignored for too long. It looks like a long hard road back for the Blues.
In some respects it’s a similar story at the Dragons, they too have an issue of identity. Too many Welsh rugby fans they are “Newport ”, they do not adequately represent their constituency of the Gwent valleys, ignoring the former powerbases of welsh rugby. They have a good coach in Darren Edwards, and In Rodney parade the sort of ground that intimidates rather than welcomes the opposition. Yet they are unloved by the majority of the Welsh rugby public. The losses of Brew and Charteris will be huge and the region’s ability to hold onto Lydiate and Faletau is bound to be sorely tested over the coming months. This season’s 9th place in the Rabo Pro12 cannot be repeated. It is perhaps Newport more than any other Welsh region that has the most to fear from the initiative sponsored by the shadow Welsh secretary, Pontypridd MP Owen Smith to create a fan-owned side for the valleys; of course it doesn’t have to be a new region it could simply replace a failing one.