Lots of positives but a winless weekend for Wales' regions

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1:01Explore vibrant seasonal flavors, like their trending mango Yuzu Shantilly Cake. Great for brunch or an after dinner treat. Speaking of brunch, check out their devil digs, cold press juices, and more. Spring is in bloom now at Whole Foods Market. Richie Reese, Alex Casper, Gal Thrisow and Lauren Soltter, Scrumfy Podcast. Shoot with your weekend highlights, please. Well, I built it up last week, Land Every Ladies Day. You're more than welcome to correct me. Someone can tell me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there's another rugby club out there that shows the same commitment to ladies day. So they have it. So Land Every Were hosting Cardiff on Saturday, live on S4C. There were hundreds of women dressed more. I mean, the outfits were more violent than you'd see at most weddings. They absolutely go for it. Brilliant. What were you wearing on? I felt really underdressed.

2:02But you know, I don't know if guys have this, but girls usually, if you've got an event in the calendar, you know, what's that group going? You might put a message in to say, oh, you know, just kind of wondering what you are in, because you don't want to go overkill. Land Every, you do not. There is no risk of anyone going overkill. The only risk is that you're not dressed up enough. So, brilliant day, they were there by midday, the game didn't kick off until five o'clock. Right. So when we arrived at three, there were, yeah, women dancing on the tables, just, yeah, brilliant day out. And unfortunately for them, Land Every Were lost, but Cardiff now, Cardiff had got very similar, but a fair fear were the under 20s cropping a team and playing together for the under 20s, then coming in to play together in the same backline, step-in manual, Tombow and for Cardiff, really helping them and they actually pledged it to us. My wife did the same mistake going to Force Last for the first time.

3:02Well, she went under rest. Well, she was overdressed in terms of style and underdressed in terms of layers. All right. And didn't quite appreciate that if we'd go into a dress in a cocktail dress to Force Last in February. You're going to have a tough old day and she was stuck in the strong boat tent all day. Couldn't leave. A full, unfortunate place to be. Yeah. Damn it. Apparently, in previous years, they've got ladies out to do the cross by challenge at half-time. But if you've been going since midday, that would be a good question. Richie, your highlight of the weekend? I spent last week at Rosin Park, so I was there for six nights, obviously, with school. So I took a little bit of recovering on the weekend, but I had the kids at my two daughters on Saturday and then I actually popped into watch Wales' 19s. I caught the second half of that. We had one of the boys in school where that was playing. So we had a busy week, a bit of recovering, popped into see that. Without promoting your own players, in Rosin Park's always in the 19s,

4:03just a name that just came to you know, wow, this individual has got it. Probably outside of my own school. Habitatio's mom of school. Epant, they won the under-forteed competition. They beat Millfield in the final. And it was a brilliant, it is an unbelievable place. Rosin Park, this six, I think, is 800 schools now. So the world's largest sevens tournament, there's 20,000 kids. And for all the pain that's going on in the world game at the minute, they're on playing numbers. If you were up there last week, you wouldn't think it. So yeah, Epant, they were unbelievable in the 14s and our 16s lost in the semi-final. Pond to Coal Bridge, yeah. Pond to Coal Bridge. Pond to Coal Bridge. Pond to Coal, sorry, yeah. But yeah, it's Coal Bridge if you're selling a house. Pond to Coal Bridge. Pond to Coal Bridge. But yeah, it creates the world schools up there and a part were excellent in that final.

5:03And just picking up on that, Glant Harbour for a few weeks ago, beat Northampton in the British Cup. Yeah, I think it's under 14s. Charlie Morgan wrote a piece about it in the time. So, should have maybe been my highlight of the week that week. Should have been, that eased all of my highlight of the week. Was that Harry Deeb's message to me? Was that mate? Look at this team. First Welsh public school to win, Ross and part sevens. They're the 11 badges. So Pond to clean, rubbery club, you know, real good club. My boys, I coached down there, real good club. A guy could take on the ineket with one player of the tour and have a look at his highlights. He's got four tries in the pile, didn't he? Yeah, he is. What position? He was, wow, he played anywhere. He was, he's an eased. Name stands out. Name? Take on the ineket. Okay. I just beat clear, public school means non-private school. Non-private school. First Welsh public school to win there. Yeah, so, and 11 of those boys were at Pond to clean badges. So, yeah, a name to keep an eye out. And it's pretty exciting, really.

6:04That's some obviously good young kids coming through. So, I guess I do, should just for my highlight, do actual rugby. First half, Scarlett's Lent's stuff. What a ripper of a game that was. It was like held to scale to Scarlett's looked incredible. The overalls were getting the bounce of every ball. Yeah. For the first half, I was just everything going in there for even. They didn't quite capitalize. A couple of stupid yellow cards. But, you know, we were together. Like some, we were just, we just sat this enjoying rugby, weren't we? Yeah, they absolutely battered Lent's stuff for first 30 minutes. Wasn't that really? They looked hungry, didn't they? So, they were just like, Tensity was, they were on it. When I came in, Doris could have got a yellow card in the first 10 minutes, can he? But, yeah, they'll see, they couldn't hold on. But, you know, that intent it shows, you know, if they had a little bit more depth, was in that squad, you know, they'd be pretty, pretty up there. Okay, welcome to... And another rugby highlight, just the rear-dia try for the drag, and see a brain cross-field kick. Did you see it? Against the lion's? Yeah, I was okay with that rear. Well, talk us through it, go on. We'll get it off on his right-hand side.

7:04He quickly whips it to the left. It's like the footballers. Yeah, whips his left foot around it, and it is just absolutely on the money, and they've definitely got a policy of holding both wingers on the five-meter channel, and Rios out there. He was good old-game, Rio. But the skill... How long does that rush? That is actually so, I don't know. That technique he did. Yeah, and it's the lack of time he has on it, because I think they had an advantage at the time. So, there was pressure on him being closed down it, and it's just the speed to transfer through the hands onto his left foot, technically, you used to play a lot of football angus, just to wrap his foot around it, and then... And then what? Yeah, and what nice, just nice to start with the... I think it's a nice to start with the dragons for a change. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, we've peaked behind this curtain. We generally usually like to start with the highlights, then play the music, and then go into chat, but we've gone so long on this chat here, that we're not... We're going to ditch the music, and just have a continuous conversation from here. Let's do the dragons, then. They can be proud of their double defeat in South Africa,

8:05because in both matches, you know, to use a cliché, they've been competitive, but, you know, they could have stood there in both. Yeah, I did the game, but we'll get the stormers. I thought they were really good, and they were real... fighting to the end. They probably could have actually come away with a result. They were really... I think defensively seems to be something they've definitely worked on this year, in terms of just, I think, been out of staying games a little bit longer. Obviously, I think tennis to be is a big mess, in terms of tennis, I like Angus at fullback, I think. You know, that's where he is. That deal playmaker, yeah. Yeah, I think, once you have those together, I think they're a little bit more of a threat, but, yeah, you've got to get credit. They're definitely... Well, we asked for an improvement from last year, and they certainly have given that. A couple of that key players, as well. So, Real Dio, we've already mentioned Aaron Wainwright, so he went 60 metres once, didn't he? Went from off the kickoff, off the back of the lineup, sorry, he's run 60 metres. Real was excellent. But, and I don't know, and he never really gets mentioned.

9:07He scored two tries. It's just the constant graft he puts in, the hard work is nothing exceptional, but he's very consistent in what he does. They scored four tries again. The Dragons, their points difference is pretty good. So, they're scoring tries. They're definitely playing a little bit of rugby, but after probably 55 minutes, you know, the Scrum fell apart a little bit for them. They're a little bit low. They lost both Scrum halves to concussions, so Jack Lloyd ended up at nine. Dio went, Dio was in Ben as well. Yeah, and it was just in and around then, that, you know, there was lots of moving parts, but they've definitely improved, and they're trying to change perception, takes a while, but personally for me, I think they're definitely doing it. Can we just follow up a bit on a neighbouring Owen, in the sense that, you know, he's got a hundred odd games down in the URC. Six, seven years ago, coaches were telling me across the board, this guy's the biz, because he was different to other players in that, you know, he was defensively quite solid. He was a second playmaker under 12. He's not that he hasn't kicked on, but he's at a fair...

10:09Who's that? Sorry, I'll buy you lunch. Which international people is that for me? Before you find me, I'm offering at my own fine. No, yeah, it's on silent. I lost my trailer for it. No way, no way, no way. Yeah, he was... No, he was... It's how he did as being, you know, one of the future stars, and I'm not saying he's lost his way, but, you know, he's not an international Z. You know, well, what... What's he got? What has he quite got? Well, you know, where is he? He probably hasn't got the size, is he? And he hasn't got the pace, but he's consistent in what he does. He's got an unbelievable work ethic. He's really diligent off the field. I've coached him. And he's just a good guy who, look at... He very rarely makes an error. Defensively is good. His chat is good. He's one of the defensive leaders there. But, you're right. There's... Could he make that step up to international rugby? I'm not sure at the minute. He doesn't probably have the size or the pace. But there's definitely huge positives in his game that he does offer.

11:09Yeah, I think what you've got to think is in the team that's more or less been on the back foot for quite a few years. Yeah, yeah. And that makes a big difference. A lot of the balls he gets. He's got a lot of traffic. He's... Most of the time running into back row. It's not... You know, it's pretty tough. He's obviously powerful. He obviously speaks. I know I've heard he's a real good guy off the field. But... Pull him in another team. Maybe he could step up. You don't know. This is what we've spoken about. Loads of times about when I remember when Rio resigned for Dragons. Would he have gone another level, maybe go into a... a card for a different or another team in England? You know, and... Jeremy, you got it. So... A different environment. But 100 games, you know. You're going to get him credit. He's just, you know, kept going. And he puts his head down. And he may get his chance. You never know. Because especially with his nation's cups, the way the games are, away home. You've got to have a big squad. What helped him as Matt O'Brien, the attack coach at the Dragons? They... using wisely within the first couple of phases. Not so much as... as you're denta, but you're ball player. And then... And then your angles, Matt. So he picks his lines really well.

12:09And, you know, that suits him. That suits him more than playing straight up and down into the meat of a defence. And... And it's working out well. He scored twice in the weekend. Do you think he reminds of, like, Kirimillian's a little bit in terms of how they use him. Was he a bit more of a ball player? Yeah, he's a little bit more of a... A little bit more of a ball player, do you know what I mean? Probably has a stature on it. Yeah. But he's definitely got... He's got an unbelievable rugby IQ as an Ayrin. And, um, I'll wait... You know, we hope we see a lot more of it. Um, let's stick into that figure. Cardiff... Could have... Could have won that? Yeah, I mean... We were watching the end of it. The end of it were really in terms of... Opportunity. You know, they were... They were battling. They were fighting. You know, at the break down, they were menaces. You know, they were... They were looked physical and competitive and... Sharks again. So inconsistent and... An entire year... A team. Um, I guess they would have taken what they got. Yeah, I think if you've gone away in match in South Africa, um, And you've got injuries at lock and end up with, I think,

13:12It was 65% line-out on their own ball. I think they... When you say they'll take what they got, Taking a match point from that is a positive. Yeah, their line-out just wasn't functioning, was it? And then I will see that you saw a lot of game plans. I'm shitty putting a lot of those kicks in behind, Out into touch and then knock. Yeah, so it's sort of... They obviously saw a bit of an area where they could... They'd get a whole of them. Uh, Mason obviously put... Was having a pretty good game, wasn't he? So, ball in hand. But, yeah, I think if you look... If you look at stats here, you think, yeah, point is amazing. But if you watch the game, You think they did have opportunities to... To maybe sneak something. So, it's not the shark's team of old. Um, the leaner. What was the shark's team of old? Uh, the good one. The one you beat that you won the last year. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The territory. But I think, you know, they still had put a lazy, He was playing, was he, but Pipi was playing Esther, He's, he was playing at 12. But, um, Jim both of them, I thought, was excellent on the day. Jim played really well. Mason had a bit of luck, um, in a particular open field

14:12and had a bit of success, really. But, uh, one thing they needed to try, The defending an awful lot of the minute Cardifier, uh, Then their tackles made, tackles completed at the highest in the league. And it's not a good thing making a load of tackles. It means you've never got the ball. So, um, it's, uh, it's a tough one, Which I'm sure, Geth and Jenkins and the rest of the coach and team are addressing. But, uh, they need a little bit more, um, Time on ball to Cardiff to score a little bit more points to help them. I want to offer this up to the floor. And to our listeners, please tweet at scrum 5, add BBC scrum 5, um, is Dan Thomas the best and Cup player in Wales? The best player in the world has not been capped. He's the best absolute nuisance. So, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was like, I was a scrim off. He, that is the type of player who used to be the bane of your life. He used to, he's just into absolutely everything. The, he's experienced, obviously. His time at Gloucester, Bristol, Scarletz and Cardiff. But he is one of your plays that's into everything. And knows the game really well.

15:14He works the referees really, really well. Buy himself an extra clever player. Yes, yes, and, you know, I like him. And he is the type of guy that you want in and around national set-ups. Even to make training harder. He's very crack off. He's good off the field as well. Well, I mean, I don't want to promote your other, um, content. But there is a, uh, a video of you conversing to him and he tells the story about going arm-less thing with you. Yeah, I was pretty random, yeah. Just talking about him nowhere. He was bored. He was bored at home in Bristol. So he looked, he was fancy. This arm wrestling turned at this bloke's house. And there were a bunch of Ukrainians in the back. No one's broke English and they just started arm wrestling each other. Has he not got a TV or something? Has he not got a live? No, he's not. Uh, you know, he's like, he literally seeked out an arm wrestling club and went to someone's shed and said, yeah, yeah, yeah. But he, I mean, he, you would, you presume he's been capped in you. He's, you know, whether or not you'd 50 or British Lions, B's one of those pages where you'd have presumed looking at his career that he would have had a handful of caps. So I guess that's my point. If anybody can make a bet to suggest you an at BBC Scrum 5.

16:18Chimsy to loopay. Once again, leave the pitch. Um, I'm pretty sure, did he have a year left, Richie? Was that a year he, he had left to the Cardiff? Yeah, he's up at the end of this year, right? Yeah, okay. Um, I'd, for playing his stature, you just hope that he doesn't end his career with one, you know, one injury after another hasn't quite been able to make the same impact. Um, they also, of course, lost Josh McNally. I mean, both, both teams are returning from South Africa, aren't they, with a long list of injuries. Yeah, Manzail said that before the injury that even, I asked, could he make the World Cup? To loopay. To loop a filter, 35 now. He said, yes, absolutely, but he will need to be managed. This was before the injury on the weekend. Um, was in a much better position because of Alan Wayne, right? And others that, I don't think they're completely reliant on to loop a filter, but I think you're right, almost, you know, in a way of saying thank you to him. He deserves an exit.

17:19Grant and Ali's one of those is greatest ever players. Yeah, without a shadow of a doubt, some would call him. Yeah, well, well, someone argue his world's great as eights. In a modern era. Alan Pask, um, moving Davis and Scott Cornell may stick the hand up as well. But, you know, he is in the conversation. He's the, yeah, one of the, they're greatest in the modern era for us to absolutely. Yeah, he's definitely, I've been played with him and coached him. He's, he's been unbelievable in his time. Unfortunately for him since his time at Bath, he's been inundated with significant injury after significant injury, which is funny because before that, he was the first 10 years of his career. There's barely, he barely missed a training session. I know. He's nuts, isn't it? But, you know, it does take its time, all the training sessions, all the matches, particularly playing at number eight. But I hope it's not too significantly. He went off when the sling, I think, didn't he? So, but will we see him again, you know, over the next couple of months,

18:19I'm not too sure. But, um, he's hoping that, you know, he's got another couple of years left in it, you think a fit to Valetau is the only beneficial for that Welsh team, isn't it? Do you want me to, if he's, if you can manage him and get him up to that standard of, or even near his standard, he's only ever going to help those boys. Well, I played with his dad, his dad was about 58 when I played with him. So, he's got another 20 years left. He's got plenty of years left in it, yeah. So, um, I finally got my, you are, see, play or predictor. You're number cruncher. Never come to, which is not reliant on AI or algorithms. It's simply me looking at the, all the results towards the end of season and trying to predict how many points each team would get from each match. And obviously, I will be proven wrong. The card, if I can't be sexed on 41 points, historically, the metric to make the playoffs has been between 48 and 50 points. Four games each left for the teams. I think we can lock in Glasgow stormers,

19:21Elster, Lentster, Lions, and Munster have a good run in as well. We expect them to probably get three homings because they pay Elster, Connick and Lions at home, towards the bulls and season. Bulls will be fine as well. They've got Zebra and Bennett on the final two matches at home. So, even if they lose against the Dragons and against Scarlet, they'll probably still go through. So, Cardiff are competing really for that final spot with Connick's sharks and technically for the time being, I'm going to say the Ospreys. I think we can write off the Ospreys because even if they get two wins, they're only getting to 40 points. They need to win all five games, including Lentster away on the final weekend of the season and get maximums. So Lentster, Ospreys are really written out to this and Connick, they've got a horrible run in. So Connick, they've got Stormers and Lions away. Edinburgh away and Munstered home. So, I think we can say that Connick will struggle to make it.

20:23So, it's between really Cardiff and the sharks to sneak into that eighth spot, if Cardiff, it'd be, you know. So, I think looking really Cardiff need to win, they need to win two of the final four games. That's Scarlet away, Ospreys at home. Glass go away, Stormers at home. You can see them winning two games, can you? Yeah, the possible, definitely two. You're probably two. We probably, Glasgow away. One of the last games of the season, Glasgow will go pretty hard out. I expect, so you can probably forget about that one. But, you know, the Darby's, there's never much in those and it's always a ref decision or, you know, one try. But, yeah, and that has been for the last couple of years with Cardiff. If they start the season well, they always have a majority of their home fixtures first half of the year and then, you know, they go away to South Africa, play a lot with the harder teams when they slightly start to get there. Their international players back. So, it's going to be, it's going to be a tough old running for, for all Welsh teams. And the key game moving forward is Ospreys Sharks.

21:26Yeah. If Ospreys do Cardiff a favour, Sharks are going to struggle to get through because then they'll have Edinburgh away, Bennet on and Zebra. But if Sharks beat... That's ten points. They got Zebra and Bennet at home, don't they? Zebra and Bennet are at home, but that only still takes them to 43. So, they will need to be realistically Edinburgh and Ospreys. So, if they beat the Ospreys, they'll be going Edinburgh knowing they need to get the win. So, if you're an Osprey fan and, you want Cardiff not to make the playoffs, I mean, well over against the Sharks. Well, the way the Sharks have been playing an an away, you're probably back the Ospreys actually to probably win that, wouldn't you? But, you know, if I guess if they know they're that close, you never know, you don't really know what team's going to come over do. And with Challenge Cup back to back, isn't it the week before? Yeah, that's the issue with the Sharks. What squad do they bring? They roll all their front row off the bench after 30 minutes to know on the weekend against Cardiff because they felt the heat a little bit. So, that's going to be the key one. Do they keep their key guys fit and available to play?

22:28And they do... They got caught away this weekend. So, if they win, they're probably going to have to play away again, aren't they? Yeah. So, the likelihood... And then, well, they're going to probably stay over now. I guess if they got the Ospreys the week after. Yeah. Yeah, they're over three weeks, I think, yeah. So, they're poor if they bring the whole squad. Yeah, and Edinburgh. So, if you're Cardiff, you won't connect, to lose away against the stormers and lions and the Sharks to lose away at Ospreys and Edinburgh, essentially. Yeah, lots of airy balls, team lots of airy balls. And in terms of the Ospreys, does it... Almost in a way, you make it clearer now that they've got to go full gas now against Ulster next weekend? Yeah. Yeah, in Europe, we should say, right? Yeah, so, yeah. So, yeah. Yeah, perhaps they've got, you know, Jack Morgan will be back as obviously massive for them. But they did some... They played some nice stuff. Connor... Connor are in a good renaform at the minute at home, as well. At home, as well. At home. And Ospreys did some nice stuff on the weekend. Cassendi was excellent. What do you think about four paths? Four paths. It was tough, wasn't it? And the only one you got did it once? Then, he literally made the decision.

23:29I don't know, I don't know. But it's been caught. It's been caught, it's been caught, as well. Well, just for half time, wasn't it? I think it would have been... It would have been 14 or, I think, half time? Yeah. And real nice play, wasn't off-touch line. Dan Edwards, again, just using his pace straight through back inside past. But, I don't know, it was really touching go. I think it was Jack Morgel under the post. Over the sticks, yeah. And they gave the try. But Timo came in and the referee just seen it once on the screen, Bancord, it didn't give the let the Timo look at it at all. So... You'd like to think the benefit of the dealt was given to the attack in team there. But, going back to Jack Morgan, he, you know, I think he had four, five turnovers in that game. He was unbelievable. Him, Dan Edwards, Cassandre, they were all really impressive to be fair to them in the new stadium. It was absolutely howling with a gale on it. So, they managed the game quite well. The best B2B marketing gets wasted on the wrong people. So, when you want to reach the right professionals, use LinkedIn ads. LinkedIn has grown to a network of over one billion professionals,

24:29including 130 million decision makers. And that's where it stands apart from other ad buys. You can target your buyers by job title, industry, company, role, seniority, skills, company revenue. So, you can stop wasting budget on the wrong audience. It's why LinkedIn ads generate the highest B2B return on ad spend of major ad networks. Spend $250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get $250 credit for the next one. Just go to LinkedIn.com slash broadcast. That's LinkedIn.com slash broadcast. Terms and conditions apply. Looking for skincare that actually delivers transformative results. UBeauty combines breakthrough science with simplicity. The multitasking resurfacing compound replaces multiple steps with one powerful yet balanced formula, designed to visibly brighten, smooth, and even skin, while helping minimize the look of pores, dark spots, and fine lines. And it's gentle enough for sensitive skin. Add their super hydrator for up to 48 hours of multi-level hydration

25:30that leaves skin looking plump, dewy, and glowing. Streamline your routine and see the difference for yourself. Shop now at UBeauty.com. So, Osprey's big game, though we can. A scaler's do not have a game. They're in a very unusual, weird situation going into the end of the season, the fact that they're not going to make the playoffs. They've got the rivalry against the dragons to finish on top of them. They played so well in Lentster for large patches, did some of them let them down. I think we just need to put aside two or three five minutes just to discuss Fletcher Anderson. I mean, he very rarely do you think in a comfortable final score for Lentster. I still argue he should have been playing the match on the weekend, even though they were defeated by a score. I thought he was absolutely ridiculous. 64 meters, 25 carries, 14 from 15 tackles,

26:30seven passes, defenders beaten, five line out, take four dominant hits, three offloads, a crucial interception. His footwork is ridiculous, his power is incredible as well. What a gem. Is he Welsh? Well, as noted, we did note, he's got another four years left, well, three or four and a half years. Left, we did suggest on the weekend that Kenneth Davis had said that he's got Scottish blood. We've been corrected online by a few people on Twitter saying he's absolutely not got Scottish blood. So he's a kiwi. He's a thoroughbred kiwi, isn't he? Yeah, it's going to be a very thought after the play. It's his post-conduct meter. He's probably been up there for MOM and nearly every game he's played for the Scarlet's this year. His post-conduct meter is for a guy who's not particularly massive. He's very hips and legs heavy, so he manages any contact particularly well that's still on his feet. But he's been excellent. I thought Joe Roberts was good. Yeah, I'm honest.

27:30Joe Roberts was good as well. But he's... Yeah, apart from the yellow. But I think between Fletcher and Justin and Joe Roberts, I quite like what the Scarlet's did on the weekend. Tommy O'Brien obviously had mine in the match. But the Scarlet's were good defensively. They've definitely turned the corner, helps out on some of their better plays back. But yeah. Do you think Nigel should stay? Nigel Davis? I actually think... Like, I don't even... I actually... The Scarlet's have been really unlucky of injuries. I don't think they're actually playing much different than they did at the start season. Just had they didn't have a front-five. They have their best team out. For me, they're probably the best region. I actually do. I think they got the best team. But they've just been absolutely decimated. Especially at the start season. Had to go to Africa. Then they had a cancelled game. It was just all against them. And then you look at them in Europe, how well they did, terms of certain games. They are... For me, I think they're... They've got the ingredients to a really good side. They just lack a little bit depth, I saw. I do think Nigel has helped Dwayne.

28:31Dwayne has been under the pump because they've asked him to do so much. And having been in Dwayne's shoes, they're asking him to deal with recruitment, up-skill players on the field, manage the board above them. And it's not something your head coach can do and do everything else with dealing with agents. There's so much going on. And if Nigel has taken 50% of that workload off Peeley, it's allowed him to be on field a little bit more. And, you know, for me, it's no coincidence that we're seeing an uptick in their performance. Ruth, listen to us, is what they need. They average in nine entries in their nine defeats and take in on average 1.5. They're 14 on the weekend, yeah. So they're creating chances, just not finishing them. Right then, before we get to Richard Colock keyword, should we do some Jeff Parling? Jeff Parling. Jeff, it was just so entertaining, wasn't it? Just remind the listeners, you'll be able to find this everywhere on your social media feed. It's TNT sport doing a kicking competition on the field.

29:36And Jeff Parling walks up to Craig Doyle. And Craig Doyle, like the viewers, for the expect Jeff Parling to come in and make a nice quip, we even have a little chat with Craig Doyle. And it's the opposite. He walks up, he drops an F-bomb and shoves him off the field. To my mind, I think, yeah, well, I'll give you my opinion afterwards. It does anybody want to contribute. You're smiling on them, because in a part of you think you're trivialising what is a minor act of aggression, in the sense. But it's still, it's on the rugby field, isn't it? I think that's the key point. And you look, Jeff Parling has since apologized, I believe, for using that language. Although, and me, Dilly Postmatch, he said he'd actually received an apology from the producer, because he wasn't aware of it. Now, generally, we're always signing these things off, aren't we? So very rare. But clearly, it didn't sign this off. It was the reporter Liam McDevitt who took a kind of, well, not conversion,

30:39but kick from the team, from the sideline. And the lesser players were warming up underneath the posts. Jeff Parling kind of insinuated that they didn't, you know, they could have got injured. I don't know if they could have got injured, but they are warming up. And it is their time to really get in the zone. And I completely understand why you would want to know about these things. The irony of it is what I find particularly fascinating, because, you know, this clip has got 3 million views. The reason you're doing these sort of things in the first place is to engage fans. That's fabulous to be involved. I really want to watch that, I'm not chuckled. Whereas this clip, for so many reasons, like this clip has done so well. One, because it polarises opinions, you've got some people like, stay with fans coming out and saying, no matter how much money TV pumps into the game, they're pushing things too far. It's an entertainment fluff, basically. And you've got other people like Andy Goode coming out and saying, you know, parlings in the wrong with his action.

31:42So it's polarised opinions. It's also, I think, in an age where everything is so media controlled. You so rarely see a coach act like that. I think that's great. I think they were great. Don't wait towards him as if to have a conversation with the mic. He said you fancy signing in, I think, as well. At least he was a good coach. He said, no, okay, no, I didn't see you. So he tried to stop the sign, didn't he? He reacted well, Kader, didn't he? He made it look like a bit of a common stench in the way, really. And at the end of the day, maybe he shouldn't have sworn. And he shoved them, I think we're thinking about it way too much on. That's what I'm thinking, come on. But we've been on the field numerous occasions doing these kind of things. And it's generally the groundsmen who comes on and swears at you and pushes you off and tells you all these things. And essentially, he's telling the coach, so he's overseeing the warm-up. His coach is delivering the warm-up. And he's told the players, well, let's flip a switch now, we're into our warm-up. Yeah, I can flip it. The board is doing well.

32:42Bounce it in between them. And as Cathy says, you can over-dramat those things a little bit. And he's just trying to get them to concentrate on what they do it. But that's it. They probably shouldn't have kicked the ball and he probably shouldn't have sworn it. But that's it. Yeah, although it is part of a bigger conversation, I think that's why he's getting so much coverage. About access and professional sport, isn't it? I'm not saying that this... What's access and rugby union? Has got well, but even look at Coco Gough and Anne, this a few weeks ago, saying that she doesn't want to be filmed walking through the corridor, showing her emotions after defeat. So I think that's why it's also why it's generated so many places. People want insight, don't they? And the fans are sitting there in their house, watching on TV or in the stand. They want insight, right, what actually goes on in a warm-up or what actually goes on. And the close you can get to it, I think it's just a balance, as you mentioned, as well as... They've got to know what you're doing, and it has to be signed off. And generally, I think TNT probably do that quite well,

33:44because they do have access every week, don't they? And they're always in and amongst the warm-ups, and they're always doing opening links in the middle of the pitch, and as we do. And sometimes I've been in a situation where something's been signed off, and I've thought, I'm the only one on the ground, this doesn't feel right. I'm going to get run over here. And there's a little bit of that, and acting on the job as well. It reminds me of the plate final, maybe a decade ago, right? Maybe S4C plate final, a friend of mine's a producer, and it's a random club. If it's your club, so be it. Let's just say it's Aberkum Torch, RFC, biggest day of their season. They come to the plate final, and now a producer sends them a brief. Exactly as well. These are your requirements for the plate final. And they were getting the full international treatment, so there'll be cameras waiting for you to come off. The bus likes oranges. Yeah, because it's like oranges. Before kick off the dressing room camera suite, do we call them the suite, where the cameraman walks in.

34:45Does that pan around the dressing room with people putting their shirts on, blah, blah, blah. So just to give you an interesting dressing room, we want a coach pretty much. We want a coach after 20 minutes in the Richie Reese role, as you always did so well, you know, when you've got the water boy and the side of the field were Lauren, chapter in a coach after 60 minutes. Post-match, we're having one player of the game, one captain, one designated player and a coach. And the chairman replies the next day at an email. Thank you very much for this request. I've highlighted a few things in red, and he says, yeah, we will not be doing any media pretty much. We are not allowing media into the dressing room pre-game. Do not film us coming off the bus. I know these things, do which my producer of red replied. Ah, when I said request, I meant required. You're in no cap final today. But yeah, that's the way these things go back and forth. A few other bits and bobs before we end the show.

35:48That you call it keywords. Well, he has resigned and will stand down as the chairman in the summer when his period comes to an end. I think his timing is really interesting for this. It didn't surprise us, Lauren. We didn't see it coming. Others say they did. We hadn't had any rumblings. So this was about to happen. But with EGM coming on the 13th of April, it was pressure building on him. And one of the key reasons for calling the EGM was that clubs wanted the chairman to stand down. So there's a sense of inevitability, and it almost fixes a few problems. Well, this is the point, isn't it? You know, is there a purpose for the EGM where it should call a keyword stepping down? It also makes me think for these rebel clubs. And I'm calling them rebel clubs in inverted commas. These clubs that want to challenge the construction of the Welsh Reb Union. Are they satisfied? By this or would they want a more public ending

36:50to which a colleague he would tenure in charge? So a lot of change. He was in a, in Walter, I'd be at a difficult time, fractured, financially, structurally, politically. He was asked to stand yet. And I think he got that, he said initially four, four regions, and then he went to two, now to three. And he got that plan through, unanimously, with the board, Lauren. Yeah, it's interesting, because in his statement, he said, over the course of the last few years, the board has made key decisions unanimously. So to me, that's sending a message to opponents that there is an unanimous board. And therefore, maybe him going, won't change the order of direction, won't change the sort of direction in which they go in when it comes to three teams. That said, there was a piece in Wales online from staff Thomas this week reporting that two board members apparently requested, his immediate resignation,

37:51and they might also be, or the WI, you might be seven million pounds off for their financial productions for this year. So I guess what we don't know at the minute is where they're, you know, when it comes to the boards, unanimous decision, they might, are there unanimous decisions? Well, there's two, there's two less. Is that unanimous because he put them in place? Or... Well, his job is to run the board then. Yes, we'll take over then. Does that put you, that, the inter-distribute, if he's... Well, he didn't put them all in place, though, did he? Not all of them, but does that, his, their decision with him in charge? Well, this, this, now, Mark and more will step down as well. So come July of those 12 individuals who voted unanimously to push through these changes. There'll be at least two who are different. What do they think? What, we don't know? Well, Marianne Oakland thinks we don't know who'll be the replacement for Richard Colleaguey. Well, what we do know is that this, this announcement is on the third,

38:51this EGM is on the 13th of April, on the deadline for the Cardiff Sale to Y11 is the 22nd of April. So there are two-time online potentially crushing and as far as I am understood, I keep being told, if the Cardiff Sale to Y11 goes through before the 13th of April, there's very little anybody can do to stop this plan from going through. But that doesn't mean the Ospreys are the team to be going because the tender process will still be available. Yes, I know, and this is a message in the union haven't come out and said about it. Yes, and the Ospreys could be available, but if, while I wash their hands of the Ospreys who comes in and rescues us, I mean, unless you, unless you, with the all your Irish money and all your, all your horse racing money, you decide to become the should- I'll sell it for your sister. The sugar down the, you know, without the white knife. The stadium's going ahead, isn't it? So there needs to be a benefit. I know, there needs to be a benefit. Anything to add to this? I do think the sort of legal issues have probably been

39:53a big issue internally. You've got a scale. It's a cost-cote case. The Swansea Council court case, the fact that the chairman couldn't put a halt to those when you look at the millions of pounds that have been spent on them. How deep is it that there's lawyers? I think the question would be for me. It's like, why haven't we been able to get a deal done, whatever that deal looks like? So whose job is that? And Richard Collieke would, the main advocate for Dave Redden was Richard Collieke, so what happens now? And, you know, having been involved for a while, probably for 25 years, I think. The challenge we've always had is who's making the decisions to employ specific people in specific roles. And I think that's, you know, if the top of the tree goes, then what happens below it? Because you have to have communications with the clubs, the regions, and to everything of my knowledge, those conversations haven't been, they haven't been out to any of the four regions, and they haven't spoken to any of the players. And, you know, those that are in, there's just no alignment. And I think that's probably the challenge

40:55with what it looks like, right, what's our strategy? How are we moving forward? And on what point do we go? Right, we have to make a decision. Does the fall, the chair, so what's our universe was heavily criticised five years ago for having no business argument on its board, no idea of business, being the old idea of blazers and committee men who have been elevated to the top representation of the community, very little in terms of experience of running a hundred million pound business. In Richard Collieke, Wood and Abitany, in particular, you had two individuals on the opposite end of the scale, people who were, therefore, their expertise in executive work and in business as opposed to their connection to the community. Does the new chairman have to be one of the other? Both. Because there is a danger of going back to a Welsh rugby man or woman, someone who's deeply involved

41:57in the community, and you've lost. For me, you have to have knowledge and understanding of the game in Wales. And what that looks like, sometimes it's good to have a completely fresh air of ice, or it's not an echo chamber, what you're listening to, what you're seeing, what you're hearing. But you have to have an understanding of what's going on in Wales, you have to have an understanding of external opinion, external expertise as well, and willing to listen to it. And it's that balance of you need to get that right across that board. Are there any messaging, isn't it? Let's have that right messaging, which they have not had. Yeah, look, Richard Collier-Cuewood could point to, he could point to the fact, right? We've modernised the board. We've put through a kind of refinancing deal, sort of a finance modernisation of the board of bean ticks. But he has to look back at the rugby side of things across all levels and admit it's been disappointed, even if you go back to the way they handle the women's contracts pre-will cut, when Richard Collier-Cuewood came out and said,

42:58I was a good thing that they felt they were able to complain. I thought that was a mistake. You look at, if we all accept that going down to three, if the plan was to go down to three, and you can say this board has come up with a plan, because let's not forget, years previously, we've, or certain pundits, media, have accused the Welsh Rebunion of kicking the can down the road. But if we accept that going down to three was always going to be painful, I think they've made it worse. By, for example, arguing against points they're making now 12 months ago. So the rugby side of things has been a lackdown for sure. So 2021 or 2022, so we were told that we had to cut a million pounds from the playing budget. So we did that in the meeting, prior to going out to train it. And that is three, four years ago. And then I'm supposed to coach 10 people. Then I'm supposed to coach a squad leading into a match on a Saturday of boys

43:58who are out of a job next year. And so that is difficult, but that is a point that I think that Lauren is making. Have we got any better since then? I do think to caveat it, if you're a young Welsh player, 100% now is the time to be playing in Wales, because you will play more rugby. You'll get those experiences now. And I think everyone understands where we'll be for the next couple of years. But it's we need to put a strategy in place that will help us as a rugby nation move forward and get the best out of your players, your supporters, and your coaches to move everybody forward for the game that we all love. I think from listening to Rob Regan last week on the part, there's going to be this divide over the next few weeks, over the next few months, between those who say there isn't enough money for four teams and those who say there is, it basically becomes a sort of cut-in versus growth argument. And you see someone like David Betras really vocal on X about growing.

45:01So I just think both sides of the argument have to therefore present details to allow those details to be scrutinised. The Jamie Roberts on the warm-up, good for months ago, saying, he said, if you were to give all the data to any 10 rationale people with a love of the game in Wales, which all board members have, in his words, they would come to the same decision. So we all want the game to succeed, right? We've all vested and dressed in the game in Wales. So none of us want to just continue with four teams if it means lack of success on the pitch. So why we're not seeing that proof? I just can't get my head around. We'll be asked for that over me. How many times have we haven't seen it, are we? Right, six nations, 10 to 11, 12 days away for the start of the women's six nations, and nine cup players in the squad.

46:06Sean Lin saying he wants to see players play regularly. And that was the big mantra going post-World Cup. And he's getting more and more of these players, getting competitive rugby in the Celtic challenge, whilst teams have not one in the Celtic challenge, but it's certainly when you compare the situation to a year ago where the majority of the Welsh players were French players in the PWR, at least there's a number of players getting 80 minutes rugby now. Yeah, and Sean Lin has control in that as well. He actually waited. I thought they were quite late in answering the squad, but waited for the Celtic challenge semifinals in order to do so. Nine and Cup players, he spoke to him last week, he highlighted Georgia, I don't know, a 19-year-old number eight, who he's very excited to see. So it's definitely a Sean Lin squad, it's a Sean Lin coach in team, whether it should take 12 months to put your own coaches in place, far from ideal. I know often there's sort of no way around it

47:08when there are contracts in place, but it does feel like this is almost his first cracker, with the people he went alongside him. As you bet, do you play the few boys? Yeah, he played sevens of him, back in 2009. What a player he was. He's still keep playing. One of those players where injuries just crippled him, but what about his rugby IQ, as you bet? Well, I think he's done quite a bit of coaching, isn't he, in terms of that, since he's retired? I think I can coach a Worcester. Worcester, yeah, he's been up there. He's a lot of CC, the game, he's quite a young coach, isn't he? So I think he'd be an exciting coach, where the skill set wise, he'd probably, the type of player he was, I'd say the backs and the skills needed, that would be something to keep, probably, push quite, quite hard. And I think that's an area where, where's women, haven't really fired in the bat line wise, you know, we've always been known in terms of, if you look at all the tries, where's the score, they're all driving mores or picking goals. So the backfield area will be something that, I think, Becky, hopefully, will be able to pull out of them.

48:10And he's being breath-on-thunderhead coach for the past three seasons. So it's sort of indistripes, isn't he? It's a natural step up for him, I think. Right there. As I've done, where are you on the weekend, any challenge cup action for the review? Oh, got weekend away, up in Wexford, to an island, family, week away. I'm a romantic one, Alex, is it? No, it's about 50, there's loads of us. I, all the Irish side. I got Cardiff Benetorn, I think, this weekend. Cardiff Benetorn, on Radio Wales? Yes. You're not doing dragons set from save, and though you beat them back in 2014. I'm not Lauren, that is an excellent knowledge from your show. That was actually Angus O'Brien's. I think it is debuted for the dragons. Some birdie told me that was one of the finest evenings post-match ever, was it? Yes, you've got good sources here. I've all got sources. Here's one of your sources. He was not my source, but, yeah, did you know when rugby stories fade in an out-of-you memory? Was Andy Powell playing with the dragons back in the days?

49:11Andy Powell played it. So I think there's an Andy Powell story. So what's the call from it? Alex had his start, due to Jason Tubby's passport going through the wash. Actually, not the one time we dug it. Oh, I'm not dug it. That was when he was doing it. Just looking at it twice, didn't he? Yeah, so we went through the wash, and that's how, I never forget, on the team run, we've trained it after a month of time, and Lynch has gone, right, you've got Angus outside, you do this weekend, this is first game. Beam's X on that game. And ironically, I remember going over to speak to his brother after the game, after we won the game, he was in the stands, went over to sport him. So, I'm the Andy Powell story, there isn't one thing. I'm not for the sport. Not for the sport, not for the, not for the, not for the, oh god. So that's live on Radio Wales. I'm doing the off-sprays, else the game live on Radio Wales. Next week, we will review the challenge cup, and there will be full gas. On Tuesday, I believe. If you're wondering why it hasn't dropped in your feeds on Monday, we are reconvening on Tuesday. Easter, isn't it? Yeah, I'm more than happy to rock up on Easter Monday, but...

50:11That's why you paid the big bucks for it. But, you know, if I'm forced to go out for lunch and start in a jug, I can be very anxious. Yeah, okay, so Tuesday, we'll reveal the weekend, and we'll look ahead to this women's six nations and plenty of content across the BBC. Thank you, all of you. Just keep following up to the book. Thank you very much. Right, till next time, from Australia to that. Healthy cell is different than typical supplements because it's a gel, not pills. Healthy cell uses microgel technology, which is clinically proven to absorb 165% better than traditional pills. That means your body actually uses the nutrients so you can feel the difference. And instead of swallowing a handful of vitamins, one great tasting gel pack can replace up to 18 pills. Healthy cell formulas are created by physicians and nutritionists to support energy, focus, immune health, and overall wellness. If you're going to take vitamins,

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