Always a Wasp
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61
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Streams for watching
« on: November 02, 2019, 03:32:41 PM »
None of the usual suspects appear to be working today, anyone else having troubl;e or is it just me? Perhaps there are some I haven't tried?
Any help gratefully received...
Any help gratefully received...
62
Wasps Rugby Discussion / An awesome opportunity
« on: October 30, 2019, 11:49:28 AM »
I have recently had the pleasure of getting to know the wonderful Andy Keast, former coach of many clubs including the Lions, now the CEO of the newly formed London Irish Foundation.
He's running a charity fund raising lunch on the 29th November at the BT Tower in London. It's hosted by Nick Mullins and every table will have an international rugby celebrity on it.
It's shaping up to be an amazing event, and the LI Foundation is doing some great work so I told Andy I wouid post the details of the event here.
There aren't many tables left, I think 5 or 6 have already gone, but if you can afford it, it would be great to get some supporters of a proper club there
If my income hadn't just become terrifying and unpredictable for the forseeable future I'd definitely be there.
He's running a charity fund raising lunch on the 29th November at the BT Tower in London. It's hosted by Nick Mullins and every table will have an international rugby celebrity on it.
It's shaping up to be an amazing event, and the LI Foundation is doing some great work so I told Andy I wouid post the details of the event here.
There aren't many tables left, I think 5 or 6 have already gone, but if you can afford it, it would be great to get some supporters of a proper club there
If my income hadn't just become terrifying and unpredictable for the forseeable future I'd definitely be there.
63
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Should he stay or should he go?
« on: October 29, 2019, 07:49:49 AM »
Right, I have a plan.
A lot of folk are hurting after the poor opening to the season, and a lot of folk are deeply worried about the future of the club we all love.
However I am not willing to let this site slide into another version of the angry mess DW has become where every thread becomes a rehashed version of the same argument. And so I have created this thread for discussion about our DoR and whether people feel he is the problem, or the solution. And so I'd be extremely grateful if you could keep discussions about Dai here on this thread.
If posts are made on other threads that derail the conversation to this topic I will simply move them here.
Thanks for your understanding.
FWIW my personal opinion is that there is clearly something amiss, but I don't buy that Dai is the root cause. I'll try and explain.
The season where we reached the final we had a number of wonderful stars who undebniably lifted the team. I even wrote an article about how Beale had lifted the morale of the squad, and the other player's beliefs in their own skill. We had a season where people tried outrageous things on the pitch, and sometimes they worked. Dai was in charge then.
This season we have a squad with a number of wonderful stars who are simply not performing to that ability. Dai is in charge now.
Our style of play a couple of years ago was something to behold. Flat to the line, lots of dummy runners, heads up, ball in hand rugby that was a joy to watch. A lot of people credit this entirely to Fiver, but we were doing it before he came. Ruaridh Jackson was playing exactly that style (go watch Toulon at Home when he was our 10) and some of us were bemoaning the fact that Gopps wasn't able to match that style, it was even suggested that he should maybe be tried at 12. Danny was better at it than most and took it to a whole new level, but it wasn't new. Dai was in charge then.
Our style of play now is predictable, we still present two lines of attack with dummy runners, but we seem so lethargic and our dummy runners start from a standing start that they either receive hospital passes, or Sopps is forced to pass deep to stop his line getting flattened. Dai is in charge now.
We had academy prospects being ignored and not making it to the senior squad. Dai was in charge.
We promoted record numbers of academy players to the senior squad. Dai was in charge.
Before DR rescued the club and we were essentially broke players were signing because of Dai. His vision, his ability to motivate and inspire were often quoted as the reason people came to the club. How is that any different now?
I genuinely don't know what the issue is, but I don't belive in blaming him for all the poor play, and passing the credit of the good play on to others. However something definitely isn't right.
I think we have been on the wrong end of a number of unfortunate situations, SISU, Beale leaving early, Danny dithering about his future, Wade and Daly both dropping us in it. Sopps and his family struggling to settle in after moving to the other side of the world. But I think the one thing that would make the biggest difference to the team is getting more coaching hours. They don't have to be top level, though it would be great if they were. But I'd rather have two extra coaches who were pretty good, than one extra who was great.
Sadly I think we're going to struggle this season. But I don't think it is Dai's fault. I do suspect that the attitudes of many fans openly and publicly slating him and the squad on forums like these does have a negative effect though. We accept that some players are confidence players, I think Wasps is a confidence team.
I know it is never going to happen, but if we made a concerted effort to talk about the positives and not dwell on the negatives I genuinely believe it would make a difference.
A lot of folk are hurting after the poor opening to the season, and a lot of folk are deeply worried about the future of the club we all love.
However I am not willing to let this site slide into another version of the angry mess DW has become where every thread becomes a rehashed version of the same argument. And so I have created this thread for discussion about our DoR and whether people feel he is the problem, or the solution. And so I'd be extremely grateful if you could keep discussions about Dai here on this thread.
If posts are made on other threads that derail the conversation to this topic I will simply move them here.
Thanks for your understanding.
FWIW my personal opinion is that there is clearly something amiss, but I don't buy that Dai is the root cause. I'll try and explain.
The season where we reached the final we had a number of wonderful stars who undebniably lifted the team. I even wrote an article about how Beale had lifted the morale of the squad, and the other player's beliefs in their own skill. We had a season where people tried outrageous things on the pitch, and sometimes they worked. Dai was in charge then.
This season we have a squad with a number of wonderful stars who are simply not performing to that ability. Dai is in charge now.
Our style of play a couple of years ago was something to behold. Flat to the line, lots of dummy runners, heads up, ball in hand rugby that was a joy to watch. A lot of people credit this entirely to Fiver, but we were doing it before he came. Ruaridh Jackson was playing exactly that style (go watch Toulon at Home when he was our 10) and some of us were bemoaning the fact that Gopps wasn't able to match that style, it was even suggested that he should maybe be tried at 12. Danny was better at it than most and took it to a whole new level, but it wasn't new. Dai was in charge then.
Our style of play now is predictable, we still present two lines of attack with dummy runners, but we seem so lethargic and our dummy runners start from a standing start that they either receive hospital passes, or Sopps is forced to pass deep to stop his line getting flattened. Dai is in charge now.
We had academy prospects being ignored and not making it to the senior squad. Dai was in charge.
We promoted record numbers of academy players to the senior squad. Dai was in charge.
Before DR rescued the club and we were essentially broke players were signing because of Dai. His vision, his ability to motivate and inspire were often quoted as the reason people came to the club. How is that any different now?
I genuinely don't know what the issue is, but I don't belive in blaming him for all the poor play, and passing the credit of the good play on to others. However something definitely isn't right.
I think we have been on the wrong end of a number of unfortunate situations, SISU, Beale leaving early, Danny dithering about his future, Wade and Daly both dropping us in it. Sopps and his family struggling to settle in after moving to the other side of the world. But I think the one thing that would make the biggest difference to the team is getting more coaching hours. They don't have to be top level, though it would be great if they were. But I'd rather have two extra coaches who were pretty good, than one extra who was great.
Sadly I think we're going to struggle this season. But I don't think it is Dai's fault. I do suspect that the attitudes of many fans openly and publicly slating him and the squad on forums like these does have a negative effect though. We accept that some players are confidence players, I think Wasps is a confidence team.
I know it is never going to happen, but if we made a concerted effort to talk about the positives and not dwell on the negatives I genuinely believe it would make a difference.
64
Wasps Rugby Discussion / TRP
« on: September 15, 2019, 12:26:48 PM »
Anybody got a copy? Anything about us in it?
65
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Prediction League
« on: July 27, 2019, 10:38:44 AM »
One of the things that was popular in the old days of DW was the prediction league.
The chaps at view from the 22 are in the process of setting one up there and rather than compete with them I thought it might be nice to show a bit of support. They have linked through to us after all!
https://forum.viewfromthe22.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=98
The chaps at view from the 22 are in the process of setting one up there and rather than compete with them I thought it might be nice to show a bit of support. They have linked through to us after all!
https://forum.viewfromthe22.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=98
66
Wasps Rugby Discussion / SPOILERS
« on: June 29, 2019, 09:59:06 PM »
If you are posting information that some people might wish not to see, such as match results, please use the newly installed "Spoiler tags"
This works really easily.
Simply type the text you want to hide, then either write
Or even easier, select the text with your mouse cursor and click on the button above that looks like a yellow circle with a radioactivity symbol in it.
That makes this happen:
Spoiler
This works really easily.
Simply type the text you want to hide, then either write
Code: [Select]
[spoiler] before it and Code: [Select]
[/spoiler] after it.Or even easier, select the text with your mouse cursor and click on the button above that looks like a yellow circle with a radioactivity symbol in it.
That makes this happen:
Spoiler
This text is hidden
67
Wasps Rugby Discussion / What do you want to see?
« on: June 09, 2019, 07:34:05 PM »
If you could get a fly on the wall look at Wasps behind the scenes during the off season what would you like to see?
Purely hypothetically of course
Purely hypothetically of course
69
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Further Signings
« on: May 18, 2019, 10:02:22 PM »
I'm going to make a prediction.
I think the world cup has caused all sorts of issues for the normal transfer process. I think that after what happened to Charles Piutau after he announced he was leaving and was then promptly dropped that things will go quiet for a while.
Then I think after the squads have been announced we may see a few more signings be announced.
I'd guess we probably have a couple more coming to us. And I think at least one will be from abroad and well know who they are.
Remind me of this post after the world cup and well see how far off I am!
I think the world cup has caused all sorts of issues for the normal transfer process. I think that after what happened to Charles Piutau after he announced he was leaving and was then promptly dropped that things will go quiet for a while.
Then I think after the squads have been announced we may see a few more signings be announced.
I'd guess we probably have a couple more coming to us. And I think at least one will be from abroad and well know who they are.
Remind me of this post after the world cup and well see how far off I am!
70
Wasps Rugby Discussion / The joy of automated systems
« on: April 19, 2019, 05:22:37 PM »
This afternoon I received an email report stating that certain pages of this site were in violation of Googles advertising code of conduct and as such advertising would be restricted.
As you might expect this was a little concerning, as while I don't make much from advertising, the idea of something on this site so bad it made Google restrict adverts made me wonder what the heck you guys had posted!
The report stated two pages were in violation. Of course I immediately checked them out.
It turns out that the Sarries thread that includes the word "naughty" was the culprit, and one of the issues was the actual statement itself. Various words there in close proximity along with the words of the title made the aurtomation suspect it contained child pornography.
Whilst I may dislike Sarries, I don't consider them to be quite that bad, and so I have requested a manual review of the pages.
As you might expect this was a little concerning, as while I don't make much from advertising, the idea of something on this site so bad it made Google restrict adverts made me wonder what the heck you guys had posted!
The report stated two pages were in violation. Of course I immediately checked them out.
It turns out that the Sarries thread that includes the word "naughty" was the culprit, and one of the issues was the actual statement itself. Various words there in close proximity along with the words of the title made the aurtomation suspect it contained child pornography.
Whilst I may dislike Sarries, I don't consider them to be quite that bad, and so I have requested a manual review of the pages.
71
Wasps Rugby Discussion / The Not Nots are back
« on: April 19, 2019, 04:56:30 PM »
It's always been pretty much a done deal, but today it was made a certainty. Irish beat Richmond making it mathemtically impossible for them not to get promoted.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47983257
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47983257
72
Wasps Rugby Discussion / More woes for Worcester
« on: April 19, 2019, 01:08:28 PM »
Teo is off, but it doesn't say where to.
Even if they manage to stay up it isn't looking good for next year.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46413842
Even if they manage to stay up it isn't looking good for next year.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/46413842
73
Wasps Rugby Discussion / This isn't gonna help Wuss...
« on: April 18, 2019, 01:29:04 PM »
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47959720
I still think Falcons are most likely to go, but this wont help Worcester.
I still think Falcons are most likely to go, but this wont help Worcester.
75
Wasps Rugby Discussion / Morning All!
« on: April 14, 2019, 08:09:03 AM »
It's a lovely day here, there's a chill in the air but the sun is shining and there is a promise of real warmth later. Not typical rugby weather! But I live in Hampshire so it's not really relevant. Sadly I am not going to this one, and neither will I be able to follow it live. For the first time since I broke my knee I am teaching a seminar on submission wrestling to a bunch of martial artists. It's a complete experiment, as it has become very clear there is a lot of it I can no longer do due to the injury, but I'm hoping I can still find a way to teach it without having to demonstrate.
Either way I shall be spending most of the latter part of the day in a small matted room rolling around with sweaty men. Make of that what you want Billy V.
I'm not hoping for or expecting a win, but a bonus point would be nice. That being said this weekend seems to be full of surprises so I accpet it is possible, if not likely.
Either way I shall be spending most of the latter part of the day in a small matted room rolling around with sweaty men. Make of that what you want Billy V.
I'm not hoping for or expecting a win, but a bonus point would be nice. That being said this weekend seems to be full of surprises so I accpet it is possible, if not likely.