Always a Wasp

My first degree was as a trainee P.E teacher (secondary and A-Level), and I have to admit when you see the facilities, expertise, time and teaching that can be extended to sports in public schools compared to state it really is striking. It is no wonder that historically that many players come from that background. However the work with state schools and grass roots clubs is there, and players can make it through both routes.

Eddie Jones has always been divisive, and his latest comments do not surprise me at all. I may not like or want him as our head coach as I feel he is the handbrake on our ability to develop into a consistently winning team with his mixed messages, befuddling tactics and autocratic approach, which has constricted the team  rather than letting them learn and flourish. But I can understand why he feels as he does. It is not only the background of where he grew up, but also that his parents, dad Australian, mother Japanese-American means that he has never quite felt like he "fits". When you get this disassociation this can lead to a bunker mentality, and you may view things more differently, and sometimes with hostility.

We all need to feel that we "belong", that we are accepted, that we have a connection. Rugby is Jones' constant, anything that may disrupt that will not be viewed kindly. If he does not feel "connected" to our country or culture, is it any surprise he views it as he does? The problem is that this is also felt by many of us, and why it can be very difficult for us not only to go with him in what he does, but makes supporting our team that little bit harder as we do not feel as connected with them as we should.

Lancaster is the blueprint of how to connect the team to the fans and create pride. Woodward (01-03) showed the blueprint of how to develop a team of leaders who could think and adjust to the challenges on the pitch whilst the coaches created the environment off it. We need to find a future coach who is the best of both of these. My request would be Shaun Edwards.

CoDY I certainly agree with you, the right to freedom of protest should never be impinged upon, it is part of what makes a society democratic. It is however the nature of the protest that may step over the line between that of a civilised society to that of a baying mob worthy of a hegemony.

Voicing opposition and getting your opinion heard by many through protest, gatherings, posters/flags and being able to give your side of the argument without seeking to quash another’s through threats and violence is democratic. Marginalising, abusing others, or trying to cause harm,  whether through verbal, physical abuse or trying to place others in financial jeopardy through the simple act of sponsoring those who your feelings are contrary to. Forcing the narrative, deliberately and forcefully stopping opposing voices through threat and refusing to respect the others position crosses that line to more autocratic behaviour.

Like you I would of loved Wasps to remain in London, ideally in Sudbury. However I followed them to White City then to High Wycombe, and I do now to Coventry. Wasps runs in my blood, and as annoyed as I was at the move, when you hear testimony such as new wasp, it places perspective I probably did not really have, even though it was wonderful seeing new Wasps join our family.

We are now in situation where we must continue to grow our support, but we are also now part of the Coventry culture and future (as distasteful as that may be to some). I have absolutely zero interest in football -could not be a more boring sport out there! - but I respect those who love the game and their club as much as I do ours. CCFC and Wasps are better off supporting each other to be successful going forward rather than working against one another.

Good to see Lee giving younger players like Oghre a voice to the whole squad, you need young players stepping up like this to form long term leadership teams to guide the whole unit.

Also really like seeing the work on passing at catching. Seems mad to say this about a Premiership team but our basics like this were way off last year, and it cost us a huge amount, with so many moves breaking down, looking stuttering due to players having to stop/check their runs. And also not really being able to have a multi phase attack as this core element was so shaky the oppo shut us down and forced kicking more than was desirable.

I look forward to the next update.

Massive +4 from me regarding scrum pens. Scrums were always a way to simply restart the game. You look at a game from the 90s and although it looks a bit messy compared to today’s version it was certainly far quicker and far more effective saving time and continuing momentum.

Bring back that and bring back shoeing, stop players flying into the ruck and we will have a better game.

A great head coach would want to win everything, not just aim for a World Cup. Eddie Jones has an outlook that is not compatible for a team that wants to win things. You go into the summer tours, A.I’s, six nations and world cups wanting to win everything and treating each with the passion and commitments it deserves.He does not thus should not be in place a moment longer.

There must be a way we can get rid of him after the tour at the very latest…to be honest it would be no bad thing removing him before the next game, it can’t get any worse.

Ireland looked a distance off today, but equally the ABs are not the force they were.

Oz determination and grit gave them a deserved win. England have a squad who could win, but you can see Eddie Jones coaching out talent, ability and instinctiveness game by game. We will only win if he goes. Great coaches and teams go out to win everything, the moment he said he was aiming for the World Cup only the board should of got rid of him.

Wales…well their ability to snatch defeat from victory continues. That was likely their best chance at a victory as the Boks were so off for the first half whilst also being in and out of the game for the second forty. Not sure they will be caught cold like that again this series.

Only Scotland left to spare our northern hemisphere blushes for the opening round now.

The playing squad is there to win…It is the head coach that is the problem (although we did not need this result to know that). Fast Eddie will either play it down or blame the team, which will be incorrect. Please Eddie do the decent thing and resign, or the board grow a pair and remove him.

Australia will be painful.

A game of rugby should feel like a day out, that starts with the excitement of the morning, getting to the area around the ground or in the city, where fans are in coffee shops, pubs, or families are eating meals, kids playing throwing rugby balls around etc. A stadium should have concessions offering food, drinks and entertainment, a club shop to visit and spend your hard earned, history of the club should be everywhere, having large TVs showing live Q and A’s, highlights of past games not only that season but from decades before. The stadium itself should be bedecked in the clubs colours and history. To visiting fans it should be obvious that this place is Wasps. We have said about seat colours before (and this is one example of many) but it is things like this that make it home. It should feel like a place you want to go and spend time before and after a game. It should feel like an event every time. It should feel like home where we want to go and spend time with others every game, and fans feel that we are throwing open the doors to them to join us and celebrate our sport whilst they support their team. Our stadium feels more like roll up, watch the boys, head home. That is not good at all, it does not engage the fans. You have to feel the club in your heart, develop that emotional connection where the club becomes not only important to you, but part of your identity. We will not encourage paying support or indeed new support if you cannot do that.

Yes the pandemic has had an impact, but until our club get the above sorted we are in trouble. Our club is engaging well in local clubs and schools at grass roots. But we now need to engage the city and surrounding areas on a commercial level (pubs, restaurants etc). HQ has the patch, and a plethora of pubs, restaurants and clubs we all frequent on match days, we need to start this in Coventry.  Yes it will involve financial investment, huge amounts of commitment and time, but if you do not have a club that people will take to their hearts then that is the death knell to any club in any sport. Our attendances are a warning sign we cannot ignore.