Last week we brought you the Tom Shanklin column in the lead-up to the first test in Bloem. In a follow-up to that article Shanklin talks about the first test and their golas for the second… yip, that’s right, they’re still looking for that elusive respect…
This Wales team is now under no illusions just how gigantic the gulf between northern and southern hemisphere international rugby.
It was just unfortunate that the world was watching when we aided our own downfall against the most ruthless team on the international stage.
South Africa are the world champions and need no assistance, but nevertheless we gave them a hand in Bloemfontein.
We made an unbelievable amount of mistakes – we haven’t made that many cock-ups in a game since prior to our 2005 Grand Slam win.
The boys aren’t just disappointed with our inadequate performance in the first test, we’re so frustrated because we know we’re better than that. We’re fuming.
Much has been made of our pre-South Africa confidence but we truly did – and still do – believe that we’re now good enough both physically and mentally to match a team like the Springboks.
But how many times have I been here with Wales? Celebrated a special triumph such as the 2008 Grand Slam one minute, then suffered the heart-breaking defeat after a flat performance the next.
But the focus of Warren Gatland’s Wales is on ensuring a consistency of performance and results that is worthy of a top, top international team.
Welsh rugby’s annoying habit of leaping from peak to trough – and back again -of recent times has to end.
We were missing some big players like Martyn Williams, Mike Phillips, Gavin Henson, Dwayne Peel and Lee Byrne to name but a few yet we need to ensure a strength in depth so we can compete against the best.
We have the talent, we just must maintain the mentality and clinical efficiency every game as South Africa – a team also missing some big players – painfully showed us in Bloemfontein.
This squad is hurting for not doing ourselves justice on Saturday, now we must make amends in Saturday’s second Test Pretoria.
Yes we owe it to our fans, but more importantly we owe it to ourselves as a team.
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lol. Love that picture…
what picture?
the one in the article?
Oh please, does he really believe what he writes. 🙄
do they believe they can do it, hmmm, i doubt that. yes, they were on a high after the 6 nations, but the players know they can win the 6N, they have seen welsh teams win the 6N before.
but have they ever seen a welsh team beat the springboks at home? never. also, its not like we have been vulnerable of late, seeing as we are world champs, so i seriously doubt that the players truly believe they can beat us.
I don’t see any picture!??!
I see a picture of habana leaving two welshmen in his wake. 😎
Are you guys serious? Can you really not see the Habs and Shanklin pic at the beginning of the arti?
Dont think this Wales side has what it takes to even come close in Pretoria. Boks are simply too physical for them and so much better at the breakdown.
It’s also noticable how much fitter the boks are than the welsh, presumably thanks to the ELVs.
@ra-cheltjie de’ be-er (Comment 7) :
Thank goodness for that! That’s shankles on the ground watching Habana cruise past…
@VinChainSaw (Comment 8) :
I seriously don’t…
Picture has gone blank? 👿
don’t either
And now it’s back. 😕
Pic still there.
robbo, i’ll leave this in your capable hands… I have not a clue what is going on with the pic. I still see it.
Time to go.
better?
@VinChainSaw (Comment 17) : Bigger yes.
Now the article is skewed!??!
I am off guys…………..enjoy!??!
vin – I think they have some cunning mechanism in place to stop you pinching their image 😉
any better?
@robdylan (Comment 21) :
I suspect you’re correct robbo and the clever folks at viewimages are playing silly buggers.
Smart thing to do but not very nice…
@VinChainSaw (Comment 23) : I have made our own copy and will wait for the rude letter 😉