24/11/2013 Scrum V Sunday

The Millennium Stadium on Friday night, the stage was set, the

gauntlet was laid down. There were some new faces pitched into the

arena and some old heads. It all started so well. He has the pace to

go all the way. Nor is going for the corner. A great finish by Ashley

Beck. -- North is going for the corner. After that, things got a bit

more messy. Come on, you want 11 in your scrum. Even Warren Gatland

struggled to summon enthusiasm. It is an ugly win that we will take. I

was pleased. Ultimately it was a victory and the

focus shifts to Saturday. In a year that Wales have retained their six

Nations crown and dominated the Lions side that dominated down

under, can they lay their southern hemisphere hoodoo to rest?

under, can they lay their southern Good evening and welcome to Scrum V,

that is the question that Martyn Williams and Kingsley Jones will be

trying to answer. They have been searching for chinks in the armour

of this Wallabies side. We will have highlights of the remarkable Test

match in Dublin this afternoon. First we will go back to Friday

night and the match between Wales and Tonga.

Very tall men in Luke Charteris and Ian Evans. But Tonga have stolen the

Welsh throw. Moa is charged down. Have they scored? Did they touched

the ball down? I think it is Lloyd Williams. Lloyd Williams last up

with the ball. I don't think that is down. I don't think that is a try.

No trial, it is held up. -- no try. Perhaps not the person to lead a

counter from deep in the Welsh half. Owen Williams. Still Owen Williams,

he has the place to go all the way. Owen Williams scores -- he has the

pace. That is a great try. James Hook straightens up and gets

absolutely smashed. George North. Well tackled by

Kalamafoni. A great finish by Ashley Beck. They will review it. But that

should be an outstanding try. In and out, stands him up. That is a great

try, isn't it? A great finish. Outstanding.

A good angle again. Charged by Paea. Latu picks up. Ma'afu again. He is

very, Tonga are going to score. Great build-up from the set piece, a

clinical finish, they are back in the game. It is a great off-load. A

fantastic off-load. I think someone has been sparked out

here. Hallam Amos, has his good on his first game for Wales? If that is

a try, it is a great try. -- has he scored on his first game?

Ryan Jones goes up. Charteris straightened well. He has dropped

it. What an opportunity for Luke Charteris. He has been exceptional

in the second half. He just dropped it. He will know he should have

scored. It just gets dislodged in the tackle.

Lloyd Williams, a gap around the blindside, inside pass, Ryan Jones.

It is going to be a try! They will look for a block.

No trial, obstruction in front of the ball, penalty to Tonga. -- no

try. We have had three referrals and they have all gone the way of Tonga.

It is an ugly win but we will take it. I was pleased with the ambition.

We could have probably kept taking ?3 and kept the scoreboard ticking

over. Maybe taken one of those tries and it makes it a bit better than it

is -- kept taken three points. It is frustrating but there was ambition

to play and put ourselves under pressure. We had an opportunity. It

is a learning thing for us on this tour. We have got to take

opportunity. We had a good system and we stuck to it. I thought it was

solid. The couple of years ago there are games we would possibly have

lost. The guys showed a lot of maturity and a bit of composure. We

just lacked a clinical edge. We think it would have come with a bit

of game time for the pit is a positive, I have been on this Friday

nights when results have not gone our way. -- these Friday nights. I

think there were 11 minutes of the ball in play in the first half which

for me is the lowest I have seen in an international game. That was kind

of the way it was played, reset after reset. It made it difficult

for us to get momentum. That pretty much sums it up. It

wasn't pretty, it wasn't blockbuster viewing. Is there any point as a

coach dwelling on that? Any value to be gained or do you wipe the slate

clean and look to Australia? I think you look at the individuals who

could put their hands up for the Australia game. The centres played

well, they made a mark on the game. You have to look at Tonga, in the

second half, it was limitations for them for they wanted to take the

tempo out of Wales and they manage to achieve that and I guess it is a

respectable scoreline for them. I think he said it all there. We have

lost those games in the past. The Friday night games are always

difficult, the players have two days to prepare. I thought in the first

half, it was a really good first half. The second half was so dour.

Like Kingsley said, the centres held their hands up, they both played

really well. Some selection issues. Hopefully Scott Williams is fit next

week, which one they go for will be interesting. That is the big

question, who played themselves into contention. The centres effectively

having auditions and they both scored tries, I guess they played

with flying -- pass with flying colours. Who do you think will

partner Williams? I think they will go with Ashley Beck. Owen Williams

and Scott Williams are very similar. I think the balance with him and

Scott Williams, fingers crossed that Scott Williams is fit, and the

experience as well, you'll just get the nod. We have heard that Alex

Cuthbert may be fit for this final test. Given that a theme of this

autumn campaign has been missed chances, Wales had 14 line breaks

against Tonga and only score two tries, how much of a boost to have a

predator like him in the fold? I think it is a massive boost for the

national team. When you look at the injuries, it was great to see Hallam

Amos. If they can train this week I think it makes all the difference. I

think Owen Williams could play outside Scott Williams if they can

train well together. He will probably go with Beck but I would

like to see Owen Williams get some time in a big test. If Cuthbert is

back you are reuniting the Lions back three. If you look at the 15

that will take the Park on Saturday, all being well, you are probably

going to be missing Adam Jones, Jonathan Davies. Three world-class

players but still a very strong starting 15. Fingers crossed with

Alex's passing ability, he can pull through. It is a straight call

between Dan Biggar and Rhys Priestland. Is Dan Biggar in pole

position? I think so. I am a fan of both of them but I think Dan Biggar

is in the driving seat. I think he started slowly in the red jersey but

he has not done anything wrong. I certainly can see him starting for

Wales in that game. Food for thought. We will preview the big

Australia game. I spoke to Matt Burke earlier today and he tell me

which Welsh player he fears the most. George Nobbs. I am glad I am

not playing these days. A wing in my day was like Rory Underwood. Sort of

slight, a bit fast. These guys are incredible. When they get the ball,

it is fantastic to see these guys in top flight. Plenty more from him

later. Let's return to action. Earlier this afternoon, Ireland

faced the mighty all Blacks, going in search of a victory that would

give them the perfect year. Brace yourself for some heart stopping

drama. yourself for some

Jamie he gets through the outside half. -- Jamie Heaslip gets through

the outside half. Kanemaru, is it down? -- Conor Murray. Sean

O'Brien, a great pass to marry. Gordon D'Arcy waits.

Murray, Rory Best, the dummy, a try! .

Here goes Aaron Smith. Sean O'Brien does well. He had to spin and five.

-- and fly. Away comes Carney, he is not going to be caught! What a

celebration, what a game by the Irishman.

A little stab through, it is going to be a try. The all Blacks are back

in this game. Here goes Franks again. I think he

has got that down. New Zealand, so close to keeping their 100% year

alive. Nonu, Gordon D'Arcy brings him down.

He gets the pass a way, it is going to be the try! It is Ryan Crotty.

The second time, he gets it right and New Zealand have one. -- won. In

the second half we let play get away too much. We have to keep going and

keep playing and maybe we didn't do that. That was a genuinely thrilling

game of rugby. Even if you do not enjoy rugby, if you watched the last

ten minutes, what New Zealand did, that last passage of play, was

unbelievable. It was a similar situation in the grand slam. They

will not sleep tonight. To come so close, but to give it away. An

unbelievable game. Like you say, Nigel, unbelievable again. For the

neutrals that was an incredible game to watch. For the Irish they were

utterly crestfallen. How do you begin to recover from a defeat like

that? It is the worst thing in the world. Even if you are a neutral and

you are desperate, you want Ireland to win. . It is so hard. It is a lot

easier to come to terms with taking a point, but today they will not be

able to explain how they feel. You may have seen Brian O'Driscoll went

off to the pitch and was refused permission to go back on after he

failed a pitch side assessment. The spotlight has been on concussion in

recent weeks with growing concerns head injuries are leading to

problems later in life. Last week the IBU said player health remained

the number one priority. But some people think risks are still being

taken. Collisions like these can subject to the body to the same kind

of trauma you experience in a car crash. They are so frequent and so

thunderous at the top level that a concussion is suffered once every

five days. Rugby has always been the most brutal of contact sports and

there is no doubt the players are getting bigger and the hits are

getting harder. But either risks getting greater? There is

overwhelming evidence that repeated, minor traumatic brain injuries can

lead to depression, memory loss, personality changes, suicide and

dementia. Thousands of people have been knocked out playing rugby. It

is the nature of what we do and the risks we take as players. There is

nothing more honourable than declaring yourself fit and playing

through the pain, but when you do that through concussion it is a

dangerous game. Doctor Barry O Driscoll served for 15 years on the

medical committee and says protecting players from the danger

of concussion should be a top priority. The introduction of a

trial which allows a player to return to the field after suffering

a head injury after they pass a five minute assessment horrified him and

led to his resignation. In the Lions tour the Wallaby flanker George

Smith left the field looking dazed and confused only to return later in

the half. It was an absolute calamity and how any international

federation can claim that a player who we saw going through what he

went through with his loss of consciousness after a huge head

clash can be assisted off the field and come back five minutes later and

we know what state his brain is in, it absolutely horrifies me.

Concussion was high on the agenda at the IRB conference last week. The

pitch side assessment has already resulted in a reduction of players

returning to the pits. Rory Lamont suffered ten knockouts in his career

and does not buy it. It involves a series of tests measured against a

baseline set at the start of the season and he says it is easy to

cheat. The tests they use are flawed. You can set the test up so

when you do your baseline you can set a low score or be knocked out

later in the season and because you set a low score in your preseason,

it is easy to get back and you still might have symptoms and you still

might have the effect of the brain trauma still there. But you can get

that within seven days of being knocked out cold. With the protocols

in place there is no way you can mask it. Some people suggest you can

deliberately perform poorly on a baseline so that comparatively if

you fail after having a brain injury you are close to your baseline

score. If you are the sort of player who does that, then more fool you.

Injuries to the brain are invisible and unlike a knee injury or a

shoulder injury the physical effects cannot be seen. Rugby has a macho

culture, players do not want to appear soft in front of their

team-mates and often hide symptoms to avoid a spell on the sidelines.

Worse there is a suggestion that doctors are often overruled by

coaches on medical matters. I have witnessed it. I have witnessed when

the player and the coach are claiming everything is good against

medical wishes. The guy had been Clint cast clearly and should never

have taken the field, but that is the way it is at the moment.

Ultimately if they are battling with the coaches, they could lose their

job. There are a few people better qualified to comment on this than

Jamie Roberts, a qualified doctor who once fractured his skull and

played on. He has faith in the system. This five-minute assessments

gives the medics and the physio is a clearer chance to see what is

wrong. A team doctor and a physio is not going to put a player back on

the pitch if their symptoms are obvious. What if the code is leaning

on the doctors saying, this is a star player West we have got to keep

him on. I am sure a decent medic ruled the roost and that is the way

it is. Health is priority. That has to be the case. Even if you had a

headstrong coach and a strong personality and a relatively

inexperienced medic, the medic's experience will hold sway? It is the

most important part of anyone's career, somebody's health. In the

clubs I have played in that has been the case. This sports like American

football have concussion problems like their own. Two months ago, the

NFL paid out more than $7 million to four players and accused the league

of misleading them on the dangers of head injuries. Research their shows

that repeated head injuries can have consequences and lead to dementia.

There are fears now that rugby could be travelling down the same path.

There are cases where I have sat next to a close friend and I cannot

remember his name and it takes me a couple of seconds. Is that the way I

am? But I do not remember having that in the past. It is bizarre.

That happens and you suddenly question is that linked? You see the

shape of their features on the outside, what is going on with the

shape of their features inside? We do not know what it is going to be

like in 30 years for the players who are now playing a different game. We

know a lot more than we did about concussion, but there is a huge

amount we do not know. Some people might be alarmed to learn medics

might be overruled by coaches, but less surprised that players can play

through concussion. Presumably you did it? You have to put your mindset

into that of the player. The number of players who have an argument with

the medics and the physio and say, I can carry on. But health is

paramount with a player, but it is such a grey area, concussion. You

cannot see visibly what has gone wrong. The George Smith incident for

me, if you are getting up and you are not allowed back on, that is

it. If you cannot remember some of the game, it is a difficult one. It

is worrying, particularly in the NFL. Is that why we search like this

and medics should have the final say? Players are never going to

say, take me off. It is a great debate and I am 100% with Jamie

Roberts. As a coach I had a situation recently with Russia. A

guy broke his finger and they are telling him he has broken his

finger, but it is concussion. The medic had to make a decision that if

it was going to be detrimental, he had to come off. But players will

not want to come off. My teeth were falling out and they needed to stop

the blood and they wanted to take me off the field to pull my teeth out.

Martyn Williams was shrugging his shoulders warming up. And there was

no way I would let him go on because I would never have played again.

Layers do not want to give others opportunities. Interesting stuff.

More research is being done and it is something we will be revisiting

in the not too distant future. The Pro12 was back this weekend. This is

a full round-up. Dragons had not won at Glasgow since January, 2009, and

the visitors were looking for revenge over the Scottish region who

scored 47 points over them last season. But it was the home side

that got off to a flying start. A yellow card was shown 38 seconds

into the game, the first of three for the Dragons.

They will not catch the winger. A great dive and a great squad. First

blood to Glasgow. He did well, but he made a horror

licks of that one. And the Dragons extended their lead.

That is perfect for the Dragons. Richie Rees and Lois Evans the

flanker. In the shadow of the Glasgow posts. No problem with the

drop. Despite Zebre having won only one game this season, the Ospreys

were still expecting a tough challenge from the Italian

opponents. But the home side were boosted by their prop Duncan Jones.

Harding -- having lost six of seven games in the last few competitions,

they got off to a good start. Morgan is trying to make up for his

error and gets back to make the tackle. They have been given the

tried, supra against the run of play. Back at the start of the

second half the Ospreys turned up the heat. San Luis was there. The

Ospreys need to finish this one. The Canadian gets his first Ospreys

try. This is Morgan again. It is Duncan Jones who flies over

for the Ospreys' try early in the second half. Supra are battering

away. They are back in it. The Scarlet having one on the last visit

were hampered this weekend by international call outs. For on it

was a special day for Michael Swift with his 250th cap.

This is cavemen stuff by the scurrilous.

Gareth Davies. A little show and go and all the way by Gareth Davies.

It is picked up by the winger and they will not catch him. Connaught

are back in it. It is Connaught's return for a rumble. Connacht get

the drive. -- the try. The Blues were missing more than 20

players through international calls and injuries, Munster were only

without three players required by Ireland. The depleted region scored

first. After that, Munster turned on the power and the blues were no

match for the Irish side. Great supporting angle from Felix

Jones. It is a well worked try. Sheridan to Johnny Murtagh fee.

Bouncing off players like a pinball. Oh, the gap has opened up and it is

try number two. A quick off-load from Smith to Williams. This is

danger in deed. Great work by Sheridan in charging the kick down,

they never say die attitude. It is going to be tried time and it is

Cronin. -- try time. Felix Jones hits the gap and the

pass out to Andrew Conway. And the bonus point try comes. Again they go

for the drive, again they have good body positions. That is a try, is

it? Lyn Jones was on the show last week

and he took credit for the development of Toby Faletau, do you

want to take credit for the Dragons win? I worked hard on it and I watch

the programme last week, I laughed my head off when he came up with

that! They are a top team and top of the league so a great four points.

The performance can be improved, so happy days to get a win like that.

They good away win for the Scarlets. The Ospreys beating Zebre at home. A

comfortable win for Munster at the Arms Park and an indication of the

lack of depth in the Blues squad when they have international is

away, and another potential blow, certain sections of the press

reporting Bradley Davies is on his way to Wasps. It seems he has been

offered a new contract which would make him one of the best paid

players in Wales but it looks like he is due to depart, another savage

blow for the Blues and Welsh rugby. It is a blow if you lose a player of

his quality. Missing 20 players through injuries and international

call ups so there is an issue of strength in depth. You never want to

lose somebody like Bradley. I suppose they will just bring

somebody in who will be available for the full 12 months to cover his

absence next year. While we're on the subject of regional rugby, there

was some movement in the Heineken Cup row. The unions put a stake in

the ground and announce the Heineken Cup would be going ahead with

English clubs were in it or not. It was dismissed as irrelevant and the

English club said they were going ahead with the rugby champions cup.

The Welsh regions have said they want to be in the new tournament,

they haven't said anything since those statements last week. We know

they are meeting on Wednesday and will form late a response. We will

know more on where the regions stand next week. There is a possibly tee

that there may be two parallel competitions running, neither of

which will be considered elite -- possibility. It is no good to fans,

sponsors or anyone. A lot of it is speculation, we all curious. The

regions and the clubs are reviewing their positions. They meet on

Wednesday and hopefully will have some sort of proper statement on

what way it is going. It is speculation, around in circles with

it, it seems. Something concrete would be nice, hopefully we will

have that next week on Scrum V. Back to test rugby and the Wallabies have

arrived in Wales, looking to end their year on a high. Yesterday they

took on this gods at Murrayfield, a team they have not beaten for seven

years. The line-out is stolen by Australia.

Good line speed from Scotland. Harris rode through. Through it

goes, it is one tackle slipped. There is his danger, there is the

first try of the match. Almost an identical kick to his last

one. And the result is the same. Scotland, back within one point.

Cooper, gets it off to Stephen Moore and Craig Cooper, there is space out

wide. He gets over and surely a try. The celebrations are there.

Scotland with a chance again. Weir is turned. Advantage to Scotland. It

is a penalty to Scotland. I wonder if another talking to is coming. It

is the top of the picture. He is holding him. There is no punch...

O... I take that back he brings them round to the heart of

the rights, and Scotland back within three points. Can they win for the

third time in a row against Australia? They might need a try?

The ball is lost at the line-out and with it, perhaps the chance.

Australia have the penalty. That chance for Scotland disappears,

randomly. -- disappears comprehensively.

A third win in a row for Australia. Earlier this morning I caught up

with Matt Burke via the internet and I asked him to give me his honest

assessment of how he thought it would go. The games against Wales

were always incredibly tough games and you knew you were in for a

fight. When it comes down to playing against the Welsh, there is a great

rivalry that the Six Nations is very special, and the rugby

championships. Australia-Wales is something that has grown in the last

five or six, ten years for example. Maybe it is this got Johnson link

with when he had his time in Wales. -- the Scott Johnson link. Those

games are held in high regard. This game will be a cracker. Let's talk

about Falau, we were entranced by the duel between him and George

North in the Lions tour. They will not be directly against each other

but do the Wallabies still have nightmares about George North? When

he did lift Falau in the first Test match in Brisbane, everybody

thought, wow, look at these guys do their stuff. George North, I am glad

I am not playing these days. A wing in my days was the Rory Underwood,

sort of slight, a little bit fast and you can actually bring him down.

These guys these days are incredible. The way they come in in

defence is quite special. They contribute not only on the wing and

scoring tries, but they get around the park and hold their own in

amongst the forwards. When those guys get the ball, they come against

each other, it is fantastic to see them in top flight. I'm going to ask

you for a prediction. The Wallabies on a three-game winning streak, will

they make it four? I reckon they can make it four. The confidence they

got out of the Irish game than anything else will probably sit in

their minds so well. A different proposition against Wales at the

millennium, against a team that wants to over do -- overcome their

hoodoo. I think it will be close. I never much liked you as a player

because you were on sites that were beating Wales will stop as a bloke,

I can't fault you. -- you were on sides. I got that a fair bit in my

career! Nice, thank you for a cheques -- thank you very much.

It was an understrength side that beat Scotland, six players had been

internally suspended for going out drinking after the victory against

Ireland. They seem to have emerged from their posts Lions slump. I

think they are much better placed than they were as a team. This was a

ten man line-out. The intention was to get the maul and they score a

good try from a driving maul against Ireland. The scrum was solid that

day. When you get these platforms and you get your defensive line

wrong, you have the star quality. Players like Craig Cooper will

exploit you. They have come across Israel Falau. He is outstanding area

live. Here you see he is brave. -- outstanding aerially. He has skills

in contact, off load, little touches everywhere, positive play in

everything he does. Here, just working off nine, always looking for

the ball for his try against Scotland. Your full-back has tracked

across, great footwork and a try saving tackle that got him the

across, great footwork and a try saving tackle that got man of the

match, and rightly so in Edinburgh. Another player we have looked at as

influential as Falau is Michael Hooper. I love watching him play. He

has total disregard for his own safety, defensively he is likely

rock, even in the wide channels he is very comfortable. He is arguably

the best open side in the world, he has been sensational. Watch his

workrate, to cover that much ground as a number seven, he slows the down

committee gets his hands on the ball. -- ball down, gets his hands

on the ball. He is not the biggest of guys but he is so dynamic. Along

with Stephen Warner in the pack, he is a world-class forward. Plenty of

star quality in the Wallabies line-up and the Welsh line up as

well. We'll Wales win? -- will Wales win? I think they will win. They

have been building up to this one after the disappointment against

South Africa. This is the big one for them. It is well-documented how

close we have come to knocking one of the big three over. I think this

is their time. A few injuries but they will be fine. We continue this

debate online, as soon as this programme goes off air. Coverage for

the big match starts on Saturday at 4:30pm. You don't need me to remind

you, Australia, much like New Zealand, never know when they are

beaten. Good night. It is going to be a try, when the

game was there to be won, they have handed it back to Australia.