Stuart Barnes’s Big Game: Wales v Scotland

Wales’s slide from the top tier of international teams gathered momentum with a lacklustre performance at Twickenham. England were not that good but for all bar 20 minutes. Wales were that bad. Muscle and mean defensive mentality has become the leading edge of their game but Wales’s players remain at their best playing attacking rugby.

Martyn Williams is a glorious link and Jamie Roberts and James Hook are capable of causing endless problems to the best teams while Stephen Jones is never afraid to stand flat and in the firing line. The scrum is good and should be much better still this weekend. They are overwhelming favourites to beat Scotland this weekend but the Welsh players will need to cut out the stupid mistakes that undermined them in London. In the 10 minutes Alun Wyn Jones was sitting out his sin-bin sentence, Wales leaked 17 unanswered points. The Welsh management didn’t hold back in their criticism but teams frequently play with one man down and rarely concede so much. Shouldn’t the defensive system of Shaun Edwards be subjected to more scrutiny than it has so far?

Scotland are not the ideal test of Edwards’ defence. Phil Godman has been dropped and Dan Parks recalled in the merry-go-round of two substitute internationals taking their turn to play and be dropped. Chris Paterson is not the ideal answer but Scotland have a few decent full back options and he kicks goals, while bringing experience in the position.

They have a superior balance to their attack with Rory Lamont adding more bite alongside his brother Sean, who caused genuine problems for France from the wing. Andy Robinson has moved him into the centre to get him more involved. It’s logical but it doesn’t always work.

What must work if Scotland are to win is their back row for whom Johnnie Beattie was excellent in Edinburgh. With Robinson running the side this comes as no great shock. The man knows his back row. Robinson will be delighted to have Euan Murray back from his self-imposed Sunday exile. Scotland would like nothing more than Murray’s inspiration as a changing-room presence, but in the likely absence of divinity, they will have to make do with...

Wales V Scotland Hospitality

Six Nations Hospitality

Welsh rugby fans ready to snap up Six Nations Hospitality

MORE than 27,000 Welsh rugby fans who have pre-registered for the Six Nations matches at the Millennium Stadium will get the opportunity to snap up tickets at noon today.

Fans have registered their support for the national squad since Wales captain Ryan Jones launched the pre-registration process via the Welsh Rugby Union website during last year’s autumn series.

Fans were able to join a priority waiting list for access to any tickets unclaimed by WRU member clubs and debenture holders.


Sell-out crowds are expected for the games against Scotland (February 13), France (February 26) and Italy (March 20).

“The fans are an important part of the team and we will be looking forward to three home games with the Millennium Stadium full to its rafters,” said Wales coach Warren Gatland.

“There is nothing like looking up from the pitch to a sea of red to inspire a player.

“We have three tough matches in Cardiff this year and the crowd will have a vital part to play.”

For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Six Nations Hospitality Six Nations Hospitality

Andy Robinson hints at bright future after Frank Hadden era peters out

SCOTTISH rugby is moving into 2010 with renewed heart … but wait, we said that of 2009.

Scottish rugby was in a positive frame of mind a year ago after scrummaging New Zealand off the park and running South Africa close, so developing a pack confident it could stand tall with the best in the world. They did not win those Test matches ultimately, and that kept one foot on the ground at least, but with England and France struggling, Wales not the Grand Slammists they were and Ireland looking aged, surely it was time for Scotland to banish the blues?

The short answer was 'no, think again, Scotland'. Just as a rugby team evolves around more than merely the stand-off, but the controller wearing the No10 jersey invariably attracts most scrutiny, so the head coach is far from alone in determining how his side performs yet is the man to take the greatest flak when it all goes pear-shaped.

It comes with the position and so the sight of Frank Hadden shuffling more uncomfortably than ever with the attention and criticism began to reveal in the former Edinburgh and Scotland age-grade coach a naivety in international rugby that was to haunt him in his final months as he ran out of avenues to turn and agreed to step down in May.

In terms of results, Hadden finished with 16 wins from 41 Test matches, a success ratio of 39 percent, and with Scotland one place further down the rankings from when he took over. It was not a whole lot worse than some might have predicted of a Scotland side, but he joined Ian McGeechan and Matt Williams nonetheless in completing the worst decade of achievement by a Scotland team since international rugby began.

Rugby Hospitality: For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Six Nations Hospitality Six Nations Hospitality

Where do Wales go from here (Six Nations 2010)?

WALES, today stand at a crossroads. What happens next, going into 2010, could prove to be the defining moment of his tenure as our coach.

Rugby union is the national sport of Wales and is considered a large part of national culture. Rugby is thought to have reached Wales in the 1850s, with the national body, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) being formed in 1881. The national team play out of the WRU-owned Millennium Stadium, and compete annually in the Six Nations rugby, as well as having competed at every Rugby World Cup. Wales are ranked as a tier-1 nation by the International Rugby Board (IRB). The main domestic competition in Wales is the Mangers League, in which Wales have four sides in the competition which is also contested by Irish and Scottish clubs. Welsh teams also compete in the European Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup. Wales also competes in the IRB 7's series and in 2009 won the World Championship.


The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked ninth in the IRB World Rankings as at 16 November 2009, and makes up one quarter of the British and Irish Lions rugby team. They annually take part in the Six Nations and participate in the Rugby World Cup, which takes place every four years

Wales and Scotland once again competition of rugby in Six Nations
Corporatehospitalitygroup has provide this Six Nation Hospitality

Wales V Scotland Hospitality on Sat Feb 13, 2010 at 14:00

Welsh fans won’t be satisfied with spending their hard-earned money to witness the sort of ponderous, one-dimensional and uncreative showing we had on Saturday.

Rugby Hospitality: For this match sports hospitality is available form corporate hospitality group. Corporate hospitality introduce a variety of Corporate hospitality Packages. They provide 100% security and privacy to customer Information. You can reserve your rugby hospitality with confidance and with fear.


For upcoming sports information please visit Corporate Hospitality Events

Book your Six Nations Hospitality Six Nations Hospitality