So Warren Gatland Called it Right - The GP Fails

[Rugby Nick]

The Guinness Premiership, having watched the games, is the weakest… I’ve ever seen,” said Gatland.

remember that? seems the man knew his onions after all

[Moscow-on-Wye]

Yes, it looks to have been an accurate assessment. Of course, it was still a scandalous attack on England, the English way of life, Her Majesty the Queen (god Bless 'er), marmite, ribena and the Household Cavalry. How dare he?

[Canute]

You just wait until Northampton take the title...

[hwntw]

Originally Posted by Canute

You just wait until Northampton take the title...

They're already out, they'll be munnered again.

[Rugby Nick]

Originally Posted by Canute

You just wait until Northampton take the title...

away in Munster? There is no way it will be that close twice

[Fabric]

Originally Posted by Rugby Nick

remember that? seems the man knew his onions after all

I guess that, on this basis, the T14 was garbage last season.

[Rugby Nick]

Originally Posted by Fabric

I guess that, on this basis, the T14 was garbage last season.

lol, wondered if anyone would mention that.

My point is that he was much derided by certain individuals and ections of the press - and yet there is now significant evidence to back up his theory/obervations. I don't think from that point of view it can be argued he doesn't have much of a point.

[Fabric]

Originally Posted by Rugby Nick

lol, wondered if anyone would mention that.

My point is that he was much derided by certain individuals and ections of the press - and yet there is now significant evidence to back up his theory/obervations. I don't think from that point of view it can be argued he doesn't have much of a point.

Significant evidence? How so? This can't be based on one set of HEC last 8 teams because that's luck of the draw and doesn't draw on year on year comparisons.

All Gatland did was give his subjective opinion.

[Rugby Nick]

Originally Posted by Fabric

Significant evidence? How so? This can't be based on one set of HEC last 8 teams because that's luck of the draw and doesn't draw on year on year comparisons.

All Gatland did was give his subjective opinion.

he did, and was derided for it - i am saying that evidence seems to back up his findings.

luck of the draw it may be but the only team to qualify for the later stages were northampton who were the last team to qualify with the leats number of points.

ospreys didnt lose to english opposition, cardiff blues won 3 of their 4, the turks managed 2 wins. struggle to remember how the dragqueens did vs glaws but all in all it suggests - even just on welsh vs english - that the GP has gone downhill.

I have been watching a number of games ther recently and i feel it has as well. there are still some cracking games but a lot of them are, imo (and the one that gats gave) poorer than ever. Where he was denounced for such a suggestion by a number of english fans, press and coaches it seems he was in fact making a good point going by the results in the HEC

[Fabric]

Originally Posted by Rugby Nick

he did, and was derided for it - i am saying that evidence seems to back up his findings.

luck of the draw it may be but the only team to qualify for the later stages were northampton who were the last team to qualify with the leats number of points.

ospreys didnt lose to english opposition, cardiff blues won 3 of their 4, the turks managed 2 wins. struggle to remember how the dragqueens did vs glaws but all in all it suggests - even just on welsh vs english - that the GP has gone downhill.

I have been watching a number of games ther recently and i feel it has as well. there are still some cracking games but a lot of them are, imo (and the one that gats gave) poorer than ever. Where he was denounced for such a suggestion by a number of english fans, press and coaches it seems he was in fact making a good point going by the results in the HEC

I'm not sure how that evidence points to anything. For example, the top two Welsh teams should always be able to compete with the best of England. That is the history of our sport over a prolonged period of time so I'm not sure how that is any kind of evidence of note.

I see a lot of ML games that are poorer than ever. I'm not sure how that marries up with this evidence set, though.

I'm not sure how these HEC last 8 teams proves Gatland to be right. It's just one piece of evidence that is easily contradicted.