Sunday 3 June 2012

Decision to drop Biggar from Welsh squad Bizarre.

I know that in politics,I am in a minority including being  a republican and a supporter of Welsh Independence, but of course it doesn't mean I am wrong.


I appear to be in even smaller minority when it comes to Rugby and my belief that Osprey's Dan Biggar, should be considered  over the Scarlets .Rhys  Priestland for the position of Welsh fly half.


I follow the Blues so I am not Osprey biased:. But Biggar has impressed me ever since I saw play as an under 20's International and at only 22 he has scored over a thousand points for the Ospreys


I accept there are are facets of his game that need improvement but it could be that a few more caps could be the polish Dan needs.


Rhys  Priestland may be better in some areas but Rhys had a poor six nations and if Leigh Halfpenny hadn't taken over his kicking duties he had probably been dropped.


Buy contrast although he hasn't excelled  in his few Welsh appearances . Biggar has had a great season for the Ospreys culminating in his dramatic winning conversion from near a touchline and on the wrong side of the pitch for him to snatch a brilliant 31-30 victory over Heineken Cup kings Leinster in Dublin last weekend.


However Biggar is one of five players cut from the Wales squad set to tour Australia following today's 30 - 21 win against the Barbarians.


Wales caretaker coach Rob Howley  revealed the names of the unlucky five in the immediate aftermath of today's match at the Millennium Stadium. 
However it appears all five were told well before the Barbarians match they would not be going on tour.
It seems strange to not wait until after the match but it explains why James Hook was given the kicking duties during the match and the seeming disappointment  on Biggar's face. What would sit-in coach Rob Howley have done if Biggar had an exemplary game?
Perhaps its just a case of personalities and Biggar doesn't fit in with either Howley or Warren Gatland .
But to select a player for the squad and then to make it clear that no matter how well they played it the match against the Barbarians seems absolutely crazy.
I hope I'm wrong. Rhys Priestland is undoubtedly a fine fly half and may be a match winner in Australia or James Hook, might be but to exclude the inform fly half in Welsh Rugby may prove costly.




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

To say that he hasn't excelled in his Welsh appearances is putting it mildly. He's been mostly poor in the international jersey.

Maybe playing well for the Ospreys is about his level

glynbeddau said...

He's had 10 caps and only 4 starts but it is the 2010 Fiji game that haunts him. Howley publicly criticised for this performance and it seems he still hasn't forgiven him.