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'I don't think I opened the curtains for about three weeks after that'

(Photo by Andre Durand/AFP via Getty Images)

Ex-Wales back row Jonathan Thomas is hoping he will have the perfect Saturday this weekend – a Gallagher Premiership win for Worcester followed by the Welsh clinching Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam glory with victory over France in Paris.

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Success for Wales would cap an extraordinary few months. Only last November they were in the doldrums, limping along with a six-match losing streak amid accusations that new coach Wayne Pivac had lost the dressing room. Now they are incredibly just 80 minutes away from sweeping the boards in the Six Nations.

Worcester boss Thomas is delighted with the transformation. He is good friends with most of the Wales coaching staff and hopes they can now seal the deal against the French at Stade de France. However, this sudden revival in Welsh fortunes isn’t something new to 38-year-old Thomas as he experienced a similar rejuvenation in results during his 67-cap career.

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England World Cup winner Neil Back guests on RugbyPass Offload with co-hosts Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson.

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England World Cup winner Neil Back guests on RugbyPass Offload with co-hosts Dylan Hartley and Ryan Wilson.

Wales returned from France 2007 firmly in the doghouse, eliminated in the pool stages at the World Cup by Fiji, yet six months later they were crowned Grand Slam champions following a stellar first campaign under Warren Gatland.

“There is never such a bigger margin as you think between winning and losing,” said Thomas. “That time in 2007 where we got knocked out of the World Cup by Fiji, that was certainly an unpleasant journey home. The next few weeks, I don’t think I opened the curtains for about three weeks after that.

“Supporters are so passionate and rightly so because they love the team, love the game. We certainly got plenty of stick after that World Cup, but then Warren came in. He had two weeks to prepare for that first game, didn’t change a huge amount, training intensities were high, he instilled a simple game plan, got the team chemistry right, got everyone on the same page and we won the Grand Slam.

“Again, you are never far away in sport but it’s about team chemistry, team consistency and team standards really. Once you get that right, which is what Wayne has done there with his coaching team, they are on the right track and it’s great to see if you are a Welsh fan.

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“The biggest thing in the Six Nations is if you can win that first game. That first game is so pivotal. I’ll flip if, if you lose that first game you know your Grand Slam is gone and you know it’s an uphill struggle from there on.

“I’m really pleased,” continued Thomas, delving further into the recently much-improved run of Wales results. “I know a lot of the coaches in that group. Stephen Jones, I played with him for many years, he is a great guy so really pleased for Steve. I don’t know Wayne Pivac personally but I know Jonathan Humphreys from the Ospreys, I played with Gethin Jenkins.

“They are a really talented group of coaches and what a new coaching team needs is time. They had a difficult act to follow with Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards, especially after they had won the Grand Slam the year before (in 2019). It’s a tough act to follow and I know they are trying to instil a slightly different type of game to the way Wales have played over the years.

“What you saw in the autumn was a team in transition, they gave youngsters an opportunity but they have gone back to the tried and tested group of players in this campaign, been a little more pragmatic than they probably tried to be in the autumn – and they have had a bit of luck which is what you need in sport as well.

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“What it shows is a quality coaching team but also you have got a really good group of players there as well, the likes of Alun Wyn (Jones), (Justin) Tipuric, Jonathan Davies, George North, all those sort of guys, Dan Biggar, they have been with the squad for the last ten years and they are champion players.

“It is going to be a tough test. That was a great win by England last weekend because the French are a fabulous team at the moment. It’s going to be a really tough game for Wales,” continued Thomas, the recently appointed Worcester head coach who himself is looking for a Pivac-like upswing in Premiership results following a sticky few months in charge at the Warriors.

“I will be watching it at home because we will be back from The Rec by then. I’m hoping the kids will be in bed. Probably my oldest one will still be up trying to nag me to watch the game. He is ten so he is pretty passionate about Wales as well. It will be good and I hopefully will be watching it with a Heineken after a big win against Bath.”

 

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J
JPM 49 minutes ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

Unfortunately you don't know anything about French rugby, coaches and players but still making a lot of assumptions and judgements to push your prefabricated and simplistic point of view that Dupont is manipulating everything and is a bad guy. I am not a NZ rugby specialist and wouldn't dare make such theories about what is going on within the ABs team. Therefore my advice to you is to do like Dupont and stay humble when you don't know all the background of the issues !!!


Firstly if you knew a bit of Galthié, he is not the type of coach who is going to ask advice to his players and even his captain about team selection. He is as stubborn as you...


Second Ramos has played a lot of times as 10 with Toulouse and therefore Dupont (in particular when Ntamack is injured and unfortunately it has often happened recently and for long periods). He even played 10 during the last 3 games of the 2024 6N and this was far better performance than the first two games with Jalibert as 10.


Thirdly Jalibert lacked of respect to a La Rochelle player so your theory is once again out.


Fourth as I explained to you Galthié went for a 6-2 bench and Jalibert can only play 10 which doesn't fit that plan. Furthermore as 15 Buros is better under high balls than Ramos and everybody is prepared for a tactical kicking game.


So you can blame Galthié for a lot of things (as you clearly enjoy doing at the end of your post and you should be very happy as an AB fan) but certainly not Dupont. Sorry once more for your conspiracy theory.


And don't worry about potential disharmony in the French team; they are excellent mates around their captain. Jalibert is well known in the French rugby circles to have not a strong character (and we saw that in the WC quarter finals as he is very nervous in any decisive international game unlike Ntamack and Ramos as for his late penalty kick vs England this year).


In conclusion enjoy the game tmrw night. It is good that the ABs are very upset; we should watch a great game of rugby. I hope for running rugby and not too much kicking. With 5 key players injured on our side (Ntamack, Baille, Atonio, Cros and Penaud) and 2 on your side I and various French fans see you as favourites. I obviously hope for another result.


If you are interested you can read a good article in the Guardian on the subject of France-NZ games.

92 Go to comments
K
KB 51 minutes ago
The 'one difference' between Boks and the back-to-back All Blacks

Consistency hasnt been there they have many great players SA were also not unbeaten in the 2023 WC - NZ were in 2015 WC McCaw and Carter Nonu and Smith - SA did not have those Marque players in those postions in 2019 or 2023 - I wouldnt rank them ahead of the 20I5 ABs - They clocked up 60 points against France in the QF - Furthermore I do not believe for one moment SA won 2023 fairly no way - they were so favoured it became obvious that behind the scenes SA the nation bought the title - Their last 3 matches were won by a solitary point there were many contentious decisions that went their way that it became obvious it wasnt coincidence - Sport has been hijacked by a satanic cult just as is Politics

Some players coaches officials and sponsors are involved - they know who they are - its called Freemasonry - any sport that allows betting is corrupt - its not all about money either for these parasites its also about control - Lots of American NFL players have spoken openly about games being scripted - Football is also rigged Referees have been caught on film showing freemason hand signs - The 95 RWC final ranks as the highest and most obvious attempt at cheating There was no way SA were going to allow NZ to gate crash Nelson Mandelas reunification party - NZ were so good they had to posion almost the entire team to get a 3 point win - a Hollywood Movie ( theres your Red Flag ) was made about SAs triumph called Invictus


William Henley wrote a poem called Invictus


It starts


Out of the night that covers me BLACK ( All Blacks ) as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever GODS maybe for my unconquerable Soul ...( Olan says INVICTUS is an evil Malevolent entity who corrupted the Titans ... this is Mandelas double meaning speech ( hes a fraud ) - of thanks for helping overcome SA's adversary NZ - There is only ONE true God Yahuah - Only a false god would be complicit in Cheating Corruption and Harming others to win a RWC for a sick and sinful Nation ) the poem ends with


I am the CAPTAIN of my soul


SA will forever bear the stain of guilt and disgrace over their involvement in poisoning the ABs a day before the 95 RWC Final

11 Go to comments
C
CO 1 hour ago
Forget Ireland, the All Blacks face the real alpha of Europe next

I cannot believe that you don't think the French rugby team coach and captain are not discussing putting Jalibert on the bench in favour of Duponts club teammate that doesn't even play at 10.


This is a terrible, massive insult to a 10 and I'm sure Dupont would also be very enraged if benched for a player that doesn't even play halfback.


A good captain would've insisted to the coach that it was an idea of madness and either select Jalibert or replace him with another 10 if you want him to be reserve.


Jalibert may not be the world's finest tacklers but that's often not a tens main strength that the loose forwards and second five cover. An intercept pass is never great but they happen.


When any player is playing for his club then it's club first, respect doesn't need to be shown to opposition players simply because they're internationals.


Who exactly are you claiming Jalibert hasn't respected? If it's Toulouse international players then it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this bench demotion out.


The outcome of selecting Jalibert to the bench and he then throwing his croissants out the window of the team bus immediately prior to playing the Allblacks is a disaster that will be team disharmony as any team mates of Jalibert are in a state of anger and revolt so a performance that will be sub optimal against a team that is thirsting for revenge against France.


I don't know about you but the Allblacks are very upset they've lost twice in a row to France and want to put out a statement performance so this preparation by Galthie of creating havoc looks to me like a coach that is clueless.

92 Go to comments
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