Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Tom Shanklin on the area where the Welsh regions 'can't compete' with the Irish provinces

(Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Former Cardiff Blues and Wales centre Tom Shanklin says the gap between the Welsh regions and the top Irish provinces is a growing concern. Irish teams have been dominant in the Guinness Pro14 this season, with Leinster, Munster and Ulster all boasting unbeaten records despite playing through the autumn Test window without being able to call on the services of their Ireland internationals.

ADVERTISEMENT

It has been a more difficult period for the Welsh regions, with Dragons (W:3, L:3) the only Welsh side not to have lost more games than they have won.

And Shanklin, who played 114 times for Cardiff Blues, believes the Welsh regions simply don’t have the resources to match the Irish provinces, describing them as the Pro14’s “Tier 1” teams.

Video Spacer

Is George North getting back to his 2013 Lions form? | Rugby News

Video Spacer

Is George North getting back to his 2013 Lions form? | Rugby News

“It is a concern. When I say the Irish provinces, it’s Leinster, Munster and Ulster. Connacht are probably a little bit below that.

“So they are Tier 1, and everyone else is sort of Tier 2,” Shanklin said.

“But it’s the size and the power that is just dominating teams at the moment. Leinster have just got that conveyor belt (producing young players), they way they play doesn’t differ.

“They could have a new 15 in, it doesn’t matter whatsoever who they’ve got in, they all play the same way. They still play exactly the same way as Leinster with (the likes of) Johnny Sexton and Jamison Gibson-Park (in the team).

“I think if anyone can mould and copy what the Leinster schools academy system has and bring it to other countries, that’s gold dust, because so many players come through that.

ADVERTISEMENT
pro14 wales
Tom Shanklin will be part of Premier Sports’ coverage of Dragons v Cardiff Blues on Boxing Day and the New Year’s Day meeting of Cardiff Blues and Ospreys.

“But at the moment, teams, especially when we are talking about the Welsh regions, just can’t compete with that. They can’t compete with the power game, they can’t compete with the likes of the overseas players that are brought in like Marcell Coetzee, (who is) just phenomenal for Ulster.

“Then you look at the youngsters coming through… There’s just quality everywhere, and we just don’t have that strength in depth in Wales to compete.

“I think we do come outside international windows, but certainly during international games, we don’t have quality like those top three provinces.”

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Vancouver SVNS | Day 1

Boks Office | Episode 35 | Six Nations Round 2 Review

O2 Inside Line: This Rose | Episode 3 | France Week

Second round of the Men's Six Nations | Whistle Watch

Harlequins vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Yokohama Canon Eagles vs Saitama Wildknights | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

The Dupont Ploy: How France went from underdogs to Olympic gods | The Report

Former rugby player is truly an NFL superstar | Walk the Talk | Jordan Mailata

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 3 hours ago
'He wants players to be able to play four positions': Former All Black critiques Robertson's strategy

I have the selection opinion of ‘chuck them in the deep end, see if they swim’. Starting Mo’unga in the third test

But you’re calling favoritism of Dmac based on common practice, thats the illogical mindset you have and which I’m pointing out.

He isn’t Mo’unga which disproves your statement

You’ve missed my point. Mo’unga is your fixation for ‘game manager’. Dmac is every bit the game manager even then, his boot has always been his best asset.

At 10 I would’ve had: Cruden, B Barrett, and McKenzie

Thats fine, but that statement you’re trying to defend is “I guess Hansen sold them the idea that McKenzie was the way forward at 10” with the implication that now, in 2023 they let Mo’unga go because Dmac he was selected there for one test in 2018.

I brought it up as I it shows that Hansen and Foster would rather have a second 10

I brought those facts up to as I believe that both Hansen and Foster didn’t really want Mo’unga at 10 and only used him at 10 when they ran out of other ideas (which they both did)

And I have shown you the real facts, that they didn’t do that. They played MO’UNGA! The very next series after Dmac was asked to play 10 due to injury, with no experience (hence why he wanted more the next year), Mo’unga was used as the alternative 10 to Barrett, playing one game, WITH MCKENZIE AT 15, of the 6 Rugby Championships. The series after that was were opinion really shifted to Mo’unga having a better partnership with Dmac at the back than Barrett did.


THOSE ARE THE ONLY RELEVANT FACTS!


You can have your theories all you like Spew, but I’m telling you they are based on you own fallacy when it comes your picture of Dmac, and therefor any correlation with Mo’unga. They have always been great together.

110 Go to comments
W
WilmaKiel 5 hours ago
One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

Individuals should exercise extreme caution in the investment landscape, as numerous fraudulent investment companies and deceptive recovery firms operate globally. The difficulty in withdrawing funds from trading accounts, or the experience of complete financial loss, is unfortunately a common occurrence. These situations often involve sophisticated schemes designed to exploit unsuspecting investors. For example, Ponzi schemes promise exceptionally high returns with minimal risk, attracting investors who subsequently lose their principal investments when the scheme collapses. Another common tactic involves fraudulent brokers who manipulate trading platforms or provide false information to induce losses. Furthermore, many victims fall prey to scam recovery firms that promise to retrieve stolen funds but instead demand upfront fees without delivering on their promises. These firms often operate anonymously and lack any legitimate regulatory oversight. MARS TECH RECOVERY GURUs offers guidance and assistance to individuals who have experienced such financial losses. Our services encompass a comprehensive assessment of the situation, identification of the perpetrators, and the pursuit of legal avenues for fund recovery. This process may involve collaborating with law enforcement agencies, regulatory bodies, and legal professionals to build a robust case for restitution. It is crucial to remember that recovering stolen funds requires patience, diligence, and a thorough understanding of the legal processes involved. While MARS TECH RECOVERY GURUs strives to provide effective solutions, the success of any recovery effort is dependent on various factors, including the nature of the fraud, the availability of evidence, and the cooperation of relevant authorities. Therefore, prospective clients should approach the process with realistic expectations and a commitment to full transparency and cooperation.

Contact Email: support@marstechrecoverygurus.info

Telegram: @Marstechrecoveryguru

whatsapp: +1 (747) 447-9063

URL: https://marstechrecoverygurus.info

28 Go to comments
R
RegineIsaksen 7 hours ago
One rule for Europe's copycats, another for the Springboks

Sometimes life gives you signs-you just got to be paying attention. One night, deep in an Uber ride, I struck up a conversation with the driver. The topic of Bitcoin came up, and he mentioned that he once lost his wallet containing $50,000.

I thought this would be the end of the story-something like regret, lessons learned, and moving on. But then he said something that stuck with me: "Thankfully, I found Lee Ultimate Hacker. They got everything back." I nodded, really interested but unconcerned. After all, I was so very careful with my wallet security. I thought, That's rough, but it could never happen to me. A week later, it happened to me. I lost the wallet holding $300,000 while overhauling my crypto storage system. In one wrong move, my funds became completely unreachable. I retraced passwords, checked backups, tried everything that normally works, but nothing worked. Panic kicked in. My mind was racing, trying to figure out my next move. And then, I remembered the Uber driver's story.

I didn't waste a moment and contacted Lee Ultimate Hacker. Right upon connecting to their team, I could feel my nerves calm down. They did not right away get to work but also asked questions, analyzed my situation, and explained how the recovery would go. It was next-level professionalism; they didn't just work on how to return my money but also how to make me understand what happened and how I could avoid it in the future. Finally, after what felt like the longest wait of my life, came the message that I had been waiting for: My wallet was recovered successfully.

Relief doesn't even begin to describe my feeling at that moment. That $300,000 wasn't just money; it was years of careful investments and strategic planning. And in an instant, it was all back where it belonged. In retrospect, I owe more than a five-star rating to that Uber driver. His story gave me a lifeline which I didn't know I needed. Lesson learned: Pay attention to those random conversations-you never know when they might save you a fortune.

LEEULTIMATEHACKER @ AOL . COM

telegram: LEEULTIMATE

wh@tsapp +1 (715) 314 - 9248

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Brendan Fanning: 'Wales have been insulted by the degree of arrogance abroad on this side of the Irish Sea.' Brendan Fanning: 'Wales have been insulted by the degree of arrogance abroad on this side of the Irish Sea.'
Search