As an Irish fan living in Wales, the thing about the lie that Welsh fans tell themselves rings so true. I've had so many conversations with Welsh fans who, during the succesful era under Gatland, would still suck their teeth and moan about the style, talking wistfully about the 70's, even though they weren't born then. I've had to listen to friends moaning about Dan Biggar despite all he's achieved, basically because he isn't Barry John or Phil Bennet. What Gatland got out of the Welsh team for years was unbelievable, the only thing more unbelievable was the number of Welsh fans who were glad to see him go, thinking he'd been holding Wales back from playing some brand of free flowing, side stepping rugby that is in every Welshman's blood. Great analysis. Gatland coming back will certainly get Wales playing a more effective brand of rugby again. I worry for Ireland, who will have to play them with no analysis to go off. The only thing to add, is that much of Gatland's latter success was built around the crop of players who came through together in the 2008 Wales U20 team (Biggar, 1/2p, Tipuric, Davies etc.). The Wales U20 haven't even finished in the top half of the 6 nations for the last few years; Gatland might be back, but he might not have the same calibre of player available to him.

I'm in my mid-60's, and that 70's team were my boyhood heroes. You are absolutely spot on about the chippy cheekiness being the key: those excellent Backs created off ball won by as brutal and adamant set of Forwards you could find. For every try scored by Benny, there was a spirit crushed by Graham Price. One thing not covered is the effect that John Dawes had on creating the 'modern' rugby player. Time to bin the WRU - and those German feathers along with them.

The WRU needs a total reshape. The allegations that have come out are horrible. A lot needs to change off the pitch to make Welsh rugby respectable.

As a latecomer to rugby fandom who lives in a tier-2 nation (USA) and who has never played myself (other than a few games of touch), Squidge Rugby has deepened my understanding and appreciation of the game far beyond what I could have ever thought possible. It's an incredible balance of depth and accessibility. In this video, for example, we learn that Pivac's attacking rugby gameplan depends on wings distributing instead of fly halves, and on forwards staying out of rucks to handle the ball while outside backs clear out... well, that's basically the opposite of what I learned from every "Rugby 101" article I ever read when trying to learn the game! And yet, Squidge explains it - and demonstrates it - to the point that I actually think I'm starting to understand international rugby! Likewise, this channel has a unique ability to simultaneously expose and condemn rugby's sizable dark side, while also spotlighting and celebrating the reasons why the sport is still worth enjoying. It's less of a "careful balancing act" as it is just a gushing fire hose with two nozzles. We get a full-power blast of Squidge's infectious love and pride for Welsh rugby at the same time as his unmitigated disgust at the WRU's toxic culture, and neither emotion takes away anything from the other. Side note: If I could ask for one thing from the channel, it would simply be for the videos to slow down. I find myself having to pause-and-rewind constantly to catch the mile-a-minute commentary, wordplay, inside jokes, split-second captions, and blink-and-you'll miss it observations. Sometimes I resort to watching on 0.75 or 0.5 speed just to catch it all! I would also imagine that anyone unfamiliar with the accent (or still learning the English language) would have even more trouble. I mean, it's your channel and I get that this is your style; I'm going to watch new videos anyways, and the speed settings are there for me. Just a thought!

"Either have to wait 5 years, or be spain" killed me 😂

Amazing, balanced and fact checked stuff, with some of the best jokes in the sport 😂 great new series I’d love to see for Dave Rennie & Eddie Jones

One of Squidge's best videos. So right about the terrible state of the WRU

Glad you raised the genuine big issue

The only people in rugby I feel safe to say are idols of mine are Ardie Savea and Siya Kolisi. Crazy the types of things coming out these days about current or former players,entire unions or teams.

Even better than the knowledgable commentary and analysis - your product promotion is always the highlight of the videos. Outstanding analysis - no one else comes close.

Barclay and Beirne were both huge for the Scarlets when they were successful. It's as if Pivac forgot they weren't welsh.

Thanks Squidge, your videos are always brilliant. Such great analysis of the game we love while still being really entertaining. They need to put you on the BBC halftime analysis.

Stunning commentary - really laid out the Pivac era in a fair and considered way

Shoutout to SquareSpace for helping keep the lights on for Squidge. Two more sleeps till rugby! 🍻 🏉 🤍❤️💚

Thank you so much Squidge! Not only for the superb analysis, but for the messages at the start and end of your video today. Absolutely fantastic work. People listen to you, so I'm really pleased to hear you holding the WRU's feet to the fire. The media in Wales (which is basically only BBC Wales Sport and the Western Mail) are far too close to their mates in the WRU to ask any difficult questions for too long. They need their access so they can get tipped off the day before the squad announcements. Even the Welsh Gov seem to be in a thrall to the WRU, they immediately announced there'd be no inquiry the morning after the doc came out! Keep up the good work.

As always, an incredibly well explained and laid out analysis. I'd not had any real exposure to the technical side of rugby formations but Squidge makes it all really easy to understand. And keep shining a spotlight on the ugly side of rugby, a sport that likes to think it has a chivalrous code of honour but often doesn't practice what it preaches

A superb analysis. 👏 I was unaware of this approach by Pivac but you have explained it so very nicely.

This is the rare piece that comes along only when someone with frightening intelligence gets the chance to talk about something lying deep in the core of their personal identity.

It makes you think how much Pivac’s modus operandi was dictated to from the boardroom. ‘We want an open beautiful game, Wayne. Carry on then’

Loved that. Especially the last 5 mins.... brought a tear to my eye.

Absolutely tip top Squidge content as always.

It's just sooooo weird that the Scarletts attack was just amazing under Pivac but the moment he got the job of coaching the country, the attack specifically was like one of the main reasons why he failed to deliver.

And I miight add one of the most informative videos I've seen on KZfaq. Terrific ! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really enjoyed this video, both from a technical, rugby analysis side; breaking down the overall system, how it worked and what its flaws were in a really well-organized manner is always fascinating, and from the more people-focused conclusion. You can tell how much love Squidge has for the team and the game, and I think he absolutely nailed why I've always found watching Wales play so compelling, being absolute scrappy bastards who never give a damn inch even when it seems like they're roundly outmatched

Have been waiting for this!!

Excellent analysis and presentation

Great video, thanks. I’ve really enjoyed learning about the various attacking shapes like 1-3-2-2 or whatever from your vids. How about more of this, like a series of mini vids, one explaining each of all the other pieces of rugby play that must exist too? What kinds of defensive structures are there? What kinds of line out throw calls and options do teams take? Scrum techniques? What kinds of different back row balance / centres pairings / etc etc work and why? And how about an analysis of refs and how different guys interpret the rules? Would love to know more about all this, proper rugby nerd stuff! Thanks.

This is a more analytical and detailed overview of Pivac's Wales era than I have ever seen the 'pundits' produce. Excellent video.

Squidge, your serious face at the end of this video made you look like a 70s serial killer! But truly, I applaud the fact that your passion for the game don't blind you to the injustices that gets sweapt under the rug so often. We sometimes forget that there are human victims to these sort of injustices. We need more like you holding rugby and it's bosses to account, but you're doing a great job keeping these conversations alive!

Superb analysis

The "smash it up" in the saffa accent, two things just go hand in hand 🤣

"Leinster play their internationals in green". Very funny.

Insightful as always! I hope that chippy attitude makes a comeback and soon 😁

Lump in my throat at the end of that video Mr Squidge (the original video), very well put. Let's hope the boys and Gats can deliver an upset today!

Something else to consider is that Wales developed a knack for self destruction under Pivac, most notably in games they performed well in: For the Grand Slam game versus France they were in complete control and playing the best rugby of the tournament. But imploded with two yellow cards dropping down to 13 men. First test v South Africa in the summer, Wales were playing lights out. Briefly down to 12 men before finishing the game at 13. Autumn test v Australia, sitting pretty with a decent lead. Wales drop down to 13 men again and throw the game away. This wasn’t just a case of test rookies making errors. AWJ, Liam Williams and Tipuric were also culpable. I’ve never seen such a worrying trend for a team. This would never have happened under Gatland.

bloody amazing !

Excellent video. Nearly cried. Diolch yn fawr.

The best thing about Squidge's videos are the hilarious captions he writes for his imaginary Squarespace pages.

Great analysis! We need to be as fit as we can, and to sort out basics. The game is a set piece game, we need to control as much as possible. A flair game can only be played when the brutal set piece game is won.

I got goose bumps at the end

Great video!!!

Trust Squidgy to slip a Community reference in. Never change, you mad bastard. Also, speaking of Dan Harmon shows, Justin Roiland's domestic violence charge was buried for two years until a journalist dug it up and brought it to light. It was only after that that people took action and he was fired. Here's hoping the news media hold the WRU's feet to the fire, so some sort of justice can be served.

This is seriously excellent analysis Squidge, thanks so much! Honestly Wales could do a lot worse than having you as an analyst

I don't always have the stamina to get through some of your deeper deep-dives, but I was glued to this - some of your best work. Weirdly, I feel like you would be a good political scientist - the idea of institutions having default myths and shibboleths that cannot be violated even though it violates any rational sense of "what is actually fit for purpose" sounds a lot like my college studies about why rational actor theory isn't terribly useful for understanding the world. Love, love, love this analysis.

Very insightful retrospective on Wales. Goes to show you never should let agendas (here playing flashy rugby) dictate your plans.

wow one of your best vids eva !!

That's the video I was looking for!!!💪💪💪🏉🏉

Straight out of the gate: I agree wholeheartedly with your first statement and personally won't be supporting the WRU with my cash until there's change.

just an amazing channel.

After the win over the weekend this is more relevant than ever. Thank you Squidge

are we going to get an Eddie Jones post mortem, or any reference at all to that "eddie is going to win the world cup" video, or are we just never going to mention it again?

That reliance on backs to clean out seems to be a theme with a bunch of kiwi coaches. Plumbtree had exactly the same approach at the Hurricanes and while it can work at lower levels it has been a disaster in tests

I dunno what I love more, your analysis or your willingness to speak out against all the bullshit in the game

No argument from here from this Welsh and here with your rugby analysis. Spot on.

WRU need to push to become a meritocracy looking to the future rather than an old mans club. Great Vid Squidge! One of your best 🎉

can't wait for the games to start

"And if you wanted anything other than that, you either have to wait 5 years, or be Spain" This one got me :D

Quality videos

As an England fan, this feels so familiar. Coach makes us win, people complain it's not what they want, so RFU impose themselves. England lose, everyone moans even more, change is forced. It all panned out differently but the root problem is the same. Too many people moaning on the internet and too much rubbish press just lapping it up and having a go at the coaches.

It’s always been about the fire in the dragons belly, not the fancy flapping of it’s wings. Warren understands that 😊

I love and adore your videos man. I hope to meet you one day if you are down in SA. BUT SRSLY I bet/think you spend way too much time on these videos haha.

Spot on, Gatlands plan was also genius because of its simplicity. The more complicated and dependent on high levels skills the harder to execute consistently and in poor conditions. It was attritional and so costly in terms of injury at world cups etc..

Saying this ahead of watching the video but after the 40-6 demolition of Australia (best game I have personally seen Wales ever play at the World Cup): really happy Gatland is back. He's a title winner and always gets the best out of our guys during World Cups. 🙌 I do also want to tip my hat to Pivac at least a little: some of the problems with WRU go deep enough that to blame any coach standalone is quite harsh and we did manage to win a 6 Nations under him: hell, only barely missed out on the Grandslam right at the death. Yes, we were very lucky that tournament, but you still have to be playing well enough to make the luck count. As ecstatic as I am Gatland is back and as poor as some of the results under Pivac were, we did get a 6N and triple crown and no-one can take that away from him. Onwards and upwards though: it's hard to see us going all the way with France and Ireland looking as good as they are (and can never write off NZ or SA either) but we'll hopefully have a tournament to enjoy! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Time for me to shut up and watch. 👌

'Or be Spain' made me tear up a little.

CAPUZZO CAPUZZO, PADAVANNNNNIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!

If we had a RWC in the 70's Wales would've probably won it atleast once tbf

As someone that watched every home game in Parc y scarlets during their two best seasons under pivac. The energy drained out of the team when rumours of him leaving for the Wales job destroyed the team. And it seemed to carry over for Wales. I think as of for the last couple years, Wales has had the players capable of beating any team in the world if they tried hard enough. But a lack of effort and comradery is what really dragged the team down

This was endlessly interesting as a way of explaining to a rugby fan who still doesn't understand the game, how it can be done wrong :D but it is amazing to me that Welsh fans were as bored as they were 8 | Great video!

I wonder though, is the reason Welsh rugby is lackig passing wings maybe also because Gatland didn't train anyone up to the role (considering he didn't need to) so the focus was not there. Meaning going back to Gatland will just go back to the previous style and perpetuate the problem. Does that make sense?

Great analysis. I'm glad someone said it, "wales isn't a free flowing rugby nation"

Love this video for multiple reasons, most importantly the accuracy of the main points. Having just gone through the wallabies coaching change here in Aus, so much of the coverage has been Rennie sucks and Eddie is the GOAT. Glad you pointed out the flaws in Pivac weren't that he was some rugby moron but rather a rugby romantic, he reminded me of Cheika prior to his sacking, game-planning to play 'Australian Rugby' rather than to beat the team you're playing (similarly they both had impressive and self-assuring peaks: Cheika's 2015 RWC final / Pivac's 2021 6Ns)

I think a lot of that doggedness in the original Gatland-era team Squidge was talking about could also be attributed to Shaun Edwards. You can see the influence he's had on the French. Hopefully the Welsh will have a resurgence under Gatland. Until they play Scotland that is when hopefully they'll fall to bits and let us get a rare win.

A fine analysis. I thought I was alone in thinking that Priestland was dealt a very bad hand in the Georgia defeat. The WRU is clearly not fit for purpose. As well as the toxic culture, the way it has let the issue of Regional funding and player salaries just drift along without action and solutions makes me furious. So well said Squidge.

PLEASE let this man be Wales coach one day, he deserves that and much more just because of how good this content is Also fuck the WRU

I believe Warren Garland’s success was always overstated. He may had his moments against the Northern Hemisphere teams in 6 Nations. However, my understanding is that in his 12 years at Wales he had no win against the All Blacks, three wins against the Wallabies (one in 2018 and one in 2019 when the Wallabies were struggling under Michael Cheika) and one series win against the Springboks in 2018 when the Springboks were at their low. The Pivac era may have their problems but I wouldn’t look at the Gatland era with rise pedalled glasses.

You should come to work for the Springboks!

1:56 Well that's rich coming from someone with your haircut

Every other tier 1 nation should be grateful that the game in their country is run so much better and less corrupt compared to us.

Seems like the WRU want the 70s back in the office as well as on the pitch....

“[Scarlets] …also managing to make a European Cup semi final for the first time since 2004”. 2007 was our previous semi final! You’re a bigger fibber than Pivac! ;-)

the lack of ball playing winger issue feels like something that could have been solved by allowing fast or skilful players like George North, Nick Tompkins and Willis Halaholo to play a wing/centre hybrid role and then bring in players like Gareth Anscombe and Jarrod Evans that play a lot like Johnny McNicholl and Steph Evans to play a wing/ 2nd outside half hybrid role alongside Biggar as the main outside half like England did with Ford and Farrell. Also he could have just grown a pair and made up with Steph Evans

WRT the allegations you mentioned at the start of the video, this was the first time I'd heard about them. Even The Guardian has spent more time fulminating about tackle height in the past couple of weeks, so I don't hold much expectation for change occurring.

"Takapuna's least bad-ass cop" ROFL

Wales can still become a great attacking side again, just not with Pivac and Gatland must be convinced to make them play more expansive, plus the attack must WORK AND BE EFFECTIVE.

And yet this honest review wasn't done in 3 years for exactly the same reason ending the video and keeping with the failed pivac era, nostalgia.

The boy has reached new heights. Not only was I (yet again) educated in modern rugby, but this time I had tears welling up by the end of the video. He's a poet, a magician with words, a rugby fucking genius. And he's so right about the average (south Walian) Welshman who talks shit about rugby knowing sweet fuck all about the game. The Mouth Walians, as the Gogs so rightfully call them. Gatland has a few weeks to prepare Wales to meet the No.1 side in the world. I'm now fucking excited about that. But I would only hope every person in a seat in the Millenium (sic) Stadium for that game watches this Squidge video. That crowd needs a rugby education. It needs to put down its plastic pint of piss poor lager and make some noise to support the boys. And lastly, Squidge is also right about the WRU; it's the past. It doesn't need reform, it needs to get in the sea. We need a new body running rugby in Wales.

He was made coach of Wales far too early while Gatland was still in charge then went AWOL with Scarlets after confirmed. During his tenure of Wales he kept on changing the team too much and although some success the game management during the game on substitution was not great. He did succeed in South Africa though and for that he should be remembered.

Jumbo jet sex attack best line ever!!🤣

You’re a rugby genius buddy.

This is the best one - because I am a Welsh rugby fan for the very reasons discussed in this video. Why choose the arrogance of English Rugby over the chippy "little bastards" that are Wales plucky little buggers who never give up - I love it

Fuck me that was some powerful shit!

Wait, who is that guy! I watch in slow mo and the ginger movembered #9 made me pull this face 🤔 before the text even came up

I think an apology to Pivac is in order. Gatland certainly no better.

are you going to do an eddie jones post mortem?

Didn't know there was beef between Steff Evans and Pivac. I wondered why he wasn't getting any sort of look in.

Absolutely stunning bit of work 👌 and highlighting what should not stay in the dark. I think this would present itself as the perfect CV to a certain Warren should it not be for the potential employers.

The young lad at 00:53 needs to put a stop to that

So basically, Gatland is the hero Gotham needs, not the hero we deserve.

I think Gatland underachieved in his first spell as Wales coach. He had a team of world class players. He will struggle now the players are not as good.

15:44 😂😂😂😂