Ruddock gives due credit to Welsh forwards
Mike Ruddock today praised his unsung Wales pack for their contribution towards the team’s unbeaten RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign.
While the glitterati – gifted backs like Gavin Henson and Shane Williams - have taken centre stage during victories over England, Italy and France, coach Ruddock also believes the forwards deserve considerable credit.
“We have never gone on record as saying we are world beaters up front yet. What we have said is that we are starting to compete with the bigger packs,” claimed Ruddock.
“Everyone thought that England might roll us over, and they sort of did to a certain extent at Twickenham last year; Italy, well there was talk of them rolling us over and also the French pack, and so it has gone on.
“Against France last season, we won 10 out of 27 set-pieces, so we lost 17 of our own put-ins. This season, in France, we won 23 out of 30.
“There has been a definite improvement, and at times this season we have pushed France, New Zealand and South Africa off the ball,” he added.
“There is a structure to our game. It might look a bit off the cuff at times, and certainly we do promote things like that, but there is also a lot of structure to allow us to try to open up the opposition defence.”
Ruddock has made two changes – both enforced following an injury to captain Gareth Thomas – for Sunday’s clash against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Thomas is nursing a broken thumb so Newport Gwent Dragons wing Kevin Morgan lines up at full-back and experienced Cardiff speedster Rhys Williams has been handed Wales’ number 14 jersey.
A Wales victory this weekend would leave them one win away from a first Grand Slam since 1978, setting up a potential title showdown against unbeaten rivals Ireland in Cardiff.
An estimated 40,000 Welsh fans, many of them snapping up tickets the Scottish Rugby Union could not sell to home supporters, will travel north confidently expecting only a second Wales triumph in Edinburgh in 20 years.
On form, Wales should have too much, especially in their revered attacking armoury, for Scotland to cope with. Yet Ruddock is wary, not only of a Scottish side coached by his former Leinster colleague Matt Williams, but also a miserable Murrayfield record.
“Scotland are going to be tough,” he said. “We are aware of their capabilities, but we have got to promote our strengths as well and our positive approach, the way we play the game.
“The records show we are unbeaten so far in this championship and Scotland have won one from three, yet that record will count for nothing on match day.
“Many Welsh sides have travelled to Scotland with high hopes in the past, and come home empty-handed, and we will need to be right at the top of our performance if we are to ensure the same does not happen to us.
“But having said all that, we are very confident in our own ability, and once again we will expect the team to play with the same confidence and bold approach we have seen throughout the championship so far.”
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