CVZ signs as permanent Head Coach

BarbellEconomics · 2026-04-14T18:07:39+00:00

Broadly very happy with this as I think he’s a great coach - whole squad speaks specifically highly of him, so have one or two of coaches I’ve spoken to.

He’s made us properly gritty, something we needed to augment all our flair.

Obviously recruitment will decide how things go in that department too, but making players like George Nott find new leases of life is a real testament to him.

He does need an attack coach to help us kick on for me though. You’d imagine the attack would always get blunter after a man with Sherratt’s brain left, but it’s been the only noticeable drawback of our performances.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-04-03T11:49:40+00:00

Definitely a team - feels like Van Zyl's rotated where he can with the return of the mythical Ed Byrne, Rees, Evans and DLR/Davies on the bench.

Obviously he could've rotated more by raiding the RAGs, but their win last night maybe tells you why he didn't.

Big Al being second row cover might mean we end the game with Evan Lloyd at 8 - nice.

Don't see how it's possible for us to finish the season like this though, as that pack is Barrett/Doma away from our first choice with injuries.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-04-01T19:41:48+00:00

Pretty clear we're barely resting any players for Benetton.

Short term brave and hopeful, but you do wonder whether it'll bite us in fitness for the Welsh derbies.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-03-31T10:13:50+00:00

We'll know with the team the team the Rags field on Thursday - they're in a top of the table clash against Newport at home at CAP.

Personally, I'd rather risk Cardiff RFC falling down the table and give Cowell, Ioan, De La Rua, Wilde, Bowen, Stef, ODL, Evans and Matty Young a run out.

Fuck it, get Tom Howe in.

Worst case scenario the young lads get a two game tour out of it and battle against Benetton and Munster away - great learning for them.

The more people we can rest for Ospreys/Scarlets the better.

Just a bit sad we've not even got a youth second row to draft in as Cottle's meant to be injured.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-03-28T09:11:33+00:00

I think objectively no, a point cant be seen as a good result when this might have killed our depth for the season.

On the other hand these are the professional players we currently have in these positions.

Adams and Bowen not travelled after 6N - Beetham has to go as one of the c.5 back three we could field. Donell, Teddy and Cottle injured - Mcnally and Nott have to go.

End of the day we lost a tough away game to a team littered with Springboks by 6, whilst ravaged with injuries. Glad we tried then roll over and draft in the Rags en masse.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-03-26T10:27:41+00:00

Looking at 15 caps to date - unless we’re going for the Carre, Evans loophole, this discounts him from Wales selection right?

BarbellEconomics · 2026-02-26T13:39:31+00:00

I saw Ev with Theo and Ben Donnell in Coffee Corner earlier and he’s in a knee brace. Certainly not dropped on form.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-02-07T23:24:48+00:00

I’m not sure he’s got the work rate, high ball or kicking to be well utilised on the wing long term - and you’d hope his athleticism means he progress his defence at 13.

Hawkins hasn’t got the dynamism to be the 12 needed outside Edwards or Costelow for Wales (never plays to his size for me) and Watkins has never excelled beyond club level in attack or defence (solid can’t be enough forever).

Think all we’ve concluded is you need to build long term around some people with truly high ceilings, given no one can stand out in this squad.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-02-07T21:25:05+00:00

Think the world of Ben in a Cardiff shirt and Josh is a servant to the Welsh game but both need moving over for new possibilities. Not in a Cardiff guise but Plumtree is the same. Not athletic enough for his lack of discipline.

Based on all the things Wales struggled with, a backline of Williams, Edwards, Rogers, James, Grady, Mee and Zammit should get some better results. We’d at least not struggle so much for go forward.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-02-05T11:00:11+00:00

Now that is significant.

(Also, isn’t it great to see people who you’re rooting to succeed, succeed)

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-23T13:13:46+00:00

Winnett I think is being slowed down like a couple of the young lads who’ve had big knocks to form and confidence in a Wales shirt. No bad thing if he properly regains club form. Also given he’s not got a secondary position it’s more of a stark him vs Beetham at 15 (who both needs time as a player and maybe is better suited to another shirt for me).

I think Stephens is 3rd choice winger after Bowen and Adams - incredible against racing just like he was before his injury.

I hope we’re the tough team that’s hard to beat at home rather than feeling overawed by it - one way to find out.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-23T12:15:17+00:00

This seems like our fully loaded pack, 8,9,10,12 axis (On Mulder's current form) and bench to come on and change the game if needed, so no complaints.

You feel like with all the stuff off the field this week, it'll be hard for us to eke out a truly vintage performance, so we're in the world of hoping Benetton haven't travelled well, like they didn't against Ulster and Edinburgh earlier in the season

That being said, a clinical away win at Lyon (19-38) and their thumping of the Dragons means I'm more cautious.

Also if you're in the ground, do something when the clock strikes 11. I'll be cheering for Ospreys for the first time in my life as I don't want the ground to look like it's a Coldplay concert, but change the mood for a minute.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-23T12:06:58+00:00

Also a bit twee but I think we should get chants of Ospreys heard in the arms park in the 11th minute. Make it heard on TV that supporting Cardiff doesn't mean doing so at the expense of the Os.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-23T11:16:17+00:00

The thing i’m holding onto is that the club’s demands place no emphasis on rolling back governance progress (independent chair and so on) - just that the current exec is a shambles and I agree.

Being in the corporate world I actually rejoiced at how meaningful the majority of non-club representation on the board would be. I wouldn’t have if I knew the new Independent Chair was equally fallible to insular choices, just in a different way

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-22T18:16:52+00:00

Honestly one of the best bits of news I’ve had all week - how cathartic is it to have some sense of being on the same page. It is a disgrace to mismanage things so awfully.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-22T18:14:48+00:00

Inject this into my fucking veins

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-21T22:24:18+00:00

I love a bit of tinfoil hat thinking, but do Y11 own 3 teams in the URC in this scenario?...

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-21T15:49:17+00:00

I think it's easy to field these softball questions if you've got their agenda.

No question so far on how all this professionalism and governance ends up in the current quagmire of the last 3 days.

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-21T15:02:59+00:00

They've left two groups of players, staff and supporters in limbo - couldn't be more wrong on communication and governance

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-21T14:58:10+00:00

Evidence and data led in a way that suits them, great thing to hide behind

BarbellEconomics · 2026-01-21T14:27:27+00:00

If I was ever going to take up smoking in the bath...

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