news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 233550.stm You could sign a chicken...

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 233550.stm You could sign a chicken...

I hope the rumour is true. It would be a smart signing for the Crusaders. He's a very good coach and would turn the club's fortunes around so far as their on-field aspirations are concerned.

I still think JD could take us higher. It's the off the field stuff and an injury list second only to British forces in Helmand Province that cost us this year.

Saying that, if he is intent on moving, I'd rather it were into a role of developing our young players, because in 3 years he's built a fantastically effective academy system and has got loads of feeders into the Crusaders. The big benefits will be seen from 2012 onwards.

And if (though I hope not) JD's role is to change, I'd be very happy to have Noble down here. Wigan fans seem to have had enough of him, so we'll gladly have him ta very much.

i agree with some of that. not sure jd could take us further but then what the hell do i know. Either way i would be gutted if he left us all together just when being head of youth development and the wales national side could be more important in the medium to long term then head coach of the crusaders.

Nobby not noted for youth development, and apparently Wigan supporters are very unhappy with the coaching aspect of the club. Apparently there is a club announcement tomorrow. Mind you is that time of year when all the clubs have press calls, usually a signing.

Wigan standards are beyond simply taking a team out of the basement.

Well thats funny as at wigan we were in turmoil before noble came selling our best young players and getting expensive Australian imports. Noble has turned the club around i for one hope he is staying at Wigan to finish the job he came to do. We now have one of the best under 18s teams in the country and the best reserve side in the country. He has brought youth into the team and taken us to within 80mins of the grand final for 2 years running. If he decides to come to you then you have the best British coach in the country and probably the hardest working coach in the world.

That's Tony Smith i'm afraid



Regarding JD, he admits he made an error in assessing the strngth of SL this year, he also did this in 06 if I remember when Crusaders failed to win promotion from NL2. Is he the best man for the job?
He would be better served spending the next 3 years developing Welsh lads and leaving the First team coaching reigns to a more experienced SL coach imo.
Apparantly you have quite a few feeder teams in and around the area? Are none of them in a futher away region ready to take a step into NL2 as of yet?

has he been coaching since leaving Wakefield then

I was making a point that he is now British.
Sorta like a tranny might once have been a d1ck, but now it's a chick all the same.

He will never be British he was not born here he cannot even bring himself to sing the National anthem at England games.

A tranny might have had it cut off but underneath its still a man in a dress.

Dico,

Hadn't heard John had said that. But it's typical of the man. You gotta love his realism.

I don't think you could say the 1st NL2 season was a bad judgement call. We came second. Lost it in the very last game I recall. That's not bad. Because despite our own plans, other teams don't roll over and let you pass them on your way to the top.

Also, we didn't have all the big bucks then. John has always recruited to suit our budget.

I take Janner's opinion on JD as a SL coach on board, even though we differ.
We agree on just about everything else he said though.

Dico,

I think the Bridgend Blue Bulls could walk into Championship 2.

Ditto Blackwood Bulldogs. But they are in Bridgend and Newport Respectively.

Apparently Wrexham likes its league, so would like to see them submit a team.

Wrexhams all Warry/Saints/Wigan people who've moved there and fancy a crack at a game I reckon, you're literally not far from us there and I believe they play in our leagues rather than any welsh league. I really couldnt see a sustainable team there judging by the area.
Is there nowhere further West of Bridgend that could support a Celtic feeder/NL2 club?
Even Swansea?

Im moving house to this board, it's friendlier I feel sorry for you and the trolls are a chicken shoot.

Swansea has had a few teams over the years in the Welsh Conference, but they've generally struggled to survive and/or put teams out on a regular basis. There are a few teams down West (West Wales Wild Boars, Dinefwr Sharks, Swansea Dragons, NPT Steelers) but they are in the lower echelons of the Welsh Conference, and a few, if not all, of them struggle to get a team week on week.

Bridgend/Newport are probably the best bet for an NL2 team to be honest. Over the past few years Bridgend and Blackwood have consistently put teams out who have won/competed for the Harry Jepson Trophy come the end of the season. I think we're a few years off that personally, but Bridgend were offered a place in NL2 before the Crusaders' formation, which they turned down because they knew the Crusaders' birth was imminent. Most of the players in that Blue Bulls team played for the Crusaders at some point in the first couple of years.

I'm told that next season we'll have a link up with a Championship team (Not sure if it will be CC or CC1) who we can send youngsters to on loan for them to get first team experience.

Interesting, cheers for the response

You forgot the Cardiff Demons ! They have been one of the most consistant and longest running RL side in Wales , if there was to be another Professional RL side in Wales I'd hope it was here.

Yeah they're okay Cardiff, but they're no Blue Bulls