9:24am Thursday 4th February 2010
THORNBURY head coach Gareth Llewellyn has written off England and Wales’ chances of winning the Six Nations this year.
The former Wales captain, who bowed out of international rugby after being part of the Grand Slam winning squad in 2005, instead thinks holders Ireland or France will win the championships this year.
Llewellyn will watch England take on Wales in the Six Nations opener on television after Thornbury’s game at Old Centralians on Saturday, and there is certain to be some banter between him and his players, whatever the result.
The ex-Bristol lock thinks Wales go into the match as favourites but says Warren Gatland’s hugely talented side have not progressed in the way that they should have since their Grand Slam triumph in 2008.
“Given what has happened recently on form I would have to pick Wales but they are far from convincing,” said Llewellyn.
“England have been extremely poor - both sides need to improve.
“Wales are not progressing in the way that they should - their attack is pretty ordinary.
“To a certain extent they’ve been worked out a bit. Wales need to rethink how they are going to play.
“Wales, at the moment, have the best pool of players they’ve ever had, certainly in the professional era.
“The pressure starts to come on when you’ve got that talent to work with, people expect more and we should be doing more with the ball we are getting.
“England cannot be as bad as they have been because they’ve got a decent talent pool.”
After England laboured to victory over Argentina and were beaten soundly by Australia and New Zealand in the autumn internationals, Llewellyn admits the pressure is on coach Martin Johnson and his staff.
Llewellyn said: “There is pressure on him and I have been disappointed with (attack coach) Brian Smith - he hasn’t changed anything. I thought when he went there that he would make a big difference but it’s still very forward orientated.
“Martin has a fantastic track record as a player but he only knows one way and that’s the Leicester way and the England way so you have to ask where the new ideas and innovation are going to come from.”
Ireland won it for the first time since 1985 last year and Llewellyn believes their biggest challenge to retaining it will come from France.
He said: “It’s always tougher to retain it, but they’re playing very well at regional level and they’ve got some excellent players.
“But I think the French played particularly well against the All Blacks.
“They’re always an unknown quantity but they’ve got plenty of talent.”
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