Comments on: Racing Métro confirm Dan Lydiate is to return to Wales

By: Banastre

Banastre — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 20:33:16 +0000

RM used him poorly, great news for Wales they’re the real winners, will be interesting to see how he comes back, I feel like he’s no longer the best 6 on his in the British Isles anymore, perhaps slightly too one dimensional,

By: brighty

brighty — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 17:17:55 +0000

As for Lyds – what he does well is play as a blindside and, if given the chance, is an exceptional teammate for a centre/openside. He gets in low, exposing the ball, for the flashier other players to come in and take it. His technique in the actual tackle is well known but what we also does is be in the right positions, at the right times, to both make the tackles and do it so that his support player has that split second to jackal. He also invariably manages to do this behind the gainline. In short he does everything, everything I’d want my 6 to do.

And he doesn’t fanny about on the wing, ever.

Worsley could stop a rhino – he was one of my fave English players as he was fearless, humble. What he didn’t do as well as Lyds though was make the tackle aggressive (he usually let the players momentum continue as part of the tackle) and make it so often behind the gainline.

By: brighty

brighty — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 17:13:04 +0000

When a welshman says “boring, boring England” what they actually mean is “the buggers are winning again, let’s at least call them boring as that seems to bother them”.

I’d be fine with “boring” Wales winning the world cup.

By: Pablito

Pablito — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 16:25:56 +0000

What else does he do well Henry?

Joe Worsley had more dimensions than Lydiate and my Welsh friends always used to take the mickey out of Worsley being picked for England. Boring…defensive..blah…blah

By: Anarky

Anarky — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 12:13:25 +0000

It makes sense for him and for Wales. It is painful to see them go abroad, although understandable as to the reasons for doing so, but the game time they receive, perhaps with the exception of 1/2p (TBC), is generally far less than they got at home.

I’ve heard Ospreys on the rumour mill.

By: Henry

Henry — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 11:43:04 +0000

In all fairness think he does more than one thing well! But yes, he is not an openside. Remembering the player that was titanic when Wales won the grand slam, such a shame he has been messed about like this. No doubt he will go back to Wales, get back to his best and completely ruin us (England) in the 6N and world cup group next year… Damn

Completely agree with Brighty (shock horror!)- if a club is going to spend big they need to look for players that fit their style and game plan, not just pick a star and ignore their strengths and try and mould him to their needs. It would be like signing Tom Croft and telling him to stay out the wide channels and just hit every ruck/carry in the close quarters. Madness.

By: Staggy

Staggy — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 11:20:33 +0000

Brighty. I think most of us are agreed he wasn’t used to great effect. He does one thing well and that is tackle. No point putting him on the openside to jackel. However it is a shame that he hasn’t been able to learn from the experience and develop his game, so his confidence may have dropped but I’m sure once he is back being used as he knows how this will come back.

By: brighty

brighty — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 10:35:59 +0000

Ouch. It’s clear that RM think little of Lydiate. This can’t have done his confidence and therefore probably his playing any good. Can’t help thinking that they didn’t really understand what they were doing – they just went on a shopping spree with no thought for the type of players they needed to fit into their style and squad. Can’t wait to see where he goes.