Bad day at the office? No way!
LET'S get one thing straight: I don't have any time for all this criticism of Llanelli Scarlets fly-half Stephen Jones.
The current Wales captain and holder of the No10 jersey has come in for more than his fair share of stick in recent weeks as the nation's fickle rugby fan club debates his prospects of retaining both jobs.
The criticism doesn't go down well in Llanelli, where he's regarded as a returning hero following his short spell in France.
In my book, he's a credit to Wales, to his region (the Scarlets) and to the town of Llanelli.
He is an outstanding ambassador for the town.
Our Stephen's been a leader since the day he captained the Carmarthen Under-11 soccer team.
And he is the second biggest points scorer in Welsh rugby history.
Having made it clear the guy is a hero in the Lloyd household, I have to admit to one niggling complaint about our Stephen.
That is his willingness to adopt some of the hackneyed sporting phrases which seem to come from a specially-commissioned Wales rugby management phrasebook.
For example, one of the worst of these has got to be 'We are looking for a big performance', which roughly translates as 'We think France are going to turn us over but we are hoping to keep the scoreline down and retain some dignity in defeat'.
Top of the league for phrases I hate, however, has to be the one Stephen and most members of the Wales rugby hierarchy have been repeating rather a lot lately - 'it was a bad day at the office'.
It is trotted out in an attempt to reflect the professional nature of our rugby representatives today.
But it's a load of old tosh.
Get a grip, chaps; rugby, even in this professional era, is still a game.
The rugby genius Carwyn James recognised that his players had to enjoy themselves on the pitch - play with passion, with hwyl, with flair, but, most of all, go out and enjoy the experience.
Some members of the current Wales team have the jaded Monday morning blues of the saddest of office workers.
Pulling on the Welsh shirt is more than an office job - it's a privilege many less able rugby playing folk would die for.
Meanwhile, another grumble. Why is it that the BBC commentary team led by John Inverdale always turn up in open-necked shirts.
Let's smarten it up, chaps, the guys on Sky are usually in a collar and tie!
The current Wales captain and holder of the No10 jersey has come in for more than his fair share of stick in recent weeks as the nation's fickle rugby fan club debates his prospects of retaining both jobs.
The criticism doesn't go down well in Llanelli, where he's regarded as a returning hero following his short spell in France.
In my book, he's a credit to Wales, to his region (the Scarlets) and to the town of Llanelli.
He is an outstanding ambassador for the town.
Our Stephen's been a leader since the day he captained the Carmarthen Under-11 soccer team.
And he is the second biggest points scorer in Welsh rugby history.
Having made it clear the guy is a hero in the Lloyd household, I have to admit to one niggling complaint about our Stephen.
That is his willingness to adopt some of the hackneyed sporting phrases which seem to come from a specially-commissioned Wales rugby management phrasebook.
For example, one of the worst of these has got to be 'We are looking for a big performance', which roughly translates as 'We think France are going to turn us over but we are hoping to keep the scoreline down and retain some dignity in defeat'.
Top of the league for phrases I hate, however, has to be the one Stephen and most members of the Wales rugby hierarchy have been repeating rather a lot lately - 'it was a bad day at the office'.
It is trotted out in an attempt to reflect the professional nature of our rugby representatives today.
But it's a load of old tosh.
Get a grip, chaps; rugby, even in this professional era, is still a game.
The rugby genius Carwyn James recognised that his players had to enjoy themselves on the pitch - play with passion, with hwyl, with flair, but, most of all, go out and enjoy the experience.
Some members of the current Wales team have the jaded Monday morning blues of the saddest of office workers.
Pulling on the Welsh shirt is more than an office job - it's a privilege many less able rugby playing folk would die for.
Meanwhile, another grumble. Why is it that the BBC commentary team led by John Inverdale always turn up in open-necked shirts.
Let's smarten it up, chaps, the guys on Sky are usually in a collar and tie!
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