This is Stefan Thomas on Wales online on Cracknell

It is an absurd state of affairs, but the whole saga shows that they (the stooges and the wider WRU) simply do not understand professional sport. They have to go, the WRU needs replacing as an organisation and the focus has to be autonomous professional clubs.

People say there is no difference between the Tories and Labour. There plenty - but not enough I just wish Starmer was as ruthless with the hard right wing placemen in Ofcom, the BBC and other captured quangos and regulators as it is with its own (soft) left wing

Looks like free-speech absolutism is relative.

Black Ferns reminiscent of All Blacks in their pre Ian Foster pomp. Just doing everything right

Chris Mason is a profoundly unserious man who writes about politics as if it were a video game with no real consequences. True to form, this article is purely about optics. Not a single policy is mentioned www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

"But Welsh rugby did not suffer systematic [sic] issues in the same way it does today." Again, with this fallacy about the "golden era" Welsh rugby enjoyed from 1995 to 2003. It's just not true. Welsh rugby was on its arse, and had been for decades. Nothing to do with regions...

The premise that the period between the start of professionalism (1995) and the advent of the regions (2003) was some kind of glorious era where the stands were packed with tens of thousands of fans, is, quite frankly, rubbish.....

Current state of UK political discourse.

Why they aren't protesting outside New Scotland Yard?

From "highly CONFLICTED" to "Highly Respected" in just weeks — and all it took was for him to give away 10% of his company

Ask yourself *why* the French have a massive TV deal. It's because the product is the best around. And it is getting stronger and better still, because it is club focussed. As for investing in Welsh rugby that's stuck in the URC, you're right. Completely pointless.

I genuinely do NOT understand the idiocy of having Putin proxies on TV News, like Sergei Markov just now screaming Russian propaganda on Sky News for ten minutes. We are at war with Russia. When before has UK media ever platformed enemy states who attack our allies and poison people in our streets?

The law requires all users to verify their ages before using common social media sites ranging from Facebook to Nextdoor.

Awesome

Arresting 400+ people for the "terrorist" offence of protesting against mass murder while large segments of the right are openly encouraging riots against immigrants is a tale of a very unhappy country and government.

Rugby Australia expect to clear their substantial debt after this summer's Lions tour, while the constituent Unions of the Lions are largely facing significant cost-cutting measures. So who gets what from a Lions tour? gwladrugby.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/b...

I can’t believe Adam Fleming’s line of questioning to JRM on Newsnight. I have to give rare credit to Moggy for his sensible answers

An update from Lance Bradley on St Helen's, plus THREE announcements 🗣️ 📅 Season Membership on sale on 12th August 👕 Kit launch on 5th September 🏉 Pre-season vs Exeter Chiefs confirmed at the Dunraven Brewery Field 🎬 youtu.be/rkjWsYs-xk0

This has merit actually. One of the arguments for votes at 16, which I agree with, is that 16 year olds can marry and have sex etc.

The problem is that doom can become self-fulfilling. Public perception about the country is increasingly disconnected from how they feel about their own lives. So I look at how government can boost confidence, while acknowledging the real challenges that exist.

This seems to be a constant attitude from the front pages and I agree that in some ways it can be self-fulfilling. I can’t remember such a constant diet of doom prior to the 24 elections though.

To pitch your idea please submit this Google form. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Blair Murray wouldn’t have been stripped there

Tom Rogers never butchers a two man overlap

Baby voice: Things can be good without being perfect. You must learn to grasp this fact. If you are unable to do so, you will have a very thankless life, politically and personally.

Roll on Graduation Day

Healey: "No government wishes to withhold information from the public, parliamentarians or the press in this manner." Having sat in these courts for two years and watched governments handle this up close, you could have fooled me.

What can you do with this? I'm reminded of the post-Brexit years where many didn't care if their jobs/ industries/ livelihood were at risk as long as we took back control/ kept foreigners out/ Thwarted the WEF etc.

Here we go then. October is D Day www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/...

Because Brexit worked so well for Wales Same grifters, different name First they shit on manufacturing in Wales with Brexit and next they'll tell you they're going to sort out immigration when what they'll really do is gut public services and privatise whatever they can. Yet some thickos..

The main positive from today was how good all of the Scarlets players were. Murray, Rogers, Plumtree all excellent, Macleod easily seren y gem. It would be great to see the players from other teams pulling their weight - a definite work on for the autumn. Anyway, today is about the positives. 😎🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

The Autumn tests are going to be a horror show for Wales, aren’t they? 🫣

The Telegraph today carries a news story about someone paying £7.4 million for a handbag (Hello, Lady Bracknell!). And an opinion piece describing a wealth tax as a ‘moral abomination’. What a time to be alive.

Just got back from the 🏏 and catching up with the latest public shaming of the WRU. Apparently the WRU CEO is in Japan. So I assume she’s met the players to discuss their concerns- as any self-respecting CEO would.

🚨Don’t believe the myth: Britain’s services exports have been hit hard by Brexit Important @chrisgiles.ft.com piece writing up LSE paper. on.ft.com/3GyOyK5

I for one, welcome our new/old English overlords: www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/...

My question is, does anyone actually want the job? Is that why they didn't have a permanent coach in for this tour, or as most people would assume the WRU are completely incompetent and don't have a clue what they're doing?

Spot on!

While Westminster is agonising about welfare cuts, I know people getting PIP for morning sickness, or knee ops- years after giving birth/ recovering. Ppl get £000s benefits where their kids have ADHD/ASD, which are both real, but where the costs of treatment lie with the state, not the household

The right are strongly opposed to big government when it means giving people healthcare but not when it means terrorising them.

Common People!!

I'm actually loving Sky's Lions coverage. It's so retro!

Why is this part so, @danneidle.bsky.social ?

Tomorrow is #danielhannanday - join me in celebrating the great British virtues of Absurd deference to public schoolboys Being completely wrong but blaming eveyone else Rewarding failure by elevating people to the Lords with a £75k pa expense allowance. Pl repost www.reaction.life/p/britain-lo...

I see rugby pass tv seems to have crashed

Lovely night last night.

The line out will need sorting in time for next weekend