Wasted analysis and phantom text messages
As Wales stare down the barrel of 11 straight defeats 21 years after the last time, some familiar plotlines are reoccurring
The point - I think - Warren Gatland was trying to make when speaking about the botched replacement of Mason Grady last week was that Wales are in a place where once one thing goes awry, other problems quickly raise their head.
Sure, the pressures of being a Test rugby coach are great. But if you’re looking for that true feeling of when it rains, it pours, then imagine what it’s like to have hundreds of words done on how Wales can negate Australia’s new superstar - only for the Wallabies to bench him.
Throw in the YouTube highlight reel you were using for clips of Joseph Sua’ali’i’s debut at Twickenham last week being struck with a copyright strike - making it unavailable to watch - and, frankly, a radio mishap in the coaching box looks preferable.
Best laid plans of mice and men and all that.
Wales, too, had probably looked at preparing for Sua’ali’i. Ben Thomas admitted this week there would be a plan to deal with the rugby league convert.
Given his aerial abilities, Thomas did joke afterwards that it could include switching direction on kick-offs to avoid him - like he tried with Cardiff against the Scarlets earlier in the season…
“I have watched a lot of him playing with the Roosters, so I knew a fair bit about him already,” said Thomas of Sua’ali’i.
“I think he probably gave us a glimpse of what we can expect on the weekend when we play against him, so it's on us to limit his time and space.
“I wouldn't say we focus too much on containing any individual player. I mean pretty much every team at this level will have some star power in their backline.
“It's probably more about containing them as a team, and limiting the time and space that we give them. Those players are going to have key moments, so it's how much we can limit their opportunities.”