THE media is back in the rugby spotlight, criticised on all sides whether it's for being too negative to use the Welsh management's buzz word or for ghosting columns by top players.

Wales coach Graham Henry has a go because he says the media is either up in the air or down in the dumps, usually the latter.

What do he and others expect? Wales lose by a record 36-6 margin against Ireland in a performance so shocking that the normally devoted fans walk out and turn on the team.

Are we not supposed to report that? Are we not expected to be critical? And then there is the Heineken Cup. Only Llanelli have much chance of making the quarter-finals of the competition among Welsh clubs.

Cardiff look like missing out on a quarter-final place for the first time, Bridgend are out and Newport, despite two wholehearted performances against Leinster, and Swansea are almost certainly gone as well.

If Llanelli had not been drawn in the same group as an Italian side they would probably follow the same path.

What are we supposed to make of it all? That everything is smelling of roses in Welsh rugby?

Shane Howarth says that one of his dislikes in rugby is fickle reporters. Isn't it true that when you're up everyone wants to know, but when you're down the opposite is the case? Sad, but reality in any walk of life.

It wasn't the crowd who missed those kicks at goal against Leinster. It wasn't the media who failed to put the ball between the uprights.

It was such a shame because Howarth played so well in other respects, apart from an unusual missed tackle.

No-one questions his commitment, his bravery, his ability, but a goalkicker is obviously in the spotlight by the very nature of the role.

As such he is going to be the centre of attention, blamed when things go wrong and praised when they are right. That is the nature of the beast, it's not being fickle to criticise when it doesn't work out, it's just a fact of life.

And Henry says people in Wales are either on a huge high or a big low, citing the reception of Iestyn Harris as an example.

He does have a point in that with Welsh rugby you do tend to be a saint or a sinner.

Carwyn James back in the 70s coached the British Lions to their first Test series success in New Zealand, but failed to secure the post in Wales where he was a prophet without honour in his own land.

Welsh people, maybe more than most, tend to put their stars on a pedestal only to knock them down even more easily.

Nevertheless, Harris' arrival on the first class rugby union scene could hardly have gone better with a 31-point contribution for Cardiff against Glasgow including three tries, two of them dazzling.

What are the media supposed to make of that? Probably the same as the fans who hailed him as a kind of hero.

Wasn't Henry himself heralded as the Great Redeemer on his arrival from New Zealand and guiding Wales to 10 wins in a row?

Now Henry has taken a stand after a series of unfortunate comments, columns and books by players, notably Austin Healey.

Henry has decided to end his weekly column in a national newspaper, the least he ought to have done.

When players are being criticised for writing colums or having them ghosted and the coach does the same, profiting financially as well, then that situation can hardly be allowed to continue.

While on the subject of the media being critical I'm going to jump on the bandwagon for once to criticise a referee.

It happens after every match and is usually an easy and convenient excuse for coaches, players and fans.

But Chris White's performance in the Newport-Leinster match last Friday left a lot to be desired.

After penalising Newport out of it at the start, he blew up when visiting full back Peter McKenna knocked on and Jonathan Pritchard was away and set for a certain try without allowing the advantage he played on numerous other occasions.

When Ofisa Tonu'u went for the line from a tap penalty and was held up there was no way Leinster were the required 10 yards back.

But neither a penalty nor a penalty try was awarded when either would have been justified, though White could not be blamed for the floodlight failure or for missing vital kicks at goal.

And surely it's not right that ERC allow two Italian sides in the Heineken Cup when they concede 90-odd points in a game.

The other three teams in their pool automatically hold an advantage over a 'group of death' like Newport, Leinster, Toulouse and Newcastle where only one side can expect to progress.

However, we mustn't find fault with anything, that's being negative, over critical and fickle. Come on, get real!