Before the summer recess they were shrugging off accusations that they had failed to hit the ground running, that having done what Labour does best in Wales - win power - they were now busily proving that they weren't too sure what to do with it - in other words, what came next.
In New South Wales a party machine run by deal-makers and union power-brokers has made this impossible.
The Wales Office's belief in giving away power too - well it's non-existent.
Plans for a power-generating tidal farm off the north Wales coast have been submitted.
The Shadow Welsh Secretary believes giving Wales the power to raise income tax now would leave the country worse-off.
The power of their scrum in particular suggests that the work-out Wales got against Argentina will be more than useful.
The Conservative AM added: "Mid Wales is suffering from a general wage packet downsizing which inevitably means a knock-on loss of spending power from the local economy and an end to any ideas of owning a house for many more local people".
Bill Midgley, president of the North-East Chamber of Commerce, who admits that until recently he was lukewarm about elected regional government, is now worried that the North-East's economy will suffer because of the devolved power gained by Scotland and Wales and by London, which will elect a mayor and an assembly in May 2000.
In the Plate quarter-finals, World Cup winners Wales fought back to overcome the USA 22-21, but Scotland had no answer to Tonga's power and pace as they went down 29-0.
In addition, as the party already in power in Westminster, Labour cannot, without self-criticism, suggest a different agenda for Wales.
Under the coalition's plans, commissioners in England and Wales will have the power to hire and fire chief constables and set local police objectives, and the budget - but chief constables will remain in charge of the direction and control of the police force.
Mr Jones also said that Labour was the "devolution party of Wales" which could "navigate a middle way between nationalism and a Tory government that is hell-bent on dragging power away from the people".
应用推荐