Shane's successor?

Following the world cup the all conquering wing sensation that is Shane Williams will retire from international rugby. the contenders for the now fabled wing berth shane has made his own for the last 10 years will have enormous boots to fill. But who exactly are they? heres a rundown

George North & Leigh Halfpenny - these two already have caps stretching into double figures and one is already a british lion. Both look set to achieve whatever they want in the game. Yet relying on these two can be dangerous due to injury and potential loss of form.

Morgan Stoddart - Outstanding last year and if he can get over his injury-proneness he will be part of a post world cup squad for many years to come.

Richard Fussell - claims he wishes to be a fullback however his good displays last year on the wing for the ospreys means he surely has some form of international career.

Tom Prydrie - Gatland saw something in him, as do the ospreys. however his future role is surely fullback giving wales lack of genuine options there.

Tom James - was considered very highly a couple of years ago yet dropped off considerably. will need to see a large and consistent rise in form.

Chris Czekaj - same boat as Tom due to injury.

Adam Hughes - will need to improve yet looks very promising

Adam Hughes should be considered a 13, not a winger.

Stoddart could well be our 1st choice FB next year.

After Halfpenny and North, there arent many promising options to be honest.

To me your best options are:

11 Halfpenny
14 North
15 Hook

22 Fussell

Aled Brew is backing up winger. Stoddart backing up fullback.

For a minute there I thought this article was going to be about a head injury Shane had incurred whilst being thrown around by the England squad in Queenstown.

Noth and Halfpenny are the immediate answers at the moment, with North being most likely to move to 12.

Stoddart will be a good option if he can find the same form when he returns from injury.

However, if we're looking a few more years down the line, look no further than Hanno Dirksen. He's been putting in huge performances for the ospreys and knows how to find the line. Still young and qualified to play for SA and the USA but has voiced his desires to play for Wales.

Alternatively, young Harry Robinson seems to be a good young prospect, would like to see him get a bit more game time down at the Blues.

TheGreyGhost wrote:For a minute there I thought this article was going to be about a head injury Shane had incurred whilst being thrown around by the England squad in Queenstown.

Don't be funny, doesn't suit you.

Hanno Dirksen is going to be a available next year and he seems to be rated very highly.

I would have thought Shane's successor would most likely be his son, or future son, whatever the case.

Unless he decides to adopt.

TheGreyGhost wrote:For a minute there I thought this article was going to be about a head injury Shane had incurred whilst being thrown around by the England squad in Queenstown.

Blimey, a moment of Clarity. I chuckled at a GG post!

like Jason Robinson, there won't be a successor, they were once in a generation players, born of quick minds, quick feet and a penchant for running gaps.

I miss jason

I still think Tom James is worth perservering with.

BlueNote wrote:I still think Tom James is worth perservering with.

He does seem to be back on form for the Blues and is now our leading try scorer, he is still young and may well get another opportunity if there are few other options.


I havent been that impressed with Dirksen yet, Cuthbert and Robinson at the Blues look promising for the future.

North and Halfpenny seem to be next inline and are in theory 'in possession'.

Stoddard will be there or there abouts again after injury as will Brew. Not sure what as happened to WIll Harries as he was more in the mould of Shane compared to the others.

Also hopefully Martyn Thomas can come through and push for the XV shirt soon

Dirksen has he not already played for the Eagles ?

Injustice to Aled Brew to not mention him when you find the time for Czekaj and Fussell. Or are you talking specifically about the same type of player as Shane?

There'll only ever be one Shane Williams.

Brew is not feeling the love here is he.

As much as we all loved Shane and the likes of Robinson, I don't think we'll see these types of players again, the game has moved on from allowing the small and skillful players in favour of big and powerful runners.

Players who could do the job: Stoddart, T. James, Halfpenny, North, Brew, A. Hughes

IronMike,

I am hoping thats not in order of preference as James would be at the back of tha list by some distance.

Down at Dave we all hoping Hughes will move into the centre as well.

Czekaj and Fussell are not international players IMO and James remains questionable, jury still out as he lacks game awareness - Shane is ireplaceable with leading cadidates for the wing birth currently being 1/2p, Brew, and Stoddard - Dirksen, Harries and Prydie up and coming and Hughes looking an exciting prospect.

Cymroglan wrote:Dirksen has he not already played for the Eagles ?

He played 2 friendlies for them but was never capped.

Ok cheers mate

Welsh back 3 to come from

North (and no he will never be a centre as he has hands like feet)
Halfpenny
Brew
Stoddard
Fussell ( I like him at 15 as he has good support lines and is unselfish )


The other contenders names are not good enough at the moment and need to nail down regular starting places for their regions.

Disagree on the North and the Centre position but we shall have to wait and see, I think he could be lethal there and more effective than Jamie as he recycles the ball well.

If it's not broken don't fix it. North has thus far thrived on the wing and not done anything to suggest switching him is necessary bar as emergency cover during injury crisis. Likewise we're not yet so drained in midfield to have to turn to him in that position.

Knowsit17 wrote:If it's not broken don't fix it. North has thus far thrived on the wing and not done anything to suggest switching him is necessary bar as emergency cover during injury crisis. Likewise we're not yet so drained in midfield to have to turn to him in that position.

His height and weight is a huge bonus on the wing we already have big guys at 12/13.

BlueNote wrote:I still think Tom James is worth perservering with.

Agreed. I can see Wales going for a more physical backline in the future, with James, Brew and North being the wing options and Roberts in the centre.

James is arrogant, and therefore has always had his detractors. But he is a powerful and physical player and should not be ignored.

there wont be another shane williams type player for wales, closest mould to shane williams playing atm internationally is medard for france.

also think morgan seems a shane esq player however i think it would be a mistake to make him a winger

Replace him with one of Tindall's dwarves

As much as we all loved Shane and the likes of Robinson, I don't think we'll see these types of players again, the game has moved on from allowing the small and skillful players in favour of big and powerful runners.

I disagree, I think that Wales in particular will always struggle to produce players as physical as some of the bigger nations but we will keep churning out smaller, more elusive players and build our game around them.

Matthew Morgan, who has been mentioned already, is a perfect example of a new Shane-esq player and whereas I agree that he should not be converted to the wing, who's to say that this style of play wont work at fly half?

Talent will always rise to the top, it doesn't matter if the player is 5'7 or 6'10.

You need balance in any team, some skillful twinkle toed players, and a few Rhinos! Too many Wizards and you have no one to get the ball over the gain line, too many Rhino's and you become predictable.

tbh when a dietrition came in during an rgc training session for a lecture he said its not just talent but commitment to your sport aswell, so there could be alot of shane williams esq players who just havent got the commitment