Welsh Team

Very happy with the team for Scotland.
Lydiate and Gethin back with Jones moving to lock the only changes.

If Scotland come to play, this could be a cracking game.

I would have preferred Tipuric on the bench for Powell and the young O's scrum half for Lloyd Williams. I think LW will be a liability if he comes on as he has started to take on too much and will get straggled by the Scottish back row

Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues);
Alex Cuthbert (Blues),
Jonathan Davies (Scarlets),
Jamie Roberts (Blues),
George North (Scarlets),
Rhys Priestland (Scarlets),
Mike Phillips (Bayonne);
Gethin Jenkins (Blues),
Huw Bennett (Ospreys),
Adam Jones (Ospreys),
Ryan Jones (Ospreys),
Ian Evans (Ospreys),
Dan Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons),
Sam Warburton (Blues, capt),
Toby Faletau (Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Paul James (Ospreys), Lou Reed (Scarlets), Andy Powell (Sale Sharks), Lloyd Williams (Blues), James Hook (Perpignan), Scott Williams (Scarlets).


Hey Offy,
I think that's the best team we can put out. Glad we're starting with Jones at lock. The right decision for me. Bringing Gethin back is a no brainer IMHO.
Shame Tipuric is not on the bench.

I'm guessing Dan or Toby will cover 7 if need be.

I thought Tipuric had a niggly injury.

Yes Tipuric is injured. On the face of it, it's a bit harsh on Gill being dropped from the 22 but of course James is a better bench option.

However the main interest is the selection of Cuthbert. There were rumours that Cuthbert's removal at half time was for tactical reasons. Now we know he was injured- knock to the head. I'm really pleased for the guy he's been selected again, he looks a great prospect.

Nervous of our scrum being underpowered with that 2nd row.

BlueNote wrote:Nervous of our scrum being underpowered with that 2nd row.

Why, Ian Evans isnt underpowered, and Ryan has been playing 2nd row in a very successful Ospreys scrum.

I'm happy with that selection it would be good to see AWJ have a run out tomorrow night against Edinburgh.

Shame for Tipuric, and why hook is on the bench I can only assume because he covers 10 and Gatland thinks he covers 15. I would rather have Byrne or Henson covering 15. But then no cover for 10. Or even Stephen Jones on the bench as cover for 10 and Priestland covering 15? (haven't seen him much at 15, would he be good enough? can't be as bad as hook).

yep, webb anyday before lloyd williams but that probably has to do with being an O's fan.
Shame for Ryan that he's been shifted to second row, he's a better 6 at the moment but still, its not a big problem.

Shane_Williams wrote:Shame for Tipuric, and why hook is on the bench I can only assume because he covers 10 and Gatland thinks he covers 15. I would rather have Byrne or Henson covering 15. But then no cover for 10. Or even Stephen Jones on the bench as cover for 10 and Priestland covering 15? (haven't seen him much at 15, would he be good enough? can't be as bad as hook).

yep, webb anyday before lloyd williams but that probably has to do with being an O's fan.
Shame for Ryan that he's been shifted to second row, he's a better 6 at the moment but still, its not a big problem.

Preistland is probably our best 10 and second best 15 tbh. Still, I would rather Hook at 15 and Preistland at 10 than the other way round. But Byrne and Halfpenny (and probably Liam Williams, Henson and a random spectator) are better FBs than Hook.

BlueNote wrote:Nervous of our scrum being underpowered with that 2nd row.

Both of them are 18 stone or over!

They are giving up 2 stone compared to the Scotland pairing, but when have you ever seen Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins going backwards?

I think the Welsh scrum will be fine.

Alyn, it's about grunt as much as size, players like Bradley Davies and Ian Gough seem to give the scrum a lot more.

BlueNote wrote:Alyn, it's about grunt as much as size, players like Bradley Davies and Ian Gough seem to give the scrum a lot more.

If it's about grunt I think Gethin, Adam, Huw and Ianto will be more than a match for Scotland!

Here's hoping you're right, Alyn!

Hopefully Tipuric is injured, otherwise it is very harsh to leave him out of the 22 entirely after how well he played last weekend. I think Gill should have started with Geth on the bench as the Scottish scrum is slightly weaker minus Murray and I would like to see Geth eased back gently and Gill did a decent job last week. No complaints though.

Tupric has an ankle injury

wales606 wrote:

Shane_Williams wrote:Shame for Tipuric, and why hook is on the bench I can only assume because he covers 10 and Gatland thinks he covers 15. I would rather have Byrne or Henson covering 15. But then no cover for 10. Or even Stephen Jones on the bench as cover for 10 and Priestland covering 15? (haven't seen him much at 15, would he be good enough? can't be as bad as hook).

yep, webb anyday before lloyd williams but that probably has to do with being an O's fan.
Shame for Ryan that he's been shifted to second row, he's a better 6 at the moment but still, its not a big problem.

Preistland is probably our best 10 and second best 15 tbh. Still, I would rather Hook at 15 and Preistland at 10 than the other way round. But Byrne and Halfpenny (and probably Liam Williams, Henson and a random spectator) are better FBs than Hook.

Yep, agree, what I was saying was to have Wellies as cover for 10 and then if need be, Priestland could shift to 15. I'm not convinced by the new "French" Hook, looked much of the same but then again that is partly Gatland's fault for playing him at 15. oh and sorry, forgot about Liam Williams (keep thinking of him as wing instead of FB for some reason but yeah, have never seen him there, but would rather that to Hook)

Shane_Williams wrote:

wales606 wrote:

Shane_Williams wrote:Shame for Tipuric, and why hook is on the bench I can only assume because he covers 10 and Gatland thinks he covers 15. I would rather have Byrne or Henson covering 15. But then no cover for 10. Or even Stephen Jones on the bench as cover for 10 and Priestland covering 15? (haven't seen him much at 15, would he be good enough? can't be as bad as hook).

yep, webb anyday before lloyd williams but that probably has to do with being an O's fan.
Shame for Ryan that he's been shifted to second row, he's a better 6 at the moment but still, its not a big problem.

Preistland is probably our best 10 and second best 15 tbh. Still, I would rather Hook at 15 and Preistland at 10 than the other way round. But Byrne and Halfpenny (and probably Liam Williams, Henson and a random spectator) are better FBs than Hook.

Yep, agree, what I was saying was to have Wellies as cover for 10 and then if need be, Priestland could shift to 15. I'm not convinced by the new "French" Hook, looked much of the same but then again that is partly Gatland's fault for playing him at 15. oh and sorry, forgot about Liam Williams (keep thinking of him as wing instead of FB for some reason but yeah, have never seen him there, but would rather that to Hook)

Shane (you retired too early man)

I have spoke to quite a few Blues and Scarlets fans and they say that this Wiliiams lad (not you) is the real deal ............... and he has looked very good this season and plays a bit Hensonesque and the NGDs Morgan from a few seasons ago ............bursting forward from the FB position.

As a Scot I am pleased Hook is on the bench and not Byrne or this Williams lad

Hook may cover a number of positions - but he not good in any of them.

Out of all the team fullback is the weakest area, yet we prefer HP or Hook to Byrne who was one of the best fullbacks around. You can at he's lost form, but Gats has let other players play themselves back in

hp and hook bring goal kicking to the table - but in my view they bring 6 points to the game where a proper full back will save you 7 with defence.

RubyGuby wrote:I would have preferred Tipuric on the bench for Powell and the young O's scrum half for Lloyd Williams. I think LW will be a liability if he comes on as he has started to take on too much and will get straggled by the Scottish back row

I hope Rhys Webb gets some game time this Six Nations. I can't wait to see how Ashley Beck goes in the Welsh team too, but scrum half and centre aren't weaknesses at the moment so it wouldn't be such a bad thing if they have to wait a bit longer.

Byrne has actually been in decent form for Clermont, solid under the high ball, good defense and hes always been decent in attack. He was unlucky not to be included in the squad for Ireland or Scotland.

IronMike wrote:Byrne has actually been in decent form for Clermont, solid under the high ball, good defense and hes always been decent in attack. He was unlucky not to be included in the squad for Ireland or Scotland.

He may be playing well but Halfpenny is in fantastic form and cannot be dropped, and that is without taking his goal kicking in to account. Gatts obviously thinks Cuthbert can do a good job on the wing and so Halfpenny has to play fullback and no place for Byrne. You cant as a rule have a specialist full back on the bench,you need back three cover.

From an Englishman, that's a great team. Wales really have a seriously competitive team for the future, especially in the back line. It's an incredibly exciting time to be a Welsh supporter, enjoy it!

Would be happier with Shingler on the bench instead of Lou Reed. I see the benefit of having an out and out second row on the bench when we have a backrower who covers lock playing, but I'd prefer the versatility of Shingler as a bench option, he can cover open and blind side and lock.

bluestonevedder wrote:From an Englishman, that's a great team. Wales really have a seriously competitive team for the future, especially in the back line. It's an incredibly exciting tie to be a Welsh supporter, enjoy it!

AWJ also back for his region this weekend

Is nobody else worried that Sean Lamont is going to steam through Priestland?

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Is nobody else worried that Sean Lamont is going to steam through Priestland?

Not at all mate, he couldn't run through Hodgson and RP is fine in defence

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Is nobody else worried that Sean Lamont is going to steam through Priestland?

What about Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Alex Cuthbert and oh, George North steaming through Laidlaw?! Or Lee Jones...?!

bluestonevedder wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Is nobody else worried that Sean Lamont is going to steam through Priestland?

What about Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies, Alex Cuthbert and oh, George North steaming through Laidlaw?! Or Lee Jones...?!

True but I worry about our defence more than I worry about the oppositions.

Scarlet - IMO our defence is the strongest part of the team, I think its a far greater strength than our attacking prowess. I think we conceded 7 trys in 7 games in the RWC and SA, Samoa, Ireland and France are pretty useful outfits. Gatland is very happy with the opposition having the ball and us just keeping them at bay before striking when we have the ball. I don't see a problem

i think Priestland has one of the stronger defenses of any of the home nation flyhalves, and as we've managed the Schlong threat with Hook at fly half, then doing it with Priestland should be much easier...

As ruby says Defence is probably one of our biggest strengths

warburton out. Shingler to start





is the rumour

Chunky Norwich wrote:warburton out. Shingler to start





is the rumour

From?

Chunky Norwich wrote:warburton out. Shingler to start

is the rumour

No problem shingler is a good player, not in the same league as Tips or Warbs but a game for him will do him the world of good.