Martyn Williams on the summer tour?

If Warburton doesn't recover from his injury, would anyone else consider taking Martyn on the summer tour.

He has been playing very well for the Blues and today he was back to his best, really linking with the backs and forwards.

Tipuric will obviously be first choice if Warbs is out, but in my opinion, Williams is the best backup option available.

No i would take, Nalvidi, Tuperic, Shingler and Turnbull ahead of Williams.

Wales 606 I'm a big fan of your articles, but on this occasion I think you have it wrong.
There is plenty of back row talent at our disposal as outlined by MM.

Whats the point in taking him even if he is in form it would be a massive step back for Wales. He is retiring at the end of season and the tour if warburton is out is a chance to give Tipuric and another 7 a chance.

Yes it means he will be stuck on 99 caps fore ever but there is no room for sentiment when picking a national team.

He had his chance to tour New Zealand in 2010 with Wales and turned it down in order to have a good pre season training with the blues if he had gone on this tour he would of won 100 caps.

Norfolklass wrote:Wales 606 I'm a big fan of your articles, but on this occasion I think you have it wrong.
There is plenty of back row talent at our disposal as outlined by MM.

Just stirring up some debate

Turnball is playing more at 6/8 these days, and hasn't returned to the form of 2 seasons ago.

Navidi is improving, but needs more gametime

Shingler/Lydiate/Jones/L.Evans are 6s

So if Warburton and Tips were injured, Martyn would be the experienced option if we were picking our best possible team.

He has stated he will not return to rugby, I dont think he'll go back on his word.

I think he's past his best personally. Still a good player but not busy or skilled enough at the breakdown anymore to be considered up against Pocock.

Warbs, Tipuric and Turnbull in that order remain my top three openside contenders. Shingler and Faletau are capable of covering if necessary. Navidi also has potential.

Nalvidi is really starting to impress me. Very Talented. Stupid hair cut. He looks like "Swampy"...

Nugget is a legend of the Welsh game and has gained world wide recognition from players and fans alike and as an ex back rower one of the perfect role models/examples etc.

But it we took him it would IMO be s step backward and even done out of sympathy so that he could maybe get his 100th cap.

Cant see that happening at all.

No.

I personaly think that if you take Martyn Williams on the summer tour.
You would be taken a massive step back wards.

No he may not be part of the 100 cap club, but that is just tough imo.

Let him stay at home and take some younger player instead.

If they want to give him his 100th cap then for me do it at home in the Baa Baas game but would he want it out of sympathy?

No - Not too many quality players putting their hands up - Shingler looks exceptional however and has that extra edge, very talented footballer allround. Too early for Navidi IMO - Tipuric is great - Lewis Evans would be a bolter for me, big lad and great work rate.

Evans has had limited involvement with previous Welsh squads so could go and I guess after his involvement with the 6 Nations this year Shingler will go.

Anyone know what size squad is going?

bedfordwelsh wrote:Evans has had limited involvement with previous Welsh squads so could go and I guess after his involvement with the 6 Nations this year Shingler will go.

Anyone know what size squad is going?

Howley said during halftime of the Blues game that they were looking at having a squad of between 32 and 34 players.

That would be 33 players then according to my math

bedfordwelsh wrote:If they want to give him his 100th cap then for me do it at home in the Baa Baas game but would he want it out of sympathy?

Wales only award caps for Baa Baas games to mark special anniversaries hence the games in 1990, 1996 and 2011 were fully capped matches but this years match is uncapped.

Surely with the form Ryan Jones is in the sensible option would be to play him at 8 and shift Falatau over. Although i do think Aaron Shingler is a cracking player.

RubyGuby wrote:That would be 33 players then according to my math

Not necesarily because statistically George north counts as 1.5 players

No. Let Williams retire when we all have great memories. He is way past his best IMO and I don't want to see him exposed in Australa.

maestegmafia wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:That would be 33 players then according to my math

Not necesarily because statistically George north counts as 1.5 players

So I guess that means Matthew Morgan is going to make up the 'other half'

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:That would be 33 players then according to my math

Not necesarily because statistically George north counts as 1.5 players

So I guess that means Matthew Morgan is going to make up the 'other half'

Now that Shane's retired we will be running 0.5 over a regular integer until someone dimunitive like Morgan can come in and even it all up.

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:That would be 33 players then according to my math

Not necesarily because statistically George north counts as 1.5 players

So I guess that means Matthew Morgan is going to make up the 'other half'

Now that Shane's retired we will be running 0.5 over a regular integer until someone dimunitive like Morgan can come in and even it all up.

True, true - but I still think that 1 George North equals more than a Matthew Morgan and a Halfpenny...

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:That would be 33 players then according to my math

Not necesarily because statistically George north counts as 1.5 players

So I guess that means Matthew Morgan is going to make up the 'other half'

Now that Shane's retired we will be running 0.5 over a regular integer until someone dimunitive like Morgan can come in and even it all up.

True, true - but I still think that 1 George North equals more than a Matthew Morgan and a Halfpenny...

You think he might be a 2.5 man man...???

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Smirnoffpriest wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:That would be 33 players then according to my math

Not necesarily because statistically George north counts as 1.5 players

So I guess that means Matthew Morgan is going to make up the 'other half'

Now that Shane's retired we will be running 0.5 over a regular integer until someone dimunitive like Morgan can come in and even it all up.

True, true - but I still think that 1 George North equals more than a Matthew Morgan and a Halfpenny...

You think he might be a 2.5 man man...???

At least - he may even be the 3million dollar man (which puts the Scarlets seriously over their budget for next year)

Driver - RIP 606 wrote:Surely with the form Ryan Jones is in the sensible option would be to play him at 8 and shift Falatau over. Although i do think Aaron Shingler is a cracking player.

Faletau is a better 8 than 6 and Jones is a better 6 than 8 these days

And Jones is a better 8 than Falatau at the moment

A better 6, not an 8. His ball carrying lets him down. He is only good at carrying around the fringes, see the Ireland game.

Butterfingers Toby needs to up his game - Ryan has been playing with a point to prove this season and has been having a greater impact on games than Toby of late - even accounting for him playing for the Dragons

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Driver - RIP 606 wrote:Surely with the form Ryan Jones is in the sensible option would be to play him at 8 and shift Falatau over. Although i do think Aaron Shingler is a cracking player.

Faletau is a better 8 than 6 and Jones is a better 6 than 8 these days

I think he meant moving faletau to 7

Go with a back row of lydiate, tipuric and ryan jones against the ba'baas and put williams on the bench and give him the last 20mins or so. he does deserve to reach 100 and be wales joint leading cap holder to be fair. but i dont think id take him down under

Pot Noodle Miner wrote:Go with a back row of lydiate, tipuric and ryan jones against the ba'baas and put williams on the bench and give him the last 20mins or so. he does deserve to reach 100 and be wales joint leading cap holder to be fair. but i dont think id take him down under

Steve jones has 104 I think?

Maes - Yeah Stevo is the most capped welsh player.

I think that IF Warburton is not available to tour then Tipuric will go as the first choice openside with Turnbull and/or Shingler going as back up/s. We have plenty of cover for the back row now, and the 6Ns shown that we are capable of slotting a few players in a few positions which just adds to the cover.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2012/04/24/wales-right-to-make-baa-baas-clash-a-full-test-match-says-martyn-williams-91466-30823728/#sitelife-commentsWidget-bottom

ieuan wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Driver - RIP 606 wrote:Surely with the form Ryan Jones is in the sensible option would be to play him at 8 and shift Falatau over. Although i do think Aaron Shingler is a cracking player.

Faletau is a better 8 than 6 and Jones is a better 6 than 8 these days

I think he meant moving faletau to 7

OK that would be an option but Tipuric is in pole if Sam is out surely

bedfordwelsh wrote:

ieuan wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Driver - RIP 606 wrote:Surely with the form Ryan Jones is in the sensible option would be to play him at 8 and shift Falatau over. Although i do think Aaron Shingler is a cracking player.

Faletau is a better 8 than 6 and Jones is a better 6 than 8 these days

I think he meant moving faletau to 7

OK that would be an option but Tipuric is in pole if Sam is out surely

Definitely...!

Turnbull seems to have made a good comeback from injury. He may go if Warbs or Tipuric are injured

Pot Noodle Miner wrote:Go with a back row of lydiate, tipuric and ryan jones against the ba'baas and put williams on the bench and give him the last 20mins or so. he does deserve to reach 100 and be wales joint leading cap holder to be fair. but i dont think id take him down under

Totally agree with this. Would be daft to take Martyn to Aus give the youngsters we have but we know that Warburton and Tuperic are our 7s for years to come injury permitting and I really don't think 10-20 minutes against the baa-baas to win his 100th cap would be of the slightest detriment to the Welsh squad. Sometimes there is room for sentiment in sport and the baa baas game (which shouldn't really be capped, but it is so there we go) is the perfect opportunity to give MW the send off he deserves. Played through many tough times and crucial in both the 2005 and 2008 grand slams.

Would Nuggett want is 100th out of sympathy though?

If Warb is out or at least for the Ba-ba game and the Wales management are flying the test team out to OZ early. I would say Martyn is next in line for the 7 shirt on current form.

Theres a really good interview with Williams on the BBC website if anyones interested. Great player. .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/17856137

Jamie Roberts talks about Martyn Williams and how he wouldn't want to be selected for Wales unless it was due to good form

Personally, I feel it is a shame he didn't get his 100th cap. When on the top of his game, he was one of the best flankers in the world and a class act through and through. He was always one of my favourite players to watch. Almost always in the right place at the right time because he was one of those rare players who really did think two or three phases ahead. An attacking force, not due to raw physicality, but due to true skill.

Unfortunately, I also don't think it would be right to get him his century cap because of services rendered. The game does move on, which is a damn shame in his case. That said, somewhere in the back of my mind, I still cannot believe that putting Martyn Williams in a Rugby jersey, even when he turns 80 years old, would ever be holding a team back.

I think they should just award him with a giant flake on a gold plinth at the start of the Baa Baas match