Wales squad announced

FORWARDS: Ryan BEVINGTON, Luke CHARTERIS, Bradley DAVIES, Ian EVANS, Toby FALETAU, Rhys GILL, Richard HIBBARD, Paul JAMES, Gethin JENKINS, Adam JONES, Alun Wyn JONES, Rhodri JONES, Ryan JONES, Dan LYDIATE, Ken OWENS, Matthew REES, Aaron SHINGLER, Justin TIPURIC, Josh TURNBULL, Sam WARBURTON, Martyn WILLIAMS

BACKS: Ashley BECK, Dan BIGGAR, Andrew BISHOP, Aled BREW, Alex CUTHBERT, Jonathan DAVIES, Leigh HALFPENNY, Will HARRIES, James HOOK, George NORTH, Mike PHILLIPS, Rhys PRIESTLAND, Harry ROBINSON, Rhys WEBB, Lloyd WILLIAMS, Scott WILLIAMS, Liam WILLIAMS

..............................................................

Props
Gethin Jenkins
Adam Jones
Ryan Bevington
Paul James
Rhys Gill
Rhodri Jones

Only 1 recognised THP? No Craig Mitchell...seems strange

Hookers
Matthew Rees
Ken Owens
Richard Hibbard

Locks
Luke Charteris
Ian Evans
Alun Wyn Jones
Bradley Davies

Backrow
Dan Lydiate
Sam Warburton
Toby Faletau
Ryan Jones
Justin Tipuric
Aaron Shingler
Josh Turnball
Martyn Williams

Scrum-Halfs
Mike Phillips
Lloyd Williams
Rhys Webb

Fly-Halfs
Rhys Preistland
James Hook
Dan Biggar

Centres
Jonathon Davies
Scott Williams
Ashley Beck
Andrew Bishop

Would have rather seen Hughes than Bishop!

Back 3
George North
Alex Cuthbert
Leigh Halfpenny
Liam Williams
Harry Robinson
Aled Brew
Will Harries

Is Lee Byrne out injured? - Would have prefered him to Brew!

I mentioned it on another thread but surprised to see Will and Brew on the squad. Adam Hughes has been consistently good for the Dragons so Bishop's name on the list annoys me especially as Hughes is also good ont he wing.

Good to see Liam William on there though,

Only really surprises is Will Harries

Nice to see Bishop being given another shot, absolute work horse of a player!

very good looking squad. the lions front row is available again.

i'm glad to see brew get another call up.

one major oversight, no gavin. what does a guy have to do to get selected???

what 12 would you take to aus ahead of the babas game?

4 loose-heads and 1 tight-head? Is Mitchell innjured or something?

I guess Davies or Williams for scrum-half was a coin toss, Davies is unlucky.

Bishop is a shocking selection.

We should have capped both Shinglers....

the 12 I'd take would be Warbs, Tips, Jenkins, Rees, Jones, AWJ, R.Jones - Phillips, Priest, JD, North, Cuthbert. I'd leave the rest behind to face the Barbarians.

I guess Harry won't feature in the JWC, or could he play against the baa-baas then go to the JWC?

Bishop and Brew are very average players who are decent at a regional level, I hope neither make the final squad.

"And because Clermont Auvergne could be in the French Top 14 final that day, their Welsh full-back Lee Byrne is under consideration for tour standby duty."

Anyone know how many players are going to be dropped after the Baabaas game?

wales606 wrote:Anyone know how many players are going to be dropped after the Baabaas game?

I doubt the will be any cuts! there is a mid week game against the Brumbies aswell so most of the 34 if not all will get some game time.

mpc28 wrote:

wales606 wrote:Anyone know how many players are going to be dropped after the Baabaas game?

I doubt the will be any cuts! there is a mid week game against the Brumbies aswell so most of the 34 if not all will get some game time.

Sorry i didnt realise that it was a 38 man squad picked, so i guess 4 will be cut?

Brew ran through a forward and scored agasint the Baa Baas last game. Just saying

Whats Will Harries form been like and has he been playing on the wing or full back? I feel a little sorry for Adam Hughes.

mpc28 wrote:

wales606 wrote:Anyone know how many players are going to be dropped after the Baabaas game?

I doubt the will be any cuts! there is a mid week game against the Brumbies aswell so most of the 34 if not all will get some game time.

This is the extended squad, so it will be cut.

I though it was more than 4 though. 32 maybe?

The Wing mostly I believe, he's been Ok - but coming back from injury he's not at his best. Hughes would have been a much better choice.

Im going to guess that the backline for the Baabaas game will be something like this

10. Biggar
11. Brew
12. Beck
13. Bishop
14. Harries
15. Li.Williams

With Sc.Williams, Davies, North, Cuthbert and Halfpenny heading on to Australia.

Seems likely to me.

Well we may as well start with Webb then too with Lloyd on the bench for the baa-baa's.

Morgannwg wrote:4 loose-heads and 1 tight-head? Is Mitchell innjured or something?

I guess Davies or Williams for scrum-half was a coin toss, Davies is unlucky.

Bishop is a shocking selection.

You obviously haven't been watching the Ospreys this season who have been BY FAR the best welsh region by a country mile and will possibly win the league, in Dublin, again!

The locks for the first test will be Charteris and Bradley Davies as Alan Wyn Jones and Ian Evans have been excused the first week of the tour due to Wedding engagements .In Evans' case it's his own and for Wyn Jones his sisters .

Ryan Jones to do his covering the back five bit no doubt.

I'm glad Biggar has had a call up. He has taken a lot of flack (some deserved) over the past 12 months. I too have been critical of some of his immature behaviour at times. But certainly since Christmas this has abaited and having been released fron Holleys clutches, is certainly playing and behaving demonsterably differently under Tandy's reign. So I hope he gets a run of games over in Oz, learns a lot and improve his game. If he keeps improving like he is, then I think he will displace Priestland eventually

Anybody else think we are short of an 8 in that squad?

Ryan Jones form has been superb but that has been at blindside.

I would of liked to of seen Powell in there instead of Turnbull to cover 8.

What's that go to do with 1 player ? How many games has Bishop started ?

We all know M Williams will be cut, prob Brew, Bshop, Rhodri Jones, Hibbard (who is the best hooker), Turnbul. I suspect Harries may stay in the squad as a FB.

idris wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Bishop is a shocking selection.

You obviously haven't been watching the Ospreys this season who have been BY FAR the best welsh region by a country mile and will possibly win the league, in Dublin, again!

Ah, the old 'he plays for a good side, so that makes him a good player' fallacy.

glamorganalun wrote:We all know M Williams will be cut, prob Brew, Bshop, Rhodri Jones, Hibbard (who is the best hooker), Turnbul. I suspect Harries may stay in the squad as a FB.

They wont cut a hooker from the squad, you'll need 3 out there as 2 will always be involved in the match day squad.

I hope not but Hibbard tends to getted drop by this management along with the other I identified. I amased and pleased Powell is not in the squad but to be fair he put himself about in the RWC.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

idris wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Bishop is a shocking selection.

You obviously haven't been watching the Ospreys this season who have been BY FAR the best welsh region by a country mile and will possibly win the league, in Dublin, again!

Ah, the old 'he plays for a good side, so that makes him a good player' fallacy.

Yes, sign of desperation that eh Luckless?

We have all been watching the Opsreys. Bishop has had one decent game in an entire season. Lets include Fussell while we are at it for his one decent game.

glamorganalun wrote:I hope not but Hibbard tends to getted drop by this management along with the other I identified. I amased and pleased Powell is not in the squad but to be fair he put himself about in the RWC.

Hibbard will go, I think Harries will be dropped too, with Hook and Liam Williams covering 15.

Havent been hugely impressed with Turnball recently, think I would have prefered Powell, as we need a no8 (though he is getting on a bit now I guess and we have to look to 2015)

I was amazed Bishop scored a try, wasn't that only his third ever for the Ospreys?

Chuffed for Turnbull. He hasn't had much game time this season since coming back from shoulder surgery, but over the last 2 months he's been getting better with each match.

Worth noting that AWJ and Ianto won't be available for the first test out in Australia due to wedding commitments (AWJ's siter is getting married and Ianto's had his wedding booked in for about 18 months).

I guess Mitchell is injured? I remember him having to leave the pitch in the Chiefs v Stade QF anyways.

AWJ would have been one of our best players. I can't see what Turnbull did to get selected, unless it is just for the Barbarians game which is fair.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I was amazed Bishop scored a try, wasn't that only his third ever for the Ospreys?

Bishop - 10 tries in 170 games

AWJ - 11 tries in 129 games

Sonny Parker - 29 tries in 145 games

Jonathon Davies - 31 tries in 86 games


His try scoring record is awful for a centre - I was amazed when he scored last week.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I was amazed Bishop scored a try, wasn't that only his third ever for the Ospreys?

Yes two in finals and one in a semi!

I don't think Idris will be happy unless he sees 15 Ospreys in the starting lineup .

Chuffed for all the O's there but I'm really pleased for Ashley Beck. I hope he gets a shoe-in to play this summer

wales606 wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I was amazed Bishop scored a try, wasn't that only his third ever for the Ospreys?

Bishop - 10 tries in 170 games

AWJ - 11 tries in 129 games

Sonny Parker - 29 tries in 145 games

Jonathon Davies - 31 tries in 86 games


His try scoring record is awful for a centre - I was amazed when he scored last week.

His assist level, should you be able to find it somewhere, just looked couldn't myself, would be very good. He is hardly a weak player, he just isnt overly creative, has a very simple gameplan.

All in all not a bad squad, I agree there is ample argument that Hughes of the Dragons should be in as a centre, he continues to impress every game. A great player with a superb work ethic, as well as plenty of natural talent.

The forwards have few surprises, apart from the nice ones, like Wales coaches feeling that we don't still need Powell in the squad.

TH cover in the front row isnt too bad, Rhodri Jones, Paul James and Geth can all play Tighthead if required and there may be a thinking that one of those is worth converting, most likely young Rhodri Jones.

Very happy all in all.

I imagine that the Baa Baa's team will look like

Bevington, Owens, R Jones, Charteris, Davies, Shingler, Martyn Williams (later Tupuric), Ryan Jones, Rhys Webb/Lloyd Williams, Biggar, Brew, Beck, Scott Williams, Harries, Liam Williams.

A team selected as mainly reserves or players short of game time, for the Coaches to have a look at how they perform.

So not exactly consistent or 'on form' then is he ?

Well, hes on form by his own standards I guess....

wales606 wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I was amazed Bishop scored a try, wasn't that only his third ever for the Ospreys?

Bishop - 10 tries in 170 games

AWJ - 11 tries in 129 games

Sonny Parker - 29 tries in 145 games

Jonathon Davies - 31 tries in 86 games


His try scoring record is awful for a centre - I was amazed when he scored last week.

Gavin Henson 24 in 98 games

Scott Gibbs 3 in 16 games

David Bishop 4 in 28 games

Could this be the emergence of a 'Bishop Brigade' on here?

Maesteg:

The players that need game time should include Warburton with Williams on the bench for the BaaBaas match. I don't think R Jones needs more game time along with the other Osprey players who will have played two extra hard games before any test matches.

You lot don't half like bashing the Bishop don't you?

Personally I think he's all right.

When you question his inclusion you kind of have to go over the negatives and possitives of his game. So far, the negatives vastly outweigh the possitives so we are still left wondering why he has been included. If you are against it then I suggest you join the newly formed Bishop Brigade where you can defend the crap players inclusion.

glamorganalun wrote:Maesteg:

The players that need game time should include Warburton with Williams on the bench for the BaaBaas match. I don't think R Jones needs more game time along with the other Osprey players who will have played two extra hard games before any test matches.

Must admit, Ryan Jones did get included as solely a different option to my first choice Faletau. I imagine both would be included in the team/bench.

You are correct as well that Warbs is in more need of gametime than Tupuric. Though from the perspective of international exposure, I would think Tupuric would gain a great deal playing the Baa Baa's.

Great squad though isnt it! We have some great player offering plenty of options.

Considering Foxy and Scott Williams are still recovering form injury and aren't guaratneed to be fit, I would say he is there as squad cover just in case.

rugbydreamer wrote:Considering Foxy and Scott Williams are still recovering form injury and aren't guaratneed to be fit, I would say he is there as squad cover just in case.

+ 1

Seriously (being as the Bishop joke went unnoticed) he's not that bad for a "just-in-case" choice. There's no guarantee he'll play.

He's a solid enough player, Cari. And your joke didn't go unnoticed!

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:He's a solid enough player, Cari. And your joke didn't go unnoticed!

Agree on both counts, had a little laugh at the joke.. Well done.