Your nations 2nd XV

Simple stuff really, I was thinking if a team was selected now what would Wales' 2nd XV - what would your nation's be?

For Wales then:

1 Paul James
2 Richard Hibbard
3 Craig Mitchell
4 Ian Evans
5 Luke Charteris
6 Jonathan Thomas
7 Martyn Williams
8 Andy Powell
9 Mike Phillips
10 Steven Jones
11 Morgan Stoddart
12 Gavin Henson
13 Andrew Bishop
14 Aled Brew
15 Chris Cjekai

Not as bad as I thought to honest, what about your sides?

To be fair thats not a bad team actually.

1st 22

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees
3. Adam Jones
4. Bradley Davies
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Sam Warburton
8. Ryan Jones
9. Ritchie Rees
10. James Hook
11. Shane Williams
12. Jonathon Davies
13. Jamie Roberts
14. Leigh Halfpenny
15. Lee Byrne

16. Paul James
17. Richard Hibbard
18. Jonathon Thomas
19. Andy Powell
20. Mike Phillips
21. Stephen Jones
22. George North

Including bench id say our 2nd 22 is, (not including any of the matchday 22)

1. John Yapp
2. Huw Bennett
3. Craig Mitchell
4. Ian Evans
5. Luke Charteris
6. Josh Turnball
7. Martyn Williams
8. Toby Faletau
9. Dwayne Peel
10. Rhys Preistland
11. Tom James
12. Gavin Henson
13. Tom Shanklin
14. Morgon Stoddart
15. Chris Czechaj

16. Duncan Jones
17. TRThomas
18. Deniol Jones/Ian Gough
19. Rob McCusker
20. Tavis Knoyle
21. Dan Biggar
22. Back 3 cover - Prydie/Brew/Harries/...etc

Hah, I saw you did this over on 606 as well - fair play going to all the effort.
Since we seem to complain all the time in Wales about 'lack of depth' I was pretty surprised we had such a decent 2nd XV.
The only areas I think where we could do with a few players stepping up is 2nd row and full-back .

Otherwise, hopefully with minimal injuries, we should have a tidy WC squad..

For England, assuming first XV is
Sheridan
Hartley
Cole
Lawes
Palmer
Croft
Moody
Easter
Youngs
Flood
Cueto
Hape
Tindall
Ashton
Foden

then their 2nd XV would look something like
Corbisiero
Thompson
Wilson
Deacon
Shaw
Wood
Haskell
Narraway?
Care
Wilkinson
Strettle
Allen (or Baritt)
Banahan
JSD
Armitage

Funny Exiled Scot on the old 606 forum published this team as a 2nd XV for Scotland :

1.Dickinson
2.S Lawson
3.Murray
4.Hamilton
5.Hines
6.Strokosch
7.Rennie
8.Vernon
9.R Lawson
10.Parks
11.R Lamont
12.Morrison
13.De Luca
14.Walker
15.Thompson


Hard to disagree when the 1st XV would look like this :

1. Jacobson
2. Ford
3. Cross
4. Gray
5. Kellock
6. Brown
7. Barclay
8. Beattie
9. Cusiter
10. Jackson
11. Evans
12. S. Lamont
13. Ansbro
14. Danielli
15. Paterson

It has been it has been said on the old 606 board that there is very little to draw between both teams, and to be honest I don't know if thats a good thing or a bad thing.

For example there are large gulfs in class between the Wales, England and Ireland sides between the 1st and 2nd XV.

Scotland the gulf does not seem so big, and as I said I don't know if thats because the Scotland 2nd XV are comparitvly stronger or our 1st XV is comparitvly weaker.

wales606 wrote:To be fair thats not a bad team actually.

1st 22

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees
3. Adam Jones
4. Bradley Davies
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Sam Warburton
8. Ryan Jones
9. Ritchie Rees
10. James Hook
11. Shane Williams
12. Jonathon Davies
13. Jamie Roberts
14. Leigh Halfpenny
15. Lee Byrne

16. Paul James
17. Richard Hibbard
18. Jonathon Thomas
19. Andy Powell
20. Mike Phillips
21. Stephen Jones
22. George North

Including bench id say our 2nd 22 is, (not including any of the matchday 22)

1. John Yapp
2. Huw Bennett
3. Craig Mitchell
4. Ian Evans
5. Luke Charteris
6. Josh Turnball
7. Martyn Williams
8. Toby Faletau
9. Dwayne Peel
10. Rhys Preistland
11. Tom James
12. Gavin Henson
13. Tom Shanklin
14. Morgon Stoddart
15. Chris Czechaj

16. Duncan Jones
17. TRThomas
18. Deniol Jones/Ian Gough
19. Rob McCusker
20. Tavis Knoyle
21. Dan Biggar
22. Back 3 cover - Prydie/Brew/Harries/...etc

Im not saying we New Zealand but its pretty interesting to see two Wales 22's put out like that. At least it does show we have some strength in depth. With the injuries we have had over the past year, players have had to step to international level. Could say it has worked quite well for us in the lead up to the World Cup, especially at prop, back row and wing.

I would include Ken Owens and take out Bennett though.

I included Bennett because I wanted players with some international experience or squad time - I was tempted to put RTThomas starting though

Absolutely - I'm pretty happy with what I've found really, more depth than I thought we had.

The real problem though is at 15 still. But, if we see Gav come back in he can cover there. But still, I'd like to see someone have a couple of games come August, Dan Fish maybe if he plays very well until the end of the season.

wales606 wrote:I included Bennett because I wanted players with some international experience or squad time - I was tempted to put RTThomas starting though

Yes TRT does seem to have played quite well recently. Id have him infront of Bennett. He has the experience of international rugby and seems to be in some form, something Bennett has been lacking for some time. I hope Bennett proves me wrong!

Draigoch wrote:Absolutely - I'm pretty happy with what I've found really, more depth than I thought we had.

The real problem though is at 15 still. But, if we see Gav come back in he can cover there. But still, I'd like to see someone have a couple of games come August, Dan Fish maybe if he plays very well until the end of the season.

We seem to have a few players who are options at 15, with Stoddart, Hook, Gav, Halfpenny. None are realy full backs though. If byrne does get injured I would like to see Halfpenny move to 15, with Curious George coming in on the wing. I hope in a year or two that Fish and Prydie will be fighting for the 15 shirt.

I think I'd rather see Roberts at full back than Stoddart or Halfpenny I think. One is a liability in defense and the other hasn't played there since age grade level, plus that's where Roberts first made his mark.

Anyway, I agree with you - next season we'll hopefully see a couple of young boys put down markers. Martyn Thomas as well hopefully, if he gets some luck with injury.

Gatland. My resulting seconds
15 Byrne. Davies
14 North. Mustow
13 Davies. Maule
12 Roberts. Beck
11 Williams. Brew
10 Jones. Tovey
9 Phillips. Peel

1 Jenkins. Bevington
2 Rees. Burns
3 Jones. Mitchell
4 Davies. Evans
5 AWJ. Charteris
6 Lydiate. Coombes
8 Jones. Popham
7 Warburton. Tipuric

16 James. Yapp
17 Hibbard. Williams
18 Gough. Welch
19 Faletau. Powell
20 Knoyle. Evans
21 Hook Priestland
22 Halfpenny. Leech