Wales changes!

First topic message reminder :

Try to leave the emotion out of it...

Davies and Charteris were very very ring rusty first half. I'd DROP BOTH

Falatau very poor first half and non existant 2nd! JONES TO GET MORE GAME TIME NEXT WEEK

Phillips was shown as a lock at 9... WEBB IN

Preistlands and Phillips kicking single handedly destroyed us nearly! HOOK AT 10?! NOT SURE

The rest of the backline had to take the brunt of the lack of forward nous! BECK AT 13 DAVIES AT 12.

Owens wasn't great either. REES IN, HIBBARD NEEDS TO BE THERE.

Next week I'd go with...

Jones
Rees
Jenkins
AWJ
Evans
Lydiate (wow)
Warburton
Falatau
Webb
Hook
Cuthbert
Davies
Beck
North
1/2p

Infact scratch that, ditch Hook to the bench for Preistland, give him a chance with a bit of quick ball!!!

Kicking it is a stupid tactic with our back line but they aren't going to change it now - and the benefit of Hook kicking it from 10 is that Ioane, Ashley-Cooper and that new guy are running it back from 20m further down the pitch.

Look on the plus side, we lost by kicking badly, scrummaging poorly and making unforced errors - and still in the game ten mins to go - in Australia's back yard.

If you'd told me that after the draw against Fiji I would have laughed.

Casartelli wrote:Kicking it is a stupid tactic with our back line but they aren't going to change it now - and the benefit of Hook kicking it from 10 is that Ioane, Ashley-Cooper and that new guy are running it back from 20m further down the pitch.

Kicking isn't always a stupid tactic - if we never kicked the ball, then we would be easy to defend against. Kicking is fine, as long as you kick well and find touch.

The kicking used by SA yesterday was exceptional - Morne's place kicking may have been sh*te, but the height he gets on his kicks are superb, it will be even harder for England when he is doing it at altitude.

slartibartfast wrote:Look on the plus side, we lost by kicking badly, scrummaging poorly and making unforced errors - and still in the game ten mins to go - in Australia's back yard.

If you'd told me that after the draw against Fiji I would have laughed.

True, losing by 8pts in Australia - having been 19 - 20 down and in the ascendancy at 60mins is pretty good for a Welsh team. But they know that they can and should be doing better.

There is still 3 years until the next WC and that will be the aim for this team - they need to start beating SA teams consistently at home and scrape some wins on the road - that way they will know they have a chance against anyone they face across the border in England.

The importance of this series is that it is a chance to get that SH away scalp, but also it is because of the WC draw at the end of the year. Get a top 4 place and Wales will be almost guaranteed a 1/4 final in 2015 - and if they can beat a NH team twice, they will avoid the SH giants until the SFs, then its one off knock out game and anything will be possible.

As long as Wales finish in the top4, I will consider this year a success.

Casartelli wrote:Kicking it is a stupid tactic with our back line but they aren't going to change it now - and the benefit of Hook kicking it from 10 is that Ioane, Ashley-Cooper and that new guy are running it back from 20m further down the pitch.

Except kicking it is a key part of our game. Lets not get caught up in this fairy tale that Wales play lovely running rugby. We've got Gatland and Shaun Edwards two of the most pragmatic rugby people you'd come across. Our strengths are Defence, physicality (in the backs, our forwards get over powered far too easily) and playing the territory game.

wales606 wrote:

Casartelli wrote:Kicking it is a stupid tactic with our back line but they aren't going to change it now - and the benefit of Hook kicking it from 10 is that Ioane, Ashley-Cooper and that new guy are running it back from 20m further down the pitch.

Kicking isn't always a stupid tactic - if we never kicked the ball, then we would be easy to defend against. Kicking is fine, as long as you kick well and find touch.

The kicking used by SA yesterday was exceptional - Morne's place kicking may have been sh*te, but the height he gets on his kicks are superb, it will be even harder for England when he is doing it at altitude.

Agreed. If we had a Morne Steyn, or a Ronan O'Gara, or a Michael Lynagh type that we could slot in. But all we ever try and do is kick it down the middle, chase and defend. So - play the 10 that kicks it the furthest.

Rees
Ianto instead of charters
Ryan jones

Philips - Webb on after 50mins

Priestland stay at 10 - get him off after 30 if having anther shocker

Byrne fullback - we need to shore up last ditch defence

Wales606.... on biggar, I was at the Barbarians game and what he lacks at international level is strength in the tackle. He was absolutely mullered.

A bit of size in years to come would help?

slartibartfast wrote:Rees
Ianto instead of charters
Ryan jones

Philips - Webb on after 50mins

Priestland stay at 10 - get him off after 30 if having anther shocker

Byrne fullback - we need to shore up last ditch defence

If you want to shore up the last ditch defence, leave Halfpenny there!

If North is out though, i'd rather see Halfpenny on the wing and Byrne at fullback than Lee Williams, Brew or Robinson starting.

gowales wrote:If North is out though, i'd rather see Halfpenny on the wing and Byrne at fullback than Leeiam Williams, Brew or Robinson starting.

Lee Williams is not on the tour