Wales vs Argentina KO 14:30 Sat 10th Nov - TEAM ANNOUNCED

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WALES V ARGENTINA

Venue: Millennium Stadium Cardiff Date: Saturday, 10 November Kick-off: 14:30 GMT

Coverage: Live on BBC One Wales & online; live on S4C; live commentary on BBC Radio Wales & online; live commentary on Radio Cymru

Wales Team

L Halfpenny (Blues), A Cuthbert (Blues), S Williams (Scarlets), J Roberts (Blues), G North (Scarlets); R Priestland (Scarlets), T Knoyle (Scarlets); G Jenkins (RC Toulon), M Rees (Scarlets), A Jarvis (Ospreys), A W Jones (Ospreys), I Evans (Ospreys), J Turnbull (Scarlets), S Warburton (Blues & Captain), T Faletau (Dragons)

Replacements: R Hibbard (Ospreys), R Bevington (Ospreys), P James (Bath RFC), R McCusker (Scarlets), J Tipuric (Ospreys), M Phillips (RC Bayonne), J Hook (USA Perpignan), L Williams (Scarlets)


Argentina Team

JM Hernandez (Racing Metro), G Camacho (Exeter), G Tiesi (San Isidro), F Contepomi (Stade Francais), J Imhoff (Racing Metro), N Sanchez (Bordeaux-Begles), M Landajo (San Isidro), M Ayerza (Leicester), E Guinazu (Southern Kings), J Figallo (Montpellier); M Carizza (Racing Metro), JF Cabello (Tucuman); L Senatore (Gimnasia Rosario), JM Leguizamon (Lyon), JM Fernandez Lobbe (Toulon, captain)

Replacements: A Creevy (Montpellier), B Posiglioni (La Plata), J Gomez (Los Matreros), T Vallejos (Scarlets), T Leonardi (San Isidro), N Vergallo (Southern Kings), H Agulla (Bath), J Tuculet (Grenoble).

Lads how about giving it a break and seeing what happens here - A 1 point win against this Argentinian team given our injuries and selection would be a very good outcome and I think we can achieve that

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Maes, haven't you considered that the vote split might actually indicate 'positive opinion' towards the Pumas, rather than 'negative opinion' towards Wales?

It is possible to tip Wales's opponents without having anything against Wales.

I guess I was taking that opinion as granted. We have seen Argentina play International rugby a number of times since we last saw Wales play in June.

RubyGuby wrote:Lads how about giving it a break and seeing what happens here - A 1 point win against this Argentinian team given our injuries and selection would be a very good outcome and I think we can achieve that

A fifteen or more point win would be the a good result all things considered.

maestegmafia wrote:The poll now running at 30 votes to 24 in favour of a Welsh win. That a lot closer an opinion than I anticipated, though maybe not reflective of the amount of negative opinion towards the current welsh team, squad and coaches.

Or it could be down to the fact that Argentina are a very good team if they turn up, if they do it will be close and could go either way, if not then Wales will have it won by the 60min mark.

Hersh - I think I preferred you before the frontal lobotomy

I was beginning to pick up a few warnings here and there Ruby.

To be honest I don't really know why, it's not like I ran a pole of the best Centres in the world ever and not include Scott Gibbs!

Sam Warburton interview

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20253550

Not another Sam wants!

Josh Turnbull 006 Licence to Thrill...!


Josh Turnbull has gone from 007 to 006 this week having been given a licence to thrill by Wales.

Finding himself vying with his Scarlets back-row colleagues Aaron Shingler and Rob McCusker for the vacant blindside berth, he went in search of distraction on the eve of selection.

“It was a bit of a nervous spell,” admitted the flanker.

“I tried not to think about it too much because if you do, it can backfire on you and it might not happen.

“There’s all these questions in your head.

“My girlfriend said to me on Monday night ‘Shall we go to the cinema and take your mind off it?’

“So we went to watch Skyfall.”

With a spot of James Bond having passed the time, it was then a matter of just waiting and hoping.

And, the following morning, his hopes were answered.

It was a case of ‘the name’s Turnbull, Josh Turnbull,’ when the side to faceArgentina was revealed.

“I tossed and turned in bed the night before and eventually got off to sleep,” he said.

“I was still a little bit nervous in the morning.

“They waited to announce the team until after the first session, so it was a case of hanging on there.

“They’ve had a lot of selection dilemmas and they wanted to see different combinations.

“The coaches had a little chat between themselves and by the time we came up to the gym, they were ready to tell us the starting team.

“Robin McBryde read out the names of the forwards. We were all in a huddle and all gave each other a tap on the back.

“I am so chuffed to get that chance.”

The opportunity at No. 6 has arisen for the four-times capped Turnbull as a result of injuries to both Dan Lydiate and Ryan Jones.

“It’s been a position a few boys have been trying to go for, especially since we found out that Ryan was injured as well,” he said.

“It’s an opportunity for someone to stake a claim and put their name on that jersey for the rest of the autumn internationals.”

Turnbull acknowledges he has a tough act to follow as he steps into the shoes of Lydiate, who is recovering from an ankle fracture.

“Dan is known as The Chopper for his chop tackling,” he said.

“It’s a credit to himself what he’s achieved in the last 18 months.

“He was Six Nations Player of the Year last season.

“You could just see by his performances and sitting with him after the games he put everything into it.

“If I can replicate that on the weekend and go forward I will be a happy man.”



Read More http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2012/11/08/james-bond-fan-josh-turnbull-given-licence-to-thrill-by-wales-91466-32186785/#ixzz2BeVDWRyk

Wales braced for Pumas challenge
ESPN Staff November 8, 2012

Wales caretaker coach Rob Howley will be hoping to lay down an impressive marker when he sends his side into battle against Argentina at the Millennium Stadium in Saturday.

Howley will take charge of the side for the Pumas clash and next weekend's date with Samoa with regular coach Warren Gatland set to concentrate on surveying his options for the British & Irish Lions before returning to the hot-seat for the games against New Zealand and Australia.

Wales enter their opening autumn international having failed to build on their Six Nations Grand Slam success on their summer tour of Austraila. Errors proved costly in a closely-fought series that eventually saw the Wallabies claim a 3-0 triumph and they require a swift return to winning ways if they are to push for a priceless top four spot in the IRB rankings and with it a preferable Rugby World Cup draw.

Argentina embark on their latest tour on the back of their debut alongside their southern hemisphere rivals in the Rugby Championship. The Pumas were unable to notch a win but a draw with South Africa and several other eye-catching displays more than warranted their promotion to the competition. Time will tell if that gutsy effort took its toll on the players with clashes against France and Ireland to follow in the coming weeks and the Pumas also in a rankings dog-fight in a bid to cement their pace in the second tier of the rankings - 5th-8th - for the eagerly awaited pool draw.

Wales - Player to Watch: With a high-profile move to France's Top 14 reportedly in the pipeline that may impact on his international chances moving forward, Jamie Roberts will be keen to underlines his worth in what will be his first Test outing since the Six Nations.

Wales - Team News: Wales make seven changes from their last Test against Australia in June with Ospreys tight-head Aaron Jarvis handed his Test debut with Adam Jones sidelined by a knee injury. Elsewhere, Scarlets flanker Josh Turbull makes just his second start with the Dragons' Dan Lydiate (ankle) and the Ospreys' Ryan Jones (shoulder) also injured. Scarlets scrum-half Tavis Knoyle gets the nod ahead of Bayonne No.9 Mike Phillips and another Scarlet Scott Williams replaces his regional team-mate Jonathan Davies in the centre where he will partner Roberts. No.8 Toby Faletau and lock Ian Evans also return to the side in the place of Ryan Jones and Bradley Davies.

Argentina - Player to Watch: Felipe Contepomi returns to the Pumas' line-up having sat out the Rugby Championship. It was thought his international career was over but coach Santiago Phelan has welcomed the 35-year-old back into the mix. One of the world's best in his prime, can he still cut it on the international stage?

Argentina - Team News: Contepomi returns to the line-up in one of six changes to the side beaten by Australia last time out. Gonzalo Tiesi will partner Contepomi while Juan Martin Hernandez shifts from fly-half to fullback with Nicolas Sanchez handed the play-making duties. With Patricio Albacete sidelined through injury, flanker Julio Farias Cabello moves into the second row where he will link up with Manuel Carizza with Leonardo Senatore coming into the back row. In the front row Leicester's Marcos Ayerza benefits from the retirement of Rodrigo Roncero and the absence of Gomez Kodela to start on the loose-head side of the scrum alongside Eusebio Guinazu and Juan Figallo. The in-form Juan Imhoff takes the left wing slot from Horacio Agulla, with Gonzalo Camacho on the other wing.

Key Battle: Pumas No.8 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe was in inspired form for much of the Rugby Championship and is sure to rise to the occasion of his 50th Test cap - but how much change will he get out of his Welsh counterpart Toby Faletau?

Trivia: There are nine Scarlets players involved between the two match day squads on Saturday, the first time this has happened to the region since the inception of regional rugby in 2003. Argentine replacement Tomas Vallejos is the only non-Welsh Scarlet. Ospreys hold the record for most players on international duty at any one time in Wales, having fielded 14 players twice during the 2008 Six Nations.

Stats: Wales could climb to fourth in the IRB World Rankings if they win in Cardiff, France lose to Australia and England lose to Fiji on Saturday. Alternatively, a win for the visitors and a loss for seventh placed Ireland against South Africa could see Argentina swap places with them in the rankings.

Quote Unquote:

"The dynamics of the team are important when you spend time together. It's about those marginal gains that you get. When you go to France and England (to play), you take yourself out of that environment."
- Caretaker coach Rob Howley issues a word of warning to those players who choose to ply their trade overseas

"For this tour we had a special agreement with the French union about not taking more than two players from each club (for each game), and in some clubs we have more players so we had to think what was best for this game as they have club games in France."
- Pumas coach Santiago Phelan offers an insight into his selection options

Prediction: Wales look primed for a big end-of-year push that could see them usurp England in the top four of the IRB rankings - expect them to make a winning start but be pushed all the way by the Pumas.

History favours Wales over Pumas
ESPN Staff - November 5, 2012

Wales play host to Argentina on Saturday looking to kick start their November programme with a victory and history is very much on their side.

The home side have won their last three meetings against the Pumas with the most recent clash coming in the run up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Wales prevailed 28-13 with Andy Powell, Alun Wyn Jones and George North going over with 13 points from the boot of James Hook carrying them home. Martin Scelzo scored for the Pumas along with fly-half Felipe Contepomi adding eight points from the kicking tee.

But Argentina will take heart from their 30-16 victory in Cardiff 11 years ago when Contepomi contributed an impressive haul of 25 points.

These two sides also went head-to-head at the Millennium Stadium in the opening game of the 1999 Rugby World Cup where tries from Colin Charvis and Mark Taylor helped the hosts to a 23-18 victory. Wales also prevailed 27-20 when they clashed in a warm-up clash ahead of the 2007 World Cup.

An impressive hat-trick by winger Shane Williams helped Wales to a 35-20 victory in 2004, their best result over Argentina, which also marked Mike Ruddock's first victory as Wales coach.

Argentina's best result came in Buenos Aires in 2006, when Contepomi kicked 30 points to help his side to a 45-27 win. Three late consolation tries flattered the scoreline for Wales, who were beaten convincingly by their hosts.

Wales v Argentina - Match Stats

Played 13; Wales won 9; Argentina won 4

First Test: Wales 16-7 Argentina, Cardiff, October 9, 1991

Latest Test: Wales 28-13 Argentina, Cardiff, August 20, 2011

Wales's largest winning margin: 17 points- Wales 33-16 Argentina, Cardiff, November 21, 2009

Argentina's largest winning margin: 18 points - Argentina 45-27 Wales, Buenos Aires, June 17, 2006

Most points (individual): Wales: Neil Jenkins 72; Arg: Felipe Contepomi 82

Most tries (individual): Wales: Shane Williams 6; Arg: Lucas Borges and Felipe Contepomi 3

Most points in a Test: Wales: 23 Neil Jenkins at Llanelli, 1998; Arg: 30 Federico Todeschini at Buenos Aires, 2006

First Test: Wales 16-7 Argentina, Cardiff, October 9, 1991

Latest Test: Wales 28-13 Argentina, Cardiff, August 20, 2011

Wales's largest winning margin: 17 points- Wales 33-16 Argentina, Cardiff, November 21, 2009

Argentina's largest winning margin: 18 points - Argentina 45-27 Wales, Buenos Aires, June 17, 2006

Most points (individual): Wales: Neil Jenkins 72; Arg: Felipe Contepomi 82

Most tries (individual): Wales: Shane Williams 6; Arg: Lucas Borges and Felipe Contepomi 3

Most points in a Test: Wales: 23 Neil Jenkins at Llanelli, 1998; Arg: 30 Federico Todeschini at Buenos Aires, 2006

maestegmafia


Posts: 10725
Join date: 2011-03-05
Location: Glyncorrwg



maes

When these games was played Argentina on played once evry 3/4 years.
And they very often came into the game cold (did not play any of the big 3) before they played Wales. Unlike this year.

Do you ever shut up maj ?

Morgannwg wrote:Do you ever shut up maj ?

I was just making coment. ok.

Maj, HERSH, Cyril - the same poster?

yes maes williams is on bench for 15 cover, but why? if 1/2p goes off hook will come on to kick. that is my point. using hook as one size fits all could land us (and has done when he's been 15) right in the sh*t.

thats why a 10 who kicks his goals doesnt have undue influence on bench choices when your kicker whos not at 10 goes off with an injury, ill have more than my fingers crossed for 1/2p not to take a shoulder hit, heavy blocker, strong 'nudge ' in to touch, if i was opposition coach i would be targetting 1/2p and the priest.

majesticimperialman wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:Do you ever shut up maj ?

I was just making coment. ok.

Well don't (or at least don't on Wales threads) .

touchy, touchy.

Griff wrote:Maj, HERSH, Cyril - the same poster?

No, Cyril could spell very well, Madge can't very well at all and Hersh is somewhere in between.

Madge, so you obviously don't expect England to win a game other than Fiji (who are cold), as the Big 3 are battle hardened too.

Argentina still haven't played for a few weeks and maybe on the other side of the coin, they might be burnt out from so many games.

gavstar wrote:yes maes williams is on bench for 15 cover, but why? if 1/2p goes off hook will come on to kick. that is my point. using hook as one size fits all could land us (and has done when he's been 15) right in the sh*t.

thats why a 10 who kicks his goals doesnt have undue influence on bench choices when your kicker whos not at 10 goes off with an injury, ill have more than my fingers crossed for 1/2p not to take a shoulder hit, heavy blocker, strong 'nudge ' in to touch, if i was opposition coach i would be targetting 1/2p and the priest.

We have a guy on the bench who can goal kick, that's a good thing.

I'm sorry but I don't see your point as a negative?

Risca Rev wrote:

Griff wrote:Maj, HERSH, Cyril - the same poster?

No, Cyril could spell very well, Madge can't very well at all and Hersh is somewhere in between.

Madge, so you obviously don't expect England to win a game other than Fiji (who are cold), as the Big 3 are battle hardened too.

Argentina still haven't played for a few weeks and maybe on the other side of the coin, they might be burnt out from so many games.

I don'y get his use of emoticons. And of course, the regurgitation got tedious months ago.

I don't get the negativity with you Welsh lads.

A whisker away from a RWC final, Grand Slammers + three really close fought games against the Wallabies; two of which could have been won imo. You have a team that is (or should be) full of confidence.

As someone said - just get behind your boys.

Well said Hound.

and we now select just to cover goal kicking? because any other position is a farce. surely we should pick a goal kicker to start with, this could go on forever, everyone knows biggar has been shafted, lets all agree on that.

gavstar wrote:and we now select just to cover goal kicking? because any other position is a farce. surely we should pick a goal kicker to start with, this could go on forever, everyone knows biggar has been shafted, lets all agree on that.

Couldn't disagree more, I watch the ospreys every week, have done since 2004. Priestland is a much better player, even when he misses a few shots at goal.

maestegmafia wrote:

gavstar wrote:and we now select just to cover goal kicking? because any other position is a farce. surely we should pick a goal kicker to start with, this could go on forever, everyone knows biggar has been shafted, lets all agree on that.

Couldn't disagree more, I watch the ospreys every week, have done since 2004. Priestland is a much better player, even when he misses a few shots at goal.

Then you weren't watching closely enough. He doesn't 'miss a few shots at goal', he misses continually. That is why we have to pick other players to cover for him.
Dan Biggar was 14 in 2004 by the way.

People confuse dissapointment in selection with negativity, but it's because they don't understand. In Wales - for the most part - we put country ahead of club. They want us to buy into the regions, spend hard earned cash to support them, when it meant dismantling long standing historical club structures and traditions. So we do, (in part) because we are told it's in the best interest of the national team. We then have to pay £70 a ticket to go and watch the national team play.
For me, unless we as supporters feel some sense of ownership of our national side, some connection, the bad old days of players giving away tickets in supermarkets will return. This means that the players we pay to see week in week out, who are performing at a suitable level, should be in contention to play for Wales as a justification for their efforts, and our support of their efforts.
Baffling decisions made behind closed doors in Poland doesn't have the feel of inclusivity about it, and there are at least three names on that team sheet tht I didin't see in any of the 'my Wales team' threads.
We do, therefore, have the right to question these decisions and put forward our case for the players we feel deserve to be there. What else are we gonna think about? Work?

My fellow Welsh rugby supporters have always disappointed me with their apathy and negative opinion on how the team will do. I just hope none of the Welsh squad do not read these pages.
Just over 12 months ago we were slated as a rugby nation by everyone and came home from New Zealand having had some bad luck but still getting to the semi's.......only to be slated by the sais for being luck in the pool draw etc etc yawn yawn.
If you just sat down and looked at our sucess in the last few years we have no reason to be negative. A clean sweep may be a little optimistic but 3 wins is on the cards. Come on lads get behind the blydi team.

What was that you were saying about people confusing disappointment in selection with negativity, HG?

I completely agree with RW. It is identical to prior to the RWC pre tournament games. Everyone moaning about this player and that, Gatland is useless Howley cant coach, Welsh rugby is perennially doomed.

Then we do fantastically well playing great rugby.

Ye of little faith

Indeed LP! As far as the game goes, I think we'll win handily enough. No negativity on that front.

Argentina will be a much better side for having played in the Rugby Championship; but playing in the Rugby Championship may also have taken quite a bit out of them. If we can start strongly and get a few early scores, we should be okay. But I'm not taking anything for granted. If we win, I don't think we'll win by much.

N.B. This doesn't make me some kind of a traitor!

So negative LP

we have not played 'great rugby' ....an observation.

we've bashed and been predictable and we were lucky, luck is part of all sport .....acknowledged fact.

we have not progressed in any way with regards to changing our game when ' the welsh way ???' is not working.......observation

yes we will win games, but our manner of winning and game tactics have to be a lot better. we should not be satisfied with just a win. we could be, and should be better than that.........observation, and the main reason we dont beat the top teams.

i agree with hg about fans feeling just reward for their players efforts. this latest fiasco tells us its not about the players.........sad observation.

Gavstar you make it sound like the Welsh team playing back in 1992 not 2012.

I will be at the game and will give 100% support, but it doesn't mean I feel the need to be unrealistic in advance about the respective merits of the two teams. Argentina is a very good team; at our best I think we'd have the measure of them in Cardiff, but anything less and it's a tough game. We have issues of key injuries, form of some players and perennial problems with starting series slowly, against a team that's just been honing its skills against the World's top teams, although they do have some significant injuries too. I for one will be pleased with any kind of a win.

I don't think anyone underestimates Argentina in the slightest, they have been a good team for a long while now.

They will undoubtably prove a test for all teams they meet. This year they have had too big losses but so many notable successes.

I am sure like many in the NH watching the Rugby Championship we were all keen to see the underdog do so well, almost clinching a victory in a couple of games and making argentinian fans the world over very proud of their recent efforts.

My prediction: 19-17 to us. Home advantage and a 1/2penny conversion to see us through

Looking at the predictions game thread Biltong started two thirds go for a welsh win, a quarter by more than seven. Only one poster thinks Wales will lose by more than seven.

Quite a difference to the poll above.

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:I don't get the negativity with you Welsh lads.

A whisker away from a RWC final, Grand Slammers + three really close fought games against the Wallabies; two of which could have been won imo. You have a team that is (or should be) full of confidence.

As someone said - just get behind your boys.

Behind them through thick and thin. Doesn't mean we can't question some of the selections and ideas though.

Bloody hell Roman Poite is the ref!!
Why is this man still allowed to ref and ruin a good game of rugby

What worries me is Howleys comments tonight on sport wales...

Argentina have a tough pack, they need to be taken out of their comfort zone, the wider channels need to be exploited...

If we go touchline to touchline we will find ourselves going nowhere fast, and they'll gain easy posession and kick for territory, if they get territory they'll rumble in the tries and hit their pens.

Howley said that Argentina are no battle hardened by the RC, and they'll have learnt a lot, he was a bit patronising as he said it.

That said Argentina are missing some key players, and IMHO they will struggle.

Wales have to do 2 things well,

avoid getting into an arm wrestle, play the pods a little wider, and attack the fringes a few yards wider.

And ensure they earn the right to go wide, don't gift Argentina anything by throwing the ball to the touch line and making it easy.

If they manage those 2 things and perform adequately elswhere (set peice and defencive organisation) they should be too much in the last 15 mins.

My heart says Wales by 9-11 but my head says Wales by 1-3 or Argy by 1-3! I don't trust Howley!!!

Give North and Cuthbert the ball,they will score tries,
i agree don't get into an arm wrestle just direct running from Roberts pick and go for the pack and we have the players in the back to run in the tries.

Samoa are in good stead, they just thrashed Canada up in Parc Erias. Who do they have next? And Howley pay attention, Samoa are no mugs so don't even think about rotation for that friday night fixture!

Pick and goes wont work V Argentina mate, similar to the maul, they'll thrive on that.

Knoyle needs to use wider pods, make the fringe defence throw themselves out in the wider channels, give the monsters at 1 and 2 nothing to do but watch the back row make tackle after tackle. Then the penalties will come.

Also direct running will be key early on, make North, Cuthbert follow an inside line of RP, get the pack tackling and resetting, they are still only a 60 minute team if you do the damage early on!!!

I don't think Howley would be dumb enough to under estimate Samoa, but t be fair the Father in law was texting me during the game, he was there and he reckons Canada were very poor.

I suppose so but Poite does love the team in possession, that's why i think pick and go would be a good ploy for penalties.

I agree they are a 60min team some aging players will struggle to keep up.

Very much agreed. Poite's interpretations are always questionable and he does constantly favour the team in posession. Reminds me of Joel Jutge.

Morgannwg wrote:

Hound_of_Harrow wrote:I don't get the negativity with you Welsh lads.

A whisker away from a RWC final, Grand Slammers + three really close fought games against the Wallabies; two of which could have been won imo. You have a team that is (or should be) full of confidence.

As someone said - just get behind your boys.

Behind them through thick and thin. Doesn't mean we can't question some of the selections and ideas though.

No worries. This forum should be about opinions.

Apart from NZ, just about every team is looking at having to field some inexperienced players over the next few weeks. There's bound to be discussion over those players.

Morgannwg wrote:Very much agreed. Poite's interpretations are always questionable and he does constantly favour the team in posession. Reminds me of Joel Jutge.

Joel jutge was ref when Ieuan Evans out paced underwood to score in Cardiff in 93. Not a bad omen.

Couple of Wales tests vs Italy and first Lions test in NZ spring to mind RE Jutge.