Wales v All Blacks Match thread, Poll, and Previews

[maestegmafia]

First topic message reminder :

So this week saw the fans calls for players unused the week before who are in form this season answered and we lost to Samoa, we also lost more players to injury.

So what next...?

Wales offered little in impetus yet again. Few of the form players made a difference against Samoa. Wales have to make a massive improvement in every aspect of their game for next weeks match vs the ABs but what are your suggestions...???

Wales team:
Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Paul James, Matthew Rees, Aaron Jarvis, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (captain), Toby Faletau

Replacements:
Ken Owens, Gethin Jenkins, Scott Andrews, Aaron Shingler, Justin Tipuric, Tavis Knoyle, James Hook, Scott Williams


New Zealand team:
Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Daniel Carter, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Replacements: Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Brodie Retallick, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Ben Smith.

[majesticimperialman]

I guess by giving him a start you will see if he still has what it takes to be labled the best.

But in all honesty if he is that good then why is he all ways, nearly all ways on the bench for Toulon?

Maybe this could be a turning point. Put in a good performance and ther world is at your feet.

Or something like that.

[gboycottnut]

Short of not bothering to sending out any players out onto the field and the Welsh coaches just waving the white flag of surrender before the match kicks off, this is what I think Wales should do:- Wales should consider playing 4 fly-halves in their back-line in order to give more options to the team in open play situations. Also as modern international rugby nowdays doesn't place as much emphasis on challenging for lineouts as was the case in the amateur era, I would like to see Wales trying out a lighter pack based on greater mobility (Scotland did this successfully in 1987) with a second row pairing of Ryan Jones and Sam Warburton, and a back row consisting of Turnbull. Faletau and Tipuric. With these 5 back-row players in the same forward pack there will be more chance (in theory) to slow down ball and protect the first and second lines of defense from the dangerous wave after wave of breaks/powerful runs made by the likes of Carter, Savea, Nonu, Smith, Dagg, Jane, McCaw and all the other All Black players that happen to be playing against Wales.

[RubyGuby]

Toulon play a very structured game and sacrifice a more dynamic prop for someone who does more of an Adam Jones anchor role - Sheridan suits that style better. Horses for courses for me and certainly not a case of one player being better than the other.We need Gethin IMO, his experience in this type of game would also be invaluable, he will not retreat and will fight for the ball on the floor.

[Guest]

Gethin Jenkins is not a very good scrummager. Never has been. At best he can hold his own, but he has never been a destructive LH. What he does offer is in the loose where he can jackal and scavenge as well as most open sides, he's quick for a prop so isn't a weakness in the defensive line, and he also has the fitness to play high tempo rugby and hit ruck after ruck without tiring. Would I sacrifice this for scrummaging ability? Yes. I'd put an out and out scrummager in there first and foremost. But that's just me.

[TycroesOsprey]

Well I expected to lose to Argentina, feared we would lose against Samoa and the chances are we are going to get a spanking on Saturday. However. if we are to stand any chance, we need to hit them with numbers at the breakdown and try to stifle ball to Carter. I would play two fetchers in the backrow to gang up on McCaw.

Priestlands lack of confidence is playing havoc with our backline and we are really missing JD in the midfield. I cant see Howley picking Hook at 10, Biggar is out and short of recalling Wellies RP will get the shirt. Playing Beck at 13 was pointless for me, his quick hands and step would be better employed at 12 to fix the defence and then offload to Roberts or the wingers coming in or float passes out wide.

OUr kicking game needs to change, we need to kick to the line and pressurize them at first phase rather than allowing RP to kick aimlessly to their back three.

Secure our own first phase ball, pressurise their lineout and the breakdown force turnovers and attack and we may just spring a suprise.

1. Paul James
2. Owens, (Smiler if he is fit)
3. Jarvis
4. Bradley
5. Charteris
6. Warburton (c)
7. Tipuric
8. Faletau
9. Phillips
10. Priestland
11. North
12. Beck
13. Roberts
14. Cuthbert
15. Halfpenny

16. Gethin
17. Samson Lee
18. Owens if Smiler is fit otherwise a call up is needed.
19. Ryan Jones
20. Shingler
21. Tavis
22. Hook
23 Liam Williams

[wales606]

1. Gethin Jenkins (pray for a return to the form of a few of years ago)
2. Matthew Rees (pray for a return to the form of a couple of years ago)
3. Aaron Jarvis (pray)
4. Bradley Davies (pray)
5. Luke Charteris (pray for a return to the form of a year ago)
6. Ryan Jones (pray that he plays like he does for the O's)
7. Sam Warburton (pray for a return to the form of a year ago)
8. Toby Faletau (pray for a return to the form of a year ago)
9. Mike Phillips (pray for a return to the form of a few of years ago)
10. Rhys Preistland (pray for a return to the form of a year ago)
11. George North (pray for a return to the form of a year ago)
12. Jamie Roberts (pray for a return to the form of a few of years ago)
13. Jonathan Davies (pray that he returns from injury playing at 100%)
14. Alex Cuthbert (pray that he finds it as easy to score tries as he does for his region)
15. Leigh Halfpenny (pray he getting 100% of his kicks and catches EVERY ball NZ put in the air)

16. Ken Owens (pray)
17. Paul James (pray)
18. Samson Lee (pray)
19. Aaron Shingler (pray)
20. Justin Tipuric (pray he gets put on before 70 minutes if Sam is poor)
21. Tavis Knoyle (pray Mike Phillips doesn't get injured)
22. James Hook (pray for a miracle)
23. Scott Williams (pray)

[RubyGuby]

Amen to that 606

[maestegmafia]

Short of not bothering to sending out any players out onto the field and the Welsh coaches just waving the white flag of surrender before the match kicks off, this is what I think Wales should do:- Wales should consider playing 4 fly-halves in their back-line in order to give more options to the team in open play situations. Also as modern international rugby nowdays doesn't place as much emphasis on challenging for lineouts as was the case in the amateur era, I would like to see Wales trying out a lighter pack based on greater mobility (Scotland did this successfully in 1987) with a second row pairing of Ryan Jones and Sam Warburton, and a back row consisting of Turnbull. Faletau and Tipuric. With these 5 back-row players in the same forward pack there will be more chance (in theory) to slow down ball and protect the first and second lines of defense from the dangerous wave after wave of breaks/powerful runs made by the likes of Carter, Savea, Nonu, Smith, Dagg, Jane, McCaw and all the other All Black players that happen to be playing against Wales.

Its avant garde but good reading...!

[nganboy]

If you did that then NZ could just tighten the game up. We are actually pretty good in the forwardss. So just scrum it and get the penalty or kick for touch and challenge the lineout and play it tighter by moving Sam Whitelock to 6 and have Romano and Retalick at lock.

[Morgannwg]

I realy,realy,realy cannot see Wales beating the ALL Blacks this week.

Is it me? or do the Wales team look like they cannot be bothered to play at all? Is it down too player tired ness, Coaching, the Players enviroment?

They seem to have a plan get the ball to George North, but when he cannot make head way due to being tackled their heads go down and they go back wards.

I do wish Wales all the best this week. And yes i do mean that.

No-one can see Wales beating the all blacks. Not even us over confident souls from Wales. It's probably the only team we do not get over confident about beating!

He's just regurgitating what everyone else has written on here. Again. Needs to lay off V2 and try 'n' learn a few things about rubgy union, that way he may not embarrass himself so often.

[Morgannwg]

Simple things that you can work out from watching both teams so far this season. Wales; there is no urgeny, will, desire or agression. They look slow, unfit and poorly conditioned. Spala has finally had the Ireland 07 affect on us. It's worked wonders for our team in the past but now it's backfired. Lack of plan B, just in case plan A didn't work. Plan A didn't work, there was no plan B to implement and we lost to two teams we were expected to beat. And it's not so much the losses that bothers us, it's the manner in which they lost. The tactics were terrible and the team looked clueless. The defence has gone backwards, we look weak and fail to stop the opposition ball carriers from gaining ground. Big forwards are going through ours like a knife through butter. Wales also struggled to mark players, they're too slow to react to offloads and it's working. Argentina are probably the best example. Samoa would probably be the best example of better ball retention. Although they got away with a lot of illegalities they were flying into every single ruck with such speed and agression. Quite the opposite of ours. Clean quick ball was presented to a less static looking backline and they distributed quicker, more effectively than Wales. Thus allowing them to gain more ground. All this has culminated in no tries for us (can we even count the intercept because we've created little/next to zero opportunities).

New Zealand; best team in the world. Whitewashed all challengers in the RWC and RC. Have not lost a game since before the RWC. Their ball retention, defence, agression, power, physicality, attack, tactical nous, speed, fitness is twice as good as any opposition we have played so far. And even that was too much for us. What chance do we have of conceding less than 50 points and scoring a single try? There really is no point in turning up because mircales never happen for us. It will be a total blackout in Wales this saturday.

With that said we've got nothing to lose so let's go for something a bit more radical, as in trying two open-sides in the back row because that way we might actually be the first to the breakdown.

Paul James, Ken Owens, Aaron Jarvis, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Sam Warburton, Justin Tipuric, Toby Faletau, Mike Phillips, James Hook, Leigh Halfpenny, Jamie Roberts, Jonathan Davies(S.Williams if unfit), Alex Cuthbert, Liam Williams. Reps: Ryan Bevington, Matthew Rees, Samson Lee, Aaron Shingler, Ryan Jones, Lloyd Williams, Rhys Priestland, George North (S.Williams, Ashley Beck).

[Morgannwg]

Voted for NZ by 50+.

[gboycottnut]

If you did that then NZ could just tighten the game up. We are actually pretty good in the forwardss. So just scrum it and get the penalty or kick for touch and challenge the lineout and play it tighter by moving Sam Whitelock to 6 and have Romano and Retalick at lock.

Well if NZ dared tried it on with Wales by tightening the game up by playing Whitelock at 6 with Romano and Retalick (whoever he is?) at lock, Wales can retaliate easily in this case by bringing on guys like Charteris and Bradley Davies or Ian Evans off from the substitutes bench. In any case as I have stated before, in modern day rugby there is less importance and emphasis placed now on the lineout area as jumpers can be lifted by their teammates which means that a 6ft 4/6 ft 5 player like a Ryan Jones can now clean out a 6ft 7/6ft 8 giant like a Sam Whitelock in the lineout area. This wouldn't have happened during the amateur era when lifting was illegal in the lineout meaning that tall jumpers like Wade Dooley and Paul Ackford dominated the lineout area easily when they faced opposition jumpers who were smaller/shorter than them such as Scottish jumpers Chris Gray and Damian Cronin, the Irish pairing of Donal Lenihan and Willie Anderson, the great French pairing of Alain Lorieux and Jean Condom or even the great All Black pairing of Murray Pierce and Gary Whetton.

[AFewTooManyKnocks]

If you did that then NZ could just tighten the game up. We are actually pretty good in the forwardss. So just scrum it and get the penalty or kick for touch and challenge the lineout and play it tighter by moving Sam Whitelock to 6 and have Romano and Retalick at lock.

Well if NZ dared tried it on with Wales by tightening the game up by playing Whitelock at 6 with Romano and Retalick (whoever he is?) at lock, Wales can retaliate easily in this case by bringing on guys like Charteris and Bradley Davies or Ian Evans off from the substitutes bench. In any case as I have stated before, in modern day rugby there is less importance and emphasis placed now on the lineout area as jumpers can be lifted by their teammates which means that a 6ft 4/6 ft 5 player like a Ryan Jones can now clean out a 6ft 7/6ft 8 giant like a Sam Whitelock in the lineout area. This wouldn't have happened during the amateur era when lifting was illegal in the lineout meaning that tall jumpers like Wade Dooley and Paul Ackford dominated the lineout area easily when they faced opposition jumpers who were smaller/shorter than them such as Scottish jumpers Chris Gray and Damian Cronin, the Irish pairing of Donal Lenihan and Willie Anderson, the great French pairing of Alain Lorieux and Jean Condom or even the great All Black pairing of Murray Pierce and Gary Whetton.

Brodie Retalick plays for the Chiefs and will be a name everyone will soon know quite well. He's a young guy, but has the talent to be absolutely immense for many years to come

[nganboy]

If you did that then NZ could just tighten the game up. We are actually pretty good in the forwardss. So just scrum it and get the penalty or kick for touch and challenge the lineout and play it tighter by moving Sam Whitelock to 6 and have Romano and Retalick at lock.

Well if NZ dared tried it on with Wales by tightening the game up by playing Whitelock at 6 with Romano and Retalick (whoever he is?) at lock, Wales can retaliate easily in this case by bringing on guys like Charteris and Bradley Davies or Ian Evans off from the substitutes bench. In any case as I have stated before, in modern day rugby there is less importance and emphasis placed now on the lineout area as jumpers can be lifted by their teammates which means that a 6ft 4/6 ft 5 player like a Ryan Jones can now clean out a 6ft 7/6ft 8 giant like a Sam Whitelock in the lineout area. This wouldn't have happened during the amateur era when lifting was illegal in the lineout meaning that tall jumpers like Wade Dooley and Paul Ackford dominated the lineout area easily when they faced opposition jumpers who were smaller/shorter than them such as Scottish jumpers Chris Gray and Damian Cronin, the Irish pairing of Donal Lenihan and Willie Anderson, the great French pairing of Alain Lorieux and Jean Condom or even the great All Black pairing of Murray Pierce and Gary Whetton.

My suggestion was in reply to the suggestion that Wales play 5 loose forwards and negate the effectiveness of the waves of attack from the NZ backs. The point being that if Wales did do that, that NZ have the ability to change their game and adapt to that. By the way Retallick has started about 1/2 the games for the ABs this year.

[majesticimperialman]

I realy,realy,realy cannot see Wales beating the ALL Blacks this week.

Is it me? or do the Wales team look like they cannot be bothered to play at all? Is it down too player tired ness, Coaching, the Players enviroment?

They seem to have a plan get the ball to George North, but when he cannot make head way due to being tackled their heads go down and they go back wards.

I do wish Wales all the best this week. And yes i do mean that.

No-one can see Wales beating the all blacks. Not even us over confident souls from Wales. It's probably the only team we do not get over confident about beating!

He's just regurgitating what everyone else has written on here. Again. Needs to lay off V2 and try 'n' learn a few things about rubgy union, that way he may not embarrass himself so often.

Morgannwg

Still cannot help having a dig at some one who speaks the truth about Wales.

Explain why i am regurgitating any thing. I watched the Wales game against Samoa, a game i honestly thought that Wales could not lose.

But they did. It is no wander i dont win any thing at the bookies, when i cannot predict the winner of Wales v Samoa. Agame between the 5th in the IRB World Rankins and the 12th in the IRB World Rankins.

It should of been a no brainer realy.

[maestegmafia]

Maj, what Morgannwg is saying is that your posts just repeat exactly what everyone else has already said.

You offer nothing new to the thread.

Maybe you should think about giving us something new.

[aucklandlaurie]

two questions:
1.Who is the ref this week?

2. Does the Wales stadium still look like a bombed sand pit?

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Maj, what Morgannwg is saying is that your posts just repeat exactly what everyone else has already said.

You offer nothing new to the thread.

Maybe you should think about giving us something new.

This post offers a lot less to the thread than Maj's one does. There's no need to be rude Maes (that goes for you too Morg).

[ScarletSpiderman]

I would go for (taking the squad and injuries into account)

L Williams, Halfpenny, Williams, Davies, North, Priestland, Phillips;
James, Owens, Lee, Davies, Charteris, Shingler, Tipuric, Jones
(Bench-: Rees, Jenkins, Jarvis, Warburton, Faletau, Knoyle, Hook, Roberts)

However I have a feeling it will be;

Halfpenny, Cuthbert, Davies (if injured Beck), Roberts, North, Priestland, Phillips;
Jenkins, Rees, James, Davies, Charteris, Jones, Warburton, Faletau
(Bench -: Owens, Bevington, Jarvis, Shingler, Tipuric, Knoyle, Hook, Beck/L Williams)

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Well said, Pete. I want to hear what people think of the rugby, not what they think of other posters.

[samuraidragon]

I would go for (taking the squad and injuries into account)

L Williams, Halfpenny, Williams, Davies, North, Priestland, Phillips;
James, Owens, Lee, Davies, Charteris, Shingler, Tipuric, Jones
(Bench-: Rees, Jenkins, Jarvis, Warburton, Faletau, Knoyle, Hook, Roberts)

However I have a feeling it will be;

Halfpenny, Cuthbert, Davies (if injured Beck), Roberts, North, Priestland, Phillips;
Jenkins, Rees, James, Davies, Charteris, Jones, Warburton, Faletau
(Bench -: Owens, Bevington, Jarvis, Shingler, Tipuric, Knoyle, Hook, Beck/L Williams)

Agree with trying 1/2 p on wing and dropping at least one of the crashballers to the bench. Will be disappointed if Priestland starts. A clear message that robotically obeying orders makes a player undroppable, no matter how poor the form.

[ScarletSpiderman]

Samurai - I agree with what your saying, but with Biggar most likely out for the game (and probably a while longer too), it comes down to either hook or Priestland at fly half and I think that Priestland works better with Roberts and Foxy than Hook does.

[BlueNote]

What on earth do we do at tighthead? We just don't seem to have a remotely credible option. Using one of the loose-heads has almost never worked, and won't work this Saturday. Jarvis does not look near being up to the job. Throwing in Samson Lee would be a desperate measure, given his inexperience. I can't bear the thought of even considering Scott Andrews. What on earth do we do??

I think I'd play:

Jenkins
Owens
????
Davies
Charteris
Ryan Jones
Warburton
Faletau
Phillips
Hook
North
Roberts
JD2
Cuthbert
Halfpenny

If JD2 not fit, I'd put in Liam Williams and move 1/2p to the wing and George North into the centre.

[ScarletSpiderman]

What on earth do we do at tighthead? We just don't seem to have a remotely credible option. Using one of the loose-heads has almost never worked, and won't work this Saturday. Jarvis does not look near being up to the job. Throwing in Samson Lee would be a desperate measure, given his inexperience. I can't bear the thought of even considering Scott Andrews. What on earth do we do??

Or on the ohter hand it would be a gain given his experience, after all he has been in a side that beat the baby blacks.

[gboycottnut]

What on earth do we do at tighthead? We just don't seem to have a remotely credible option. Using one of the loose-heads has almost never worked, and won't work this Saturday. Jarvis does not look near being up to the job. Throwing in Samson Lee would be a desperate measure, given his inexperience. I can't bear the thought of even considering Scott Andrews. What on earth do we do??

Or on the ohter hand it would be a gain given his experience, after all he has been in a side that beat the baby blacks.

Can't Wales do what they did V the mighty All Blacks pack led by Brian Lochore in the 1967 match at Cardiff, in which they selected a lock forward in Neath's Brian Thomas as a prop. If Wales want enough lineout ball, they should consider using someone like Bradley Davies as a prop and use a second row pairing of Sam Warburton with Ryan Jones so that Wales can have 5 back row players on the field at the same time as opposed to the All Blacks 3 back row players.

[BlueNote]

SS, I think on the whole it's a desperate measure with some attractions, and maybe the option I'd plump for, in the awareness it could turn out to be disastrous.

[gboycottnut]

SS, I think on the whole it's a desperate measure with some attractions, and maybe the option I'd plump for, in the awareness it could turn out to be disastrous.

As Wales aren't going to win on Saturday, they may as well try the strategy I have mentioned of using 2 back-row forwards as second rows, with a lock forward as a prop if they want some more lineout ball.

[Newsilure]

in the recent past we have tried to fight fire with fire and beat the ABs by scoring more points than them in a high scoring game - it hasn't worked but its been a reasonable tactic that if we were playing at our best we should continue with ... but we are not playing at our best and therefore on Saturday our only (although small) chance must be to contain them and hope Halfpennies boot can win a low scoring game.

with that in mind my team would be -

Gethin - he isn't and never has been a great scummaging prop but he is one of the worlds best defensive forwards, in my view Samoa would not have scored the first try on Friday if Gethin had been one of the two props that number 8 ran past.
Mathew Rees - competent, reliable, tackles
Paul James - out of position but we know he can do the job and is a reasonable tackler
Charteris
Bradley
Ryan
Toby
Warbuton - actualy with Gethin and Charteris in this pack its a better one for Tuperic to play behind as he needs others to knock them down which he didn't have on Friday. However against the ABs we are going to need every bit of defensive muscle and commitment we can find and SW' has more of both than Tipuric.
Phillips
Hook ( Biggar if fit as he is the best OH at tackling that we have)
JR - he missed a tackle Friday but thats unusual, his defensive work is usualy more important to us than the crash ball stuff which is unlikely to work against the AB's
JD or Bishop - If JD is fit then that will really bolster the defensive line but if he isn't then we need to play a reliable stopper and neither Scott or Becks are in that mold
North
Cuthbert
Halfpenny

[Guest]

I think we have missed JD2, he is the better decision maker than Priestland, you see it for the Scarlets too.
He stops Preistland from drifting he offers himself if Priestland looks a bit indecisive, his grubber kicks are always spot on for the chasers or touch and he really straightens up the attack working the outside players.

Adam,Lydiate and JD2 would have made Wales the winning team for the last two games,they are that important to Wales.

[gboycottnut]

What about selecting back-rowers in Ryan Jones and Sam Warburton as locks so that Wales can have greater mobility around the field particularly in preventing and dealing with the frequent breaks in the defensive line which will surely happen time after time during the full 80 minutes?

[Casartelli]

I think we have missed JD2, he is the better decision maker than Priestland, you see it for the Scarlets too.
He stops Preistland from drifting he offers himself if Priestland looks a bit indecisive, his grubber kicks are always spot on for the chasers or touch and he really straightens up the attack working the outside players.

Adam,Lydiate and JD2 would have made Wales the winning team for the last two games,they are that important to Wales.

Can't say we would definitely have won, but the point is valid. We have no strength in depth. Two or more injuries to the 'first XV' and we are a completely different team. I think we did okay against Argentina and Samoa when you consider the personnel available. We could have beaten Samoa if Biggar had stayed on - he was looking decent and is a vastly superior kicker out of hand than Priestland.

[ScarletSpiderman]

I think we have missed JD2, he is the better decision maker than Priestland, you see it for the Scarlets too.
He stops Preistland from drifting he offers himself if Priestland looks a bit indecisive, his grubber kicks are always spot on for the chasers or touch and he really straightens up the attack working the outside players.

Adam,Lydiate and JD2 would have made Wales the winning team for the last two games,they are that important to Wales.

Can't say we would definitely have won, but the point is valid. We have no strength in depth. Two or more injuries to the 'first XV' and we are a completely different team. I think we did okay against Argentina and Samoa when you consider the personnel available. We could have beaten Samoa if Biggar had stayed on - he was looking decent and is a vastly superior kicker out of hand than Priestland.

I agree that we seem to struggle when we lose two or more 'big name' players to injury. However I think it is more psychological than down to lacking strength in depth. I honestly believe we could feild two sides that should/would be capable of beating Samoa (possibly Argentina) based only in the regions themselves. But sadly we have the mentality that if someone is a good player they are the best in the world and irreplacable, and as such other players fall apart without them.

Jon Davies is a very good centre, however lets be honest in that position we have a handful of decent options, and even reliable options (good enough for against Samoa) outside of the squad in Maule and Bishop etc.

[GunsGerms]

Some options:

-Comitting numbers to the breakdown in attack and defense worked for Ireland in the second test v NZ.
-Blitz defense worked well at times for Scotland.
-Italy comitted numbers to fringes of the ruck defense. This counteracted NZs tactic of using this channel a lot to make yards.
-Aimless kicks to Dagg rarely pay dividends.
-Keep ball in hand and commit numbers to the ruck in attack.
-Make it an arm wrestle. This works well for SA and is easier said than done though Wales do have plenty of muscle. By keeping things tight and very physical in theory will present less oportunity to the Kiwi backs who are very dangerous. ABs arent immune to pressure, frustration and ill dicipline. They will want to show what they want they can do out wide. When things arent going their way like all teams they can get frustrated and do stupid things like Thompson v Scotland and Guildford v Ireland.

[tatterd]

I actually think we may run NZ close, and be labelled as the "plucky losers" again. My worry, therefore, is that the dreadful 2 performance before this may get brushed under the carpet.....

[RubyGuby]

They might get brushed under the carpet tattered but don't worry as Hersh will get on his knees, reach in and pull them out again

[wales606]

DAN BIGGAR IS GOING TO BE FIT!

Wow, I never thought that would make me more optimistic before an international.

Jonathan Davies, Ian Evans and Matthew Rees are fit, Hibbard is unlikely

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20372688

[wales606]

Since injuries appear less severe than thought, my 23 would be

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees (Richard Hibbard)
3. Aaron Jarvis
4. Ian Evans
5. Luke Charteris
6. Ryan Jones
7. Sam Warburton (c)
8. Toby Faletau
9. Mike Phillips
10. Dan Biggar
11. George North
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Jonathan Davies
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Leigh Halfpenny

16. Ken Owens
17. Paul James
18. Ryan Bevington
19. Bradley Davies
20. Justin Tipuric
21. Tavis Knoyle
22. Rhys Preistland
23. Ashley Beck/Scott Williams

[wales606]

Also, it looks like the bizzare Lloyd Peers thing has been rectified

"Blues lock Lou Reed and Scarlets hooker Kirby Myhill have joined the Wales squad. Scarlet prop Samson Lee and Ospreys lock Lloyd Peers were already drafted in to train with the Wales squad."

Kirby Myhill is a bit of a surprise though, Scarlets 3rd choice hooker is 4th choice for Wales apparently (while Huw Bennett is injured at least)

[ScarletSpiderman]

Also, it looks like the bizzare Lloyd Peers thing has been rectified

"Blues lock Lou Reed and Scarlets hooker Kirby Myhill have joined the Wales squad. Scarlet prop Samson Lee and Ospreys lock Lloyd Peers were already drafted in to train with the Wales squad."

Kirby Myhill is a bit of a surprise though, Scarlets 3rd choice hooker is 4th choice for Wales apparently (while Huw Bennett is injured at least)

The Scarlets producing front row forwards full stop is a bit of a suprise to be honest. But I guess with Kirby being young and promising, he is in there for experience, and Bennett is playing for a second division french side, so not getting any high qulaity rugby (and is getting on a bit).

Lou Reed makes sense as he has been involved with the welsh squad in the past, and is a decent enough lock.

[majesticimperialman]

Maj, what Morgannwg is saying is that your posts just repeat exactly what everyone else has already said.

You offer nothing new to the thread.

Maybe you should think about giving us something new.

This post offers a lot less to the thread than Maj's one does. There's no need to be rude Maes (that goes for you too Morg).

Thanks for that pete.

[wales606]

Also, it looks like the bizzare Lloyd Peers thing has been rectified

"Blues lock Lou Reed and Scarlets hooker Kirby Myhill have joined the Wales squad. Scarlet prop Samson Lee and Ospreys lock Lloyd Peers were already drafted in to train with the Wales squad."

Kirby Myhill is a bit of a surprise though, Scarlets 3rd choice hooker is 4th choice for Wales apparently (while Huw Bennett is injured at least)

The Scarlets producing front row forwards full stop is a bit of a suprise to be honest. But I guess with Kirby being young and promising, he is in there for experience, and Bennett is playing for a second division french side, so not getting any high qulaity rugby (and is getting on a bit).

Lou Reed makes sense as he has been involved with the welsh squad in the past, and is a decent enough lock.

I don't think Bennett has played for them yet - he has been trying to get over a pretty serious injury apparently.

[ScarletSpiderman]

606 - I missed the bit where you said he was injured. In that case I guess it was a simple case of either Myhill or, or, or, um Steve Jones, TR Thomas, or Breeze. Not much of a group to chose from really.

[flyhalffactory]

I was disappointed with quite a few players for Wales, Priestland, Beck (apart from the intercept), Gethin Jenkins, Ryan Jones, Tuperic, Ian Evans, Faletau and Jarvis all could have contributed alot more against a side that were poorer than their previous opponents. Roberts had an outstanding defensive game with some massive hits but he is not there to be the defensive player in midfield, Bradley Davies and Charteris both played well as as aggressive engine room, Halfpenny and Biggar had good games. It was obvious that Priestland was under orders to play a kicking game which is not his forte. Against the ABs........ North must be the first name you would pencil in how can anyone not select him to start

15 Halfpenny
14 Cuthbert
11 North

13 Davies
12 Roberts

10 Biggar
9 Phillips

8 Ryan Jones
7 Warburton
6 Shingler

5 Charteris
4 Davies

3 Lee
2 Rees (C)
1 James

16 Jenkins
17 Owen
18 Jarvis
19 Reed or Tuperic
20 Faletau
21 Hook or Scott Williams
22 Priestland
23 Liam Williams

[RubyGuby]

Very nice team FHF - Shingler is class and aggressive - modern day forward I might be tempted to retain Toby and shove Ryan in the 2nd row instead of Davies

[ScarletSpiderman]

Flyhalf - you ain't got a scrum half on the bench mate

[tatterd]

+1 for Shingler starting - don't know why he has been overlooked so far TBH

[glamorganalun]

How anybody in their right minds would select Preistland at 10 or 15 is beyond me it is not form he is simply not up to the job, he can't think for himself he only paints by numbers, he demonstrated he can't tackle, can't kick out of hand, kicks dead with a four man overlap and can't kick at goal including drop goal, what can he do? all these faults were demonstrated in half of the last game.

No doubt Preistland will play and kick any good ball away to the AB's and we all know what will happen.

The Wales tactics are so predictable, nothing has changed in three years, the Samoan team and Argentina teams knew what Wales were going to do before we did, our coaches are one trick ponies if they can't come up with anything else then cahnges should be made or let the players on the field take over when Plan A does not work.

[damage_13]

nice post 606, surely that should be labelled Option A

with Option B being


..... Hide

[wales606]

nice post 606, surely that should be labelled Option A

with Option B being


..... Hide

Option B - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAp9sFVdERQ

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