Some views from a Welshman

Hectic weekend, so I haven't been about on this forum - so here is my take on Wales.

- Jamie Roberts had his best game for Wales since the 2009 Lions tour, Davies had his best performance for over a year - an incredible 20 carrier between the two and they were excellent in defence.

- Wales have the best front row in Europe. Some people are questioning Walsh's decisions, but, although they seemed the be rather inpatient, most of them were accurate and Wales were the team driving forwards at scrum time.

- Scott Andrews is Wales' most improved player over the last 12 months. It was a revealing moment in the last scrum of the game, when the 3 front row replacements powered through the English pack coming out on the other side to win the penalty with Paul James punching the air. Wales now have some serious backup to Adam Jones in Craig Mitchell and Scott Andrews, and the same for Gethin Jenkins with the excellent Paul James and Ryan Bevington - When you add the the younger players coming through, Rhodri Jones, Samson Lee and Aaron Jarvis, things look good in the front row.

- Alun-Wyn Jones will start for the Lions. Simply class on the weekend, with a huge 17 carries (the most of the Welsh team), he is an athlete and a leader and I wouldn't be surprised if he captains the Lions, he is the experienced player who is fairly assured of a starting place.

- Dan Biggar is the best fly-half in Wales, by a clear margin. After that charge down against Ireland, Biggar has gotten better and better - his running, kicking and distribution have all be excellent and he has developed his game a huge amount over the last 24 months in order to pull on the red jersey. Biggar should have earned his seat on the Lions tour this summer, and with Sexton injured and question marks over Farrell's big game composure, he could have a big opportunity. Biggar is also the only FH to have started all 5 of his teams games this 6Ns

- Wales have 5 backrow players capable of matching or bettering any team in world rugby. Tipuric, Warburton and Faletau combined really well on Saturday and surprisingly looked to be a well balanced combination - and that was with Ryan Jones and Dan Lydiate out with injury.

- Richard Hibbard has finally had his chance in the Welsh shirt and was phenomenal in the last 2 Six Nations games, a Lions bolter playing like a younger Matthew Rees.

- Ken Owens is a super-sub - came onto the pitch from the bench in everyone of Wales games and provided a huge impact in every one - not least in turning over the ball for Wales' first try on Saturday


Wales are building well towards 2015 - Although Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Mike Phillips and Ryan Jones will all be into their 30s, they should still be around for 2015 - and there is so much young talent getting experience within this welsh squad. We have now added Andrew Coombes to our long list of locks with international experience, meanwhile Justin Tipuric has truly established himself as a international 7 alongside Hibbard at hooker and Dan Biggar has provided some much needed stability in the 10 shirt.

Wales gained 3 new starting players in this years six nations, and that could be the vital extra depth needed in 2015.

Why is Davies getting plaudits? Compared to how excellent he was he has been quite anonymous in this tournament. Agree with you on Roberts though.

Biggar is probably our best choice, but not by far. Patchell looks pretty good.

Patchell will be there sooner rather than later, we need more depth at 10.

I thought Davies was excellent against England - cutting nice angles back inside and cleaning up a lot of loose ball, he never really got the ball in space, but his ability to hold the defence and release players on his outside was very good.

Davies made 11 carries in the game, the joint 3rd highest for a Welsh player behind Faletau and AWJ.

I would like to see the Welsh centres pass more, but the gameplan they played too on Saturday worked very well with both making lots of carries to tie in the English midfield and aim to give Cuthbert/North a one on one with Brown/Ashton

Top man

When you consider arguably the first choice players missing

Lydiate
Chatteris
Ryan Jones

Things are looking rosy for Wales undeed

The most apparent thing now about Wales is the days of the "Galatico Prima Donnas" have gone, they now have stability as a squad and all work for each other. I think you still have a few squad guys treading water but thankfully they are not in the first 15

Well done again

wales606 wrote:Patchell will be there sooner rather than later, we need more depth at 10.

I thought Davies was excellent against England - cutting nice angles back inside and cleaning up a lot of loose ball, he never really got the ball in space, but his ability to hold the defence and release players on his outside was very good.

Davies made 11 carries in the game, the joint 3rd highest for a Welsh player behind Faletau and AWJ.

I would like to see the Welsh centres pass more, but the gameplan they played too on Saturday worked very well with both making lots of carries to tie in the English midfield and aim to give Cuthbert/North a one on one with Brown/Ashton

Jon Davies has not been quiet at all, the centres have rarely had any ball, the ONE CHANCE that Davies has had prior to the England match he scores a try!!. Against England he hit Tualagi twice and after that the most dangerous player was very quiet, he provided the cutting angles for Roberts to hit the holes, as well as holding the attacking line (watch Biggar and who he gauges before passing to Roberts and its clear who was the offensive general last Saturday) and the stats show he hasnt missed one tackle in the 6Ns championship 2013, as well as been right up there defensively, he was the second highest carrier for Wales throughout the campaign. He was just the complete centre against England............... I am sure some people dont watch the rugby, just the attacking intent of a side

Davies played well yesterday but I do not think he has had a good 6 nations. Before this tournament I would have had him starting at 13 for the lions but that's back up in the air now.

mikey_philVIII wrote:Davies played well yesterday but I do not think he has had a good 6 nations. Before this tournament I would have had him starting at 13 for the lions but that's back up in the air now.

It's a shame that neither of our centres have the same skill levels as Tipuric.

Well I did tell you about biggar after he played that half a game when he got injured last year.



But no, it was Preistland this and Priestland that. (Just joking)

Fly,

Dont think Jones and Lydiate are both first choice its one or the other for me. Biggar needed to be given time to settle and a decent run of game which he was gievn and he came through with flying colours

Agree with a number of these assessments but not all.

Number of carries is relatively meaningless unless tied to metres made and offloads. Anyone can be given the ball a lot, especially when your side has the majority of the possession, it's what they do with it that counts.

It was certainly good to see Roberts running with a bit more force and confidence of old, don't concur about his defence though, he can do better than his 2 missed tackles from 7 against an inert England.

We still need a proper back-up for Adam Jones

bedfordwelsh wrote:Fly,

Dont think Jones and Lydiate are both first choice its one or the other for me. Biggar needed to be given time to settle and a decent run of game which he was gievn and he came through with flying colours

I agree to an extent so you have to play (if all fit and on top of their game) Lydiate who was beginning to have the consistent top draw performances, but I would have played Ryan at 8 as I feel he is a better tackler and is no slouch in ball carrying........however I think that was Tobys best game in a Welsh jersey for quite a while and he was damn good

Personally I think your best overall balance is

6 Lydiate
7 Warburton
8 Jones

Altho you have such strength in depth that you could play

6 Warburton
7 Tips
8 Faletau

Which would provide you with a totally different dynamic

or

6 Jones
7 Warburton
8 Faletau

Phew loads of options with five awesome players

What distinguishes this generation from the previous is the back row depth. As you say fly Wales now has the players to vary the approach which is a very useful quality to have. When all fit and on song having those types of players in sufficient numbers at your disposal is a blessing. I'd say it needs to be given credit as a major building block behind Welsh success in the last couple of years.

Well for Wales to have any chance of beating the likes of NZ and Australia, Wales need to win the ruck areas and get the ball out of the contact areas faster than they presently manage to do in the 6 Nations matches. Therefore why not play all five of the outstanding loose forwards from the start of the match, with the 2 biggest of the 5 guys Ryan Jones and Lydiate in the second row and the trio of Tipuric, Warburton and Faletau making up the back-row.

I think both out hookers should go with the lions. Everyone us banging on about best but Franky I haven't seen anything to suggest he's better than Hibbard our Owens at the moment.

Mckay

I think the Wales scrum and lineout was even better when Owen came on after the 51st min, not taking anything away from Hibbard. More importantly the rucking out improved with Owen tearing the ball out initially for the last Welsh try

Ryan jones is no longer an international 8.
He's not quick enough, he's not dynamic..

Very good player but for cuthburts try faletau beats 4 men, warburton makes 40 yard break and I don't need to say what Justin did..
Ryan wouldn't of been capable of any if that.

A great leader and dig of a player but more suited to lock and 6 at a push.

gboycottnut wrote:Well for Wales to have any chance of beating the likes of NZ and Australia, Wales need to win the ruck areas and get the ball out of the contact areas faster than they presently manage to do in the 6 Nations matches. Therefore why not play all five of the outstanding loose forwards from the start of the match, with the 2 biggest of the 5 guys Ryan Jones and Lydiate in the second row and the trio of Tipuric, Warburton and Faletau making up the back-row.

Generally your loose forwards do better when your tight five are winning the battle and your are going forward. This suggests that the locks (amonst others of course) are doing their job right. Might you not loose that go forward (not to mention lineouts) if you had 5 loose forwards. Not to mention the work in the scrum.

Ahem

Out of the two sides of the flank....... its recognised that the blindside (by its very nature) you have to be quick.

I cant argue that he is not as quick as Toby, but an International 8 certainly is not all about acceleration

flyhalffactory wrote:Mckay

I think the Wales scrum and lineout was even better when Owen came on after the 51st min, not taking anything away from Hibbard. More importantly the rucking out improved with Owen tearing the ball out initially for the last Welsh try

I agree. I think Owens is a better hooker and better at the breakdown but Hibbard offers a heck of a lot in contact both carrying and in defence. Its win win

youngguns6 wrote:Ryan jones is no longer an international 8.
He's not quick enough, he's not dynamic..

Very good player but for cuthburts try faletau beats 4 men, warburton makes 40 yard break and I don't need to say what Justin did..
Ryan wouldn't of been capable of any if that.

A great leader and dig of a player but more suited to lock and 6 at a push.

Its all about strength in depth and we now have that in abundance in the back row.

First choice 6 and 8 for me would be Lydiate and Faletau everytime, we then have Warbs abd Tips battling for the 7 shirt.

Warburton proved he can now play 6 at this level and Lydiate has also played 7 at this level.

Jones can play 6 and 8 and 2nd row

Shingler can play 6 - poor in Ireland game but then so were most.

Lewis Evans has been in top form and most wanted Navidi in ahead of Warburton

We have some Strom options coming through as well.

Nalvidi is a great player to deputise Warburton and Tipuric, dan Thomas at the under 20s level has been amazing.

I hope that the scrummie from the under20's gets some well-managed development at regional level before the next WC as he looks to have a very bright future.Very promising indeed.

Taffineastbourne wrote:I hope that the scrummie from the under20's gets some well-managed development at regional level before the next WC as he looks to have a very bright future.Very promising indeed.

Rhodri Williams. Played for the Scarlets last year when they got the bonus point win at Franklins Gardens. Very good player, hopefully will be regional next season.