Wales Tour of Japan

First topic message reminder :

I know there was a thread on this somewhere, but it's been swamped.

Wales Lions - likely replacements

Halfpenny - Liam Williams
Cuthbert - Walker, Robinson
Davies - Williams, Maule
Roberts - Beck, Hewitt
North - Owen Williams (gutted for Mike Poole)
Phillips - Aled Davies, Tavis Knoyle
Jenkins - Gill
Hibbard - Myhill
Jones - Mitchell
AW Jones - Lou Reed
Ian Evans - King, Kohn
Lydiate - Ieuan Jones
Warburton and Tipuric - Thomas
Faletau - Bearman

What do you think? Anybody else you'd like to see tour Japan?

Wales Training Squad:
Forwards: Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Sam Hobbs (Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Blues), Lou Reed (Blues), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Andries Pretorius (Blues), Josh Navidi (Blues).
Backs: Lloyd Williams (Blues), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Aled Davis (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Owen Williams (Blues), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Blues), Tom Prydie (Dragons), Steven Shingler (London Irish).

LATEST WRU PRESS RELEASE:




Wales Training Squad Update

Wales have called Cardiff Blues outside half Rhys Patchell and Newport Gwent Dragons hooker Sam Parry into their training squad for the tour of Japan but Scarlets fly-half Rhys Priestland has been ruled out of the tour.

Priestland aggravated his Achilles tendon in the warm-up of the Scarlets’ RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final on Friday evening and will miss the two-test tour.

Patchell, 19, who has scored 147 points in 22 appearances for the Blues this season and Haverfordwest born Parry, joined up with the training squad when they met for the first time this morning.

Ken Owens, Scott Williams and Liam Williams who picked up knocks in the defeat to Ulster, will continue to be monitored by the National Squad medical team.

Rhys PATCHELL (CARDIFF BLUES - Uncapped)
DoB: 17.05.93. 6’2” / 1.88m. 14st 13lbs / 95kgs
International record: Uncapped

Sam PARRY (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Uncapped)
DoB: 17.12.91. 6’1” / 1.86m. 16st 11lbs / 107kgs
International record: Uncapped.

Further update:

Scott Williams out. Will not be replaced in the squad.

Further update:

Ken Owens confirmed out, won't be replaced. 27 man squad TBA.

Cheers Munkian:

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE WELSH RUGBY UNION:
WALES ANNOUNCE JAPAN TOUR SQUAD

Cardiff Blues lock Bradley Davies will lead Wales in the forthcoming two-test tour of Japan.

The 26-year-old was named captain as Head Coach for the Japan tour Robin McBryde reduced his initial training squad down to a 27-man touring party.

The squad includes nine uncapped players including Ospreys duo Dafydd Howells and Dan Baker and Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell.

Props Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues) and Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs) who all featured for Wales in the 2013 RBS 6 Nations are joined by Saracens’ Rhys Gill and Rhodri Jones (Scarlets).

Uncapped pair Emyr Phillips (Scarlets) and Scott Baldwin (Ospreys) are named as hookers.

Davies returns to the squad after missing the Six Nations campaign due to injury and is named alongside Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Lou Reed (Blues) and James King (Ospreys).

Baker, 20, who featured 25 times for Swansea in the Principality Premiership this season, joins Scarlets duo Aaron Shingler and Rob McCusker and Blues captain Andries Pretorius.

Lloyd Williams (Blues) and Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets) are named at scrum-half alongside Dan Biggar (Ospreys) and Patchell at fly-half.

In the backline Ospreys trio Ashley Beck, Jonathan Spratt and 18-year-old Howells are joined by Blues duo Owen Williams and Harry Robinson, Liam Williams (Scarlets), Tom Prydie (Dragons) and Steven Shingler (London Irish).

Wales face Eddie Jones’ Japan in Osaka on June 8th and then in Tokyo on June 15th and McBryde has been impressed with his squad over the past ten days.

“We’ve had the training squad together for more than a week and we’ve been impressed,” said McBryde.

“They have really put the effort in and stepped up as we have asked them to. Everyone in the training squad put their hand up for selection making our jobs much harder.

“It’s a chance for these players now to experience the international test environment and put their marker down.
Wales Squad:

Forwards: Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Blues), Lou Reed (Blues), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Andries Pretorius (Blues).

Backs: Lloyd Williams (Blues), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Patchell (Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Owen Williams (Blues), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Blues), Tom Prydie (Dragons), Steven Shingler (London Irish).

Very frustrating so far

Wales should be out of sight

Morning. Anybody got a decent iPad link?

Don are you based in the UK?  You can watch here if so...

http://www.s4c.co.uk/clic/c_live.shtml

Arrgh!  more frustration for Wales.  Good phases and play but the Japanese defence holds firm.  Robinson did well there.

The breakdown is so much better than last week

They are losing possession from knock ons and getting pushed into touch

If they avoid the touchline then they should get a try eventually

Say what you like about Lloyd Williams, but he passes the ball beautifully

Thank the proverbial for that!  Prydie in with try number one.  They needed that.

6-8 at 44:52.

Missed conversion.

Finally!

Prydie in the corner after a neat wrap around between Patchell and Biggar

That was a beautiful pass from Patchell - eespecially since he would never have practised alongside Biggar

Beautifully created. Probably let Patchell have a pop at the posts next though.

Biggar misses another kick - I wonder if that leg injury has had an effect on his kicking at least

Tom Prydie is such a negative pointless selection. 
He hasn't played for Wales in 10 years and by the next world cup he'll be 35.

We need to be looking at youth.

Yeah give Patchell a turn.  Biggar's only got one of three now.  Not having a good day at the kicking office.

Japanese centre scores their first try.  Game on.

11 - 8 before conversion at 49 minutes.

And Japan have a try

ARGGGG!

Shaun Edwards will be having an anuerism

Fantastic play.

Anyone else noticed that the only the Wales coaches with hair are in Australia?

And Japan convert

Wales have been dominant in all areas, but they are 5pts down!

13 - 8....and the on-screen clock seems to have stuck...

Knoyle on for Williams
Coombs on for Reed I think.

Craig Wing is the lad I had a photo with along with the Asian 5 Nations trophy. Wish I'd kicked him now

Out on the full

F*ck

Jebus...Japan on the attack now, thank gawd for infringements.  The ref blows up and we're away.

Dafydd Howells on for Liam Williams so Prydie at fullback now.

Biggar offside!

Howells on, Prydie to fullback I guess

Bit of a mistake taking Liam Williams off if you ask me

WALES - I think Williams is carrying an injury, he was limping a bit earlier.

Excellent follow up by Pretorious winnning the penalty

More handbags...   same Japanese player who was involved before.  Japan's answer to Mike Phillips!

Rhodri Jones on for Rhys Gill.  Indeed Williams has pulled a hamstring just confirmed.

Pretorius .......... why? I really hope that there is a better 2nd choice to Faletau somewhere in Wales.

Rather conservative by Prydie

He doesn't really get the distance on the kicks that I would like for a fullback

Jeez!  That Japanese centre is off again...he could've gone all the way there.

Pretorious did very well there to bring down the centre from behind

FFS Wales!  What a soft try.  No defence there at all.

18-8 at 60:34

Awful awful defense by Wales - the forwards gave the backs ages to get back in line and prevent the overlap

Japan are going to win this game by having a much better organised defense

If Wales want to play like clueless fannies between every 6N they can do it without me humouring them by watching. Wish to hell I hadn't efforted to wake up for this tosh!

20-8 at 61 minutes.

Navidi is off

Awful decision unless he is injured

Well, we know one thing...Wales have no second XV.  We're bugggered.

STOP KICKING FOR THE CORNER - TAKE THE POINTS WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE!

Wales - he's been blood subbed I think.  They said he's having stitches anyway.

Awh noooo...Patchell.  So close, and there's no TMO!

Why an awful decision to take Navidi off? He's contributed very little to this game in attack or defense

That was clever kicking it away.

Cari wrote:Well, we know one thing...Wales have no second XV.  We're bugggered.

This is mainly 3rd tier here

Cari wrote:Well, we know one thing...Wales have no second XV.  We're bugggered.

It's not really a second XV either.

It does highlight how stupid it was to leave players like Ryan Jones in Wales. You should supplement youth with a bit more experience.

Looked like Patchell grounded that to me!

Rev - indeed.

Schitt...off they go again.  Could be a blydi whitewash at this rate!

How did Wales lose that against the head!

This is awful

There's been some great tackles by the Japanese to be fair.

Can't see Wales scoring before long at this rate...