Wales squad additions and team for Argentina?

First topic message reminder :

Samson Lee, Rhodri Jones, Hallam Amos and Tom Prydie have been added to the squad and will partake in training this week. Davies and Jones are likely to remain absent for the rest of our matches. So I'm guessing Lee will be in the mix for selection seeing as he would be the form choice. Not so sure about the other 3 or what positions they will be considered for exactly (Is Rhodri a LH or TH? Will Amos/Prydie play at wing or full-back?).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24882510

Given the news, what changes would you make to the Wales 23 for the next test versus Argentina?

Ruby, most dynamic and most experienced after Phillips. And yet he's not in the squad.....

Lloyd or Rhodri? Im a blues fan, Rhodri.  

Scrums didn't decide the game - don't know why its being debated. Wales' poor field kicking lost the game, along with greater precision / less errors from an inform SA and a rusty Wales disrupted by injuries. SA scored 3 tries and Wales never looked like scoring one - how we missed our 2 regular centres, our try machine cuthbert and halfpenny's running at fullback.

I thought Warburton was outstanding against an equally magnificent Bok back row.

Got to start Biggar at 10 for better kicking game. I think Owen Williams will start at 13 with Scott Williams at 12. Owen reminds me of Gareth Thomas. Cory Allen's defensive line needs to improve for international rugby which he will no doubt play for a long time. George North should play 12 in certain on field positions, even though he will have 14 on his back. Anyone that is fit to play with no 11 on his back !

Bluedragon wrote:Scrums didn't decide the game - don't know why its being debated. Wales' poor field kicking lost the game, along with greater precision / less errors from an inform SA and a rusty Wales disrupted by injuries. SA scored 3 tries and Wales never looked like scoring one - how we missed our 2 regular centres, our try machine cuthbert and halfpenny's running at fullback.

I thought Warburton was outstanding against an equally magnificent Bok back row.

Got to start Biggar at 10 for better kicking game. I think Owen Williams will start at 13 with Scott Williams at 12. Owen reminds me of Gareth Thomas. Cory Allen's defensive line needs to improve for international rugby which he will no doubt play for a long time. George North should play 12 in certain on field positions, even though he will have 14 on his back. Anyone that is fit  to play with no 11 on his back !

Nice post     

If you want to play a game plan based on aerial kicking then you either need to pick Biggar or Patchell, Hook and Priestland's strengths are running.

Anyone know when the team's announced?

Probably thursday this time around, give guys like Walker and L.Williams enough time to declare their fitness.

RE, Walker, his hamstring injury is a frequent probem. The operation he had on his lower back was done to try and correct this, so I have a feeling we could be seeing a lot less of him. I'd like to see Allen and O.Williams given opportunity, I think it's too soon for Amos who is still an U20's player.

Which Owen Williams? I still don't rate the Blues' Owen Williams.

That's the only Owen Williams in the squad. I think he always played well with Roberts, and given time he can form a good midfield with Allen. He did a decent job on the wing too. I'd probably go with Allen ahead of him though.

JD2 and Adam Jones are definitely out of the remaining games, it's just been announced, so I guess the rest will be back at some stage.

Sean Edwards has come out and said he's very impressed with Amos - I wouldnt be suprised to see him get a cap against Tonga, even if its just off the bench.

It's funny (or actually not funny at all) that Prydie and Amos have been called up when the one Dragons back three player with genuine line-breaking, game-changing ability is Dan Evans. Game changers is what we need because we barely threatened at all against the Boks - and that was also our problem against the Pumas last autumn.

Wasn't Amos 16 when he started playing regional rugby? He looks a cool customer to me. i don't think he'll frighten anyone but he is very solid.

Just seen a Western Mail article which says that Tipuric made 8 tackles in the 16 minutes he was on the field.

The Saint wrote:Probably thursday this time around, give guys like Walker and L.Williams enough time to declare their fitness.

RE, Walker, his hamstring injury is a frequent probem. The operation he had on his lower back was done to try and correct this, so I have a feeling we could be seeing a lot less of him. I'd like to see Allen and O.Williams given opportunity, I think it's too soon for Amos who is still an U20's player.

Sounds like the strength and conditioning coaches at the Ospreys need to do their job properly in regards to Walker, sadly time to rehab an injury takes a while, so they jump straight into the surgery route, and not fully addressing the problem.

I thought Evans should be up there instead of Prydie

i said biggar should have been in, and rp wasn't mentally ready, well there you go.

majority of posters calling for a biggar start, which will probably mean he won't even be on the bench.

hooks fan club say he has been playing fantastic rugby for perpignan......at 15 that is. what happenend to ' every coach in wales is wrong about hook, he's a great 10' yet again he's been moved from the 10 position.

someone mentioned biggar in japan, hardly fair, look at that team around him, come on , 44 points on england, 6ns champions and we have a reference to biggar in japan !!!!!

lets go back to rp's melt down and 'Howley told me to kick ' rp at his best has gone. he was awful, and it was obvious.

munkian wrote:I thought Evans should be up there instead of Prydie

I would have had Evans instead of Amos

hook deserve a start . Amos not that heavy so not your typical gats player but howley been raving about him . i bet priestland start again , i just can't see him dropping him but perhaps for the Tonga game . is Jamie and Alex out for the whole series

Howley should spend the whole week drilling the backs (and the forwards, come to that) in how to spot an overlap and how to exploit it. You'd think it would be second nature to them, but evidently not.

RubyGuby wrote:Ritchie Rees is the most dynamic 9 at the moment IMO  

I agree. He has been playing very well.

Why and where does Hook deserve a start?

Forget deserving, he just offers more and has more experience than Beck

That's fair enough but hes had over 70 caps and never managed to tie down a starting slot in any position how many more chances does he deserve

Thats the problem with being a versitile back.

Take Ryan Jones - brilliant player, not a guranteed start either

I'd give Jordan Williams a start on the wing. Guys looked electric at times this season. Why not? Also hooky at 13....

He's not even in the training squad, pick from whats there mun !  

Meh, call him up!

At least he might actually make something happen.

what are our fit wing options in the squad now? I lose track of who's injured and who's there?

Just back from holidays. Missed last weeks game, sad to hear the result and the increased injury list...!

Hoping for a better performance this week.

My team would be.

Gethin
Hibbard
Lee
AWJ
Coombs
Lyds
Warburton
Toby
Phillips
RP
Amos
Scott W
Williams
North
Halfpenny

Keen to see Rhodri Williams bench and get a good amount of gametime but we need a first choice team to start. Argies need to be given a tougher test than last years embarrassing performance.

We need to smash em

hook was in the starting line up game when north scored two trys against south Africa . our two main centres are injured so its either Scott Williams/hook or Scott Williams /north

jimmyinthewell68 wrote: hook was in the starting line up game when   north scored two trys against south Africa . our two main centres are injured so its either   Scott Williams/hook     or  Scott Williams /north

North won't get picked as a centre unless he has had some game time there. He hasn't played centre for three years.

I am happy to see Hook play this test in the centre. It wouldn't hurt Wales to have some added footballing ability in the backline.

Howley has stated they aren't going to play HP or North out of position

I'd like to see Hook with SW in the centre with Biggar at 10 and Amos on the other wing.

Looking at the training pictures I can't see any sign of Sanjay or Walker so it will either be North/Prydie or North/Amos

Western Mail predicted this team:

Geth, Hibbard, Lee, AWJ, Bradley, Lydiate, Warbs, Faletau, Phillips, Priestland, North, Williams, Beck, Amos, 1/2p.

Charteris for Bradley, Biggar for Priestland, Hook for Beck please

Not a bad side

Considering we are likely to select Lee who is probably considered as a fourth or fifth choice option at tighthead, and we are missing three British lions from the backline.

Most of the other NH teams would suffer far more than Wales with similar injuries.

Habana sees Hibbard opposite him, skins him and sets up the first try, Hook has 2 forwards in front of him crabs across field and passes the ball a good 3 yards too early allowing the inside of the 2 SA forwards to drift and an overlap is squandered and a number of you want to select him. What has Lee Byrne done to Gatland? he would have at least straightened the line drew the man and kept the overlap going.

i think its four of our main players out injured Adam , cuth. jd2 . Jamie plus a few benchers . that would have crippled Wales in the past .

wayne wrote:Habana sees Hibbard opposite him, skins him and sets up the first try, Hook has 2 forwards in front of him crabs across field and passes the ball a good 3 yards too early allowing the inside of the 2 SA forwards to drift and an overlap is squandered and a number of you want to select him. What has Lee Byrne done to Gatland? he would have at least straightened the line drew the man and kept the overlap going.  

Gatland said Byrne is not being considered for selection when younger options who will play in the world cup are available.

wayne wrote:Habana sees Hibbard opposite him, skins him and sets up the first try, Hook has 2 forwards in front of him crabs across field and passes the ball a good 3 yards too early allowing the inside of the 2 SA forwards to drift and an overlap is squandered

What's more, it was a miss-pass - Faletau was in support but he ignored him.

[quote="maestegmafia"]

wayne wrote:Habana sees Hibbard opposite him, skins him and sets up the first try, Hook has 2 forwards in front of him crabs across field and passes the ball a good 3 yards too early allowing the inside of the 2 SA forwards to drift and an overlap is squandered and a number of you want to select him. What has Lee Byrne done to Gatland? he would have at least straightened the line drew the man and kept the overlap going.  

Gatland said Byrne is not being considered for selection when younger options who will play in the world cup are available.[/quote
MM, I don't care what Gatland says, he is playing regularly for the 2nd best team in Europe for the past 3 seasons first Leinster and now Toulon better than them and playing really well, the age thing is a smokescreen, he could be 25 and IMO he wouldn't select him.

wayne wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

wayne wrote:Habana sees Hibbard opposite him, skins him and sets up the first try, Hook has 2 forwards in front of him crabs across field and passes the ball a good 3 yards too early allowing the inside of the 2 SA forwards to drift and an overlap is squandered and a number of you want to select him. What has Lee Byrne done to Gatland? he would have at least straightened the line drew the man and kept the overlap going.  

Gatland said Byrne is not being considered for selection when younger options who will play in the world cup are available.[/quote
MM, I don't care what Gatland says, he is playing regularly for the 2nd best team in Europe for the past 3 seasons first Leinster and now Toulon better than them and playing really well, the age thing is a smokescreen, he could be 25 and IMO he wouldn't select him.

Why would you think that?

He was in the welsh squad last year, this year they considered Liam Williams better, younger and more likely to play for Wales in the next world cup.

I can't think of any logical reason why what sounds like a perfectly fair and correct justification for that decision could be considered a smokescreen?

maestegmafia wrote:Not a bad side

Considering we are likely to select Lee who is probably considered as a fourth or fifth choice option at tighthead

Who are these lunatics that consider him fourth or fifth choice?

[quote="maestegmafia"]

wayne wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

wayne wrote:Habana sees Hibbard opposite him, skins him and sets up the first try, Hook has 2 forwards in front of him crabs across field and passes the ball a good 3 yards too early allowing the inside of the 2 SA forwards to drift and an overlap is squandered and a number of you want to select him. What has Lee Byrne done to Gatland? he would have at least straightened the line drew the man and kept the overlap going.  

Gatland said Byrne is not being considered for selection when younger options who will play in the world cup are available.[/quote
MM, I don't care what Gatland says, he is playing regularly for the 2nd best team in Europe for the past 3 seasons first Leinster and now Toulon better than them and playing really well, the age thing is a smokescreen, he could be 25 and IMO he wouldn't select him.

Why would you think that?

He was in the welsh squad last year, this year they considered Liam Williams better, younger and more likely to play for Wales in the next world cup.

I can't think of any logical reason why what sounds like a perfectly fair and correct justification for that decision could be considered a smokescreen?[/quote
Maes I'm not getting into an argument with you, I've just been on the WRU website and Adam Jones and Ryan Jones are both 32, Gethin Jenkins will be 33 on Sunday, Lee Byrne was 33 in March and playing for the second best team in Europe and if you think Liam Williams is better than him, I see no point in continuing with this discussion.

"Who are these lunatics that consider him fourth or fifth choice?"

I wouldn't call him 4th or 5th choice, and was a bit surprised when he wasn't originally in the squad, but he is also far from the finished product. Have kept an eye on him in recent games and there are THs who are more busy/effective around the park.

it just come out now Howley said they not going to tinker with north and halfpennys positions . so that's 11 and 15 sorted .

jimmyinthewell68 wrote:it just  come out now  Howley said    they not going to tinker with north and halfpennys positions . so that's 11 and 15  sorted .

Jim

Gatland said that in interview before the internationals

I think leaving out Byrne was the right choice, though if we have any more wingers cropped I would be tempted to bring him in, just a stop-gap. He hasn't got the pace for this level any more.

maestegmafia wrote:

jimmyinthewell68 wrote:it just  come out now  Howley said    they not going to tinker with north and halfpennys positions . so that's 11 and 15  sorted .

Jim

Gatland said that in interview before the internationals

  hardly breaking news then . only just read it

munkian wrote:Charteris for Bradley, Biggar for Priestland, Hook for Beck please

Agreed but it will not happen, Priestland will play however rubbish he continues to play. I thought Bradley had a good game against SA but we did lack options in the line out hence I agree with Charteris choice. The Wales back row were blown away by SA, yes Warburton turned over ball but how much of our ball was turned over and no back row support defence for the mauls.

Good point Alun. A number of times the SA boys were over the ball in the tackle. When we tried to clear them out the player would manage to stay perfectly on his feet as if no one had hit him, and then win the turnover for holding on. Very weak clearing out by us. Yes, Warbs did it a couple of times too but they did it to us more often unfortunately!