Mike Phillips pass

Perhaps I'm not very observant but I noticed on Saturday that Phillips when passing from left to right, at lineouts in particular, was turning his back thus slowing down his already ponderous delivery. I know he has his positive attributes but surely an international scrum half should be able to pass adequately off both hands.

I would like to see Rhodri Williams on the bench on Saturday and given a chance.

Probably has something to do with him being a flanker until he was 17. Those 5-6 years of skills training were lost to hitting rucks, driving and tackling rather than passing.

I don't think its bad but its not test class on its own. Still a good player and he gets a raw deal from fans over it.  Chaps like Youngs and Genia aren't known for having a bullet pass either and most take a step before passing.

Passing is just one key area of a scrumhalves job these days. Peter Stringer & Keiran Bracken were the best passers of the ball I've ever seen, neither of them made it to the lions mind as the rest of their game wasn't good enough.

fa0019 wrote:

I don't think its bad but its not test class on its own. Still a good player and he gets a raw deal from fans over it.  Chaps like Youngs and Genia aren't known for having a bullet pass either and most take a step before passing.

The days of scrum halves firing the ball from ground to first receiver are probably gone. If you look most make a jump away from the breakdown to avoid being scragged the minute they put hands on the ball, while the ball presentation is just not as clean as it once was - with so many bodies lying all over the place and hands in the ruck etc.

Look at some of the old matches and see just how tidy breakdowns used to be. Many positions have changed over time.

as to young Mikey - well his running threat can buy time for outside backs and it fits really well with the direct, physical style Gatland likes. However when you start to lose all the behemoths from the back line - well maybe it is time for a change of approach. Also I still felt that he did not look fit enough for test rugby, struggling to get up and to the breakdowns as fast as when he is on form and firing.

Phillips is quite a hefty chap built like most blindside flankers.... we expect scrumhalves to be spritely and 2nd into the ruck every time. Can't expect that from a 100kg player all the time for 80 mins.

Phillips has never had a crisp pass, I believe if wales want to move on to bigger things this is one area that needs to be sorted.

Quick clean accurate and crisp passing.

If Philips was compensating for his poor skill in other areas I might excuse him, but he doesn't.  He did not use his bulk on Saturday and asked no questions around the fringes.  His basic abily to execute a fast and accurate pass on either side is lacking.  He made Priestland look worse than he was and often picks the wrong forward for the next phase, contributing to players getting isolated.

Unfortunately. Lloyd Williams is not test standard and 9 is a problem position for Wales.

It wouldn't be a problem position if we selected the right players.

fa0019 yes...Peter Stringer and Kyran Bracken - two of my favourites scrum halves... both such underrated players. I would definitely take a prime Bracken over any of the current England 9s.

Phillips has never been able to pass the ball properly. As fa0019 says many scrum halves are guilty of being sluggish in getting the ball to the rest of the backs. Unfortunately Phillips is the most guilty.

If Wales want to improve they must pick someone else at 9 to give their monster backs quick ball in my opinion.

Not sure what Keiran Bracken is doing now but he should be the no.1 scrumhalf coach in the country.

Not just his passing but he would destroy opposition ball especially at the scrum.  He would disrupt a pass off the scrum nearly every game. Used to tear Gregan to shreds in that department.

But as I said, chaps like Dawson etc offered more and subsequently got the nod when it came to big games, lions tours etc.

Funnily enough Kyran Bracken is meant to have worked with B.Youngs as a mentor/coach. Surprised it hasn't help him get the ball out quicker. 

I always preferred Bracken to Dawson but perhaps that's just the bias. I liked Dawson but the way Bracken passed the ball was what I preferred.

It kind of scares me to think what Wales could be like with a decent 9.

Biltong wrote:Phillips has never had a crisp pass, I believe if wales want to move on to bigger things this is one area that needs to be sorted.

Quick clean accurate and crisp passing.

I do see where your coming from and i would like to see someone different there but the truth is we don't really have anyone else who is capable. I dn think Mike will last much longer but all our scrum halves are really young and would struggle. The only one who i think could do a descent job is Richie Rees but he isn't in favor of Gatland.
I don't mind Mike because he does offer other qualities that no other nine's can do but i do agree that we do need quicker service