Wales v Italy

First topic message reminder :

Should be announced soon, just making a preliminary thread. I think the squad picks itself, doubt Warbs will start.

Wales Online predict -

Probable Wales team: L Halfpenny; A Cuthbert, J Roberts, S Williams, G North; R Priestland, M Phillips; P James, R Hibbard, A Jones; AW Jones, L Charteris; D Lydiate, J Tipuric, T Faletau



Actual Wales team

Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), George North (Northampton Saints); Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro); Paul James (Bath), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, capt), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Toby Faletau (NG Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Andrew Coombs (NG Dragons), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

I'm still struggling to find the Italian team lineup...

Right, found this

Michele Rizzo  
Leonardo Ghiraldini  
Martin Castrogiovanni
Quintin Geldenhuys
Marco Bortolami
Alessandro Zanni  
Mauro Bergamasco
Sergio Parisse  
Edoardo Gori  
Tommy Allan
Leonardo Sarto
Alberto Sgarbi  
Michele Campagnaro
Angelo Esposito
Luke McLean
Davide Giazzon  
Alberto De Marchi    
Lorenzo Cittadini  
Joshua Furno      
Francesco Minto    
Tobias Botes  
Luciano Orquera    
Tomasso Iannone

So I guess the worry would be that a few injuries picked up in the course of the 6 nations would leave the squad depth suddenly exposed?

Thing is the same could be said for France who are already scrabbling around for players and certainly England in the backs who are already raiding the creche for wingers and centers.

And me Fly

I'm still struggling to find the Italian team lineup...

Right, found this

Michele Rizzo  
Leonardo Ghiraldini  
Martin Castrogiovanni
Quintin Geldenhuys
Marco Bortolami
Alessandro Zanni  
Mauro Bergamasco
Sergio Parisse  
Edoardo Gori  
Tommy Allan
Leonardo Sarto
Alberto Sgarbi  
Michele Campagnaro
Angelo Esposito
Luke McLean
Davide Giazzon  
Alberto De Marchi    
Lorenzo Cittadini  
Joshua Furno      
Francesco Minto    
Tobias Botes  
Luciano Orquera    
Tomasso Iannone

http://www.ultimaterugby.com/match/wales-vs-italy-at-the-millennium-stadium-1st-feb-2014/1267/lineup

I think it's very clear where the weakness is in that team

A very strong pack but that back line doesn't set me alight with fear. North and Jamie will be targeting Tommaso Allen that's for sure.
All our forwards need to do it get a platform and then or backs will do the damage.

Italy team:

L McLean (Treviso); A Esposito (Treviso), M Campagnaro (Treviso), A Sgarbi (Treviso), L Sarto (Zebre), T Allan (Perpignan), E Gori (Treviso); M Rizzo (Treviso) L Ghiraldini (Treviso), M Castrogiovanni (Toulon) Q Geldenhuys (Zebre), M Bortolami (Zebre), S Parisse (Stade Francais).

Replacements: D Giazzon (Zebre), A De Machi (Treviso), J Furno (Biarritz Olympique), F Minto (Treviso), T W Botes (Treviso) L Orquera (Zebre), T Iannone (Zebre).

Read more at http://www.espnscrum.com/six-nations-2014/rugby/story/212763.html#Imblb3Kq2gz6j06c.99

that just got me in the mood to watch godfather 1 , 2 and 3

jimmyinthewell68 wrote:that just got me in the mood to watch godfather 1 , 2 and 3

Sounds like a late night...!


Not a bad Italian team. Sgarbi in the centre is good, Eposito and Sarto are surprises.


There is a backrow missing from that team though isnt there....? Sergio is pretty damn good but better when Mauro Bergamasco and Alessandro Zanni help him out.

anyone watched bbc two last night . Wales vs Italy 2006 under Johnson . i dont know what was worst , the mistakes Wales made or shane Williams mullet

Column A Column B

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03t7tzl/Scrum_V_Classics_Series_3_Wales_v_Italy_2006/

Its a bit like kissing my mother

"Like kissing the mother-in-law" I believe Johnson said...

Anyway, here we go folks! Let the fun commence!

Good luck Wales! Have to prefer your style to Italy's. Let's hope the pitch holds up today and we get a memorable game.

I cant see anything but a Wales win but I really hope Italy come out fighting

Massive balls up by the Italian wing!

Try on a plate for Cuthbert

Em can someone tell Lacey that when ots a collapsed maul if the ball isn't IMMEDIATELY available its a turnover?

can someone PM me proper link? all my usuals keep skipping, cheers!

Watching on the beeb so have no link to send you Wolf, first row generally has a good supply though.

Great defence then by Italy.

Good Afternoon Boys and Girls.....

Well the boys are back in town, lets rock n roll, throw away the poncey prawn sarnies, grab a bacon butty and a pint of brains........

7-3!!!!

I'm really impressed by that chap Edison. He's absolutely everywhere for Italy.

Italy have not been outplayed, they have shown some good defence but they really lack any attacking flair.

North already looking a handful

Massive tackle!

tackle of the 6N so far

Hibbard really is a solid tackler, some big hits there.

good tackling by italy so far.

i missed the try. how was it?

Italy are actually looking really strong, either that or we're playing poorly. i cant tell. help.

IanBru wrote:I'm really impressed by that chap Edison. He's absolutely everywhere for Italy.

You would think there are 15 of him on the field.   

The Italian 14 has more than made up for his fluff that led to the try. Some excellent defence from him.

Nachos Jones wrote:Hibbard really is a solid tackler, some big hits there.

Yea you cab tell he loves that side of the game

how have the scrums been going thusfar?

Paul James having a bad day at the scrum

Castro took that one down, poor call from the ref

I swear Hibbard looks fatter every time I see him but he does get around the lark well!

didn't realise Wales have a 10 STONE advantage up front, that's going to tell later in the match

flyhalffactory wrote:didn't realise Wales have a 10 STONE advantage up front, that's going to tell later in the match

one way or the other...depends what the 10 stone is made of...

flyhalffactory wrote:didn't realise Wales have a 10 STONE advantage up front, that's going to tell later in the match

Mist of that will just be Hibbard and Joneses hair

quinsforever wrote:

flyhalffactory wrote:didn't realise Wales have a 10 STONE advantage up front, that's going to tell later in the match

one way or the other...depends what the 10 stone is made of...

A) Blubber
B) Flubber
C) Rubber
D) All of the above.

  

Some excellent turnovers on show today, they are keeping Italy in the game somewhat.

Not convinced by Phillips though...

yappysnap wrote:

flyhalffactory wrote:didn't realise Wales have a 10 STONE advantage up front, that's going to tell later in the match

Mist of that will just be Hibbard and Joneses hair

I hope you mean their head of hair...... you naughty boy yappysnap  

Phillips will forever split opinion

Munkian,

I've just changed your title to "Wales v Italy"... for the match and post-match discussions.

Hope you don't mind.

C'mon Wales... !

That is proper from Parisse, Knew it wasn't a try so didn't try to con.

flyhalffactory wrote:

yappysnap wrote:

flyhalffactory wrote:didn't realise Wales have a 10 STONE advantage up front, that's going to tell later in the match

Mist of that will just be Hibbard and Joneses hair

I hope you mean their head of hair...... you naughty boy yappysnap  

I shudder to think what else!

ref should have let that go then checked the knock-on. bad non-use of TMO. was paul james hand that knocked it back.

Have we had a completed scrum yet?

Wales disappointing this far. Offering nothing but the three man mid field crash ball.

One streaky try and lucky themselves on a couple of occassions. Could easily be trailing.

That looked forward to me...

Size matters

Great run be Roberts

quinsforever wrote:ref should have let that go then checked the knock-on. bad non-use of TMO. was paul james hand that knocked it back.

I agree, it looked like James played that back. Hard luck for Italy. I also thought that the pass to Roberts that led to the try was forward...