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

Wales very lucky today. Italy have let them off the hook.
Well done on the victory

Scrum appears to be a total lottery. Wales driven backwards, prop goes down - penalty Wales?

The Saint wrote:

wolfball wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:Faletau really is a monster at the breakdowns.

Probably best player today.

Not according to Mallet and Biltong. He's a cheat apparently.

saint, at least get it right.

McCaw is a cheat, neither Mallett nor myself have mentioned Faletau.   

Engine#4 wrote:Wales are crying out for a number 10 here to take control of this game

Get Tipuric in as pivot

Be interesting to see what Webb at scrum half can do. Phillips should soon be replaced by Gareth Davies in the squad, so maybe he can stake a claim.

wales606 wrote:A 9 point lead??? of course they kick at goal!!!

Sorry mis-read the score, left my glasses in work!  

Tryyyyyyyyyyyy

Biltong wrote:

The Saint wrote:

wolfball wrote:

Nachos Jones wrote:Faletau really is a monster at the breakdowns.

Probably best player today.

Not according to Mallet and Biltong. He's a cheat apparently.

saint, at least get it right.

McCaw is a cheat, neither Mallett nor myself have mentioned Faletau.   

McCheat AKA Mr offside .

Wow bit of a finish ahead for us now!

Italy's perennial problem - they rarely seem to know how to strike when they HAVE got a team on the hook....


Hoho! Maybe they do!   

refs probably going to ask for a tmo to check whether the pass was forward...    

Like this Campagniaro. He's got a bit of pace and smarts about him.

Don't right Italy off just yet this is how they wanted it 10 mins to go and they have a sniff

DROP HALFPENNY MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN WALES I CANT SEE WHAT HE DOES OTHER THAN THROW INTERCEPTIONS AND LOOK PRETTY

Wow, just wow:picard:. Their 13 is one of a few Italian youngsters playing very well today.

Scrumpy wrote:Don't right Italy off just yet this is how they wanted it 10 mins to go and they have a sniff

*write

awful. halfpenny has been a shadow of the player that started this tournament last year. He has been poor for the blues tbh

If only Italy kicked their kicks!

Tell you what, even taking out his two tries, the Italian 13 has had a stormer. Defensively good too.

quinsforever wrote:refs probably going to ask for a tmo to check whether the pass was forward...    

It was. He just played instant advantage.   

Yep that Italy 13 is looking lively. Wales need to show their mettle now.

Itlay need to not give away the silly pens.

The Saint wrote:

Scrumpy wrote:Don't right Italy off just yet this is how they wanted it 10 mins to go and they have a sniff

*write

It's come to that has it  

Welsh forwards are very slow defending the ball

Italy have missed an easy....ish five points, otherwise it will be 20-20.

Very unimpressed with Wales and with the exception of Faletau, Hibbard Scott Williams and Priestland have been poor

Jesus thats what happens when you start showing off. There goes my 5 points in the fantasy league for MOM , nice one Halfwit

Wales starting to play rugby again rather than counting headless chickens

If the Italian players had brains they'd be dangerous what a dumb penalty to give away.

Or if Wales notched all their kicks it would be 23-15 already.........

I don't fancy playing Italy in Rome this year!

And the Halfpenny loving can start again...

Wales do seem to be given a long advantage compaired to the Italins.

I dunno, I mean Wales haven't played terribly bad, I actually think Italy have been up for this and have competed well at the breakdown... North and Cuthbert havent been given the ball as much as they should have though!

Is Roberts off now? He started really well but I haven't seen him pop up for a while?

surely its parisse MotM? unless jiffy is awarding it...

What the hell have Northampton done to Wales' favourite son, he's having a shocker!

Bergamasco rucking his own player?!   

quinsforever wrote:surely its parisse MotM? unless jiffy is awarding it...

  

Biased camera work there, nothing wrong with that footwork

The Saint wrote:What the hell have Northampton done to Wales' favourite son, he's having a shocker!

To be honest he started brightly but like the rest of the team eased off a heck of a lot once a lead was built.

Much improved side Italy. (for the 6N)

Wales just seem to not be as hungry or desperate... or maybe some rust in their 1st game. They'll need to find more energy and cut out the errors against stronger opposition.

Not particularly impressive from either side I'd say. But I don't read much into that - first games of the 6Ns often are scrappy and rusty.

Webb isn't doing any better than Phillips!

Terrible cross field kick there

yappysnap wrote:Bergamasco rucking his own player?!   

WRUburton's newly centrally contracted ankle i think

Really well deserved MoM for Campagnaro (sp)

Faletau and Roberts the only Welsh players to impress

We'll deserved MOTM for Italy No13

Awful, just awful. RP is definitely Gats love child. He was never the form pick going into the match and today it's showed.

Azzuri 13 gets MOTM, well deserved.

Poor kick from Priestland.

MotM to the Italian 13, ok deservedly but I would have given it to Hibbard who was a monster with tackling today.

Why does Priestland opt for the stupid kicks into the 22 at every opportunity? Moron.