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

The Saint wrote:Anyways lads, I'll be popping over the local for France vs England. It's been a pleasure, hope I haven't upset anyone (bar scrumpy as he's really upset over the Wales win).

Why would I be upset about wales beating Italy?

Anyway time for the main course of the day  

I just can't stand coaches that can't give full credit to opponents.

Galtand is quick to say the Italy tries were from intercpets and turn overs, as if they were lucky to score.

Yet he forgets a team works hard in defence to effect turnovers and Wales themselves got a try from a poor mistake from Italy in the first few minutes of the game.

Old turnip head strikes again!

Bad luck Italy, the game was there to take, best team on the day lost. I see the welsh crowd are keeping up their tradition of NOT respecting the kickers.

Biltong wrote:I just can't stand coaches that can't give full credit to opponents.

Galtand is quick to say the Italy tries were from intercpets and turn overs, as if they were lucky to score.

Yet he forgets a team works hard in defence to effect turnovers and Wales themselves got a try from a poor mistake from Italy in the first few minutes of the game.

Thats Gats for you though. Esp. as italy were the ones who cost themselves, if they could be a bit more patcient.

But fair play to Wales they took their chances.

1/2 is bad in attack and doesn't do to much going forward NOT because he can but because he's not allowed.

36 and Burrell will be salivating at the amount of ground made by those lightweight Italian backs against their heavyweight opposition. I didn't see the final stats but around half time the Italian had mad 100m off 42 attacks the Welsh 102 off 52, bearing in mind that about 40 of that was Williams try, the rest didn't do much.

I front row of 2 Lions and what a lot of posters regard as the strongest scrummaging LH you have were frequently taken apart although I have to admit I couldn't what the ref was blowing for and often thought it should have gone the other way ) both sides).

I think they were only half cooked today, play like that against Ireland and thier Grand Slam hopes will be history.

Is playing Phillips, Wales way of slowing down the game to let there ponderous forward have a rest. My grandson could clear the ball quicker and probably further, such a short passing range.

Didn't see the first half but the second was not great rugby. Italy showed to be competative with last seasons winner - they will win games this year. Walse will have to do better to win another championship

game needed a ten to play in control , put us in the right areas, didn't happen. flashes yes, but bit of a la hook showboating when he should have passed. cost a try. chosen at ten for heads up expansive play..........bo##ocks .gatland only needs a snifter of form from rp in the domestic game and he will pick him.
today was a game we should have kept the ball and used it, rp was dire kicking away possession, no need. biggar should be given the next game. as for the last 6n against Ireland that was biggars first start in a 6ns game.
why not praise the tactical lesson biggar gave the English . like Stephen jones biggar doesn't fit the
welsh idea of an all singing dancing 10. but he is the best by some margin at the moment.

not satisfied with that performance but a win is a win.

Why was Samson Lee not on bench?

We are sticking the the game plan which by general consensus wont win us games vs SH teams and when the game looks unstructured we look bereft of ideas and basic decision making lets us down...

still need a big improvement next week

and it becomes unstructured when the ten isn't managing the game. play drifted laterally. Roberts and faletau. put hands up, but control of the game was non existent.

yes to an extent and when no one is offering aa good ten will kick well which is something that rp is not great at

I actually thought we were pretty rubbish today, all game. Credit to Italy, yada yada. But they didn't make us play bad. We were just bad.

Griff wrote:I actually thought we were pretty rubbish today, all game. Credit to Italy, yada yada. But they didn't make us play bad. We were just bad.

Yep,

though we haven't had a good start to the 6Ns for ages,

next week is the important one - not to worried about PD at the moment, especially with England losing, if we can take points of Ireland next week then we will be in the driving seat when France come to Cardiff.

Griff wrote:I actually thought we were pretty rubbish today, all game. Credit to Italy, yada yada. But they didn't make us play bad. We were just bad.

So no credit to Italy then...   

Wales won and it's not a bad thing to approach the Ireland game knowing they have a lot of improvement to make up.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:

Griff wrote:I actually thought we were pretty rubbish today, all game. Credit to Italy, yada yada. But they didn't make us play bad. We were just bad.

So no credit to Italy then...   

Wales won and it's not a bad thing to approach the Ireland game knowing they have a lot of improvement to make up.

All I mean by the 'no credit to Italy' is that I don't think we did enough with the ball that we had, and could have done more, and that it wasn't all down to them having an awesome defensive game. It was more that we made bad choices and kicked too much possession away (such is the game plan). If Italy were hammering away at us relentlessly all game and we kept them out a few times then yes, credit to them. But it wasn't the sort of game. Although I can see that a close scoreline is hard to explain in any other way than it was a close game!

I wanted George North to catch Edoardo Gori's kick in the 35th minute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5UPbQhuQ6A

I wanted Rhys Preistland to not lose possession of the ball in the 43rd minute (about 2 minutes & 10 seconds into this video [linked below]).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25971756

I wanted Luke Charteris to not kick the ball into touch in the 56th minute.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKI8t3-1Suw

I wanted Leigh Halfpenny to not 'gift' Michele Campagnaro a try in the 69th minute (about 3 minutes & 20 seconds into this video [linked below]).

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25971756

Well won't go down as a classic but we did what we had to do. I'm happy but we just needs to be 10 times better next week.
Thought Jamie,Hibbard and Dan were both great looked in good form. Others were quite, Rhys played good but our kicking game is still cr@p. Not blaming Rhys for that thought Because its what he has been told to do; it's just sh!t tactics.
Itlay were awesome though especially in defense they can go on with a lot of confidence and it looks like they might have finally found an international class center.
We still don't use George or Cuthbert as much as we should either but no injuries was the bets thing to come out of the match. Can;t see there being any changes next week apart from Gethin coming in and hopefully Samson on the bench.

I think what Jamie Roberts said approximately 5 minutes & 4 seconds into this video (linked below) is possibly true. He said, something like, "We certainly made it hard for ourselves I think the… two tries Italy scored obviously one's an interception and one's a turnover so… we’ve got to tighten up those mistakes in our game and certainly if we do them against Ireland next week we’ll lose the match."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25971756

I was there...

Italy were very good in defence, very quick to the breakdown and caused Wales to make mistakes.

Wales were a bit rusty but all credit to Italy. All anyone wants to do is win their first game and Wales have done that.

Italy beat Ireland and France last year and could have beaten England. We want Italy to be competitive, especially with the toughest game of all next week.

Wales will raise their game. It's a HUGE fixture and it will be an entirely different animal.

Two very even games today that could have gone either way. Shows how close this championship is going to potentially be.

Yes Wales could have again been 'caught with their pants down' but they really didn't create much at all & must improve.

Italy took their chances but I think their backs look brittle & will be overpowered in other games.

george doors wrote:Bad luck Italy, the game was there to take, best team on the day lost. I see the welsh crowd are keeping up their tradition of NOT respecting the kickers.

The thing is respect for kickers has been completely lost now days. You can;t say that we have a tradition because the fact is all nations do it now and it really pi$$es me off. The Irish are usually the best for respecting the kicker but all the other nations don't really. Harsh saying we are making it a tradition.

George Doors has always been a poor wum, and now he's a little upset that his two teams lost. No surprise to see him take it out on Wales, everyone else does.

Jhamer25 wrote:

george doors wrote:Bad luck Italy, the game was there to take, best team on the day lost. I see the welsh crowd are keeping up their tradition of NOT respecting the kickers.

The thing is respect for kickers has been completely lost now days. You can;t say that we have a tradition because the fact is all nations do it now and it really pi$$es me off. The Irish are usually the best for respecting the kicker but all the other nations don't really. Harsh saying we are making it a tradition.

not so. at HQ there is still silence for all kicks.

problem at MS is half the fans are half cut and dont know much about actual tradition, and would probably be more comfortable at a football match.

the French crowd today were very respectful of Farrell, but they all did try to put Goode off when he took the kick at 75 mins. i actually thought that was pretty funny. be respectuful, but if it's a potentially match changing kick then all's fair.

quinsforever wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:

george doors wrote:Bad luck Italy, the game was there to take, best team on the day lost. I see the welsh crowd are keeping up their tradition of NOT respecting the kickers.

The thing is respect for kickers has been completely lost now days. You can;t say that we have a tradition because the fact is all nations do it now and it really pi$$es me off. The Irish are usually the best for respecting the kicker but all the other nations don't really. Harsh saying we are making it a tradition.

not so. at HQ there is still silence for all kicks.

problem at MS is half the fans are half cut and dont know much about actual tradition, and would probably be more comfortable at a football match.

the French crowd today were very respectful of Farrell, but they all did try to put Goode off when he took the kick at 75 mins. i actually thought that was pretty funny. be respectuful, but if it's a potentially match changing kick then all's fair.

Not so. There has been booing for some kicks from the home crowd at HQ in the past.

quinsforever wrote:
not so. at HQ there is still silence for all kicks.

Well said

quinsforever wrote:problem at MS is half the fans are half cut and dont know much about actual tradition, and would probably be more comfortable at a football match.

Good point, well made

not when i've been there. i've heard individual players get booed for cheating or poor sportsmanship but never generic kicks. haven't been to all their home games mind, and don't know when you are referring to "in the past"

EnglishReign wrote:Can't see past a win for the Azzuri here.

Just stumbled upon this little gem.
Steer well clear of those prediction of Rugby match results websites or you could end up embarrassing yourself  

quinsforever wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:

george doors wrote:Bad luck Italy, the game was there to take, best team on the day lost. I see the welsh crowd are keeping up their tradition of NOT respecting the kickers.

The thing is respect for kickers has been completely lost now days. You can;t say that we have a tradition because the fact is all nations do it now and it really pi$$es me off. The Irish are usually the best for respecting the kicker but all the other nations don't really. Harsh saying we are making it a tradition.

not so. at HQ there is still silence for all kicks.

problem at MS is half the fans are half cut and dont know much about actual tradition, and would probably be more comfortable at a football match.

the French crowd today were very respectful of Farrell, but they all did try to put Goode off when he took the kick at 75 mins. i actually thought that was pretty funny. be respectuful, but if it's a potentially match changing kick then all's fair.

There is booing at HQ and has been the last few times have been there, it just doesn't seem to be appreciated as much these days sign of times I guess. Farrell has previously said he doesn't like it quiet and the boos not bother him.

Whistling or booing kickers - who cares? this is a pro game and it shouldn't put anyone off

Scrumpy wrote:

The Saint wrote:Anyways lads, I'll be popping over the local for France vs England. It's been a pleasure, hope I haven't upset anyone (bar scrumpy as he's really upset over the Wales win).

Why would I be upset about wales beating Italy?

Anyway time for the main course of the day  

What was that then Humble pie   

Didn't notice any booing tbh, What was wierd was the screaming by the crowd when something exciting happened. Where 1direction there?

My wifi died last night. As a result not much I could say that probably hasn't been said multiple times already. If Wales continue in that vein they'll have NOTHING to celebrate come the end of the 6N. As in the autumn it's a case of sparse decisive moments sandwiched between lengthy periods of uninventive, unstructured mediocrity. The players must eventually learn how to walk the walk, far too much mouth-flapping so far and nothing to justify any of it.

I'm sorry but this really has to be said: Wales' breakdown must be one of the worst in the world at present. Only Faletau looked like he was putting in a half-decent shift, the rest of the pack mainly loiter around and let runners get isolated and turned over. It's all well and good a couple of players actually have the wits to notice but why is the problem left to fester? It's been in this sorry state more or less since the England game almost a year ago.

Oh, and thanks as usual Warren for telling the boys to pull their fingers out and to stop playing like schoolboys... NOT. Reasonable start my arse!

I have a couple of theories on the Welsh performance:

1. The lack of intensity and tactics was mostly to throw off analysis of them for the rest of the tournament against the big guns, they may have arrogantly assumed they could beat Italy at home without leaving 2nd gear. This would be very tin foil but I can see Gatland pulling a stunt like this. Is he saving something for the rest of the teams?

2. They are rusty, hence the pointless up and unders and crossfield kicks and wayward passes. Priestland maybe trying a bit too hard to impress Gatland.

IronMike wrote:I have a couple of theories on the Welsh performance:

1. The lack of intensity and tactics was mostly to throw off analysis of them for the rest of the tournament against the big guns, they may have arrogantly assumed they could beat Italy at home without leaving 2nd gear. This would be very tin foil but I can see Gatland pulling a stunt like this. Is he saving something for the rest of the teams?

2. They are rusty, hence the pointless up and unders and crossfield kicks and wayward passes. Priestland maybe trying a bit too hard to impress Gatland.

I thought the attacking kicking game was good, Cuthberts try being the best example, but ALS o putting the ball in the air over an inexperienced winger with big lads like North or Cuthbert baring down fast on them will creat opportunities for us.

I remember one kick going towards north and looking like it really could have given him ball in space at pace.

maestegmafia wrote:I remember one kick going towards north and looking like it really could have given him ball in space at pace.

Are you remembering Rhys Preistland's kick in the 30th minute (about 1 hour, 1 minute & 45 seconds into this video [linked below])?

I wanted George North to catch that kick.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03tdfq1/hd/Six_Nations_Rugby_2014_Wales_v_Italy/

My theory for Wales' sluggish second half, is over training and too much faith in the miraculous recovery of cryotherapy. I don't think they tapered their training sufficiently.

quinsforever wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:

george doors wrote:Bad luck Italy, the game was there to take, best team on the day lost. I see the welsh crowd are keeping up their tradition of NOT respecting the kickers.

The thing is respect for kickers has been completely lost now days. You can;t say that we have a tradition because the fact is all nations do it now and it really pi$$es me off. The Irish are usually the best for respecting the kicker but all the other nations don't really. Harsh saying we are making it a tradition.

not so. at HQ there is still silence for all kicks.

problem at MS is half the fans are half cut and dont know much about actual tradition, and would probably be more comfortable at a football match.

the French crowd today were very respectful of Farrell, but they all did try to put Goode off when he took the kick at 75 mins. i actually thought that was pretty funny. be respectuful, but if it's a potentially match changing kick then all's fair.

You must be a popular guy then quins, knowing half the fans at the MS to know they'd be more comfortable watching footie  

Norfolklass wrote:My theory for Wales' sluggish second half, is over training and too much faith in the miraculous recovery of cryotherapy. I don't think they tapered their training sufficiently.

Martin Williams used the exact term, "Over training" on Scrum V in his opening statement to explain Wales' sluggish performance.

can some one remind me. who got Man of the Match yesterday?

Does any one expect Biggar to start Wales next game?

majesticimperialman wrote:can some one remind me. who got Man of the Match yesterday?

Does any one expect Biggar to start Wales next game?

I'm sure you know already, plus you could simply google it as you're online anyway, but I'll be kind: the Italian centre who scored 2 tries own man of the match.

majesticimperialman wrote:can some one remind me. who got Man of the Match yesterday?

Does any one expect Biggar to start Wales next game?

No. Think Priestland will have to do something pretty bad to get dropped by Gatland, to be honest

well done Wales . a win a win . ok we was bit rusty and lots of poor handling errors but that's the norm with Wales first game . unlucky Italy . i think they ll have another scalp or two again this tournament .

Started off slowly, won our first match fairly comfortably (interception aside)

I'm fairly confident we'll pick our game up to give Ireland a good game - they are normally one of the best matches of the 6 Nations

sheephead wrote:

quinsforever wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:

george doors wrote:Bad luck Italy, the game was there to take, best team on the day lost. I see the welsh crowd are keeping up their tradition of NOT respecting the kickers.

The thing is respect for kickers has been completely lost now days. You can;t say that we have a tradition because the fact is all nations do it now and it really pi$$es me off. The Irish are usually the best for respecting the kicker but all the other nations don't really. Harsh saying we are making it a tradition.

not so. at HQ there is still silence for all kicks.

problem at MS is half the fans are half cut and dont know much about actual tradition, and would probably be more comfortable at a football match.

the French crowd today were very respectful of Farrell, but they all did try to put Goode off when he took the kick at 75 mins. i actually thought that was pretty funny. be respectuful, but if it's a potentially match changing kick then all's fair.

You must be a popular guy then quins, knowing half the fans at the MS to know they'd be more comfortable watching footie  

the giveaway was when half the crowd started cheering when the kick went under the crossbar

Norfolklass wrote:

Norfolklass wrote:My theory for Wales' sluggish second half, is over training and too much faith in the miraculous recovery of cryotherapy. I don't think they tapered their training sufficiently.

Martin Williams used the exact term,  "Over training" on Scrum V in his opening statement to explain Wales' sluggish performance.

how is this an acceptable excuse? it's not as if it's me doing my first ever triathlon! professional rugby players and professional rugby coaches. if it's self inflicted it cannot be an excuse.

quinsforever wrote:

Norfolklass wrote:

Norfolklass wrote:My theory for Wales' sluggish second half, is over training and too much faith in the miraculous recovery of cryotherapy. I don't think they tapered their training sufficiently.

Martin Williams used the exact term,  "Over training" on Scrum V in his opening statement to explain Wales' sluggish performance.

how is this an acceptable excuse? it's not as if  it's me doing my first ever triathlon! professional rugby players and professional rugby coaches. if it's self inflicted it cannot be an excuse.

Who said it was an excuse? Its just a couple of opinions on why Wales didn't look as sharp as they have been, though I don't buy it. I just don't believe Wales were really up for it.

no, cant see biggar even on the bench, I think he should have been given the first game, then pick rp if biggar messed up. been treated very unfairly, we've been told best in form players get picked, that has been a joke. rp in defence is another joke.also, biggar would not have lost that ball that led to the try.

biggar is a better goal kicker than rp and hook should half p go off. he is the best out of hand too.
rp was picked for his passing......another joke, he shunted the ball to avoid tackles on a few occasions. the other 6ns teams will target him . and again the games will loose structure and we will be found wanting. we won last year, biggar was superb apart from the first half against Ireland . his only bad spell in his first start in a 6ns.

howley said he was baffled by some decision making, I wasn't.

Whilst Hook is around then I cant see Priestland and Biggar being in the same 23.

It will be one or other starting with Hook offering utility cover off the bench.

Haven't seen the game on TV so perhaps I missed important bits. At the ground I watched Adam Jones and Roberts and both looked good.

There was a a strange 10 mins in the second half where a couple of the welsh players seemed to go into "Overdrive" then relaxed. It was odd. Almost like some signal was given to try something or change of tactic and then stop. Probably because it didn't work.

Also, Wales didn't play Gatland ball and was going wide far too early. Italy had players all over the pitch in defence. Wales needed to get a driving game going especially to tie in with Pariese.


Italy were tough and no team should under estimate them especially at home.

quinsforever wrote:

sheephead wrote:

quinsforever wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:

george doors wrote:Bad luck Italy, the game was there to take, best team on the day lost. I see the welsh crowd are keeping up their tradition of NOT respecting the kickers.

The thing is respect for kickers has been completely lost now days. You can;t say that we have a tradition because the fact is all nations do it now and it really pi$$es me off. The Irish are usually the best for respecting the kicker but all the other nations don't really. Harsh saying we are making it a tradition.

not so. at HQ there is still silence for all kicks.

problem at MS is half the fans are half cut and dont know much about actual tradition, and would probably be more comfortable at a football match.

the French crowd today were very respectful of Farrell, but they all did try to put Goode off when he took the kick at 75 mins. i actually thought that was pretty funny. be respectuful, but if it's a potentially match changing kick then all's fair.

You must be a popular guy then quins, knowing half the fans at the MS to know they'd be more comfortable watching footie  

the giveaway was when half the crowd started cheering when the kick went under the crossbar

You're right, cheering is a football trait!