AWJ - Elephant in the room?

Perhaps it's my perception but I've said it for years. Wales's lineout seems far more solid when AWJ doesn't play.

Against France the pack looked far more cohesive.

If you were Lawres would you rather play against AWJ that everyone knows inside out or an unknown quantity of Ball?

AWJ always seems to be in the middle of a maul in an upright position trying to grab the ball carrier. What's the point? He can't drive from there!?

England must be looking at the Wales Ireland game thinking the maul will be a useful tactic. Should Wales select Ball who is less "Athletic" but may have more grunt?

AWJ does give a lot of effort but seems to me for relit evilly little gain.

Now the championship is unwinable is it time to rest AWJ?

slartibartfast wrote:Perhaps it's my perception but I've said it for years. Wales's lineout seems far more solid when AWJ doesn't play.

Against France the pack looked far more cohesive.

If you were Lawres would you rather play against AWJ that everyone knows inside out or an unknown quantity of Ball?

AWJ always seems to be in the middle of a maul in an upright position trying to grab the ball carrier. What's the point? He can't drive from there!?

England must be looking at the Wales Ireland game thinking the maul will be a useful tactic. Should Wales select Ball who is less "Athletic" but may have more grunt?

AWJ does give  a lot of effort but seems to me for relit evilly little gain.

Now the championship is unwinable is it time to rest AWJ?

How is the championship un-winable?

slartibartfast wrote:

Now the championship is unwinable is it time to rest AWJ?

After a long week in work and a Sunday shift to look forward to I needed a good laugh so thanks for that     

I'm not overly an AWJ fan for his body angle in ball carrying either, so I take your point on his maul position.

slartibartfast wrote:

AWJ always seems to be in the middle of a maul in an upright position trying to grab the ball carrier. What's the point? He can't drive from there!?

Yeah but.........Gatland and his fellow coaches do........... coach?

I hear this so much and it always amuses me and frustrates me in equal measure.  A player that has his personal skills playing his game in a team where other qualities are needed and blatantly obvious that more is needed by fans.  But the player is criticised because he keeps playing the style that isn't working.

Where do the coaches come into it?  They just keep picking a player who has the wrong skill-set for their gameplan? Or do they try to coach and coax, and advise the player to change his technique here, ramp up his speed there etc. - Coaches doing their job to get the gameplan that they want churning.

It crops up a lot with 9s.  Many of us think some of them operate too casually, too slow, keep their backs out of the game etc.  But surely, wise coaches see what fans see and tell such players to "hurry the f**k up with decisions!!!!, you Bas***d!!!"

Hmm. I can see why people get defensive.

Do the coaches ask him to look shaky in the Lineout?

Problem is, he's been the best lock Wales had regardless of his short comings.

Is it time to shake things up hand a chance to another for the next two games?

I'm not dull enough to think that Gats would do this.

AWJ.

An ELEPHANT? I know he is a big lad but i would not call him an Elephant by any means.

slartibartfast wrote:Perhaps it's my perception but I've said it for years. Wales's lineout seems far more solid when AWJ doesn't play.

Against France the pack looked far more cohesive.

If you were Lawres would you rather play against AWJ that everyone knows inside out or an unknown quantity of Ball?

AWJ always seems to be in the middle of a maul in an upright position trying to grab the ball carrier. What's the point? He can't drive from there!?

England must be looking at the Wales Ireland game thinking the maul will be a useful tactic. Should Wales select Ball who is less "Athletic" but may have more grunt?

AWJ does give  a lot of effort but seems to me for relit evilly little gain.

Now the championship is unwinable is it time to rest AWJ?

How is the Championship un winnable?

And in relation to him being an elephant…..i believe he is marginally over rated, has made some howlers especially v England, and line out may not be his strongest role, but he brings so much more in his defense, carrying and aggression. It's not an unreasonable question to ask after Ball's debut but i think we need him to start against the English.

The simple answer to this question is no. He is world class, has been the core of our team for the past 5 years, core tot he lions success and is one of the best locks in world rugby.

Even though i'm a very very very big fan of Jake Ball, i wouldn't be tempted to leave a player of Alyn Wyns ability out of any team.

If he hadn't been injured in the build up to the France match he would have played, would we have lost the match if he had played - No so for me he comes back in at the expense of either Charteris or Ball.

I agree, Ball and Charteris played well but not enough to oust AWJ

maestagmafia

I don't like the idea of a player who has been injured coming straight back into a team when their are 2 players in the team that have not done anything to warrant being dropped.

No if he is fit he should a bench spot atleast. but why should the likes of Ball and Charteris be droopped just for him?

majesticimperialman wrote:maestagmafia

I don't like the idea of a player who has been injured coming straight back into a team when their are 2 players in the team that have not done anything  to warrant being dropped.

No if he is fit he should a bench spot atleast. but why should the likes of Ball and Charteris be droopped just for him?

He wasn't injured.

He will come back in because he is a better player who missed a game due to an infection.

Same as Paul O'Connell for Ireland.

I think coaches from all countries/teams will always take a risk on certain players as those players are clearly the best in their positions.

In AWJs case its not as if he is returning from a long lay off and up until a few hours before kick off last week he was still in the starting line up so its not as if he's lost much time with the squad or match fitness etc.

I am guessing that Charteris, Ball and Coombs are expecting the news that AWJ will start and then one (Coombs) will drop out of squad and one of the others will drop to the bench.