Wales Team to Face Scotland

With Halfpenny now out for the rest of the season, at least one change is inevitable. However will/should there be more? Rhys Webb may not be fit, should Phillips come in, or should Gatland have one eye on RWC 2015. Will Priestland be dropped, if so will he be on the bench. How about Gethin Jenkins? MotM against Scotland, yellow card today. AWJ rushed back, looked short of match fitness.

So Welsh fans, name two XVs, the one you would pick and the one you expect Gatland to pick.

On a related note, Tiger:
https://www.606v2.com/t52458-wales-v-scotland-15-march

I'm not a Welsh fan, but I would bring in bring James, Lee and Tipuric into the pack and start Phillips, Biggar and either Jordan Williams or Lee Byrne instead of Halfpenny.

Wales have the opportunity to try something. Do you think it will be Hook at fullback or will Gatland do want the fans want and pick a new face there and biggar at 10?


The big guns are still the big guns though. You can understand why Gatalnd keeps turning back to his core pool of players whove delivered lots of silverware between them. I guess the recognition has to come that Preistland shouldnt be a member of that pool, and that maybe rushing guys back into the squad isnt always the best idea.

The question on Warburton vs Tipuric is always going to be a big one too, clouded by the Captaincy as well.

i think it may be time to rip the team sheet up and start again,time to start building for the rwc.

No ripping team up completely would be daft.

Outside backs 11-15. The guys who started yesterday are the best available and should be in situ till the World Cup (and for most well beyond). Recalling JD2 was a wrong decision, he was not match fit and looked really rusty. Was this forced by injuries to the immediate back-ups? Who else could have played?

Half-backs - a major issue that has to be addressed. Priestland had a brief purple patch in 2011, and remember it was a pre-match warm-up injury that saw him get his chance, but has been woeful ever since. Rhys Webb after a promising start against France deserves to be persevered with - but is now injured. I guess Mike Phillips will play - but is he the right man to be there in Autumn 2015? Again who is the back up.

Back row - you should never judge a unit (or I guess a team) on just one perfomance. and at times this trio has looked excellent and as a unit pushed close to world class. Gatland does not trust Tipuric (and I have to admit I have seen him have many more poor or innefective games than good) and Wruburton is captain and centrally contracted. Lydiate and Faletau do look as if their batteries are running low. Not the only lions to have been affected in a similar way (Leicester's 6 Lions have all struggled this season).

Second Row - There are a lot of excellent options available to Wales. I thought AWJ struggled at times, again should he have been rushed back, while Ball has an excellent beard and right now just looks slightly off international pace. Not a surprise as he is very early in his rugby career.

Front row - or more accurately the Props. This is where hard decisions need to be made. Will the two incumbents service another 18 months, should changes be made now to bed in alternatives. In many ways I hope both get to play against Scotland, do well and then be phased out. Horrid to see (former) greats bow out on a bad performance. However there is no room for sentimentality in professional sport. Mike Phillips was made the scapegoat for the Ireland defeat, I think Gethin will assume that role this time.

gramps wrote:i think it may be time to rip the team sheet up and start again,time to start building for the rwc.

Well, the fact is that Scotland playing out of their skins were only good enough to lose by one point at home to a French team that looked like they'd only met in the car park just before the match. Wales have little to fear from Scotland and therefore, if changes need to be made, I think now is the time to do it.

LondonTiger wrote:How about Gethin Jenkins? MotM against Scotland, yellow card today.

Could you tell me what the score is going to be as well please? 

London Tiger, I have to disagree with you on some of those assessments. Ball was one of the few successes for Wales - topped tackle count with 13, and they were good ones - smashed Ben Morgan back for example, took line-out ball, he's a strong scrummager, hits rucks aggressively. Also, Tipuric has been much more consistent than that.

But I agree with the overall thesis, Wales need to freshen their team and tactics. The trouble is, most of the people you'd consider bringing in are injured or outside the squad.

I'd like to give Lee a run, and would actually like to see Rhodri Jones on the loose-head where he belongs. We need to move away from Phillips, and I'd have Gareth Davies at 9, but as he isn't in the squad, Rhodri Williams. Liam Williams at FB. I'd start Biggar over Priestland, but the future is Patchell and maybe Owen Williams further down the line. Patch is injured.

Londontiger not sure I agree that Lydiate's battery should be low. He was injured most of last season - fast tracked into the Lions squad because Gatland likes him. There are many players who have played more rugby than him in the last year or so.

Faletau I disagree with. I just think Wales didn't utilise him enough, particularly in the first half.

Agree with most of the rest.

Halfbacks is a real problem for Wales agreed and I think is holding Wales back in general. I am not sure it actually helps having your best place kicker at full back.

The Bachelor wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:How about Gethin Jenkins? MotM against Scotland, yellow card today.

Could you tell me what the score is going to be as well please? 

Oops

Where are all the Welsh today? It comes to something when England supporters keep a thread about Wales going. Come on you Welsh.

dan biggar is by far a better kicker than priestland and hook. he has most points scored again this season. his accuracy over the posts is terrific and his line kicking excellent. a lot of welsh fans don't like him at 10 because he is in the Stephen jones mould

.he also plays a similar game to Farrell, AND GATLAND WOULD PICK PRIESTLAND OVER FARRELL. he doesn't want a touch finder at 10.farrell gave us 12 lineouts I think, dan would have been hauled off !!!!!!!

we need biggars accuracy. we need his control. as for patchel , will not be ready for the world cup.will not have had enough international experience. he maybe for the future, but not for world cup .biggar has been side lined because gatland sees priestland as a mix of biggar and hook.

priestland has the kicking duties taken off him at the scarlets when hes not on form. hook plays 15 and is not now in contention to start at 10.priestland says his kicking is the weakest part of his game.and he's been given the 10 gameplan that needs accuracy........unbelievable!!!!!!!!!

biggars record in club and last 6ns speaks for itself.

Scrum looked a lot better with James on, Owens looked better than Hibbard in the loose as well, I also think its time to give Samson Lee a chance. Priestland was hit and miss on Sunday but got steadily worse as the game went on. I was a fan of Liam Williams until this years six nations, I think his attitude has been terrible and he looks out of his depth at this level.

1. James
2. Hibbard for 40 minutes Owens for second half - Hibbard needs to give a Poopie that the opponents just walked passed him to score a try
3. Jones for 40 minutes Lee for second half
4. Ball
5. AWJ
6. Warburton
7. Tipuric
8. Faletau
9. Phillips - Lack of options
10. Biggar - We need a reliable goal kicker and someone who can find touch
11. North
12. Roberts - No grubbers
13. Davies - No grubbers either
14. Cuthbert
15. Hook

16. Jenkins
17. Owens
18. Lee
19. Coombes
20. Lydiate
21. Rhodri Williams
22. Liam Williams
23. Priestland - Keep that bench warm.

gavstar You honestly think Gatland would have picked Priestland over Farrell for the Lions tour?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22518461 - This is what Gatland said about Farrell before the Lions tour.


Perhaps Biggar is not trusted by Gatland because he has been part of some of Wales' most humiliating losses like vs Samoa,Japan and draw with Fiji.

Gatland picked Farrell over Biggar for the Lions tour too - a decision that has been shown to be correct. It has helped Farrell grow as a player in an ironic way - Gatland's faith in Farrell has bitten him back with the recent England vs Wales match.

If Priestland had been fully fit, yes I think he may have done. Despite not playing well for Wales since October 2011.

Any chance you could just stick red jerseys on the Builth Wells 2nd X1V and let us have a draw?

Surely it is time for Gatland to release the combined might of Richie Rees and Steffan Jones upon the Scots.... 

beshocked, you don't mention the last years 6ns with biggar at 10. you don't mention the awful record priestland has in the 6ns. very poor .and as for the Friday night Fiji fiasco and the absolutely hopeless team as a whole playing in japan, biggar was the only experienced player in charge of a well documented shambles. !!!!!

yes I think if priestland was fit he would have been picked for the lions over Farrell.

biggar has had more wins and less losses than priestland, has been in better club form than him, and priestland messes up at some point every game and still gets picked.

whatever gatland said about Farrell, he wont allow our 10 to play with freedom or kick to touch its not in the plan. Farrell is successful at keeping his team in the right areas because he is allowed to by his coach, game plan.

I am not alone in thinking biggar was very unlucky to miss out on a lions place, but he plays a similar game to Farrell. his game management is excellent, but he doesn't play the warren way, he is a superb line kicker.

gavstar yes Biggar had a good 6 nations if you take out the loss to Ireland at the beginning.

Wasn't Priestland the starting 10 when Wales got the grandslam in 2012? Priestland also was Welsh 10 when Wales got to the RWC 2011 semi final. To some extent he's been dining on these.

If he's the only experienced player he needs to boss proceedings. Would I expect a fly half like Sexton or Farrell to lose to Japan? No.

Gatland obviously feels a bit of loyalty to Priestland even if it misguided.

Disagree. I think Gatland would love to have a 10 like Farrell. He's big for a 10 so would fit nicely into Wales' giant backline. He tackles well and is a pain at the breakdown (something not particularly attributed with 10s).

You say he doesn't allow the 10 to play with freedom or kick to touch then what is a 10 meant to do for Wales in Gatland's eyes?


Disagree. I don't think Biggar is like Farrell.

The Welsh 10 is just supposed to give the ball to Roberts, or ship it onto the forwards. We can't kick to touch because our lineout is not great.

"We can't kick to touch because our lineout is not great."

The thing is, particularly now teams know we'll kick infield to them, what happens is that they get to run eg to the halfway, put up a contestable up and under, and give us problems deep in our own half (or spot a gap they can run into). If we kicked to touch between their 10m and 22, ok, they win the ball, but they've got to do something to get downfield, and our defence is pretty good. I'd say the kicking infield tactic is demonstrably failing.

btw it'll be Biggar vs Scotland for the goalkicking anyway.

If your lineout is not great then surely that is a serious you should look to address?

Scotland had problems with their lineout when Ford was throwing. They fixed it by dropping Ford.

England have had problems but look to have solved it with Hartley and Lawes.

Is it the hooker's issue or the 2nd row?

whats happend to the younger shingler brother at the scarlets,had a good record kicking in the aviva but has vanished

LondonTiger wrote:If Priestland had been fully fit, yes I think he may have done. Despite not playing well for Wales since October 2011.

He played very well in the 6N opener vs Ireland in 2012, but hasn't played at that level since. Biggar can probably feel hard done by; he put in some solid performances last year after a shaky first half against Ireland.

The Bachelor wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:If Priestland had been fully fit, yes I think he may have done. Despite not playing well for Wales since October 2011.

He played very well in the 6N opener vs Ireland in 2012, but hasn't played at that level since. Biggar can probably feel hard done by; he put in some solid performances last year after a shaky first half against Ireland.

I may have been exaggerating a touch, but it does seem that Gatland keeps selecting him when everyone else can see he is desperately low on form and confidence. Was Gatland in Carmarthen in the spring of 86?


That he kept selecting him for Wales when out of form is why I believe he woul dhave gone with the Lions if he had been fit. Not necessarily at Farrells expense, maybe as well as.

If a player will not be playing in RWC then they should not be playing in this year's 6N or probably last year's.

Both props look doubtful for RWC especially Gethin Jenkins. Talk of bring back Phillips is also short termist.

Phillips on form is a pain in the side of any opposition, and remember it was only last summer that he was on good form. Moreover, when he is on form he gives a real focus to the team.
There's no question that he's out of form at the moment, so the question is will he ever recapture that form or is this drop in form the slippery slide to retirement.

We currently have 2 threads for this topic, anychance we could merge?
Admins?
Mods?
Anyone?

beshocked wrote:If your lineout is not great then surely that is a serious you should look to address?

Scotland had problems with their lineout when Ford was throwing. They fixed it by dropping Ford.

England have had problems but look to have solved it with Hartley and Lawes.

Is it the hooker's issue or the 2nd row?

I couldn't tell you, but yes its an issue that needs to be fixed

IronMike wrote:

beshocked wrote:If your lineout is not great then surely that is a serious you should look to address?

Scotland had problems with their lineout when Ford was throwing. They fixed it by dropping Ford.

England have had problems but look to have solved it with Hartley and Lawes.

Is it the hooker's issue or the 2nd row?

I couldn't tell you, but yes its an issue that needs to be fixed

What change in that area would you make to try and fix it?

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:We currently have 2 threads for this topic, anychance we could merge?
Admins?
Mods?
Anyone?

I thought that this one was about the Welsh team selection? Different from the match thread?

beshocked wrote:

IronMike wrote:

beshocked wrote:If your lineout is not great then surely that is a serious you should look to address?

Scotland had problems with their lineout when Ford was throwing. They fixed it by dropping Ford.

England have had problems but look to have solved it with Hartley and Lawes.

Is it the hooker's issue or the 2nd row?

I couldn't tell you, but yes its an issue that needs to be fixed

What change in that area would you make to try and fix it?

2nd row selection, I dont think we have a solid lineout operator that other nations have except for Charteris because if you're 6'10 I'm sure you are an easy mark to find. Ian Evans perhaps doesnt get as much praise as he deserves because of his discipline but he played I think every game of the 2012 and 2013 6Nations.

Likewise with Hooker we don't have a Dylan Hartley who can find his man each time, but only Ken Owens is a viable replacement at the moment.

After ireland Gats made noise about the end of careers. i sincerely hope that still applies.

It is time to start Paul James, he made a mess of Wilson with his first play and looks the better player now. Gethin has been winning Slams since 05 but he is not playing well consistently and his mistakes are too costly.

Likewsie Hibbard. owens always looks hungry, Hibbard can be an awesome carrier defender but has not been on form.

I would keep Adam starting as i still think he is the cornerstone of the front row.

AWJ should be benched when Charteris comes back. He is universally rated as world class but i don't get it.

Keep the back row.

Philipps to start as Webb was out of his depth.

Rest in Priestland…he has to go, far , far away. He lacks confidence and makes terrible mistakes - basics of kicking or getting isolated are just too much for a 10. Biggar for me looks confident and plays very flat.

I think we keep our centers. Scott Williams may well make his way into the side naturally over the next year. Perosnally i like North at OC.

Back 3….North and Half remain but for me Cuthbert needs to be brought into the game more as he does beat first up defense usually.

With such a great pool of talent why do i feel empty inside right now?

TACTICS

Gatland has been found out. I can't believe he dropped going round the corner against England….and for what, route 1 10 channel which failed thanks to Lawes.

if any changes really need to be made it is Howley first up.

You need this win because if you lose to Scotland at home...   (Aus & Eng)

Nematode wrote:You need this win because if you lose to Scotland at home...   (Aus & Eng)

Lose to Scotland? That's very funny. Scotland couldn't beat themselves....oh sorry, they just did.   

That worked well for you last week mind.

My side would be:

James Hibbard Lee
AWJ Charteris
Lydiate Faletau Tipuric

Rees Biggar

North Roberts JD Cuthbert

Li Williams

I know theres not many changes there but we are short in the centres at the moment with injuries to Sc Williams O Williams and C Allen and Hook still not the answer for me.

Agree with most of that but would retain Ball and put Warburton to blind side and keep Webb (if fit) as Rees is not in the squad.  If Webb is injured I would be tempted to give Rhodri Williams a game if only for development purposes.

SussexSilures wrote:Agree with most of that but would retain Ball and put Warburton to blind side and keep Webb (if fit) as Rees is not in the squad.  If Webb is injured I would be tempted to give Rhodri Williams a game if only for development purposes.

I dont understand why Rhodri Williams is in the squad if Gareth Davies is first choice at the Scarlets? Likewise with Rhodri Jones

Agreed but who knows Gatland's mind.

I'd like to see Byrne brought back, I'd like to see Samson Lee at least on the bench,  I'd like to see Gareth Davies at least in the squad and I'd like to see some movement in developing cover for Faletau with the World Cup in mind.

How about this for Scotland :-

Cuthbert Byrne North
Roberts Davies
Biggar G Davies
Warburton Faletau Tipuric
Ball Jones
James Hibbard Lee

Bench :-

Jenkins Owens Jones Charteris Lydiate Webb Hook

Well its been announced that he won't be bringing anyone new in from outside the sqaud so I guess we are looking at something like:

James Hibbard Jones
AWJ Ball
Warburton Faleatu Tipuric

Phillips
Biggar/Hook

North
Roberts
JD
Cuthbert

Li Williams/Hook

SussexSilures wrote:
How about this for Scotland :-

Cuthbert Byrne North
Roberts Davies
Biggar G Davies
Warburton Faletau Tipuric
Ball Jones
James Hibbard Lee

Bench :-

Jenkins Owens Jones Charteris Lydiate Webb Hook

Trying to pick Shingler was one thing but knicking Wales entire side is a bit cheeky by anyones standards.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:

SussexSilures wrote:
How about this for Scotland :-

Cuthbert Byrne North
Roberts Davies
Biggar G Davies
Warburton Faletau Tipuric
Ball Jones
James Hibbard Lee

Bench :-

Jenkins Owens Jones Charteris Lydiate Webb Hook

Trying to pick Shingler was one thing but knicking Wales entire side is a bit cheeky by anyones standards.

  
Fairly amusing!Fair play.

Ha !  

Are you sure they would want them after Sunday ?

PS/ New here so be nice.

SussexSilures wrote:Ha !  

Are you sure they would want them after Sunday ?

PS/ New here so be nice.

Haven't you seen Scotland lately?They'd pinch Heathfield seconds if they could!  

Oooh harsh.

I'm old enough to remember many defeats to Scotland so a little reticent to believe in any foregone conclusion.

Anyway have to be careful as my daughter's boyfriend plays for Heathfield!

SussexSilures wrote:Oooh harsh.

I'm old enough to remember many defeats to Scotland so a little reticent to believe in any foregone conclusion.

Anyway have to be careful as my daughter's boyfriend plays for Heathfield!

You must be mighty old coz I'm 60 and I can't!
Is the boyfriend Macsmith or Macbrown?  

This might be a dead rubber for most, but for Warburton its probably the biggest game...a chance to get one over on those trying to break away from his beloved Britain.

Im not convinced by Byrne, bit of a retrograde step? Is there not a fresher face available at 15 (no not Hook) I know Wales long long term future isnt top of Gatlands agenda but surely its a good a chance as any to be a bit Lancaster?

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:This might be a dead rubber for most, but for Warburton its probably the biggest game...a chance to get one over on those trying to break away from his beloved Britain.

Im not convinced by Byrne, bit of a retrograde step? Is there not a fresher face available at 15 (no not Hook) I know Wales long long term future isnt top of Gatlands agenda but surely its a good a chance as any to be a bit Lancaster?

Like picking North when he was 12 years old?

That was like 20 years ago something, and he admitted in the press he only did it to make sure England wouldnt cap him.
Anytway this is now in response to the idea Byrne should be fullback. If hes second choice, and Hook third ...shouldnt they really be looking at a fourth who can leapfrog over those two? Or is the cupboard bare? I dont watch the T14 so havent really a clue what Welsh fullbacks there are available.