Wales tour of SA

First topic message reminder :

Halfpenny is out and recent news (unknown to me) is stating that Warburton will now also miss out due to a dislocated shoulder. It doesn't look good for us going to SA without these two and with our recent away form being so bad. Personally I think it would be a good idea if we had a midweek game before the first test against a SA Provincial team, using the majority of our first team.

Who would you like to see on the plane?

Biltong wrote:I am not so sure it is going to be that easy for the Boks.

Our front row comprising Gurthro who hasn't played with his mates since last November, Victor and Bakkies not playing regularly for the Boks in the last two years, Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn never playing together and not knowing our midfield combo, it might all just go very wrong for the Boks.

Besides, it is very likely the Boks will struggle the first half to click.

On paper thats a strong side Biltong. All at their best would beat any side so its just a matter of finding their best form surely. Staying home to take in all the matches this weekend so hopefully will be relaxing after our England win, match? for this and the Oz one...not really interested i the football matches yet...

GavinDragon wrote:just watched the 2011 game (time off from a knee op with far too much time on my hands) I want to see us take the game to them like we did in that match,

However I fear we will be overpowered in scrum and back row and the backline will be starved of ball

GD,

Out of interest what would your pack be and would your changes make us anymore effective, in all honesty (personal preference aside) we are only 2 players away from a 1st choice pack - Owens for Hibbard and Shingler for Warburton.

I don't think we lose that much with Owens coming in though Shingler at 7 is a concern and I would have started Turnbull (never thought I would say that)

Agreed re turn bull, shocking but he was jackalling those rucks, i would actually have picked Baker to muscle up the back row and i just don't get what they see in Shingler

Scratch,

Shingler has not had a bad game for Wales though most have come at 6 and he lacks game time but he does add another lineout option.

I have never been a fan of Turnbull but thought he had a very good game on Tuesday, I think it would have been a big call to start Baker but I would have had him on the bench and then at 50-60 minute mark brought Turnbull off put Faletau at 7 Baker at 8.

Yes i agree about Baker as a bench option, think we already discussed that. With Lydiate recovering from injury I guess they feel that Turnbull is more versatile than Baker but i would love to see a Lydiate, Taulupe, Baker back row.

And Shingler probably hasn't had a bad game but for sure he has never had a stand out one either.

Yeah guess so and its so much easier being an armchair selector lol

My main concern is physicality in the tight, if SA play 10 man - likely with no centers to speak of - then we will struggle against their maul.

How do we combat that, move it away from contact/offload and for that i would prefer an alternative to Philipps who will slow us down.

If im honest BW look at the form of the pack over the last season

Paul James has been sublime for Bath this season in a very touch scrummaging league. Gethin was carded for scrummaging in the Autumn and also in the 6n. For me I would start James for his scrummaging.

Likewise Adam Jones, its well documented that he has struggled to adapt to the new laws. Samson Lee has been the form scrummaging TH. Delighted to see him on the bench but 15 months out for.a WC I would have started him.

TBH the rest of the pack is there or there abouts. Look we have been close in the last two games but we have to be at our best from 1-15 and we have to kick well, kick to contest or off the bloody park and in their half, do that and we will be in the game

GD,

I agree on James and would have started him in the 6 Nations but I think it would have been a huge ask to go into the game with a front row of James Owens and Lee.

What I hope for is that if any of them are struggling then he has the balls to get them off and trust in his bench.

I think Owens and Jones will step upto the mark and just hope Jenkins will.

At least Richard 'It's a maul i fancy a lie down' Hibbard isn't playing

Ive never seen the kid go backwards at a scrum BW, mark my words the kid will eclipse AJ's scrummaging

GavinDragon wrote:Ive never seen the kid go backwards at a scrum BW, mark my words the kid will eclipse AJ's scrummaging

Again I agree and agree that he's been the in-form tight head but still think it would have been a big call to go in with him and James. What I do like is that he has at least got the bench spot over Rh Jones which seemed to be the way we were going.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

GavinDragon wrote:Ive never seen the kid go backwards at a scrum BW, mark my words the kid will eclipse AJ's scrummaging

Again I agree and agree that he's been the in-form tight head but still think it would have been a big call to go in with him and James.  What I do like is that he has at least got the bench spot over Rh Jones which seemed to be the way we were going.

Totally agree about Samson finally making the 23 over Rhodri. The same for Gareth Davies over the other Rhodri. At long last they have overtaken their regional understudies in the international pecking order.

GavinDragon wrote:Ive never seen the kid go backwards at a scrum BW, mark my words the kid will eclipse AJ's scrummaging

Already has! For such a young man his scrummaging is immense. Samson doesnt just edge scrums - He destroys scrums ... and to think he's probably 5 years off his peak. Id have no prob with James, Owens & Lee. Those are the better scrummaging props by far. Only argument is for Melon's work around the park. I'd also put Evans or Ball ahead of Charteris.

I do like a mean front five.

Now I think Evans is a shadow of his former self. Ball is on form and if anyone was to go above charteris it should be him

GavinDragon wrote:Now I think Evans is a shadow of his former self. Ball is on form and if anyone was to go above charteris it should be him

I think I agree with you there.

Totallybiasedscarlet wrote:

GavinDragon wrote:Ive never seen the kid go backwards at a scrum BW, mark my words the kid will eclipse AJ's scrummaging

Already has! For such a young man his scrummaging is immense. Samson doesnt just edge scrums - He destroys scrums ... and to think he's probably 5 years off his peak. Id have no prob with James, Owens & Lee. Those are the better scrummaging props by far. Only argument is for Melon's work around the park. I'd also put Evans or Ball ahead of Charteris.

I do like a mean front five.

Melon's work around the park is nowhere near as significant as it has been, he is way off the pace now and aside from an occasional turnover he is not the man he used to be, that said he is a leader and i reckon Gats is just scared the big grump will sulk if he gets pulled

I just hope he does his job at scrum time tomorrow, otherwise it will be a long day at the office!

I excited,

and cautiously optimistic,

Gatland has had the squad together for a long time now, and that seems to be when Wales reach their best,

still, I am pretty worried about the lack of a proper 7 and starting a makeshift backrow against the SA monsters - Lydiate has been poor and is lacking gametime while Shingler is not really a breakdown player - Faletau will need a big shift, as will Charteris and AWJ

Roberts very lucky, that tackle on Le roux was almost a carbon copy of jared payne's on Andy Goode in the ulster-Saracens game - and Payne got a straight red

No match thread?

Silly by Roberts. Wales players letting their heads drop already....they need to get their heads right.

Sigh just ten minutes in and we have a yellow card for taking a man out in the air,joke of a ruling and it's ruining so many games.

Awful kicking game has only gained us a yellow card. WHY?! We have never been any good at catching the ball, and we only have 1 class kicking option

As for that second try, Shaun Edwards will be spitting blood

brennomac wrote:Roberts very lucky, that tackle on Le roux was almost a carbon copy of jared payne's on Andy Goode in the ulster-Saracens game - and Payne got a straight red

A red would have been an absolute farce though - just like in the Ulster game.

Never seen a side look so disinterested. What's wrong with them? Need a leader to start talking. They look beaten already.

Strangley no welsh people in the pub either. Has the whole nation given up before kick off?

brennomac wrote:Roberts very lucky, that tackle on Le roux was almost a carbon copy of jared payne's on Andy Goode in the ulster-Saracens game - and Payne got a straight red

No it wasn't. Le Roux landed on his feet, fell onto his back. Goode didn't. Not difficult to comprehend. Completely consistent with the new directive.

Willie Le Roux is the best 15 in the world in my opinion. One of the most talented players in world rugby.

Willie le Roux is such a playmaker.

Jesus christ, Shaun Edwards will be having a fit

this could be a cricket score

Wale can't defend for sh*t

brennomac wrote:Roberts very lucky, that tackle on Le roux was almost a carbon copy of jared payne's on Andy Goode in the ulster-Saracens game - and Payne got a straight red

and Goode landed on his head and Le Roux didn't hence why it was only a yellow

Do we even practise restarts? awful, just awful.

brennomac wrote:Roberts very lucky, that tackle on Le roux was almost a carbon copy of jared payne's on Andy Goode in the ulster-Saracens game - and Payne got a straight red

Yeah that's because it's only a red if the player lands on his head,so we have different punishments for the same offense.It just depends on whether you get lucky with how the player lands,it's a brain dead ruling and has ruined several games already in the few months it's been in.

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Willie Le Roux is the best 15 in the world in my opinion.  One of the most talented players in world rugby.

Between Le roux and Ben smith in the NZ-Eng game, seeing great FB play

brennomac wrote:

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Willie Le Roux is the best 15 in the world in my opinion.  One of the most talented players in world rugby.

Between Le roux and Ben smith in the NZ-Eng game, seeing great FB play

Yeah unfortunately Brown hasn't been up to his usual standard.

Wales not looking good here. Could be a looooong game for them.

Why on earth are Wales trying to play a SA style kicking game? SA are replying by showing them how it is done

SA are doing nothing special, just mixing up the attack a bit. Once again we are slow in thought. Holes appearing every where.

Talk about butchering chances !!

You'd think this is a contest of who can kick the ball down le Roux's throat the most times

Great counter attack by Cuthbert but the right to left play after was poor,nobody fixed a defender allowing the defense to drift and it was all done at jogging pace when if they were really sprinting onto the ball they'd have been far more dangerous.

SA are undoing themselves a bit with bosh merchants running into contact upright with little support. It is resulting in a lot of turnovers.

ball is very greasy. contact is squirting it out of hands.if it werent, i would be very very nervous for the scoreline

Honestly, what a player is Le Roux. That is just unbelievable. He makes it look easy!

le roux and smith. 2 of the best FB performances i have ever seen, and both were today.

#WorstDefenceEver

urine poor from Liam Williams

Game over

This is going to be humiliating

This SA side are formidable.

Knowsit17 wrote:#WorstDefenceEver

Yep, what on earth has happened to the Welsh gameplan based on Edwards defence and smashing them back behind the gainline - that is when we have gotten close to SA in recent years

Many silly errors by SA, forwards aren't hitting every ruck, we aren't being clinical