Wales vs NZ

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Team announced
15. Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon)
14. Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues)
13. Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne)
12. Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro)
11. George North (Northampton Saints)
10. Dan Biggar (Ospreys)
9. Rhys Webb (Ospreys)

1. Paul James (Bath)
2. Richard Hibbard (Gloucester)
3. Samson Lee (Scarlets)
4. Jake Ball (Scarlets)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys)
6. Dan Lydiate (Unattached)
7. Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, CAPT)
8. Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons)

Replacements:
16. Scott Baldwin (Ospreys)
17. Nicky Smith (Ospreys)
18. Rhodri Jones (Scarlets)
19. Luke Charteris (Racing Metro)
20. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)
21. Mike Phillips (Racing Metro)
22. James Hook (Gloucester)
23. Liam Williams (Scarlets)

Roberts is a great ball carrier, but he really doesn't like passing much, does he?

good kick halfpenny. Feeling confident about a NZ win though. Our boys look ready to go.

barrett magic!

Oh dear, the luckiest bounce I've seen! Heartbreaking stuff.

The Saint wrote:Oh dear, the luckiest bounce I've seen! Heartbreaking stuff.

yeah it was. Barrett attracts that sort of luck like a fish to water.

C'mon NZ! Just finding that extra class showing now

Told you we'd lose if MP came on.

Snail play by Phillips

Hope this is the end for Phillips

He wouldn't be there if G.Davies wasn't injured.

...and hopefully it's the last of Hook too.

Too easy now

Close but no cigar.

New Zealand all ways seem to find away to pull away in the last 10/15 minutes of the game.

majesticimperialman wrote:New Zealand all ways seem to find away to pull away in the last 10/15 minutes of the game.

Conversely Wales always seem to find a way to lose it. I think thats the real issue here.

Geez as soon as Barrett relinquishes the 10 position he turns back into Cinderella.

MOTM A.Smith maybe.

Itsthe ability to go up a gear that distinguishes NZ. Other teams can match thm for most of a match but for a period the ABs will allways step it up.

Routine win in the end, lack of fitness for Wales?

It would help if Wales could win their own ball in the line out.

Sgt_Pooly wrote:Routine win in the end, lack of fitness for Wales?

Lucky bounces and cross-kicks aren't much to do with fitness. ABs more clinical in those areas, in the lineout and in the air slightly is the difference. Don't like how we switched off after their 3rd try, we had a good 10 minutes to be played. Hope Gats drums that into them.

Bringing Phillips on cost them a bit - glacially slow. turned the ball over a couple of times.

Fitness can contribute to these errors

Tman, have to admit that was pretty impressive from New Zealand after that 60 minute shell-shock they endured. They turned the intensity up as always and it was too much.

Falatau was crap the last move summed him up most of the game.

Almost feel sorry for Wales . Very few teams can live with the All blacks when they turn up the heat . Wales deserved a better score than the final one .

Flattering scoreline but theres something about the inevitability towards the end of Wales matches. The intensity just drops off so much in the last 15. The AB's just did what they do but found less and less people in front of them as time went on. Others do it but I've found Wales do it a bit earlier than the others.

Taylorman wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:New Zealand all ways seem to find away to pull away in the last 10/15 minutes of the game.

Conversely Wales always seem to find a way to lose it. I think thats the real issue here.

What you said Taylorman.... one day we'll work it out!.. One day

Great game but did Wales play well or did NZ not get going til late in the game?

The Saint wrote:Tman, have to admit that was pretty impressive from New Zealand after that 60 minute shell-shock they endured. They turned the intensity up as always and it was too much.

Yeah unlucky. Could just feel the Welsh intensity dying off when Halfpenny took his kick.

The intensity dropped when Phillips came on

Is Gatland losing his touch ? his substitutes coincided with the turning of the game !

hard luck wales

Taylorman wrote:Flattering scoreline but theres something about the inevitability towards the end of Wales matches. The intensity just drops off so much in the last 15. The AB's just did what they do but found less and less people in front of them as time went on. Others do it but I've found Wales do it a bit earlier than the others.

Our replacements aren't quite up to it... we maybe have 12 months where our 2nd choice is about as good as our 1st choice dropping off..... Look at 2, 9, 10 in particular... then we end up with one really good... but no real back up!

This is one game that would be fair to say the scoreboard does not reflect game.

Wales so unlucky today. Burt i guess new Zealand are not number one team in the world for nothing.

Well played New Zealand and very very hard Luck Wales.

glamorganalun wrote:The intensity dropped when Phillips came on

Though as Webb limped off, I giess there was no option.

Webb was injured to be fair. Needed to take our chances in the first half, you don't get too many against NZ.

alive555 wrote:Is Gatland losing his touch ? his substitutes coincided with the turning of the game !

hard luck wales

The players on the bench aren't great tbh, our usual subs are unavailable. Hopefully they recover or we find better ones. One thing's for certain to me, this series has showed Gatland what a few of us knew ages ago: Phillips, Priestland and Hook shouldn't be part of the squad now or at the RWC.

Would question NZ and Wales pulling off their nines. Kaino was impressive for me as well but that substitution was more understandable.

Wales played great. I think Barnes allowed the players to creep up on both sides but especially the NZ team looked stifled under attack.

There had an inevitable feel about the last quarter given NZ's impetus in the final quarter and Wales' unfortunate tendency to drop off.

I think Wales pressured NZ and played a great defensive match. Good to see the 100 curse in rugby was lifted by none other than McCaw.

Well done to Wales but I think the changes in the last quarter lost them vital momentum. Rhys Webb had an excellent game and looked fiery as well as accurate.

Pleased by the NZ scrum and the lineout looked assured. Colin Slade has to be the third flyhalf next year due to his goal kicking and his utility allows him to be included in the team if Hansen wants Cruden and Barrett to be in the squad.

A good win in the end but credit to Wales for keeping NZ honest for 70 minutes.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Would question NZ and Wales pulling off their nines. Kaino was impressive for me as well but that substitution was more understandable.

Wales played great. I think Barnes allowed the players to creep up on both sides but especially the NZ team looked stifled under attack.

There had an inevitable feel about the last quarter given NZ's impetus in the final quarter and Wales' unfortunate tendency to drop off.

I think Wales pressured NZ and played a great defensive match. Good to see the 100 curse in rugby was lifted by none other than McCaw.

Well done to Wales but I think the changes in the last quarter lost them vital momentum. Rhys Webb had an excellent game and looked fiery as well as accurate.

Pleased by the NZ scrum and the lineout looked assured. Colin Slade has to be the third flyhalf next year due to his goal kicking and his utility allows him to be included in the team if Hansen wants Cruden and Barrett to be in the squad.

A good win in the end but credit to Wales for keeping NZ honest for 70 minutes.

Yeah I thought Phillips was desperately poor. Feel sorry for Wales, generally a v decent performance and gave a better showing I think than we did. Well done NZ.

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Would question NZ and Wales pulling off their nines. Kaino was impressive for me as well but that substitution was more understandable.

Wales played great. I think Barnes allowed the players to creep up on both sides but especially the NZ team looked stifled under attack.

There had an inevitable feel about the last quarter given NZ's impetus in the final quarter and Wales' unfortunate tendency to drop off.

I think Wales pressured NZ and played a great defensive match. Good to see the 100 curse in rugby was lifted by none other than McCaw.

Well done to Wales but I think the changes in the last quarter lost them vital momentum. Rhys Webb had an excellent game and looked fiery as well as accurate.

Pleased by the NZ scrum and the lineout looked assured. Colin Slade has to be the third flyhalf next year due to his goal kicking and his utility allows him to be included in the team if Hansen wants Cruden and Barrett to be in the squad.

A good win in the end but credit to Wales for keeping NZ honest for 70 minutes.

Lucky you having 3! sigh

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Would question NZ and Wales pulling off their nines.

As Webb was injured, surely keeping him on would be more questionable?

19 points in the final 12 minutes, thats why they're the worlds best side, able to ramp up a few gears and be that clinical so late in the game. Wales just fell apart.

Bar the missed tackle on Savea, I thought Biggar played very well for Wales. Hid demeanour was good, looked in charge of the game and he kicked well and managed the game well. Put us in the right areas, certainly in the first 50/55 minutes.

When Gareth Davies returns to full fitness, at least we'll have a quality 9 on the bench if needed. We need another flyhalf though, Hook comes on when we're 6points(?) down and the first thing he does is kick to touch from the restart

Rhodri is a better 9 IMO, but he was sent back to West Wales. Hopefully he comes back on for MP, and if all goes well tomorrow I really don't mind Anscombe being fast-tracked into the match day squad....

IronMike wrote:When Gareth Davies returns to full fitness, at least we'll have a quality 9 on the bench if needed. We need another flyhalf though, Hook comes on when we're 6points(?) down and the first thing he does is kick to touch from the restart

Surely we have to look at Owen Williams at Leicester..... he made the summer squad so apart from discipline, why not now?

RDSguru wrote:

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Would question NZ and Wales pulling off their nines. Kaino was impressive for me as well but that substitution was more understandable.

Wales played great. I think Barnes allowed the players to creep up on both sides but especially the NZ team looked stifled under attack.

There had an inevitable feel about the last quarter given NZ's impetus in the final quarter and Wales' unfortunate tendency to drop off.

I think Wales pressured NZ and played a great defensive match. Good to see the 100 curse in rugby was lifted by none other than McCaw.

Well done to Wales but I think the changes in the last quarter lost them vital momentum. Rhys Webb had an excellent game and looked fiery as well as accurate.

Pleased by the NZ scrum and the lineout looked assured. Colin Slade has to be the third flyhalf next year due to his goal kicking and his utility allows him to be included in the team if Hansen wants Cruden and Barrett to be in the squad.

A good win in the end but credit to Wales for keeping NZ honest for 70 minutes.

Lucky you having 3! sigh

Still think Barrett uncemented his 10 spot again. He didn't get the outsides going again and look at the transition when Slade went to 10. Suddenly the old Barrett was back...luck and all. When your hear the Welshmen here talking about their subs in Barett we probably have THE best sub in history as he does what he did today every time as a sub. His last 20 minute efforts are legendary. Thats gotta be his dedicated role all next year.

Cruden and Slade to tandem next year and sorry, just don't see DC back. He's tried to come back 4 or 5 times and never has. And World cup years are usually his worst. I actualy think Ihaia West and Cruden should run 10 next year. Theyre very similar in everything they do and that helps with continuity. And west is a very good kicker. Young, but realy turning it on.

Well played Wales for turning up with contest. especially to come back with the reply try.

Congratulations to Jamie  Roberts for Man of the Match, that was a gutsy dislplay by him, he must be a little disappointed with the way his team broke down when the ABs broke through towards the end of the game. also well played Biggar.

In terms of this campaign the ABs will now be able to have a rest go to the beach, and come back fresh for next year, Trouble is next year the pool game will not be in Chicago, the quarter final wont be in Twickenham, the semi wont be at Murrayfield and the final will not be in Cardiff.

Not gutted not surprised, reality is Wales are just in the same place for the last six years same old same old.

So now to the Wales management will they drop Phillips and Hook forever, will they send the Osprey hooker back to work on his game then when it picks up happily have him back because he does have a lot to offer same with Toby he needs to go and find himself then come back?
If the Wales management did this during the week i would take the loss a lot easier because it would mean they are learning.#May i also add i have never been much of a Biggar fan but the lad earned his stripes today
Then the game changer for me was Webb leaving he was really imposing himself on the game when Phillips come on my Dad looked over to me and said "game over".

So Gatland to you...... the fans know we are not as good as the All Blacks and losing to them doesn't hurt that much but we all can see glaring reasons why we will never win against the big three! sort that out immediately then i think we are starting to turn a corner,
ignore it and give the same old players "another chance" then i won't be watching next week.

Very well played Wales, however the Refs have had a shocker on this Northern tour - if Barnes isn't relegated to club rugby after that I don't know how bad he has to get. The refs have gone out looking to get opposition teams a win and it's just been the AB's ability that has nullified the refs influence on this tour.

I'm not sure that one "in front of the kicker" call has been made all tour and today Barnes tried his best to favour Wales - he was looking right at the tackled in the air incident and it took Joubert making a call from the sideline to get it right, Warburton's big break came from a Welh knock-onand penalising the AB's scrum when they had caused the Welsh front row to pop up just showed how much Barnes was looking to help Wales.

I could go on, however the post would be the length of a novel - I just hope that the IRB get the reffing right in time for the World Cup.

Otagolad wrote:Very well played Wales, however the Refs have had a shocker on this Northern tour - if Barnes isn't relegated to club rugby after that I don't know how bad he has to get. The refs have gone out looking to get opposition teams a win and it's just been the AB's ability that has nullified the refs influence on this tour.

I'm not sure that one "in front of the kicker" call has been made all tour and today Barnes tried his best to favour Wales - he was looking right at the tackled in the air incident and it took Joubert making a call from the sideline to get it right, Warburton's big break came from a Welh knock-onand penalising the AB's scrum when they had caused the Welsh front row to pop up just showed how much Barnes was looking to help Wales.

I could go on, however the post would be the length of a novel - I just hope that the IRB get the reffing right in time for the World Cup.

Jeepers.. I think you need to see that this is a thread about the game, not this is a paranoid AB supporter thread!