Welsh World Cup Squad

First topic message reminder :

Dragons not playing until tomorrow and quiet on here so just wondered what early thoughts are on the Welsh WC squad.  I think a lot of it will pick itself unless injury or shock retirements dictate.  I have gone with a 30 man squad 16/14 forwards/back split same as last world cup so here's my thought.

Here's the 47 man Training Squad, Players in bold are the ones I think are already inked in:

Props (5) JENKINS,JAMES,LEE, Evans, Francis, Jarvis, Andrews
Hookers (3) BALDWIN,OWENS, Dacey
2 Row (3) AWJ, CHARTERIS, Ball, Davies, Day
Backrow (5) FALETAU, WARBURTON, LYDIATE, TIPURIC,Moriarty, King

No9s (3) WEBB, Davies, Ll Williams
No10s (3) BIGGAR, PRIESTLAND, Anscombe, Morgan
Centres (3) ROBERTS, Sc WILLIAMS, Morgan, Allen
Back 3 (5) NORTH, HALFPENNY, Li WILLIAMS, Cuthbert, Walker, Amos, James (Then 2 from Cuthbert, Amos, Walker) For me Cuthbert and Amos

As I said the ones in Bold are the ones I feel are already pencilled in to go. Updated squad as we stand now

Morgan should have stayed at the Ospreys, he's a much better player than Sam Davies (I know wayne disagrees but he would, anyone in an Ospreys jersey is world class to him). I wouldn't pick him right now, playing in the championship. If he cuts the mustard in the premiership then who knows what could happen in the future.

Bedford I'm with you with regards to third choice fly-half/utility - but for me it just isn't Hook. So it means Anscombe. I would have liked Owen Williams to be given a shot but I think he's a long-term casualty.

IronMike wrote:

Gwlad wrote:If i was selecting,  Mathew Morgan should be the 3rd 10.

To be fair, Morgan hasn't been playing top flight rugby this season, do you really want to take him to the world cup?

Yes i do. Might sound crazy but that lad needs to be stuck into the mix and allowed to sink or swim. He reminds me of George Ford with even more pace. Feel the move to grizzle was a bad decision and i am surprised another option didnt present itself. Will he be in the Prem next seasonn? If so i hope we see more of him.

As for a 3rd 10, how about the lad at Leicester whose stock seemed to be rising. Is he injured?

Yes that's Owen Williams.... I think he received a knee injury or something, but he's definitely out rest of the season.

I thought Matthew Morgan was out with an injury as well, or is he now back ? It was quite a serious one as well if memory serves me right.

Gwlad wrote:

IronMike wrote:

Gwlad wrote:If i was selecting,  Mathew Morgan should be the 3rd 10.

To be fair, Morgan hasn't been playing top flight rugby this season, do you really want to take him to the world cup?

Yes i do. Might sound crazy but that lad needs to be stuck into the mix and allowed to sink or swim. He reminds me of George Ford with even more pace. Feel the move to grizzle was a bad decision and i am surprised another option didnt present itself. Will he be in the Prem next seasonn? If so i hope we see more of him.

As for a 3rd 10, how about the lad at Leicester whose stock seemed to be rising. Is he injured?

9 month injury (not pregnant)

Ideally for the squad balance one of the 3 10's would be a utility player, in theory they are only getting to play at all if theres an injury elsewhere or for rotation against the weaker pool sides.

Since neither Biggar nor Preistland cover other positions that wouldve made it more difficult for Williams to get selected anyway. He also wasnt exactly Gatlands favourite after getting himself banned and missing the summer tour where he mightve made a genuine case for inclusion.

Ive seen Hook play this year and he still looked a class act, but fumbling around at the unfashionable end of the Jeff and not being available for the full pre world cup training makes yet another recall unlikely. Matthew Morgan is just a silly suggestion.

Realistically its going to be the Kiwi chap surely?

Gooseberry wrote:Realistically its going to be the Kiwi chap surely?

If I was a betting man I would have to agree with you, after all he is a DC player, but for me if I wanted to take a utility back player, it would be Rhys Patchell. He is a damn good 10, but he has been playing at fullback most of the season, and he has played in the centre at time for Blues. But I doubt Gatland would pick him.

I would be very surprised if it wasn't Anscombe. If Owen Williams was fit then he would get my vote and whilst I like Matthew Morgan playing in the championship just isn't good enough standard in my opinion.

If they get promoted then fair enough and I think him and Ian Evans could be back in the set up nest year.

If Gatland is going to take a utility back then for me it has to be Rhys Patchell, he can cover 10,12,15. Although that is more down to the outside half being wrongly taken from him by Gareth Anscome.

Patchell is as Hook was at 21. We will miss his best potential at 10 and then he'll suffer from being moved around. Bonkers...he clearly has the skill levels there and needs some Test time at 10 soon....please!

iantobquick wrote:Patchell is as Hook was at 21. We will miss his best potential at 10 and then he'll suffer from being moved around. Bonkers...he clearly has the skill levels there and needs some Test time at 10 soon....please!

This is only because the WRU have pandered to Blues and forced Rhys Patchell out of position by putting Anscome there. If the WRU wanted Anscombe up here so badly they should have had him to either replace Preistland at the Scarlets, or put him in the Dragons team.

So ...Gavin Henson ...

Might as well!!!!!!!

LordDowlais wrote:

iantobquick wrote:Patchell is as Hook was at 21. We will miss his best potential at 10 and then he'll suffer from being moved around. Bonkers...he clearly has the skill levels there and needs some Test time at 10 soon....please!

This is only because the WRU have pandered to Blues and forced Rhys Patchell out of position by putting Anscome there. If the WRU wanted Anscombe up here so badly they should have had him to either replace Preistland at the Scarlets, or put him in the Dragons team.

Or they should have made him earn his DC rather than fast track him into the whole set up.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Or they should have made him earn his DC rather than fast track him into the whole set up.

Yes, there is that as well.

But is Anscombe that bad, is he offering any of the form he showed down under?

Gwlad wrote:But is Anscombe that bad, is he offering any of the form he showed down under?

I've not seen anything to warrant all the fuss about him and certainly nothing out of the ordinary that others don't offer. Also depending on what reports you read he wasn't setting the SH alight either.

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Gwlad wrote:But is Anscombe that bad, is he offering any of the form he showed down under?

I've not seen anything to warrant all the fuss about him and certainly nothing out of the ordinary that others don't offer.  Also depending on what reports you read he wasn't setting the SH alight either.

So we fell for the 'he plays in NZ so must be better than home grown talent' then?

IF I remember on Rugby Dump somewhere, he was making some headlines. I haven't seen him play myself as I basically live in a cave in terms of media and only have BBC!!!!

Anscombe looked a very good full back in Super 15, but never saw him play 10 there

Hilarious

Just saw Hoff documentary on iplayer abut his trip to Wales….on the front screen it says

'Available for 28 days' and some prankster from the Beeb has written 'Why?' next to it!!!!

If the Hoff marries her in time for the world cup does that make him WQ?

Gwlad wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:

Gwlad wrote:But is Anscombe that bad, is he offering any of the form he showed down under?

I've not seen anything to warrant all the fuss about him and certainly nothing out of the ordinary that others don't offer.  Also depending on what reports you read he wasn't setting the SH alight either.

So we fell for the 'he plays in NZ so must be better than home grown talent' then?

I think some are of that opinion Gwlad yeah. Like I have said many times before I am not a big Hook fan but if you are talking of a utility player to take to the WC who has experience and has played at the highest level then I would take him over Anscombe.

If you wanted to take a punt on a youngsters and given fact O Williams out injured then I think Patchell has shown more than Anscombe and would take him.

Gwlad wrote:
So we fell for the 'he plays in NZ so must be better than home grown talent' then?

Yep that is the one,the same as the old, well he is Argentinian and he is a front rower, he must be good, or the oldest one of all, he is South African and he plays in the second row, he must be better than what we have got, these cliches or stereo type sayings often grind my gears.

I think Ben John has added his name to the list.

I agree that patchell should be rewarded, might be to early for him but squad time will do him good.

Micky smith would be the other lad who I think warrants consideration, tough call between him and Rob Evans for the final spot though

John may well make the extended squad but I can't see him making the main squad given the competition he's up against for centre.

If it's a large squad for the RWC training camps (which I think it is) then Ben John will probably be in to hold tackle bags. As for the main squad, I can see Morgan joining up after finishing U20 duty.

45 man I think is what they have said so fair few bag holders going. Not sure if Morgan will get nod either given that JD, Doc and Sc Williams are already pencilled in, would be nice if he did though.

There's usually a fourth centre to go though, aside from injury I doubt Morgan will get a look-in unless he is on the bench against one of the minnows.

Saint,

I think the '4th' centre will be the utility man.

I don't think Morgan has been as impressive as John in the last few weeks.

Morgan is probably ahead over the whole season.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Saint,

I think the '4th' centre will be the utility man.  

In recent squads it's been Cory Allen, but he's a bit injury prone and I think he'll miss the RWC with another injury.

Cory hasn't had enough game time to get in, John looks the form 13 in Wales at the moment.

Tight head is our fulcrum though. Unless Sampson Lee makes a swift recovery we don't look very competitive on the tight head side of the scrum.

All other areas look plentiful.

any update on lee….we are 4 months off now.

Not heard a thing...!

maestegmafia wrote:Cory hasn't had enough game time to get in, John looks the form 13 in Wales at the moment.

Tight head is our fulcrum though. Unless Sampson Lee makes a swift recovery we don't look very competitive on the tight head side of the scrum.

All other areas look plentiful.

I guess it depends how recent form you are taking into account, John has been good over the last what 5/6 games but before that he hadn't done much and was loaned out at the beginning of the season. T/Head was always going to be a worry once Lee got injured, personally I would give Francis as much game time as possible in the warm up games - are these games capped?

They're definitely capped. You're also right about John but trying telling that to Ospreylian dwellers... Rushing him into team Wales on the back of that is bonkers. Having him in the training squad...yeah I guess that makes sense.

Gwlad wrote:any update on lee….we are 4 months off now.

Achilles injury = you're fu**ed, and maybe for the rest of your playing career.

Some breaking news for you BF. Jon Davies is out of the RWC after rupturing his ACL. Scott Williams into the starting team. John and Morgan almost certainly in the RWC training squad.

Johnathon Davies out :/ Tough break.

That's a bad one for Wales and JD2, never want to see an injury like that

Perhaps Hook will get recalled?

If Roberts or Williams gets injured we are really lacking in experienced centres.

I think Ben John could have a very rapid rise, I prefer him to Morgan at the moment.

Morgan is barely out of the academy and already a better player. Please don't insult him. You lot just love to hate on Newport people!

Yeah I think Hook will probably get recalled, but his contribution won't be great. Probably bench warmer as usual, but you're right in thinking we are another couple injuries away from being in serious trouble.

Real shame about JD2, we all want to see the best players at the WC.

Scott Williams deserves his place, could potentially be one of the big stars of the WC. 
However, you never want to lose a player of JD's quality. No left footed kicking option now which may cause a slight issue.

Ouch - losing JD2 is a tough break. Please look after Dr Roberts, Quins need him next season.

JD2 is a huge loss for Wales.

JD is a big loss but Williams is a quality backup.

To be honest I think Wales could have dealt with losing Dr Jaw far easier than losing Foxy. Scott is a very good centre, but I don't think he suits playing alongside Roberts.