Wales 23 to play against Italy?

First topic message reminder :

1. Rob Evans
2. Ken Owens
3. Samson Lee
4. Luke Charteris
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Ross Moriarty
7. Sam Warburton
8. Taulupe Faletau
9. Rhys Webb
10. Sam Davies
11. George North
12. Scott Williams
13. Jonathan Davies
14. Keelan Giles
15. Liam Williams

16. Ryan Elias
17. Nicky Smith
18. Tomas Francis
19. Jake Ball
20. Justin Tipuric
21. Gareth Davies
22. Dan Biggar
23. Leigh Halfpenny

Baker at the Ospreys is playing well? King can play there too.

munkian wrote:

TBJ9625 wrote:No not a WUM. Cuthberk we seem to agree on. Warburton needs to find fitness and form. Roberts I think doesn't add anything. I only leave Faletau out because he is injured. Bath say he will not play and gain before the competition. I think will have strength in depth in the back row, why rush him back?

Because we  don't have any other 8s ?

yes we do.

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:

TBJ9625 wrote:No not a WUM. Cuthberk we seem to agree on. Warburton needs to find fitness and form. Roberts I think doesn't add anything. I only leave Faletau out because he is injured. Bath say he will not play and gain before the competition. I think will have strength in depth in the back row, why rush him back?

Because we  don't have any other 8s ?

yes we do.

Excluding your big ginger crush

munkian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:

TBJ9625 wrote:No not a WUM. Cuthberk we seem to agree on. Warburton needs to find fitness and form. Roberts I think doesn't add anything. I only leave Faletau out because he is injured. Bath say he will not play and gain before the competition. I think will have strength in depth in the back row, why rush him back?

Because we  don't have any other 8s ?

yes we do.

Excluding your big ginger crush

Why should he be excluded ? Because flankers are better 8's than a specialist 8 ?

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:

TBJ9625 wrote:No not a WUM. Cuthberk we seem to agree on. Warburton needs to find fitness and form. Roberts I think doesn't add anything. I only leave Faletau out because he is injured. Bath say he will not play and gain before the competition. I think will have strength in depth in the back row, why rush him back?

Because we  don't have any other 8s ?

yes we do.

Excluding your big ginger crush

Why should he be excluded ? Because flankers are better 8's than a specialist 8 ?

I don't think he's ever really impressed and unlikely to get his NDC re-signed.

munkian wrote:I don't think he's ever really impressed and unlikely to get his NDC re-signed.

That's not the point though is it ?

Moriarty will more than likely start at 8 now, when he is a far superior player at 6 than he is at 8. Also, he is a better 6 than the person/people more than likely to play there, no doubt we will play either Warburton or Tuperic there, when they are both far superior at 7 than they are at 6.

Dan Baker has impressed this season for Ospreys, the only chance for Wales he has ever had was in a two bob warm up world cup game with other fringe players, and people are saying he did not do enough, well there were other players there that day who did not do enough, but they seem exempt from criticism.

We would have a far more balanced back row with players playing in their proper positions.

Moriarty playing out of position at 8 is better than Baker playing in position at 8 though.

munkian wrote:Moriarty playing out of position at 8 is better than Baker playing in position at 8 though.

Moriarty would be more affective playing in HIS position at 6. It's debatable whether he is more affective at 8 over Baker.

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:Moriarty playing out of position at 8 is better than Baker playing in position at 8 though.

Moriarty would be more affective playing in HIS position at 6. It's debatable whether he is more affective at 8 over Baker.

*effective

munkian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:Moriarty playing out of position at 8 is better than Baker playing in position at 8 though.

Moriarty would be more affective playing in HIS position at 6. It's debatable whether he is more affective at 8 over Baker.

*effective

Well done.

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:Moriarty playing out of position at 8 is better than Baker playing in position at 8 though.

Moriarty would be more affective playing in HIS position at 6. It's debatable whether he is more affective at 8 over Baker.

*effective

Well done.

Dim problem, I'd hate for you to look twp

I'd happily play Moriarty at 8 until Taulupe is fit. Seemingly Cracknell is in better form than Baker, so he can play 6 and Tipuric 7.

Though Howley is bound to go Warburton, Tipuric and Moriarty.

RiscaGame wrote:I'd happily play Moriarty at 8 until Taulupe is fit. Seemingly Cracknell is in better form than Baker, so he can play 6 and Tipuric 7.

Though Howley is bound to go Warburton, Tipuric and Moriarty.

For me Cracknell is the form 6 in Wales. Whether he would be just as "effective" at 8 needs to be seen. Is there another WQ person playing at 8 for the regions or anywhere else for that matter who has been playing better at 8 than Dan Baker ?

How often does Moriarty play 8 for Gloucester ? Does he get picked over Ben Morgan ? I do not watch much of the Aviva so I would not know.

RiscaGame wrote:I'd happily play Moriarty at 8 until Taulupe is fit. Seemingly Cracknell is in better form than Baker, so he can play 6 and Tipuric 7.

Though Howley is bound to go Warburton, Tipuric and Moriarty.

Do you not think that for the Italy game Thomas Young would be a better start at 6, with Warburton on the bench.

Maybe, but Howley has said in interview today that him and Dai Young agree that he's a 7, so he's unlikely to be considered at 6.

RiscaGame wrote:Maybe, but Howley has said in interview today that him and Dai Young agree that he's a 7, so he's unlikely to be considered at 6.

Tipuric, Young, Moriarty v Italy ?

munkian wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:Maybe, but Howley has said in interview today that him and Dai Young agree that he's a 7, so he's unlikely to be considered at 6.

Tipuric, Young, Moriarty v Italy ?

Are you suggesting Tuperic at 6 ?

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:Maybe, but Howley has said in interview today that him and Dai Young agree that he's a 7, so he's unlikely to be considered at 6.

Tipuric, Young, Moriarty v Italy ?

Are you suggesting Tuperic at 6 ?

Solid in defense, fantastic link player.

munkian wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:

munkian wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:Maybe, but Howley has said in interview today that him and Dai Young agree that he's a 7, so he's unlikely to be considered at 6.

Tipuric, Young, Moriarty v Italy ?

Are you suggesting Tuperic at 6 ?

Solid in defense, fantastic link player.

You've got to be kidding me. Again with this obsession with players playing out of position. Tuperic has been the form 7 in Wales, and probably further afield, yet you would play him at 6 and negate his qualities as a 7 just to shoe horn Thomas Young into the side ? That is madness.

No, I suggested Tipuric at 6.

munkian wrote:No, I suggested Tipuric at 6.

I know, read my post again.

Cuthbert must give the best blozzer in world rugby

We can afford to have Faletau because he doesn't need regional game time to get back to where he needs to be and Sam adequately covers 6 with Moriarty at 8, gives Faletau chance to come back in off bench against Italy if fit. Clearly in leaving out Beck and selecting Williams Wales are looking at the latter to cover in the centre. Centre looks very weak to me though with only Scott showing anything at the moment.

Apparently Howler called Gats for his blessing on AWJ. Best make him Capt of Wales so its easier to name him Lions capt in May i suppose.

I'd start with this v Italy

Evans
Ken
Lee
AWJ
Charteris
Sam
Tips
Moriarty
Davies
Biggar
North
Williams
JD2
Half
Liam

Smith
Baldwin
Francis
Ball
King or Faletau if fit.
Webb
Sam Davies
Hewitt

Since Keelan Giles is injured I'd now go with a back 3 of:

11. George North
14. Leigh Halfpenny
15. Liam Williams

I would also put Ashley Beck at 13 instead of Jonathan Davies, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen as he's not in the squad.

Number 7 is a real selection headache with Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton and Thomas Young all good options.

If Taulupe Faletau is injured I would go with Dan Baker at 8 and Ross Moriarty at 6.

Can someone please give a reasoned analysis of how Cuthbert gets in AGAIN when we all know he is shoite. Are neither Walker or James fit or just no longer in contention? We know the back 3 will be Half, North and Liam so this is a sub selection, in which case as Cuthbert can only play on the wing then it is illogical to pick him at all. Both Evans and Hewitt are better options for wing cover from the bench. is it just because at 6 ft 6 and 17st he is a lump?

Gwlad wrote:Can someone please give a reasoned analysis of how Cuthbert gets in AGAIN when we all know he is shoite. Are neither Walker or James fit or just no longer in contention? We know the back 3 will be Half, North and Liam so this is a sub selection, in which case as Cuthbert can only play on the wing then it is illogical to pick him at all. Both Evans and Hewitt are better options for wing cover from the bench. is it just because at 6 ft 6 and 17st he is a lump?

You've already answered your own question: blozzer.

I see the red bar brigade are still in force here.

This place is getting more and more childish by the minute.

With the squad picked today, I would love to see Howley take a risk and go for an exciting, on form 23,

1. Rob Evans
2. Ken Owens
3. Samson Lee
4. AWJ
5. Charteris
6. Young
7. Tipuric
8. Moriarty
9. Davies (who's fit?)
10. Biggar
11. North
12. O.Williams
13. S.Williams
14. S.Evans
15. Liam Williams

16. Smith
17. Francis
18. Baldwin
19. Ball
20. Warburton
21. Webb
22. S.Davies
23. Roberts

1. Carwyn Jones
2. Anthony Hopkins
3. Ruth Jones
4. Eddie Butler
5. Iolo Williams
6. Richard Burton
7. Owain Glyndwr
8. Scott Quinnell

9. Nye Bevan
10. Dewi Sant (c)
11. Gareth Bale
12. Hywel Dda
13. Katherine Jenkins
14. Derek Brockway
15. Hedd Wyn