Wales 2017 6 Nations Squad

First topic message reminder :

Guess most would have seen this by now, but for those who haven't..

Wales have named a 36-man squad, featuring seven uncapped players, led by captain Alun Wyn Jones, for the forthcoming 2017 RBS 6 Nations.

Wales squad - 2017 RBS 6 Nations
Forwards:
Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues) (13 Caps)
Nicky Smith (Ospreys) (7 Caps)
Rob Evans (Scarlets) (12 Caps)
Rhodri Jones (Ospreys) (14 Caps)
Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (17 Caps)
Samson Lee (Scarlets) (29 Caps)
Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues) (3 Caps)
Ken Owens (Scarlets) (45 Caps)
Scott Baldwin (Ospreys (28 Caps)
Jake Ball (Scarlets) (21 Caps)
Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (105 Caps) - Captain
Rory Thornton (Ospreys) (Uncapped)
Luke Charteris (Bath Rugby) (71 Caps)
Cory Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons) (3 Caps)
James King (Ospreys) (10 Caps)
Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (46 Caps)
Olly Cracknell (Ospreys) (Uncapped)
Ross Moriarty (Gloucester Rugby) (12 Caps)
Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby) (62 Caps) *
Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) (69 Caps)
Thomas Young (Wasps) (Uncapped)

Backs:
Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (21 Caps)
Rhys Webb (Ospreys) (23 Caps)
Aled Davies (Scarlets) (Uncapped)
Dan Biggar (Ospreys) (51 Caps)
Sam Davies (Ospreys) (3 Caps)
Owen Williams (Leicester Tigers) (Uncapped)
Jamie Roberts (Harlequins) (86 Caps) *
Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (59 Caps)
Scott Williams (Scarlets) (41 Caps)
Ashton Hewitt (Newport Gwent Dragons) (Uncapped)
Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues) (44 Caps)
Steffan Evans (Scarlets) (Uncapped)
George North (Northampton Saints) (65 Caps) *
Liam Williams (Scarlets) (38 Caps)
Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon) (66 Caps)

* Denotes Senior Player Selection Policy wildcard selection.

carpet baboon wrote:Two questions for you fine Welsh supporters.

Who do you think should be the starting back line?

And who do you think howley will pick?

I would have Webb, Davies, North, S Williams, JD2, Halfpenny, L Williams

Replace Davies with Biggar and that'll be Howleys pick

I wouldn't have North in the side. I know he will be in the side, because it's North and it's Howley, but first of all it's a long time since he was at his best, and secondly I want wingers that don't wear blinkers. I'd say it's vital we have back-three players that look for support if we're really going for this open game we keep hearing about. Steff Evans is always looking for the offload. With North, it's either a try or more likely he dies with the ball - and with Wales, that means the slowest of slow ball, before it goes to a stationary forward.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I wouldn't have North in the side. I know he will be in the side, because it's North and it's Howley, but first of all it's a long time since he was at his best, and secondly I want wingers that don't wear blinkers. I'd say it's vital we have back-three players that look for support if we're really going for this open game we keep hearing about. Steff Evans is always looking for the offload. With North, it's either a try or more likely he dies with the ball - and with Wales, that means the slowest of slow ball, before it goes to a stationary forward.

North needs to get the ball when he has space so he has chance to build up a head of steam. I'd bring him off the bench, make him hungry to come on.

Assuming Webb is injured still? If not I'd still bench him as I don't think he will have played much. So I'd go:

Gareth Davies
Dan Biggar
Steff Evans/Hewitt
Scott Williams
JD2 (meh)
Leigh Halfpenny
Liam Williams

Apologies if my wingers are the wrong way around!

Is JD2 not playing well?
Just wondering about the (meh)

I just don't rate him for Wales really. I think he is part of the problem why we aren't too attack minded, because his passing can be awful and too much is made of his grubber kicking and/or his left foot (which actually annoys me).

Yeah, he hasn't played that well since moving to France in my opinion! Wales seem to be developing some good depth in the back row, outside half, back 3, but centres are a worry. Only really between Scott Williams, JD2 and Jamie Roberts for the 2 centre slots. In fact they're the only 3 out and out centres in the squad! And Roberts and JD2 are not playing well. Roberts I think is past it. Just too bulky and slow and the game has moved on from the need for big bosh merchants.

propdavid_london wrote:Is JD2 not playing well?  
Just wondering about the (meh)

Fixed. He can't even get a start for the Scarlets.

No9 wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Stunned to see Owen Williams selected. First because his form is poor, second he may be injured and third next season he would need a wildcard to feature.

That's assuming he is offered a Welsh Region contract. If he isn't, then they don't need the wildcards, like Charteris...

No contract was offered.

True Raven is again incorrect

cascough wrote:Williams was adamant the Gloucester move wouldn't affect his Wales chances, which leads me to think he wasn't offered a DNC. Then again, perhaps he was just been facetious and thought he had a 0% chance of being selected wherever he was...

He wasn't offered a NDC. That pot is empty (until Halfpenny stays in France)

cascough wrote:

True Raven wrote:If they had signed a contract before the NDC kicked in then they are free to play for Wales.  The next time any of them signs a new contract or moves clubs (outside of Wales) then they will need a wildcard to play for Wales.

This is incorrect.

Liam Williams was offered a DNC but refused and opted to play outside Wales. He will need to be a wildcard pick.

Owen Williams was not offered a DNC. Therefore he can play outside Wales and still be freely considered for Wales selection.

My understanding is there is no limit on the number of foreign based players Wales can select, as long as they were not offered a DNC.

Untrue.

The wildcards have nothing to do with NDC (not DNC).

If a player has a market value offer from a Welsh pro team but turns it down in favour of signing for a non-Welsh team, he is captured by the Law. It's that simple. There are four wildcards for next season.

PhilBB wrote:

No9 wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Stunned to see Owen Williams selected. First because his form is poor, second he may be injured and third next season he would need a wildcard to feature.

That's assuming he is offered a Welsh Region contract. If he isn't, then they don't need the wildcards, like Charteris...

No contract was offered.

True Raven is again incorrect

Which is what I posted . For someone who thinks they're the oracle, you missed that didnt you

Post by True Raven Yesterday at 13:47

cascough wrote:

True Raven wrote:
If they had signed a contract before the NDC kicked in then they are free to play for Wales. The next time any of them signs a new contract or moves clubs (outside of Wales) then they will need a wildcard to play for Wales.


This is incorrect.

Liam Williams was offered a DNC but refused and opted to play outside Wales. He will need to be a wildcard pick.

Owen Williams was not offered a DNC. Therefore he can play outside Wales and still be freely considered for Wales selection.

My understanding is there is no limit on the number of foreign based players Wales can select, as long as they were not offered a DNC.


I was explaining the situation with the current English based players such as Moriarty and Francis.

I've just re read the Owen Williams to Cardiff Blues story and it mentions Cardiff were interested but stopped short of a formal bid so he would not need a wildcard as you stated

True Raven wrote:

Which is what I posted .  For someone who thinks they're the oracle, you missed that didnt you

I'd posted my response before reading that you'd corrected yourself.

All you need to do now is to admit your error on the Llandarcy Park / Ospreys wage bill drivel you previously wrote.

PhilBB wrote:

True Raven wrote:

Which is what I posted .  For someone who thinks they're the oracle, you missed that didnt you

I'd posted my response before reading that you'd corrected yourself.

All you need to do now is to admit your error on the Llandarcy Park / Ospreys wage bill drivel you previously wrote.

enlighten me

My sincere apologies, TR. I have you confused with some nutter called "Wayne". My error. Big error. Apologies.

WRU is bringing in some pretty decent coaches in Alex King and Ben Ryan.

propdavid_london wrote:WRU is bringing in some pretty decent coaches in Alex King and Ben Ryan.  

Hadn't heard that, but yes that's great news. I'm assuming King is an old Wasps link-up for Gatland? Was Gatland in charge there when King was playing? Hoping Ben Ryan can get the backs playing well. For a number of years now our backs have lacked invention. The irony is that back play used to be our strength throughout the ages, but we never the the forwards to allow us to compete (thinking of the 80's, 90's and much of 2000's). Now it's reversed a bit!

Griff wrote:

propdavid_london wrote:WRU is bringing in some pretty decent coaches in Alex King and Ben Ryan.  

Hadn't heard that, but yes that's great news.  I'm assuming King is an old Wasps link-up for Gatland?  Was Gatland in charge there when King was playing?  Hoping Ben Ryan can get the backs playing well.  For a number of years now our backs have lacked invention.  The irony is that back play used to be our strength throughout the ages, but we never the the forwards to allow us to compete (thinking of the 80's, 90's and much of 2000's).  Now it's reversed a bit!

Griff, Ben Ryan has been appointed to oversea the under 20's, under 18's, Womens game and the 7's. He is also going to help develop the coaches in Wales. I dont think (could be wrong) he will have anything to do with the senior set up

From the WRU press release:

The 45-year-old has a wide-ranging remit to support, advise the programs and preparation planning of WRU national Age Grade sides and his expertise will be made available to all teams outside of the national squad - which includes the national U20s, national U18s, Women's national programmes and both men and women's sevens.

Ah ok. I could have just googled it! Lazy of me. Cheers folks

Just remembered that Matt Sherratt has been called up as backs coach (I think) while Howley steps up to head coach in Gatland's absence.

Sorry, I'm behind the times here

Alex King is something to do with the backs ahead of the 6 nations.

Sherratt 'turned down' the option of returning to work 'under' Howley.

Make of that what you will.

So apparently that's Sherratt and Gregor Townsend who have turned down the opportunity of working under Howley. What is wrong with people? What a wonderful thing to have on your CV.

True Raven wrote:im still puzzled by 4 tightheads but only 2 looseheads

I am mad in thinking Scott Andrews had a period playing loosehead for the Blues/Cardiff? Or was that at hooker?

In any case, it seems he and Rhodri are dead weight in the scrum practice sessions for Rob Evans and Samson, and God forbid we suffer a few injuries in the front row, otherwise it'll be a flip of the coin to decide who plays which side of the scrum.

miaow wrote:

True Raven wrote:im still puzzled by 4 tightheads but only 2 looseheads

I am mad in thinking Scott Andrews had a period playing loosehead for the Blues/Cardiff? Or was that at hooker?

In any case, it seems he and Rhodri are dead weight in the scrum practice sessions for Rob Evans and Samson, and God forbid we suffer a few injuries in the front row, otherwise it'll be a flip of the coin to decide who plays which side of the scrum.

Looking at how the squad was announced Andrews, Smith, Evans are the loose heads, and Jones, Francis and Lee are the tightheads (or atleast that is how it seemed to me with Andrews being the first name, and it not being in alphabetical order)

That's what it looked like to me. Can't help but feel Rhys Gill has been something of a Gareth Delve: had come and played for a Welsh club sooner- or had he simply been given a fair shot at the shirt- he could have been a big asset.

Any Blues fans about, how have Gill and Andrews been this season? Have they even been starting?