Sam Davies has to start against England

Dan Biggar played for about 40 minutes. Sam Davies played for about 40 minutes, too. So, roughly the same amount of time on the pitch for both players.

When Dan Biggar was on the pitch Wales scored 3 points and conceded 7.

When Sam Davies was on the pitch they scored 30 points and conceded 0.

Dan Biggar setted up 0 tries.

Sam Davies setted up all 3 tries.

Sam Davies must start against England. He's a very, very special player.

Not that simple is it. Unless you think that every player coming on in the second half against Italy ever is better than the player they replaced. Also at no point were either of them the only player on the pitch.

He probably should but he won't. We saw the effect of playing a flat 10 behind a weak pack for England against France when Ford had a shocker. Wales pack will be under the cosh in the early stages from the English pack who may edge the forward battle initially. They will seek to win big collisions and defend with break neck line speed. Davies may get swallowed up IMO and though i think he has a big part to play in the last 1/3 if Biggar is fit he gets the nod from me largely for his experience and because he may be able to exploit the chip chase.

That said , he has to be fit. Ribs can be a problem.

I was just writing on the match thread that I would be quite keen to see Sam start with either Biggar or, should Biggar not be fit, Owen Williams on the bench.

We are all complaining about a lack of vision, about a lack of playing what is in front of you...! Well Sam sees what is in front of him and calls it. Webb trusts his instincts.

I really don't think it is a risk.

Bench Biggar or Williams and should Sam fail we can bring on either a conservative olayer that knows how to beat the opposition as he has done it in higher pressure games before, or bring Ina player who plays the opposition on a weekly basis.

A few years out of the next RWC, we have nothing to lose, but a poor performance will feel far worse in defeat than one where we test our metal.

*mettle

Cyril wrote:*mettle

Not necessarily, he could be talking about Faletau's new titanium knee.

LondonTiger wrote:

Cyril wrote:*mettle

Not necessarily, he could be talking about Faletau's new titanium knee.

True. true.

Never give a sucker an even break.

Sam Davies certainly did improve Wales when he came on but then again it was vs Italy.

England are a step up on Italy in quality and ability.

If Davies does start I'd certainly want England to do their best to knock him out of his stride - legally of course.

Others have said it - Biggar has the experience, most importantly of beating England.

"Sam Davies has to start against England...




...in 2019."

I hate to see us hold a player's relative inexperience at Test level against him.

I'd start with Sam Davies. His kicking out of hand is every bit as good as Biggar's, and he gets the three quarter line moving in a way that Biggar just doesn't. He's not as solid in defence as Biggar is, but I'm not sure many outside halves are. He's certainly not a revolving door.

I don't think he changed the game against Italy all by himself, by the way.

P.S. It'll be Biggar, we all know it.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:I hate to see us hold a player's relative inexperience at Test level against him.

I'd start with Sam Davies. His kicking out of hand is every bit as good as Biggar's, and he gets the three quarter line moving in a way that Biggar just doesn't. He's not as solid in defence as Biggar is, but I'm not sure many outside halves are. He's certainly not a revolving door.

I don't think he changed the game against Italy all by himself, by the way.

P.S. It'll be Biggar, we all know it.

His kicking out of hand is far better than Biggar, has been all season. The issue is his defence is not as strong or is his goal kicking.

sam has some talent BUT as dan showed today.... class act........and sams kicking out of hand is NOT far better than dan....those kicks out of hand against Italy were pin point perfect. sam would have been flattened , steam rollered, today by England. Sam has a long way to go yet to be international first choice. dan has no way lost the shirt on todays performance.....if anything hes made a huge statement ....hes the 10 for wales.

I like Sam Davies to come on when he has the extra second late in the game due to tired opposition.
He is more of an impact player, the last thing you want is fresh players bearing down on him from the first minute.
I see him like Ceri Sweeney was, cack when starting but fantastic as a sub.

Shifty wrote:I like Sam Davies to come on when he has the extra second late in the game due to tired opposition.  
He is more of an impact player, the last thing you want is fresh players bearing down on him from the first minute.  
I see him like Ceri Sweeney was, cack when starting but fantastic as a sub.

has he started yet?

Gwlad wrote:

Shifty wrote:I like Sam Davies to come on when he has the extra second late in the game due to tired opposition.  
He is more of an impact player, the last thing you want is fresh players bearing down on him from the first minute.  
I see him like Ceri Sweeney was, cack when starting but fantastic as a sub.

has he started yet?

Of course, I'm just suggesting his best performances come when he's a sub that's all. That extra second when tired legs are chasing after him seems to make a huge difference.

Shifty wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

Shifty wrote:I like Sam Davies to come on when he has the extra second late in the game due to tired opposition.  
He is more of an impact player, the last thing you want is fresh players bearing down on him from the first minute.  
I see him like Ceri Sweeney was, cack when starting but fantastic as a sub.

has he started yet?

Of course, I'm just suggesting his best performances come when he's a sub that's all.  That extra second when tired legs are chasing after him seems to make a huge difference.

yeah sure not disputing that just wasn't sure he had actually started a game when i think of it of course he has.

I think our problems are much more deep seated psychologically, Howley talks about being delighted with 75 minutes - apart from coughing up easy set piece ball and not finishing and not taking easy points in what they must have known would be a tight game and then saying we 'sort of lost our composure'. No Poopie Stanley. And AWJ likewise talking about performance etc for 75 minutes and how they'd take a lot away from it when they failed to convert so much opportunity in the English 22.

FFS guys its a sport and that means ALL THAT MATTERS IS THE WIN. Ask England.

Gwlad wrote:

Shifty wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

Shifty wrote:I like Sam Davies to come on when he has the extra second late in the game due to tired opposition.  
He is more of an impact player, the last thing you want is fresh players bearing down on him from the first minute.  
I see him like Ceri Sweeney was, cack when starting but fantastic as a sub.

has he started yet?

Of course, I'm just suggesting his best performances come when he's a sub that's all.  That extra second when tired legs are chasing after him seems to make a huge difference.

yeah sure not disputing that just wasn't sure he had actually started a game when i think of it of course he has.

I think our problems are much more deep seated psychologically, Howley talks about being delighted with 75 minutes - apart from coughing up easy set piece ball and not finishing and not taking easy points in what they must have known would be a tight game and then saying we 'sort of lost our composure'. No Poopie Stanley. And AWJ likewise talking about performance etc for 75 minutes and how they'd take a lot away from it when they failed to convert so much opportunity in the English 22.

FFS guys its a sport and that means ALL THAT MATTERS IS THE WIN. Ask England.

If we are being honest most Welsh people expected us to get smashed today. I'm disappointed we didn't win based on what I saw in the game. Though I am also pleased we were not humiliated because based on some of our more recent performances it was not beyond the realms of possibility.

Shifty wrote:

If we are being honest most Welsh people expected us to get smashed today.  I'm disappointed we didn't win based on what I saw in the game.  Though I am also pleased we were not humiliated because based on some of our more recent performances it was not beyond the realms of possibility.  

It was a great shot at it. And despite what English observers might say in hindsight, for periods of that game the English were rattled and contemplating that rare loss. England have the troops on the bench to keep forging on and resetting their determination to get back on rhythm - but the Welsh showed wonderful bite and intensity to keep them frustrated for extended periods. It just didn't hold out to spoil the rhythm for long enough.