WALES INTERNATIONAL: GAMES, SQUADS, TOURNAMENTS, CHAT - SUMMER TOUR & SEASON 2022/23

First topic message reminder :

Here it is:

Springbok team to face Wales in Cape Town:
15 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 17 caps, 12 pts (1t, 2c, 1p)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon) – 19 caps 18pts, 50pts (10t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 27 caps, 25 pts (5t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 59 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 26 caps, 100 pts (20t)
10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 61 caps, 613 pts (6t, 83c, 131p, 4d)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 3 caps, 5 pts (1t)
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 12 caps, 0 pts
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 59 caps, 25 pts (5t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 64 caps, 30 pts (6t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 57 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 99 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 47 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 49 caps, 50 pts (10t)
1 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 55 caps, 5pts (1t)

Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 48 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 60 caps, 5pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) 33 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 52 caps, 5pts (1t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 20 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0pts
22 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 37caps, 25pts (5t)
23 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 73 caps, 60 pts (12t)

RiscaGame wrote:

majesticimperialman wrote:With Wales losing to Georgia what now for Pivac?
Will he lead Wales to the RWC or will he be removed before then?

Thank the Lord you’re asking the questions that have already been asked. This from the England fan that didn’t know all AI games were on prime. Have a day off and try google, orR read some posts before, for half your rubbish

Risca
IF any one was going to respond to my post it had to be you.
Just for the record i am almost blind, i cannot read normal print so if it was printed on the nes papers the the AI was on prime i would not of known because i do not read news papers. But please explain why my asking if Pivac will lead Wales to the RWC after the loss to Georgia is a rubbish question?

99.9 per cent of your questions I just think are bizarre wums.

No 7&1/2 wrote:99.9 per cent of your questions I just think are bizarre wums.

WHY?

7 1/2 thinks that of anyone who does not agree with him and unless you are welsh you are not allowed to criticise Wales.

TJ wrote:7 1/2 thinks that of anyone who does not agree with him and unless you are welsh you are not allowed to criticise Wales.

Maj doesn't really offer many opinions, go back and have a little read of his past posting history. I don't think you're a wum for example though I disagree with you on many issues.

I know things are pretty glum for the Wales fans but you're going to be facing a Wallabies team completely run out of steam this weekend - they've had another 6 tour ending injuries at the weekend to add to the lengthy list already this season. And this will be a 5th international test in a row at the end of a long season. I don't actually know of they have 23 fit players left!

Perfect opportunity for Wales to finish the year on a high!

They had a red card last year and still almost beat us. I think Australia's power runners up front will be too much for us (unless all those players are injured).

Taupo, Valentini and Paisami on the list - the first two in particular are about as powerful as you can get!

Pete Samu will probably start over Bobby V - he's a dynamic player but not as powerful. Don't think any player in world rugby is as powerful as Taupo - Alaalatoa is a solid enough TH but their replacement now is a huge step down.

Agree on those two, while Paisami is quite a skillful player. That leaves Samu, and Skelton unless he can't play in this fixture?

Outside the international window so Skelton will be out too

Nawaqanitawase was brilliant for Australia, if he gets in space look out.

What i do not understand is why Wales play these games against Australia with out having their full player base. [ those who play out side of Wales)

If Wales lose this week will it be because they did not have ther English player this wee?

majesticimperialman wrote:What i do not understand is why Wales play these games against Australia with out having their full player base. [ those who play out side of Wales)

If Wales lose this week will it be because they did not have ther English player this wee?

Every union needs it just now - even Scotland broke with tradition and played a 4th test outside the international window.

Does feel strange having a 5 week Autumn Test series, particularly as there's a full round of club games on both of those extra weekends too.

majesticimperialman wrote:What i do not understand is why Wales play these games against Australia with out having their full player base. [ those who play out side of Wales)

If Wales lose this week will it be because they did not have ther English player this wee?

Could it be, that they want more Welsh players playing at home. Even dopey Pivac mentions about training time and selected a side against Georgia with this game in mind.

I think he has to have Smith and Francis on the bench for this one. Wainwright has done alright, but shouldn't have been thrown in against Georgia with so little experience. Pivac's fault again, I guess. I'm not sure what happens with the back-row now. I imagine it'll be Morgan, Tipuric, Faletau. It might be wise to put one of our locks at blinde-side to compensate for what we are missing. Pivac will likely select the aforementioned with AWJ (because Habana says so) and McLeod on the bench.

Just to show what a shambles the WRU is, they have player & coach press conferences today so for me that should be the skipper & head coach. Nope they send out Josh Mcleod & Neil Jenkins.

https://www.rugby.com.au/news/unavailable-xv-looking-at-the-wallabies-current-injury-toll-ahead-of-wales-20221121

Full list of injured Wallabies - that's basically the entire first choice backline and 5/8 of the starting pack with Hooper just been added to the list!

I don't think I've ever seen an international team with such an injury list.

I'm sure we've had close to that much in the past, but it does fill me with some hope.

Even Pivac will probably find a way to win this. I did notice we were marginal favourites.

RDW wrote:https://www.rugby.com.au/news/unavailable-xv-looking-at-the-wallabies-current-injury-toll-ahead-of-wales-20221121

Full list of injured Wallabies - that's basically the entire first choice backline and 5/8 of the starting pack with Hooper just been added to the list!

I don't think I've ever seen an international team with such an injury list.

Damn that makes the game a bit more winnable for us....

Also makes it a lose lose situation for Wales given it'll make a defeat even worse or the win will come with a caveat.

I'm sure Pivac won't care about the caveat - he needs the win!

If Wales win this week end will it stand Pivac in a good place for the RWC?

Australia's side is okay, despite the injuries. Only having to make 7 changes isn't the worst, considering. The biggest talking point from it, seems to be their supporters would've preferred to have started the replacement 9.

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, George North, Joe Hawkins, Rio Dyer; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Ken Owens, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Jac Morgan, Justin Tipuric, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Rhodri Jones, Tomas Francis, Ben Carter, Josh Macleod, Kieran Hardy, Rhys Priestland, Josh Adams.

Would've started Adams and Dyer. Interesting shout to start Hawkins. Starting AWJ seems a backwards step. Replacement front row hopefully seems a bit stronger for scrummaging, than last week (edit although I do feel for Nicky Smith). I look forward to seeing about Pivac's interview shortly.

Rubbish selections from both Wales and Aus. Hopefully Pivac is gone regardless of the result.

Apart from Carter and Adams coming in for AWJ and Cuthbert, it’s the strongest team we have. Maybe Alun Wyn’s leadership would have helped last weekend however.

chris_501 wrote:Apart from Carter and Adams coming in for AWJ and Cuthbert, it’s the strongest team we have. Maybe Alun Wyn’s leadership would have helped last weekend however.

Agreed, I think Tipuric doesn't get in the ref's ear & he doesn't seem to lead the team

I would just like to wish Wales all the best today,

Oh my god - are we going to see Halfpenny in a Wales shirt ever again?
He seems to be perpetually broken.

George Carlin wrote:Oh my god - are we going to see Halfpenny in a Wales shirt ever again?
He seems to be perpetually broken.

Re Halfpenny i thought he retired from playing the game and took  to coaching  instead?

Bit unfortunate for Oz there - YC from a scrum given against them for a knock-on off the knee ...

He's very lucky that's just a yellow card for that trip.

Didn't trips used to be red? Maybe that was before the days of the YC?

Squeaky bum time now ...

Think they should have taken the 3 guaranteed points there as they need to score twice anyway?

Wow - double squeaky bum time ...

Handed a lifeline by a shocker from Oz at the restart

ooohhhh ...

Incredible effort to lose this game from Wales

I'm not sure what happened there

You could soo predict that - 1 second to go and they give up a pen

Last chance for Wales

Well what now for Pivac?

Must be one of the worst autumns for Wales - hammered by NZ, lost to Georgia for the first time, and surrendered a 21 point lead to lose to Australia. Only solace being the win over Argentina.

Commiserations to Wales fans - that was a hard watch.

Maybe should have left AWJ on to provide the leadership to close it out?

Heaf wrote:Well what now for Pivac?

At the 60 minute mark the commentators were saying how safe he was was now with a “big win over Australia under them”

Will the WRU back him or go at him like they binned Ruddock?

Commentators curse ...

Damn I switched off early, was sure Wales had won.