Wales U20s vs "The dreaded Fijians"...!

Game is tomorrow at 17:10.

Anyone know where it is televised? It doesn't appear to be on S4C..!

Nothing at all . According to the IRB - http://www.irb.com/mm/document/tournament/mediazone/02/04/30/06/110523jwc11tv.pdf

"Wales - S4C Live coverage - Argentina v Wales, New Zealand v Wales, Italy v Wales, one semi final if Wales is involved, third place final if Wales is involved, Final if Wales is involved"

Now that is not very good is it. It is not even covered on BBC radio Wales.

Guys lets be serious for a minute! This is Wales were talking about we NEVER reach the knockout stages this was just S4C hedging their bets!
Why pay for a game to be broadcast in Welsh when Wales never get to that stage anyway.

Got to the semi's in 2008 - remember the big fight after the game against France down at the Liberty ?

Before the ages (U19 and U21) were merged, to form the current championships at U20, they also got to the U19 semi-final in 2007 and the final of the U19 in 1999

AlynDavies wrote:Guys lets be serious for a minute! This is Wales were talking about we NEVER reach the knockout stages this was just S4C hedging their bets!
Why pay for a game to be broadcast in Welsh when Wales never get to that stage anyway.

To be fair on the Under 20s, they do well in this competition, semi finalists in 2008, fifth and seventh in the other years.

We have also reached the semis in the senior world cup, and the finals of the sevens. Better results than many other nations, Ireland and Scotland have never faired so well.

Still, a shocking decision not to cover this excellent event.

Wales team v Fiji (Wednesday 22 June, Stadio Plebiscito, Padua, 6pm local time):

Ross Jones (Ospreys / Bridgend); Liam Williams (Llanelli), Dale Ford (Scarlets / Llanelli), Lewis Robling (Dragons / Newport), Eli Walker (Ospreys / Swansea); Matthew Morgan (Ospreys / Swansea), Lewis Jones (Blues / Pontypridd);Rhodri Jones (Scarlets / Llanelli), Jamie Sollis (Dragons / Cross Keys), WillGriff John (Blues / Pontypridd), Macauley Cook (capt, Blues / Cardiff), Cory Hill (Blues / Pontypridd), Edward Siggery (London Irish), Luke Hamilton (Blues / Glamorgan Wanderers), Ben Thomas (Ospreys / Bridgend).

Replacements: Lewis Smout (Blues / Pontypridd), Will Taylor (Ospreys / Swansea), Owen Sheppeard (Blues / Pontypridd), Thomas Young (Blues / Cardiff), Jonathan Evans (Dragons / Newport),Steve Shingler (London Irish), Rheon James (Scarlets / Carmarthen Quins).

Joe Lewis
Webster set on containing Fijian flair
21 June 2011, 12:39 pm
By WRU
Wales Under 20 play Fiji in the fifth place semi-finals tomorrow (Padua, 6pm) where a win would guarantee them fifth or sixth place spot in this year's IRB Junior World Championship.
A victory over the South Sea Islanders will take the Welsh youngsters into the fifth place final against either Ireland or South Africa on Sunday and that is the sole aim of the Welsh management and squad as they prepare for their fourth game in 13 days.
Wales head coach Richard Webster said, "We will have to produce a structured, disciplined game against the Fijians if we are to come out on top. They will be strong and physical and there's nothing they like better than a loose, open game so we will have to be intelligent in our tactics tomorrow evening."

Wales have again rung the changes for this game, with a need to manage the squad's injuries and game time. There is a new front row, with Rhodri Jones and WillGriff John returning to the starting line-up and Jamie Sollis getting his first start at hooker. Ed Siggery returns on the blindside, with Luke Hamilton moving to the open side flank in place of Thomas Young.

Behind the scrum, Lewis Jones starts at scrum half with Lewis Robling returning to inside centre and Dale Ford joining him in the midfield partnership. The back three and second row are unchanged, while Lloyd Peers (elbow), Kirby Myhill (ribs) and Owen Williams (shoulder) are all ruled out of this game.

Webster added, "Ross Jones did particularly well in his first start at full back against Italy and retains his place, while most of these changes reflect the importance of utilising the full, 26-man squad for a tough, five-game tournament such as this.

"Following the Italy game, we identified a number of areas to improve on if we are to continue to progress during this tournament and we must put those into place against Fiji."

anyone know what is happening in italy?

Grrr, no idea - can't find anywhere with any information.

Anyone having any luck?

nightmare, surely we arent the only people in the world interested???

So no one know what happened ?

looks like fiji won 34 - 20 ? ? ?

Can anyone confirm that ?

3 tries apiece apparently, but Fiji kicked 5 penalties and Mathew Morgan only managed 2 kicks from 6.

The score is on the IRB web site http://www.irb.com/index.html

What a shame, hopefully a good learning experience for next year, at least 60% of the squad will be back next year.

Wales U20 20-34 Fiji U20

Wales Under 20 can finish seventh at best at the IRB Junior World Championships after beaing beaten by Fiji in a fifth-place semi-final play-off in Padua.

Fiji's tries came from Metuisela Talebula (2), Eliki Sicinilawa, with Dale Ford, Rhodri Jones and Steve Shingler replying.

But Josateki Lalagavesi kicked five penalties and two conversions.

Wales fly-half Matthew Morgan kicked five points in reply.

Welsh Rugby Union head of rugby Joe Lydon has already announced a review into Wales' performance at the tournament and the structure that underpins the nation's age-grade rugby.

That decision came in the wake of the 92-0 drubbing suffered in Pool A by New Zealand.

Wales beat Argentina 34-8 in their opening game and were too strong for hosts Italy in a 56-6 win that followed defeat by the Baby Blacks.

Wales: Ross Jones (Ospreys/Bridgend); Liam Williams (Llanelli), Dale Ford (Scarlets/Llanelli), Lewis Robling (Dragons/Newport), Eli Walker (Ospreys/Swansea); Matthew Morgan (Ospreys/Swansea), Lewis Jones (Blues/Pontypridd), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets/Llanelli), Jamie Sollis (Dragons/Cross Keys), Will Griff John (Blues/Pontypridd), Macauley Cook (capt, Blues/Cardiff), Cory Hill (Blues/Pontypridd), Edward Siggery (London Irish), Luke Hamilton (Blues/Glamorgan Wanderers), Ben Thomas (Ospreys/Bridgend).

Replacements: Lewis Smout (Blues/Pontypridd), Will Taylor (Ospreys/Swansea), Owen Sheppeard (Pontypridd), Thomas Young (Blues/Cardiff), Jonathan Evans (Dragons/Newport); Steve Shingler (London Irish), Rheon James (Scarlets/Carmarthen Quins).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/13855747.stm

What I don't get is why we always send out such young teams.

There is a massive difference between an 18 year old an a 20 year old at this level and yet if you look at the squads:-

NZ - out of their whole squad they have 6x 19 year olds and everyone else is 20 years old.

Wales - on the other hand only have 5 x 20 year olds. We also have 5 x 18 year olds and then everyone else is 19.

And then we also leave out players who are breaking through for their regions and Wales, guys like North and Prydie.

Are we not putting ourselves at a serious disadvantage before we even take the field?

Is the reason NZ U20 do so well is that they choose 20 year olds who have played plenty of NPC and Super rugby??

Can players who hold a full cap represent the under 20s ?

Cymroglan wrote:Can players who hold a full cap represent the under 20s ?

I think so. Never seen anything to suggest otherwise.

Cymroglan wrote:Can players who hold a full cap represent the under 20s ?

Yes I think so however Wales didnt take any as clearly if their playing for their countries their past the U20 stage of development.

I found some highlights on rugbydump of the Wales vs Figi game. There is brief highlights on the second video on that article.

For those who aren't aware of rugbydump.com, you'll soon be an addict.

Nice work thanks

http://rugbydump.blogspot.com/2011/02/all-blacks-skills-part-2-in-back-yard.html

Nice site! Maybe this vid can shed a little light on the reason why NZ keep stuffing us

Hardly long enough for anyone to say that that is how Wales play rugby at under 21s.

looking forward to the Wales vs Ireland game in Half an hour... hopefully the IRB website will work...

Thanks for the link to the highlights package.

Usual problems for Wales again, the player don't want to tackle it seems, they seem to do a goal keeper type dive towards the opposition player to make it look good without actually having to take any real contact.
Amazing that these boys are almost adults and still haven't learned how to tackle properly.

AlynDavies wrote:Thanks for the link to the highlights package.

Usual problems for Wales again, the player don't want to tackle it seems, they seem to do a goal keeper type dive towards the opposition player to make it look good without actually having to take any real contact.
Amazing that these boys are almost adults and still haven't learned how to tackle properly.

Alan,

They were two individual tries and no welsh play at all... hardly a representation of a game that had only four points in it at the end. Watch the italy or Argentina match and you will see that Wales U20s can play some fine rugby...

maestegmafia wrote:Alan,

They were two individual tries and no welsh play at all... hardly a representation of a game that had only four points in it at the end. Watch the italy or Argentina match and you will see that Wales U20s can play some fine rugby...

Ive got both games on my hard drive, and have watched them a few times. There is nothing wrong with Wales attacking play it's brilliant at times, my problem is the tackling amongst our back line. It's awful with little or no attempt being made to stop opposition players. Many of them either do a goal keeper dive in the general direction of the opposition player or run along side them and hope someone else will make the tackle.

AlynDavies wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Alan,

They were two individual tries and no welsh play at all... hardly a representation of a game that had only four points in it at the end. Watch the italy or Argentina match and you will see that Wales U20s can play some fine rugby...

Ive got both games on my hard drive, and have watched them a few times. There is nothing wrong with Wales attacking play it's brilliant at times, my problem is the tackling amongst our back line. It's awful with little or no attempt being made to stop opposition players. Many of them either do a goal keeper dive in the general direction of the opposition player or run along side them and hope someone else will make the tackle.

A sign of not playing enough rugby.