I think the wru playing games and sam is their lap dog. Blues are notable by their absence of commenr. WRU say they “intend” to have him.play for Blues. Odd that AW didnt sign one or 1/2p, wonder what Adam will do.

Fair enough,you would think that getting the lions skip would be worth a wee press release. If there is no love for him in Cardiff,we will take him; no questions asked.

I also wonder if Sam would pass the medical for anyone else.

Surprised he’s not been included. I wonder if he’s not quite 100% yet? No Gilroy either.

Unless something has happened in training, he has had as much game time, if not more, than McFadden recently. None of the wingers in the squad are exactly the quickest or most creative.

Gilroy has been in pretty poor form for Ulster recently so I can see why Trimble would be included over him.

What sort of starting 15 you guys expecting?
Gethin out for first game but I reckon we knew that anyway.
Warbs may or may not have a warm.up game. I wonder if the blues would pick him?

Agreed a_a JB looks like he’s turning into a cracking player. Imagine he’s has the type of attitude to seize his opportunity too.

I was at all the home games that year,in the old schoolboy seats down at the front 🙂 After that l gravitated to the standing areas behind the post as you could drink without the rocksteady stasi being able to stop you. ( l was a couple of years older then)

I think Mcgrath will start instead of Ross and Toner instead of McCarthy to combat Scots lineout, otherwise probably spot on, harsh on some of the Ulster backs

Hovis on the bench, otherwise a strong looking side
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/25912546

WALES (v Italy): Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), George North (Northampton Saints); Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro);

Paul James (Bath), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, capt), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Toby Faletau (NG Dragons).

Replacements: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Andrew Coombs (NG Dragons), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

Samson Lee = LEGEND!

Not ‘shopped!

Priestland ??????? FFS 😥

Sorry I meant Martin Moore, great to see so many young Irish props given where we were 2 years ago

Brian, the only thing left to do, really, is to build a bridge. So that you can GET OVER IT!

😉

Not that anyone’s actual words that come out of the mouth would ever mean anything…but y’know, just in case…

No matter what, the media and public will revisit the issue of the New Zealander’s decision next week, but the protagonists are doing their best to dampen the hype.

“That’s why I’m here this week,” he smiled when asked about whether he can avoid the issue next week after the Wales coach did his part at the Six Nations launch last week by preaching calm.

“I don’t really pay that much attention. What happened happened, I don’t have any ill will towards Warren. It was raw at the time, but time heals wounds and I don’t have any animosity towards him.

“I just want to be involved in a team that can beat his team, but that’s next week. I can’t get into different team’s mentality, but they’ve Italy this week and I’m sure they’re focused on that.”

I think it’s some others who need to change their records.

I note the england selectors have made the massive error of dropping the world class wing play redefinning wonder winger Chris Ashton. I expect him to foce his way back in for the Wales game so he can man mark George North out of the game.

BOD could have used much less emotive language ie “the important thing is the Lions won a test series, which I’m grateful and pleased to have played a part” etc etc.

Any how, I see England have dropped Ash the Splash and brought in some Gloucester pace.

Well, compare what he could have said with what he actually said,”what is done is done” “raw at the time” “time heals wounds” “I just want to be involved in a team which beats his”. Hardly a straight bat in interview speak.

DD, as you can imagine, I was largely fishing for a reaction by posting that! 🙂 The piece that stuck most for me was this, however;

(My emphasis)

Not, note, a team which beats Wales, but making it a personal thing. OK, maybe I’m reading waaay too much in to that, and I probably am, but I’d just love to see him avoid it completely.