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watching happily from the arctic circle
Nice
Henderson is on fire so far today!
I would love if Webb could box kick but overall, a pretty decent match.
I'll take any score now score and the rest of it to be touch-rugby. 😀
Well good job Wales, I don't think it means a lot but a win in Dublin is always good
No major concerns and a nice little reality check so that the upcoming massive underperformance in the RWC isn't too much of a let down. 🙂
Not seen it. How did Francis go?
Bloody hell, we're playing rugby!
anagallis_arvensis - Member
Oh and if turnovers are what makes a proper 7 then Warburton is light years ahead of Tipuric. Tipuric is a very good broken fileld runner and link player but he aint much cop atcthe breakdown against the big boys.
Tips seemed to do ok today?
I don't necessarily agree that it's all about the turnover in any case - it's much more about linking play, keeping the ball alive and being a threat in open play rather than looking for the nearest contact to trundle into.
Only saw the 2nd half but looked a good game for Wales - Tips turnover on the line appeared crucial.
We are Duckman - can we/will we try do this against a better team though?
Hoggy makes a difference.
Good game although I expect Ireland to perform better. Tips has shown a real threat to england re the 7 conversation, its certainly a worry for us.
Ireland at Twickers next week I'd expect Ireland to be turning Burgess all afternoon then nicking the ball out of the ruck, but they were less impressive than they should have been today. Makes for interesting anticipation.
. Tipuric is a very good broken fileld runner and link player but he aint much cop atcthe breakdown against the big boys
Big boys not some second string irish.
If by big boys you mean the Southern Hemisphere it would appear that no one in Wales is much cop against the big boys...
Unless they're in a Lions shirt of course.
Well good job Wales, I don't think it means a lot but a win in Dublin is always good
On the one hand it was encouraging to see the (pretty much) first team play pretty well and look pretty solid but on the other hand they could have lost in the final seconds despite being on top for the majority of the game.
A lot of the players who have has a long rest or little game time came in and played well I thought. Owens was great, especially in the first half Williams worked hard, AWJ was pretty immense as ever and the front row had the Irish going back more often than not. Ireland exposed Cuthburt well and fortunately North played a game without receiving a knock. 1/2p kicked all his points so can't complain there. Webb was pretty good too so long as he didn't try and box kick and Tipper-rich (it annoys the pedant in me to hear the name pronounced Tipper-rick :D) was causing Ireland no end of trouble. Not bad overall.
I hope AWJ is ok after the little scare and Keet is alright. Did anyone see what happened there as I completely missed it?
From an Irish perspective I don't think there is anything to worry about besides all the injuries! The backs are coming together nicely and the pack is always strong. I think you miss someone like Henry (how is his recovery going?) or an in form SOB type player and Sexton is looking a bit Farrel-esque running out of ideas quickly and kicking in quite a predictable way. I used to think Earls was pretty sh1t but he is (was) looking in great form along with the Kearneys whose form also came as bit of a surprise. Henderson had a world class game and seems to just get better and better but the starting front row seemed to have 1 brain cell between them at times making silly errors.
Enjoyed it! I though even the officials had a good game and didn't interfere too much which helped keep the pace of the game high
SOB is a big boy for example. Tips is a good player but Warburton is better especially for Gatland Ball.
Tipperich was immense at the breakdown and more than held his own today. As soon ad SOB came on the first thing Tips did was scoot right past him and make a nice break 😀
How did the front 5 go. Any 7 looks good behind a winning tight five.
Gethin was looking a bit more like his old self and had a pretty decent game. When James came on Wales did seem to lose a little punch around the park. For some reason Paul James lacks a little something but you can see he is close but just not quite there. Francis and then Jarvis were a little anonymous but that also means they didn't stand out as awful! Owens had a great game and should easily be the first choice 2. I didn't even realise Baldwin came on. Only one lineout lost from Owens throws and that was more exceptional reading on Henderson's part and really strong tackling and ball carrying away from the set piece from Owens. Davies did OK but was a bit quiet but that was just exemplified more with AWJ being a machine.... again 😀 Charteris looked ok but didn't get too much time. Scrum for Wales was going forward 9 times out of 10 and only one lineout lost I think. Wales were smart at the breakdown and generally had their way with Ireland. Henderson did put in some monster clearouts though!
So, yes, Wales had the upper hand in the front 5 but it wasn't outstanding and I think Tipperich's performance would have stood out in almost any game- lots of individual brilliance when Wales were turned or on the back foot. MOM and a try too.
So, yes, Wales had the upper hand in the front 5 but it wasn't outstanding and I think Tipperich's performance would have stood out in almost any game-
And importantly, Wales showed almost nothing out of the ordinary. No little tricks, no new moves, no weird backline moves. They gave few clues to the forthcoming opposition. Ireland once again tapped hands in the line-out, wheeled scrums, came in from the side at rucks. All food for coaches to work with and refs to ping.
Priestland btw was dreadful. Looked nervous every time he had the ball and almost lost the game for his team in the last 2 minutes by juggling the ball, which his forwards sorted, and then only making 20m clearance. If Biggar is injured and Priestland comes in Wales are doomed.
Doesn't the Maul full of backs for the try count as a typical Welsh move? 😀 Very good point though that they pretty much dominated by being solid and unspectacular and didn't give much away.
I wouldn't worry. Someone like Hibbard can always come in and do a better job at 10 😯 😆 I do feel for Priestland. 4 years ago he was one of Wales's best players and he's had nothing but Achilles problems and intermittent, stuttering game time since then really.
wrecker - Membereastmond now????
He isn't good enough.
Well BOD reckoned he should be at 12 for England but what does he know?
I'm not saying now. I'm saying he should have been given a decent opportunity alongside JJ to see if it could have worked.
Well BOD reckoned he should be at 12 for England but what does he know?
Yeah, his coaching credentials speak for themselves.
Martin Johnson won a world cup as a player......
Martin Johnson won a world cup as a player......
No he didn't, he played within team that won the world cup, there is a difference.
Martin Johnson won a world cup, as did jonny wilkinson, Jason Robinson etc. they all did.
and Dan Luger dont forget him!
ALL BLACKS SQUAD:-Hookers: Dane Coles (Hurricanes/Wellington), Keven Mealamu (Blues/Auckland), Codie Taylor (Crusaders/Canterbury).
Props: Wyatt Crockett (Crusaders/Canterbury), Charlie Faumuina (Blues/Auckland), Ben Franks (Hurricanes/Hawke's Bay), Owen Franks (Crusaders/Canterbury), Tony Woodcock (Blues/North Harbour).
Locks: Brodie Retallick (Chiefs/Bay of Plenty), Luke Romano (Crusaders/Canterbury), Samuel Whitelock (Crusaders/Canterbury).
Loose forwards: Sam Cane (Chiefs/Bay of Plenty), Jerome Kaino (Blues/Auckland), Richie McCaw - captain (Crusaders/Canterbury), Liam Messam (Chiefs/Waikato), Kieran Read (Crusaders/Canterbury), Victor Vito (Hurricanes/Wellington).
Halfbacks: Tawera Kerr-Barlow (Chiefs/Waikato), TJ Perenara (Hurricanes/Wellington), Aaron Smith (Highlanders/Manawatu).
First five-eighths: Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes/Taranaki), Daniel Carter (Crusaders/Canterbury), Colin Slade (Crusaders/Canterbury).
Midfielders: Malakai Fekitoa (Highlanders/Auckland), Ma'a Nonu (Hurricanes/Wellington), Conrad Smith (Hurricanes/Wellington), Sonny Bill Williams (Chiefs/Counties Manukau).
Outside backs: Nehe Milner-Skudder (Hurricanes/Manawatu), Julian Savea (Hurricanes/Wellington), Ben Smith (Highlanders/Otago), Waisake Naholo (Highlanders/Taranaki).
Naholo the slightly surprise inclusion having relied on traditional Fijian medicine to heal his broken leg. Piutau, Sopoaga, Dagg and Jane all miss out.
wrecker - MemberYeah, his coaching credentials speak for themselves.
I'm not saying he's a great coach but he's one of the greatest centres of all time, clearly analyses the game very well (if you've heard him in commentary) and has probably played against all of the contenders so - he should know.
Crazy the amount of depth they have. You could almost roll a dice to pick the team and be pretty certain of being stronger on paper than anyone else. They just have to wake up a bit sometimes rather than relying on cruise control to take them through.
3 Hookers, Hansen is a simpleton too!
Piutau, Sopoaga, Dagg and Jane all miss out.
Christ thats scary!!
Not much room for injury in these squads. Milner-Skudder, lovely player that he is, injures himself in every game he plays. That leaves Smith, Savea and Naholo (plus Fekitoa?) to fill the back 3.
Barrett can cover full back and Slade wing/full back. That's how Hansen exlplained it anyway.
I think Sopoaga was very unfortunate as he's a better kicker than the others, had a very assured debut against the Boks and is more like Carter than anyone else.
I'd rather have seen Dagg in there as a 2nd top class full back and I think Naholo is a risk in terms of injury/ experience but I'll bow to Hansen's greater coaching credentials (on this occasion).
Barrett can cover full back and Slade wing/full back. That's how Hansen exlplained it anyway.
True. Although I'm not a fan of Slade in any position.
I'm not saying he's a great coach but he's one of the greatest centres of all time, clearly analyses the game very well (if you've heard him in commentary) and has probably played against all of the contenders
And yet in this case; clearly wrong.
You'd have to be stark mental to play ford, eastmond and Joseph in a rugby World Cup. They won naff all last season and were embarrassed by Glasgow.
Well he did pair Eastmond with Tuilagi TBH. Bath may have won nothing but they did play some great rugby and did also rip apart some pretty decent sides themselves.
Anyway, looking at the AB's squad - how many of the England 31 would get into that?
Bath may have won nothing but they did play some great rugby and did also rip apart some pretty decent sides themselves.
Bare cupboards though. Saints and Saracens were both better teams.
how many of the England 31 would get into that?
I doubt any would.
They might like Billy V type 8 in the squad as they dont really have a big carrying 8
how many of the England 31 would get into that?
Farrell is a guaranteed starter*
*Assuming daddy is coaching in NZ too
Just watched the Scotland highlights.....
LOL @ Italy 9 trying to shoulder Lamont out of touch on the first try
Great to see Scotland score so many points
Great to see Mark Bennett playing again
Would be great if Matt Scott could return- I think he has the potential to be something special. I guess he is unlikely to feature at the RWC???
When did a kick to the head be worthy of just a yellow?
Tartan under the collar makes many players (especially Big Jim Hamilton) look like they are wearing an old ladies silk scarf 😀
Glad Scotland got the win worried about a growing reliance on interceptions for scores. Oppositions will be watching, throw a dummy or pop pass instead of the long one and we have a dog leg whole in the defensive line.
Wales squad day today isnt it.
Gethin, James, Evans, Samson, Francis, Jarvis
Owens, Baldwin, Dacey
AWJ, Charteris, Bradley
Lydiate, King or Moriarty, Warburton, Tipuric, Faletau
Webb, Davies, Lloyd
Biggar, Priestland, Anscombe
Roberts, Scott Williams, Allen
North, Cuthbert, Amos
Halfpenny, Liam Williams
King/Moriarty or take an extra lock in Ball seem main choices up front. I expect they will risk Samson even though he is still unfit, same with Liam Williams. If Anscomb doesnt make it due to his ankle we may see Morgan. Will be Gethins 4th world cup past Jason Leonards record for most caps by a prop on saturday. 115 for wales 5 for the Lions
Glad Scotland got the win worried about a growing reliance on interceptions for scores.
Well the interceptions certainly flattered the scoreline but Scotland still played well.
I seem to remember Italy gettting a few interceptions at Murrayfield once upon a time!
Nel gave Castro a hard time at the scrum it seemed.
What's happened to Sean Maitland? Is he injured?
Eastmond was a contender but had an outside chance of being in the squad, he's a bit short on experience and IMO Lancaster wanted the bulk of a Burgess style player. I watched Bath in the premiership final and their midfield was very slick, any club getting to the final has played good rugby all year and been string at the tail end of the season.
When did a kick to the head be worthy of just a yellow?
I didn't see that game but watched Barbars v Samoa. 16 minutes in the Samoan 5 knocks Faingaa, Barbars hooker, over with a roundhouse punch. Obvious red. (Faingaa got yellow for causing the incident basically.) Both walked off shaking hands, chatting, no ill feelings, nobody hurt.
I have mixed feelings about this. Barbars games have always been exhibition games, not really serious, and I'm not sure how I'd have felt about paying for a ticket for a meaningless game which becomes even more meaningless because of an unsympathetic ref.
Cards, especially red, have become an exercise in ticking boxes, not applying common sense.
I understand the sentiment and largely agree. However, you'd have thought kicking a prone player in the head studs first and not even being subtle about it is hard to not give red. If it had been Hartley then most would be calling for a long ban 😉
Maitland played last week didn't he? So just a rotation of players?
The interception tries were more due to Italy being very static and running out of ideas. I think Scotland would have done just fine without them. They actually looked half decent 🙂 false sense of hope maybe 😉