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Wales team to face Scotland on Saturday, 13 February at the Millennium Stadium (kick-off: 1400 GMT):
Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), James Hook (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Shane Williams (Ospreys); Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Gareth Cooper (Cardiff Blues); Paul James (Ospreys), Gareth Williams (Cardiff Blues), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, captain).
Replacements: Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Richie Rees (Cardiff Blues), Andrew Bishop (Ospreys), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).
Given Gareth Williams selection I think Parks could be a good choice, kick to the corners and pressure the shittest lineout in the known universe. Scotland by 20.
Scotland have got to take a chance on someone new at stand off. I would have Parks on the bench for his 10 man rugby / control the game option. But if we want to be ready for the RWC now is the time to be blooding someone
Think the fixtures are all looking interesting this w/e
England, Scotland & Ireland would be my favourites for the w/e.
The last 2 in particular could easily be wrong. I don't think an Italian victory would be a shock. Surprise maybe but not a shock
Darcy - Ireland are an awesome side. Part of me wants them to get back to back grand slams. The fact that I want Scotland to win the head to head somewhat contardicts that 😀
OMG
Are you lot sure there isn't a Scotland qualified fly half anywhere? Surely there must be? Have a look down the back of your sofas chaps please
I didn't think much of Godmans performance but I really don't want to see desperate Dan play.
Otherwise a bit harsh on Max Evans but beefing up the midfield for Wales is horses for courses I guess.
Mmmm can the lineout be that bad again? Sadly yes it can. I think we will turn the jocks over but not by much and a dull game.
TJ - there is a better stand off.
Chris Paterson and Rory Hutton are both better.
Scotland by 20???
If only!
Wales v England was hare and tortoise. The tortoise wins, but the hare is still a faster runner. The hare just makes mistakes.
It's not being bitter, it's match analysis. I'm not saying Wales deserved to win or should have won - they made too many mistakes. I'm just saying that England aren't as good of a side as they think they are 🙂
I'm just saying that England aren't as good of a side as they think they are
A phrase that pretty much cuts across all sports and all timeframes 😆
How has Jackson done for Scotland "A" ? I know they got hammered, but he must be better than Parks.
I quite liked the anniversary shirt so I looked for one.
😯 😮
Profiteering at its finest.
Taz, england have still won more international titles at more sports than any other home nation by quite a margin. 😆
Backhander - you have never won the Elephant polo world cup have you?
[img] 
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TJ, that's pretty cool BUT;
http://www.elephantpolo.com/pressrelease/2008/index.php
it would seem they have!
Hines is out, good news for the welsh lineout
Bugger. At least we have Jim Hamilton coming in who is a class act in his own right - but just back from injury.
Hines is one of Scotlands few real quality players.
Scotland could have the Time Bandits in the 2nd row and still beat the Welsh lineout, based on last weekend.
The talk on other sites is that Borthwick worked out the welsh calls, interview with john Thomas on beeb site where he mentions
Hines is a class player but was poor last week. Hamilton is bigger but nowhere near as tough.
Could be close if the Welsh make as many errors as last week but they won't..........................will they??
Now if Patterson gets an ingrowing toenail and we can convert Euan Murray to Judaism so he changes the day he won't play on - I think we are in with a shout.
We also need Paul Thorburn back for those longer distances.......
I am looking forward to the clash in the centres. You should be able to hear it for miles. 3 big meatheads and one ugly ****er. It won't be pretty
Can't believe some of you Welsh guys are so pessimistic. What did you see in the Scotland team that makes you think we can win in Cardiff?
As I see it Wales lost to England mainly because of AWJ's complete stupidity (was it 17 pts in 10 mins) and a poor lineout. Even then without the late interception try Wales could possibly have stolen a result.
Scotland had to defend particularly well just to keep the score respectable and didn't really look like scoring tries.
As I said earlier - if Mossy kicks 10 penalties then we have a chance - if he doesn't then I fear we will once again be forced to defend for long periods.
Wales by 15 points.
Scotland made more line breaks, beat more defenders and made more ground with the ball in hand against a very good french team than either england or wales did in their game
I doubt wales will be that poor again but Scotland played the team that looks by far the best in the 6N and didn't do too bad.
The stats on scrum.com make for interesting reading and scotland came close to a couple of trys
I agree TJ - we made a few breaks but without a real open side wing forward to support them. Our back row are big and robust but not the best support runners.
If all the stats stack up then we should win but as you know no 2 games are the same and I just feel the Welsh will improve and they are playing at home which is a huge advantage in this competition.
Tiggs its because of what happened against the saes, Who could have seen Wales make so many stupid mistakes, but we did. We are our own worst enemies.
I think you are right Tiggs - I don't see the Welsh being so poor again but they certainly have to improve to match Scotland on the showing of the first round of matches.
Can't believe some of you Welsh guys are so pessimistic. What did you see in the Scotland team that makes you think we can win in Cardiff?
a working lineout
Getting pretty excited now.
I think both of Saturday's games could be crackers. Hope we get some have a go, heads up rugby for a change!
Scotland will miss Hines but not really at the line out. Around the park he is a notch above Hamilton but not at the set piece IMO.
I am concrened at the break down. Wales (Williams) are awesome there. Think we could see a few turn overs!
anagallis_arvensis - Member
The talk on other sites is that Borthwick worked out the welsh calls, interview with john Thomas on beeb site where he mentions
lol
[url=
you, I always hated him when he played now he seems ok[/url]
a_a, you could have warned us! The horror when I saw his face peering out of my 'puter!
The Scottish management have requested that the stadium roof stay open whatever the weather tomorrow. Fortunately the forecast is for relatively good weather.
That doesn't sound like a confident team, when they hope for bad weather to level the teams!
Interesting he backs Wales & France. I hope he is wrong on both fronts.
Will be interesting in both games that is for sure.
Nursing a cold so it will be feet up, fire on, beer in hand for a large chunk of this w/e.
What IJ said...still think he's a w4nker now to be honest.
its an amusing tale about Willie John from the lions. I think he's quite funny in a harmless kind of way and doesnt take himself too seriosuly.
Idlejon - according to Cussiter scotland would prefer it to be dry to play the fast paced offloading game they like.
the reason for wanting the roof open is to negate the advantage of the noise of the home crowd.
The "Scotland prefer it to be wet" myth is from a generation ago. these days scotland play a fast offloading game best done in the dry. Its just hey ain't always very good at it
It looks like he's trying to reinvent himself - and it's just a wee bit forced for my liking.
Anyway, onto the weekend....
Predictions:
Wales by 10 - 11 points
Ireland by less than 5[b]*[/b]
England by 15 to 20 points
[b]*[/b]Yeah, I know, it's crazy, but unless you at least think you can, you can't 🙂
scotland by 3
france by 10
england by technical knockout
TJ, I don't believe that for one minute.
I can't speak for what the players on the pitch can hear obviously, but in the stands there is no real difference in noise when the roof is open or closed.
I'd maintain that it should have nothing to do with the visiting team anyway - it's Wales' stadium, if they [b]do[/b] get an advantage in any way why should that be negated?
Should we go to Croke Park and ask the Irish to be a little quieter because they are upsetting our little flowers?
Idlejon - rugby is an outdoor game - the rules state that if the roof is to be closed both teams must agree. Why should the Scotland manager agree to giving walse an advantage? He might have done it just to annoy them
A wet day would be to Wales advantage I am sure.
A wet day would be to Wales advantage I am sure.Really? Comparing the Welsh backs handling and attacking to the Scottish backs? I'd say it would be the other way around.
Irrelevant anyway as its likely to be dry.
I love that Ireland pray for good weather and a dry pitch these days. Those dark days of the early to mid nineties when we spent every February and March doing rain dances on Friday evenings. Jeebus, even the Scots could beat us back then we were so bad... 🙂
Idlejon - Really? Look at the yards made players beaten and especially offloads in the last round of games - Scotland did far more than Wales
This whole myth of Scotland liking a wet day is from a generation ago. Scotland play a much faster offloading game than the rest of the NH including Wales altho Wales run them close. The scotland game plan is based around speed, offloading and pick and go - all best done on a dry day
You will see on Saturday. Unless Wales up their game a lot Scotland will give them a lesson
be fair the attacking threat of the scotland backs aint much, a kicking outside half, two big boshers in the centre and patterson at fullback who is little threat and is there to kik goals. Thats why they havent scored a try against any good teams for about 10 years.
They do play a fast paced game though, much more so than wales these days. They also have a good lineout which will make all the difference
Idlejon - What the scots camp are saying
http://www.scrum.com/sixnations/rugby/story/110280.html
Last weekends games stats
Scotland Wales
26 Kicks from hand 36
129 Passes 123
110 Runs 82
436 Metres run with ball 252
Attacking
3 Clean breaks 5
10 Defenders beaten 6
[b]14 Offloads 5[/b]
Now both teams were beaten But Scotland were beaten by what looks so far to be the best tam by far. Which team made the played the passing and offloading game more?
Come on TJ - we've already established that last weekend Wales were woeful, so it's not fair comparing those matches! 🙂
Bad weather is a massive leveller - you know that as well as I do.
So it puzzles me as to why the Scots would specifically ask for the roof to be kept open with the possibility that Wales in February could be soaked (as would be very normal) and that they then can't handle the ball with the aplomb, style and flair that you are describing.
Doesn't quite sound right to me.
And yes, I agree, it's an outdoor game, but having spent many hours (probably days) of my life, soaked through and freezing my nuts off on various terraces I'd love it to become a summer game. Having said that, here in Wales the summers are quite as miserable as the winters, very often. 😀
tries scored?
AA - you underestimate the Scotland backs badly there. If only we had a standoff! Lamont is far more than just a big bosher and Patterson is a very good open field runner.