Planet Rugby Forum

LandOTurk wrote:

bessantj wrote:LADS LADS BIG NEWS!!!!

First monkey clones created in Chinese laboratory

Within a few years we'll be able to clone Cuthbert but when he was good.

They cloned monkeys not donkeys. Just the first letter off. Eeeeeee Ohhhhh!

I dunno, when you give a donkey something to carry they don't drop it.

Clive Simms wrote:Looks like we are down to the bear bones v Scotland

Not looking great tbf. However, it does give us the opportunity to blood some new combos etc. I'm sort of coming around to the idea of just playing the entire Scarlet inside backs for continuity sake. I still feel a backline of Davies, Patchell, Parkes and Williams can be got at, but it's got to be a better bet than putting in a random backline that will have almost certainly have never played together.

Jeff the Bear wrote:

Clive Simms wrote:Looks like we are down to the bear bones v Scotland

Not looking great tbf. However, it does give us the opportunity to blood some new combos etc. I'm sort of coming around to the idea of just playing the entire Scarlet inside backs for continuity sake. I still feel a backline of Davies, Patchell, Parkes and Williams can be got at, but it's got to be a better bet than putting in a random backline that will have almost certainly have never played together.

He played nearly the entire Ospreys team in his first game and that turned out well so why not.

Jeff the Bear wrote:

Clive Simms wrote:Looks like we are down to the bear bones v Scotland

Not looking great tbf. However, it does give us the opportunity to blood some new combos etc. I'm sort of coming around to the idea of just playing the entire Scarlet inside backs for continuity sake. I still feel a backline of Davies, Patchell, Parkes and Williams can be got at, but it's got to be a better bet than putting in a random backline that will have almost certainly have never played together.

I think it's great news tbh. Already consigned this 6N to teh scrap heap. It is the blooding that should have been doen when Stan was at the helm.

15 Rhys Patchell
14 Josh Adams
13 Owen Watkin
12 Owen Williams
11 Steff Evans
10 Gareth Anscombe
9 Gareth Davies

Some of them will come through it.

Adams top tournament try scorer @ 125/1 (each way)

James Davies player of the tournament 80/1

La heinous wrote:Adams top tournament try scorer @ 125/1 (each way)

James Davies player of the tournament 80/1

A few injuries have to happen before either of those will get a shot at game time in my opinion.

But as outside cheeky bets, you could do worse.

Jeff the Bear wrote:

La heinous wrote:Adams top tournament try scorer @ 125/1 (each way)

James Davies player of the tournament 80/1

A few injuries have to happen before either of those will get a shot at game time in my opinion.

But as outside cheeky bets, you could do worse.

Probably true re Davies. You almost get the impression they don't want to touch him in case his performances outstrip their favourite 7(s)

Adams, I've a good feeling.

Can't believe the Adams odds considering a) he's a winger b) could easily play all 5 games c) whatever you say about his overall game he's a proven try scorer and d) he doesn't play for Italy,

If you are a back 3 player for a Division 2 East Central team I'd be getting very excited. Only a couple more injuries and you should at least be in the squad for Scotland

La heinous wrote:

Jeff the Bear wrote:

La heinous wrote:Adams top tournament try scorer @ 125/1 (each way)

James Davies player of the tournament 80/1

A few injuries have to happen before either of those will get a shot at game time in my opinion.

But as outside cheeky bets, you could do worse.

Probably true re Davies. You almost get the impression they don't want to touch him in case his performances outstrip their favourite 7(s)

Adams, I've a good feeling.

Davis's problems are far less conspiratorial in my opinion. It took years for Gatland et al to consider Tipuric worthy of a spot, and that was solely down to a lack of physicality (Wales' entire defensive structure begins and ends at the back 5 of the pack hammering anyone on the inside channels).

Simply put, Davis is even smaller than Tipuric. He's a great player, but if your gameplan is such that there's a good chance you'll be required to knock back the opposition for 20 minutes solid (and that is very much our gameplan)...then he's not really the man for the job.

Jeff the Bear wrote:

La heinous wrote:

Jeff the Bear wrote:

La heinous wrote:Adams top tournament try scorer @ 125/1 (each way)

James Davies player of the tournament 80/1

A few injuries have to happen before either of those will get a shot at game time in my opinion.

But as outside cheeky bets, you could do worse.

Probably true re Davies. You almost get the impression they don't want to touch him in case his performances outstrip their favourite 7(s)

Adams, I've a good feeling.

Davis's problems are far less conspiratorial in my opinion. It took years for Gatland et al to consider Tipuric worthy of a spot, and that was solely down to a lack of physicality (Wales' entire defensive structure begins and ends at the back 5 of the pack hammering anyone on the inside channels).

Simply put, Davis is even smaller than Tipuric. He's a great player, but if your gameplan is such that there's a good chance you'll be required to knock back the opposition for 20 minutes solid (and that is very much our gameplan)...then he's not really the man for the job.

I agree. And we all concur that Wales need to adopt a different style. We can't beat NZ or Oz otherwise.

Weird I know but I'm really looking forward to seeing something different from us. Watching the Doc trucking it up from 12 with Foxy following him was to say the least a little stale.

How we fit Patch, Owen and Scott, Parkes the Poach and Adams in there I don't know. My worst fear is our back 3 are North, Cuthberto and 1/2p

Jeff the Bear wrote:

La heinous wrote:

Jeff the Bear wrote:

La heinous wrote:Adams top tournament try scorer @ 125/1 (each way)

James Davies player of the tournament 80/1

A few injuries have to happen before either of those will get a shot at game time in my opinion.

But as outside cheeky bets, you could do worse.

Probably true re Davies. You almost get the impression they don't want to touch him in case his performances outstrip their favourite 7(s)

Adams, I've a good feeling.

Davis's problems are far less conspiratorial in my opinion. It took years for Gatland et al to consider Tipuric worthy of a spot, and that was solely down to a lack of physicality (Wales' entire defensive structure begins and ends at the back 5 of the pack hammering anyone on the inside channels).

Simply put, Davis is even smaller than Tipuric. He's a great player, but if your gameplan is such that there's a good chance you'll be required to knock back the opposition for 20 minutes solid (and that is very much our gameplan)...then he's not really the man for the job.

Not sure I buy that either. Davies is not much smaller than Warburton, and almost the same weight. He's also a stone heavier than Navidi and possibly more robust than the pair of them

My comment above is slightly tongue in cheek but Gatland and co have their favourites, as proven by the ongoing Cuthbert fiasco.

Clive Simms wrote:Looks like we are down to the bear bones v Scotland

How many bears in the team?

Gwenno wrote:

Clive Simms wrote:Looks like we are down to the bear bones v Scotland

How many bears in the team?

None since Gareth Thomas retired.

penguin wrote:

Gwenno wrote:

Clive Simms wrote:Looks like we are down to the bear bones v Scotland

How many bears in the team?

None since Gareth Thomas retired.

Bastareud would get 3 weeks for that

I’d agree that Gatlands only hope to get off to a flying start with all the injuries might be to select as many Scarlets as possible first up. The Scarlets, plus AWJ, Navidi, Josh Adams and hopefully Liam instead of Pence

Firstly - nothing wrong with calling Alfie a bear. I'm happy to go in front of the judiciary - zero weeks.

Secondly - in terms of choosing Scarlets combinations, we're almost certain to see an all scarlets front row, but I think Shingler is the only starter elsewhere in the pack (love James Davies but can't see him leapfrogging others right away). In the backs I still think Webb will start - Davies is electric and in great form, but Webb is, for me, still the better all round 9. He offers sniping around the fringes, although not as fast as Davies of course, better box kicking, and crucially for me faster to get the ball away. The time it takes for him to get the ball away may only be slightly faster than Davies but small differences can have a big impact at international level. All round, still Webb for me - Gareth Davies off the bench is a great scrum half combination.

I'd certainly like to see Patchell at 10, and I think that Parkes might be the balance between the old boshy 12 that Roberts gave us with some decent passing skills and game management that we've been looking to encourage. It does mean that 13 would most likely be Scott Williams, and I don't like him as much in that position - bit of an experiment but I'd like to see Watkin being blooded. He's risen to some big challenges recently, so I don't think he'd be overawed, and if we find ourselves another option at 13 then we're going to be in a much better position.

As for the back 3 - so much depends on injury. If we line up with 1/2p at FB then it would feel slightly underwhelming, so I hope Liam is fit and can take the spot. A back 3 of North, Steff Evans and Liam Williams is very exciting...but there's not much recent rugby in those legs, so I can imagine that a safety first approach will prevail.

Despite all the injuries I still think Gatland will play it safe.

I'd love to see Josh Adams start and Patchell at fullback but I think the backline will be identical to the one which beat South Africa but with Anscombe instead of Biggar

New guy wrote:Despite all the injuries I still think Gatland will play it safe.

I'd love to see Josh Adams start and Patchell at fullback but I think the backline will be identical to the one which beat South Africa but with Anscombe instead of Biggar

I do too - missed opportunity to experiment with no comeback.

New guy wrote:Despite all the injuries I still think Gatland will play it safe.

I'd love to see Josh Adams start and Patchell at fullback but I think the backline will be identical to the one which beat South Africa but with Anscombe instead of Biggar

Amos may be too undercooked fitness wise. 1/2p will be there for sure to kick the points. Patch and Anscombe are not international std goal kickers

Frodder wrote:

New guy wrote:Despite all the injuries I still think Gatland will play it safe.

I'd love to see Josh Adams start and Patchell at fullback but I think the backline will be identical to the one which beat South Africa but with Anscombe instead of Biggar

Amos may be too undercooked fitness wise. 1/2p will be there for sure to kick the points. Patch and Anscombe are not international std goal kickers

Someone in our back 3 is going to be undercooked. A lot of players either just back from injury or suspended. We're really shaping up for our customary slow start to proceedings.

f**k it, let's throw the ball around. The Welsh way

Frodder wrote:

New guy wrote:Despite all the injuries I still think Gatland will play it safe.

I'd love to see Josh Adams start and Patchell at fullback but I think the backline will be identical to the one which beat South Africa but with Anscombe instead of Biggar

Amos may be too undercooked fitness wise. 1/2p will be there for sure to kick the points. Patch and Anscombe are not international std goal kickers

That's ok, we'll just kick everything to the corner and forefeit conversions which will give us more time to score tries

cubby boi wrote:I’d agree that Gatlands only hope to get off to a flying start with all the injuries might be to select as many Scarlets as possible first up. The Scarlets, plus AWJ, Navidi, Josh Adams and hopefully Liam instead of Pence

He`s done similar in the past when he picked Ospreys.

GWO2 wrote:

cubby boi wrote:I’d agree that Gatlands only hope to get off to a flying start with all the injuries might be to select as many Scarlets as possible first up. The Scarlets, plus AWJ, Navidi, Josh Adams and hopefully Liam instead of Pence

He`s done similar in the past when he picked Ospreys.

Sonny Parker instead of Shanks in 2008. Putrid

Piss. Webb out - injured. Tomos Williams called up.

Scrum-half Rhys Webb has been released from Wales' Six Nations squad with a knee injury with Cardiff Blues' Tomos Williams called-up to replace him.

penguin wrote:Piss. Webb out - injured. Tomos Williams called up.

Scrum-half Rhys Webb has been released from Wales' Six Nations squad with a knee injury with Cardiff Blues' Tomos Williams called-up to replace him.

Cawdor it is then. Scarlets v's Scotland

penguin wrote:Piss. Webb out - injured. Tomos Williams called up.

Scrum-half Rhys Webb has been released from Wales' Six Nations squad with a knee injury with Cardiff Blues' Tomos Williams called-up to replace him.

Holy fudge

Christ we are down to the bear bones now

Anyone else see that converted hooker play wing for Pau v Gloucester last Friday? Anyone think that someone like Hibbard could follow suit and do a job as an auxillary winger given our injury problem? Put an 11 or 14 on his back and he'd fly

c69 wrote:

Frodder wrote:

penguin wrote:Piss. Webb out - injured. Tomos Williams called up.

Scrum-half Rhys Webb has been released from Wales' Six Nations squad with a knee injury with Cardiff Blues' Tomos Williams called-up to replace him.

Cawdor it is then. Scarlets v's Scotland

It has got to be a fast game from us now.
Who gets the call at 10?

Screw it. Give it to Patch, fast track qualification for McNicol and Asquith. Barclay gets converted as well

If we're converting anyone to winger then why not the 7s? James Davies would be fun on the wing...him one side, Tipuric the other, backrow of Shingler, Navidi, Moriarty...we'd be painful to play at the breakdown. In fact Shingler's pretty bloody quick - he's like Cuthbert but with ball handling skills.

Frodder wrote:

c69 wrote:

Frodder wrote:

penguin wrote:Piss. Webb out - injured. Tomos Williams called up.

Scrum-half Rhys Webb has been released from Wales' Six Nations squad with a knee injury with Cardiff Blues' Tomos Williams called-up to replace him.

Cawdor it is then. Scarlets v's Scotland

It has got to be a fast game from us now.
Who gets the call at 10?

Screw it. Give it to Patch, fast track qualification for McNicol and Asquith. Barclay gets converted as well

On a serious note, Webb may well have played his last game for Wales.

I think it now will be: Cawdor, Patch, Evans, Parkes, Williams, North, 1/2P.

LandOTurk wrote:I think it now will be: Cawdor, Patch, Evans, Parkes, Williams, North, 1/2P.

One positive re Evans's ban - he isn't injured

Gwenno wrote:

LandOTurk wrote:I think it now will be: Cawdor, Patch, Evans, Parkes, Williams, North, 1/2P.

One positive re Evans's ban - he isn't injured

Is Evans available? I thought his ban covered the Jock game?

Clive Simms wrote:Christ we are down to the bear bones now

Anyone else see that converted hooker play wing for Pau v Gloucester last Friday? Anyone think that someone like Hibbard could follow suit and do a job as an auxillary winger given our injury problem? Put an 11 or 14 on his back and he'd fly

Brown, Polar or Grizzly?

FFS, Clive. It's 'bare', not 'bear'! You're breaking me here...

Saturnine wrote:

Gwenno wrote:

LandOTurk wrote:I think it now will be: Cawdor, Patch, Evans, Parkes, Williams, North, 1/2P.

One positive re Evans's ban - he isn't injured

Is Evans available? I thought his ban covered the Jock game?

Evans can play this weekend

Saturnine wrote:

Clive Simms wrote:Christ we are down to the bear bones now

Anyone else see that converted hooker play wing for Pau v Gloucester last Friday? Anyone think that someone like Hibbard could follow suit and do a job as an auxillary winger given our injury problem? Put an 11 or 14 on his back and he'd fly

Brown, Polar or Grizzly?

FFS, Clive. It's 'bare', not 'bear'! You're breaking me here...

Thanks Saturine. Their is nothing worse than the embarrasment of poor grammar.

Clive Simms wrote:

Saturnine wrote:

Clive Simms wrote:Christ we are down to the bear bones now

Anyone else see that converted hooker play wing for Pau v Gloucester last Friday? Anyone think that someone like Hibbard could follow suit and do a job as an auxillary winger given our injury problem? Put an 11 or 14 on his back and he'd fly

Brown, Polar or Grizzly?

FFS, Clive. It's 'bare', not 'bear'! You're breaking me here...

Thanks Saturine. Their is nothing worse than the embarrasment of poor grammar.

We get it the other way in work, nurses talk about patients being unable to 'weight-bare'

LandOTurk wrote:I think it now will be: Cawdor, Patch, Evans, Parkes, Williams, North, 1/2P.

Swap Anscombe for Patch and you're spot on