Team for Italy

[normanski]

Well for two years after the RWC we were bemoaning the lack of up and coming players being blooded. Now over the last eight months Gatland has brought in a shed full.

I hope this is not too little too late and it’s all part of his cunning master plan to develop a team with strength in depth for Japan.

I hope this doesn’t come back to bite us in the bum on Sunday and we can get a convincing BP win while keeping the Italy score to a few penalties rather than the tries they’ve scored against England, Ireland and France. That would be a sign of solid improvement.

[normanski]

Is 'attacking' really an adjective? It never sounds right.

Yes as in: An attacking scrum.

[Mikey Brown]

Ah. See that sounds right. Fair enough. Just to describe something as very attacking always sounds weird to me.

As you were.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Despite the number of changes it still seems like a strong team, strong enough to beat Italy convincingly (sorry, I'm just asking for it really).

It's just a case of resting the A team, blooding youngsters is secondary to Gatland.

This playing two sevens is a bit wierd, after playing two sixes for the earlier matches. But nice to see Tips and Davies playing.... I guess ( not really sure how good Tips is at six).

Biggar hasn't been dropped, he'll be back at ten for France. Anscombe is second choice. Patchell will not get a shot at ten unless others are injured. Gatland doesn't like talent when solidity is available.

I hope we win (we should, and well too), but nothing is likely to impact the selections for France.

[Spiffy]

Wales starting XV: 15. Liam Williams, 14. Steff Evans, 13. Owen Watkin, 12. Hadleigh Parkes, 11. George North, 10. Gareth Anscombe, 9. Gareth Davies, 1. Nicky Smith, 2. Elliot Dee, 3. Tomas Francis, 4. Bradley Davies, 5. Cory Hill, 6. Justin Tipuric, 7. James Davies, 8. Taulupe Faletau (capt)

Replacements: Ken Owens, Rob Evans, Samson Lee, Seb Davies, Ellis Jenkins, Aled Davies, Rhys Patchell, Leigh Halfpenny

That team will hump Italy but may not tell the coaches too much. Would like to see Thomas Young (Wasps) get a run - a tremendous flanker who is in top form in the English PL week after week. Tipuric/Davies/Young are all natural 7s. Tipuric is not a 6 and it may be unfair to ask him to do a job in that slot.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Italy will target this game IMO. Scotland will play their best available next week.

[Sourdust]

Italy are right to target this game, and they are welcome to. If we can't rise to the challenge of a motivated Italy, we're in deeper shit than we think.

I'm surprised by the breadth of the changes but most of them make sense. Anscombe has done enough to deserve a chance but it does look uncomfortably like the old Welsh disease of dispensing with a creative 10 after one iffy game. Unless Anscombe absolutely nails it, Patch must start against France.

I'm nervous about the pack but there's huge insurance off the bench if the front row goes pear-shaped. I do agree though that ½p on the bench seems pointless. We have strike runners who need an deserve game time; and in the unlikely event that Italy can force us into a kicking duel, we need to find new options with the ability to win us a kicking duel, against Italy, at home.

Points don't really matter now so I'm not too worried that we might miss the chance to post a cricket score. Get the win and show something new in the process, and I'll be happy. Not that a cricket score wouldn't be NICE, of course...

[Numbers]

Italy are right to target this game, and they are welcome to. If we can't rise to the challenge of a motivated Italy, we're in deeper shit than we think.

I'm surprised by the breadth of the changes but most of them make sense. Anscombe has done enough to deserve a chance but it does look uncomfortably like the old Welsh disease of dispensing with a creative 10 after one iffy game. Unless Anscombe absolutely nails it, Patch must start against France.

I'm nervous about the pack but there's huge insurance off the bench if the front row goes pear-shaped. I do agree though that ½p on the bench seems pointless. We have strike runners who need an deserve game time; and in the unlikely event that Italy can force us into a kicking duel, we need to find new options with the ability to win us a kicking duel, against Italy, at home.

Points don't really matter now so I'm not too worried that we might miss the chance to post a cricket score. Get the win and show something new in the process, and I'll be happy. Not that a cricket score wouldn't be NICE, of course...

I think a lot will depend on Italy's kicking game, if they execute that poorly then they could have a long afternoon with the back three we have selected. I think we know they will try and play to their strength which is with the forwards, that will be the other key battle, if we can match their physicality, our front 5 will need to be on their game. I think we should have a clear edge at the breakdown with 2 7s in the backrow.

[MrK]

We are never successful when we make wholesale changes..that said I have a slightly better feeling about this team than the one that faced Georgia in the AIs,

Im looking forward to seeing Dee have a full run out, and hopefully Seb Davies getting some game time in the 2nd row
Back row will be interesting, I would have left Shiingler at 6 but lets see how Tips does there.
Anscombe has his shot
Midfield is competent but not spectacular
Back 3 look exciting.

Im not confident, but it should be enjoyable.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Italy are right to target this game, and they are welcome to. If we can't rise to the challenge of a motivated Italy, we're in deeper shit than we think.

I'm surprised by the breadth of the changes but most of them make sense. Anscombe has done enough to deserve a chance but it does look uncomfortably like the old Welsh disease of dispensing with a creative 10 after one iffy game. Unless Anscombe absolutely nails it, Patch must start against France.

I'm nervous about the pack but there's huge insurance off the bench if the front row goes pear-shaped. I do agree though that ½p on the bench seems pointless. We have strike runners who need an deserve game time; and in the unlikely event that Italy can force us into a kicking duel, we need to find new options with the ability to win us a kicking duel, against Italy, at home.

Points don't really matter now so I'm not too worried that we might miss the chance to post a cricket score. Get the win and show something new in the process, and I'll be happy. Not that a cricket score wouldn't be NICE, of course...

I'm sure Biggar will be back at 10 for the France game no matter what happens on Sunday.

I can kind of understand putting 1/2p on the bench for this game given the number of changes. It's still a conservative pick compared with Amos, but by Gatland's standards simply moving 1/2p to the bench is a hugely experimental move.

I'm not sure we're going to learn very much from the experimentation. If we thrash them - well it was only Italy, they fell apart, and if we struggle - well it was an experimental team, we disrespected Italy. Like I said before, this selection is mainly about resting Gatland's A team.

[Numbers]

Italy are right to target this game, and they are welcome to. If we can't rise to the challenge of a motivated Italy, we're in deeper shit than we think.

I'm surprised by the breadth of the changes but most of them make sense. Anscombe has done enough to deserve a chance but it does look uncomfortably like the old Welsh disease of dispensing with a creative 10 after one iffy game. Unless Anscombe absolutely nails it, Patch must start against France.

I'm nervous about the pack but there's huge insurance off the bench if the front row goes pear-shaped. I do agree though that ½p on the bench seems pointless. We have strike runners who need an deserve game time; and in the unlikely event that Italy can force us into a kicking duel, we need to find new options with the ability to win us a kicking duel, against Italy, at home.

Points don't really matter now so I'm not too worried that we might miss the chance to post a cricket score. Get the win and show something new in the process, and I'll be happy. Not that a cricket score wouldn't be NICE, of course...

I'm sure Biggar will be back at 10 for the France game no matter what happens on Sunday.

I can kind of understand putting 1/2p on the bench for this game given the number of changes. It's still a conservative pick compared with Amos, but by Gatland's standards simply moving 1/2p to the bench is a hugely experimental move.

I'm not sure we're going to learn very much from the experimentation. If we thrash them - well it was only Italy, they fell apart, and if we struggle - well it was an experimental team, we disrespected Italy. Like I said before, this selection is mainly about resting Gatland's A team.

What selection would have made you happy?

Oh that's right none, when has Gatland ever rested his "A" Team in the 6 Nations before? If you can't see what can be learned by exposing the fringe players to a tournament environment then you are a lost cause.

[Numbers]

We are never successful when we make wholesale changes..that said I have a slightly better feeling about this team than the one that faced Georgia in the AIs,

Im looking forward to seeing Dee have a full run out, and hopefully Seb Davies getting some game time in the 2nd row
Back row will be interesting, I would have left Shiingler at 6 but lets see how Tips does there.
Anscombe has his shot
Midfield is competent but not spectacular
Back 3 look exciting.

Im not confident, but it should be enjoyable.

I'm looking forward to the game, I think it could be interesting, this is the first time Liam has been at 15 since we hammered Italy in 2015, when we scored 47 points in the 2nd half (after Leigh Halfpenny went off with a concussion).

[Son of Mathonwy]

What selection would have made you happy?

Oh that's right none, when has Gatland ever rested his "A" Team in the 6 Nations before? If you can't see what can be learned by exposing the fringe players to a tournament environment then you are a lost cause.

I've got no major complaints about this team, I'm just saying let's not draw too many conclusions about the future from this selection , this is primarily a 23 which rests players Gatland sees as key to the France game.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Great result last night, which should** leave us in second place by the end of the weekend. We just need to get the ball to our backs... don't want this to be an 8-man arm-wrestle.



**What have I said???

[Sourdust]

All my pre-game logic points to a high-scoring win. We're at racing pace with a lightweight, running team, and they are not the forward-dominated spoilers of old. I don't think we can nil this Italy side, and I don't think we should try. It's a day for the "you score one, we''ll score two" philosophy and I hope and expect that we will be able to do that.

So, 9-6 to them, then.

[Graigwen]

...It's a day for the "you score one, we''ll score two" philosophy and I hope and expect that we will be able to do that....

.

As long as we move them round from the start, make them run a lot, we should be OK. Yes, I would not be surprised with a high scoring game including a few Italian tries.

.

[Banquo]

have to say that is a comedy yellow card. Rugby has gone nutso

[Mikey Brown]

For a shoulder that hits him full in the face?

[Banquo]

For a shoulder that hits him full in the face?

yeah soft

[Renniks]

Can't see Italy keeping up this pace… but fair play to them so far…

Faletau's tackle was monstrous.

Can't see why anyone is complaining about that yellow - a red would have been harsh - but his shoulder hit the guys neck/face - that's a yellow all day long under these rules (granted, the pulling back of the charge down should have been a yellow!)

[Banquo]

Can't see Italy keeping up this pace… but fair play to them so far…

Faletau's tackle was monstrous.

Can't see why anyone is complaining about that yellow - a red would have been harsh - but his shoulder hit the guys neck/face - that's a yellow all day long under these rules (granted, the pulling back of the charge down should have been a yellow!)

Its only me, I'm not much of a fan of outcome based stuff, but hey ho.

[morepork]

If Italy cease the stupid telegraphed box kicks, they have a couple of tries in them. Their 9, 14, and 15 are pretty good with the ball in hand.

Parisse is past his expiry date I reckon.

[Banquo]

If Italy cease the stupid telegraphed box kicks, they have a couple of tries in them. Their 9, 14, and 15 are pretty good with the ball in hand.

Parisse is past his expiry date I reckon.

He does gum things up more these days

[Banquo]

that's poor from Italy

[Banquo]

silly, but then dire by Italy