Team for SA

[MrK]

Given the Halfpenny news and the Amos call up

Im expecting to see

WIlliams, Adams, Davies, Parkes, North, Anscombe, Williams
Smith, Owens, Franics, AWJ, Ball, Lydiate, Tipuric, Moriaty

B: Dee, Evans, Lewis, Hill, Wainwright, G Davies, Biggar, Amos

I dont think he will go Biggar 10, Anscombe 15
I think he will stick with Williams at 9
I think Ball will get the nod for his physicality, even though that does limit us in the lineout
I think Wainrwight will get the nod over Jenkins on the bench
Unfortunately I think Patchell will miss out completely

[Numbers]

Given the Halfpenny news and the Amos call up

Im expecting to see

WIlliams, Adams, Davies, Parkes, North, Anscombe, Williams
Smith, Owens, Franics, AWJ, Ball, Lydiate, Tipuric, Moriaty

B: Dee, Evans, Lewis, Hill, Wainwright, G Davies, Biggar, Amos

I dont think he will go Biggar 10, Anscombe 15
I think he will stick with Williams at 9
I think Ball will get the nod for his physicality, even though that does limit us in the lineout
I think Wainrwight will get the nod over Jenkins on the bench
Unfortunately I think Patchell will miss out completely

Biggar will start purely for his goalkicking imo, and I also think Gareth Davies will be selected to start, I think that's the only differences they might make from the starting 15 you've listed, I would also expect them to go with Jenkins on the bench despite how well Wainwright played last weekend, Jenkins is a Gatland favourite.

I don't think Amos will be thrown back in but would be more than happy to see him on the bench, we could see a centre on the bench as fullback and wing are already covered with a little switching, Owen Watkin maybe.

[normanski]

South Africa seem to be getting their mojo back and Saturday’s game could be a very hard finale.

I hope the euphoria of three out of three doesn’t lead to a little complacency; I’m sure Sean Edwards will be working on that.

As ever with the Boks it’s the front five who will dictate the first fifty minutes and set the pattern for the game. Our five and reserves are developing fast and this will be a great opportunity to get their technique right and dominate a SH pack.

I think the game will go to the wire but we will squeak past them by a couple of points.

How’s that for optimism on a Wednesday before the game!!

[Son of Mathonwy]

I'd be happy to see Amos start instead of Adams (who has yet to convince me). Then I'd prefer Watkin for the last bench spot.
I'd rather see Patchell starting, but indeed he may well miss out altogether.
Dee really put his hand up last week, but Owens still holds that spot.
Gareth Davies is still our best 9 IMO, should start.

[Numbers]

I'd be happy to see Amos start instead of Adams (who has yet to convince me). Then I'd prefer Watkin for the last bench spot.
I'd rather see Patchell starting, but indeed he may well miss out altogether.
Dee really put his hand up last week, but Owens still holds that spot.
Gareth Davies is still our best 9 IMO, should start.

I'm a big fan of Amos and Adams, I don't think there's much to call between the two, however Adams has the pace of an international winger, I think we'll see Amos at 15 or 13 in the future at International level.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I'd be happy to see Amos start instead of Adams (who has yet to convince me). Then I'd prefer Watkin for the last bench spot.
I'd rather see Patchell starting, but indeed he may well miss out altogether.
Dee really put his hand up last week, but Owens still holds that spot.
Gareth Davies is still our best 9 IMO, should start.

I'm a big fan of Amos and Adams, I don't think there's much to call between the two, however Adams has the pace of an international winger, I think we'll see Amos at 15 or 13 in the future at International level.

Amos certainly has the rugby brain (and brains in general) - has great instinct. And certainly could play a number of positions. Is Adams faster? That's what some say but I don't know for sure.

[Numbers]

I'd be happy to see Amos start instead of Adams (who has yet to convince me). Then I'd prefer Watkin for the last bench spot.
I'd rather see Patchell starting, but indeed he may well miss out altogether.
Dee really put his hand up last week, but Owens still holds that spot.
Gareth Davies is still our best 9 IMO, should start.

I'm a big fan of Amos and Adams, I don't think there's much to call between the two, however Adams has the pace of an international winger, I think we'll see Amos at 15 or 13 in the future at International level.

Amos certainly has the rugby brain (and brains in general) - has great instinct. And certainly could play a number of positions. Is Adams faster? That's what some say but I don't know for sure.

TBH I don't know, he looks faster to me but that doesn't mean he is I suppose, I have no stats to back it up. It's nice to have these two available either way as I think both are class players.

[Numbers]

Given the Halfpenny news and the Amos call up

Im expecting to see

WIlliams, Adams, Davies, Parkes, North, Anscombe, Williams
Smith, Owens, Franics, AWJ, Ball, Lydiate, Tipuric, Moriaty

B: Dee, Evans, Lewis, Hill, Wainwright, G Davies, Biggar, Amos

I dont think he will go Biggar 10, Anscombe 15
I think he will stick with Williams at 9
I think Ball will get the nod for his physicality, even though that does limit us in the lineout
I think Wainrwight will get the nod over Jenkins on the bench
Unfortunately I think Patchell will miss out completely

Biggar will start purely for his goalkicking imo, and I also think Gareth Davies will be selected to start, I think that's the only differences they might make from the starting 15 you've listed, I would also expect them to go with Jenkins on the bench despite how well Wainwright played last weekend, Jenkins is a Gatland favourite.

I don't think Amos will be thrown back in but would be more than happy to see him on the bench, we could see a centre on the bench as fullback and wing are already covered with a little switching, Owen Watkin maybe.

Well I got Biggar and Anscombe the wrong way round and Beard has been preferred to Ball, otherwise unsurprising.

[MrK]

Well I got Biggar and Anscombe the wrong way round and Beard has been preferred to Ball, otherwise unsurprising.

Happy enough with that - Davies v Williams was a either or for me - I get the Beard choice - as with that pack we need a lineout option - also Jenkins is a class payer to have on the bench and Watkins is a sensible choice as cover.

Hopefully strong enough for the W - would be good going in to the 6N to have had 2 wins against SH opposition plus a PI team

[Numbers]

Well I got Biggar and Anscombe the wrong way round and Beard has been preferred to Ball, otherwise unsurprising.

Happy enough with that - Davies v Williams was a either or for me - I get the Beard choice - as with that pack we need a lineout option - also Jenkins is a class payer to have on the bench and Watkins is a sensible choice as cover.

Hopefully strong enough for the W - would be good going in to the 6N to have had 2 wins against SH opposition plus a PI team

I'm looking forward to it, I don't think we'll see that many tries tho, so I hope Anscombe's kicking is on song.

[Sandydragon]

Gatland has kept the faith which isn’t a surprise. Looking forward to this one

[Son of Mathonwy]

I have a dangerous feeling of confidence in this Welsh team....

[Sandydragon]

I have a dangerous feeling of confidence in this Welsh team....

Bit disconcerting really. Although the Bokke aren’t a bad team at all so I’m taking nothing for granted.

[Sandydragon]

Well that will do nicely, 4/4.

Great start followed by a nervy bit where the bokke forwards got on top and then we managed to secure the win.

Some great performances, particularly Ellis Jenkins who I hope isn’t too badly injured.


We still haven’t resolved the flynhalf debate though.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Well that will do nicely, 4/4.

Great start followed by a nervy bit where the bokke forwards got on top and then we managed to secure the win.

Some great performances, particularly Ellis Jenkins who I hope isn’t too badly injured.

We still haven’t resolved the flynhalf debate though.

Job done. Our defence was excellent and by god it needed to be with the possession we kicked back to them in the second half. And we looked dangerous - we were dangerous - for an all too brief period, which gave us the points we needed to hang on.

Patchell hasn't had enough of a chance to make his case for fly half this November. But then it really should depend on what kind of game Gatland wants us to play. Which did he prefer - the first half, where we ran with the ball or the second where we kicked it away at every opportunity (and were a little lucky... those taps back by North could - and often did - end up in anyone's hands)?

I do feel, from the whole 4 weeks that the SH are in a really bad place right now - even NZ (relatively speaking) - which not irrelevant to our current success. It certainly leaves the world cup wide open - a number of teams could realistically win it.

[Renniks]

If that number of teams is 2. Then yes. A number of teams

[Son of Mathonwy]

If that number of teams is 2. Then yes. A number of teams

Yes, NZ and Ireland are ahead of the others but, given the standard on display this November, I think Wales and England have a chance, then a little way back, Australia and SA have an outside hope. So, for me the number is 6.

[Sourdust]

If that number of teams is 2. Then yes. A number of teams

Yes, NZ and Ireland are ahead of the others but, given the standard on display this November, I think Wales and England have a chance, then a little way back, Australia and SA have an outside hope. So, for me the number is 6.

Anyone here remember the RWC1999 warm-up games? France got dismantled by Wales and Jiffy was struggling not to laugh at how terrible they were. A few weeks later they were back in Cardiff for the final.

What could you get on France now?

[Son of Mathonwy]

If that number of teams is 2. Then yes. A number of teams

Yes, NZ and Ireland are ahead of the others but, given the standard on display this November, I think Wales and England have a chance, then a little way back, Australia and SA have an outside hope. So, for me the number is 6.

Anyone here remember the RWC1999 warm-up games? France got dismantled by Wales and Jiffy was struggling not to laugh at how terrible they were. A few weeks later they were back in Cardiff for the final.

What could you get on France now?

Well, no one can predict the future perfectly... but France have been shambolic for a number of years now. I don't see them getting their act together for this.

[Numbers]

If that number of teams is 2. Then yes. A number of teams

Yes, NZ and Ireland are ahead of the others but, given the standard on display this November, I think Wales and England have a chance, then a little way back, Australia and SA have an outside hope. So, for me the number is 6.

Anyone here remember the RWC1999 warm-up games? France got dismantled by Wales and Jiffy was struggling not to laugh at how terrible they were. A few weeks later they were back in Cardiff for the final.

What could you get on France now?

25/1
Wales are 20/1

[Sourdust]

Well, no one can predict the future perfectly... but France have been shambolic for a number of years now. I don't see them getting their act together for this.

Me neither.

My point is that most of us couldn't see them making the finals in '99 and '11, either. People often talk about how Oz always somehow get it together for the RWC, but the final has featured a rubbish France side TWICE. They've got England and Argentina in their '19 group, and on neutral soil I reckon they might ambush at least one of those. A likely subsequent route is Wales/Oz in the QF, then Ireland in the semis. Admitted they'd do pretty well to survive that but if I was the betting type, I'd fancy a fiver at 25-1.