Warm up games

[Renniks]

With the way Biggar played when he came on Patchell could end up starting, it depends if Gatland wants to continue with a more attacking option from the start, I suspect he'll just revert to Biggar which cuts down our attacking options (up and unders excepted).

Biggar looked like he wasn't expecting to play yesterday… There were 3 or 4 little issues in succession before he realised he was on the pitch!

[PoolerSaint]

I was surprised at the errors Wales made, not surprised at ours though!

I’m not as surprised as I should be. Wales have this habit of spending lots of time on fitness in their training camps and very little playing any actual rugby. We looked very rusty today and I don’t expect us to be that bad again.

But it was still a poor performance and fair play to England for taking their chances.

The Swiss camp was Strength and Conditioning, they are due another camp in Turkey to work on Skills after the next England game, that will obviously include the set piece's where we looked rusty at times, I was expecting us to be more physical than we were and the defence was poor at times which wasn't a good sign, I was pleased with how they came back in the second half, previous Welsh teams have capitulated at Twickenham in the face of a heavy defeat.

I thought North looked sharp, also JD, in fact the backs were at least as good as their counterparts in all areas, the forwards lost us the game clearly. I don't think I saw us win a jackal turnover until close to the end of the game (by Elliot Dee) and that was when England had an advantage for a penalty so it didn't effect anything in reality. The scrum dominance of England was a big bonus for them and was what led to them being able to close out the game.

Biggar looked a bit rusty when he came on, I hope Anscombe is ok he looked dangerous before the injury.

Also Gatland said Tipuric was taken off due to injury, so I hope he recovers ok.

If that's correct about the training undertaken I wouldn't expect Wales to win any of these warm up games apart from maybe the final test against Ireland.

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[Son of Mathonwy]

Fuck it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/49322030

Big loss - he was looking very good, making a big difference in attack.

I guess it'll give Patchell a chance to show what he can do (if only from the bench).

With the way Biggar played when he came on Patchell could end up starting, it depends if Gatland wants to continue with a more attacking option from the start, I suspect he'll just revert to Biggar which cuts down our attacking options (up and unders excepted).

Hope Gatland takes a chance on him. With the winning run broken maybe he'll be more willing to take risks. Maybe...

[Son of Mathonwy]

Team for 2nd test vs England:

Wales team: Liam Williams (Saracens, 56 Caps); George North (Ospreys, 84 Caps), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets, 74 Caps), Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets, 16 Caps), Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues, 11 Caps); Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, 71 Caps), Gareth Davies (Scarlets, 42 Caps); Nicky Smith (Ospreys, 29 Caps), Ken Owens (Scarlets, 65 Caps), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs, 41 Caps), Jake Ball (Scarlets, 33 Caps), Alun Wyn Jones (C) (Ospreys, 126 Caps), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons, 9 Caps), James Davies (Scarlets, 3 Caps), Ross Moriarty (Dragons, 32 Caps)

Replacements: Elliot Dee (Dragons, 19 Caps), Wyn Jones (Scarlets, 13 Caps), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues, 13 Caps), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets, 18 Caps), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues, 16 Caps), Aled Davies (Ospreys, 17 Caps), Jarrod Evans (Cardiff Blues, 1 Cap), Owen Watkin (Ospreys, 14 Caps)

Changes only for injuries.

I'm a little disappointed that Patchell isn't on the bench, but we'll see how Jarrod goes (or rather we probably won't see much of him, maybe 5 mins at the end, unless we are miles ahead OR miles behind in the last 20).

Hope Shingler doesn't have to play at second row for too much of the match.

[Renniks]

I like that you've got 5 back rowers, and England have 2…

[Sandydragon]

Not a bad team and Cubby will be interesting to watch, provided a contest is allowed at the breakdown.


Hopefully Jarrod gets some time, but pointless him being there if we can’t see if he is good enough before the big event.

[Sandydragon]

Well we won. I listened to the game via BBC Wales and it sounded very doom and gloom throughout.

Anyone watch it?

[Puja]

Well we won. I listened to the game via BBC Wales and it sounded very doom and gloom throughout.

Anyone watch it?

You made the right choice not to watch. Your lot were deserved winners, but neither team were what you would call good. Shockingly enough, you dominated the breakdown, having picked some actual flankers, and we dominated the scrum, having picked lots of locks. Your defence was very good, but your attack wasn't up to much and, while your try was well constructed, it came from a quick tap illegally taken when the play was dead and everyone had stopped for water and physios.

We were all rubbish, but you were definitely less rubbish than us today. Hopefully we'll all get better and go on to tonk the Irish.

Puja

[PoolerSaint]

Bit of a trudge to be honest, great to get a win especially against England but apart from the one moment of quick thinking and inspiration which brought the try it was hard going.
You certainly can't fault the efforts of the players but we're very one dimensional as has been thrown at us throughout Gats reign.
Defence and organisation is world class it really is but we need something else come RWC imho.

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[Sourdust]

It's another warm-up game.

I refused to get unduly worried about getting done over at HQ (Anscombe aside) and I refuse to get overly excited about a one-score home win. That said, those harping on about England's "2nd/3rd choice" team are deluding themselves; if England don't have a settled 1st-choice side, that's their problem and no-one else's.

It was a fairly poor watch. Wales were much, much better in that 1st 40 but it took a yellow card and a moment of cheek to post the half-time scoreline we deserved. England turned up in the 2nd but our defence was not too seriously troubled, and it became one of those matches where the crowd are nervous but the team seem unnervingly comfortable defending a one-score lead. Wales were eschewing kickable points early on but dropped into test-match mode later when there was clearly nothing doing. A poor spectacle, but as a preparation for knock-out rugby I think Gatland will be pleased, especially if none of the injuries are serious.

[Ross. S]

That said, those harping on about England's "2nd/3rd choice" team are deluding themselves; if England don't have a settled 1st-choice side, that's their problem and no-one else's..

I loved them going on about England being experamental and Wales having "very much their first choice" They conveniently glossed over Anscome, Liam, Tips and Faletau missing plus a few others...

[Sourdust]

Yes, good old full-strength Wales. Well, missing our 1st 10, it's true. And our 1st 15. Oh, and our 1st 7 and (arguably these days I suppose) our 1st 8. We rested our 1st 4. But otherwise, full-strength. Apart from Webb...

[MrK]

I hope we see some new faces for Ireland

Front row - smith and Evans will go , and guessing Wynn Wynn Jones so , the 3 hookers pick themselves , tight head I think is still open - Francis and Lewis will go , if we take 3TH, it’s a battle between injury prone Lee and untested Brown

For Ireland I’d like to see

Evans , Dee, Lee - Carre , Elias , brown come on at 40

Nothing of note In the second row / let’s just rest AWJ, I’d like Davies to show us if he still has it .

Hill, Davies - BEard

Back row - we need to see our back up at 8

Shingler , tipuric, navidi - Moriaty

I’d like to see Tomos and Evans at 9-10

Centres we need to see Watkins and Williams together

Back 3 - Amos, Lane on the wings - 1/2p full back

Subs - Davies , Patchell , Steff

[Son of Mathonwy]

Okay, I am pleased about the win. And any kind of win would do. And it's great to be No.1.This is all true.

But otherwise rather disappointing. Wales played like they've played forever under Gatland (and Edwards), great defence, hopeless attack. Ball in hand we seemed to have no plan other that to pass (slowly) along the line, ruck, pass right, ruck, pass right, ruck, pass right, oh we've reached the touchline, switch direction and repeat. One moment of inspiration (which the ref could have stopped on a whim) was the difference between the teams. Line out excellent (this time), scrum poor.

Luckily, England were even less inspired than we were.

I just hope Gatland (having that world no. 1 on his CV) can now take a chance on not playing Biggar for once and see what Jarrod and Patchell can do. Hopefully they'll both get a decent chance in the next two games.

[Numbers]

I hope we see some new faces for Ireland

Front row - smith and Evans will go , and guessing Wynn Wynn Jones so , the 3 hookers pick themselves , tight head I think is still open - Francis and Lewis will go , if we take 3TH, it’s a battle between injury prone Lee and untested Brown

For Ireland I’d like to see

Evans , Dee, Lee - Carre , Elias , brown come on at 40

Nothing of note In the second row / let’s just rest AWJ, I’d like Davies to show us if he still has it .

Hill, Davies - BEard

Back row - we need to see our back up at 8

Shingler , tipuric, navidi - Moriaty

I’d like to see Tomos and Evans at 9-10

Centres we need to see Watkins and Williams together

Back 3 - Amos, Lane on the wings - 1/2p full back

Subs - Davies , Patchell , Steff

I don't think Rhys Carre will feature to heavily, he has been exposed in the scrum at regional level, his time will come but not this world cup, we won't see wholesale changes I don't think, I'm also hoping to see more of Owen Watkin as he seems the business to me and the backrow can be tinkered with to not much detriment, if Tomos Williams is fit he'll definitely get a start in one of the two remaining games as will Patchell, I don't think Jarrod has the experience for Gatland to risk starting him but would love to be proved wrong as he looks to be the future of the 10 shirt for us and is the closest fit to Anscombe's style of the three.

[MrK]

I am loving the fact that the English press and EMB are talking about their mix n match teams against our first choice .

I’d give you the backs were mostly first choice , excluding Anscombe and Liam.

But the pack ?

I’d argue Evans , Lee (if fit) , Beard or Hill, Navidi will start , and Tipuric . Would all improve our pack

So I’d say 50% first choice pack at best.

I also think the 10 spot isn’t 100% nailed on yet .

My rose tinted glasses still thinks Gats has something up his sleeve .

For now though , I’ll give England the dues of humping Ireland .

Whilst I don’t think we are the #1 team in the world ( despite the rankings ) . I don’t think England are all that either.

[Sandydragon]

The second half in Cardiff was a string England team against a weaker Welsh one. It wasn’t quite the one sided affair many in the media make it out to be.

Of course all that is forgotten after yesterday’s slaughter of Ireland. Fair play it was a cracking performance and result, but Ireland did look a bit muted and I don’t think other top teams will roll over that easily. Most English supporters I know are fairly realistic, but the media loves to hype.

[Which Tyler]

If you want to judge us by our press - shall we judge you by Wales Online?

[Son of Mathonwy]

England are a confidence team. Ireland didn't pressure them so they played at their best.

When things aren't going their way they lose their cool, they struggle for ideas. Get in their faces, contain them, and their level drops.

[Puja]

England are a confidence team. Ireland didn't pressure them so they played at their best.

When things aren't going their way they lose their cool, they struggle for ideas. Get in their faces, contain them, and their level drops.

That is an excellent summary of us. If it goes right for us, it goes very right, and it doesn't take much for us to dominate. There's not as big of a difference for us between a 30 point win and a 3 point loss as the scoreboard would have you believe.

Puja

[Sandydragon]

England are a confidence team. Ireland didn't pressure them so they played at their best.

When things aren't going their way they lose their cool, they struggle for ideas. Get in their faces, contain them, and their level drops.

That is an excellent summary of us. If it goes right for us, it goes very right, and it doesn't take much for us to dominate. There's not as big of a difference for us between a 30 point win and a 3 point loss as the scoreboard would have you believe.

Puja

Twickenham is a big factor for you as well. If England start well it’s easy for the opposition to get a fair way behind quite quickly.

[MrK]

If you want to judge us by our press - shall we judge you by Wales Online?

You can judge what you want. Feel free to base your opinions on one , poor welsh newspaper , I’ll take more from judging the mass “British” press and what I see posted on the EMB .

We've played 2 matches with a mix-n-match team against Wales' best-available. We won one fo them with a power game, and came very close in a scrappy affair in very hostile conditions. .

[Son of Mathonwy]

England are a confidence team. Ireland didn't pressure them so they played at their best.

When things aren't going their way they lose their cool, they struggle for ideas. Get in their faces, contain them, and their level drops.

That is an excellent summary of us. If it goes right for us, it goes very right, and it doesn't take much for us to dominate. There's not as big of a difference for us between a 30 point win and a 3 point loss as the scoreboard would have you believe.

Puja

Twickenham is a big factor for you as well. If England start well it’s easy for the opposition to get a fair way behind quite quickly.

Absolutely - Twickenham is a massive confidence booster for them. But they can still be pressured and contained even there (as we have shown... even Scotland sort-of managed it last year).

[Graigwen]

From the ever reliable Wales Online:

"Wales (possible): Hallam Amos; Owen Lane, Scott Williams, Owen Watkin, Steff Evans; Jarrod Evans, Aled Davies; Rhys Carre, Ryan Elias, Samson Lee, Jake Ball, Bradley Davies, Aaron Shingler, Josh Navidi (capt), James Davies."

That would fit with the supposed Gatland:Schmidt agreement to play second string teams for the home game.

.

[WaspInWales]

England are a confidence team. Ireland didn't pressure them so they played at their best.

When things aren't going their way they lose their cool, they struggle for ideas. Get in their faces, contain them, and their level drops.

That is an excellent summary of us. If it goes right for us, it goes very right, and it doesn't take much for us to dominate. There's not as big of a difference for us between a 30 point win and a 3 point loss as the scoreboard would have you believe.

Puja

Or...if it goes right for us, it's because of Farrell