Team for Uruguay

[Sandydragon]

Does the ref think he is supposed to be defending?

[bruce]

Don't deserve a bonus point, but I'll take it.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

What an absolute idiot this guy is. Isn't Amos a doctor in training?

[bruce]

Jesus Amos is shunt. Overrun two try opportunities and now dropped an easy touch down.

[Sandydragon]

Jesus Amos is shunt. Overrun two try opportunities and now dropped an easy touch down.

Very poor game from him.

[bruce]

The ultimate sniper. I would have had the ball out long ago.

[hugh_woatmeigh]

Wales bemoaning the ref yet have had the rub of the green imo. 99 times out of 100 that would be called back to be taken on the spot - not 3 metres away like Davies did.

[Sandydragon]

Thanks heavens that’s over with. That many changes does mean a lack of continuity and we did manage to score 5 tries, with at least four butchered along the way.

Poor but it doesn’t really matter. It also shows which of the back up players will be anywhere near the squad next weekend, not many.

[Sandydragon]

So who has put their hand up?

Halfpenny. No did nothing wrong but won’t dislodge Williams of for.
Amos. Err, not a chance.
Watkin. No change to bench status is everyone fit.
Parkes. Will start.
Adams. Will start.
Patch. Spends on Biggar but in match day squad for certain.
Davies. Nope.
Smith. Not sure, I’d prefer Wyn Jones.
Elias. No.
Lewis. On the bench. One of our better players tonight.
Davies. There to make up numbers.
Beard. Off the pace in my opinion. Unlikely to start.
Tipuric. Not his best game but will start.
Shingler. Plenty of flashy stuff from him but did he do enough of the basics? Bench at best.
Wainwright. Good game out of position. I think Moriartynwill start and he will be on the bench but that’s not a horses for courses decision than a reflection on form.

As an aside, Carre could be a very tidy player in time.

[Hooky]

Thought Bradley had a very good game. In fact the forwards were good and set the platform up for a 50 point win. The backs were dog shit. Aled Davies appaling, hallam Amos likewise. Halfpenny did ok but very rusty. Watkin offers nothing of note really. We clearly do not have any depth in the backline.

[Sandydragon]

I didn’t think Tomos Williams was that bad when he came on. Alex Davies was very hit and miss.

[Hooky]

I didn’t think Tomos Williams was that bad when he came on. Alex Davies was very hit and miss.

My bad. Wrong way round. Aled Davies was very poor. Tomos ok as you say

[bruce]

Agree Aled Davies was poor. Lost count of the times he took the wrong option or passed behind runners.

[Sandydragon]

Agree Aled Davies was poor. Lost count of the times he took the wrong option or passed behind runners.

Yup.

We had plenty of possession but between playing very naively at times and butchering a fist full of tries, we managed to make hard going of that.

Still think the 4 day turnaround is a nonsense. We’ve managed to overcome it but smaller teams can’t manage as well.

[normanski]

A win is a win but it was terribly scrappy by our reserves and reserve reserves. The only bright side is that Adams, Parkes, Patchell and Gareth Davies all came through without injury.

France will not take much from this game and will know they’ve got to meet the big boys next weekend.

[Sourdust]

In a World Cup you've got to get the points and stay intact. Very much job done on that score.

But it would have been nice to see something more, wouldn't it? To feel that the "strength in depth" that we were so happy to finally acquire in the last year or two, isn't really fading away as soon and as drastically as it seems to be. As said elsewhere, with the possible exception of Tomos, no-one enhanced their rep today. It's nice to see ½p at least trying to attack these days, but I wish he looked more convincing. With Biggar fit and firing it's hard to see what ½p adds any more - and it hurts to say that about a player I regard as a genuine Welsh great. Maybe Bradley did that "unseen" stuff forwards always talk about; to me he just looked ponderous. Shingler has some nice soft skills, but still looks a tidy club player and no more. When even Tips is practically anonymous, against a team of part-timers, you know it's not your day.

Ururguay were brave - and impressively tireless - but were a shadow of the team that took it to Fiji. We can't really hide behind the idea that the minnows played above themselves; they were just themselves, and we should be 40 points better than that, regardless of the teamsheets.

But back to my opening. 5 points, thanks very much, what next? And it's undeniably heartwarming to dip into the forums and hear how Wales can't hope to challenge the big boys having only got 19 points out of a possible 20 and beaten a SANZAR team along the way. Bless 'em all!

[Sandydragon]

The more I think about it, the less pessimistic I am. We fluffed a load of chances, Amos buggered up three by being ahead of the passer or via comedy fumbles. Yet our second team just won a BP victory at a neutral venue.

Most of those players hadn’t played for some time, since the first Ireland game. A few have possibly played too much rugby.

No more injuries and a BP win to top the group. Not hugely satisfying in delivery but in the big scheme of things it’s job done.

[Graigwen]

The more I think about it, the less pessimistic I am. We fluffed a load of chances, Amos buggered up three by being ahead of the passer or via comedy fumbles. Yet our second team just won a BP victory at a neutral venue.

Most of those players hadn’t played for some time, since the first Ireland game. A few have possibly played too much rugby.

No more injuries and a BP win to top the group. Not hugely satisfying in delivery but in the big scheme of things it’s job done.

This saves me a bit of typing, I agree with all that.

Plus, Tomos Williams is clearly our second best scrum half, Aled is too fragile and indecisive.

.

[Son of Mathonwy]

We struggled but still scored 5 tries. And we'd have looked better if the ref had yellowed Uruguay as promised. Their penalty count was ridiculous.

A very bad day for squad members hoping to force their way into the 23. Halfpenny (when compared with Watkins' anonymity) made a case for taking the 23 shirt. Carre also as an outside option for the bench (but more likely, one for the future).

Amos awful (and I usually rate him), Aled awful too.

[Sandydragon]

I normally rate Amos as a talented player but one whose role isn’t clear. Gatland seems to view him as a full back as he hasn’t the out and out gas for the wing. Although pace yesterday wasn’t the problem.

He is clearly a very talented footballer. He also clearly had a very bad day at the office having a hand in denying us three more tries. The usual idiots are out in force on the Fail(he should never play for Wales again, typical Dragons player, should have picked Stef Evans, etc) but hopefully he will get another chance.

I’ve rated Aled for his kicking which at its best is very good. Yesterday he was just ponderous.

Halfpenny offers no impact. If he is in the 23 then he should start with perhaps North off the bench. Watkin was a bit anonymous for me yesterday. He was out of position but against that opposition I expected a bit more.

[normanski]

There were really disappointing aspects to yesterday’s game but I’m not too downhearted about that.

This was a scratch team playing against a side who’d been playing together for three games beforehand. The Uruguayans targeted this match. They were buoyed by beating an off colour Fiji side and yet we put them away with a five try drubbing which could have been far worse if some of our moves had come off.

When you think our locks had just got off a plane - one hadn’t even been in the squad and was not expecting to play in the RWC and the other was recovering from an operation - and we had our third choice hooker and second choice props to start, then it’s no wonder things didn’t always go to plan.

They did what they had to do and came away with a BP.

The stats will show: played four, won four and only missed one BP.

Let’s look forward to our first choice teams taking on France.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I normally rate Amos as a talented player but one whose role isn’t clear. Gatland seems to view him as a full back as he hasn’t the out and out gas for the wing. Although pace yesterday wasn’t the problem.

He is clearly a very talented footballer. He also clearly had a very bad day at the office having a hand in denying us three more tries. The usual idiots are out in force on the Fail(he should never play for Wales again, typical Dragons player, should have picked Stef Evans, etc) but hopefully he will get another chance.

Absolutely - Amos is a very good player who had a very bad game.

[Numbers]

I normally rate Amos as a talented player but one whose role isn’t clear. Gatland seems to view him as a full back as he hasn’t the out and out gas for the wing. Although pace yesterday wasn’t the problem.

He is clearly a very talented footballer. He also clearly had a very bad day at the office having a hand in denying us three more tries. The usual idiots are out in force on the Fail(he should never play for Wales again, typical Dragons player, should have picked Stef Evans, etc) but hopefully he will get another chance.

Absolutely - Amos is a very good player who had a very bad game.

I agree, tho he should of learnt to hold his depth by now really, it's basic wing play.