Team for Fiji

[Graigwen]

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Anyone got any ideas?

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[Sandydragon]

I think we need to use as much experience as is reasonable.

1. Smith
2. Lake
3. Thomas
4. Beard
5. Rowlands
6. Plumtree (if Wainright is fit and able to start)
7. Morgan
8. Wainwright
9. Williams
10. Anscombe
11. Dyer
12. James
13. Id go for Llewelyn but I suspect Watkin is the more likely starter)
14. Grady
15. Winnett

Centers are a concern, but the most experienced ones arent good enough as a pairing to keep in my opinion.

[pompey-zebra]

The Fail had this as the possible team yesterday:

Possible Wales XV: Cameron Winnett; Mason Grady, Owen Watkin, Ben Thomas, Rio Dyer; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (captain), Henry Thomas, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Taine Plumtree, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright. Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Ellis Bevan, Sam Costelow, Max Llewellyn.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Suggestions from WOL:

Possible Wales XV: Cameron Winnett; Mason Grady, Owen Watkin, Ben Thomas, Rio Dyer; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (captain), Henry Thomas, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Taine Plumtree, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright. Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Ellis Bevan, Sam Costelow, Max Llewellyn.

Graham Price: C Winnett, M Grady, N Tompkins, E James, R Dyer, G Anscombe, T Williams, G Thomas, D Lake (captain), H Thomas, W Rowlands, A Beard, C Tshiunza, J Morgan, A Wainwright
Bench: N Smith, R Elias, A Griffin, T Plumtree, T Reffell, E Bevan, B Thomas, T Rogers

My thoughts,: several backs I'd choose (Lloyd, Sheedy, Nagy, Morgan-Williams or Hardy) are not in the squad, but going with what we have my idea is very similar to the WOL XV:

Cameron Winnett; Mason Grady, Eddie James, Ben Thomas, Rio Dyer; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (captain), Henry Thomas, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Taine Plumtree, Jac Morgan, Aaron Wainwright. Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Archie Griffin, Christ Tshiunza, Tommy Reffell, Ellis Bevan, Max Llewellyn, Tom Rogers.

I was tempted to put Llewellyn and James together for a massive centre partnership but thought more subtlety might be needed. NB I don't know how Tompkins has been playing.

[Graigwen]

Thanks to those who responded to my empty prompt. It was empty because I was uncertain about so much, I am not now.

There is a lot of consensus it seems, and I would not disagree with much.

Gareth Thomas/Nicky Smith at loose head is not a big choice with the other on the bench.

Dewi Lake at hooker with Ryan Elias on the bench is agreed by all.

Henry Thomas at tight head with a fully fit Archie Griffin on the bench is agreed by all.

Rowlands and Beard are bolted on at 2nd row. Price seems to see Plumtree as a back up second row, I don't think that is a role he is suitable for at international level - I guess Price is looking for a way to get Reffel in the 22, understandably.

As long as Wainwright is fit, all except Price agree on a back row of Plumtree, Morgan and Wanwright. This is very rare agreement on a contentious area. I think there is an outside possibility Gatland might go with Tshiunza for this game instead of Plumtree.

Williams and Anscombe are universally agreed at half back, astonishing.

The back three of Winnett, Grady and Dyer are also universally agreed. It is interesting that we all see Grady as a winger, I wonder if Gatland does. The experiment of playing him at centre was justified, but has run its course.

This just leaves the problem of centres. I think Gatland will be keen to get Ben Thomas on the pitch somehow, but maybe he will be the bench fly half. I hope Watkin is not in the XV, but he is a favourite of Gatland's. I hope Llewelyn and James are involved. I have no idea how Tompkins is playing, but he is always difficult to judge.

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[pompey-zebra]

This just leaves the problem of centres. I think Gatland will be keen to get Ben Thomas on the pitch somehow, but maybe he will be the bench fly half. I hope Watkin is not in the XV, but he is a favourite of Gatland's. I hope Llewelyn and James are involved. I have no idea how Tompkins is playing, but he is always difficult to judge.

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Ben Thomas is an interesting one, as he's been singled out for praise recently by Gatland so it would be hard for Gatland not to play Thomas at all. Another factor is that Anscombe hasnt been goal kicking for Gloucester this season, apparently to reduce the risk of injury. It might be that Thomas takes over the kicking duties.

[Graigwen]

Ben Thomas is an interesting one, as he's been singled out for praise recently by Gatland so it would be hard for Gatland not to play Thomas at all. Another factor is that Anscombe hasnt been goal kicking for Gloucester this season, apparently to reduce the risk of injury. It might be that Thomas takes over the kicking duties.

That is a very fair comment. Do we have anyone else with pretensions to being a goal kicker? What about Winnett? I think I have seen Williams kick, but may be wrong.
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[pompey-zebra]

Latest from the Fail is that Blair Murray will start on the wing, with Grady on the other wing. Llewellyn and thomas in the centre, Anscombe and Williams at half back with Winnett at 15. In the pack, Griffin is said to start, Beard and Rowlands in the 2nd Row. Reffell to start ahead of Morgan in the back row with a possible 6-2 split on the bench.

A few surprises there if true! Apart from Murray starting, Griffin starting is a surprise as he's not played this season for health reasons. And a 6-2 split. Hmmm....

[Graigwen]

I was about to post that I had heard a rumour that Murray can kick (unverified), also that the BBC suggest he will start instead of Dyer.

It is also said that Morgan has a minor niggle and will bench, with Reffell starting. (I guess this could be a tactical ploy.) With Thomas pairing Llewelyn in the centre that gives another place kicking option.

This all sort of makes sense, although that does not mean it is accurate!
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[pompey-zebra]

Official squad announcment:

Wales XV: Cameron Winnett; Mason Grady, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Blair Murray; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake (captain), Archie Griffin, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Taine Plumtree, Tommy Reffell, Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Keiron Assiratti, Christ Tshiunza, James Botham, Jac Morgan, Ellis Bevan, Sam Costelow.

[pompey-zebra]

So pretty much as the Fail reported, including the 6-2 split. Interesting that we have three 10's in the squad, if you include Ben Thomas (given he played 10 on the Aus tour)

[Graigwen]

That is an interesting team. It looks OKish.

I hope we don't have a centre injured early on.

It is no disadvantage having 3 10s in the 22..

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[pompey-zebra]

That is an interesting team. It looks OKish.

I hope we don't have a centre injured early on.

It is no disadvantage having 3 10s in the 22..

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That was my thoughts re: centre. It'd assume Grady would move into the centre and Bevan goes on in the wing. Or have costellow at 10, Anscombe at 15 then winnett goes into the wing. Or God help us, we stick a back rower in the centre. Whatever it's a shuffle we can do without. I expect it to happen by the 5th minute.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I'm okay with most of that.

Llewellyn or James, I don't really mind.

Naturally, Gatland has fast-tracked the Kiwi onto the wing but I think Blair has looked good for the Scarlets and brings a useful flexibility.

Costelow on the bench is a mistake IMO. It should be Rogers or James. We don't need a third fly half in the team, but we do need someone who can cover centre or back three. Things get messy if we lose anyone from 11 to 15. I don't really want Anscombe to have to move to full back, or put Bevan on the wing.

[Graigwen]

Regarding place kicking tomorrow, this is from the BBC;

'Gatland confirmed Anscombe will have the goal kicking duties this weekend.

The Wales coach accepts Anscombe, who has played 37 internationals in nine years, has adapted his game after also suffering a serious knee injury which ruled him out for two years between 2019 and 2021.

"He won't like me saying this but he has lost a yard or two of pace from where he was, whereas in the past he was able to cover that full-back position," said Gatland.

"But having that experience coming back into the side has been good over the last few weeks.

"He brings a lot of confidence and self-belief into the squad. He does communicate well with the players, which is important from a leadership perspective."'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... yperd6n8go

[Sandydragon]

We’re currently 14-10 up and playing against a 14 man Fiji who have a red card. Wales have looked good in places but were guilty of switching off for the Fiji try.

3 minutes to half time to defend in our 22. Fiji look a bit disjointed and our blitz defence is causing some issues but they go go for a drive off the lineout and score via a penalty try.

[Sandydragon]

Scratch that. Try disallowed and penalty to Wales

[Sandydragon]

And that’s half time. Plumtree missed a tackle to let the Fijian try in but has been a real handful and brings a lot of dog to the Welsh pack. It’s been a far more robust Welsh pack with some of our more experienced players back.

Lots of positives in the first half but there still that worrying trend to switch off occasionally and gift the opposition opportunities.

[pompey-zebra]

Poor last 20 minutes from Wales. Lack of accuracy and some ill discipline costing us. Mind you, you could say the same from Fiji. Hope the Grady injury and the 6 - 2 split doesnt come back to haunt us.

[Sandydragon]

Poor last 20 minutes from Wales. Lack of accuracy and some ill discipline costing us. Mind you, you could say the same from Fiji. Hope the Grady injury and the 6 - 2 split doesnt come back to haunt us.

Agreed. Grady was looking decent before he went off so hopefully nothing serious.

Need to cut out the silly errors and ill discipline. Fiji want us to lose our shape. Their attack looks very tame when we keep our defensive line and our pressure on them.

[Sandydragon]

Entire Welsh front row changed and Reffell off for Morgan. Fiji take the lead after a couple of penalties. Must get momentum back

[Sandydragon]

Step forward Tomos Williams with a 50:22

[pompey-zebra]

Wales have scuffed 2 attacks ( second time Rowlands has picked and gone and been.penalised) and are now behind. Fiji gaining the upper hand without needing any magic.
Good 50-22 from Wililiams, then another frigging handling error with the line beckoning!

[Sandydragon]

Poor handling there costs us a try

[Sandydragon]

Body language of the Welsh coaching staff ain’t grrat