Team for Fiji

[Son of Mathonwy]

That was painful after a bright start. Wales created chances to win, but no argument with the result. Credit to Fiji, always an exciting side to watch.

Thought that the Welsh maul would be key but it wasn’t enough. Some nice attacking play for a change but the flip side was that they were way smaller and struggled horribly at times in defence. Also some under par performances upfront, Rowlands looked gassed and got isolated a couple of times to concede penalties, and Plumtree missed an important tackle and also gave away some daft penalties.

I still think there is a decent squad to be picked for Wales but this was poor today.

On a separate note, was there much difference between the Reffell yellow and the Radra red ? At least the red was for 20 minutes and not decisive.

A minor gripe, Fiji dropped the ball a few times with play on, I thought that Ben Thomas dropped the ball backwards in the lead up to the disallowed Murray try.

That wasn’t a forward pass and another Fijian scrum should have been ours after a Fijian hand batted the ball forward in the tackle. But the ref was reasonable enough, can’t assign any blame there.

The two red reviews were interesting. I wonder if the fact that Reffell was trying to bind and the Fijian player had been thrown backwards already was the mitigation. For the red, Winnett wasn’t at full height but the Fijian tackler put his shoulder into his head so it was never a legal tackle. That’s the only difference I could reasonably see

Reffell's card reminded me of the shoulder to the face Tompkins got in the Argentina game in the world cup. Which was not even foul play, apparently.

[Son of Mathonwy]

It was always a risk having two backs on the bench particularly as Ben Thomas could have played ten. Losing Grady so early was a bad blow and Costelow looked very out of sorts on the wing (unsurprisingly).

If the intention was always for Bevan to be the wider replacement then that’s a total cockup. We seem to have reverted to the worst of the 90s and are quickly becoming a laughing stock

If Costelow went on, or was sent on by mistake, as Gatland says, that's totally unacceptable. I'm surprised Gatland's admitted* to it, it looks shambolic.

* wrong word, really. He's said that it's happened and someone else is to blame.

[Sandydragon]

On another note. Can anyone give me a sensible reason why we changed half of our pack at the 45 minute mark? If players were blowing or there was a tactical problem to address you’ve just had half time. So why wait another five minutes if the problem is significant.

Otherwise, would another ten minutes not made more sense? And why change four at once.

[pompey-zebra]

On another note. Can anyone give me a sensible reason why we changed half of our pack at the 45 minute mark? If players were blowing or there was a tactical problem to address you’ve just had half time. So why wait another five minutes if the problem is significant.

Otherwise, would another ten minutes not made more sense? And why change four at once.

I read last week that the reason Wales went for a 6-2 split was that a number of the forwards lacked game time and they wanted to cover that potential
Lack of match fitness. That might have been a factor in making the replacements, but why it was made after 45 minutes I don't know. Data, tactics, a hunch, not sure.

The more I read the comments from the Welsh camp, the more I think there's a lack of clarity within the camp. Gatland says there was a " lot of debate" over the 6-2 split. Maybe they're trying to cover everything by trying to be clever and not seeing the wood for the trees.

[Sandydragon]

The Fijians had come out strongly and momentum was very much in their favour at the time, but the change still felt more of a preplanned move than a reaction to events on the pitch.

[normanski]

It seems we have the right ingredients for a decent team as demonstrated by the first 20 minutes but silly errors like Reffell’s yellow lost us that early momentum. Can’t see us making much impression against Australia who look like a team on the rise.

[pompey-zebra]

It seems we have the right ingredients for a decent team as demonstrated by the first 20 minutes but silly errors like Reffell’s yellow lost us that early momentum. Can’t see us making much impression against Australia who look like a team on the rise.

I was quite impressed early on after Winnett's try was chalked off, Wales came back to be awarded the penalty try shortly after. That showed they didn't let the try being ruled out throw them off. But as you say, the silly errors started creeping in- the truck and trailer penalty from a good driving maul for example. Once the pressure started building it just got worse- turnovers, soft penalties, handling errors. Some of them were in good attacking positions too which was perhaps most frustrating.

[Graigwen]

I thought that we really threw that game away.

Fiji were just good, but we could not reach even that standard. Between wayward passes, dropped passes and missed tackles we did not deserve to win. I know we got the wrong end of some questionable refereeing, but our problems are much worse than that. The team looked as if they were short of practice. As for the cock up about Grady's replacement...???!!!

That was a bad game to lose. There were good flashes, buts lots of inattention. We played like a team short of brainpower. I remember the good old days when Faletau used to catch kick offs and set up attacks, now kicks offs to us are just an opportunity for the opposition to attack.

Two more losses to come I guess.
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[Buggaluggs]

So we didn't score a point between minute 15 and minute 66?

[Son of Mathonwy]

On another note. Can anyone give me a sensible reason why we changed half of our pack at the 45 minute mark? If players were blowing or there was a tactical problem to address you’ve just had half time. So why wait another five minutes if the problem is significant.

Otherwise, would another ten minutes not made more sense? And why change four at once.

It does seem mad. They've just had a 10 minute break. I guess they were told to empty the tank but I would have thought 10 or 15 minutes would have been better.

And you'd have thought that he'd have kept captain and human tank, Dewi Lake, on for a bit longer. Since his lineout work was good, what was the hurry?

[Son of Mathonwy]

Frustrating to read some of the overblown journalism on the match. It was a very close game and we had the opportunity to win it - there were two kickable penalties we didn't take despite being just behind on the scoreboard - one we went to the corner, one Williams took quickly. Neither gave us any points.

The 6-2 split and Costelow selection and shambolic substitution error(?) were unforgivable though.

[Son of Mathonwy]

It seems we have the right ingredients for a decent team as demonstrated by the first 20 minutes but silly errors like Reffell’s yellow lost us that early momentum. Can’t see us making much impression against Australia who look like a team on the rise.

They've got a good coach.

[pompey-zebra]

The Fail's reporting that Grady has been ruled out for 2 months with injury. The report also says that Josh Adams and Liam Williams are training with the squad but the coaching staff feels there's currently enough cover. Presumably that's not Costelow.

[Son of Mathonwy]

The Fail's reporting that Grady has been ruled out for 2 months with injury. The report also says that Josh Adams and Liam Williams are training with the squad but the coaching staff feels there's currently enough cover. Presumably that's not Costelow.

FFS. Assume Dyer will come in now although Rogers would be fine in my book.

I would assume this makes another 6-2 split even less likely. I'm not against 6-2 necessarily but you need to have players who can cover a lot of positions.

[pompey-zebra]

From the Fail again:
Steffan Thomas Wales XV: Cameron Winnett; Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Eddie James, Blair Murray; Ben Thomas, 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, James Botham, Ellis Bevan, Gareth Anscombe, Rio Dyer

An opinion piece, I think, rather than a leaked team before the official announcement ( as just before the Fiji game). I'd imagine Dyer would start, but as SoM suggests Rogers would be ok too. I still think Anscombe will start maybe with B Thomas on the bench. ( lots of Thomases/Tomos/Tom's in that squad. Nepotism from Steffan Thomas?)

[Son of Mathonwy]

From the Fail again:
Steffan Thomas Wales XV: Cameron Winnett; Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Eddie James, Blair Murray; Ben Thomas, 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, James Botham, Ellis Bevan, Gareth Anscombe, Rio Dyer

An opinion piece, I think, rather than a leaked team before the official announcement ( as just before the Fiji game). I'd imagine Dyer would start, but as SoM suggests Rogers would be ok too. I still think Anscombe will start maybe with B Thomas on the bench. ( lots of Thomases/Tomos/Tom's in that squad. Nepotism from Steffan Thomas?)

I'd be reasonably happy with that team although I don't think Gatland will change it up so much. I don't really mind if we keep 10 & 12 from last week, but if so I'd like to see James instead of Llewellyn.

[Wallpaperman]

From the Fail again:
Steffan Thomas Wales XV: Cameron Winnett; Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Eddie James, Blair Murray; Ben Thomas, 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, James Botham, Ellis Bevan, Gareth Anscombe, Rio Dyer

An opinion piece, I think, rather than a leaked team before the official announcement ( as just before the Fiji game). I'd imagine Dyer would start, but as SoM suggests Rogers would be ok too. I still think Anscombe will start maybe with B Thomas on the bench. ( lots of Thomases/Tomos/Tom's in that squad. Nepotism from Steffan Thomas?)

Not a bad side. Rogers over Dyer is an odd one, Dyer seemed to be pretty certain of his place not so long ago. Rogers has had a good season, he maybe deserves another chance. Murray played well on the other wing. There were a couple of uncapped wingers who really came on at the back of last season in Cabango at Cardiff, and Lewis at the Scarlets, both looked excellent and if i remember rightly both picked up serious injuries in their respective last games of the season. Factor in Adams, Reagan Grace and the one currently struggling in American football and the wing options could be pretty good.

Totally agree with Henry Thomas starting and Griffin on the bench. If managed well Griffin might become the sort of ball carrying prop we all hoped Leon Brown would be, fair play to his effort last week but it was a strange call to start him when he hadn’t played for a few weeks.

Thinking back on last week, the back row didn’t go well, and they didn’t look a unit. Hopefully Jac Morgan can pull them together this week, he must start.

I thought we would see Freddie Thomas last week, he might make the bench this week instead of Botham or Tshiunza.

[Graigwen]

After a few more days to think about it, I regard Grady's substitution to be the worst blunder I have seen in all my years of watching Wales.

I don't think a 6:2 bench split is always wrong, but it needs the right players to be selected. I don't know why Costelow was there, when we had Anscombe and Thomas.

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[Son of Mathonwy]

After a few more days to think about it, I regard Grady's substitution to be the worst blunder I have seen in all my years of watching Wales.

I don't think a 6:2 bench split is always wrong, but it needs the right players to be selected. I don't know why Costelow was there, when we had Anscombe and Thomas.

It was completely predictable - which is a sign of it being a huge error. If Anscombe still had the pace to cover full back it wouldn't have been so risky but as it was, 6-2 and Costelow at 23, they were obviously going to be in trouble if they lost anyone from 11 to 15. They compounded it with the still-not-fully-explained Costelow/Bevan 'error', but even using Bevan as cover was bad - what if we'd lost Tomos Williams (as we nearly did - he certainly took a knock)? We should have had Rogers at 23. Or, with a sensible squad, cover from 10 to 15, Ioan Lloyd.

[pompey-zebra]

After a few more days to think about it, I regard Grady's substitution to be the worst blunder I have seen in all my years of watching Wales.

I don't think a 6:2 bench split is always wrong, but it needs the right players to be selected. I don't know why Costelow was there, when we had Anscombe and Thomas.

It was completely predictable - which is a sign of it being a huge error. If Anscombe still had the pace to cover full back it wouldn't have been so risky but as it was, 6-2 and Costelow at 23, they were obviously going to be in trouble if they lost anyone from 11 to 15. They compounded it with the still-not-fully-explained Costelow/Bevan 'error', but even using Bevan as cover was bad - what if we'd lost Tomos Williams (as we nearly did - he certainly took a knock)? We should have had Rogers at 23. Or, with a sensible squad, cover from 10 to 15, Ioan Lloyd.

Given that he's missing this game I do wonder if Tomos W would have stayed on if there had been adequate cover on the bench. I'm pretty certain Bevan was already on by the time TW took a knock, although I could be wrong (I'd need to watch it again to be sure, and I'm in no hurry to do that!)

[Son of Mathonwy]

After a few more days to think about it, I regard Grady's substitution to be the worst blunder I have seen in all my years of watching Wales.

I don't think a 6:2 bench split is always wrong, but it needs the right players to be selected. I don't know why Costelow was there, when we had Anscombe and Thomas.

It was completely predictable - which is a sign of it being a huge error. If Anscombe still had the pace to cover full back it wouldn't have been so risky but as it was, 6-2 and Costelow at 23, they were obviously going to be in trouble if they lost anyone from 11 to 15. They compounded it with the still-not-fully-explained Costelow/Bevan 'error', but even using Bevan as cover was bad - what if we'd lost Tomos Williams (as we nearly did - he certainly took a knock)? We should have had Rogers at 23. Or, with a sensible squad, cover from 10 to 15, Ioan Lloyd.

Given that he's missing this game I do wonder if Tomos W would have stayed on if there had been adequate cover on the bench. I'm pretty certain Bevan was already on by the time TW took a knock, although I could be wrong (I'd need to watch it again to be sure, and I'm in no hurry to do that!)

True - Williams may well have played on in under-par condition because of the bench. Yeah, I have no plans to rewatch that one