Wales team v SA

[pompey-zebra]

Murray; Rogers, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Dyer; Costelow, Bevan; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Griffin, Rowlands, Tshiunza, Botham, Morgan, Plumtree.

Replacements: Elias, Smith, Assiratti, F Thomas, Reffell, R Williams, James, Hathaway.

[Sandydragon]

Winnett paying the price for that awful attempted tackle at the end. Plus a few other mistakes. Is Murray the right answer? Time will tell I suppose.

Wainwright hasnt been himself - think he was brought back too quickly.

Centre partnership remains the same - that could be interesting with the Bokke midfield running at pace, although I dont think our defensive issues can be solved fully by replacing Thomas with a more muscular centre.

And Costelow returns. I hope hes felling confident otherwise it could be another long afternoon (or more so than its likely to be anyway). Anscombe hasnt set the world on fire, but equally he doesnt make the silly errors that Costelow can.

Whatever went wrong with our lineout last weekend, hopefully its resolved. You just cant go 30 minutes losing every lineout.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Surprised that none of those changes - Anscombe, Winnett, Wainwright all being dropped - are due to injury. Throwing the dice a bit, although I guess no one expects a win from this. Having said that, although a victory is almost certainly beyond us, that's not to say there's nothing to lose. A spirited loss, where we stay in the fight and don't capitulate, might be enough to keep Gatland in the job (assuming he wants it . . . for all we know he may well want to be sacked and paid off now).

I'm not too worried about Murray instead of Winnett, although he's even smaller. But it would have been a great opportunity to give Nagy a cap and bulk up the back line. Costelow vs Anscombe, well I'm no fan of Costelow and do we really want to pick a tiny fly half vs the Boks? Wainwright is more reliable than Plumtree - this is a real dice throw.

I'd have preferred sticking with last week's team. But either way we'd do well to avoid a cricket score.

[Graigwen]

Wainwright hasnt been himself - think he was brought back too quickly.

At least I can agree with that.

.

[Graigwen]

Well, let's look on the bright side.

This match will provide valuable experience for lots of our players. In years to come when we are winning games our players will say "Do you remember that terrible South Africa game at the end of 2024. We said then that things could only get better.".

.

[pompey-zebra]

Late changes just announced Thomas is ill, so smith starts, Rogers injured, so Hathaway starts.

[Sandydragon]

Well, let's look on the bright side.

This match will provide valuable experience for lots of our players. In years to come when we are winning games our players will say "Do you remember that terrible South Africa game at the end of 2024. We said then that things could only get better.".

.

And on the slimmest of silver linings, here we go…

[Sandydragon]

Late changes just announced Thomas is ill, so smith starts, Rogers injured, so Hathaway starts.

Good opportunity for Nicky. Huge shame for Rogers

[Sandydragon]

Seven nil down. Defensively that was hardly reassuring

[pompey-zebra]

Seven nil down. Defensively that was hardly reassuring

12 now. Still not reassuring.

[pompey-zebra]

Being pushed off the rucks like they're not there.

[Sandydragon]

Twelve nil

[Sandydragon]

Being pushed off the rucks like they're not there.

That was worrying

[Wallpaperman]

Not the brightest of starts

[Sandydragon]

Meanwhile apparently Ireland are stuffing Fiji. We’re passing the point of comedy to that where people might feel worry for us.

Like the 90s again

[Sandydragon]

Giving away a ton of penalties too. Be a yellow card soon

[Wallpaperman]

Meanwhile apparently Ireland are stuffing Fiji. We’re passing the point of comedy to that where people might feel worry for us.

Like the 90s again

Starting to feel like it..

[Wallpaperman]

Giving away a ton of penalties too. Be a yellow card soon

Dickson’s fingers will be itching

[Wallpaperman]

Good last ditch defence there

[pompey-zebra]

Good last ditch defence there

Going to need a lot more of it.

[Wallpaperman]

Giving away a ton of penalties too. Be a yellow card soon

Dickson’s fingers will be itching

Think he has got the last couple wrong, not that it will alter the result

[Sandydragon]

No shortage of effort. And that oenalty for tacking a player without the ball could have gone for crossing.

But there’s an inevitability about this

[Wallpaperman]

Good last ditch defence there

Going to need a lot more of it.

Only for the next 62 minutes

[Sandydragon]

And there’s number three.

[Wallpaperman]

An outmuscled pack, slow delivery from half back and small outside backs who can’t defend very well. Apart from that…