Team for the Summer

[Sandydragon]

For the SA game I think I'd pick the following:

Gareth thomas
Elliott Dee
Henry Thomas
Ben Carter
Cory Hill
Taine Plumtree
Jac Morgan
Aaron Wainwright
Gareth Davies
Ben Thomas
Rio Dyer
Mason Grady
Owen Watkin
Laim Williams
Cam Winnett

Reps:

Dewi Lake, Corey Domachowski, Dillon Lewis, Matthew Screech, Mackenzie Martin, Ellis Bevan, Sam Costelow, Jacob Beetham

To be fair most of the places we have hardly any choices, I've picked Grady out of position due to his effectiveness at holding defenders in the narrow channels and as I don't think he is there defensively at 13.

Not arguing with that.

[Son of Mathonwy]

My pick would be:

Gareth Thomas
Dewi Lake
Keiron Assiratti
Ben Carter
Cory Hill
Taine Plumtree
Jac Morgan
Aaron Wainwright
Kieran Hardy
Sam Costelow
Rio Dyer
Nick Tompkins
Mason Grady
Keelan Giles
Cam Winnett

Sub's:
Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, Henry Thomas, Matthew Screech, Tommy Reffell, Gareth Davies, BenThomas, Jacob Beetham

... although there are some close calls there and a few missing from the squad who I would have considered - Lloyd, Ratti, Morris

[Sandydragon]

I would have thought that a game be the Springboks would have suited Ratti. But since he’s not in the squad it’s a bit academic.

[Numbers]

My pick would be:

Gareth Thomas
Dewi Lake
Keiron Assiratti
Ben Carter
Cory Hill
Taine Plumtree
Jac Morgan
Aaron Wainwright
Kieran Hardy
Sam Costelow
Rio Dyer
Nick Tompkins
Mason Grady
Keelan Giles
Cam Winnett

Sub's:
Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, Henry Thomas, Matthew Screech, Tommy Reffell, Gareth Davies, BenThomas, Jacob Beetham

... although there are some close calls there and a few missing from the squad who I would have considered - Lloyd, Ratti, Morris

Tompkins won't be available for the SA game or Reffell.

[Son of Mathonwy]

My pick would be:

Gareth Thomas
Dewi Lake
Keiron Assiratti
Ben Carter
Cory Hill
Taine Plumtree
Jac Morgan
Aaron Wainwright
Kieran Hardy
Sam Costelow
Rio Dyer
Nick Tompkins
Mason Grady
Keelan Giles
Cam Winnett

Sub's:
Elliot Dee, Corey Domachowski, Henry Thomas, Matthew Screech, Tommy Reffell, Gareth Davies, BenThomas, Jacob Beetham

... although there are some close calls there and a few missing from the squad who I would have considered - Lloyd, Ratti, Morris

Tompkins won't be available for the SA game or Reffell.

Good point.

Ben Thomas at 12, Watkin 22, Martin 19. Really missing Ratti and/or Morris. Tempted to put James on the bench but Watkin is reliable.

[Sandydragon]

Think I’d rather start with Watkin and have Thomas on the bench. I’d prefer his experience against the world champions given that 10 and 13 won’t have that much.

[Numbers]

Wales XV to play South Africa: 15. Cameron Winnett, 14. Liam Williams, 13. Owen Watkin, 12. Mason Grady, 11. Rio Dyer; 10. Sam Costelow, 9. Ellis Bevan; 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Dewi Lake (captain), 3. Henry Thomas, 4. Matthew Screech, 5. Ben Carter, 6. Taine Plumtree, 7. James Botham, 8. Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: 16. Evan Lloyd, 17. Kemsley Mathias, 18. Kieron Assiratti, 19. James Ratti, 20. Mackenzie Martin, 21. Gareth Davies, 22. Eddie James, 23. Jacob Beetham

[Numbers]

Looks like Ratti is in the squad then?

[Sandydragon]

Wales XV to play South Africa: 15. Cameron Winnett, 14. Liam Williams, 13. Owen Watkin, 12. Mason Grady, 11. Rio Dyer; 10. Sam Costelow, 9. Ellis Bevan; 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Dewi Lake (captain), 3. Henry Thomas, 4. Matthew Screech, 5. Ben Carter, 6. Taine Plumtree, 7. James Botham, 8. Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: 16. Evan Lloyd, 17. Kemsley Mathias, 18. Kieron Assiratti, 19. James Ratti, 20. Mackenzie Martin, 21. Gareth Davies, 22. Eddie James, 23. Jacob Beetham

Is Morgan injured?

Liam returning for this fixture doesnt bother me, its experience in the back 3. Second row is a worry, but that's all that is available so can only hope for the best. Ratti on the bench is good for this fixture. It will also be a good test for Plumtree on where his potential is.

Centre partnership makes sense. Grady I think is going to be a key part of this team moving forward so lets see how he gets on. Watkin alongside him brings some experience, even if Watkin is out of position.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Wales XV to play South Africa: 15. Cameron Winnett, 14. Liam Williams, 13. Owen Watkin, 12. Mason Grady, 11. Rio Dyer; 10. Sam Costelow, 9. Ellis Bevan; 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Dewi Lake (captain), 3. Henry Thomas, 4. Matthew Screech, 5. Ben Carter, 6. Taine Plumtree, 7. James Botham, 8. Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: 16. Evan Lloyd, 17. Kemsley Mathias, 18. Kieron Assiratti, 19. James Ratti, 20. Mackenzie Martin, 21. Gareth Davies, 22. Eddie James, 23. Jacob Beetham

Is Morgan injured?

Liam returning for this fixture doesnt bother me, its experience in the back 3. Second row is a worry, but that's all that is available so can only hope for the best. Ratti on the bench is good for this fixture. It will also be a good test for Plumtree on where his potential is.

Centre partnership makes sense. Grady I think is going to be a key part of this team moving forward so lets see how he gets on. Watkin alongside him brings some experience, even if Watkin is out of position.

Morgan's injured, out of the tour.

Ratti was just called up today, good thing too. Gatland really should call up Morris too but it won't happen. Botham's a good player but he's a 6 not a 7.

I don't understand the order of the centres, surely Grady is the 13 and we know Watklin is a 12??

Beetham is fly half cover? That's mental. I'm not a fan of Costelow but I hope he doesn't get an early injury.

Wait?? No Cory Hill??? WTF was the point in bringing him in if not for this match?? Mad.

I wouldn't have Sanjay in this tour unless he's available for the 6N. Obviously he's brilliant (hopefully still brilliant) and makes us stronger but he keeps another player from developing. And if he's in the team, he should be FB - he's better than Winnett unless he's lost a ton of form in Japan.

Aside from all this it's not a terrible team given what's available but I don't see us making an impression on SA.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... ddnl2drnpo

[Numbers]

Wales XV to play South Africa: 15. Cameron Winnett, 14. Liam Williams, 13. Owen Watkin, 12. Mason Grady, 11. Rio Dyer; 10. Sam Costelow, 9. Ellis Bevan; 1. Gareth Thomas, 2. Dewi Lake (captain), 3. Henry Thomas, 4. Matthew Screech, 5. Ben Carter, 6. Taine Plumtree, 7. James Botham, 8. Aaron Wainwright.

Replacements: 16. Evan Lloyd, 17. Kemsley Mathias, 18. Kieron Assiratti, 19. James Ratti, 20. Mackenzie Martin, 21. Gareth Davies, 22. Eddie James, 23. Jacob Beetham

Is Morgan injured?

Liam returning for this fixture doesnt bother me, its experience in the back 3. Second row is a worry, but that's all that is available so can only hope for the best. Ratti on the bench is good for this fixture. It will also be a good test for Plumtree on where his potential is.

Centre partnership makes sense. Grady I think is going to be a key part of this team moving forward so lets see how he gets on. Watkin alongside him brings some experience, even if Watkin is out of position.

Morgan's injured, out of the tour.

Ratti was just called up today, good thing too. Gatland really should call up Morris too but it won't happen. Botham's a good player but he's a 6 not a 7.

I don't understand the order of the centres, surely Grady is the 13 and we know Watklin is a 12??

Beetham is fly half cover? That's mental. I'm not a fan of Costelow but I hope he doesn't get an early injury.

Wait?? No Cory Hill??? WTF was the point in bringing him in if not for this match?? Mad.

I wouldn't have Sanjay in this tour unless he's available for the 6N. Obviously he's brilliant (hopefully still brilliant) and makes us stronger but he keeps another player from developing. And if he's in the team, he should be FB - he's better than Winnett unless he's lost a ton of form in Japan.

Aside from all this it's not a terrible team given what's available but I don't see us making an impression on SA.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... ddnl2drnpo

As I said in an earlier post Grady is not up to defending the 13 channel at club level yet let alone International level, Watkin has played 13 most of the season for the Os with Kieran Williams at 12, I think it's a good choice consdiering the options which is why I had that centre pairing in my team. I believe Eddie James has also played at 10 up to U18s so he could be the backup, that's certainly how the team has been laid out.

[Numbers]

Amazingly not one of the so called journalists asked Gatland about the backup 10 in the press conference, they were more minded to asking him about Hanekom...fucking useless.

[Sandydragon]

The lack of specialist 10 cover is frankly odd. The lack of Hill is a bit surprising, unless Gatland has viewed him in training and just doesnt feel that hes up to it at the moment.

[Sandydragon]

Amazingly not one of the so called journalists asked Gatland about the backup 10 in the press conference, they were more minded to asking him about Hanekom...fucking useless.

The odds of Hanekom playing for Wales are very small. The WOL obsession with him is a joke.

[Sandydragon]

The Bokke side looks pretty tasty. God help us.

[Puja]

Regan Grace called up, as Keelan Giles out through injury. Wild to be pulling in someone who's not played any top-level union, although he's certainly got the raw materials.

Puja

[Son of Mathonwy]

Regan Grace called up, as Keelan Giles out through injury. Wild to be pulling in someone who's not played any top-level union, although he's certainly got the raw materials.

Puja

Real shame for Keelan Giles to get injured. Although I doubt Gatland would have played him - he made it pretty clear he'd have preferred Cabango.

It would be a bit mental to put Grace straight into a test match with Australia for his first competitive Union game but hopefully he can get some valuable experience in the squad.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... p-29389485

[Puja]

Regan Grace called up, as Keelan Giles out through injury. Wild to be pulling in someone who's not played any top-level union, although he's certainly got the raw materials.

Puja

Real shame for Keelan Giles to get injured. Although I doubt Gatland would have played him - he made it pretty clear he'd have preferred Cabango.

It would be a bit mental to put Grace straight into a test match with Australia for his first competitive Union game but hopefully he can get some valuable experience in the squad.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... p-29389485

You feel there's at least one part in there about capping him so that England don't get any chance to poach if it turns out that he happens to be good, as well. I think us nabbing Feyi-Waboso has done permanent damage to Gatland's psyche.

Puja

[Son of Mathonwy]

Regan Grace called up, as Keelan Giles out through injury. Wild to be pulling in someone who's not played any top-level union, although he's certainly got the raw materials.

Puja

Real shame for Keelan Giles to get injured. Although I doubt Gatland would have played him - he made it pretty clear he'd have preferred Cabango.

It would be a bit mental to put Grace straight into a test match with Australia for his first competitive Union game but hopefully he can get some valuable experience in the squad.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... p-29389485

You feel there's at least one part in there about capping him so that England don't get any chance to poach if it turns out that he happens to be good, as well. I think us nabbing Feyi-Waboso has done permanent damage to Gatland's psyche.

Puja

Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if he finds himself in the 23 shirt if he 'trains well'.

[Sandydragon]

Agreed. Preferably he would have a clutch of club games under his belt but his skills as a league winger are well known so maybe he’s worth a risk on the bench. I’d rather it wasn’t Australia away where he was blooded but we are where we are.

Giles has no blydi luck.

[Numbers]

Wing is the position which transfers best from League to Union so he shouldn't have much difficulty getting up to speed.

[Graigwen]

It seems to me we have one experimental game where we are seriously hampered in selection, and to be honest are unlikely to win. Then we have a serious tour where we must perform well.

It is terrible luck for Giles, he has worked so hard to get himself back to a high level of performance. Grace is a very good player and might slot in without experience (but obviously not against SA).

After playing in Japanese fourth tier rugby it is not a surprise to find Hill not in the team. Perhaps Gatland will claim his experience has been valuable for our other second rows.

[Graigwen]

From the erudite pages of Wales Online:

"It has since been revealed that Secom Rugguts lock Cory Hill is nursing a calf injury. With Wales' lack of depth in the boiler house even before the squad was named, it made sense to call up a utility player like Ratti, who is able to cover off the back row too. "

.

[Son of Mathonwy]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... t-29396843

At the outset things didn't look quite so bad, but now . . . my guess is:

Wales 16 - 45 South Africa

[normanski]

It’s not going to be a happy afternoon. Thank goodness it’s at Twickenham and not Cardiff because that can take some pressure off the youngsters and allow them to play with a little freedom.

Although we’re in for a spanking this game does give our lads good experience of playing against the World Champions, albeit shorn of some of their first choice players.