Wales v Australia

[ALunpg]

So the fail has put out their assumptions of the team

Wales (probable): L Halfpenny; L Williams, J Davies, O Williams, S Evans; D Biggar, G Davies; R Evans, K Owens, T Francis; J Ball, AW Jones (c); A Shingler, J Navidi, T Faletau.

Reps: H Amos, O Watkin, A Davies, L Brown, K Dacey, N Smith, S Cross, C Hill.

It certainly is a differant team from recent times with injuries and tactical changes .

I am still a bit shocked about Sam Cross and would still have preferred Amos to start on the wing and Williams at FB but it won't be a suprise if they go this way.

The potential of Brown at tight head on the bench is a sign that they need more mobility in the front row runners. The back row has a differant look about it but they do have plenty of experience .

[wayneha50]

Navidi deserves his chance, I hope he gets a decent run rather than being discarded if things don't go well.

Can't wait to see the unveiling of the much-heralded & awaited Gatball Plan B.

[Buggaluggs]

I'm looking forward to leading 19-17 with 5 mins to go...

[Tre]

That bench is aids

[Numbers]

Samson injured?

[Son of Mathonwy]

Agreed, I'd prefer Amos on the wing, Liam at 15, Halfpenny on the bench. While Biggar is on the pitch, we don't need Halfpenny's boot.

Is Tipuric definitely out? Hope not.

Watkin is very promising, but he hasn't actually done all that much since his return. Not sure his form warrants his being picked ahead of Scott Williams.

Kuridrani doesn't expect Wales to be any different to previous years and he's probably right. If anything I expect us to be less organised than usual, more like the Ospreys than the Scarlets. Australia to win, fairly comfortably.

[Sandydragon]

I saw that article earlier. It’s an interesting selection. Some injury forced picks which is a shame but just a fact of life. Owen Williams at IC will be a very interesting call, less so halfpenny at FB unless the management are worried about midfield solidity and want a betterdefensiv full back.

[ALunpg]

The QBE business computer predictor says Wales will lose 3 out of 4 matches not a suprise there.

Wales 20 Australia 24

Wales 28 Georgia 15

Wales 18 New Zealand 34

Wales 20 South Africa 24

So ...I don't think they will be that close in the SA and Aussies ...any thoughts

The predictions have been put together by QBE Business Insurance

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... y-13873502

[Sandydragon]

An analysis of results over the past 10 years would point to 3out of 4 losses. It would take a miracle to beat the All blacks at the moment. I hope I’m surprised but I don’t think the changes Gatland has made to personal and potentially game plan will get that quickly so I think the first game will be a bit painful, we should have too much for Georgia although I wouldn’t bet the farm on it and then it’s all to do against the Bokke who are beatable, but only if we are playing well.

In some ways I’ll be happy if we lose 3 but show signs of real progress. If we lose 3 and it’s still one dimensional then it’s going to be a long 2 years.

[Tre]

confirmed as the team then...

That bench. Fucking hell.

[Numbers]

confirmed as the team then...

That bench. Fucking hell.

I'm not to bothered by the bench, some young players to come on and ad a bit of zip, of course we may not see any of the backs used.

[Tre]

confirmed as the team then...

That bench. Fucking hell.

I'm not to bothered by the bench, some young players to come on and ad a bit of zip, of course we may not see any of the backs used.

no need to worry about the backs as that back row will be marmalised

[Graigwen]

We have asked for a bit of adventure for years, now we have got it.

For once there is a willingness to risk losing non-tournament games in order to develop players and tactics.

Having said that, I think it is too soon for Brown. Sure, he has great potential but I don't think his temperament is ready.

.

[ALunpg]

Well it is as WO said. ...although I am still concerned with the back row especially Cross as cover... but none of the starting back row is new to the Wales setup.

I was just looking who else is there with Tipuric Warburton Davies Jenkins Griffiths out and Moriarty has just started back and could be called up for the AB and SA. Lydiate in not any form that would warrant him in front of Shingler.

There is Young at Wasps or Will Boyde at the Scarlets who could have got a shout instead of Cross but struggling with another alternative to the starting 6,7 and 8 from what has been selected and who else is available.

[ALunpg]

We have asked for a bit of adventure for years, now we have got it.

For once there is a willingness to risk losing non-tournament games in order to develop players and tactics.

Having said that, I think it is too soon for Brown. Sure, he has great potential but I don't think his temperament is ready.

.

I suppose it's a devil if you do and devil if you don't..but a differant type of prop for the last 20 may be the answer to some of our issues with ball handling, but the potential drawback is what happens if there is an injury early on.
You may be right about his temperament , but this is the environment he needs, and to be told express yourself but keep a lid on it and with AWJ pushing his on ass he will get that advice .

[PoolerSaint]

The biggest ommission for me is Seb Davies on the bench.
No problem in picking Alun Wyn & Ball at lock together.
But Cory Hill over Davies on the bench makes absolutely no sense to me.
Davies seems to have that "X Factor", Hill is a hard worker but doesn't offer much impact as a sub.
As for the match it could be a car crash, not convinced Owen Williams will be able to deal with Kuridrani running down his channel

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[Son of Mathonwy]

The QBE business computer predictor says Wales will lose 3 out of 4 matches not a suprise there.

Wales 20 Australia 24

Wales 28 Georgia 15

Wales 18 New Zealand 34

Wales 20 South Africa 24

So ...I don't think they will be that close in the SA and Aussies ...any thoughts

The predictions have been put together by QBE Business Insurance

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugb ... y-13873502

If only we had Australia later in the series I might think we had a chance, but on top of the history, we're rusty, they're warmed up. It will take an incredible performance for us to win this one.

Unless we play a stupidly weakened team, Georgia will be a straightforward win for us.

We have almost no chance against NZ. To win, we will need to execute the plan faultlessly, AND Barrett has to have a mare.

SA is in the balance, but we'll be fully warmed up by that point, and they are still fairly disorganized. I think we'll take it.

So it's 2 wins, 2 losses for me.

[Graigwen]

The biggest ommission for me is Seb Davies on the bench.
No problem in picking Alun Wyn & Ball at lock together.
But Cory Hill over Davies on the bench makes absolutely no sense to me.
Davies seems to have that "X Factor", Hill is a hard worker but doesn't offer much impact as a sub.
As for the match it could be a car crash, not convinced Owen Williams will be able to deal with Kuridrani running down his channel

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I certainly rate Seb Davies as the better long term prospect.


And yes, it will be interesting to see how Owen Williams copes, we have to find out at some stage.

[ALunpg]

I agree with the comments about Seb Davies and I think he will be one for the future and possibly this Autumn.

My main concern is that we seem to sometimes struggle in the lineout without Charteris so we need to have someone who can really be an impact in that way.Hill has to date not made that impact so I am willing to risk it and try out both Davies and Beard given time on the field.

To be honest this match could be a hard introduction to top class internationals for Owen Williams...although I imagine he saw a bit of southern hemisphere beef heading his way in the summer the Aussies are big and skilled.

[Sourdust]

There's only one positive for me, and it's one alluded to already above.

For years we've been stuck in this trap of every game being must-win, and it never being the right time to try something / somebody new. I've been advocating for ages that we need to be willing to sacrifice these autumn games, even if it does cost us ranking points (that didn't turn out too badly last time!)

In the final analysis, these are friendlies. It might be a dream to turn over the All Blacks - or even one of the others - but there's no trophy for it. Team Wales exists to compete in the 6 Nations and at World Cups, and everything else - summer tours, autumn series - should be about getting us into the best state possible to play those games. We all know our strength-in-depth is ruinously poor, and it can't possibly get any better if the same 25-30 players turn out for us every time, no matter what. We simply have to take some risks, and realistically that means being prepared to lose autumn friendlies, in exchange for exposing more players to test rugby and sorting some wheat (if any) from the chaff. If we come out of November 1 from 4, but with Leon Brown, Aaron Shingler, Owen Williams and Steff Evans all serious contenders to start against Scotland - I'll be happy with that.

[Sandydragon]

There's only one positive for me, and it's one alluded to already above.

For years we've been stuck in this trap of every game being must-win, and it never being the right time to try something / somebody new. I've been advocating for ages that we need to be willing to sacrifice these autumn games, even if it does cost us ranking points (that didn't turn out too badly last time!)

In the final analysis, these are friendlies. It might be a dream to turn over the All Blacks - or even one of the others - but there's no trophy for it. Team Wales exists to compete in the 6 Nations and at World Cups, and everything else - summer tours, autumn series - should be about getting us into the best state possible to play those games. We all know our strength-in-depth is ruinously poor, and it can't possibly get any better if the same 25-30 players turn out for us every time, no matter what. We simply have to take some risks, and realistically that means being prepared to lose autumn friendlies, in exchange for exposing more players to test rugby and sorting some wheat (if any) from the chaff. If we come out of November 1 from 4, but with Leon Brown, Aaron Shingler, Owen Williams and Steff Evans all serious contenders to start against Scotland - I'll be happy with that.

Id agree with that entirely. I'd add that ranking point mean nothing now the RWC draw has been completed; given the double points on offer at the tournament if we do well then we will move up anyway, if we do badly we don't deserve to be considered contenders.

If we uncover a few new players who look comfortable or better at international level and perhaps move our game plan forward then I'll be pretty content regardless of the results.

[Sourdust]

All that said, I'm still annoyed at the schedule. I see no need to keep eagerly queuing up for these autumn hammerings. The Gatland adage of "Play the best to beat the best" is surely past its sell-by date now? It just doesn't work. How long do we need?

IMO an appropriate autumn series for Wales at this point in the "cycle" would be something like Georgia, Canada, Argentina, SA. People will say "Ah, but the big teams bring in the £££" and I'll reply "You've been saying THAT for 15 years, too."

[Numbers]

All that said, I'm still annoyed at the schedule. I see no need to keep eagerly queuing up for these autumn hammerings. The Gatland adage of "Play the best to beat the best" is surely past its sell-by date now? It just doesn't work. How long do we need?

IMO an appropriate autumn series for Wales at this point in the "cycle" would be something like Georgia, Canada, Argentina, SA. People will say "Ah, but the big teams bring in the £££" and I'll reply "You've been saying THAT for 15 years, too."

I can't agree with you on that front, we aren't as good as the best a lot of the time and we have beaten SA at home, run them very close away and lost very narrowly to Australia on several occassions, there is little to no point in playing inferior teams imo. Also players want to play against the best teams and supporters want to watch them play the big teams, the stadium would be half empty if we played Canada.

I do, however, agree with pretty much everything in your previous post.

[Sandydragon]

I’d like to see us commit to playing one of the tier 2 European teams every autumn. Otherwise I agree with numbers about playing the better teams.

[PoolerSaint]

I agree with the opening game point of view.
Our first match up should ideally be a tier 2 nation like Tonga, Romania, Canada, USA, Georgia etc.
No matter the crowd level it would give the team the best chance of competing in the last 3 matches.
We're so rusty usually in the opening game we stand next to no chance against top quality opposition.

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