RugbyRebels

Forwards: Gareth Thomas (Ospreys), Corey Domachowski (Cardiff), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Evan Lloyd* (Cardiff), Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff), Archie Griffin* (Bath), Leon Brown (Dragons), Will Rowlands (Racing 92), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Dafydd Jenkins (captain, Exeter), Teddy Williams (Cardiff), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers), Alex Mann* (Cardiff), James Botham (Cardiff), Mackenzie Martin* (Cardiff), Taine Basham (Dragons).

Backs: Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff), Kieran Hardy (Scarlets), Sam Costelow (Scarlets), Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets), Cai Evans (Dragons), Nick Tompkins (Saracens), Owen Watkin (Ospreys), George North (Ospreys), Mason Grady (Cardiff), Joe Roberts (Scarlets), Josh Adams (Cardiff), Rio Dyer (Dragons), Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester), Cameron Winnett* (Cardiff), Tom Rogers (Scarlets).

Rees-Zammitt has fucked off to the NFL...

I can only think our scrum is going to be under huge pressure with the tightheads chosen, I've never heard of Archie Griffin, Cai Evans in purely on kicking as far as I can see he offers little else, who will replace Rees-Zammitt?

Numbers wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:01 pm I can only think our scrum is going to be under huge pressure with the tightheads chosen, I've never heard of Archie Griffin, Cai Evans in purely on kicking as far as I can see he offers little else, who will replace Rees-Zammitt?

Wait, what?
Bath's Archie Griffin?
Is he even out of our academy yet? certainly hasn't started any Prem matches yet - I'd be surprised if he's even got 80 minutes worth of Prem rugby under his belt

Which Tyler wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:12 pm

Numbers wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:01 pm I can only think our scrum is going to be under huge pressure with the tightheads chosen, I've never heard of Archie Griffin, Cai Evans in purely on kicking as far as I can see he offers little else, who will replace Rees-Zammitt?

Wait, what?
Bath's Archie Griffin?
Is he even out of our academy yet? certainly hasn't started any Prem matches yet - I'd be surprised if he's even got 80 minutes worth of Prem rugby under his belt

When you search fior him on the internet the first result is for an NFL player, the irony.

It looks like he was with the U18s and U20s teams, I remember them having some very good scrummagers over the past few years so hopefully he can prove himself, he's 22 buty not playing much (111 minutes for the senior team this season according to the Bath website.)

Numbers wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:57 pm Rees-Zammitt has fucked off to the NFL...

I mean seriously, WTF!!!!!!

How much worse can this season get, this is starting to feel like the 90s where young and talented players sod off elsewhere.

Well, its certainly a different squad. Gatland has gone for youth and whilst I dont think he had a lot of choice, that's a good thing.

That said, I can see some absolute hidings on the radar as some of the new players adjust to international rugby.

Team for Scotland might look a bit like:

Domachowski
Elias
Assiratti
Rowlands
Jenkins
Botham/ Basham
Reffell
Wainwright
Williams
Lloyd (please God not Evans)
Dyer
Tompkins
North
Grady
Adams

Depends how much Gatland wants proven campaigners in the starting XV. That back row makes me wince.

Numbers wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:57 pm Rees-Zammitt has fucked off to the NFL...

It never rains by yer. It feckin pours.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:35 pm Well, its certainly a different squad. Gatland has gone for youth and whilst I dont think he had a lot of choice, that's a good thing.

That said, I can see some absolute hidings on the radar as some of the new players adjust to international rugby.

I'm trying not to get too despondent about the state of Welsh rugby at the moment but it's not proving easy. At least the expectations for the 6n won't be sky high!

The start of a new Golden Era. We won't win too many prizes this year but there are some big talents coming through.

Amazingly the Scotland game has sold out, I can only think that Scots have bought 3/4 of the tickets.

Which Tyler wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:12 pm

Numbers wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:01 pm I can only think our scrum is going to be under huge pressure with the tightheads chosen, I've never heard of Archie Griffin, Cai Evans in purely on kicking as far as I can see he offers little else, who will replace Rees-Zammitt?

Wait, what?
Bath's Archie Griffin?
Is he even out of our academy yet? certainly hasn't started any Prem matches yet - I'd be surprised if he's even got 80 minutes worth of Prem rugby under his belt

He was part of the senior squad last season but is very much a fringe player.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:40 pm Team for Scotland might look a bit like:

Domachowski Thomas
Elias
Assiratti
Rowlands
Jenkins Beard
Botham/ Basham Jenkins
Reffell
Wainwright
Williams
Lloyd (please God not Evans) Costelow
Dyer
Tompkins
North
Grady
Adams Winnett

Depends how much Gatland wants proven campaigners in the starting XV. That back row makes me wince.

My preferences above, bench would be: Elliot Dee (if fit), Domachowski, Brown, T Williams, Basham, G Davies, Lloyd, Adams

Unfortunately I think Evans will be in the starting line up purely for his kicking.

So we've lost Feyi-Waboso to England and LRZ to the NFL. Anyone else gonna go somewhere crazy? France and Japan are buying up players like crazy, if something isn't done international rugby will got the same way as football

Numbers wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 2:20 pm

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:40 pm Team for Scotland might look a bit like:

Domachowski Thomas
Elias
Assiratti
Rowlands
Jenkins Beard
Botham/ Basham Jenkins
Reffell
Wainwright
Williams
Lloyd (please God not Evans) Costelow
Dyer
Tompkins
North
Grady
Adams Winnett

Depends how much Gatland wants proven campaigners in the starting XV. That back row makes me wince.

My preferences above, bench would be: Elliot Dee (if fit), Domachowski, Brown, T Williams, Basham, G Davies, Lloyd, Adams

Unfortunately I think Evans will be in the starting line up purely for his kicking.

Jenkins is the captain so he's a definite start. I reckon Rowlands will partner him but it could be Beard. Maybe one of those on the bench.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 1:33 pm

Numbers wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 12:57 pm Rees-Zammitt has fucked off to the NFL...

I mean seriously, WTF!!!!!!

How much worse can this season get, this is starting to feel like the 90s where young and talented players sod off elsewhere.

Shit, I am such a hopeless optimist. I actually looked for the selection news with the ridiculous idea that Feyi-Waboso might have been won back in some surprising show of skill by the WRU. No luck there. But LRZ fucking off the the states? Jeezus, that was unwelcome. Our real star player, gone.

Just hope it turns out that he's not suited to the yanks' feeble copy of our game.

But, yeah, this is looking dangerously like the start of the new 90s for us. Money draining us of our top talent.

Ross. S wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 2:21 pm So we've lost Feyi-Waboso to England and LRZ to the NFL. Anyone else gonna go somewhere crazy?

Doesnt James botham have some sort of family link to cricket?

What are the qualification rules at the moment for Wales?
Asking specifically in relation to Archie Griffin - does being in camp mean that he has to move to Wales or sacrifice international ambitions at the end of his current contract? or does that only kick in if he gets capped?
Wouldn't want to lose him, as there's some talent in there, and he's been with us for a decade. Whilst I'm not sure if he's graduated from our academy yet, he could easily see himself as our 3rd choice THP by this time next year (already seems to have overtaken Verden, and Jonker's... a low bar to overtake)

Well if we have to start trying to match the millions on offer from NFL we are totally screwed. Thankfully this will be a rare occurrence (I hope)

It's going to be a Welsh grand slam. I can just feel it.

Your depth is awful but the starting side isn't that bad. I'm predicting Scotland to give you a massive boost of confidence in round 1.

Which Tyler wrote: ↑Tue Jan 16, 2024 3:40 pm What are the qualification rules at the moment for Wales?
Asking specifically in relation to Archie Griffin - does being in camp mean that he has to move to Wales or sacrifice international ambitions at the end of his current contract? or does that only kick in if he gets capped?
Wouldn't want to lose him, as there's some talent in there, and he's been with us for a decade. Whilst I'm not sure if he's graduated from our academy yet, he could easily see himself as our 3rd choice THP by this time next year (already seems to have overtaken Verden, and Jonker's... a low bar to overtake)

His mother is Welsh I believe. The rules only apply when he is capped and when his next contract comes to an end.

Oh, he's properly Welsh, that's not the question.
But only when capped, not just called up - thank you, we've a bit of time to negotiate a long-ish term contract if we want to keep him.

Gatland has been dealt a pretty shitty hand here. We need to rebuild but half of the players we'd like to do that with are injured or have buggered off elsewhere. We can just about put together an XV but once the injuries come in it will get ugly* (well, uglier).

The only little glimmer is that Gatland's picked Lloyd. He'll probably break his leg next week (so much for my optimism).

* although the scrum is not going to be pretty from the start.