RugbyRebels

This is simply a must win, so I can’t see too many changes. I’m thinking the only likely changes will be enforced, Jac Morgan seems out for sure, hopefully Wainwright is ok.

So same team, but perhaps shift Mann to open side and start Cracknell? Is that an opportunity for Morse from the bench?

Is there a case to look at full back and inside centre? Thomas was one of our weaker backs, whilst we were frequently exposed to the high ball. Starting opportunity for Zammit?

Back Three: I would switch Josh Adams for Blair Murray. Just a positional change. Japan are unlikely to pose much of an aerial threat, but Josh is better than Blair in that department. He's also better defensively and would probably benefit from having more space to come into the line. Tom Rogers was awful. He didn't get into the game at all. I'd drop him and start LRZ. Beetham on the bench.

Centres: I don't accept that Thomas was one of our weaker backs. He was busy and consistently put people into space. However, he should suffer consequences for his moment of madness. I'd drop him from the 23 and give him time to reflect. He may not be an option anyway. My starting centres would be Hawkins and Llewellyn.

Halfbacks: I don't think we could have asked for more from Dan and Tomos, who were easily our standout backs. They start from now until they retire. Jarrod and Keiron / Reuben on the bench. Jarrod can do a job at centre if needs be.

Back row. This is looking like eggshell central. How do we manage to break so many flankers? Admittedly, if Jac has a flaw, it is that he's too brave. Cracknell did well without setting the world alight. I'd start him at 8. Mann would be my preferred 7. He was busy, and probably our best forward apart from Jac. If Wainwright is available, he starts at 6. That's a pretty good back row, and they're all interchangeable. Maybe a bit light in the jackaling department. Morse is on the bench.

Locks: Beard and Daf did little wrong, and the lineout functioned adequately, so I'd keep them. James Fender is my bench option. He can fill in if we break some more flankers.

Front row: Smith, Lake, Assiratti to start. Let's break the Japanese hearts at scrum time early on. Carre, Coghlan, Coleman as the "C*** Squad" to come on at 55-60 minutes.

Full back: Adams
Wings: Murray, LRZ
Centres: Hawkins & Llewellyn
Halfbacks: Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams
Front row: Smith, Lake, Assiratti
Second row: Beard, Jenkins
Back row: Cracknell, Wainwright, Mann

Bench
Front row: The "C*** Squad". Carre, Coghlan, Coleman.
Second row: Fender
Back row: Morse
Scrum half: Reuben Morgan-Williams
Utility: Beetham

I view the game with Ospreys not Cardiff glasses , therefore:

Full back: Rogers
Wings: Murray, LRZ
Centres: Hawkins, Llewellyn (Tompkins would be safer at 12 but let's give Hawkins a go)
Halfbacks: Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams
Front row: Smith, Lake, Assiratti
Second row: Beard, Jenkins
Back row: Cracknell, Wainwright, Morse (ie 6,8,7 although 6 & 8 are interchangeable)

Bench
Front row: Carre, Coghlan, Coleman.
Second row: Fender
Back row: Mann
Scrum half: Reuben Morgan-Williams (or Hardy, interchangeable for me)
Fly half: Evans
Utility: Beetham (Hennessey would be interesting, but sure let's try Beetham)

Beard and Jenkins are obviously the sensible lock pairing but I'd be tempted to rest Beard and put Rhys Davies into the mix (bench or start) because we're going to need him for the SA game.

For me, Adams was far more anonymous than Rogers. As usual Rogers was always busy.

Hopefully LRZ can calm down a bit and not always go for the miracle, one-man try thing.

For the back row, if Reffell gets the call up, he starts at 7, Morse to bench. If Deaves then Morse starts, Deaves on bench.

I forgot fly-half, so Evans gets my eighth spot too. Three starters for Wales's top region is hardly evidence of Cardiff-coloured glasses. Including Rogers when he was truly awful is definitely Ospreys bias. I wouldn't be opposed to starting Morse. I've been shouting his name from the rooftops for over a year. But he starts at 6 or 8, not 7. Mann definitely starts. Only Jac had a better game.

UKHamlet wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 11:46 am I forgot fly-half, so Evans gets my eighth spot too. Three starters for Wales's top region is hardly evidence of Cardiff-coloured glasses. Including Rogers when he was truly awful is definitely Ospreys bias. I wouldn't be opposed to starting Morse. I've been shouting his name from the rooftops for over a year. But he starts at 6 or 8, not 7. Mann definitely starts. Only Jac had a better game.

Rogers is a Scarlet, so honestly no bias there. I'm not saying he was fantastic but it's all relative, and relative to Adams he was good. Obviously if Giles was in the squad my Ospreys glasses would force me to make a different call .

Mann, sorry he just doesn't do it for me. He had a good game and is a decent bench option because he's some kind of 6.5 but there are several better WQ 6s and 7s.

Why are we wasting time with Cracknell? Debut at 31? if we had dominated Argentina and genuinely had a shot at beating RSA and the ABs, then yes, put out your strongest team regardless of age. But we are gash and in need of a rebuild. Why is an old man who will never have a career long enough to see success for Wales any where near the squad?

Buggaluggs wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 7:33 pm Why are we wasting time with Cracknell? Debut at 31? if we had dominated Argentina and genuinely had a shot at beating RSA and the ABs, then yes, put out your strongest team regardless of age. But we are gash and in need of a rebuild. Why is an old man who will never have a career long enough to see success for Wales any where near the squad?

To be fair he’s young enough to make the next RWC and he’s in good form. We seem to be lacking any gnarly blindsides and he fits that bill since Moriarty sadly isn’t the player he used to be.

I don’t think we can afford to be choosy at the moment.

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 4:19 pm
Rogers is a Scarlet, so honestly no bias there. I'm not saying he was fantastic but it's all relative, and relative to Adams he was good. Obviously if Giles was in the squad my Ospreys glasses would force me to make a different call .

Mann, sorry he just doesn't do it for me. He had a good game and is a decent bench option because he's some kind of 6.5 but there are several better WQ 6s and 7s.

Mea Culpa. I thought Rogers was an Osprey. He's not so bad after all.

I'd love to hear your suggestions for better flankers than Mann.

UKHamlet wrote: ↑Thu Nov 13, 2025 10:12 am

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 4:19 pm
Rogers is a Scarlet, so honestly no bias there. I'm not saying he was fantastic but it's all relative, and relative to Adams he was good. Obviously if Giles was in the squad my Ospreys glasses would force me to make a different call .

Mann, sorry he just doesn't do it for me. He had a good game and is a decent bench option because he's some kind of 6.5 but there are several better WQ 6s and 7s.

Mea Culpa. I thought Rogers was an Osprey. He's not so bad after all.

I'd love to hear your suggestions for better flankers than Mann.

Sure, better 6s than Mann (other than Wainwright and Cracknell): Plumtree, Ratti, Moriarty, Morse, Botham (if fit?), Morris (if fit?), possibly Woodman, Rhys Davies, Lewis-Hughes.

Better 7s: Reffell, Basham, Young (if fit?), Deaves, Morse, Morris (if fit?), Macleod.

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Thu Nov 13, 2025 4:58 pm

UKHamlet wrote: ↑Thu Nov 13, 2025 10:12 am

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Mon Nov 10, 2025 4:19 pm
Rogers is a Scarlet, so honestly no bias there. I'm not saying he was fantastic but it's all relative, and relative to Adams he was good. Obviously if Giles was in the squad my Ospreys glasses would force me to make a different call .

Mann, sorry he just doesn't do it for me. He had a good game and is a decent bench option because he's some kind of 6.5 but there are several better WQ 6s and 7s.

Mea Culpa. I thought Rogers was an Osprey. He's not so bad after all.

I'd love to hear your suggestions for better flankers than Mann.

Sure, better 6s than Mann (other than Wainwright and Cracknell): Plumtree, Ratti, Moriarty, Morse, Botham (if fit?), Morris (if fit?), possibly Woodman, Rhys Davies, Lewis-Hughes.

Better 7s: Reffell, Basham, Young (if fit?), Deaves, Morse, Morris (if fit?), Macleod.

Disagree on all the sixes.
Agree on Reffell if he could replicate his club form for Wales, he never has.
Morse is a great little eight, but he's not a seven in a million years, and not even close to Mann.
It seems the coaching team agree.

UKHamlet wrote: ↑Fri Nov 14, 2025 5:58 pm

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Thu Nov 13, 2025 4:58 pm

UKHamlet wrote: ↑Thu Nov 13, 2025 10:12 am

Mea Culpa. I thought Rogers was an Osprey. He's not so bad after all.

I'd love to hear your suggestions for better flankers than Mann.

Sure, better 6s than Mann (other than Wainwright and Cracknell): Plumtree, Ratti, Moriarty, Morse, Botham (if fit?), Morris (if fit?), possibly Woodman, Rhys Davies, Lewis-Hughes.

Better 7s: Reffell, Basham, Young (if fit?), Deaves, Morse, Morris (if fit?), Macleod.

Disagree on all the sixes.
Agree on Reffell if he could replicate his club form for Wales, he never has.
Morse is a great little eight, but he's not a seven in a million years, and not even close to Mann.
It seems the coaching team agree.

No worries. You're all wrong apart from me but life would be boring if we all agreed.

(Gwyn Jones agrees with me, though
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... n-32875463)

Kit Change Alert!!!

It'll be England vs Scotland for this one, and we know how badly that goes for the Saes

Dumber and dumber!

That was fucking shocking.

Against 13 players and we revert to being a pub side. Utterly bereft of any rugby intelligence at all.

And then Adams gets a card which could be red.

There’s a serious lack of test match mentality in this team.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 6:31 pm That was fucking shocking.

Against 13 players and we revert to being a pub side. Utterly bereft of any rugby intelligence at all.

And then Adams gets a card which could be red.

There’s a serious lack of test match mentality in this team.

What was a wing doing diving head first into a ruck when there was absolutely no need.

I was going to say Adams has done nothing this half. But then right at the end he does something.

We just look like a bunch of guys who've never played together before. No speed of thought. No command of the basics.

And least the All Blacks won't be playing angry next week. Oh wait...

normanski wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 6:40 pm

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 6:31 pm That was fucking shocking.

Against 13 players and we revert to being a pub side. Utterly bereft of any rugby intelligence at all.

And then Adams gets a card which could be red.

There’s a serious lack of test match mentality in this team.

What was a wing doing diving head first into a ruck when there was absolutely no need.

He’s allegedly one of our more senior internationals. He should know bwtter

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 6:31 pm That was fucking shocking.

Against 13 players and we revert to being a pub side. Utterly bereft of any rugby intelligence at all.

And then Adams gets a card which could be red.

There’s a serious lack of test match mentality in this team.

No, Wales arent even playing like a professional side let alone an test match side.

When you have a two player advantage, why are you trying to slow down the game and kick?

Couldn’t believe that we couldn’t just engineer a few plays to suck in the Japanese players then create space. I’m genuinely stunned by our own ineptitude.

God our aerial game is shit. More shit than other parts, even.

This is embarrassing. Some players just shouldn’t be there.

We might sneak a win but we won’t deserve it.

Buggaluggs wrote: ↑Sat Nov 15, 2025 7:12 pm God our aerial game is shit. More shit than other parts, even.

Total lottery.

This is a disaster.

The territory stays for this game are shocking. We’ve played most of the game in our half. Japan have also dominated possession.