The Rugby Union Thread

Gassage

Expert Witness: Lewis Moody believes Boks are worried | PlanetRugby

Moody in high dudgeon regarding SA and Alun Wyn

koneguitarist

AWJ back in Lions squad! 18 days after shoulder dislocation. 

TJT1979

A few positives and plenty to improve on today. Harris, Curry, Itoje, A Watson were good. Farrell and Conor Murray were not great in my opinion. A number of mistakes from both... they looked a bit hesitant. Daly has moments of lovely rugby but a few errors. Aki did well.

We played better than SA in the second half but were lacking the killer instinct to convert to points...

sev112

Thought it wa a very good game to watch

hywelg

Wales.........ffs. 

So many handling errors it was embarrassing.

koneguitarist

hywelg said:

Wales.........ffs. 

So many handling errors it was embarrassing.

Worst game I have seen for years, terrible performance. 

tbm

The team according to The TImes:

S Hogg; A Watson, E Daly, R Henshaw, D van der Merwe; D Biggar, A Price; W Jones, L Cowan-Dickie, T Furlong, A W Jones (c), M Itoje, C Lawes, T Curry, J Conan.

Replacements K Owens, R Sutherland, K Sinckler, T Beirne, H Watson, I Henderson, C Murray, O Farrell.

Conan, LCD and Price real form calls, though Price has only played the club teams behind a dominant pack. Lawes ahead of Beirne makes sense as Beirne will be an amazing impact sub. Hogg over Williams I'm not so sure about. Heard Sean O'Brien describing running into Liam Williams as like running into a girder! That level of toughness will be missed. Rest of the backline I've no issue with. Pack looks strong. 6/2 split though....

tbm

Actually just seen a report that Williams WILL be on the bench, and Hendo is out of the 23. 

crunchman

Here is the team as reported by the BBC:

Hogg; Watson, Daly, Henshaw, Van Der Merwe; Biggar, Price; W Jones, Cowan-Dickie, Furlong, Itoje, AW Jones (capt), Lawes, Curry, Conan.

Bench:

Owens, Sutherland, Sinckler, Beirne, H Watson, Murray, Farrell, L Williams

exocet

Looks like a decent team to me. I like the idea of playing Price, I agree that it is a risk but I think he offers the best contrast in style to Murray (Gareth Davies is nowhere near his best right now).

hywelg

Only two Welshmen in the starting line up and they are both called Wyn Jones. 

crunchman

Must say I am a bit worried about a half fit AWJ starting.  Even fully fit, he's not quite what he was a few years ago.

At least he's left out Vunipola, so the scrum should be solid.

tbm

hywelg said:

Only two Welshmen in the starting line up and they are both called Wyn Jones. 

Biggar!

Starting 15:
3 Welsh
3 Irish
3 Scots
6 English

Bench:
2 Welsh
2 Irish
2 Scots
2 English

Very politically balanced for the first test! 

sev112

Adams must be feeling pissed, not even on the bench  

if Having Hogg and Williams I thought they might have swapped them round with Hogg coming on to a tiring SA

koneguitarist

I think Lawes on at 6 is a good move with Beirne to replace him on 55mins. Lawes is a real handful and will be one of the few who could stand toe to toe with SA. 

Think Watson one bench with curry starting fine as well. 

One area I am not keen on is Hogg, I would have had him on bench to cover back three. Or not at all. If Adam’s and Williams starting I would have had Watson on bench. 

Hooker, surprised that George is left out, LCD and George would have been my picks.
front row and half backs happy with them. Centres, ok.
but it’s 2nd row, this is probably contentious but I would have had Itoje on Bench with AWJ and Beard starting. 

Having that power and ballast on early will negate SA power but, can’t see AWJ lasting so again at 55mins I would bring Itoje on as captain and what team would want to see a fresh Itoje coming off bench at them for last 25mins. 

But I am sure Gatland has a plan. 

VimFuego

Overall a very good team. Slightly surprised at the centres, Gats seems to have gone for skill over size (not complaining, but the boks will send a lot of muscle up that channel). The romantic in me was hoping for Smith to get a spot, but I guess that's not to be.

hywelg

crunchman said:

Must say I am a bit worried about a half fit AWJ starting.  Even fully fit, he's not quite what he was a few years ago.

At least he's left out Vunipola, so the scrum should be solid.

What do you mean half-fit. AWJ has never been half fit in his life.  According to reports he is a brute on the training ground. And yes he is at least as good as he was a few years back.  And he's on because he's a great captain, he will steer the ship well. A lot better than Hogg, Murray (who would have been embarrassing) or Farrell as a leader, and talks to the ref in the right way.

koneguitarist said:

I think Lawes on at 6 is a good move with Beirne to replace him on 55mins. Lawes is a real handful and will be one of the few who could stand toe to toe with SA. 

I think Navidi would have done also. I think Gatland is holding some of the better players in reserve. Beard deserves a chance off the bench. Simmonds can rightly be disappointed as can Faletau. Adams has the right to be mightily pissed off.  I think there is a plan here. He has a very good squad here and I think he will swap it around a lot for No 2.

tbm

hywelg said:

 Murray (who would have been embarrassing) 

Harsh! Why embarrassing? 

scrumhalf

John Mitchell returns to Wasps in a coaching role. Fantastic news!

Once a Wasp, always a Wasp. 

hywelg

tbm said:

hywelg said:

 Murray (who would have been embarrassing) 

Harsh! Why embarrassing? 

Because a captain needs to earn his place in the team and he isn't playing well enough to stay on for 90mins .