Hooker Richard Hibbard out of World Cup

Looks like our 3 Hookers for the World Cup will be Bennett, Burns & Owens
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2011/08/21/hooker-richard-hibbard-out-of-world-cup-91466-29276309/

bad news, I know he wasn't that good yesterday but that was his 1st game in a long time, now it looks like Bennet is 1st choice and either a, frankly, useless Burns or a totally untried Owens as back-up........not good at all.

Very sad news a talented young player that would have benefited frOm the experience.

I will wait until tomorrow on this on.

Bring back Barry Williams!

IT Was madness to throw him into a test match after 4 months out injured with no warm up game

Owens should hace been picked,

I never thought I'd say this but bennett on form is our best hooker

T R Thomas!!!

no news on wru website or bbc sport so...

Its reported he's a doubt due to injury not confirmed he's out, was poor in the most yesterday anyway.

As for Owens have should have played he's been out through injury for just as long (if not longer) than Hibbard.

There is now the real prospect of us going to NZ with Bennett as 1st choice (god help us) then an out of form, recovering form injury Hibbard or Owen as No2 with a very poor Burns as thrid choice.

Good job our lineout is one of the strong points we don't need to worry about

bedfordwelsh wrote:

As for Owens have should have played he's been out through injury for just as long (if not longer) than Hibbard.

What was Owen's injury? It seemed fairly obvious that Hibbards shoulder/neck injury has prevented him from training. I haven't seen someone that unfit on an International Rugby pitch since Erica Roe.

wales606 wrote:T R Thomas!!!

I think Gatland HAS to go to T Rhys Thomas.

Burns is not an International class hooker (and nor would I expect him to be yet). I would take:

1. HB
2. TRT
3. KO

ML,

Gatland has very rarely (if ever) gone outside his original slections so I can't see him doing so this time.

bedfordwelsh wrote:ML,

Gatland has very rarely (if ever) gone outside his original slections so I can't see him doing so this time.

He has the excuse of injury though - he has lost 2 from five hookers from injury, and another 1 hasnt recovered from injury sufficiently to get game time.

True but I still think he will go with what he's got in Bennett Owens and Burns

ML wrote:

It seemed fairly obvious that Hibbards shoulder/neck injury has prevented him from training. I haven't seen someone that unfit on an International Rugby pitch since Erica Roe.

Erica Roe looked pretty fit to me.

Had a howler yesterday. Burns looked much better against better opposition, I expect he'll find himself on the bench now throughout the world cup.

nottins_jones wrote:Had a howler yesterday. Burns looked much better against better opposition, I expect he'll find himself on the bench now throughout the world cup.

are the english pack much better than the argie pack? I think owens has been playing pre seaspn friendlies for the scarlets.

Him and bennett are the best options

Yes JB, I think so. Apart from the back-row, that area may be debatable. Not just the pack, the whole team. England could get the bonus point win against Argentina in the world cup.

you must be happy with the way lydiate is playing mate? he has nailed down that 6 jersey and could well be a future lion.

Guy gets better with every game