Wales Tour of Japan

First topic message reminder :

I know there was a thread on this somewhere, but it's been swamped.

Wales Lions - likely replacements

Halfpenny - Liam Williams
Cuthbert - Walker, Robinson
Davies - Williams, Maule
Roberts - Beck, Hewitt
North - Owen Williams (gutted for Mike Poole)
Phillips - Aled Davies, Tavis Knoyle
Jenkins - Gill
Hibbard - Myhill
Jones - Mitchell
AW Jones - Lou Reed
Ian Evans - King, Kohn
Lydiate - Ieuan Jones
Warburton and Tipuric - Thomas
Faletau - Bearman

What do you think? Anybody else you'd like to see tour Japan?

Wales Training Squad:
Forwards: Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Sam Hobbs (Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Blues), Lou Reed (Blues), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Andries Pretorius (Blues), Josh Navidi (Blues).
Backs: Lloyd Williams (Blues), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Aled Davis (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Owen Williams (Blues), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Blues), Tom Prydie (Dragons), Steven Shingler (London Irish).

LATEST WRU PRESS RELEASE:




Wales Training Squad Update

Wales have called Cardiff Blues outside half Rhys Patchell and Newport Gwent Dragons hooker Sam Parry into their training squad for the tour of Japan but Scarlets fly-half Rhys Priestland has been ruled out of the tour.

Priestland aggravated his Achilles tendon in the warm-up of the Scarlets’ RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final on Friday evening and will miss the two-test tour.

Patchell, 19, who has scored 147 points in 22 appearances for the Blues this season and Haverfordwest born Parry, joined up with the training squad when they met for the first time this morning.

Ken Owens, Scott Williams and Liam Williams who picked up knocks in the defeat to Ulster, will continue to be monitored by the National Squad medical team.

Rhys PATCHELL (CARDIFF BLUES - Uncapped)
DoB: 17.05.93. 6’2” / 1.88m. 14st 13lbs / 95kgs
International record: Uncapped

Sam PARRY (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Uncapped)
DoB: 17.12.91. 6’1” / 1.86m. 16st 11lbs / 107kgs
International record: Uncapped.

Further update:

Scott Williams out. Will not be replaced in the squad.

Further update:

Ken Owens confirmed out, won't be replaced. 27 man squad TBA.

Cheers Munkian:

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE WELSH RUGBY UNION:
WALES ANNOUNCE JAPAN TOUR SQUAD

Cardiff Blues lock Bradley Davies will lead Wales in the forthcoming two-test tour of Japan.

The 26-year-old was named captain as Head Coach for the Japan tour Robin McBryde reduced his initial training squad down to a 27-man touring party.

The squad includes nine uncapped players including Ospreys duo Dafydd Howells and Dan Baker and Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell.

Props Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues) and Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs) who all featured for Wales in the 2013 RBS 6 Nations are joined by Saracens’ Rhys Gill and Rhodri Jones (Scarlets).

Uncapped pair Emyr Phillips (Scarlets) and Scott Baldwin (Ospreys) are named as hookers.

Davies returns to the squad after missing the Six Nations campaign due to injury and is named alongside Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Lou Reed (Blues) and James King (Ospreys).

Baker, 20, who featured 25 times for Swansea in the Principality Premiership this season, joins Scarlets duo Aaron Shingler and Rob McCusker and Blues captain Andries Pretorius.

Lloyd Williams (Blues) and Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets) are named at scrum-half alongside Dan Biggar (Ospreys) and Patchell at fly-half.

In the backline Ospreys trio Ashley Beck, Jonathan Spratt and 18-year-old Howells are joined by Blues duo Owen Williams and Harry Robinson, Liam Williams (Scarlets), Tom Prydie (Dragons) and Steven Shingler (London Irish).

Wales face Eddie Jones’ Japan in Osaka on June 8th and then in Tokyo on June 15th and McBryde has been impressed with his squad over the past ten days.

“We’ve had the training squad together for more than a week and we’ve been impressed,” said McBryde.

“They have really put the effort in and stepped up as we have asked them to. Everyone in the training squad put their hand up for selection making our jobs much harder.

“It’s a chance for these players now to experience the international test environment and put their marker down.
Wales Squad:

Forwards: Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Blues), Lou Reed (Blues), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Andries Pretorius (Blues).

Backs: Lloyd Williams (Blues), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Patchell (Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Owen Williams (Blues), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Blues), Tom Prydie (Dragons), Steven Shingler (London Irish).

Great sound quality on the anthems

How hauntingly pretty is the Japanese anthem?! Never noticed before

They said there's about 18'000 in attendance there, which is good news for Japanese rugby.

Not been very impressed by Howells this season, has Walker or Dirkson made the squad?

thebluesmancometh wrote:How hauntingly pretty is the Japanese anthem?! Never noticed before

Very peaceful isn't it? The crowd are ultra polite as well, they're pretty quiet compared to what we're used to.

Right, dere 'mlaen Cymru!!!!!

thebluesmancometh wrote:Not been very impressed by Howells this season, has Walker or Dirkson made the squad?

Dirksen is still injured.

Robinson looks a bit bigger, and he sat womeone down

Good start to the set peice, Davies showing his quality in the engine room

Cari wrote:Was that Rhys Patchell singing the anthem so beatifully? Fairdo's!

I enjoyed that

So did I Wales, it was really impressive.

Ooh could be points here...oh maybe not. Should've gone for the posts.

Touch over posts!

And Biggar misses touch!

He hasn't had a very good start :/

Cuthbert, North or Roberts would be having a field day with these Japanese backs

Robinson looks a bit bigger, and he sat womeone down

Good start to the set peice, Davies showing his quality in the engine room

Wales not earning the right to play here, over confident and silly, having bakcs come in off the scrum half crash is daft

Morning all

Tanaka is a very good SH, he had MOTM last week and is one of highlanders best players IMO

Not much patience by Wales so far

They should be looking for the post early on for starters

Japan looking strong, they just keep kicking the ball away wasting possession when they get it. Wales getting pinged all over the place at the moment, they need to watch that.

This little Tanaka is a good scrummie, he played for the Highlanders this season, his last game vs I think it was the Blues was very good, it was his first start of the season.

I think the Super Rugby tournament would havevdone his confidence a world of good

Looseheaded wrote:Wales not earning the right to play here, over confident and silly, having bakcs come in off the scrum half crash is daft

Ye very U20 esque so far

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Looseheaded wrote:Wales not earning the right to play here, over confident and silly, having bakcs come in off the scrum half crash is daft

Ye very U20 esque so far

That was watch I was thinking as well

How much do you think the heat is going to effect wales later in the game?

Set piece going well for Wales though

HammerofThunor wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:

Looseheaded wrote:Wales not earning the right to play here, over confident and silly, having bakcs come in off the scrum half crash is daft

Ye very U20 esque so far

That was watch I was thinking as well

Just too eager to run their backline plays before the forwards have done the job, but early on everyone wants a touch I suppose

Knackeredknees wrote:How much do you think the heat is going to effect wales later in the game?

Well they've asked for water breaks, but I'm not sure if they've been permitted. It's not as humid as Hong Kong was for the Lions last week, but it's hot out there. I should think the Welsh boys will be getting tired later. There's a bit of a breeze by the looks. Looks like there's some hot heads there already though. The boys need to watch their discipline.

Knackeredknees wrote:How much do you think the heat is going to effect wales later in the game?

Good point, 30 degrees is hot, normally a Wales side would be conditioned to a high standard but I suspect this Wales team doesn't have the same treatment. Club fitness is probably enough v Japan to hold out though.

Ref doesn't think we're competing legally at the breakdwon at all, thats Coombs twice for not releasing

Wales have a very mobile front row and big carriers in the second row and backrow - they should be driving round the corner more and setting up with carries in the midfield

Too many penalties

Already seeing Wales players throwing their arms up in confusion/frustration, never good to ssee!!!

We have pointage 3-0 at 15:23

Oh here we go with the ping-pong...I'm blaming the hot weather for making them cranky. Even Biggar's kicking is wobbly.

The Japanese fullback has a seriousbooton him, eh?

thebluesmancometh wrote:Already seeing Wales players throwing their arms up in confusion/frustration, never good to ssee!!!

They have underestimated Japan not going for points early on

Japanese anthem is class. Mellowed me right out after the stress of finishing work and getting to their game v UAE.

Poor lineout there.

Biltong wrote:The Japanese fullback has a seriousbooton him, eh?

Inexperienced Wales back 3 giving him no resept doesn't help, the ball bounced on the 10 in Wales half well over Howells head, come on mun its int rugby now!!!

I just remembered what happens when Biggar is given control of an inexperienced Wales team

Japan are looking very organised now, and Wales are bit panicky with the ball.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Already seeing Wales players throwing their arms up in confusion/frustration, never good to ssee!!!

Need to get the basics right before anything else. Lineout is a shambles

wales606 wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Already seeing Wales players throwing their arms up in confusion/frustration, never good to ssee!!!

They have underestimated Japan not going for points early on

Good to see confidence, but I think this game is going to be tight and we need points. Particularly as we are about to go 6-0 down.

Ref just called 3 new advantages in 30 seconds, they were easily 10 there though!!!

And a very soft bin early on, WTF!!!

Oh no...someone's going to get binned...yep, Mccusker. Davies looks fecked there too.

Awful disipline

and a Yellow card

This isn't a good start

Lots of penalties. Ref being even? (not paying enough attention to tell myself)

I missed that now, why is there a yellow card?

6-0 at 20:27 maybe Wales will wake up now and realise japan aren't rubbish! Thankfully ref has allowed a water break.

Getting constantly pinged at the breakdown...you know what helps with that AN OPENSIDE FLANKER!

I think wales are in the mindset that turning up is good enough and are playing it like a training game

They need that waterboy on the pitch!

Biltong wrote:I missed that now, why is there a yellow card?

Very soft, Mccusker made contact with a potential ball carrier, there was little in it tbh, but the ref has a whistle at Wales mindset right now!

Doesn't help when the lineout is awfull, and we are giving ball away too easily

wales606 wrote:Getting constantly pinged at the breakdown...you know what helps with that AN OPENSIDE FLANKER!

Didn't they put the O's boy there and he's not normally played at OF?

Cari wrote:

wales606 wrote:Getting constantly pinged at the breakdown...you know what helps with that AN OPENSIDE FLANKER!

Didn't they put the O's boy there and he's not normally played at OF?

King, played 6 and covered lock

Biltong wrote:I missed that now, why is there a yellow card?

Repeated ruck offenses, last two in wales 22