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).

Cari wrote:Apparently Navidi is the waterboy!!!

yeah, saw him run on earlier

McBride needs his head tested....now I'm all for blooding new players but come on, you need to think about winning somewhere too!

Linebreaker wrote:

Biltong wrote:I like Tanaka he is having a good game.

The Highlanders form is showing?
He's looked good even when they've been under the pump. He's a tough and well-disciplined SH.

to me it looks like he is the decision maker, Japan is playing off him not their ten, he has made some telling little kicks as well.

Linebreaker wrote:

Biltong wrote:I like Tanaka he is having a good game.

The Highlanders form is showing?
He's looked good even when they've been under the pump. He's a tough and well-disciplined SH.

Cracking player, must be confident because he hit the 8 off the ruck to create the turnover, not much of an 8 however but still! Like Tanaka a lot, he is the antithesis of Lloyd Williams!!

Is Shota Hori playing as well?

Losing Owens, Shingler, Beck and Williams before the first whistle has really cost us so far

Oh and if one more kick goes over our back 3's head I am going to scream, 4 times you Frak morons, drop a few yards deeper!

Who is this gimp? Play the power game, ones and twos, chew my face off, make excuses it's the leaders fault not mine, we'll wait and see, Alan Phillips FECK OFF!

Wales would lose one spot if they lose.

Japan played last week, I can see Wales doing better in the second half and ending up with a decent win

Head down from the Wales player, they have just been shouted at a lot

Hope they react well

Blues, are you in France yet? I thought you mentioned you are going over for some JWC matches?

HammerofThunor wrote:Wales would lose one spot if they lose.

Japan played last week, I can see Wales doing better in the second half and ending up with a decent win

I don't see where thats coming from, Japan have us in every department! I can see the odd try later on but no decent win

Just said on the telly that if Wales lose this, they drop outside the Top 10 in the rankings! Is that right?

Teams for the match LB


Japan: 15 Ayumu Goromaru, 14 Yoshikazu Fujita, 13 Male Sau, 12 Craig Wing, 11 Kenki Fukuoka, 10 Harumichi Tatekawa, 9 Fumiaki Tanaka, 8 Takashi Kikutani (capt), 7 Michael Broadhurst, 6 Hendrik Tui, 5 Shoji Ito, 4 Hitoshi Ono, 3 Hiroshi Yamashita, 2 Shota Horie, 1 Masataka Mikami.
Replacements: 16 Takeshi Kizu, 17 Yusuke Nagae, 18 Kensuke Hatakeyama, 19 Toshizumi Kitagawa, 20 Ryuta Yasui, 21 Atsushi Hiwasa, 22 Yu Tamura, 23 Hirotoki Onozawa.

Wales: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Harry Robinson, 13 Owen Williams, 12 Jonathan Spratt, 11 Dafydd Howells, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Lloyd Williams, 8 Rob McCusker, 7 James King, 6 Andrew Coombs, 5 Lou Reed, 4 Bradley Davies (capt), 3 Scott Andrews, 2 Emyr Phillips, 1 Ryan Bevington.
Replacements: 16 Scott Baldwin, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Rhodri Jones, 19 Andries Pretorius, 20 Dan Baker, 21 Tavis Knoyle, 22 Rhys Patchell, 23 Tom Prydie.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Oh and if one more kick goes over our back 3's head I am going to scream, 4 times you Frak morons, drop a few yards deeper!

Who is this gimp? Play the power game, ones and twos, chew my face off, make excuses it's the leaders fault not mine, we'll wait and see, Alan Phillips FECK OFF!

I thought that was a terrible pitchside interview from him. He came across as a rude miserable barsteward.

Disappointing to let that try in before half time, but I hope Wales will settle down later on in the second half. 1 Penalty to Wales and it's only a 2 point game.

If Japan get a quick try in the second half though, for me it's all over .

Linebreaker wrote:Blues, are you in France yet? I thought you mentioned you are going over for some JWC matches?

Was supposed to be driving out this morning, but had to cancel due to work callling on me today and in the morning, can't really justify the trip as I fly to Oz in a few days - gutted though was really looking forward to it.

Don't worry Cari. That won't happen. Hopefully they've had their wake up call and their ears are still ringing!

If they lose, they will be known as the first side of a top 10 nation to lose to Japan

However long their career, they will alway show their first cap as come in Wales first ever lose to Japan

It's like the All Blacks never wanted to be the side that lost to Ireland or Wales for the first time in 50 years.

Cari wrote:Just said on the telly that if Wales lose this, they drop outside the Top 10 in the rankings! Is that right?

I imagine because Wales are so far ahead of Japan, they'll lose the full 2 points if they lose (3 points if it were to be over 15 points).

The rankings do not distinguish between a full strength and this Wales team. It's a Wales team in a full international, and that's all the rankings consider.

Cari wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Oh and if one more kick goes over our back 3's head I am going to scream, 4 times you Frak morons, drop a few yards deeper!

Who is this gimp? Play the power game, ones and twos, chew my face off, make excuses it's the leaders fault not mine, we'll wait and see, Alan Phillips FECK OFF!

I thought that was a terrible pitchside interview from him. He came across as a rude miserable barsteward.

Only met him once, and that interview was far happier, polite and likeable than I remember, he is sadly everything that is wrong with the Welsh game!

Pathetic penalty to give away

Someone put Tipuric on a plane!

Cari wrote:Just said on the telly that if Wales lose this, they drop outside the Top 10 in the rankings! Is that right?

No, that's ridiculous. Wales are on 83.36. The absolute maximum they can lose is 3 points, which would see the above Samoa who are 7th. And definitely above Ireland who are 9th and can't get much from their game.

Bluesman, I just think a big issue is lack of game together and think they'll get stronger as the game goes on.

Well wales' arrses saved there by the miss.

11-6 at 43:27.

Come on boys, we need to score badly.

Big chance

Howells almost had a chance to make a name for himself

HammerofThunor wrote:

Cari wrote:Just said on the telly that if Wales lose this, they drop outside the Top 10 in the rankings! Is that right?

No, that's ridiculous. Wales are on 83.36. The absolute maximum they can lose is 3 points, which would see the above Samoa who are 7th. And definitely above Ireland who are 9th and can't get much from their game.

Bluesman, I just think a big issue is lack of game together and think they'll get stronger as the game goes on.

I hope your right mate

HammerofThunor wrote:

Cari wrote:Just said on the telly that if Wales lose this, they drop outside the Top 10 in the rankings! Is that right?

No, that's ridiculous. Wales are on 83.36. The absolute maximum they can lose is 3 points, which would see the above Samoa who are 7th. And definitely above Ireland who are 9th and can't get much from their game.

OK thanks for clearing that up...don't now what they were on about then.

The front row appears to have taken over the role of the backrow aswell

Andrews and Phillips are doing well

Phew! Biggar edges us closer...

11-9 at 47:02.

Ok people my daughter is now up and robbed the remote

Keep up the commentary guys....and cari

wales606 wrote:The front row appears to have taken over the role of the backrow aswell

Andrews and Phillips are doing well

Andrews has been superb, might as well whip a 7 jersey on, he's doing the job better than anyone else out there!

I think the MOTM is likely to be a Japanese player at this rate.

Why does Andrews keep getting called Scott Baldwin?

Bradley Davies looks knackered.

Cari wrote:I think the MOTM is likely to be a Japanese player at this rate.

between the Japanese 13 or 9 atm

WHAT IS MCCUSKER AND KING DOING THERE?! Mccusker is out of the line and nowhere, and King is just lying over the wrong side while conceding ground in the tackle!, Pretorious can't do any worse...

COOMBS OFF???? WTF do the other 2 have to do to get pulled?

Pretorious and Gill on

Bevington has been disappointing

Coombes is off

Thankfully japan miss another penalty.

11-9 at 52:07

Gill on for Bevington.

Mccusker get lost mate!! A drop to add to the list of laughable errors!

I hope that scrum half knows there's a penalty when box kicks into the 22.

Phew, got a little more ammo in the "your players are foreign" insightful debates that happen these days.

I was all for McBryde going with youth on this tour especially with us not having an A Side for them to get exposure at but his choice of backrow was very poor.

We desperately need an out an out 7 there and both Coombes and King have played most the season in the 2nd row and McCusker well enough said.

Andrews is going well and still surprising me time to give Gill and Prydie a run I think.

Lots of mistakes from this Wales A side. Hopefully the seniors will play better later.

Cari wrote:Bradley Davies looks knackered.

Him and Andrews have been trying to do the work of an entire backrow and second row

King again nowheresville...

At least the backs are hitting the rucks to even things out. Well done Williams

t1000advancedprototype wrote:Lots of mistakes from this Wales A side. Hopefully the seniors will play better later.

Thats the prob its not an A Side according to the books it will be a full Welsh that on this performance so far is likely to record its first ever loss to Japan.

Maybe they should have dubbed it as an A/Development Side.

Im in work by the sound of it we coming off second best

And williams saves the day, showing his team mates how to turn ball over at the ruck.

Liam Williams takes over the mantle of best welsh no7 on the pitch

Japan on the attack again. Wales haven't looked even close to scoring a try at all. Sad to see because there's some good individual players out there. Just poorly coached it seems.