Wales Team vs Tonga

First topic message reminder :

We had a great game yesterday and we thoroughly deserved it.
Now on to next week vs the Tongan's and with our record with injuries, i'm not looking forward to it. Watched them vs Frances and they were very physical. A lot of the French ended up on their arse.
Tonga to have a threat in their backs and a good ball carrying pack. The dilemma we have it that we have Australia the week after and we want as many of out first team starters as we can. However we need to win this game next week against a descent Tongan team without risking our star players because i sense a few more injures will occur against a brutal side who show no mercy:

Here is my team for the game:
1. Paul James
2. Ken Owens
3. Samson Lee
4. Bradley Davies (C)
5. Ian Evans (if fit)
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Justin Tipuric
8. Toby Falateu

9. Rhodri Wiliiams
10. Rhys Priestland
11. Liam Williams
12. Ashley Beck
13. Owen Williams
14. Geogre North
15. James Hook

16. Emyr Phillips, 17. Gethin Jenkins, 18. Rhodri Jones, 19. Luke Charteris, 20. Ryan Jones, 21. Mike Phillips, 22. Dan Biggar, 23. Tom Prydie

The Tongan scrum is shocking and i have no worries what so ever. Paul and Samson would be our key to winning the game at scrum time, both deserve a shot.
If Ian is fit he should start and join with Bradley to have there own little battle to see who is ready for the match against Australia, Bradley can also bring that physicality to the pack as well which will be needed vs the big pacific islanders. For me Bradley has been amazing so far this Autumn and deserve a start vs Australia but if Ian can come back into form Bradley will have to fight for his spot.
Dan needs to be on the field o cut down these tree like figures and needs game time if he is set to start vs the Aussies
To me Gats is definitely going to start Dan and Sam for the Aussie game which is why Tipuric deserves another start int he form he is in.
We need Toby's edge and physicality in the pack; it's a risk but i wuld be willing to take it

Mike was exceptional on Saturday but we still need more depth at 9 because it is the are were we are weakest (depth wise) at the moment. Lloyd has been ok when he has come on but i want to see Rhodri have a shot

Priestland should start for another chance to shine, Biggar played really well on Saturday and made us play an expansive game; if Priestland is to start vs the Aussies he needs a corker.
Don't have much of a choice at Center and we can't risk Scott
George needs to start for the physicality that is set to be set upon us on Friday, again it's a risk but i would be willing to take it. However i wouldn't hesitate in staring Eli if he is fit.
James has stated he wants to play so much and this is the only chance i feel Gatland will give him to shine.

Come on ref please blow the whistle...

Epic match

Well done Tonga...

Well done Tonga on your defence.

yappysnap wrote:Any other countries player making that tackle wouldn't have got pinged he would have at least got benefit of the doubt.

A pacific islander does it and it's straight away a pen.

So ref making a mistake defines institutional racism?

It is frustrating to watch a team like Tonga, there is so much wrong with their fundamental basics.

Well. a win is a win.... no more can be said

Wales have won it - well done. It's a crap scenario - if you win by a cricket score "it's only Tonga" if you lose - well, disaster.

A win is a win. Well done.

RDSguru wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Any other countries player making that tackle wouldn't have got pinged he would have at least got benefit of the doubt.

A pacific islander does it and it's straight away a pen.

So ref making a mistake defines institutional racism?

I don't agree Yappy, if that was a south african making that tackle the same would have happened, only difference, we would have copped a yellow card.

It's not the first time this has happened to PI teams, they often get harshly dealt with due to perceptions against them. Comments like those from the Welsh coaches pre game don't help.

90 % possession

Shameful

And Charteris….says its the first win for a while!

Jesus he must be breathing thinner air than the rest of us up there

Tonga never looked like winning and defence was good

Tipuric and Ryan were very good

Apart from that....everything was just dire,...dire.

90% territory in the second half! and no score!


Can't wait for Phillips, Biggar and Scott to come back in - and we defienetly need a better forward platform - Jenkins, Hibbard, AWJ, Warburton and Faletau can rest easy tonight

Frustrating, annoying, boring. I actually painted a bit of wood and watched it dry in that 2nd half.

Still a full Welsh side would have destroyed Tonga. As it was some junior players had some experience and at the end of the day it was a win and that is what I care about.

yappysnap wrote:It's not the first time this has happened to PI teams, they often get harshly dealt with due to perceptions against them. Comments like those from the Welsh coaches pre game don't help.

nor does suggesting it's a racist issue, that's poor.

Great effort from Tonga

yappysnap wrote:It's not the first time this has happened to PI teams, they often get harshly dealt with due to perceptions against them. Comments like those from the Welsh coaches pre game don't help.

Put the spade down and step away from the hole.

tigertattie wrote:Attendance of only 46

Poor

Aye, the Ospreys would've got more than that last season at the Brewery Field.

Biltong wrote:

RDSguru wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Any other countries player making that tackle wouldn't have got pinged he would have at least got benefit of the doubt.

A pacific islander does it and it's straight away a pen.

So ref making a mistake defines institutional racism?

I don't agree Yappy, if that was a south african making that tackle the same would have happened, only difference, we would have copped a yellow card.

Only if it's Bismark doing it!

Biltong wrote:It is frustrating to watch a team like Tonga, there is so much wrong with their fundamental basics.

Likewise Wales, tackling, mauling, passing you name it

I am glad we won but really that was the most dismal performance i think i have ever seen from any side

Yappy the comments of the Wlesh coach before the game had nothing to do with racism, it was gamesmanship, an attmeot to influence the referee's perception.

yappysnap wrote:It's not the first time this has happened to PI teams, they often get harshly dealt with due to perceptions against them. Comments like those from the Welsh coaches pre game don't help.

Perhaps if they stopped decking opposition players with punches etc they would be OK:)

yappysnap wrote:

Biltong wrote:

RDSguru wrote:

yappysnap wrote:Any other countries player making that tackle wouldn't have got pinged he would have at least got benefit of the doubt.

A pacific islander does it and it's straight away a pen.

So ref making a mistake defines institutional racism?

I don't agree Yappy, if that was a south african making that tackle the same would have happened, only difference, we would have copped a yellow card.

Only if it's Bismark doing it!

Or Burger, v d Merwe, Bakkies, Etzebeth, the list goes on.

rainbow-warrior wrote:

yappysnap wrote:It's not the first time this has happened to PI teams, they often get harshly dealt with due to perceptions against them. Comments like those from the Welsh coaches pre game don't help.

Perhaps if they stopped decking opposition players with punches etc they would be OK:)

think they are the only side to do that

Andrew Hore's short arm on Davies is the worst example i have seen for a while, can't see much PI in him

Probably the worst international game I've seen since the Fiji draw back in 2010

Dour game, Tonga well done, didn't give up.

Wales... well.... Amos is not ready, Hook kissed goodbye to the 10 berth, Lloyd Williams..... speechless

I think Burger was actually fairly guilty of his misdemeanor.

Difficult game. Thirty handling errors between the teams ruined the spectacle.

Good tries by both sides.

Good win for Wales and NG dragons by the look of it

yappysnap wrote:I think Burger was actually fairly guilty of his misdemeanor.

i am talking high tackles mate.

I don't know how many penalties Tonga conceded in kickable range - but I'd guess at 10 easily within Halfpennies range.

Add 30 odd points and you get a better reflection of how the game panned out.

No it wasn't great, but Wales had it won comfortably.

nobbled wrote:I don't know how many penalties Tonga conceded in kickable range - but I'd guess at 10 easily within Halfpennies range.

Add 30 odd points and you get a better reflection of how the game panned out.

No it wasn't great, but Wales had it won comfortably.

Agree, would should have put 20 on them before kicking to the corner - especially with out ATROCIOUS attempts at mauling this season. Please god don't try it against Aus...

maestegmafia wrote:
Good win for Wales and NG dragons by the look of it

Dragons winning away to the league leaders despite having 3 yellow cards

How I wish Lyn Jones was at the Blues...

wales606 wrote:

nobbled wrote:I don't know how many penalties Tonga conceded in kickable range - but I'd guess at 10 easily within Halfpennies range.

Add 30 odd points and you get a better reflection of how the game panned out.

No it wasn't great, but Wales had it won comfortably.

Agree, would should have put 20 on them before kicking to the corner - especially with out ATROCIOUS attempts at mauling this season. Please god don't try it against Aus...

Aye

We will be playing for points vs the Australians.

wales606 wrote:

nobbled wrote:I don't know how many penalties Tonga conceded in kickable range - but I'd guess at 10 easily within Halfpennies range.

Add 30 odd points and you get a better reflection of how the game panned out.

No it wasn't great, but Wales had it won comfortably.

Agree, would should have put 20 on them before kicking to the corner - especially with out ATROCIOUS attempts at mauling this season. Please god don't try it against Aus...

Could argue that we needed the practice...... and we still do... but agreed, not next week.

wales606 wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:
Good win for Wales and NG dragons by the look of it

Dragons winning away to the league leaders despite having 3 yellow cards

How I wish Lyn Jones was at the Blues...

He is pretty handy..

Getting a bit depressing watching matches on that turf. Uneven footing probably goes somewhat to explaining handling errors. Well done Wales. Got there semi comfortably in the end.

wales606 wrote:

nobbled wrote:I don't know how many penalties Tonga conceded in kickable range - but I'd guess at 10 easily within Halfpennies range.

Add 30 odd points and you get a better reflection of how the game panned out.

No it wasn't great, but Wales had it won comfortably.

Agree, would should have put 20 on them before kicking to the corner - especially with out ATROCIOUS attempts at mauling this season. Please god don't try it against Aus...

Don't forget we'll be without Charteris who was Man of the Match this evening.

I think this was a classic case of under estimating an opponent. Don't read too much into it. I fully expect it forwards to tear into Australia.

Surprised to see samson do so poorly in the scrum.

Taylorman wrote:Getting a bit depressing watching matches on that turf. Uneven footing probably goes somewhat to explaining handling errors. Well done Wales. Got there semi comfortably in the end.

Great pitch next door available for games, functions, weddings, etc.

He only had 10 mins McKay. Maybe 1 or 2 scrums. Don't think it was the best chance to evaluate Samson really.

Good news is die hard 4 is on

maestegmafia wrote:Good news is die hard 4 is on

Thats exactly what the missus just pointed out, I was all excited for a spot of Friday night rugby, and then that 2nd half happened.

Mclean will cheer me up though...

mckay1402 wrote:I think this was a classic case of under estimating an opponent.   Don't read too much into it.  I fully expect it forwards to tear into Australia.  

Surprised to see samson do so poorly in the scrum.  

I don't agree that we underestimated Tonga, the starting 15 were to an extent forced by injuries and yes with one eye on Aus next week. It was a classic case of handling errors, poor passes, panicked offloads and a 9 slower than a slow thing with the handbrake on!

The only conceivable positive I could take from that is that it wasn't physically one-sided as was being taken for granted by some prior. We were giving roughly as good as we got in contact.

Completely blunt in attack, no clinical edge whatsoever apart from the two tries. Tactically naive/one-dimensional yet again  It'll be asking for it against Australia if we play with any semblance of tonight.

RDSguru wrote:Dour game, Tonga well done, didn't give up.

Wales... well.... Amos is not ready, Hook kissed goodbye to the 10 berth, Lloyd Williams..... speechless

+1

The worst game of rugby I have seen for years. The skill levels were dire. Wales are in a world of problems when it comes to the important 9 shirt. Phillips is getting older, slower and is on his way out and the cupboard to replace him is bare!

If Wales play the same way against Australia. I cannot see them coming away with a 10 point win. Can you?

majesticimperialman wrote:If Wales play the same way against Australia. I cannot see them coming away with a 10 point win. Can you?

Games are not won or lost on ifs, are they?

majesticimperialman wrote:If Wales play the same way against Australia. I cannot see them coming away with a 10 point win. Can you?

The players/coaches/supporters no doubt will be more up for it against the Aussies. Can't see us winning however.

Maybe it's the date? 22nd of November has always been a bad day. JFK was shot fifty years ago today.

maestegmafia wrote:Maybe it's the date? 22nd of November has always been a bad day. JFK was shot fifty years ago today.

Bang! Bang!.........Boing!