WALES SQUAD 2014 RBS 6 NATIONS:

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WALES SQUAD 2014 RBS 6 NATIONS:

Forwards:
Paul James (Bath), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Richard Hibbard (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton Capt (Cardiff Blues), Toby Faletau (Dragons), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets)

Backs:
Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), James Hook (Perpignan), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), Liam Williams (Scarlets

Has anyone watched him play ? I know HE says he hasn't been his best but, Like Faletua, he is very self critical

How many times has Toby shrugged off accolades because HE thinks he could've played better ?

Ok, some injury updates

Jamie Roberts is NOT returning to Racing Matro this weekend - knee is still dodgy

Ryan Jones IS returning to action for the Ospreys this weekend V Leinster   

munkian wrote:Ok, some injury updates

Jamie Roberts is NOT returning to Racing Matro this weekend - knee is still dodgy

Ryan Jones IS returning to action for the Ospreys this weekend V Leinster   

Was Dr Roberts expected to play? I thought he was just a maybe...!

How long do you think Roberts can keep playing, the guy is always injured.

I guess he'll see out his contract (£££££££'s) in France and then quit the game.

Guys i put earlier on this thread that against the Scarlets Lydiate was top tackler missed one most rucks hit 24 and second most carries in the forwards whats wrong with those stats and against Brieve top tackler

irnbrew wrote:Guys i put earlier on this thread that against the Scarlets Lydiate was top tackler missed one most rucks hit 24 and second most carries in the forwards whats wrong with those stats and against Brieve top tackler

Nothing wrong, its just theres been a few people say hes out of form and even piling on weight. Is there ANYONE playing for Racing that actually looks good though ? I've only ever seen Lydiate go missing in one or 2 Wales games, still have faith he'll put in a shift or two

munkian wrote:

irnbrew wrote:Guys i put earlier on this thread that against the Scarlets Lydiate was top tackler missed one most rucks hit 24 and second most carries in the forwards whats wrong with those stats and against Brieve top tackler

Nothing wrong, its just theres been a few people say hes out of form and even piling on weight. Is there ANYONE playing for Racing that actually looks good though ? I've only ever seen Lydiate go missing in one or 2 Wales games, still have faith he'll put in a shift or two

I thought he had been playing very well recently at Racing...? Not sure where the poor reports are coming from?

Just internet bitching then I guess plus pictures of him looking chunky

Munkian his biggest critic has been the western mail ever since he moved to France.They said of Lydiate in the game against Scarlets that he had another quiet game and has started missing tackles he missed one and you have seen his other stats so you judge for your self

irnbrew wrote:Munkian his biggest critic has been the western mail ever since he moved to France.They said of Lydiate in the game against Scarlets that he had another quiet game and has started missing tackles he missed one and you have seen his other stats so you judge for your self

Good to know dude. Could well be Lyd, Tips and Faletau against Italy then   

munkian wrote:Just internet bitching then I guess plus pictures of him looking chunky

My wife reads a magazine where they say the same of Jennifer Anniston but she still looks fit to me.

munkian wrote:

irnbrew wrote:Munkian his biggest critic has been the western mail ever since he moved to France.They said of Lydiate in the game against Scarlets that he had another quiet game and has started missing tackles he missed one and you have seen his other stats so you judge for your self

Good to know dude. Could well be Lyd, Tips and Faletau against Italy then   

That blwdi Andy Howells often has his own agenda...!

I have often wished more coaches took Paul Turneers lead and refused to allow him in press conferences.

Innit.

Moffett is on twitter now. Dragons CEO was his first folower !   

When Racing were at PYS, I have to be honest Lydiate was pretty anonymous (or at least that is, I didn't really notice him from the stands).

Unseeen work see   



Oh - Roberts has now been declared fit for Racing.... good news

Oh and apparently Foxy should be back for the start of the 6Ns, may even see him in Scarlets colours again before the tournament starts.

Seriously ? Really don't want to rush him back.

Bear with me but could Tipuric switch to the centre if needed ? He has better footballing skills than most centre partnerships in the 6Ns and loves a dummy

They will never put Tipuric in the centre while other options exist

England put Croft on the wing !   

Munkian - I agree it is rushing him back, and it is asking for him to pick up more knocks. That said I have a feeling that if he can come back and play all the way through the 6Ns before picking up another knock that sees him out for the rest of the season/start of next season the WRU medical staff will see it as their job is done.

I would not want to see Tips in the centre, even though he has the skills, the same as I would not want to see Aaron Shingler on the wing, even though he has the out right pace for it (maybe not internationally but regional level he would be fine there and it has been suggested as a post-north solution). We have plenty of centres, fly halves who can play in the centre, and wingers who could double up if needs be, so lets just leave the forwards in the pack.

I know, only messing

munkian wrote:England put Croft on the wing !   

Lions did too but dropped him for lydiate.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Oh and apparently Foxy should be back for the start of the 6Ns, may even see him in Scarlets colours again before the tournament starts.

Sorry for the late reply but i read on a Walesonline article that Gatland said his injury wasn't as bad a first expected, so fingers crossed he will be fit  

Jhamer25 wrote:

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Oh and apparently Foxy should be back for the start of the 6Ns, may even see him in Scarlets colours again before the tournament starts.

Sorry for the late reply but i read on a Walesonline article that Gatland said his injury wasn't as bad a first expected, so fingers crossed he will be fit  

Let's hope so...

Dr Roberts is fit, hopefully gets through the weekend in good shape, Scott Williams is having a great season.

If JD is going to be fit then thats great news as I think he is a huge loss but lets not rush him back, without being dis-respectful we should be able to beat Italy at home without him to lets give him as much time as possible.

On the Lydiate front I think the combo of him, Toby and Sam is great for Wales and one of best combos about but the one thing that maybe affecting Lydiate himself is the fact that Racing play left and right not 6 and 7 so I guess that is taking time for him to adjust.

munkian wrote:

irnbrew wrote:Guys i put earlier on this thread that against the Scarlets Lydiate was top tackler missed one most rucks hit 24 and second most carries in the forwards whats wrong with those stats and against Brieve top tackler

Nothing wrong, its just theres been a few people say hes out of form and even piling on weight. Is there ANYONE playing for Racing that actually looks good though ? I've only ever seen Lydiate go missing in one or 2 Wales games, still have faith he'll put in a shift or two

French press it would seem

"The inquest into their inconsistent form had already began in earnest with Lions and Wales stars Jamie Roberts and Dan Lydiate having been named by prestigious union newspaper Midi Olympique as among French club rugby’s top ten worst signings of the season.

And, you can bet, the discord will be deeper in the wake of being out-played by the gritty and gutsy Scarlets.

Injury-prone centre Roberts has barely played because of ankle surgery and missed the defeat to the proud Welsh outfit, whose budget is miniscule in comparision, because of a knock to a knee but he has declared his readiness for the Six Nations.

Lydiate has slipped down the back-row pecking order but it doesn’t help that Racing play a left and right system with their flankers, not blindside and openside."

I've said it a few times, but I can easily see a lot of welsh players returning. They usually do at some point. So I don't think it will be all in one direction. Only Hook and Byrne out of the current bunch in France seem to have impressed enough to get new contracts, although perhaps Byrne's second renewal was not forthcoming and prompted his return?

But the French are rightly cut throat. They pay big money and expect big performances. But welsh players do not, consistently, put in big performances at club level (in Europe). We've got years and years of evidence of that. They'll be offloaded soon enough and looking for teams closer to home, ready for the latest batch of welsh players to temporarily take their places.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:

munkian wrote:

irnbrew wrote:Guys i put earlier on this thread that against the Scarlets Lydiate was top tackler missed one most rucks hit 24 and second most carries in the forwards whats wrong with those stats and against Brieve top tackler

Nothing wrong, its just theres been a few people say hes out of form and even piling on weight. Is there ANYONE playing for Racing that actually looks good though ? I've only ever seen Lydiate go missing in one or 2 Wales games, still have faith he'll put in a shift or two

French press it would seem

"The inquest into their inconsistent form had already began in earnest with Lions and Wales stars Jamie Roberts and Dan Lydiate having been named by prestigious union newspaper Midi Olympique as among French club rugby’s top ten worst signings of the season.

And, you can bet, the discord will be deeper in the wake of being out-played by the gritty and gutsy Scarlets.

Injury-prone centre Roberts has barely played because of ankle surgery and missed the defeat to the proud Welsh outfit, whose budget is miniscule in comparision, because of a knock to a knee but he has declared his readiness for the Six Nations.

Lydiate has slipped down the back-row pecking order but it doesn’t help that Racing play a left and right system with their flankers, not blindside and openside."

I think all of us new that it wasn't going to be the best move, the top 14 is 10 times more physical an he could never stay fit for the Blues in the rabo anyway.

France is doing for the Welsh what NZ has done for the Pacific Island teams, and what we are witnessing is a meltdown in Welsh rugby where the WRU is at war with it's own clubs and we wonder why fans are deserting the game.
If I were a Welsh player i would feel no loyalty whatsoever to a set up that treats its own with such disrespect and it is no wonder the player's are following the cash.
I am surprised that the national team is managing to achieve the results in that context.

Scratch,

Thats not strictly true, both Wellies and Alfie came back significantly better players, some say Phillips was bed before he left, Charteris seems unaffected as yet.

So pros and cons on both sides I think.

France are more or less committing international suicide by all the foreign imports .with Welsh clubs at least now everyone concerning knows something got to be done instead of burying their heads . i just hope a phoenix rise from the ashes

Its a differnet game in France - more of a slugfest - even the Aviva is like a 7s match compared to most of their games.

I think 9s/10s will do better than forwards as they are sitting behind giant packs.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Scratch,

Thats not strictly true, both Wellies and Alfie came back significantly better players, some say Phillips was bed before he left, Charteris seems unaffected as yet.

So pros and cons on both sides I think.

I am not too sure how true that is. I think both came back as good, however because people outside the goldfish bowl said they were good, we all could allow our tribal views of them to go, and we saw them for the players they were all along. And maybe that is why some players who have gone out there recently have not seemed to improve, because we thought they we average-international to decent-international level to begin with, and the French press agree with us.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Scratch,

Thats not strictly true, both Wellies and Alfie came back significantly better players, some say Phillips was bed before he left, Charteris seems unaffected as yet.

So pros and cons on both sides I think.

I am not too sure how true that is.  I think both came back as good, however because people outside the goldfish bowl said they were good, we all could allow our tribal views of them to go, and we saw them for the players they were all along.  And maybe that is why some players who have gone out there recently have not seemed to improve, because we thought they we average-international to decent-international level to begin with, and the French press agree with us.

It will e interesting to see the reception Aled Brew and Lee Byrne get next season, Gethin's season has been marred with injury to his dodgy calf though he has still shown some good stuff this year...!

Maes - the other possibility, is simply I refuse to admit that the French have better coaching systems than us, so there is no logical reason for players to improve out there.

God news seeing Ryan Jones starting tonight and Ken on the bench for the scarlet's. Hopefully Ryan will have a stormier, he really should take his chance now for that starting 6 shirt come February.
Anyone know how Coombs played last night, Lydiate isn't starting again this week (he is being wasted in France, out of position and not playing)

He's not being played out of position as such, Racing play a left/right combo instead of the blind and open roles.

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Maes - the other possibility, is simply I refuse to admit that the French have better coaching systems than us, so there is no logical reason for players to improve out there.

Been saying it for years. Only thing French clubs have is money and sunshine.

Jhamer25 wrote:

I think all of us new that it wasn't going to be the best move, the top 14 is 10 times more physical an he could never stay fit for the Blues in the rabo anyway.

Here is another one. How is it more physical? More glamorous maybe because of buying power, but do you have anything to back up that claim? Injuries are happening to a lot of players now, more than ever before. It's more to do with the season structure and No. of games. Our injury list has been quite big for a while and hardly any of those players were playing in the Top 14.

bedfordwelsh wrote:He's not being played out of position as such, Racing play a left/right combo instead of the blind and open roles.

Yes true but it isn't ideal for him i think. It might be left and right but it's still open and blind. He will find himself on the open side of the scrum a lot and i don't think he is suited for that

The Saint wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:

I think all of us new that it wasn't going to be the best move, the top 14 is 10 times more physical an he could never stay fit for the Blues in the rabo anyway.

Here is another one. How is it more physical? More glamorous maybe because of buying power, but do you have anything to back up that claim? Injuries are happening to a lot of players now, more than ever before. It's more to do with the season structure and No. of games. Our injury list has been quite big for a while and hardly any of those players were playing in the Top 14.

The proof is in the Heineken cup. Clermont, Toulon, Castres and Tolouse have bullied their opposition packs in this years Heineken cup (from what i have watched). I just can't agree that the Rabo is as physical and tiring as the Top 14.
No the players were not playing in the top 14 and wasn't the reason they got injured (except for Jamie Roberts) but most of our injuries e.g. John Davies, Owen Williams, Cory Allen, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Sam Warburton to name a few all got injured in the AI internationals. Gatland said himself that the step up from Rabo to International was a lot to ask because it lacked physicality.

Jhamer25 wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:He's not being played out of position as such, Racing play a left/right combo instead of the blind and open roles.

Yes true but it isn't ideal for him i think. It might be left and right but it's still open and blind. He will find himself on the open side of the scrum a lot and i don't think he is suited for that

He played there for the Dragons and has played there for Wales so shouldn't be that aliem to him, if anything it should enhance his skill set.

I don't think its that more physical but the difference is, is that the French clubs will (rightly) want their pound of flesh so to speak.

The Regions may look after their welfare better and be rested more often but in France they generally getting picked week in week out as thats what they are paid to do.

Fair enough I guess u can look at lydiates case from either perspective. U make a good point that it could enhance his skill set but from what I have seen from him it hasn't. When did he play 7 for wales though?
I can't recall him ever playing there

Jhamer25 wrote:Fair enough I guess u can look at lydiates case from either perspective.  U make a good point that it could enhance his skill set but from what I have seen from him it hasn't.  When did he play 7 for wales though?
I can't recall him ever playing there

He played there against Australia few seasons back in the AIs and if memory seves me right he also won MOTM.

I do agree though that his form hasn't been his best but would still pick him at the moment given our other options.

Jhamer25 wrote:

The Saint wrote:

Jhamer25 wrote:

I think all of us new that it wasn't going to be the best move, the top 14 is 10 times more physical an he could never stay fit for the Blues in the rabo anyway.

Here is another one. How is it more physical? More glamorous maybe because of buying power, but do you have anything to back up that claim? Injuries are happening to a lot of players now, more than ever before. It's more to do with the season structure and No. of games. Our injury list has been quite big for a while and hardly any of those players were playing in the Top 14.

The proof is in the Heineken cup. Clermont, Toulon, Castres and Tolouse have bullied their opposition packs in this years Heineken cup (from what i have watched).  I just can't agree that the Rabo is as physical and tiring as the Top 14.
No the players were not playing in the top 14 and wasn't the reason they got injured (except for Jamie Roberts) but most of our injuries e.g. John Davies, Owen Williams, Cory Allen, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Sam Warburton to name a few all got injured in the AI internationals. Gatland said himself that the step up from Rabo to International was a lot to ask because it lacked physicality.

Every league has big physical teams. Neither of those 4 has played against Leinster, Munster, Ospreys, Saints or Tigers. It just highlights the spending power of Top 14 teams. It's a glamorous league full of world class players, virtually in every team. Yet they aren't dominating European rugby as they should be. Take Toulon for example, there is no future in what they're doing. Players will enjoy playing rugby with the SH elite, get payed good money then disappear. The 5 teams outside of the Top14 I mentioned each have a strong academy structure and regularly play guys from their development teams.
That's probably just Gatland's opinion (even if he did say that). I think he was alluding to the fact that it's difficult to play the best teams in the world at the end of their season, at the beginning of our season. Also, it's not uncommon for Lions players to be cropped for most of the following year.

Bedford,
Oh I cant remember that,was it a one of thing then?

U do make a fair point there Saint. I just feel the league is more competitive and physical from when I have seen them play they just dominate up front. Tolouse embarrassed one of the best teams in England up front last week. When packs like that play like that and have the depth to bring a player of the same quality of the bench its got to be physically draining week after week.
It was after the aus game I think gatland stated something similiar. Im sure there was a thread on it.
the more physical teams like leinter and ulster almost never play a full strength team either

JH,

Yeah was forced due to injury and before Tipuric had established himself.

Oh right, I don't know why I cant remember that then.
I hope he does find his feet though. He is at his best with Wales. I have no problem if he does start but I just think ryan has been better this season. But just as im typing this he has gone off injured vs leinster so great.

Oh right, I don't know why I cant remember that then.
I hope he does find his feet though. He is at his best with Wales. I have no problem if he does start but I just think ryan has been better this season. But just as im typing this he has gone off injured vs leinster so great.