Wales V Namibia - Team Thread Etc Etc

[bedfordwelsh]

First topic message reminder :

OK over the last round of matches we have seen both Englnad and Scotland have the chance to change good % of the team and have look at other players but because of the physiciality of our group we not had that chance and won't be able to against Fiji.

SO, and with no offence to the Namibians this game will be our only chance to rotte some of the players so here's what I would do and why if all fit

Jenkins (needs game time)
Burns
Mitchell
Davies
AWJ
R Jones
Powell
Warburton

Knoyle
Hook (not working at XV)

Brew
Davies
Sc Williams
North

Halfpenny


James,Owens,Charterris,Faletau, L Williams, S Jones Byrne

QUite few changes butt hat side should still be able to get the bp win we need

[Cari]

Andy Powell actually had a good moment there!

[Cari]

Namibia's Larson sent to the bin. To be fair the ref did give enough warnings earlier.

Ryan Jones has a nasty wrist injury. That's bad news for him.

[Cari]

Goooo Scott Williams! He's really pushing on....another Namibian intercept though, Wales lose the ball and go back about 10 metres....start again...

Wales back up to the five metre line. George North is in for the try!

[Gatts]

Geth and Ryan crocked again?

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Namibia make Romania look worth a spot in the competition.
Ryan Jones injured in a pointless game, brilliant...we should definalty be looking at adding another tier of losers to the cup

[Gatts]

JD scores....gussetts will be tingling all over Wales

[Cari]

Wonderful support and run...Jon Davies in with another try!!!!! Wooooo!

North really seems to have made a difference since he's come on.

50 - 7.

[littleswannygirl]

Saw the first half but then I had to leave for work. You're doing a great job with the updates Cari

[Cari]

Superb run from Lee Byrne gives North his second try.

Priestland on for Wellies converts.

57 - 7.

[Cari]

You're welcome Swanny

[Portnoy]

Aled Brew looking entirely underwhelmed by George's try. Good to see that sort competition for places.

[Cari]

Jon Davies on the run again....great support from Lee Byrne, who's actually having a good game!

Scott Williams gets his hat trick try!! Welcome to the world cup boy!

64 - 7.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Maybe they should just shorten these games to 60 minutes to avoid the embaressing last 20 when the z leaguers are too knackered to even bother giving away penalties to defend.

[Gatts]

Maybe they should just shorten these games to 60 minutes to avoid the embaressing last 20 when the z leaguers are too knackered to even bother giving away penalties to defend.

Was just thinking the same thing..its a slaughter. it doesn't help that they have apparently played more tests since Sept 9 than they did in the 4 years preceding.

[Cari]

I think one of the Namibian players appears to have a very serious injury - apparently it's his knee. He's going off on the buggy (not with Andy Powell driving).

[Portnoy]

duplicate (somehow).

[Gatts]

I think one of the Namibian players appears to have a very serious injury - apparently it's his knee. He's going off on the buggy (not with Andy Powell driving).

[Cari]

I think Du Plesis has just been named MOTM....well the camera was lingering on him and his colleagues congratulating him.

Lloyd Williams in with the ninth Welsh try.

[Cari]

Sadly the conversion bounces off the post 69 - 7.

[Cari]

Lee Byrne in with the tenth try. Much deserved from him. The conversion kick misses.

74 - 7.

[Cymroglan]

Powell is doing the basics well today.. Byrne needed this game and I'm glad for him.

[Gatts]

AWJ. QED

[Cari]

Yeah I'm glad him and Powell have had good games. See, they are capable of it. I just hope that it continues if they're picked to face Fiji.

Some great handling keeps the ball alive....very exciting finish to the game.

AWJ makes it!!!

FT 81 - 7.

Well done bechgyn

[Cymroglan]

Job done Da iawn hogia...

[Gatts]

Well done Namibia

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Of course if it were England we'd be slating them for getting into double figures on the penalty count despite the oppisition barely touching the ball

[munkian]

Powell > Brand Haskell

[scoi]

Didnt get to watch the game but would be interesting to hear who has played their way into selection for Fiji and beyond. Jenkins and Byrne seem to have done well and even if they have some sort of form will strengthen the match day squad. Have they done enough?

[Gatts]

Of course if it were England we'd be slating them for getting into double figures on the penalty count despite the oppisition barely touching the ball

Go and count your sour grapes somewhere else

[mrzimmerman]

I had a bet with my mate that Wales would win with a greater margin than Enland on Saturday. They left it late but got there in the end. Day off today but bragging rights in work tomorrow. As an O's fan by the way glad to see one of our boys managed to get on the score sheet with the last try of the match.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

Of course if it were England we'd be slating them for getting into double figures on the penalty count despite the oppisition barely touching the ball

Go and count your sour grapes somewhere else

In what way is that sour grapes?
Go count your pointless insults somewhere else

[QuickBall]

how did the ref do in the 2nd half? Only managed to watch the 1st before work. Thought he was making a mess out of the scrum.

[Cymroglan]

Some of his decisions were confusing but at least he was consistent.

[Gatts]

Of course if it were England we'd be slating them for getting into double figures on the penalty count despite the oppisition barely touching the ball

Go and count your sour grapes somewhere else

In what way is that sour grapes?
Go count your pointless insults somewhere else

Oh i apologise, you weren't whining about England again? Obviously insulting to suggest you were.

[bedfordwelsh]

Yeah I'm glad him and Powell have had good games. See, they are capable of it. I just hope that it continues if they're picked to face Fiji.

Some great handling keeps the ball alive....very exciting finish to the game.

AWJ makes it!!!

FT 81 - 7.

Well done bechgyn

Cari,

They did have good games but we certainly missed Lydaites presence at the breakdown so I just hope he's for the quarters if we get there.

[BlueNote]

Scott Williams looked pretty good, but I wouldn't suggest he displaces Jamie Roberts.

It's very hard to gauge a performance against opposition like that.

[Cymroglan]

The only one I was not happy with was Burns giving away silly penalties they will cost us against the better sides.

[munkian]

He has a bad habit of that for the Dragons

[Gatts]

Who stood up?

Geth obviously but rusty at scrum time...not really an issue v Fiji scrum though.

Powelly good game no major issues

Charteris - couldn't pass when it counted

Ryan - great game, bench utility 4-8 if DL fit.

JD showed his class but against club level opposition

Scott W - one for the immediate future, great game and he can finish but we need JR

1/2 - for me he starts at 15 whether Hook is fit or not

SJ - has to be bench cover for RP...didn't get field pos in the first half when we played far too much ball in hand in our 3rd

Byrne - nothing too good or bad. Never got into his stride

North - the lad is pure gold

Brew - has to be the pick as SW will get thrown around like a rag doll.

[Guest]

Blimey, Namibia were even worse than Romania's reserves. These games really shouldn't happen.

[Knowsit17]

What's with all the whining about thrashings? It's the nature of sport, you can't put it all on the line without the risk of humiliation. Besides, the gap between the giants and minnows is smaller now than it used to be.

[HERSH]

You have to feel for Namibia 4 games in 17 days compared to the big teams 4 games in 23 days, how do the IRB expect them to compete with these well drilled teams?

The RWC is for elite teams only so why bother having the lesser nations until they can prove they are up to it, Namibia shouldn't be anywhere near a world cup yet, they need more games this is true but against teams they have a chance against.

Well done Wales no doubt that will go down as a famous win.

That English lad North looks good.

[HERSH]

Blimey, Namibia were even worse than Romania's reserves. These games really shouldn't happen.

Very true SafeAsMilk, these games de-value the RWC in the eyes of the world.

[Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler]

What's with all the whining about thrashings? It's the nature of sport, you can't put it all on the line without the risk of humiliation. Besides, the gap between the giants and minnows is smaller now than it used to be.

Which is why they let another tier of whipping boys in.

The thing is the excuse " ah yeah but they had to play a midweek" is always trotted out, if the lowest tier of qualifiers werent in then the likes of Samoa and Scotland wouldnt get lumbered with a midweek and have a fairer chance of qualification.

The Z listers add nothing to the legitimacy of the tournament and now Ryan Jones is paying the price for it.

Maybe they should run a side show competition for the "special" nations in which they only half to play one half and everyone gets a biscuit at the end to make them feel good about themselves.

[munkian]

Haven't you waffled on about this in enough threads Hersh ?

Funny you picked a Welsh thread and not English one to bring it up again huh ?

[Knowsit17]

Byrne - nothing too good or bad. Never got into his stride

Seriously? Were you watching the same game? Byrne's performance was undoubtedly in the positive. Solid under the high ball and very good value for his try, assisting considerably in several today.

Anyway good score in the end, just shows what you can do when you're clinical despite a patchy first half display. 80-min performance needed with preferably the same scoring intensity against Fiji, a win with a BP should see us through without much doubt.

Great games for Lloyd and Scott Williams, definitely future contenders based on what we've seen of them so far. Strength in depth is thriving in some areas.

[Cymroglan]

None of the so called fringe players looked out of place.

[HERSH]

What are you on about Munkian, what evidence is there to justify Namibia being at the world cup?

They are a poor team that haven’t really played as a team since 2007, it’s a joke.

This isn't an Eng vs Wal debate, grow up!

[Knowsit17]

What's with all the whining about thrashings? It's the nature of sport, you can't put it all on the line without the risk of humiliation. Besides, the gap between the giants and minnows is smaller now than it used to be.

Which is why they let another tier of whipping boys in.

The thing is the excuse " ah yeah but they had to play a midweek" is always trotted out, if the lowest tier of qualifiers werent in then the likes of Samoa and Scotland wouldnt get lumbered with a midweek and have a fairer chance of qualification.

The Z listers add nothing to the legitimacy of the tournament and now Ryan Jones is paying the price for it.

Maybe they should run a side show competition for the "special" nations in which they only half to play one half and everyone gets a biscuit at the end to make them feel good about themselves.

The midweek fixtures are an issue, agreed but aside from that the minnows came through fair and square qualifications to get to this stage. Trying to censor out thrashings for the sake of compassion and competition is a nice thought but not sport unfortunately. You get what's in front of you.

In any case, logic would indicate that the minnows would enjoy swifter progress in becoming better sides if they were allowed to mix it with the big boys on more than a rare basis.

[samuraidragon]

Despite the score line, I didn't think we played all that well. Take the Lloyd Williams try. Powell hesitated before throwing the pass. A top side would have punished him for that. In fact Powell hesitated quite a few times. All Scott Willams' tries came from boshing through weak tackles - impossible against first-class teams. As for the Stephen Jones pass that led to the Namibia try - Hook would have been crucified on this board if he had been intercepted so easily against poor quality opposition.

Positives - North looked sharp, strong and elusive. Made a huge difference. Lloyd Williams had an excellent pass. Byrne looked hungry again.

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