who will replace Shane Williams in the Wales team?

First of all Shanes replacment may not be a winger as North and HP could play on the wings with a FB coming in instead
so by going on what we've seen so far this season who do you think will replace Shane in Wales' starting 15?

Personally I think it will be Liam Williams, as Gatland has got so used to writting Williams on the team sheet that he will pick Liam just out of habbit. Also I am slightly un-even in my views.

There is an interesting group of young and talented players involved, experienced like halfpenny, north and in-experienced but promising like Liam Williams and Alex cuthbert.

May also see some of the sevens squad enter the Frey, the two Owen williams's look very good, big and very fast, as well as Tom Prydie.

6N - Stoddart

Future - Cuthbert

When's Stoddart back?

Cuthbert is the future. Stoddart is probably the better bench option for now as he can cover both fullback and wing but if we're going to keep progressing and pushing on with this youth thing then I can't see past the collosal Cuthbert.

CurlyOsp wrote:When's Stoddart back?

Was just about to ask this myself! I have tweeted him directly to ask - if he answers, I will let you know but in the meantime if anyone knows.....

Harry Robinson!!

Despite being a Dragon and Brew fan I think Stoddart is the one who will be given his chance first.

It is more about competition than anything else, need four or five back three players vying for selection, we need seven or eight pushing those at regional level and below that we need the premiership and academies pushing young sits through for the future

mm,

I think we have 3 straight away vying for it in Stoddart, Brew and Cuthbert and Halfpenny to that list as well depending if any XVs come through, though he should be first choice there IMO.

We now need the next bunch to push on and develop/push the ones mentioned above.

Theres no danger of Gatland pushing Preistland back to 15 and having 1/2p and North on the wings is there? Cant see it really since theres a lack of people he has a deal of faith in to take over at 10.

Stroddart is the nearest thing to an experienced player available to step in? He was pretty much a given for the WC squad till he broke his leg wasnt he, and a regular in the side so I wouldve thought he'd be in if genuinely fit in time.

Theres a distinct lack of expereince in the welsh backs regardless of who gets selected there mind, not that thats such a problem at this point. Shane Hook and Byrne have been more than capable of acting like headless chickens sometimes in the last few years.

Should be life after Swilliams.

bedfordwelsh wrote:mm,

I think we have 3 straight away vying for it in Stoddart, Brew and Cuthbert and Halfpenny to that list as well depending if any XVs come through, though he should be first choice there IMO.

We now need the next bunch to push on and develop/push the ones mentioned above.

If cuthbert is in the frame then so is Liam Williams.

I would say the four in contention are North, Halfpenny, Cuthbert, Liam Williams. Pushing them are Stoddart, should he find form after injury, Brew, then they younger lights like Robinson, the two Owen Williams, etc etc etc

PSW,

I hope not, Stoddart seems the natural choice for me at the mo if he comes back from injury ok.

Him and Halfpenny are interchangeable as well so that might work, I would love Brew to get a good run in the side but I just can't see it happening.

As for the experience or lack of it well as you mentioned, its been our more experienced players that haven't been producing the good whilst youngsters such as Priestland, JD, North, Halfpenny and the old timer (at 25) Roberts who have been.

I think we need to look at developing another out an out XV, Thomas possibly so then we don't haveto go down the route of moving other players back there to cover.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Theres no danger of Gatland pushing Preistland back to 15 and having 1/2p and North on the wings is there? Cant see it really since theres a lack of people he has a deal of faith in to take over at 10.

Stroddart is the nearest thing to an experienced player available to step in? He was pretty much a given for the WC squad till he broke his leg wasnt he, and a regular in the side so I wouldve thought he'd be in if genuinely fit in time.

Theres a distinct lack of expereince in the welsh backs regardless of who gets selected there mind, not that thats such a problem at this point. Shane Hook and Byrne have been more than capable of acting like headless chickens sometimes in the last few years.

Should be life after Swilliams.

Psw

I was just wondering if you and Hersh are the same person, you make the same spelling mistakes all the time? Different computers for different IDs? Do you work in IT?

I would say the experience level is a touch low in a bacline where the oldest guy is 25. Mind you most of those lads have played in a semi final of a RWC, and two have won a grandslam, toured with the lions, one was player of the series. Life could be worse.

Not seen a lot of Williams, then again only seen Cuthbert in patches but wasn't Williams in the squad as cover for XV?

Beds he looks great, let's see how he goes in the next to HEC rounds but very impressive so far.

Theres a distinct lack of expereince in the welsh backs

I get the feeling that Jamie Roberts is now our "backs captain" and with 39 caps he has more than enough experience.

After that I would say Halfpenny is probably our most experienced back at international level and he certainly never looks out of his depth, which gets me wondering how many caps does a player need to be sufficiently "experienced"?

maestegmafia wrote:

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:Theres no danger of Gatland pushing Preistland back to 15 and having 1/2p and North on the wings is there? Cant see it really since theres a lack of people he has a deal of faith in to take over at 10.

Stroddart is the nearest thing to an experienced player available to step in? He was pretty much a given for the WC squad till he broke his leg wasnt he, and a regular in the side so I wouldve thought he'd be in if genuinely fit in time.

Theres a distinct lack of expereince in the welsh backs regardless of who gets selected there mind, not that thats such a problem at this point. Shane Hook and Byrne have been more than capable of acting like headless chickens sometimes in the last few years.

Should be life after Swilliams.

Psw

I was just wondering if you and Hersh are the same person, you make the same spelling mistakes all the time? Different computers for different IDs? Do you work in IT?

I would say the experience level is a touch low in a bacline where the oldest guy is 25. Mind you most of those lads have played in a semi final of a RWC, and two have won a grandslam, toured with the lions, one was player of the series. Life could be worse.

I got accused of being an Ospreys fan earlier today, this is getting a little weird.

CurlyOsp wrote:

Theres a distinct lack of expereince in the welsh backs

I get the feeling that Jamie Roberts is now our "backs captain" and with 39 caps he has more than enough experience.

After that I would say Halfpenny is probably our most experienced back at international level and he certainly never looks out of his depth, which gets me wondering how many caps does a player need to be sufficiently "experienced"?

Roberts is defence captain I think (you can see why)

Mike Phillips is probably our most experience 1st choice back. Followed by Roberts and 1/2p.

Without Martyn, S.Jones and Shane, I think Gethin Jenkins is now the most capped/experienced player left.

Did you guys see much of the sevens over the weekend?


I really liked the look of the two lads both called Owen Williams. Harry Robinson had been on form the week before too.

There will be some viable candidates coming from there soon, in similar fashion to Liam Williams and Alex Cuthbert.

Robinson looked very good indeed

Just to throw a curve ball out there, anyone considered Henson at full back with Halfpenny on the left wing?

That would depend a great deal on how (when) Henson comes back and how many games he manages to play and what form he's in. At the moment he's not on my radar as I have no idea if he's going to play well, where he's going to play and if he'll even play better than some of our squad players.

But in theory he'd fit well with the Blues and Wales at FB but he's desperately needed at both centre and 10 for the Blues to put pressure on an out of sorts Lualua and Parks.

North at 14, 1/2p at 15 and Eli Walker at 11?

I'd say Eli Walker has a long way to go before being considered for the Wales team - at the moment I'd say Stoddart, Cuthbert, Brew are all infront of him and Halfpenny if Byrne or Liam Williams are played at FB

You didnt include any of the other hobbits as an option...shane would be a straight swap with any of them,.

DOD wrote:You didnt include any of the other hobbits as an option...shane would be a straight swap with any of them,.

Is that meant to be funny?

Smirnoffpriest wrote:I'd say Eli Walker has a long way to go before being considered for the Wales team - at the moment I'd say Stoddart, Cuthbert, Brew are all infront of him and Halfpenny if Byrne or Liam Williams are played at FB

Apologies priest, I was thinking longer-term, out towards 2015 RWC

maestegmafia wrote:
I really liked the look of the two lads both called Owen Williams

There's an Owen Williams that plays in the center for the blues on occaision, huge potential, very good runner.
Hopefully he and Adam Warren can compete for places in the Welsh squad over the next few years.

CurlyOsp wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:
I really liked the look of the two lads both called Owen Williams

There's an Owen Williams that plays in the center for the blues on occaision, huge potential, very good runner.
Hopefully he and Adam Warren can compete for places in the Welsh squad over the next few years.

Yep, one of the Owen Williams is the Blues centre - ive heard good things about him and im glad that he and Robinson are getting a chance with the 7s.

Dont know who the O.Williams is though.

Ahh I see AsLongAs - him, Cuthbert and Robinson (and maybe O Williams from what I hear if he ends up on the wing) could all be good as could Liam Williams by then, but it's a long way to go

To be honest the outside center berth is far more of a concern for me.

Wales have a glut of very talented centers but all are naturally inside centers. Roberts (formally a wing/fullback but internationally mainly an inside center), JD2, Scott Williams even Henson are all 12s.

We really need someone to make the 13 shirt their own in the next six months.

Ahem...Hook!!

Gatts wrote:Ahem...Hook!!

ahem...

yeah why not, give the lad space he can play and if he is 13 the only interception miss pass he can throw is to our best player, the ball boy

Gatts wrote:Ahem...Hook!!

You sure you dont mean Gethin?

No, ridiculous idea, Gethin replacing Shane

Great side step, turn of pace, yeah fair enough.

I don't know Gatt's mate..!

I thought Gethins try in the RWC was as special as any of Shane's. His turn over and clearance kick were better than most of mike Phillips.

I have a feeling that he could play most positions on the field to a pretty high standard.

maestegmafia wrote:I don't know Gatt's mate..!

I thought Gethins try in the RWC was as special as any of Shane's. His turn over and clearance kick were better than most of mike Phillips.

I have a feeling that he could play most positions on the field to a pretty high standard.

hmmm the fact that he kicked to clear (however well) when he had halfpenn and North outside him and only the Aussie winger in front tells me Geth is multiskilled but a forward. Or he is Dan Biggar of course.

I can't believe you compared the greatest Loosehead that Wales, nay the British Isles has ever produced to that snotty nose, whining, petulant Morriston brat Biggar.

Even in jest it's sacrilege mate...!!!

TycroesOsprey wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:I don't know Gatt's mate..!

I thought Gethins try in the RWC was as special as any of Shane's. His turn over and clearance kick were better than most of mike Phillips.

I have a feeling that he could play most positions on the field to a pretty high standard.

hmmm the fact that he kicked to clear (however well) when he had halfpenn and North outside him and only the Aussie winger in front tells me Geth is multiskilled but a forward. Or he is Dan Biggar of course.

Or Dan Parks?

Though, he can take contact, tackle and ruck as well as kick...he's the perfect rugby player.

wonder_man wrote:Harry Robinson!!

Agreed. The Blues need to start playing him regularly, or let him move to another region where he'll get game time.

LP he is pretty young and not a great big lump like Cuthbert... He will get there just another year of not playing full time at the blues. Bit of sevens and non regional rugby.

He is filling out, not the scrawny kid that played last year. Lightening pace and a quick step, will make a great replacement for Tom james, who in my mind is a stop gap at best for the BLues.

Thank god someone else thinks the same - Tom James is stop gap at best IMO and Robinson would be a great player to take over from him - though Blues' problem is that they've got too many stop gap players in too many pivotal positions (almost all of their back line in fact), - Czejkai (who I like but isn't upto scratch), James, Lualua (his form has slide dramatically), Parks, Rush (see Lualua), Fiilse, G Williams.

Smirnoffpriest wrote:Thank god someone else thinks the same - Tom James is stop gap at best IMO and Robinson would be a great player to take over from him - though Blues' problem is that they've got too many stop gap players in too many pivotal positions (almost all of their back line in fact), - Czejkai (who I like but isn't upto scratch), James, Lualua (his form has slide dramatically), Parks, Rush (see Lualua), Fiilse, G Williams.

G.Williams retired at the start of the season

Can I go out on a limb here - and come up with a plan so thin it makes Calista Flockhart look like Rik Waller (yeah, I went there....1990's middle of the road TV celeb and z list chunky-monkey BLOODY AWFUL SINGER from a terrible reality style muzak compamatition comparisons a go-go!) - and suugest one of the Welsh regions steal / poach / fairly offer a very competitive contract / kidnap Christian Wade from Wasps?

A few years down the line and he'll be WQ and from what I've seen of the guy he seems to be like the new Shaney in the NH not only size-wise but his side-step is a joy to watch.

I realise I've gone a bit off-piste but that's just me sister!!!

I was thinking that I'd written G Williams last night - not sure why I added him to the list - must have been another of my trademark brainstorms...