Lydiate out with broken ankle

Wales flanker Dan Lydiate is out of the autumn internationals due to a droken ankle sustained playing for the Dragons last night.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/19767289

Who will replace him in the Wales team? Ryan Jones is an obvious candidate but with Faletau way off form and dropped recently by the Dragons, will he be needed at 8?

Could Warburton play at 6? Although he also looked off the pace against Ulster last night. Turnbull and Shingler also looked very lightweight against the Ospreys last week.

Who should play 6/8 bearing in mind that with 4 games some rotation will be needed?

Tipuric and Warbs in the backrow? I'd like to see that!!!

Ryan at number 8, to be quite frank he totally eclipsed Faletau most of last year and was the form Welsh forward (Lydiate included). Warburton needs to pull his socks up ASAP or Tipuric will have his place. I have a sneaking regard that Shingler may be in the mix, however i think on balance the bluesman has a point.

Jones/Warburton and Tipuric for me.

Toby was back to his usual self last night. I do think Ryan Jones will have to feature in our backrow somewhere, so he may go six. I don't see Warbs and Tips playing in the same backrow, but you never know.

Thats awful. First Tovey and then Lydiate.

Pretorius is looking good for the Blues and the Scarlets have Shingler who can play 6. Neither are quite the tackle machine that is Lyds though, he's a big loss.

Horrible for him and Tovey picking up those injuries.

Is Pretorius WQ? He is looking a good player. I think that Warburton isnt playing all that well.

I think that you could do far worse than Shinger, Tipuric and Ryan Jones or Ryan Jones, Tipuric and Pretorius with Warburton on the bench.

However I think its a bad idea to simply pick on form alone and Warburton is likely to feature somewhere in the starting team.

I'm pretty sure he's WQ this year now Stag. Something like that.

Shings, Tips and Ry would be a good combo. V mobile that one through Shings and Tips with Ry to do all the grafting. We're lucky we've got a lot of combinations to pick from, although none can quite do what Lydiate does (although Ryan was superb as a replacement against Ireland in the 6N's).

Was it the ankle he has had permanent problems with


Move Sam to 6 and get Tipuric in...or Jones at 6.

First off I wish Dan Lydiate a speedy and successful recovery from what sounds quite a nasty injury.

Lydiate is, surprisingly a player who splits opinion. For me I think he is an outstanding player and would be 1st on any Welsh team sheet and also IMO a dead cert to tour with the Lions next year.

But as one door closes another opens, so who will or should replace him in the AIs.

Despite being one of his biggest knockers over previous seasons there will rightly be a lot of calls for Ryan Jones to start at No6, which with recent form wouldn't be a bad option and one I would be happy with.

However we all know what Jones brings to the table so for me I would give the nod to Shingler and let him have a crack.

Also as a side note, Faletau wasn't dropped last weekend he picked up a knock in the warm up.

Speedy recovery to Dan and Jason.
Was at the game last night and Toby was back to his best, some of his cover tackling was immense. He also made plenty of ground when he had the ball in hand.
Just watching the O's beating Munster and Ryan has had a good game at 6 though not sure he tackles as effectively as Dan.
Now it seems that dimwit Phillips might not be playing much rugby before the AIs as well!

mowgli wrote:Was it the ankle he has had permanent problems with


Move Sam to 6 and get Tipuric in...or Jones at 6.

No it wasn't the same ankle. Might've been better if it was though, so he could maybe clean that up at the same time.

For me if Jones plays its at No8 which leaves a straight battle between him and Toby.

I have never considered Jones as a 6 but his experience will be huge in what still is a young back row.

Bad luck for Lydiate, hope he gets better soon

Does sound a nasty one but he's recovered from far worse (broken neck) so hopefully full recovery from this to

Terrible luck for Lydiate but it presents a great opportunity for Ryan Jones now, who's in the form of his life, to nail a Lions tour spot.

rodders,

I agree that he's been in great form but as commented earlier I would like to see Shingler have a run of games.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Also as a side note, Faletau wasn't dropped last weekend he picked up a knock in the warm up.

Not according to this article!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/newport-gwent-dragons/2012/09/27/wales-star-toby-faletau-warned-he-faces-dragons-axe-again-91466-31920488/

I don't think that Shingler is physical enough to play 6 at test level, for the Scarlets, Turnbull and Macusker do more of the graft (but came out distinctly second best against the Ospreys).

Warburton at less than 16st is also a bit lightweight for a 6 or 8, I also think he is currently behing Tipuric for the 7 jersey. Pretorius looks a great player, if he is now qualified for Wales he may be an option. It is difficult to gauge his form as he is currently playing behind a very poor Blues 8.

If Faletau gets back to form I would go with Tipuric, Faletau and Ryan, with Warburton, Shingler and Pretorius in reserve.

red_stag wrote:Is Pretorius WQ? He is looking a good player. I think that Warburton isnt playing all that well.

However I think its a bad idea to simply pick on form alone and Warburton is likely to feature somewhere in the starting team.

I actually think Warburton is playing quite well but the Blues are playing terribly. He was magnificent vs the Dragons. Pretorius gets a good rap from many but i am not sure he deserves quite the accolades.

Certainly dont see Pretorius as a better option than five or six Welsh players. I think it unlikely that he will be capped.

shingler is not the way forward at this point, it will be a combo of tipuric/warbs/ryan and faletau

mowgli,

But without an A Side when will be the point for these guys to get their chances?

bedfordwelsh wrote:mowgli,

But without an A Side when will be the point for these guys to get their chances?

oh i totally agree but we are at a huge crossroads this autumn and must get wins; argies will be fierce, smoa is never easy, nz are well, playing in a different league to the rest of the world and even though the aussies are imploding i hardly think that game will be easy for us so i just don't think we can afford to experiment, i want our most experienced side with class newbies on the bench for the last 20 if we are 20 points up but we just cannot afford to experiment with welsh rugby any more than we are dong by allowing howler to take the reins while gatland pursues perosnal ambitions, franly i am staggered that the wru has not come under intense scrutiny and criticism post aus tour for that decision and a poor autumn will just set us up for a poor 6 nations. in my view we are standing on the precipice.

Again I agree but I don't think it would be that big a risk to put Shingler in after all people are calling for Tipuric to start ahead of Warburton whilst he only has 6 caps himself.

I think he we played Tipuric and Shingler then yes but I cant see putting Tipuric in with say Faletau and Jones or Shingler in with Faletau/Jones and Warburton that much of a risk

yes fair play Tips or Shingles butr not both

I think it has to be a backrow of Ryan, Warbs/Tupric and Toby - Ryan does do a lot of work, even though not as much as Lydiate on the deck, and Ryan carries very well also. During last years 6Ns he showed that we don't lose much when he was called on instead of Lydiate.

We can however give Shingler a go against either Samoa or Argentina and see how he goes - it's not disrespecting the oppostion as he's knocking on the door.