A useful Welsh backline

You need:

An in form 10
A creative centre
A bulldozer centre
A finisher wing
An out and out 15 (Halfpenny is a wing)

9. Phillips (What he can do he does very well)
10. Biggar
11. Cuthbert
12. Beck
13. North (When JD2 isn't available this makes sense)
14. Halfpenny
15. Liam Williams (This lad is rapid and gives 110%)

Wrong on so many levels!!!

Beck has been rubbish this season, North isn't a 13, Biggars distribution game isn't strong enough, and 1/2p isn't agile enough for wing.

Phillips delivering slow ball to Biggar = no backline!

IMHO I'd go with

9. Roberts
10. Hook
11. Cuthbert
12. Williams
13. JD2
14. North
15. 1/2p

Or I do see a case for 1/2p to 10 and Williams to 15.

That's just as useless.

Halfpenny scored shedload of tries for Wales as wing.

Wrong as always Roger. Your posts on this forum are embarrassing for us.

"Beck has been rubbish this season, North isn't a 13" -- Beck has done some good stuff this season and has played far better than JR; he is a far more creative 12 than JR. North played 13 at age grade level and I think would be very effective at 13 in senior rugby! In fact, I'd be surprised if North isn't moved to 13 within the next 2 years, though that does depend to some extent on which players are available at centre/wing.

I am not saying that North in the centre wouldn't work or that I wouldn't like to see it given a crack.

But wouldn't it just be exchanging one bosh merchant for another?

"But wouldn't it just be exchanging one bosh merchant for another?" -- I think there is more to North's game than that, and with time I expect his all-round skills to develop. If Henson can get his act together and not get injured, he can still play a part for Wales. I would like to see Wales play with a specialist FB -- Halfpenny is a v good player but he's not my idea of a FB. Byrne should be in the squad -- he is playing well again and I don't care if he won't be around for the next WC. International rugby is a bout picking your best team/squad and winning!

Osprey,

I agree and dis-agree with what you are saying.

Dis-agree about Halfpenny as I think he is a top class XV and have said so for a long time taht said I agree that Byrne should be back in the squad.

Morgannwg wrote:Wrong as always Roger. Your posts on this forum are embarrassing for us.

What on earth do you know?

A lot more than you.

You asked .

Morgannwg wrote:A lot more than you.

You asked .

I doubt it.

RogerLewis wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:A lot more than you.

You asked .

I doubt it.

The last little exchange doesn't cover either of you with glory.

Pete I nearly pee'd reading that!!

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

RogerLewis wrote:

Morgannwg wrote:A lot more than you.

You asked .

I doubt it.

The last little exchange doesn't cover either of you with glory.

Seriously, I do know more.

The problem with the welsh backline at the moment is that it comprises too many gym monkeys and not enough natural rugby instinct.

North, cuthbert, j roberts, scott williams and jon davies use the same instrument to unlock defences i.e. brute strength.

A more balanced and sensible backline would be:

15. Liam Williams
14. Alex Cuthbert
13. James Hook
12. Gavin Henson
11. George North
10. Rhys Priestland
9. Mike phillips

So three strike runners in north, cuthbert and Williams and three footballers in hook, henson and priestland who can each kick, run and pass.

I think Wales are In a bit of trouble at10. Priestland again struggled to take control of the game. Bad decision making, poor kicking out of hand and dire restarts. Biggar probably should get a chance, but I still doubt he has the capabilities to be a world class 10. Personally I think Hook should only be considered at fly half. He has been playing well in Perpignan according to reports. People say he's versatile just because he's a very accomplished player, but he's not a centre or full-back and his capabilities to cover but not excel out of position hinders him to nail down a start at 10.

Scrumdown wrote:The problem with the welsh backline at the moment is that it comprises too many gym monkeys and not enough natural rugby instinct.

North, cuthbert, j roberts, scott williams and jon davies use the same instrument to unlock defences i.e. brute strength.

A more balanced and sensible backline would be:

15. Liam Williams
14. Alex Cuthbert
13. James Hook
12. Gavin Henson
11. George North
10. Rhys Priestland
9. Mike phillips

So three strike runners in north, cuthbert and Williams and three footballers in hook, henson and priestland who can each kick, run and pass.

The only out-and-out bosher there is Roberts. JD2 & Williams have all-round rugby skills, Cuthbert and North can both step and North in particular can offload too. In fact I would swap Roberts and North , as Roberts cannot pass well and as a winger he wouldn't have to .

I think most agree Priestland needs to go back to his club and rediscover his form. Fans of Hook or Biggar will have differing ideas of who should be the starting 10, but I would not have RP in the squad atm.

Also why no mention of Richie Rees?

The harsh fact is that;

9. Phillips, 10. Hook, 11. North, 12. Roberts, 13. Davies, 14. Cuthbert, 15. Halfpenny/Byrne

are the only international standard players we have. If all are fit it's a world class backline. One injury and it all starts to unravel, as there's nobody else yet ready to step in without causing the whole thing to misfire.

Hook?

manofgwent wrote:I think Wales are In a bit of trouble at10. Priestland again struggled to take control of the game. Bad decision making, poor kicking out of hand and dire restarts. Biggar probably should get a chance, but I still doubt he has the capabilities to be a world class 10. Personally I think Hook should only be considered at fly half. He has been playing well in Perpignan according to reports. People say he's versatile just because he's a very accomplished player, but he's not a centre or full-back and his capabilities to cover but not excel out of position hinders him to nail down a start at 10.

Genuinely, get the blues to try 1/2p at 10. It can't hurt, they aren't exactly racing along at the moment anyway and he could be your JOC

I think saturday goes to show he's best suited to the wing. Except we have two monsters there that score tries regulary. North has the skills to be a 13 but that's some time away yet. There's a few good backs coming through but sadly they're a couple years away from being in the test team.

cass says ' only international standard players we have......... hook at 10, international ?????? couldnt hold 10 at ospreys , adequate and struggling at perps.... lets get others up to international standard, 'cos the ones we have are useless, some posters are wary that biggar hasn't the qualities, well lets see, can definitely not be worse than saturdays display by priest, hook & co. come on guys we can't get any lower !!!!!!

and what does international standard mean for the players we've seen, past reputations for the majority. and lets face it, wru dealt us the short CHEAP straw leaving howley in charge