Welsh Probables v Possibles to take place on 30th May

First topic message reminder :

At the Liberty Stadium according to Twitter. Not seen it elsewhere yet.

Will be interesting to see who is available for selection and who they think are possibles

From a Dragon's point of view I'd like to see Amos, Rees, Lewis Evans, Cudd, Dixon and Tyler Morgan given a run.

Jordan Williams needs a run too ! Would like to see Gavlar too, shirts and skins, swit swoooo   

EDIT

Its yer

http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/news/30400.php

Yes at last

Jamie Roberts given the all clear by the physio despite a knock to his shoulder.  He's styaing off though.

Wales - I just think that this match was set up by the WRU as a PR exercise more than Warren picking his touring squad - aided by the speculation around who's in or out.

Yay!  The Possibles score after 60 minutes.  Gareth Davies scores.

If anyone was going to score for the possibles, of course it would be Gareth Davies

TMO like it matters!

Sounds like the crowd are supporting the Possibles.

Only if the Possibles had played like this from the start!

The ref is biased!

Get him off

Good news about Roberts, had my heart in my throat for a few minutes there

Again, the possibles not as slick with the offloading and support play

Of corse Cari..... As soon as the score opened up, the crowd was bound to shout for the under dogs.

Go Morgs!!!! It's a shame he's leaving Wales next season.

Matthew Morgan having fun now that the game is basically 7s

Nout wrong with that.

No9 wrote:Of corse Cari..... As soon as the score opened up, the crowd was bound to shout for the under dogs.

Years of practice.

Cari wrote:Jamie Roberts given the all clear by the physio despite a knock to his shoulder.  He's styaing off though.

Wales - I just think that this match was set up by the WRU as a PR exercise more than Warren picking his touring squad - aided by the speculation around who's in or out.

Yay!  The Possibles score after 60 minutes.  Gareth Davies scores.

And yet the Ospreys can't play Tonga due to player welfare. Go figure.

Refs been pretty naff.

Personally I would have had the first choice player spread between the teams. Then had 2nd choice opposite them.

That's better

Maybe not

Just give it ffs

Ellis Jenkins thinks he's scored, but it may not be allowed...

Scrumpy wrote:

No9 wrote:Of corse Cari..... As soon as the score opened up, the crowd was bound to shout for the under dogs.

Years of practice.

No, just the sort of thing true rugby fans do... But of course that would be completely alien to you..   

Possibles obstruct not allowed.

Boo

Hook is awwwwwsome

JD2 is MOTM...no mention for Ellis Jenkins. Buggger you Jiffy!

FT 55-7.

If the Blues are smart, they'll give Ellis Jenkins gametime more frequently next season. It's developing these types of players that'll go a long way towards helping country and region deal with shortages in future.

One step beyond

Knowsit17 wrote:If the Blues are smart, they'll give Ellis Jenkins gametime more frequently next season. It's developing these types of players that'll go a long way towards helping country and region deal with shortages in future.

They have been giving him more gametime this season, playing him at 6 a lot.

He is tipped to have a very big future according to a lot of people at the Blues

Exactly the same winning margin as against Scotland

Doubt we'll get to rack up a half century in SA

the players who I felt showed up for the possibles

Ball
Coombes
Ellis Jenkins
Davies
Hook
Allen

Should have had jarvis and samson lee to even up the packs a bit perhaps we would have seen more of an even game

Knowsit17 wrote:Exactly the same winning margin as against Scotland

It ain't.

The Saint wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:Exactly the same winning margin as against Scotland

It ain't.

55-7
51-3

48 points either way

GavinDragon wrote:the players who I felt showed up for the possibles

Ball
Coombes
Ellis Jenkins
Davies
Hook
Allen

Should have had jarvis and samson lee to even up the packs a bit perhaps we would have seen more of an even game

Yeah but I guess in Gatland's eyes Rhodri Jones is ahead of those two, though he shouldn't be.

I'd agree with those possibles. Shingler will perhaps go as well as 10 cover, or maybe Matthew Morgan. I thought Cuthbert was poor and I'd be willing to start Jordan Williams and North on the wings for the first test. I'm not so sure if Lewis Evans or Navidi did enough in the selectors eyes....and Aaron Shingler was average so I don't know what jiffy was on about.

Knowsit17 wrote:

The Saint wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:Exactly the same winning margin as against Scotland

It ain't.

55-7
51-3

48 points either way

Yeah, when you put it like that.

How did the scrum look when Lee came on? Did he finally show beyond further doubt that he's a better scrummager and overall prospect going forward than Rhodri Gatland Jones?

Will it make a difference if he has?

The Saint wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:

The Saint wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:Exactly the same winning margin as against Scotland

It ain't.

55-7
51-3

48 points either way

Yeah, when you put it like that.

Hence why I said winning margin, not score  

Not that it's important, just a pointless casual remark on my part

The Saint wrote:

GavinDragon wrote:the players who I felt showed up for the possibles

Ball
Coombes
Ellis Jenkins
Davies
Hook
Allen

Should have had jarvis and samson lee to even up the packs a bit perhaps we would have seen more of an even game

Yeah but I guess in Gatland's eyes Rhodri Jones is ahead of those two, though he shouldn't be.

I'd agree with those possibles. Shingler will perhaps go as well as 10 cover, or maybe Matthew Morgan. I thought Cuthbert was poor and I'd be willing to start Jordan Williams and North on the wings for the first test. I'm not so sure if Lewis Evans or Navidi did enough in the selectors eyes....and Aaron Shingler was average so I don't know what jiffy was on about.

I am a massive fan of Morgan however I dont think gatland will pick him due to his size and defence which is a shame as he has the ability to turn a game.

With regards to the back row I suppose it depends on how many they take. I must admit I wasnt overly impressed with either back rows (ellis jenkins aside) despite Jiffy drooling over shinlger

to me ellis Jenkins was the standout openside flanker for me, with both of the starting blindsides doing a respectable job.

Cuthbert was doing nice link work but didn't get much chance to show his finishing ability or one on one ability.
Morgan was deadly at fullback and could see him possibly touring
I thought allen was quite poor over all today, showed a few nice skills but not his usual level. Also hope Lee's injury isint too serious as he is easily the joint top tighthead in wales, don't understand what gatland sees in Rhodri jones, especially when he was getting mullered by aaron Jarvis, who is a tighthead playing loosehead. especially when you consider the lack of difference in terms of ability between the two sets of original second rows, it is beggars belief!

GavinDragon wrote:

The Saint wrote:

GavinDragon wrote:the players who I felt showed up for the possibles

Ball
Coombes
Ellis Jenkins
Davies
Hook
Allen

Should have had jarvis and samson lee to even up the packs a bit perhaps we would have seen more of an even game

Yeah but I guess in Gatland's eyes Rhodri Jones is ahead of those two, though he shouldn't be.

I'd agree with those possibles. Shingler will perhaps go as well as 10 cover, or maybe Matthew Morgan. I thought Cuthbert was poor and I'd be willing to start Jordan Williams and North on the wings for the first test. I'm not so sure if Lewis Evans or Navidi did enough in the selectors eyes....and Aaron Shingler was average so I don't know what jiffy was on about.

I am a massive fan of Morgan however I dont think gatland will pick him due to his size and defence which is a shame as he has the ability to turn a game.

With regards to the back row I suppose it depends on how many they take. I must admit I wasnt overly impressed with either back rows (ellis jenkins aside) despite Jiffy drooling over shinlger

Yeah, then he's probably better off just sticking with Jordan Williams if he wants that type of player. We need good counter-attackers against SA. As for back-row I personally wouldn't take Shingler, never seen a more overrated player.

Knowsit17 wrote:How did the scrum look when Lee came on? Did he finally show beyond further doubt that he's a better scrummager and overall prospect going forward than Rhodri Gatland Jones?

Will it make a difference if he has?

Yes it did, except hes broken his arm or something now

they are taking matthew morgan

oooh well that sounds quite an interesting squad- missed out loosehead props/adam jones (assuming he is in)

Samson Lee, Aaron Jarvis
Ken Owens, Matthew Rees, Scott Baldwin
Alun wyn, Jake Ball, Ian Evans, Charteris
Turnball, Lydiate, Baker, Shingler, Faletau
Phillips, Davies, Williams
Biggar, Hook, Shingler
Davies, Roberts, Allen
Cuthbert, North, Williams
Williams, Morgan

overall that seems pretty good, wish they had picked Ellis Jenkins though he was standout openside on display today

Back row is a real weakness there

When is it announced? All the BBC is telling us so far is that Rees is going on tour.

EDIT

Former Wales captain Matthew Rees completed a season in which he underwent testicular cancer treatment by being named in the squad to tour South Africa in June.

Rees is joined by four uncapped players - scrum-half Gareth Davies, fly-half Matthew Morgan, wing Jordan Williams and utility back Steven Shingler.

I was just on the bbc site as they were doing the live announcement should be up in a few minutes

Forwards:

Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Paul James (Bath), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Matthew Rees (Cardiff Blues), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (capt, Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Perpignan), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Josh Turnbull (Scarlets), Dan Lydiate (Racing Metro), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), Dan Baker (Ospreys).

Backs:

Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Rhodri Williams (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), James Hook (Perpignan), Steven Shingler (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Jordan Williams (Scarlets), Matthew Morgan (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets) .

paul james and gethin Jenkins are the only two looseheads but are taking 4 tightheads? 1 of whom was being utterly destroyed by gethin Jenkins (who people often claim is not a destructive scrummager) and then later on by a tighthead who was playing loosehead (aaron Jarvis).

    

I thought Samson Lee suffered a nasty injury? Or was it not as serious as it looked?

Jarvis was a LH today though wasn't he? Yep back-row looks terrible, Shingler just makes it unbalanced though Turnbull might be okay if he continues in this good vein of form. Thought they'd take one proper open-side at least. I guess that would have been out of Lewis Evans, Josh Navidi and Ellis Jenkins.

I went tot he game and the atmosphere wasn't the best. Started to liven up in the last 20 though. Im praying Ken and Samson ok becuase they could be crucial in SA.
Gethin Jenkins proved that Rhodri Jones shouldn't be our second choice tighthead. Samson Lee came on and technically both slapped the welsh team saying here i am this is what i an do. Came on and dominated at the scrum. Also with Adam Jones falling off tackles now I think Samson Lee should be stating in SA (but he won't). Rhodri Jone shad loads of potential and had already come leaps and bounds this season but is still far off. I might be being harsh becuase he is up against one of the best and most experienced prop in the world (that includes scrummaging as well) but he will be in SA as well. Gethin gave him a challenge and he couldn't match up to it.
Both Probables locks stood out for me, Jake Ball to come of the bench and add that power in the later stages.
The different was that the probables were a team that looked well coached and the possible weren't. Twice Robyn has lets u down firstly with Japan and now this. I do feel it is time for a bit of a change and bring in someone line Danny Wilson. They improved later on in the match but they had no formation or attacking plan. I mean their dummy runners weren't really fooling anyone and there were no off loads in the tackles either.
Pretty fair team, nice to see Matthew Morgan have a shot after he came on, same with Gareth Davies and Jordan Williams. Good team just hope they can stay fit.