WALES INTERNATIONAL: GAMES, SQUADS, TOURNAMENTS, CHAT - SUMMER TOUR & SEASON 2022/23

First topic message reminder :

Here it is:

Springbok team to face Wales in Cape Town:
15 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 17 caps, 12 pts (1t, 2c, 1p)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon) – 19 caps 18pts, 50pts (10t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 27 caps, 25 pts (5t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 59 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 26 caps, 100 pts (20t)
10 – Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 61 caps, 613 pts (6t, 83c, 131p, 4d)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 3 caps, 5 pts (1t)
8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 12 caps, 0 pts
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 59 caps, 25 pts (5t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 64 caps, 30 pts (6t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 57 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 99 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 47 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 49 caps, 50 pts (10t)
1 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 55 caps, 5pts (1t)

Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 48 caps, 55 pts (11t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 60 caps, 5pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Wasps) 33 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 52 caps, 5pts (1t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 20 caps, 5 pts (1t)
21 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0pts
22 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 37caps, 25pts (5t)
23 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 73 caps, 60 pts (12t)

Officials to the rescue for Wales there. No clear separation there and Williams is within a metre of the completed tackle so isn't that offside?

Am I missing something or was there CLEAR separation to overturn the on-field decision?

Italy have had some very poor decisions against them in this series ...

I think there was. From behind you could see it. Clear pen try though.

That's pretty useless reffing, Wales got away with that. Looked like he was defo offside, earlier in the move the Italian players were taken out without the ball, I also think a Welsh player Williams maybe? pushed the player before he had the ball too right at the ruck before the ball was lost.

Theres no excuse to be getting that stuff wrong when you are looking at it on replays

Is this TMO related to Ms Hodnett and goes to the same optician?

neilthom7 wrote:That's pretty useless reffing, Wales got away with that.  Looked like he was defo offside, earlier in the move the Italian players were taken out without the ball, I also think a Welsh player Williams maybe? pushed the player before he had the ball too right at the ruck before the ball was lost.  

Theres no excuse to be getting that stuff wrong when you are looking at it on replays

Both tmo and Dickson (God he was actually right) tried to steer the ref too.

Well done Wales .

Who is the ref? Don't recognise him.

That was a pen try too. Real turnaround there.

Heaf wrote:Who is the ref?  Don't recognise him.

Murphy. From aus obvs.

PT fair enough there - shame the officials didn't do their job at the other end

Liam Williams milking penalties again

Collapse2005 wrote:Liam Williams milking penalties again

Did he? He didn’t need to milk anything, it was one of the most obvious penalties of the day.

Wales looking good in the first half.

There was contact with Williams so a penalty but he really does like to make the most of it...

Italians have been so inaccurate in attacking positions and it's really hurt them this game. Wales doing a much better job when they are in advanced position showing proper killer instinct

Fair play, Rhys Webb looking good. Buzzing for Rio Dyer too. Must be hard for Cardiff Blues supporters to not be able to say he isn’t up to it etc.

Wales deserve the lead as they've been much more clinical with their chances - but can't help but think the blunder by the officials for the disallowed try could have been a massive turning point and has robbed us of a much closer game

The ref may not be helping Italy much, but jeez what a pub side. Can't pass, catch, tackle, make the easy final pass for a cert try - twice, tackle in the air when on for a pen. They're flattered for their 3 points so far, and Wales are strolling this.

How many Wales penalties for not rolling away now? Must be a card coming.

Pub side is a bit harsh - they haven't played as well as they did against France and Ireland admittedly, but they have made some nice breaks

Bit lucky as they clearly sealed off from Tipuric but given some other decisions I think Wales would take it.

Don't like head pats.

Wyn Jones has been a weak link today. He shouldn’t have been picked in the squad over Nicky Smith.

Red.

Heaf wrote:Pub side is a bit harsh - they haven't played as well as they did against France and Ireland admittedly, but they have made some nice breaks

They’ve played good when they have the ball, not clinical enough though.

That's a bit lenient thinking it's a yellow.

Kinda glad it’s not Red. Another day it could have been though.

Thought Wales were in there

Karl Dickson just saved the Italian no 11 there. This ref doesn’t seem to know the rules and is relying on his colleagues.

Game over

Yeah think this ref is inexperienced.

Webb has been very good today.

I thought Tomos Williams was looking ponderous due to Gatland’s tactics, but Rhys Webb is making that look doubtful today.

The tactics look a bit different to be fair.

Perhaps Cement Head has finally let the shackles off a little.

Thought this match would be really good but Italy have been poor and Wales have looked comfortable ... maybe they burned themselves out against France and Ireland and are really missing their sparkling 15.

Not sure how much Wales will learn from this although the win was probably more important anyway.

RiscaGame wrote:Perhaps Cement Head has finally let the shackles off a little.

Yeah, I think Shane was alluding to that when he said Webb has been playing heads-up rugby.

Morgan75 wrote:Karl Dickson just saved the Italian no 11 there. This ref doesn’t seem to know the rules and is relying on his colleagues.

Unfortunately he directed him wrong there tho. Arm away from body.

What's the AR doing there? Wales prop lost his bind and put hand on floor before the big push for the pen.

I don’t think Williams was really in a position to get that.

That said, if the Italian captain was Welsh he’d be getting rinsed on yer.

mikey_dragon wrote:I don’t think Williams was really in a position to get that.

That said, if the Italian captain was Welsh he’d be getting rinsed on yer.

Agree on both. If Varney was Biggar too. Suppose he is Welsh though ha

Italians clearing out rucks have been really untidy this game. Lots of stray boots. Some bad presentation.

Italy are just looking a little short on confidence and missing their talisman at 15 plus the messed up tries hasn't helped. It's a real shame the officials managed to disallow that try incorrectly in the first half, might have made the game more interesting.

Wales can’t be far off a yellow now.

They've had some really nice moves off set piece the Italians.

Agree Wales have given away a few. Guess they’re not red zone though. Daf Jenkins probably given away three on his own?

The knock-ons are killing Italy

Twice Dyer has had weak clear outs.

Should have been a pen for Italy there - tackler on the ground clearly messing with the ball to stop clean ball