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)

Allen again. Really poor.

Italy are such a hectic team, it's both their strength and their weakness as they don't seem to be able to control it

If Italy score now it's squeaky bum time - but they'll probably muff it up again

Was that really a knock-on?

Heaf wrote:Was that really a knock-on?

No

Refs a bit nearer and no moans from the Italians so I'd be inclined to say he did touch it. Really poor again though from the Italians.

Morgan75 wrote:

Heaf wrote:Was that really a knock-on?

No

Hits Ruzzo's finger on his left hand.

Where’s collapse to whinge about Bruno milking it?

Officials cost Italy again ... I couldn't see any hands for that supposed knock-on

formerly known as Sam wrote:

Morgan75 wrote:

Heaf wrote:Was that really a knock-on?

No

Hits Ruzzo's finger on his left hand.

OK couldn't see that myself

Certainly a drop off in intensity from both in the last 20.

So back to what I said before then - knock-ons are killing Italy

Should be a penalty to Italy not a knock on advantage he went with 1 hand.

If Italy work out how to finish all the chances they make they could be a real force

Two yellow cards and double figures handling errors isn't a good combination for Italy. Can't win test matches with errors like that.

Good game. Italians will be absolutely kicking themselves. Really missed Capuozzo.

All about the win there. Not great, but considering they’ve struggled and with everything going on, I’ll take that.

That's crap from itv. 30 seconds analysis.

I'd something about the Beeb being better but there's a good chance they'd have walked out today!

I was expecting a bit of a nail-biter but Italy just kept blowing chance after chance and will be very frustrated.

A good win for Wales . well done.

No 7&1/2 wrote:That's crap from itv. 30 seconds analysis.

I guess with the short turnaround, it’s fair enough. To be fair, they did concentrate on the first game only in the build up.

No 7&1/2 wrote:That's crap from itv. 30 seconds analysis.

Wales much better, Italy much worse - how's that?

Heaf wrote:

No 7&1/2 wrote:That's crap from itv. 30 seconds analysis.

Wales much better, Italy much worse - how's that?

It's like squidge had logged on!

Sounds like Italy were robbed. Did Wales do anything well? Any improvements??? Or just handed the game with dubious calls??

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:Sounds like Italy were robbed. Did Wales do anything well? Any improvements??? Or just handed the game with dubious calls??

1 bad call. Should have been a pen try. And Italy should have had a red.

Yep. Very fair that.

Thanks. Will catch up on the game highlights later

Pleased with the overall score though. Was expecting/fearing a loss.

Started very well, but picked apart quite easily defensively.

France won’t be as generous in mistakes next week.

Wales should be very happy with how clinical they were today, that is a good skill to have, will get you through tight games. Will give them some confidence getting the win too, they will have needed that badly.

Italy on the other hand, they pushed Ireland and France, they arguably left enough chances out there to win today with poor decisions/handling even without the bad call.

Yet despite all the improvements this year they still have 4 games down and 0 wins, that's got to hurt their confidence somewhat if that keeps happening.

I couldn’t believe that stat about no home wins in ten years. That’s insane.

The calls for Georgia to join don’t seem so bad. For a 7 Nations though, not at the expense of Italy (or Wales….). Italy should get a home win then. Before anyone replies, you’ll note they beat us in the aptly named principality stadium, not at home.

I wonder if Italy struggled with the favourites tag? It must be one of the first times ever that they’ve been touted as favourites for a 6N Match. Maybe new ground for them?

Wales often struggle with the favourites tag too. So the reverse perhaps helped us today and took some pressure off.

*I know some bookies had Wales as favourites, but I think most observers had Italy as favourites given form lately added to home advantage, etc.

It looked like they were both evens in most bookies, in the end. It does seem that their Captain sort of alluded to the fact they thought they would win though.

Yep, there was certainly more of an expectation of a win for them from many including their own public. I think that added some pressure. They’d beaten us away the previous year; we have had all of our problems and were playing gash; they’d been playing well, etc., etc. All added up to a feeling before the game that it was a game they should win.

So glad the myth of penalty try-gate was cleared up on Scrum V. Owen Williams wasn’t offside. Wonder if we’ll get apologies on here for the constant ref-whinging yesterday?

Stat Bunker is a nice resource for six nations stats. Turns out the most carded player in six nations history is Liam Williams.

https://rugby.statbunker.com/alltimestats/AllTimeSinBins?comp_code=5730112

mikey_dragon wrote:So glad the myth of penalty try-gate was cleared up on Scrum V. Owen Williams wasn’t offside. Wonder if we’ll get apologies on here for the constant ref-whinging yesterday?

I'm intrigued what did they say? Did they clear up the fact it was also high and therefore still a pen try?

No ruck, and not a high tackle. Sour grapes from Crowley, particularly when he alluded to the box-kicking.

Collapse2005 wrote:Stat Bunker is a nice resource for six nations stats. Turns out the most carded player in six nations history is Liam Williams.

https://rugby.statbunker.com/alltimestats/AllTimeSinBins?comp_code=5730112

Great stat if he's on top. No red cards yet though, but there is still time for him to catch Aki and O'Mahony.

Baldwin and Liam Williams out through injury. Sam Parry called up. Two notable absentees are Kieran Williams and Christ Tshiunza. I know what back 3 I'd select and it wouldn't include Halfpenny. What is Gats thinking...

WALES SQUAD for France.

Forwards: Rhys Carre, Wyn Jones, Gareth Thomas, Ken Owens (capt), Sam Parry, Bradley Roberts, Leon Brown, Tomas Francis, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard, Rhys Davies, Dafydd Jenkins, Alun Wyn Jones, Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell, Justin Tipuric, Aaron Wainwright, Taulupe Faletau.

Backs: Kieran Hardy, Rhys Webb, Tomos Williams, Dan Biggar, Rhys Patchell, Owen Williams, Mason Grady, Joe Hawkins, George North, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams, Rio Dyer, Leigh Halfpenny, Louis Rees-Zammit.

I agree Mikey, I think he will include Halfpenny but my back 3 would be Adams, Rees-Zammit & Dyer really.

That's easily the back 3. I suppose Biggar will be back in as well...

mikey_dragon wrote:That's easily the back 3. I suppose Biggar will be back in as well...

Keep him away too, keep Williams at 10. I'd look at changing one of the centres, they just didn't work & I think they're both too raw to be pitted against the French combo of Fickou & Danty..

Would have been good if we tried out Kieran Williams, and Hawkins at 13. He could revert to Tompkins and North.

Scarlets must be hopeful Halfpenny moves on to the rumoured Gloucester. That would free up some cash, and you can also put McNicholl, Rogers or Patchell there.

Yeah I'd like a look at Kieran....has shown some good form for the Ospreys.

Yes, we need to free up some cash now, I imagine Foxy will move on too.

Kieran Williams has a groin injury according to WOL. I too would have liked to see him.

After our centres were ripped to shreds by Italy I wonder if Gatland will go for experience (which is not necessarily a better thing in our case!) in an attempt to shore up the midfield . I wouldn't be unhappy with Tompkins though. Don't think North is playing well enough lately to warrant a centre spot.

mikey_dragon wrote:No ruck, and not a high tackle. Sour grapes from Crowley, particularly when he alluded to the box-kicking.

There's definitely an arm over the shoulder, looks high. Also the rule around that is that you can't be with a metre of it and be onside, brought in after the England Italy game, was that talked through? Owens was it?

No 7&1/2 wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:No ruck, and not a high tackle. Sour grapes from Crowley, particularly when he alluded to the box-kicking.

There's definitely an arm over the shoulder, looks high. Also the rule around that is that you can't be with a metre of it and be onside, brought in after the England Italy game, was that talked through? Owens was it?

It was cleared up on 'Chum V', Nigel Owens has been a regular. They wouldn't have mentioned it without consultation and then disclose the info on Live TV. If Crowley was Wales coach this board would be going into meltdown. People on here and social media elsewhere seem to have a Welsh Bee in their bonnet - if nobody likes this being pointed out I would suggest you stop.