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)

What was good from Wales was that they realised that we can generate quick ball, and when you do you usually score a few tries. If we play like that more often and shore up the defence, we’ll be a decent team. I feel our scrum and maul is still good, we’ve lacked accuracy there and also been a bit unlucky. And of the squad, Rhys Webb is the best 9. Williams wasn’t anywhere near as good for Wales as he is for Cardiff. I sincerely hope Gareth Davies gets called up and Hardy drops out.

Nicky Smith, Dewi Lake, Will Rowlands, Ross Moriarty, Morgan Morris, Jake Ball, Johnny Williams and of course Gareth Davies all to come back in for me.

No idea whether Jake Ball has been playing well. Where is he now? Oz? How’s he getting on? What about Cory Hill? Seen his name mentioned a few times as being available now if/when the cap rule changes. How’s he getting on?

Funny how things turn out. It was a few years back now, but there was a time when Rhys Webb, Tomos Williams and Gareth Davies were all in top form and no one knew which one to pick! Be great if they all get back to form at the same time again. On their day they’re all classy 9s. Always liked Gareth Davies when on form and sniping. A try scoring machine for a 9. Would love to see him back in if fit and firing and on form.

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:No idea whether Jake Ball has been playing well. Where is he now? Oz? How’s he getting on? What about Cory Hill? Seen his name mentioned a few times as being available now if/when the cap rule changes. How’s he getting on?

Both in Japan. I think Gats name dropped Cory before. I wouldn't pick him at lock, just doesn't seem big enough compared to everyone else. Jake Ball is a big carrier.

Yep, I was a huge JB fan before he left. Does he actually want to play for Wales again? Would be great if so.

mikey_dragon wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Biggar's been lippy even by his standards lately, which isn't a good look even if you're playing well, which as you say, he isn't. Likewise, Josh Adams needs to spend less time playing Billy Big B0llocks. I really don't like him.

Better to be Billy Big B0llocks like Adams, rather than trying (and failing) to be a pretty boy like Stuart Hogg.

What's Stuart Hogg got to do with it?

TAFKA The Oracle wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Let me ask the obvious question because Scotland fans had to grapple with this 5 years ago - surely it is better for the senior Welsh players to leave for non-Wales clubs and free up space for the youngsters to get some game time?

It will be much less attractive for the fans to watch, at least initially, but it must be the only way for the standard of the national team squad to improve on the limited budget which the WRU (and other unions) has?

George, I think you’d be right if a) we only had 2 sides and b) if the senior players actually played a lot for their clubs! How many senior players are we talking about in reality? Maybe 10? Spread over 4 clubs? And they often only play around 10 games a season so plenty of chance to blood youngsters. So not massively blocking talent coming through.

I know this has been said before, and I know this is going to sound offensive (sorry!), but I don’t think the Scotland is a great example of success with that model. If it was then yes I’d be more inclined to want to follow it. Yes a couple of half decent years on the bounce now for the Scotland national team. But nothing really to show for it. The Scottish clubs are having a slightly better time of it than the Welsh regions. But not massively so. We’re not talking Euro champs or consistent URC/Pro league winners. Less than the Welsh even (is that right?), historically?

I’m happy to wait and see what the restructure brings. Out of necessity we’ll probably see some leaving as the funding is reducing but I still think the best thing for national success is having the best players at home. All the top nations do that.

Absolutely no offence taken - you won't find a single Scotland fan who thinks that professionalism was done well - evidenced most obviously by opening a third pro team and then realising afterwards it had no fan base.

Glasgow winning the Pro 12 in 2015 was the one exception to this, but to make your point, that was done with a large number of senior players from the Scotland squad (Hogg, Seymour, Russell, Lamont, Gray, Wilson, Strauss) plus a couple of other test level players who were stars of their own national teams (Matawalu, van der Merwe and Nakarawa).

It's tough because I also agree with the other point, which is that national team success does not mean that your pro franchises are automatically also in healthy shape. They can hide a lot and Wales during Gatland's tenure was also proof of that.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:Biggar's been lippy even by his standards lately, which isn't a good look even if you're playing well, which as you say, he isn't. Likewise, Josh Adams needs to spend less time playing Billy Big B0llocks. I really don't like him.

Better to be Billy Big B0llocks like Adams, rather than trying (and failing) to be a pretty boy like Stuart Hogg.

What's Stuart Hogg got to do with it?

Everything. Who would be focusing on Josh Adams when Hogg is about...

Just read a surprising stat - George North has just become Wales' all time leading try scorer in the 6N, overtaking Shane Williams. 23 tries in the 6N. I honestly didn't know he was that close to the record. Credit where it's due. Cracking effort from North

Still 14 to go to beat Shane's Wales overall total though but perhaps a couple of years left in him.

North is into the world 10 top of international try scorers with 46 test tries.
He's level on tries scored with Cullen, Rokocoko and Savea, and 1 behind O'Driscoll.