[2014 EOYT] Wales vs South Africa

[BakkiesBokke]

Well in the last game, we took them on and showed that we don't have to just play defensive. However, i didn't get the impression they were tired after 70 minutes either as they dragged themselves over the line to break our hearts again.

- - - Updated - - -



Well, it isn't. It's a good team, but not a good 'B' team. Under strength though, just as our is.

I agree - we are definitely not putting out a B team. We are missing 1st choice players on the wings, at tight-head, and at open-side, other than that the team is strong. I'm sure from a depth point of view with the World Cup around the corner, having a few players absent might be no bad thing.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Thats the strongest team avaliable to us. I do have confidence in the team especially given the first hour of the NZ game. If we bring that again, extend it for another 15-20 and we can win. You know, simples...

Yes and get within the Springbok 5 metre line more than once compared to the NZ game then Wales have a chance.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Yes and get within the Springbok 5 metre line more than once compared to the NZ game then Wales have a chance.

Are you going round just belittling Wales orrrr ....

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I'm kinda glad North won't be playing, but wish he was outright dropped so he had something to think about. This calendar year he hasn't looked up to international standard. Consistently poor game awareness, terrible hands, non-existent defensive understanding coupled with awful tackling and then on top of that, he's struggled to assert himself in attack. He's a great player, but I feel a little time away from the XV ahead of the World Cup is required.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I'm kinda glad North won't be playing, but wish he was outright dropped so he had something to think about. This calendar year he hasn't looked up to international standard. Consistently poor game awareness, terrible hands, non-existent defensive understanding coupled with awful tackling and then on top of that, he's struggled to assert himself in attack. He's a great player, but I feel a little time away from the XV ahead of the World Cup is required.

He's looked top class in the Premiership though, which makes me wonder if it's a question of player management to some degree? Partly it's how Wales use him compared to Northampton - they don't give him the ball enough - but I think it's more than that. That doesn't explain the dropped balls and missed tackles, and things like the horrible misjudgement of the kick that bounced over him against the ABs. Perhaps it's a confidence thing, because he's not getting into the game as a runner and try scorer it's affecting other aspects of his game?

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Are you going round just belittling Wales orrrr ....

No it's just a bit of a joke until Wales can deliver against the SH sides. I watched the NZ a game again and apart from the Webb try Wales offered very little in attack.so going back to TRF_SelimNiai's comment, even if Wales play as well as they did last week it may still not be enough.

 

[Ospreylian]

He's looked top class in the Premiership though, which makes me wonder if it's a question of player management to some degree? Partly it's how Wales use him compared to Northampton - they don't give him the ball enough - but I think it's more than that. That doesn't explain the dropped balls and missed tackles, and things like the horrible misjudgement of the kick that bounced over him against the ABs. Perhaps it's a confidence thing, because he's not getting into the game as a runner and try scorer it's affecting other aspects of his game?

Agreed. I find it frustrating because he used to come infield off his wing a lot more often for Wales, which resulted in moments of magic like this:



He has the ability (like Shane used to) to create try scoring opportunities from nothing, which is a skill not many current Welsh backs possess. But if the ball is going through Roberts constantly (which is very effective, but a bit more variety would be nice) and never reaching the wings the likes of North and Cuthbert are going to remain quiet.

I hope Liam Williams can cement his place in that team tomorrow. I would love to see him start regularly in place of Cuthbert, who has been incredibly disappointing lately especially in defense. Williams currently has a fantastic work rate and attitude to coming in off his wing regularly enough to have an influence on the game. Yes, he may have some issues with perhaps taking some risks from time to time, but I think he will iron those faults out of his game soon enough.

 

[Draggs]

Man, I can't believe how awful our backline has become in three years. No inventiveness, and even then we were accusing them of robotic and boring play. If we tried that now we'd either lose the lineout or knock on.

 

[Every Time Ref]

I hope Liam Williams can cement his place in that team tomorrow. I would love to see him start regularly in place of Cuthbert, who has been incredibly disappointing lately especially in defense. Williams currently has a fantastic work rate and attitude to coming in off his wing regularly enough to have an influence on the game. Yes, he may have some issues with perhaps taking some risks from time to time, but I think he will iron those faults out of his game soon enough.

Cuthbert has always combined try-scoring ability with being a borderline liability in other aspects, which means when he stops scoring tries (even if it isn't his fault, which it might not be) he becomes pretty much just a liability. Having said that, against NZ he did look better at a lot of the nuts and bolts stuff than previously - maybe he's turning a corner, which would be great for Wales. Liam Williams though looks much more like a serious rugby player, if he can make the transition to being a winger effectively he might make Cuthbert obsolete ... or, if he remains a fullback he'll at the very least keep Halfpenny on his toes if not replace him, long term...

 

[Thingimubob]

Cuthbert has always combined try-scoring ability with being a borderline liability in other aspects, which means when he stops scoring tries (even if it isn't his fault, which it might not be) he becomes pretty much just a liability. Having said that, against NZ he did look better at a lot of the nuts and bolts stuff than previously - maybe he's turning a corner, which would be great for Wales. Liam Williams though looks much more like a serious rugby player, if he can make the transition to being a winger effectively he might make Cuthbert obsolete ... or, if he remains a fullback he'll at the very least keep Halfpenny on his toes if not replace him, long term...

Im not convinced that he's turning a corner. He's been awful for the Blues this year, to the point where I didn't think he should be in the Wales squad... Has finished well for Wales though, and hasn't been running away from his support too often at least...

 

[Bluemoon]

I agree Thingimubob.

Although the wings very rarely see the ball at the Blues at the moment, I feel Cuthbert has grown into an individual, rather than a team player. He finds it very difficult to keep within a system, particularly in defence and is often caught out of position. Cardiff's performance at the Ospreys after the 6N last season was the perfect example of this, where at least two trys were leaked due to his positioning. With Wales, he is very lucky that he has two very organised centres inside of him, who also seem to hold him in the line very well.

That said, his try scoring record for both region and country is phenomenal. Dropping him from Wales would be very difficult.

 

[Big Ewis]

3 all at HT.
So far, so good...

 

[Rugga-lad]

that yellow card..... (shaking my head)

 

[fcbfan]

the boks are error prone today.

 

[Bluemoon]

I can't watch.

 

[Rugga-lad]

Credit to Wales, but holy $@#$@#$@# the Boks are poor. They have been very poor this year.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

i wonder if this is Heyneke Meyer last game,

 

[Mikel92]

First time since 1999?

 

[Big Ewis]

it has happened.

Bravo les Gallois. Cymrutulations.

 

[goodNumber10]

well done wales, congrats.