[2015 RWC] Warm Up Match: Wales vs Italy (05/09/15)

[gaston le gaff]

More to another point will Boudjellal be tearing up Halfpennys Toulon contract as we speak now he's out for 6 months? Who will Halfpenny go to next?

that will be nie on impossible and the only thing Boudjellal will miss is the player, he will not be paying his wages as the SS will do that and the insurance will cover te rest. so no. He only has to seek a medical Joker if he thinks it's necessary which he has every right to do so as soon as the world cup is over.
If you are serious you should know better, Boudjellal is good for rugby the press do not like him, so obviously he gets a large amount of negative press and it looks fairly clear to me that you are just reading press statement and you really do not know how the guy works, but everybody is allowed their point of view.

 

[TobesHodges]

that will be nie on impossible and the only thing Boudjellal will miss is the player, he will not be paying his wages as the SS will do that and the insurance will cover te rest. so no. He only has to seek a medical Joker if he thinks it's necessary which he has every right to do so as soon as the world cup is over.
If you are serious you should know better, Boudjellal is good for rugby the press do not like him, so obviously he gets a large amount of negative press and it looks fairly clear to me that you are just reading press statement and you really do not know how the guy works, but everybody is allowed their point of view.

I only said that due to it was reported last year that he was going to terminate his contract because he kept on getting injured and was fed up of it.. Of course that was just the press..

 

[AzaMatt]

I only said that due to it was reported last year that he was going to terminate his contract because he kept on getting injured and was fed up of it.. Of course that was just the press..

i think that was due to the fact he believed Halfpenny had an injury before he came to toulon, thats why he was annoyed. cannot seem them releasing him because of injury, hardly his fault and as gaston le gaff said Toulon wont be covering his wages anyways. they will miss the player but releasing him isnt going to help anything as they would be without him for potentially a few years instead of the 6 months that he could be sidelined for if they kept him on their books. cant remember how long his contract was but i think it was around 3 years, 6 months of 3 years isnt a massive amount of time to be away

 

[TheSaffycen]

It would be incredibly short sighted to tear up Halfpenny's contract. Not too mention that releasing him will be giving another team a world class fullback.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He threatened to do it last year, and has been in the press saying he doesn't like his players going off to play internationally - Halfpenny will miss half a year because of an injury picked up away from Toulon, and then go off to NZ(?) next summer with Wales.
I'd be surprised if he's not in the papers in the next few weeks whinging again.

 

[gaston le gaff]

What you have to remember guys this is Boudjellal through and through, he loves his media hits there's another one today coming out about doping, Toulon, a Chemist out of contrat, and the SS, everybody has jumped on the band wagon again (that is the press over here) giving it massive coverage.
When he signed halfpenny it's probable that he did realise there was a WC in 2015 it happens every 4 yrs. but he could have had the same injury playing for Toulon he will not be tearing up contracts, its just Toulon the Media and the President, we have it at least twice a week and nobody gets excited about it there will be something else tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RedruthRFC]

He's got decent range, not quite halfpenny of Morne Steyn, but he's reliable up to around the half way line.

I know he's relatively untested at international level, but he's been showing remarkable consistency for the O's for quite a few years now.

He's 8/9 for Wales in 2015. As others have said, his kicks have been easier on average, but his higher percentage means that he's a better kicker than 1/2p if you go by goalkickers.co.za's rankings.

 

[optimuswolf]

I don't think 1/2 p is a huge loss. Good player (although not the strongest kick returner) and amazing kicker but wales have Biggar and williams to cover his work well enough.

Webb is more worrying, as imho Wales' big recent improvement has been due to the halfbacks, with he and Biggar a huge step up on spikey and priestland.

Don't know much about davies, but lloyd williams is a significant step down isn't he?

 

[Shaggy]

So it's confirmed that Mike Phillips and Eli Walker have been added to the squad as replacements for Webb and Halfpenny

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/...-as-halfback-rhys-webb-ruled-out-of-world-cup

 

[Bluemoon]

I don't think 1/2 p is a huge loss. Good player (although not the strongest kick returner) and amazing kicker but wales have Biggar and williams to cover his work well enough.

Webb is more worrying, as imho Wales' big recent improvement has been due to the halfbacks, with he and Biggar a huge step up on spikey and priestland.

Don't know much about davies, but lloyd williams is a significant step down isn't he?

With Williams only just coming back from injury, 1/2p is a massive loss. Although Biggar can kick and I am sure he will be able to step in, 1/2p has the proven consistency and reliability that game plans are often based on.

Gareth Davies has been playing very well for the Scarlets, but I feel he's a bit of an unknown at international level. Lloyd Williams has played more so at that level, and has returned to a bit of form, but it would be a risk to start him now.

Personally, I'd like to see GD start at 9 with Phillips on the bench.

 

[AzaMatt]

I don't think 1/2 p is a huge loss. Good player (although not the strongest kick returner) and amazing kicker but wales have Biggar and williams to cover his work well enough.

Webb is more worrying, as imho Wales' big recent improvement has been due to the halfbacks, with he and Biggar a huge step up on spikey and priestland.

Don't know much about davies, but lloyd williams is a significant step down isn't he?

id say they are pretty even at the moment to be fair, although davies was arguablly better than webb before he got injured last year, just never had the chance to shine at international level due to his injury, now could be his moment though

 

[Maverick1987]

id say they are pretty even at the moment to be fair, although davies was arguablly better than webb before he got injured last year, just never had the chance to shine at international level due to his injury, now could be his moment though

I don't think they are even . Imo Webb was pushing to be considered in the top 2 or 3 scrum halves in the world Davies wasn't it's as simple as that

By the way imo last year I think he was the best SH in the world

 

[AzaMatt]

I don't think they are even . Imo Webb was pushing to be considered in the top 2 or 3 scrum halves in the world Davies wasn't it's as simple as that

By the way imo last year I think he was the best SH in the world

oh sorry, i wasnt clear. i meant davies and lloyd williams are even at the mo

 

[optimuswolf]

With Williams only just coming back from injury, 1/2p is a massive loss. Although Biggar can kick and I am sure he will be able to step in, 1/2p has the proven consistency and reliability that game plans are often based on.

Gareth Davies has been playing very well for the Scarlets, but I feel he's a bit of an unknown at international level. Lloyd Williams has played more so at that level, and has returned to a bit of form, but it would be a risk to start him now.

Personally, I'd like to see GD start at 9 with Phillips on the bench.

Yes i forgot williams is on the way back from injury, and of course biggar hasn't gotbthe track record of 1/2p (few do).

Would you really have spikey back? I used to argue a lot with Welsh fans that he was crap for you, (and priestland) and you're so much better since you changed half backs.

Mind you, i can just see him doing something bv england...

 

[AzaMatt]

Phillips is a good alternative to the other two, I would start games with either Davies or williams then bring Phillips on, he's much more physical and better in defence, could help us hold out in the last 10 when we often concede points to Australia -_- lol

 

[Maverick1987]

oh sorry, i wasnt clear. i meant davies and lloyd williams are even at the mo

In that case it's a fair point

 

[Thingimubob]

Phillips is a good alternative to the other two, I would start games with either Davies or williams then bring Phillips on, he's much more physical and better in defence, could help us hold out in the last 10 when we often concede points to Australia -_- lol

Yupp. That totally worked vs NZ...

 

[AzaMatt]

-_- they just blew us away in the end of that game, if our performances in the six nations this year are anything to go by (we'll conveniently forget the England game) then we seem to be getting better at keeping people out at the death, although that last warm up game against Ireland was waaaaaaaay too close for comfort

 

[TobesHodges]

Do you think gatland will play 2 7's warburton and tipuric or play Warburton and Lydiate just to have a 6 and 7 in the back row even though tipurics in pretty good form..

Would It be to outlandish to play Lydiate at 8?

The Aussies looked good playing hooper and pocock in the RC..

 

[Ospreylian]

Do you think gatland will play 2 7's warburton and tipuric or play Warburton and Lydiate just to have a 6 and 7 in the back row even though tipurics in pretty good form..

Would It be to outlandish to play Lydiate at 8?

The Aussies looked good playing hooper and pocock in the RC..

I think it would be very foolish to drop Faletau after one bad game (possibly the only poor game I've ever seen from the guy). So no, I don't think for one second Gatland will be panicking and trying out Lydiate at 8.

But I have wanted for some time to see Tips and Warbs on the field together. It worked very effectively against England in 2013. I just think it's a great balance. We saw on Saturday that Warburton is a great ball carrier, one of our best tbh. Tipuric is as good imo as Lydiate at the chop tackle, on top of his other attributes that set him a class higher than Lydiate (attacking play, breakdown work, turnovers, offloads, etc.). After recent performances there's no way Gatland can morally justify leaving Tipuric out of the team. Lydiate would be a good player to come off the bench if needed.