[2018 6Nations] Round 5 Wales V France (17/03/2018)

[Vieux Talonneur]

The French have just remembered how to play rugby. Brilliant try.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Shingler is getting all the buzz but for me Navidi has been the "find" of the tournament for Wales (I know he's been knocking around a little while but he's taken his chance with both hands).

It won't happen due to past credit, plus being captain, But Warburton would struggle to get into this backrow when he's back, arguably wouldn't be in my first choice 23 as I think tips offers more from the bench

 

[Bluemoon]

Shingler is getting all the buzz but for me Navidi has been the "find" of the tournament for Wales (I know he's been knocking around a little while but he's taken his chance with both hands).

It won't happen due to past credit, plus being captain, But Warburton would struggle to get into this backrow when he's back, arguably wouldn't be in my first choice 23 as I think tips offers more from the bench

I agree. Good to hear this from a neutral. Navidi and Warbs have been playing together for years at Cardiff. It's no surprise that he's been playing the way he has

 

[Every Time Ref]

Just seen the first Wales try, great to see, I needed a good laugh today!

 

[ThebigARena]

Shocking half of play from Wales , no cohesion everyone at 6s and 7s , haven't been able to get north into the game at all , rubbish , Sanjay is a liability.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

It has the feel of an end of term knockabout. Entertaining,but you can't draw any conclusions from this.

 

[dullonien]

No arguments that Navidi has been good, but I think Shingler, Tipuric & James Davies have higher ceilings, and are a better fit with the expansive gameplan.

For me Biggar, Liam Williams & Scott Williams are struggling again today. Biggar simply doesn't suit the way we're trying to play, constantly reverting to kicking. His kicks have been good, but it still annoys me to death. He also goes missing in attack, with the likes of Faletau, Parkes, Tupuric, Williams having to step in at first receiver. He's so deep as well, that everything we're doing is easy for France to Shepard towards the touchline. Liam Williams still doesn't seem fit, the way he was beaten to a loose ball was infuriating, instead of dropping on it like every youngster is taught, he overruns it and tries to pick it up on the run, but the French player is hungrier and dives on it! Scott Williams is simply making too many errors.

 

[ThebigARena]

Apart from who finishes 2nd

 

[TRF_Olyy]

This is such a France performance
The contrast between the Wales try and the France try
That attempted kick to the corner

Equal parts hilarious and amazing

 

[Every Time Ref]

This is such a France performance
The contrast between the Wales try and the France try
That attempted kick to the corner

Equal parts hilarious and amazing

Just when everyone has finally learned not to say "it depends which French team turn up" ... are we going to have to start saying it again?

 

[Which Tyler]

Just when everyone has finally learned not to say "it depends which French team turn up" ... are we going to have to start saying it again?

I hope so, it's so much more fun that way.
Besides, when we're all saying that, you just know they'll manage to beat NZ at the RWC - which can never fail to be entertaining.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It's crazy how much Basta has evolved the past year or so,
He used to be a liability but now he's single handedly carrying this French side

 

[Which Tyler]

It's crazy how much Basta has evolved the past year or so,
He used to be a liability but now he's single handedly carrying this French side

Yup, he seems to have learned that he needs to work hard and use his brain as well, rather than just run through people with his size. Arguably the best centre in world rugby right now

 

[The5thOfficial]

Well, never in any doubt hey? lol

Pretty happy with today's results over all 3 games although I thought both Scotland and Wales had fluffed their lines.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

*cannot believe the Basteraud love*

Biggar, Halfpenny, one try, scoreless second half, utterly predictable, Warren Gatland.

 

[NDC89]

It's crazy how much Basta has evolved the past year or so,
He used to be a liability but now he's single handedly carrying this French side

Almost like spending time around Nonu (a similar, but superior player) is helping his game....

 

[dullonien]

Surprise surprise, Wales looked completely unthreatening and bereft of ideas (apart from an up and under) with Biggar at 10. It's not all Biggar's fault of course, there were plenty of individual errors which preventing us from getting any momentum, but with him at 10 we just revert to one up forward runners and continuously kicking away any possession we do get. With Patchell or Anscombe at 10 we play more off the 10, with forwards playing a little wider. Parkes is also rendered useless outside Biggar.

Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Cory Hill, Gareth Davies, Biggar, Scott Williams and Laim Williams were all poor today. Fair play to Nicky Smith and Elliot Dee, they were far more dynamic and completely solidified the scrum when they came on. But for them, we certainly would have lost. But for one poor knock on, Shingler too added a huge amount.

Hopefully Gatland will finally see that we need to move away from a few players who simply aren't performing. They also need to ensure the balance is correct. Tipuric isn't a 6. He still played quite well, key to some of the holding-up turnovers we secured, but Shingler was obviously the correct call there; and then you decide between Tipuric, Navidi and James Davies as to who gets the nod at 7.

If we were playing again next week I'd pick a 23 of:

01 Nicky Smith. Looks like he's back scrummaging the way he was when he first broke onto the scene, and he's always offered a massive amount around the field.
02 Eliot Dee. Ken Owens has been off the pace recently, whilst Dee adds a little more physicality.
03 Samson Lee. Still not fully back to his best, and there's not a huge amount between him and Francis, but Lee has the higher ceiling.
04 Bradley Davies. Hill looks good against weaker teams, but goes a little missing vs the better packs. He's neither physical enough, or athletic enough for me. Maybe in time he'll develop, because he's obviously an intelligent player, but he aint the new Alun-Wyn Jones Gatland seems to think. It was immediately obvious from AWJ's first few games that he was the real deal, I've always been apprehensive about Hill. Not totally sure about Davies either, but until Ball is back, or Seb Davies, Thorntun or Beard emerge; he's the best option for me.
05 Alun-Wyn Jones.
06 Aaron Shingler. Best lineout forward in Wales, very dynamic around the field. Possibly needs to improve his breakdown work, specifically his clearing-out.
07 James Davies. Not necessarily because he's currently the best option (Tipuric is imo), but because I think he needs testing further. His work at the breakdown could add another dimension to our game, whilst nothing is lost in the open.
08 Taulupe Faletau.

09 Aled Davies. Had big hopes for Gareth Davies pre tournament given his outstanding form for the Scarlets, but he seems to struggle more than most with the step-up in intensity of international rugby. As such he makes lost of mistakes. Aled Davies has added the precision required, plus his speed of service from the base is a touch quicker as well.
10 Rhys Patchell. I keep saying it, but he's the most well rounded option available. Stick with him and see him blossom.
11 Steff Evans. Makes mistakes, and probably chips ahead too frequently instead of keeping the ball and recycling, but he's still lethal ball in hand and pops up everywhere.
12 Hadleigh Parkes. Completely ineffective outside Biggar, but outside a creative 10, he becomes one of the most important players on the pitch, the glue that holds the backline together.
13 Owen Watkin. Jon Davies will come back in once fit and in form, but Scott Williams keeps coming up short. Watkin needs to be tested further.
14 George North. Finally got some touches towards te end of the game, and looked dangerous as hell. Hopefully he's back to stay.
15 Leigh Halfpenny. A fully fit and in-form Liam Williams would get the nod from me. But he certainly isn't playing well at the moment. Halfpenny is positionally and defensively great, whilst his place kicking is still world class.

16 Ken Owens.
17 Rob Evans
18 Tomas Francis. Would like to have a more dynamic player on the bench, but neither Lewis or Brown have proven themselves enough yet for their regions.
19 Seb Davies.
20 Josh Navidi. Covers the entire backrow, which makes him a valuable bench option.
21 Gareth Davies
22 Gareth Anscombe
23 Halam Amos.

Obviously there isn't a game next week, so hopefully some of those players will return to form for their regions (Rob Evans, Ken Owens, Gareth Davies, Liam Williams). I'd also expect some of those to be rested in the summer.

Edit. Switched in Halam Amos for Adams at 23. Covers the back 3 + could be a potential option at 13 too.

 

[ThebigARena]

Messy unconvincing win but I'll take it. Shingler really showed he should be starting every match for wales .

How you beat France -Francois trinc duc.

Oh yeah the table.
1. Ireland
2.Wales
3.Scotland
4.France.
5. Hahahahaha
6. Italy.

Just a bit of bants

 

[truthteller]

biggar is crap , he stands still all match ? useless. patchell is light years better, fast ambitious powerful , brave, adventourous, lovely passer off both hands, he can kick goals from 60 metres too and one of the few 10s Ive ever seen who can kick superbly off both feet

 

[truthteller]

Here is the genius of patchell kicking a penalty from 62 meters with a few meters too spare ,,,