[2018 November Tests] Wales vs Australia (10/11/18)

[Thingimubob]

That said - I'm not overly clued up on their pack? Naturally I know Hooper and Pocock, and recognize Sio and Coleman from the couple of RC games I managed to watch.

Tolu Latu, Allan Alaalatoa, Izack Rodda and Jack Dempsey don't ring any bells - how much have they played for Aus recently?

Their bench definitely looks strong...

 

[MikeTheNative]

Wales have just named the side that has been reported.

 

[Thingimubob]

Wow. You mean Wales Online actually did some accurate journalism? First time for everything I guess...

 

[MikeTheNative]

Wow. You mean Wales Online actually did some accurate journalism? First time for everything I guess...

Probably had to get some one else to write it down for them as the grammar was correct.

Leigh Halfpenny; George North, Jonathan Davies, Hadleigh Parkes, Josh Adams; Gareth Anscombe, Gareth Davies; Nicky Smith, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Ross Moriarty

Replacements: Elliot Dee, Rob Evans, Dillon Lewis, Cory Hill, Ellis Jenkins, Tomos Williams, Dan Biggar, Liam Williams

Decent bench for Wales for once, actually some impact to bring on in Dee, Evans, Jenkins, and the two Williams. After seeing the two teams I'm not confident of a victory but feel that the team is good enough to win. Hopefully Beard can prove me wrong and Parkes finds a bit of form from somewhere. Also not really sure on Francis, liability round the park and isn't even that great in the scrum.

 

[dullonien]

It's a pretty tasty bench. Replace Cory Hill with someone like Seb Davies and Biggar with Patchell and there's be impact to come on in every position.

I think this has been the biggest change over the past couple of years, and hopefully it means we don't lose this game in the last few mins like we have so many others!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

That said - I'm not overly clued up on their pack? Naturally I know Hooper and Pocock, and recognize Sio and Coleman from the couple of RC games I managed to watch.

Tolu Latu, Allan Alaalatoa, Izack Rodda and Jack Dempsey don't ring any bells - how much have they played for Aus recently?

Their bench definitely looks strong...

Latu can't throw straight to save his life. Can't believe they are starting him.

The others are relatively young and inexperienced.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

This is all a bit tasty isn't it? I assume Hodge is injured for Oz? With him on the wing and Folau at fullback I'd have picked the Wallabies. As it is:

Wales by 2
(D-Big to win it at the death and be universally acclaimed on the forum)

 

[bushytop]

This is all a bit tasty isn't it? I assume Hodge is injured for Oz? With him on the wing and Folau at fullback I'd have picked the Wallabies. As it is:

Wales by 2
(D-Big to win it at the death and be universally acclaimed on the forum)

I'd take it...

 

[Tooting Carmen]

Hope Wales will win. I am attending the match.

 

[Thingimubob]

This is all a bit tasty isn't it? I assume Hodge is injured for Oz? With him on the wing and Folau at fullback I'd have picked the Wallabies. As it is:

Wales by 2
(D-Big to win it at the death and be universally acclaimed on the forum)

Wait you mean people don't already love Dan Biggar?

 

[dullonien]

Just found out that I'm going to the game with work. Can't beat free tickets and free booze!

 

[Derpus]

Aussie's have named their team:

Australia: Dane Haylett-Petty; Israel Folau, Samu Kerevi, Kurtley Beale, Sefa Naivalu; Bernard Foley, Will Genia; Scott Sio, Tolu Latu, Allan Alaalatoa; Izack Rodda, Adam Coleman; Jack Dempsey, Michael Hooper, David Pocock.

Subs: Tatafu-Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu, Taniela Tupou, Rob Simmons, Ned Hanigan, Nick Phipps, Matt To'omua, Jack Maddocks

Just about the best team we've put out all year. I would have dropped Rodda and Beale to the bench for Simmons and Toomua respectively, but eh.

Kerevi and Dempsey back into the starting side is huge. A specialist 13 where we havent had one for the last 7 games and a specialist 6 where we've only had substandard options for the past 7 games.

In response to a comment above:

7 A's is a solid THP who can also play LHP.
Dempsey was set to be a star 6. Was man of the match in our last victory over the All Blacks, but immediately tore a muscle in his leg off the bone the match after and has been out since.
Rodda is young and promising but quite green. Had a great Super season but hasnt set hte world on fire at test level.
Also agree Latu seems an odd decision. I would have picked Folau Fainga'a. But Latu is the strongest prop in the scrum and around the park.
Hodge is out for the rest of the year - but not much of a loss in my opinion. Pretty over rated.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

7 A's.

Love it

Best nickname I've heard since Twelvetrees got dubbed "36"

 

[Umaga's Witness]

R

Aus, Ire & Eng doing fine against them a Lions win should of been on the cards regardless of who was in charge.

NZ I think Gats wasted the 12 year opportunity to actually get a Lions win.

really? With An inferior scrum and line out, the areas where you'd usually have an advantage? It seemed to me the coaching was the key to how well you did. That and Jonathan Davies who was easily the best player.

 

[bushytop]

R

really? With An inferior scrum and line out, the areas where you'd usually have an advantage? It seemed to me the coaching was the key to how well you did. That and Jonathan Davies who was easily the best player.

This is just the anti-Welsh/Gats narrative that some like to peddle.

 

[ncurd]

R

really? With An inferior scrum and line out, the areas where you'd usually have an advantage? It seemed to me the coaching was the key to how well you did. That and Jonathan Davies who was easily the best player.

We had a chance because
a) SBW was a total dolt and got red carded 65mins with a 1 man advantage should yield a larger than 3 point victory no matter the opposition. If Barrett was a decent kicker the Lions would of lost that match.

b) By all accounts Sexton and Farrell 'took over' the entire attacking regime of the team.

Then there's what SOB had to say
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...b-howley-new-zealand-all-blacks-a7958811.html

Look a combined team of Ireland, England & Wales should be able to compete with the AB's regardless of coaching. There's too much talent in those respective pools to not to. A better question is why was the lineout & scrum creaking when it really shouldn't? Why was the attacking coach overruled by players? Why did the best fly-half in the world (currently playing) not play in the first test?


I'm not pretending the coaching team had it easy Clive Woodward showed how badly you can screw it up. Still I personally saw an ABs team who could be beaten on that tour (other losses in this RWC cycle have shown they are not the team they were in the last and this was not a flash in the pan) and the Lions won't get that chance for another 12 years.

 

[JOHNTYWYN]

With Wales holding a decent position in the world rankings; it should be just a formality beating Australia, Fiji and South Africa on our home turf !! Anything falling short of this will rule us out of contention in the World Cup.

England are going through a bad patch at the moment, nevertheless, I expect them to run New Zealand very close today.

 

[bushytop]

Wales vs any SH nation is never a formality but we have actually been made favourites by the bookmakers (not sure that has ever been the case before) and now even Dr Gwyn Jones thinks that we'll win:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport...t-australia-reasons-15389673#comments-section

I'm feeling as confident as I have ever felt going into a game against Oz but we shall see.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

We had a chance because
a) SBW was a total dolt and got red carded 65mins with a 1 man advantage should yield a larger than 3 point victory no matter the opposition. If Barrett was a decent kicker the Lions would of lost that match.

b) By all accounts Sexton and Farrell 'took over' the entire attacking regime of the team.

Then there's what SOB had to say
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport...b-howley-new-zealand-all-blacks-a7958811.html

Look a combined team of Ireland, England & Wales should be able to compete with the AB's regardless of coaching. There's too much talent in those respective pools to not to. A better question is why was the lineout & scrum creaking when it really shouldn't? Why was the attacking coach overruled by players? Why did the best fly-half in the world (currently playing) not play in the first test?


I'm not pretending the coaching team had it easy Clive Woodward showed how badly you can screw it up. Still I personally saw an ABs team who could be beaten on that tour (other losses in this RWC cycle have shown they are not the team they were in the last and this was not a flash in the pan) and the Lions won't get that chance for another 12 years.

Ok, I respect your points but what about the defence? Also, I'd value the opinions of the 5 coaches more than sob about how the coaching should go.

The sexton Farrell combo on attack was pretty impressive, especially sexton.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Interesting looking at the sides from two years ago were Aus thrashed Wales 32-8

Wales: Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Scott Williams, Jamie Roberts, George North; Dan Biggar, Rhys Webb; Gethin Jenkins (capt), Ken Owens, Samson Lee, Luke Charteris, Bradley Davies, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Ross Moriarty.

Replacements: Scott Baldwin, Nicky Smith, Tomas Francis, Cory Hill, James King, Gareth Davies, Sam Davies, Hallam Amos.

Australia: Israel Folau, Dane Haylett-Petty, Tevita Kuridrania, Reece Hodge, Henry Speight, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Scott Sio, Stephen Moore (capt), Sekope Kepu, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, David Pocock, Michael Hooper, Lopeti Timani.

Replacements Tolu Latu, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Simmons, Scott Fardy, Nick Frisby, Quade Cooper, Sefa Naivalu

I think this current Aus side is as strong as that one, is the Wales side that much better though?

They did have Howley in charge though and that's an immediate 14 point handicap.