[2020 Six Nations] Wales vs Italy (01/02/20)

[dullonien]

I always remember the 2012 Wales v Ireland game, and the JD2 try. North in off his wing, stands up D'Arcy and takes him on the outside like he's not even there, bounces off Mcfadden, again like he's not even there, then slips a perfect ball out the back door to Fox. There's been more impressive individual bits of skill from players, but not many have the ability to combine the agility, pace, power and skill he did in those 5 seconds.

Sure, thay was 8 years ago, a lot has changed in that time. He was at his very best at the time. However the way I see it is that when he gets involved he still has huge impacts on games. He still has the pace, the power and the agility, but he's too quiet too often. If Pivac feels that he can get North involved in games more often and get the best out of him again, then I can understand his selection.

Here's hoping that a change of coach and tactics sees a return to the North of old!

 

[oj121]

Properly underwhelmed by the selection.

Zammit out....WGJ not even on the bench. Navidi out on the squad altogether?!?!? I mean that one alone is mind boggling!

**Saw Navidi is out but would have picked Shingler over RM**

 

[TRF_Olyy]

North over Tompkins is.....dumb.

Surely this is the perfect game to capture LRZ, as well? If he's not trusted vs Italy when will he be?

No WGJ is disappointing as well, but that's another week where he's EQP for us I guess.

 

[dullonien]

Shame that LRZ isn't going to get an opportunity, same with WillGriff John.

 

[Reiser99]

Seems like a very conservative selection, mainly looking at experience rather than form.

Wales should still win obviously, but will be interesting to see how the game goes.

Also I agree with above. If Italy isn't the team to give younger players a run out, when is?

 

[bushytop]

As others have said, this would be the one game to try out the new boys... whether that be starting or on the bench. Pivac has obviously made these selections for a reason though, time will tell if his reasons are right.

 

[Astrodragon]

Apparently Navidi has a hamstring injury

 

[Astrodragon]

Putting a load of new players in against Italy is more than a little arrogant.
Yes, Italy are likely the weakest opponent we face in the 6N, and yes we can try a few options out in the game. But Italy have given more than a few nasty shocks to teams over the years, its not a matter of turning up and just walking all over them. So a few new players seems reasonable, others will get their chance, especially with injuries throughout the competition.

 

[dullonien]

Yeah, couple that with it being Pivac's first competative match in charge and I can understand him opting for experience.

The one I maybe don't understand is WGJ as I don't see him as being the same as some young inexperienced kid. We could do with another option at tighthead as well.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Tuilagi was originally a winger until a reasonably late stage of his development (U20 I think?).

 

[bushytop]

Putting a load of new players in against Italy is more than a little arrogant.
Yes, Italy are likely the weakest opponent we face in the 6N, and yes we can try a few options out in the game. But Italy have given more than a few nasty shocks to teams over the years, its not a matter of turning up and just walking all over them. So a few new players seems reasonable, others will get their chance, especially with injuries throughout the competition.

Arrogant or not (& it certainly isn't intentional) you want to give debutants the easiest debut possible. Italy have had like the last 5 or so wooden spoons, therefore it is much more logical to debut the new boys there than against Ireland or England (two of our next 3 games) who are top 5 teams.

Sometimes logic isn't kind but it's logic nonetheless.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I don't really see why WGJ is not even on the bench, I would have like to seen LRZ to get a chance but there's going to be plenty more games for him. I've spoke about my indifference to North at centre before, hoping to see Tompkins get on early to get a good run.

 

[bushytop]

All in all considering how surprisingly positive I felt when the squad was announced, I'm feeling a bit disheartened by the 23.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Italy team is looking pretty decent, that back row should be a match fir any. Big question for them though is how fill the subs fair?

Italy: Matteo Minozzi; Leonardo Sarto, Luca Morisi, Carlo Canna, Mattia Bellini; Tommaso Allan, Callum Braley, Giosuè Zilocchi, Luca Bigi (capt), Andrea Lovotti, Alessandro Zanni, Niccolò Cannone, Sebastian Negri, Jake Polledri, Abraham Steyn.

Replacements: Federico Zani, Danilo Fischetti, Marco Riccioni, Marco Lazzaroni, Dean Budd, Giovanni Licata, Guglielmo Palazzani, Jayden Hayward.

 

[Spartaco]

It is always a tough game for us there in Cardiff...altough this time could be a bit different from previous years: today several teams are in a rebuilding-mode...Wales and the post-Gatland era, Ireland, France...the good news is that we have started to rebuild just two years ago and now Minozzi, Polledri, Negri, Ruzza...the best young players we have, are set to play good games in the test match/Six Nation mode for quite a while.

Franco Smith choose Canna at 12, so we are a new team playing the "second five-eighth" :-D
I really don't think Saturday we will win...the target game for us is obviously against Scotland.
I'd like to leave Cardiff with the bonus point, that's real possible in my opinion.

 

[bushytop]

It is always a tough game for us there in Cardiff...altough this time could be a bit different from previous years: today several teams are in a rebuilding-mode...Wales and the post-Gatland era, Ireland, France...the good news is that we have started to rebuild just two years ago and now Minozzi, Polledri, Negri, Ruzza...the best young players we have, are set to play good games in the test match/Six Nation mode for quite a while.

Franco Smith choose Canna at 12, so we are a new team playing the "second five-eighth" :-D
I really don't think Saturday we will win...the target game for us is obviously against Scotland.
I'd like to leave Cardiff with the bonus point, that's real possible in my opinion.

I have a lot of respect for Franco Smith, he pretty much always delivers teams above the level of expected quality. As you've pointed out, you've got some great players for him to work with too... and as good as the 6 Nations is, it would be even better with a strong Italy.

I obviously hope Wales win this weekend but I hope your boys win the next four!

 

[Hap]

2 ways to see our line-up: 1. Franco is mad; 2. Franco is genius.
I'm pointing specially at 10-12 where Canna is basically a newbie of the spot. Don't know if, trying to create some troubles to your backline, we are instead complicating our game.
Truth is that with a "classical" deployment we already know how's gonna finish so... could be good give it a try.

I'm more courious than scared, anyway. What's the worst thing could happen, lose?
What I'm really expecting is a good scrummaging display: Lovotti-Bigi-Zilocchi are doing well recently so I wanna se them at least keeping the standard if not winning. Hope it doesn't sound pretentious.

For those asking about replacements: it's basically the first time we have same level in and off the pitch. First row particularly where Fischio, Riccio and Licata could have been starters as well. So I don't see a drop of general quality during second half/last quarter, just the classical lack of attention to details that moves the first snowball...

 

[duncanb]

Wales by +10 on my acca expecting a high scoring game though.

 

[bushytop]

Always nervous before a Wales test match... I've seen Italy beat us before and I'm sure that I'll see it again. It's gonna be interesting to see what effect both of the new coaches have had on the teams and whether they have effected the 'gap' that has been apparent between the countries this last decade.

 

[Jimbo]

Always nervous before a Wales test match... I've seen Italy beat us before and I'm sure that I'll see it again. It's gonna be interesting to see what effect both of the new coaches have had on the teams and whether they have effected the 'gap' that has been apparent between the countries this last decade.

I am sure Italy will beat Wales again, but it will not be this day, I'm really hoping we are going to see Wales play some more exciting rugby (that's not a negative dig to get a reaction) just feel there are some really exciting players that don't play for Wales like they do club.