[2023 Six Nations] Scotland vs Wales - 11 February 2023

[Welsh Exile]

Oh. WOL said it was Halfpenny but Twitter link says Williams. Weird

 

[BenniMarco]

Oh. WOL said it was Halfpenny but Twitter link says Williams. Weird

Relief!

Interesting team, could be a car crash but if it goes well we'll have blooded players in like Jenkins and Christ. Also disagree with Wyn Jones selection, Thomas is really unlucky, but Carre brings something off the bench anyway. Let's see. At least Francis is not in the 23, and good to see Rhys Davies make the 23 regardless, since he is uncapped makes sense to have him on bench anyway.

 

[HamJan]

OMG WOL were right except it's worse. Halfpenny is in. How the **** is Wyn Jones starting? Explain that one to me Warren.

Where's Halfpenny?

 

[AWJ5GOAT]

Interview coming up, it'll be interesting to hear him explain his decisions !

 

[Welsh Exile]

Relief!

Interesting team, could be a car crash but if it goes well we'll have blooded players in like Jenkins and Christ. Also disagree with Wyn Jones selection, Thomas is really unlucky, but Carre brings something off the bench anyway. Let's see. At least Francis is not in the 23, and good to see Rhys Davies make the 23 regardless, since he is uncapped makes sense to have him on bench anyway.

Yeah positives are Tshiunza and Jenkins starting (though would rather Jenkins was starting with Davies or AWJ) Francis out of the squad, Davies in the match day 23 and Reffell getting his first 6N start.

Negatives are Wyn Jones starting, Baldwin on the bench and not Roberts (what's going on there?) and Beard still being in the team.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Where's Halfpenny?

WOL must've messed up when the first printed the team.

 

[Saintjay]

Pretty standard WOL

Next headline - AWJ The Scape GOAT.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Wyn Jones has been going well in camp the last 3 weeks apparently. So good that Gatland left him out the match day 23 last week.

Ideally Wyn Jones and Beard pick up little injuries around 20 mins forcing us to bring on Carre and Davies. Jenkins and Davies would've been my starting locks so hopefully it happens.

 

[dullonien]

I have a few issues with this squad.

- how does Wyn Jones deserve selection? There on past reputation. Not convinced by Gareth Thomas either though, he lacks a point of difference imo. Carre should be starting imo.
- Beard can **** off, absolutely useless at 70% of lock play.
- Not convinced with Morgan at 8. If you want to play a smaller, mobile 8, there's a proven operator at the Ospreys in thr form of Morgan Morris! Happy with Tshiunza at 6 though.
- Biggar keeps his place again! He's had a lot of poor games over the last few years!
- Why has Owen Williams been dropped from the matchday squad? Now we have no centre cover! If Gats wants to look at Patch, fine, but then Kieran Williams/Grady needed to be on the bench with North covering wing.

 

[General Melchett]

Scotland: Hogg, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Fagerson; R Gray, Gilchrist; Ritchie (capt), Crosbie, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Nel, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.


Same team as last week but Zander coming in for Nel who drops to the bench with Berghan dropping from the 23. Can't really argue with it and in some respects good to get some consistency and continuity.

 

[General Melchett]

I have a few issues with this squad.

- how does Wyn Jones deserve selection? There on past reputation. Not convinced by Gareth Thomas either though, he lacks a point of difference imo. Carre should be starting imo.
- Beard can **** off, absolutely useless at 70% of lock play.
- Not convinced with Morgan at 8. If you want to play a smaller, mobile 8, there's a proven operator at the Ospreys in thr form of Morgan Morris! Happy with Tshiunza at 6 though.
- Biggar keeps his place again! He's had a lot of poor games over the last few years!
- Why has Owen Williams been dropped from the matchday squad? Now we have no centre cover! If Gats wants to look at Patch, fine, but then Kieran Williams/Grady needed to be on the bench with North covering wing.

Maybe Gatland's masterplan is for Wyn Jones to get Zander red carded early doors again.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Maybe Gatland's masterplan is for Wyn Jones to get Zander red carded early doors again.

Gatland said that they've measured the circumference of all the tight heads props heads and Wyn Jones' head comes in at 256 inches, 10 times that of anyone else in the squad so he's in the 15. They've been running drills all week where his giant head essentially covers the entire breakdown, he's been getting knocked out all week in training. Check mate.

 

[General Melchett]

Gatland said that they've measured the circumference of all the tight heads props heads and Wyn Jones' head comes in at 256 inches, 10 times that of anyone else in the squad so he's in the 15. They've been running drills all week where his giant head essentially covers the entire breakdown, he's been getting knocked out all week in training. Check mate.

Sounds like Hogg and Russell now have some serious competition on the big headed front.

 

[TSPopinjay]

Scotland: Hogg, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Fagerson; R Gray, Gilchrist; Ritchie (capt), Crosbie, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Nel, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.


Same team as last week but Zander coming in for Nel who drops to the bench with Berghan dropping from the 23. Can't really argue with it and in some respects good to get some consistency and continuity.

Can't underestimate how crucial this is btw.

 

[retired9]

Scotland: Hogg, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Fagerson; R Gray, Gilchrist; Ritchie (capt), Crosbie, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Nel, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.


Same team as last week but Zander coming in for Nel who drops to the bench with Berghan dropping from the 23. Can't really argue with it and in some respects good to get some consistency and continuity.

Called it.

Happy with that, no need to make changes and as said above Nel doesn't have to prove anything at 36 he put in a decent shift last week.

 

[General Melchett]

I wonder if Ben Healy's lawyers are currently going through his contract with Edinburgh with a fine tooth comb.

 

[AlRums]

Scotland: Hogg, Steyn, Jones, Tuipulotu, Van der Merwe; Russell, White; Schoeman, Turner, Fagerson; R Gray, Gilchrist; Ritchie (capt), Crosbie, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Brown, Bhatti, Nel, J Gray, Dempsey, Horne, Kinghorn, Harris.


Same team as last week but Zander coming in for Nel who drops to the bench with Berghan dropping from the 23. Can't really argue with it and in some respects good to get some consistency and continuity.

I like that team

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I want to say Scotland by 16 but suspect this will look incredibly foolish at the final whistle.

I think 15 home grown Scots in this 23 (effectively 2/3rds). Not the doomsday scenario I was anticipating when Townsend started sniffing around players with caps for other nations.

 

[General Melchett]

I want to say Scotland by 16 but suspect this will look incredibly foolish at the final whistle.

I think 15 home grown Scots in this 23 (effectively 2/3rds). Not the doomsday scenario I was anticipating when Townsend started sniffing around players with caps for other nations.

I think Healy might feature against Italy but I don't see Cooney getting a sniff while White and Hornito are in this form.

I saw Gregor's team announcement interview earlier and it was quite poignant how he said the players would be playing for Doddie with the Doddie Weir cup on the line. If that doesn't motivate them to end the hoodoo and stick one on Gatland then nothing will. The squad harmony appears much better this year with Finn and Gregor having resolved their differences. I also think we have benefited from having Ritchie as captain. No disrespect to Hogg but I just think Ritchie leads by example more and seems to be developing a good relationship with the refs.

 

[retired9]

I think Healy might feature against Italy but I don't see Cooney getting a sniff while White and Hornito are in this form.

I saw Gregor's team announcement interview earlier and it was quite poignant how he said the players would be playing for Doddie with the Doddie Weir cup on the line. If that doesn't motivate them to end the hoodoo and stick one on Gatland then nothing will. The squad harmony appears much better this year with Finn and Gregor having resolved their differences. I also think we have benefited from having Ritchie as captain. No disrespect to Hogg but I just think Ritchie leads by example more and seems to be developing a good relationship with the refs.

100% on Ritchie as Captain, it just works better. I don't think Hogg did anything wrong he's a talented player, the big downside was how it impacted on his own game and didn't let him play on instinct like he used to. The AI's showed a much better Hogg and Ritchie is a real battler and leader.