[2024 Six Nations] Wales vs France - 10/03/24

[Welsh Exile]

I actually thought Costelow did alright. Made a few mistakes obviously but nice offload out the back for the try.

Beard yet again is dead weight and the Jenkins at 6 experiment was a failure, don't want to see that again but no doubt Beard will be first name on the team sheet against Italy.

 

[dirty harry]

I actually thought Costelow did alright. Made a few mistakes obviously but nice offload out the back for the try.

Beard yet again is dead weight and the Jenkins at 6 experiment was a failure, don't want to see that again but no doubt Beard will be first name on the team sheet against Italy.

Imagine how underpowered the Welsh pack is, and wanting to remove the biggest heaviest guy from it lol

Lineout went well, and scrum after a wobble did ok too, I'd say Jenkins to 6 helped the set peice.

Jenkins was a bit immobile around the park mind, and his captaincy is none existent. Hes defo a lock, but hes not ready to start yet.

Costelow was awful, but he looked better with Robert's getting rag dolled and conceding tries, it's likethe cheerleader effect, an average girl looks hotter with ugly friends, that was Costello and Robert's hahahahaha

On a serious note, Costello hit his kicks at goal, and made half decent yardage while kicking to touch, but out of hand he is so underpowered Gatland resorted to Robert's, which looking back now was a massive clanger.

Sad to see Lloyd come on and do Lloyd stuff again, he has to learn faster.

All this said, I was in the stadium and admittedly had a fair few drinks, so I havnt seen the game back properly. All comments above then have a decent caveat lol

 

[Welsh Exile]

Imagine how underpowered the Welsh pack is, and wanting to remove the biggest heaviest guy from it lol

Lineout went well, and scrum after a wobble did ok too, I'd say Jenkins to 6 helped the set peice.

Jenkins was a bit immobile around the park mind, and his captaincy is none existent. Hes defo a lock, but hes not ready to start yet.

Costelow was awful, but he looked better with Robert's getting rag dolled and conceding tries, it's likethe cheerleader effect, an average girl looks hotter with ugly friends, that was Costello and Robert's hahahahaha

On a serious note, Costello hit his kicks at goal, and made half decent yardage while kicking to touch, but out of hand he is so underpowered Gatland resorted to Robert's, which looking back now was a massive clanger.

Sad to see Lloyd come on and do Lloyd stuff again, he has to learn faster.

All this said, I was in the stadium and admittedly had a fair few drinks, so I havnt seen the game back properly. All comments above then have a decent caveat lol

As I've said time and time again, you keep referencing Beards size and it's completely irrelevant, he plays like a 7stone weakling so yeah Im not in the slightest bit worried about taking him out of the team and our set piece, which is inconsistent at best, apparently suffering. Jenkins is already significantly better than him at 20 years old.

 

[dirty harry]

As I've said time and time again, you keep referencing Beards size and it's completely irrelevant, he plays like a 7stone weakling so yeah Im not in the slightest bit worried about taking him out of the team and our set piece, which is inconsistent at best, apparently suffering. Jenkins is already significantly better than him at 20 years old.

That's a ludicrous take, he is an incredibly powerful human being. I havnt trained with him directly, but I know others who have, and he is a beast apparently.

I get it's hard to recognise his strength in the tight, but he is taller heavier and stronger than Daf Jenkins.

I'm not saying hes in great form, but he is certainly holding his weight in an underpowered pack. We have a lot of issues up front, lock isnt one of them.

I'd swap out every prop, and hooker before worrying about Beard. We desperately need a ball carrying 8, as great as Wainright is, and is possibly our best player currently, a ball carrying 8 solves our back row issues.

What were your thoughts on the set peice yesterday?

 

[Welsh Exile]

He's injured hit back now apparently.

 

[Welsh Exile]

That's a ludicrous take, he is an incredibly powerful human being. I havnt trained with him directly, but I know others who have, and he is a beast apparently.

I get it's hard to recognise his strength in the tight, but he is taller heavier and stronger than Daf Jenkins.

I'm not saying hes in great form, but he is certainly holding his weight in an underpowered pack. We have a lot of issues up front, lock isnt one of them.

I'd swap out every prop, and hooker before worrying about Beard. We desperately need a ball carrying 8, as great as Wainright is, and is possibly our best player currently, a ball carrying 8 solves our back row issues.

What were your thoughts on the set peice yesterday?

Lineout was good but scrum struggled on the whole I thought.

Im sorry but calling Beard "an incredibly powerful human being" is insane and if I had my way I'd lock you up in the nearest nut house for a 28 day psychiatric assessment.

 

[ikvat]

Not that there is a causal relationship but i'm retty sure the blue in France's flag has changed too.

The actual blue is the original one. It becomes lighter in 1976, under VGE presidency, for making it closer with the UE blue flag.
Macron, and it's his only good decision in 7 years, returns the flag to his original colour.

 

[Which Tyler]

The actual blue is the original one. It becomes lighter in 1976, under VGE presidency, for making it closer with the UE blue flag.
Macron, and it's his only good decision in 7 years, returns the flag to his original colour.

Cool knowledge, thank you

 

[Reiser99]

Wales should have the wooden spoon by now

I actually thought Costelow did alright. Made a few mistakes obviously but nice offload out the back for the try.

Beard yet again is dead weight and the Jenkins at 6 experiment was a failure, don't want to see that again but no doubt Beard will be first name on the team sheet against Italy.

Big issue with Costelow again was kicking. It's cost Wales alot of momentum and territory, especially in the second half and that just heaps pressure on the team. Also players get frustrated when they do all that hard work and a player undoes it with a **** kick.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Wales should have the wooden spoon by now

Big issue with Costelow again was kicking. It's cost Wales alot of momentum and territory, especially in the second half and that just heaps pressure on the team. Also players get frustrated when they do all that hard work and a player undoes it with a **** kick.

I dunno about that. I actually thought his kicking game wasn't too bad. There was defintly one exchange where we gained about 35m. Really we did ok for the first 65 mins then just imploded when Gareth Davies (who I don't particularly want to see in a Wales shirt again) gifted them a try at a crucial point.

I don't mean to be overly dismissive of your point as Costelow's kicking game isn't exactly top quality and for sure he needs to work on it just that I didn't think it was that bad against France. Happy to be proven wrong as I haven't come back to re watch it and memory is never reliable, mine especially.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I'd swap out every prop, and hooker before worrying about Beard

Also, to pick up on this point. Clearly the front row is a problem but, and as I've said time and time again, we are ****** in the front row, especially at TH but where we're not ****** is options in the row that are better than Beard. There are at least half a dozen better options at lock who we can play instead of beard but what's the difference really between Thomas and Domachoski, or injured Brown and Lewis or Elias and Dee? **** all really, it's a much of muchness, but the difference between beard and Rowlands is night and day and Jenkins, who is already better than Beard, has a very high ceiling. That's the point, not oh I'd worry more about front row, we're ****** there so let's improve the areas we know we can starting with getting rid of what dead weight we do have in the front 5 which is Beard obviously.

 

[Reiser99]

I dunno about that. I actually thought his kicking game wasn't too bad. There was defintly one exchange where we gained about 35m. Really we did ok for the first 65 mins then just imploded when Gareth Davies (who I don't particularly want to see in a Wales shirt again) gifted them a try at a crucial point.

I don't mean to be overly dismissive of your point as Costelow's kicking game isn't exactly top quality and for sure he needs to work on it just that I didn't think it was that bad against France. Happy to be proven wrong as I haven't come back to re watch it and memory is never reliable, mine especially.

I remember at least 1 slice and 2 kicks out on the full, though possibly I got the wrong player.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I remember at least 1 slice and 2 kicks out on the full, though possibly I got the wrong player.

You probably didn't be fair mate. I was more annoyed at his defence and him getting turnedover at least once than his kicking, though. I honestly thought, by his pretty low standards admittedly, he was ok.

Even though he didn't have much time and he had the handicap of Gareth Davies inside him, I was more disappointed with Lloyd.

 

[dirty harry]

Lineout was good but scrum struggled on the whole I thought.

Im sorry but calling Beard "an incredibly powerful human being" is insane and if I had my way I'd lock you up in the nearest nut house for a 28 day psychiatric assessment.h

I'm so sorry, hes a bang averaged sized and powerful human being, on par with my aunt Matilda lol.

 

[dirty harry]

You probably didn't be fair mate. I was more annoyed at his defence and him getting turnedover at least once than his kicking, though. I honestly thought, by his pretty low standards admittedly, he was ok.

Even though he didn't have much time and he had the handicap of Gareth Davies inside him, I was more disappointed with Lloyd.

He hasnt, Robert's put one out on the full, so did Costeloa, as did Lloyd. The worst part is all 3 kicks led to scores, as did Costellos kick that stayed infield when it had to go dead.

Tomos William's has lost the ability to box too, and Davies came on and carried on the BS.

We certainly werent ok at any point, from 10 mins in it was inevitable the flood gates would open, Frances power game battered us, and if it wasnt for some very sloppy errors that game could have been 50-3.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I'm so sorry, hes a bang averaged sized and powerful human being, on par with my aunt Matilda lol.

No, he's a 6ft 8 19stone weakling who doesn't come close to carrying his weight and thus totally negates any perceived strength or value that you think he brings.

Also, when talking about Beard and any other far superior lock we have, you're taking about an inch or 2 of height, at best, and perhaps half a stone of difference in weight, if that.

I know you're taking about the value he adds in the tight (arguable) but surely you can admit that in the loose he's as weak as a bag of ****? Passive tackle after passive tackle, gets smashed every time he carries and can't link up in the midfield (apart from one pass on the England game that was quite nice)

 

[Welsh Exile]

He hasnt, Robert's put one out on the full, so did Costeloa, as did Lloyd. The worst part is all 3 kicks led to scores, as did Costellos kick that stayed infield when it had to go dead.

Tomos William's has lost the ability to box too, and Davies came on and carried on the BS.

We certainly werent ok at any point, from 10 mins in it was inevitable the flood gates would open, Frances power game battered us, and if it wasnt for some very sloppy errors that game could have been 50-3.

Well it's a good job we had the immensely powerful juggernaut that is Beard in the side. Made all the difference.

 

[dullonien]

Beard had a much better game yesterday, but imo he was still way below the other 2 Wales locks on display, with Rowlands looking far more physical ball in hand, and Jenkins having a great game overall. If he's a 'physical beast' then he doesn't show it!

Our scrum was absolutely demolished yesterday, but luckily for us the ref decided he barely wanted to know. In saying that though, that French pack is monstrously big and would pressure most sides. Lineout was mostly good though, on both sides of the ball, and this is where playing 3 locks certainly helped I thought. Jenkins is an option at 6 which was a good takeaway - certainly offers more flexibility on the bench if norhing else.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Seeing as me and @dirty harry are having a disagreement day I have to challenge this "Daf Jenkins is a **** captain" narrative. The kid is 20 years old and is clearly a "lead by example" type. You don't become the youngest captain in Exeter and English premiership history by having no leadership skills. The kid is doing great in that regard, and by most other metrics. He doesn't look out of place at this level at all (like Beard) nor does he look like he's drowning in the responsibility of being the Welsh captain. Sure he's feeling his way into the role but I'm not having Jenkins being put down when there's a perfectly good target in Beard we can all aim our ire at.

 

[dullonien]

Seeing as me and @dirty harry are having a disagreement day I have to challenge this "Daf Jenkins is a **** captain" narrative. The kid is 20 years old and is clearly a "lead by example" type. You don't become the youngest captain in Exeter and English premiership history by having no leadership skills. The kid is doing great in that regard, and by most other metrics. He doesn't look out of place at this level at all (like Beard) nor does he look like he's drowning in the responsibility of being the Welsh captain. Sure he's feeling his way into the role but I'm not having Jenkins being put down when there's a perfectly good target in Beard we can all aim our ire at.

1000% It's genuinely remarkable what he's doing. If there's any deficiencies in the way he speaks to the ref (not immediately obvious), then this will come.