[2024 Six Nations] Wales vs Italy - 16/03/24

[Vieux Talonneur]

This is George North's swansong

Genuinely great when at his peak and very good thereafter. Outstanding career.

 

[dullonien]

Honestly, completely fed up now with Gatland's selections!

Beard and Adams retain their places is laughable enough, but then you take a look at the front row replacements on the bench and it's no longer funny!

We're losing this imo.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Enjoy your retirement George. I will never forget you lifting Izzy Folau up:

 

[dullonien]

All the best George. Given your all to the cause. Genuinely world class early in his carreer ('11-'14), probably flattered to decieve afterwards not helped by some worrying head knocks.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Do you think Wales have better talent? It's marginal to me, a combined team would be at most a 6/9 split with some marginal calls in there. (Don't want to comment on the bench because what on earth is a Harri O'Connor?)

Nice?

 

[Welsh Exile]

**** me, this day just keeps getting worse. At least George isn't abandoning us to play a stupid sport like LRZ I suppose.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

**** me, this day just keeps getting worse. At least George isn't abandoning us to play a stupid sport like LRZ I suppose.

Another sport vs second division club. It's a tight one on the humiliation scale.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

if you let me choose the welsh side I'd say they have better talent.

 

[Welsh Exile]

We've got so much young talent that England are poaching them and they're the best player England have in their backline.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Well, look at it this way, the last time we gave a send off to some players at home against Italy it worked really well.

 

[TommiG88]

I'm feeling the pressure build for Exile

 

[Welsh Exile]

I'm feeling the pressure build for Exile

View attachment 19330

Put a bottle of whiskey in that kids hand and it's me right now.

 

[Reiser99]

Do you think Wales have better talent? It's marginal to me, a combined team would be at most a 6/9 split with some marginal calls in there. (Don't want to comment on the bench because what on earth is a Harri O'Connor?)

I love the use of an a there

 

[OwenPB]

How bad are Wales that they have to get North to announce his retirement just to motivate the squad into a good send-off performance against Italy ?!

Only kidding!

On paper I'd have put Scotland crushing Italy and Wales more likely to lose to them than anyone else, which probably means it'll be a handy win for Wales.

 

[TommiG88]

To get this right, Wales avoid the wooden spoon if they win by more than 7 points.

If they don't then they have to win by a bonus point and 6 or more points.

 

[Crash Hamster]

I said this in the Eng v Ire thread (about all the teams being in transition)...

Wales are the most concerning. It seems we've all been maintaining the polite fiction that Antipodean wundercoach Warren Gatland is building something special from a rich vein of talented youngsters, but actually he's just capping anyone who's ever visited Llandudno and has a pulse. we all know that even a winning U20 team does not yield a complete team of full internationals two years later. Reffell is heading for a Lions tour (though back row is competitive) and everyone seems to think Jenkins is going to make it as the next Whinge-Jones, but they're really struggling otherwise.

When players like Archie Whossaname (the well-known Bath prop) are getting a cap, it's really just Gatland throwing **** at the wall and seeing what sticks. I can't blame him, the cupboard looks vary bare. I have no idea if young Griffin is a future Lions legend, a journeyman or if he will leave the game due to injury... but neither does anyone else. I listen to my Wales-supporting friends spinning it as an IGWT issue and extolling how this team will come together in a kaleidoscope of brilliance, but my money's on an Emperor's new clothes scenario.

I'd also add that Jenkins is not a flanker...

 

[Welsh Exile]

I said this in the Eng v Ire thread (about all the teams being in transition)...

Wales are the most concerning. It seems we've all been maintaining the polite fiction that Antipodean wundercoach Warren Gatland is building something special from a rich vein of talented youngsters, but actually he's just capping anyone who's ever visited Llandudno and has a pulse. we all know that even a winning U20 team does not yield a complete team of full internationals two years later. Reffell is heading for a Lions tour (though back row is competitive) and everyone seems to think Jenkins is going to make it as the next Whinge-Jones, but they're really struggling otherwise.

When players like Archie Whossaname (the well-known Bath prop) are getting a cap, it's really just Gatland throwing **** at the wall and seeing what sticks. I can't blame him, the cupboard looks vary bare. I have no idea if young Griffin is a future Lions legend, a journeyman or if he will leave the game due to injury... but neither does anyone else. I listen to my Wales-supporting friends spinning it as an IGWT issue and extolling how this team will come together in a kaleidoscope of brilliance, but my money's on an Emperor's new clothes scenario.

I'd also add that Jenkins is not a flanker...

I agree with some of this but it's a bit rich having a dig at capping anyone who's ever visited Wales when you've literally poached a Welsh player this year and not only that he's your best back.

We've got players like Lake and Morgan who are out that walk into this side. Plus other potential decent players like Tshiunza who are also injured. Then we have Joe Hawkins who's unavailable (though I wouldn't mind betting we see him in a wales shirt in the next couple of years) LRZ is a bonafide rock star who's left (but again who I imagine will be back sooner rather than later)

Then you have some older players who still have something to offer that were missing like Faletau. So I'm not super doom and gloom, talent is there we just need a coach that plays to our strengths and not relying on our weaknesses. For what it's worth I think Gatland is yesterdays man but player wise it's not to bad.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

I agree with some of this but it's a bit rich having a dig at capping anyone who's ever visited Wales when you've literally poached a Welsh player this year and not only that he's your best back.

That the bloke that went to Clifton, has a half English dad and 0 Welsh parentage, yeah?

 

[Crash Hamster]

I agree with some of this but it's a bit rich having a dig at capping anyone who's ever visited Wales when you've literally poached a Welsh player this year and not only that he's your best back.

"EQP plays for England" shocker. It's not as if he had a 'Made in Wales' tattoo on his arse. [smiles brightly]

 

[Welsh Exile]

That the bloke that went to Clifton, has a half English dad and 0 Welsh parentage, yeah?

He has an English granny. That's it mate. Born and raised in Cardiff. If the shoe was on the other foot all you lot would be screaming and jizzing in your pants at the mere thought of sticking the boot into Wales.