Biarritz - Ospreys (22/01/2012, 14:00)

[cyRil]

two thirds of the way there already and very likely to happen if Tipuric is off during the 6 Nations, only Johnson/Holley would be stupid enough

thank goodness we have Tipuric though, he has to captain, play 7 and cover for Smith doing nothing at 6, if Wales pick him in the 6 Nations we could struggle

not seen O'Toole play, but I heard during the Churchill Cup he was player of the tournament for Canada, so maybe we should wait until a few games until he's classed in the Smith/Thomas bracket

O'Toole was sensational in the Churchill Cup, which is why I was delighted when he signed - he just hasn't done it, or been allowed to do it for us yet.

 

[Melhor Time]

O'Toole was sensational in the Churchill Cup, which is why I was delighted when he signed - he just hasn't done it, or been allowed to do it for us yet.

Let me know how he goes. He is playing tonight at 6 vs the Dragons at Bridgend. Sam Lewis and Morgan Allen playing alongside him in the backrow.

I was really impressed with him in the Churchill Cup and also the World Cup vs Tonga and France. The best game I ever saw of him was vs Uruguay in 2009. Ran then all over the park. I haven´t been able to see him at the Ospreys yet but hopefully that´ll change as wome of the players in front of him have been dreadful.

 

[welshglory]

I just watched the match, he was anonymous to poor and got sin binned.
Sam Lewis and Morgan Allen both outshined him greatly.
He looks to be a bit lightweight.

 

[LittleGuy]

I just watched the match, he was anonymous to poor and got sin binned.
Sam Lewis and Morgan Allen both outshined him greatly.
He looks to be a bit lightweight.

He is more inconsistent then anything, as in extremely inconsistent. He can look like a world beater in one game, like vs. Italy "A" in the summer than can look absolutely dreadful as in the game vs. Japan at the RWC. I don't think being in and out of the lineup and playing for three different teams in Wales since he was signed has helped at all.

 

[psychic duck]

at least we know O'Toole can be good though, Tom Smith seems to play every week these days and literally makes no impact at all

with everybody fit I would select

4. Alun-Wyn Jones
5. Ian Evans
6. Ryan Jones
7. Justin Tipuric
8. George Stowers

19. Ian Gough
20. Jonathan Thomas

Johnson needs to stop thinking Thomas is a good 8, Stowers is a number 8 and I think a specialist 8 and not good as a flanker where his main attribute ball carrying is used less, it was plain stupid when they played Stowers 6 and JT 8

 

[Draggs]

Ryan Jones isn't too quick these days but tackles and rucks hard so he can play 6, hopefully Tom Smith is finally offloaded to the Ospreys/Blues surplus player dump known as Rodney Parade, he never does anything and Tipuric always has to cover for his work

Ceri Sweeney -> Cardiff
Gareth Cooper -> Cardiff
Joe Bearman -> Ospreys
Rhodri Gomer Davies -> Scarlets

Point?

I'd hardly call the Dragons a wasteland. If anything we get our better players taken (Gough, Charteris, Fussell)

 

[psychic duck]

Ceri Sweeney -> Cardiff
Gareth Cooper -> Cardiff
Joe Bearman -> Ospreys
Rhodri Gomer Davies -> Scarlets

Point?

I'd hardly call the Dragons a wasteland. If anything we get our better players taken (Gough, Charteris, Fussell)

Aled Brew - massively under used at the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues, offloaded to the Dragons
Tom Brown - hardly got a game at the Cardiff Blues, offloaded to the Dragons
Wayne Evans - little game time with the Cardiff Blues, offloaded to the Dragons
Adam Jones - not too impressive and not first choice at Scarlets, offloaded to the Dragons
Scott Morgan - poor for the Cardiff Blues and behind ***o, Davies and Jones, offloaded to the Dragons
Gavin Thomas - unwanted by the Scarlets, offloaded to the Dragons

point players who are surplus to the other regions are often dumped at the Dragons (and sometimes like Brew resurrect their careers)

 

[welshglory]

To be fair on Tom Smith he was a good player before his injury. He doesn't look like half the player he could have been now.

Chauncey O'Toole looking like a world beater against Italy A isn't saying much. Perhaps he just isn't good enough at this level. He had his chance v Aironi and he stuffed that up.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Aled Brew - massively under used at the Ospreys and Cardiff Blues, offloaded to the Dragons
Tom Brown - hardly got a game at the Cardiff Blues, offloaded to the Dragons
Wayne Evans - little game time with the Cardiff Blues, offloaded to the Dragons
Adam Jones - not too impressive and not first choice at Scarlets, offloaded to the Dragons
Scott Morgan - poor for the Cardiff Blues and behind ***o, Davies and Jones, offloaded to the Dragons
Gavin Thomas - unwanted by the Scarlets, offloaded to the Dragons

point players who are surplus to the other regions are often dumped at the Dragons (and sometimes like Brew resurrect their careers)

Hugh Gustafson - Scarlets
Tom Riley - Blues

Scraping the barrel:

Scott Roberts - Blues
Duane Goodfield - Blues
Patrick Palmer - Blues
Robin Sowden-Taylor - Blues
Marc Stcherbina - Blues
Kevin Morgan - Swansea / Celtic Warriors
Tal Selley - Blues
Richard Mustoe - Blues (Loan)
Sam Parry (Llandovery / Scarlets)
Mike Voyle - Cardiff RFC :lol:
Craig Warlow - Bridgend RFC
Gareth Wyatt - Pontypridd / Celtic Warriors

Not sure but possibly ... Steve Winn and Paul Young

They have used other teams left overs but to be fair to the Dragons they also tend to promote within.

 

[welshglory]

In my opinion Tom Smith was good before his injury.
And regarding O'Toole i meant against Treviso. I agree that he should be given some league matches but im not expecting much.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I agree on Smith being a good player who's just dropped off as of late, although I still reckon he's a decent club player at LV=/Pro12, but will never be an international. And O'Toole didn't have a huge impact last night, but I did notice two turnovers and one particular good carry. He seems to have a manic glint in his eye sometimes when he takes contact, which I love to see.

 

[psychic duck]

In my opinion Tom Smith was good before his injury.

I agree on Smith being a good player who's just dropped off as of late, although I still reckon he's a decent club player at LV=/Pro12, but will never be an international.

I agree to disagree, he's anonymous in every match, never makes a yard in attack, tackle count not that high, doesn't hit many rucks

he's definitely not good, this best performance I would say is average, yet seems to do no wrong in Johnson's eyes, it's time he is offloaded to the Dragons and James King and Morgan Allen get a few more matches

 

[cyRil]

I agree with the Duck, he's absolutely useless.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I agree I'd rather see King and Allen get more gametime, I'm just saying he's still a decent player to have in the squad, although I don't want to see him starting in big matches again, even if he rediscovers his early-season form.

 

[TPenn]

I agree to disagree, he's anonymous in every match, never makes a yard in attack, tackle count not that high, doesn't hit many rucks

he's definitely not good, this best performance I would say is average, yet seems to do no wrong in Johnson's eyes, it's time he is offloaded to the Dragons and James King and Morgan Allen get a few more matches

I do think you are being a tad harsh on Smith, but even if I don't think he's as bad as you do it doesn't change the fact that there are clearly much better players at the club who offer much more in that position. Completely agree about James King, he always impresses when given the chance.

 

[Me 1]

Hugh Gustafson - Scarlets
Tom Riley - Blues

Scraping the barrel:

Scott Roberts - Blues
Duane Goodfield - Blues
Patrick Palmer - Blues
Robin Sowden-Taylor - Blues
Marc Stcherbina - Blues
Kevin Morgan - Swansea / Celtic Warriors
Tal Selley - Blues
Richard Mustoe - Blues (Loan)
Sam Parry (Llandovery / Scarlets)
Mike Voyle - Cardiff RFC :lol:
Craig Warlow - Bridgend RFC
Gareth Wyatt - Pontypridd / Celtic Warriors

Not sure but possibly ... Steve Winn and Paul Young

They have used other teams left overs but to be fair to the Dragons they also tend to promote within.

You forgot Shaun Connor

@ the Duck, the Dragons already have Dan Lydiate, Lewis Evans, Scott Morgan, Andrew Coombs and even Jevon Groves who can play 6, and I'd say most of them are better or as good as Tom Smith. He should go to London Welsh or something (or keep him, but only play him against us).

 

[LittleGuy]

To be fair on Tom Smith he was a good player before his injury. He doesn't look like half the player he could have been now.

Chauncey O'Toole looking like a world beater against Italy A isn't saying much. Perhaps he just isn't good enough at this level. He had his chance v Aironi and he stuffed that up.

It was basically a combined team of Benneton and Aironi players, so certianly not a great squad but the roster was all Pro12 professionals.

 

[Draggs]

Well, Paul Turner's recruitment strategy was pretty unorthodox (read awful).
We've not really got the budget for a Jerry Collins type player, so we'll make do with what he can.
Still, it hasn't really mattered has it?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/16398727.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/13054125.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/welsh/8582578.stm