England v Wales

[Macsen]

It's very hard to see where this Six Nations is going to go for Wales. I think we'll be either 3rd or 4th, with England either above or below us. Probably above, since they're at home in the first game and will probably beat France as they are wont to do.

Maybe I'm being defeatist!

 

[SmokeyMonkey]

Team is apparently

Byrne
Halfpenny
Hook
Roberts
Williams
Jones
Cooper

Jenkins (Phew)
Rees/Williams (Rees carrying an injury)
Jones
AWJ
Charteris
Powell
Jones ©
Williams

No bench news yet

 

[SmokeyMonkey]

Tom James instead of Halfpenny and Gareth Williams instead of Rees.

 

[Ozzay]

Wheres the confirmation?

 

[dullonien]

Almost Smokey....

Heres the team

01 Gethin Jenkins
02 Gareth Williams
03 Adam Jones
04 Alun-Wyn Jones
05 Luke Charteris
06 Andy Powell
07 Martyn Williams
08 Ryan Jones

09 Gareth Cooper
10 Stephen Jones
11 Shane Williams
12 Jamie Roberts
13 James Hook
14 Tom James
15 Lee Byrne

16 Huw Bennett
17 Paul James
18 Bradley Davies
19 Jonathan Thomas
20 Richie Rees
21 Andrew Bishop
22 Leigh Halfpenny

Edit: happy with the team apart from Cooper, but that was always on the cards. Rees is a blow, but Gareth Williams is a good replacement. Leigh Halfpenny on the bench if the game's tight towards the end and need a penalty to win?

 

[Ozzay]

WALES: Lee Byrne; Tom James, James Hook, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Gareth Cooper; Gethin Jenkins, Gareth Williams, Adam Jones, Alun-Wyn Jones, Luke Charteris, Andy Powell, Martyn Williams, Ryan Jones (captain)
Replacements: Huw Bennett, Paul James, Bradley Davies, Jonathan Thomas, Richie Rees, Andrew Bishop, Leigh Halfpenny

Mixed bag really.
Awesome to see Tom James there instead of Halfpenny because Toms playing better, plus we still got Hook for distance kicking.
Gareth Williams has impressed me both seasons, in the loose hes awesome, hopefully he can hit his men in the lineout though.
I've never been a fan of Charteris
Cooper.. Can't say i'm suprised.
Don't see why Biggars not on the bench! He needs games!! Yes i know, we'll put hook 10 and bishop in the centre if we're losing but still.

 

[dullonien]

Charteris is a good player, it shows when he's missing from the Dragons team. But I don't feel Alun-Wyn and Charteris make a great pairing. Neither are all that agressive, and although Charteris is a monster of a man, he's too tall to use that weight. He does however add a great presence in the linout, and works hard around the field. I'm not overly sure why Gatland has picked Bradley Davies on the bench, not when Jon Thomas is very good cover for lock! I felt Warberton had to be on the bench, because if Martyn get's injured, we won't see the ball!

As for Biggar, I don't mind that he didn't make the bench. He'll get his opportunity against Italy I think, and for this game Hook provides cover.

 

[Olyy]

Strong Wales team,
Unfortunate that Roberts/Hook are at centre (from an England point of view ),

Roll on Saturday! I can't wait

 

[RC]

I'm pretty happy with that team although i've not been a fan of Cooper for about 5 years and there is one other edition to the starting team that makes my blood boil.
Hang on, let me just take a little look and see if i can find him...

erm...

Oh yeah: -

THE MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN WALES!

 

[gingergenius]

Ok considering I really can't call this match, I'm going to do the simplest thing possible and compare the lineups head to head and make my decision from there.

1. Tim Payne vs. Gethin Jenkins
2. Dylan Hartley vs. Gareth Williams
3. David Wilson vs. Adam Jones
4. Simon Shaw vs. Alun-Wyn Jones
5. Steve Borthwick vs. Luke Charteris
6. James Haskell vs. Andy Powell
7. Lewis Moody vs. Martyn Williams*
8. Nick Easter vs. Ryan Jones
9. Danny Care vs. Gareth Cooper
10. Johnny Wilkinson vs. Stephen Jones
11. Ugo Monye vs. Shane Williams
12. Riki Flutey vs. James Hook
13. Matthew Tait vs. Jamie Roberts
14. Mark Cueto vs. Tom James
15. Delon Armitage vs. Lee Byrne

This leaves it 9-6 in favour of England. But I've starred 7 because Martyn Williams on his day is far better than Moody, I just think he's past it now. Also, Scrum half could easily go in favour of Wales.

So let's look at subs - they can have half a point each.

16. Steve Thompson vs. Huw Bennett
17. Dan Cole vs. Paul James
18. Louis Deacon vs. Bradley Davies
19. Steffon Armitage vs. Jonathan Thomas
20. Paul Hodgson vs. Richie Rees
21. Toby Flood vs. Andrew Bishop
22. Ben Foden vs. Leigh Halfpenny

I have no idea who Bradley Davies is, but he's got to be better than Deacon. The subs score is 5-2, so if we halve that and add it to the starters:

Gingergenius' Magical Mathematical Prediction Equation: England 11.5 - 7 Wales.


England to win.

 

[Macsen]

Gingergenius you forgot Martin Johnson vs Warren Gatland.

 

[RC]

Also, take into consideration you're playing in twickers.
Very difficult place to go and win for the opposition.

However, i think you might be wrong about the no.4 and no.8 position and no.22.

 

[An Tarbh]

I'd also have Jones ahead of Easter and Monye over Williams, who like Martyn is passed his best.

 

[dullonien]

Is that your prediction for the final score aswell gingergenius?

I disagree with a few of your head to head's here. I'd say the locks are about equal, although the Welsh pairing have the potential to be much better than the English pairing with Borthwick in it. As for the backrow, I'd put Haskell and Powell as equal, both f**kwits, but both strong ball carriers and in form. I'd have Martyn Williams ahead of Moody any day of the week, but I do agree he's getting on a bit. Ryan Jones is easily better than Easter sorry, especially in the form he's in at the moment.

Not much to quibble about in the backs. Flutey and Hook are quite equal imo. I'd also put Monye and Shane as equal, as it's hard to know how Shane will play.

Subs is harder to call, as we're not always comparing like for like. For instance Steffon Armitage is a great openside, but Jon Thomas is a very good blindside and lock. For that reason of covering two positions, I'd give this one to Jonathan Thomas. Andrew Bishop is a better player than Flood on current form, catch the Leicester v O's game? And I'd take Foden over Halfpenny at the moment.

No idea which way this match will go, just looking forward to a great game.

 

[Ozzay]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RC @ Feb 3 2010, 01:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'm pretty happy with that team although i've not been a fan of Cooper for about 5 years and there is one other edition to the starting team that makes my blood boil.
Hang on, let me just take a little look and see if i can find him...

erm...

Oh yeah: -

THE MOST OVERRATED PLAYER IN WALES![/b]

Care to explain why?

I'd fancy our chances if this was in the Millennium, but any game in Twickernam is big!

Should be a great game!

 

[dullonien]

Just realised you also compared the wrong centres. Jamie Roberts is at 12, with Hook at 13. So Roberts v Flutey = Roberts. Hook v Tait = I have no idea.

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Macsen @ Feb 3 2010, 02:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Gingergenius you forgot Inexperienced bully vs Moaning tosser. [/b]

Fix'd

 

[monkeypigeon]

The Welsh me is delighted. He's been waiting for 12. Roberts 13. Hook for yonks and thinks Tom James is a brilliant player.

and on an other point, on I'd take Moody over M. Williams at the moment. Moody's playing very well at the moment.

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dullonien @ Feb 3 2010, 03:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'd put Haskell and Powell as equal, both f**kwits, but both strong ball carriers and in form.[/b]

Haskells matured alot since leaving Wasps,


Also, though being biased, i'd put Flutey/Tait (as a partnership) > Roberts/Hook.
Mainly because Gatland likes to just send Roberts into people, so people have figured it out/know how to close him down. If he plays like he did for the baabaas, then he's very dangerous, but there's only so much running into props can do. Let's just hope Gatland hasn't figured this out

 

[Meh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE ("gingergenius")</div>

4. Simon Shaw vs. Alun-Wyn Jones[/b]

No way. I actually have a man-crush on AWJ.

Hmm. Still not optimistic about this line-up though.

Gareth Williams!?