Martyn Williams back for another 6 Nations.

[dullonien]

In a shock turnaround (how many times have we said recently) Martyn Williams has been coaxed out of international retirement by Gatland to boost Wales's chances in this years 6 Nations.

The other headline is a call-up for the impressive Jamie Roberts. The Blues young fullback/wing has been in good form this season, I wouldn't bet against a starting spot in either position.

Oh yeah, Henson's back too.

Wales squad:

Backs: Lee Byrne (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Tom James (Cardiff Blues), Mark Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Shane Williams (Ospreys), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues), Sonny Parker (Ospreys), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), James Hook (Ospreys), Stephen Jones (Llanelli Scarlets), Dwayne Peel (Llanelli Scarlets), Mike Phillips (Ospreys), Gareth Cooper (Gloucester).

Forwards: Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Duncan Jones (Ospreys), Rhys Thomas (Newport Gwent Dragons), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Matthew Rees (Llanelli Scarlets), Ian Evans (Ospreys), Ian Gough (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Robin Sowden-Taylor (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Delve (Gloucester), Alix Popham (Llanelli Scarlets), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, capt).

 

[Vambo]

Martyn Williams has been coaxed out of international retirement [/b]

I was just reading an article the other day saying he definitely wouldn't come back :lol:
Gatland must be very persuasive.

 

[Caledfwlch]

Prob couldnt get used to waking up at home with literally nothing to do.

 

[Cymro]

Really annoyed that none of the inform forwards have been selected, really takes the biscuit!

1. John Yapp is clearly the best loosehead at this moment in time! He kept Gethin Jenkins out until Yapp had a small injury!
2. Gareth Williams displaced Rhys Thomas as hooker and has played better than him.
3. Rhys Hibbard is better than Mathew Rees fact!

 

[Little Richardjohn]

In a shock turnaround (how many times have we said recently) Martyn Williams has been coaxed out of international retirement by Gatland to boost Wales's chances in this years 6 Nations.
[/b]

The shock was him retiring in the first place. What was he thinking of?
And I think he would probably make the better captain too.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Really annoyed that none of the inform forwards have been selected, really takes the biscuit!

1. John Yapp is clearly the best loosehead at this moment in time! He kept Gethin Jenkins out until Yapp had a small injury!
2. Gareth Williams displaced Rhys Thomas as hooker and has played better than him.
3. Rhys Hibbard is better than Mathew Rees fact!
[/b]

1) I disagree, Gethin is looking brilliant at the moment.
2) That Rhys Thomas is actually the Dragons prop Rhys Thomas.
3) You're a liar! :rahh:
X) That fly is getting on my nerves! :mellow:

 

[RC]

How much has Gareth Cooper gone off the boil now?
I mean, i used to rate the guy, but then he just lost conention for no.9 after 03 RWC and you didn't really hear from him again.
Now he's playing for the mighty Gloucester i wonder if someones paying attention to him again.

Good to see gav in the squad, we need a decent 12 instead of hook playing there.
I wonder who's his chosen no.10.

Is it just me or is every front row player in wales ****?
I mean, we've got some awesome 2nd rowers, i'm a huge fan of Martyn williams, popham and ryan jones, but we don't have a hooker that can throw a line-out, and it seems the other front rowers are just fat shits.

 

[Sir Speedy]

How much have Gareth Cooper/Dwayne Peel/Mike Phillips gone off the boil now?
[/b]

Corrected.

 

[dullonien]

I have no idea how Cooper made the cut, He's just plain s**t at the moment. I agree with Cymro that John Yapp is bitterly unfortunate to miss out, he's up there with Gethin Jenkins, and deffinately better than Duncan Jones at the moment (mind you Duncan had a good game v Gloucester).

I don't think I have any other quibbles with the squad, possibly Gareth Williams instead of Mather Rees, but Rees offers more around the park. Huw Bennett for me looked good v Gloucester, allot of the poor lineouts were the jumpers not keeping hold of the ball in the bad conditions instead of Bennett's bad throwing. At least there's an understanding between thrower and jumpers as they are all from the Ospreys.

My starting IV from that squad would be:

01 Gethin Jenkins
02 Huw Bennett
03 Adam Jones
04 Alun-Wyn Jones
05 Ian Evans
06 Ryan Jones
07 Martyn Williams
08 Gareth Delve

09 Dwayne Peel
10 James Hook
11 Shane Williams
12 Gavin Henson
13 Tom Shanklin
14 Tom James
15 Jamie Roberts

 

[Incredible Schalk]

How much has Gareth Cooper gone off the boil now?
I mean, i used to rate the guy, but then he just lost conention for no.9 after 03 RWC and you didn't really hear from him again.
Now he's playing for the mighty Gloucester i wonder if someones paying attention to him again.

[/b]

Yea weird that,considering he is the second choice scrum half there.

 

[dullonien]

Third you mean. Peel and Phillips battling for 1 and 2, then Cooper way back in third.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

I meant at Glouscester.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Peel and Phillips battling for 1 and 2[/b]

When Peel regains his form at Sale, there will be no worthy competition! :rahh: :rahh: :rahh:

 

[dullonien]

I meant at Glouscester. [/b]

Ahh, sorry for that missunderstanding.

 

[RC]

Still, it's great to have Marty boy back.

We need the ginger bugger!

 

[Prestwick]

I don't know, I think its a kind of backward step.

I mean, how many years does Martyn have left in him? He can't keep playing forever and his proper retirement date is going to be much sooner rather than later. One thing is that because there has been so much jubilation about the Marty Messiah's return that it might have damaged the search for a replacement or two for Martyn. This selection doesn't answer any questions and is in itself only a very quick fix for two or three matches.

 

[dullonien]

Yeah I agree with you there Prestwick, we need to find replacements quickly for Martyn Williams. I very much doubt if he'll stay any longer than this years 6 nations.

But the advantage of having him back in the squad is that we can bring players like Robin Sowden Taylor in to the team more gradually, leaving Martyn to play the big games like England, France and Ireland say, and Sowden Taylor can play Scotland and Italy, possibly start him v one of the other too.

Unfortunately there aren't any replacements quite ready just yet, hopefully by next year it'll be sorted.Robin Sowden Tayler who I believe, as do many others, to be Martyn's natural successor is being held back by Martyn himself in the Cardiff Blues. Jonathan Edwards at the Scarlets looks very promising, but he's very young and has got alot to learn.

I think it was the right call at this point in time.

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotemain'>
Really annoyed that none of the inform forwards have been selected, really takes the biscuit!

1. John Yapp is clearly the best loosehead at this moment in time! He kept Gethin Jenkins out until Yapp had a small injury!
2. Gareth Williams displaced Rhys Thomas as hooker and has played better than him.
3. Rhys Hibbard is better than Mathew Rees fact!
[/b]

1) I disagree, Gethin is looking brilliant at the moment.
2) That Rhys Thomas is actually the Dragons prop Rhys Thomas.
3) You're a liar! :rahh:
X) That fly is getting on my nerves! :mellow: [/b][/quote]

Yea I still think Rhys Thomas is a poor decion, even if i have got the wrong one but we have no one else! Rhys got found out by the South Africans in November, but even since that poor performance in the scrums hes played poor, ok his skills in the loose are ok but his scummaging is poor.
Yappy has been sensational for us, hes done the biz and has been unfortunate not to have had a call up. Ive watched ALL of the Blues games this season and when Yappy kept out Geth he was doing because he was playing well. It's only recently that Geth has had his chance and taken it. Really Geth should go back to play tight head and Yappy at loose, this would mean that we would have a stronger scrum!
Mathew Rees has been poor all season, Rhys Hibbard and Gareth Williams are two hookers who are better than him, heck even Barry Williams retired is better than him!

I have no idea how Cooper made the cut, He's just plain s**t at the moment. I agree with Cymro that John Yapp is bitterly unfortunate to miss out, he's up there with Gethin Jenkins, and deffinately better than Duncan Jones at the moment (mind you Duncan had a good game v Gloucester).

I don't think I have any other quibbles with the squad, possibly Gareth Williams instead of Mather Rees, but Rees offers more around the park. Huw Bennett for me looked good v Gloucester, allot of the poor lineouts were the jumpers not keeping hold of the ball in the bad conditions instead of Bennett's bad throwing. At least there's an understanding between thrower and jumpers as they are all from the Ospreys.

My starting IV from that squad would be:

01 Gethin Jenkins
02 Huw Bennett
03 Adam Jones
04 Alun-Wyn Jones
05 Ian Evans
06 Ryan Jones
07 Martyn Williams
08 Gareth Delve

09 Dwayne Peel
10 James Hook
11 Shane Williams
12 Gavin Henson
13 Tom Shanklin
14 Tom James
15 Jamie Roberts [/b]

Pretty much the team Id start but Mark Jones instead of Tom and Goughie instead of Ian Evans!

 

[Captain Morgan]

Robin Sowden-Taylor has to be in contention of the Number 7 when Nugget leaves, i am pretty sure Gatland has said this but that RST is not quite there yet.
I agree with dullonien that having Nugget around can only benefit RST.

 

[Vambo]

I can remember Moody totally outclassing him the other year with Leicester. Wales are in trouble if they need Williams.