[November Tests 2017 EOYT] Wales vs. Georgia (18/11/2017)

[Groundhog]

Jiffy really is awful. Might watch the rest of this game on mute

Watch it on S4C so you can't understand the bias like me mate. Actually like listening to the Welsh.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Jiffy is gonna fight the referee/TMO after this game

 

[Bluemoon]

Wales looking very comfortable against a pretty blunt Gerogian attack that looks to be lacking any threat for now. 18 phases and going backwards. I think that one was forward form Nicky Smith, but the Dacey 'knock forward' earlier was a very harsh call.

 

[Welshdragon2000]

Georgia scrum keeping them in the game. They're holding their own well here and Wales need to wake up, they haven't scored for 30 minutes or so

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Controversial opinion but Georgia don't look anywhere near good enough to be in the Six Nations.
If it was some sort of reverse 7s where you only put out forwards then yeah, I could see that, but their backline is laughable. Halfbacks are genuinely terrible, no kicking threat, wingers so slow they look like they're running through treacle.
I'd back Italy to beat them 9 times out of 10.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Controversial opinion but Georgia don't look anywhere near good enough to be in the Six Nations.
If it was some sort of reverse 7s where you only put out forwards then yeah, I could see that, but their backline is laughable. Halfbacks are genuinely terrible, no kicking threat, wingers so slow they look like they're running through treacle.
I'd back Italy to beat them 9 times out of 10.

And yet, my three quid is going to be doubled off backing them against the 18 point handicap! Gotta love Wales!

 

[Bluemoon]

Controversial opinion but Georgia don't look anywhere near good enough to be in the Six Nations.
If it was some sort of reverse 7s where you only put out forwards then yeah, I could see that, but their backline is laughable. Halfbacks are genuinely terrible, no kicking threat, wingers so slow they look like they're running through treacle.
I'd back Italy to beat them 9 times out of 10.

I've been surprised at the poor quality of the Georgian attack.

This game has become turgid. Georgia strong arming the set piece whilst Wales are making a lot of changes and look a little disjointed this half.

 

[Groundhog]

And yet, my three quid is going to be doubled off backing them against the 18 point handicap! Gotta love Wales!

Alpha Bro talking out his arse as per usual. I don't have to do any such thing and if you try and make me love them you'll pay far more dearly than any three quid bet. Emphasis on the bet.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Controversial opinion but Georgia don't look anywhere near good enough to be in the Six Nations.
If it was some sort of reverse 7s where you only put out forwards then yeah, I could see that, but their backline is laughable. Halfbacks are genuinely terrible, no kicking threat, wingers so slow they look like they're running through treacle.
I'd back Italy to beat them 9 times out of 10.

Rightly or wrongly, I think the call comes from their dominance of the second tier tournament, not on the basis of how well they'd do in an expanded 6N. The trouble is that unless they get more matches against tier one nations or the gap between the two tiers narrows significantly, they'll forever be stuck in this weird no man's land.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Rightly or wrongly, I think the call comes from their dominance of the second tier tournament, not on the basis of how well they'd do in an expanded 6N. The trouble is that unless they get more matches against tier one nations or the gap between the two tiers narrows significantly, they'll forever be stuck in this weird no man's land.

That's a fair point

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Alpha Bro talking out his arse as per usual. I don't have to do any such thing and if you try and make me love them you'll pay far more dearly than any three quid bet. Emphasis on the bet.

My arse must be a wonder of the world at this stage! Offensive to many yes, but incredibly literate.

 

[Groundhog]

My arse must be a wonder of the world at this stage! Offensive to many yes, but incredibly literate.

One of the controversial enigmatic orators of our time.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Another 100 minute test coming up?!?

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I thought there were some positives for Georgia out of that. Lobz at 9 is a solid player, although didn't have his finest match here. It's the first time I'd seen the younger guys at 11 and 15 and they did well. Jiffy was just about creaming himself over the winger. Within a score of a Welsh side with a pretty strong selection 9-15 and a chance to draw in the closing minutes. I'd love to say I'd be confident that Italy would have won against that same Welsh 23, but I'm not.

 

[Gavin]

Wales being a bit sneaky at the end there with the props? If that match had allowed contested scrum at the end I could have seen a Georgian penalty try and a drawn match.

 

[Rich Taff]

Very hard to read after that. An essentially 'Wales A' weren't great by any stretch of the imagination, but still had enough (if not enough props) to fairly comfortably win.
Full strength Wales would probably put 50+ on them, but that's not helpful for either nation.
Would like to see some 'friendly' games between Georgia and Italy, as there is no way they would be taken as friendlies, just to see how they'd get on (Personally think Italy would win by 15-25pts).
I think the fact there is very little competition below tier 1 has given a slightly hazy view of how good Georgia are. A very strong pack will negate most teams, who are trying to learn the game and enjoying expansive rugby, but won't hold up when playing teams who can match that pack whilst also having the backs.
Overall, it wasn't great, but it wasn't a total disaster either.
Definitely feel more teams should play Georgia, as they're in a very similar position to Italy when they first joined the 6n.

 

[g6mcg]

Welsh prop situation didn't look great... Wonder if World Rugby will investigate. No doubt any report would come late enough that attention is off or, and then fudge it. Not sure what the long term solution is though? Independent doctors? A team yellow if you go uncontested? Not sure either would solve it.

I think the big difference between Italy in the 90s and Georgia is the quality of the half backs. As you say, Georgia would get regularly humped against all the 6N teams, and I agree playing experimental XVs is the way forward.

 

[valley commando]

Found myself shouting for Georgia in the the 2nd half, to maybe teach the selectors a lesson.
The ref was man of the match, Cuthbert should never wear red again neither should Priestland, the only backs who were 1/2 decent were LiamW and Webb. The forwards were distinctly average with little go forward in the loose.
There is no way Roberts can play next week (says me rather in hope),
Finally there are those who think Georgia aren't good enough for the 6N, they are certainly good enough to beat Italy and probably Scotland on a good day. ( They ie the Scots have now had their 1 decent game in the Autumn, playing a below par ABs)

 

[Mike Rolls]

As a neutral observer - I'm English - I was surprised at the selection of what looked very much like a second XV by Wales. With the All Blacks to come, I would have thought that a hard 'trial' for the likely first 23 would have been essential to give them a chance to sharpen combinations, sort out communications, etc., against robust but limited opponents, As for the game itself - hate saying this, but I thought that it was dire,. watching on TV I actually dozed off for a while early in the second half - that has NEVER happened before, even when enduring some of England's worst performances (when sleep might have been a preferred option!)
MIke

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Found myself shouting for Georgia in the the 2nd half, to maybe teach the selectors a lesson.
The ref was man of the match, Cuthbert should never wear red again neither should Priestland, the only backs who were 1/2 decent were LiamW and Webb. The forwards were distinctly average with little go forward in the loose.
There is no way Roberts can play next week (says me rather in hope),
Finally there are those who think Georgia aren't good enough for the 6N, they are certainly good enough to beat Italy and probably Scotland on a good day. ( They ie the Scots have now had their 1 decent game in the Autumn, playing a below par ABs)

Not beating Wales = good enough to beat Scotland... But Scotland beat Wales and Australia while coming a lot closer to NZ than any Gatland Welsh side ever has, dunno man, but I reckon one of us is arse talking here!