RWC Review: No. 4 Wales

[psychic duck]

The 2011 Rugby World Cup has ended and unfortunately for the rugby faithful, this means that we’ll have to wait four years once again, but don’t be disappointed, this was a special tournament. New Zealand hosted this time around, and with that, we realize that we may not see the rugby mad country host again for a very long time.

We hope that you all savored every moment and every match, no matter what the outcomes were, the disappointments or heartache. What impressed us the most is how well second tier nations developed over the past four years, which is great news for the sport on a worldwide scale.

Development is the key to this game, as any, and this world cup has opened the door to a large number of new fans.

As we take a look back, Shaggy, psychic duck and M Two One review the twenty participants from worst to first over the next week. The rankings were put together through several opinions based on performances.

Feel free to debate and discuss. The 2011 Rugby World Cup may have ended, but rugby lives on 24/7.

After Wales drew with Fiji back in the November last year with a dreadful performance there were sincere doubts over whether the Welsh would get past the pool stages. Unimpressive 6 Nations performances didn’t help them much either. However, over the course of the summer Warren Gatland took the squad twice to their now famous boot camp in Poland and it really worked out (although it should be noted that Ireland also went to the same camp in 2007 which didn’t do them much good).

The signs of the squad’s extreme fitness were already evident during the world cup warm up matches where even Adam Jones was playing 80 minutes. Wales beat England with sheer unbreakable defence and followed up against an older and rusty Argentina side. Wales just waited until the Argies were out of puff and then ran away with the match. Those two matches were a good sign of the performances that would define Wales’ world cup campaign.

Unfortunately, something else would define Wales’ world cupâ€"missed kicks at crucial stages. In the opening match, Hook missed a relatively simple kick, although it looked as if it went over and surprisingly there wasn’t a fuss was made over it at the time or afterwards. Also, Priestland missed a penalty and totally scuffed a drop goal. If it were the other way around, Morné Steyn and Morgan Parra wouldn’t have botched those kicks.

The same thing occurred again in their semifinal match with France with Hook, Stephen Jones and Halfpenny missing a combined total of 11 points. Even in the third place playoff, Hook again missed from in front of the posts. He was perhaps the only player not to leave New Zealand in credit, though it should be noted that he is not as good a fly half as he is a centre, simple as that. Apart from Hook, the whole side pretty much performed at their bestâ€"from Warburton who looks destined to be the Wales captain for many years to come, to newcomers to the national side such as Priestland, who unlike Hook, looked very composed at fly half.

Players that haven’t been called up to international side in years such as Bennett and Charteris played well too. Phillips and Roberts were back to their best and Halfpenny was a revelation at full back. Yet despite pretty much the entire side playing so well, one mustn’t go overboard as looking at just the results, Wales didn’t beat any side that was above them in the rankings coming into the tournament.

Wales must start backing up their performances with results, especially after their two Grand Slams, of which neither amounted to any long term success. Only Shane Williams from the starting XV will not be there for Wales in 2015, but if this side stays fit, there is a great opportunity to build a side capable of beating the Tri Nations powerhouses. - p.d.

 

[dullonien]

Yet despite pretty much the entire side playing so well, one mustn’t go overboard as looking at just the results, Wales didn’t beat any side that was above them in the rankings coming into the tournament.

Were Ireland not ahead of us in the rankings going into the tournament? Either way it doesn't really matter, because I agree with what you say here. We came extremely close to beating SA and Aus, but ultimately failed, and that's a majour disapointement for me. A win vs. Aus next month is a must imo, just to make sure that the work done during the WC isn't wasted. For that reason, even though it would be nice to give probable farewell games to Stephen Jones and Martyn Williams, Gatland should pick his best team, and that doesn't include those two.

If we beat Aus in a months time, then a good 6 nations could really put us in good stead going into the 3 test tour of Aus next Summer. It's all about building on the solid foundations that have been put down in the past 6 months.

As far as the mak-up of the squad goes, we really should be extremely happy with the way it's going at the moment. There's always room for improvement, and I feel Gatland needs to tweak things a little to get things perfect. Two players will probably be retiring in Shane Williams and Stephen Jones, but the rest of the WC squad is good for another four years at least. James Hook and Lee Byrne need find form at their new clubs in France, untill that happens Gatland should be ruthless and leave them out of any future squad (I'm sure it won't be long in Hooks case). Other players I'm not totally happy with are Aled Brew, Lloyd Burns and Andy Powell (despite having a good WC, he still needs to proove consistency). Gatland needs to fast-track one or two wingers into the squad with Shane retiring, Halfpenny's switch to fullback (which I expect to be permanent) and Brew's inability to cut it in a Wales shirt. Cuthbert and Eli Walker have impressed me recently. Cuthbert seems to be North v2, not quite as nimble maybe, but just as quick and just as big and strong. Walker's all round game looks superb, from strong defense to decision making and I don't think I've seen him make a mistake yet, oh yeh he's f**kin rapid too!

Mattew Rees will of course come back into the squad, and for me it's Burns who should miss out. Bennett prooved everybody wrong, including myself, at the WC, and deserves to keep his place, whilst Ken Owens fully deserves a propper chance. Hibbard would be next in line, but his form seems to be all over the shop, sometimes great, sometimes aweful. Craig Mitchell looks set to be Adam Jones' successor, but he needs to keep improving, hipefully his move to Exeter will give him plenty of gametime against top quality scrummagers. Maybe try someone like the young (and impressive) Rhodri Jones at some stage. On the other side, Bevington has moved above Paul James imo. He simply offers more in the loose, whilst being a decent scrummager. I'm happy with the second-row options we have at the moment. Ian Evans is slowly regaining form, so maybe he'll be back in contention soonish.

Backrow is where things get hugely exciting. The first choice backrow of Lydiate, Warburton and Faletau were fantastic in the WC, but there is masses of talent waiting for their chance, as well as a couple of older heads still playing well (Ryan Jones and Powell). I think Gatland will do everything he can to get Ben Morgan involved in the 6 nations, and that will probably be at the expense of Powell. Tipuric needs to be brought in, because we need a genuine backup for Warbs, and Tips is that man imo. There's also the likes of McCusker, Turnbull, Pretorius (when is he WQ?) and Navidi looking promising at the regions. Happy days.

In the backs, I think the three scrum halves that went to the WC are the best we have available. I hope Lloyd Williams is given more and more gamtime, because he is such a classy player, a genuine scrum half with one of the best passes I've ever seen. A further shakeup maight be needed at 10. Priestland seems to have cemented himself as first choice, but neither Hook nor Stephen Jones impressed at the WC. Time for Tovey to get an opportunity? Centres seem good to me. I think Gatland may get Beck involved soon. I won't talk about the Orange one!!

Sorry for the long post, just excited by what could lie ahead.

 

[TRF C A Iversen]

Wales to me delivered the greatest message of Northern Hemisphere hope in almost any World Cup to date. Even when England won in 2003. I seriously saw them as being a few steps away from brilliance. I mean so good that they'd clean out the four sides that might've plagued them in this World Cup (Australia, South Africa, France and New Zealand).

They need to bottle the belief that any side of character would walk away with after this cup and carry with themselves a little of that quality that can be overdone. Determined arrogance. They need some. If Wales had some of the French steel and belief in a Hollywood ending in EVERY game they played, you'd see perhaps the most dangerous side to come out of Europe since the 1970's Lion's teams. Seriously, they have that much potential.

Still, "potential" is a bad word to use when you speak of NH teams. As soon as they seem to realise where they could end up if they stick to the path, they seem to get so carried away they lose sight of that same path.

Anyhow, aside from all that Wales made a huge fan of me and my family this World Cup and I have jersey and caps now set aside for the 6 Nations (my wife has Ireland) and we've become very much more interested in about 60 more players from up north.

Keep it up guys, but don't get too good!

 

[M Two One]

Dullonien, Iversen, your excellent posts are perfect examples of why we put these articles together.

 

[Darwin]

Add me to the list of those that thoroughly enjoyed watching Wales play this tournament. The are a very young team, and should only get better as they get more experienced. The key for them is learning how to win - they have proven that the can compete with the likes of South Africa; they just need to take the next step and beat them.

Obviously there are many positive in this Wales team. The front row looks very solid, though they do need to find some replacements for Jones and Jenkins (who are both still playing great rugby, but are bound to slow down eventually) - I didn't see enough of Bevington or Mitchell to really tell how they would cope at this level. Charteris was a revelation for me: initially I just thought he was a 'bloody tall guy', but now I see he's a 'bloody tall guy who can play rugby'! The loose-forward trio is already world class (despite all being very young) - I still believe Gareth Delve could add some value to the team too (though he would have trouble making the starting XV).

I was very impressed with Williams at halfback, and Priestland looks classy at 10 (though the fact he resembles Ronan O'Gara makes me like him less ). I think they need a bit more creativity in the midfield, as though Roberts and Davies played well individually, I don't rate them that highly as a combination. Scott Williams looked promising (admittedly against lesser teams), but I feel that James Hook is the ideal person to partner Roberts in the midfield (and I think is Hooks best position too). I was very impressed with Halfpenny at fullback and North on the wing - all the need to do is find another outside back to complement these two. How is Tom Pyrdie going? He looked ok when he played against the AB's last year, despite the fact he was ridiculously young at the time (just turned 18?).

 

[dullonien]

all the need to do is find another outside back to complement these two. How is Tom Pyrdie going? He looked ok when he played against the AB's last year, despite the fact he was ridiculously young at the time (just turned 18?).

Yeh Prydie was probably 17 or just 18 at the time. He's had a serious knee injury since then that has kept him out for the past year (dislocated and broken knee?). I personally think that he should be developed by the Ospreys into an out and out fullback, and not simply chuck him onto the wing. Same goes for Wales. As I mentioned before, I think Eli Walker and Cuthbert are better options at the moment, whilst Harries and Stoddart are still good options when they return from their injuries.

 

[Darwin]

Yeh Prydie was probably 17 or just 18 at the time. He's had a serious knee injury since then that has kept him out for the past year (dislocated and broken knee?). I personally think that he should be developed by the Ospreys into an out and out fullback, and not simply chuck him onto the wing. Same goes for Wales. As I mentioned before, I think Eli Walker and Cuthbert are better options at the moment, whilst Harries and Stoddart are still good options when they return from their injuries.

Cheers for the info. I saw glimpses of Eli Walker at under 20 levels and he looked very sharp, and I think I remember seeing a giant Welsh wing playing 7's, which I think may have been Cuthbert. One of the major things Wales lose with Shane Williams retiring (apart from his obvious elusive running) is his halfback skills. Mike Phillips has a habit of taking the ball up himself, getting involved in the breakdown, or just generally being slow to the breakdown at times. It was very noticeable how often Shane Williams popped up behind the ruck to quickly (and cleanly) distribute the ball to the backs. If Wales are going to persist with Phillips at halfback I think it may be beneficial to have someone with some halfback skills such are Williams on the wing.

Obviously anyone can pass the ball from the base of the ruck, but not everyone have the innate ability to know when they are needed to play as a halfback, nor the passing skills to operate quickly and efficiently there. Williams as an ex-halfback was very adept at this, but I'm sure there are other wings with the necessary skills to do this too. It obviously shouldn't be a primary reason to select a wing, but if it is a close call between two players I think Wales would benefit having someone with these sort of skills (not suggesting any player in particular, as I really don't know enough about Welsh rugby!). Clearly if Lloyd Williams was picked at halfback ahead of Phillips (which certainly wouldn't be a bad idea!) these sort of skills wouldn't be required.