[RWC2019][Semi-Final 2] Wales vs. South Africa (27/10/2019)

[oj121]

Its really not looking good on the injury front is it?

Can we call up Lloyd Williams and get him on the wing again? That worked out ok last time!

 

[MikeTheNative]

If he didn't have to make decisions in defence, Gareth Davies would be a excellent winger.

 

[Dai Yorkshire]

We'll miss Williams, he offers far more in attack than 1/2p, I can see the boks giving our pack a hard time, can we weather the storm, if we cant going to be a long day at the office, if we can then I can see our backs coming into play more so than they have to date and a surprise might be waiting for the boks.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Wales are just going to have to up and under every possession I think.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I can't see a Wales win without Williams, he's a massive point of difference for them, basically doesn't allow the opposition a kicking option apart from hitting the stands. JD2 gets the plaudits but I reckon Williams is the only truly "unplayable" player Wales have.

 

[ThebigARena]

As a Welshman what I wouldnt give for a 2012-2014 Dan Lydiate!!! Game is made for him. Gutted his injuries have curtailed his career.

Add Luke Charteris to that just to sow up that lineout and his maul defense capabilities against these boks

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

That really stinks about Liam. I'll be having to hit the early morning caffeine to stay awake during this one with Biggar, Parkes, North and Halfpenny on 'attack' duty. Thats a job for David Copperfield, not Stephen Jones. Parkes playing with a broken hand/finger and banged up might explain his performance last time out and doesn't sound like the sort of thing he'll quickly shrug off.

I always say Wales have only the fourth strongest pack in the 6N and always expect them to buckle against top packs, and they almost always prove me wrong and put in the sort of effort that leaves me dumbfounded. They are going to need 8 heroes up front because without say Patchell AND Watkins, the backs are going to produce absolute zero unless the Bok defence goes AWOL. I can see the Welsh pack losing morale in this one if it becomes clear Wales have no attacking threat.

Not trying to be funny or unpleasant, but I'd assess Wales as having about a 50% chance of scoring zero tries, and the Boks don't necessarily have a top defence. I would have made my optimum Wales choice favourites by about 3-6 points in this one as they have so much potential as a group.

 

[MattGaff]

Not to be all doom and gloom - I try to stay positive but losing Sanjay is gutting. It was already an uphill battle this one.
It has always been told about injuries being a massive issue for Wales. Some teams can absorb injuries well... but we really can't.

I can see me checking my phone tomorrow morning to see the squad announcement to see JD2 also out of the match squad.

Ah well - we tried our best.

 

[Jer1cho]

and the Boks don't necessarily have a top defence.

You do know that we have only conceded 1 try in the last 4 games right? 3 tries in the entire tournament, with only 2 against the All Blacks (In a 5minute period). How about the Rugby Championship? 1 try vs NZ, 2 vs Aus (Playing a with a 2nd team) and 1 vs Argentina. 2 games against Japan, 1 try conceded. They scored 3 against Scotland in 5 minutes.

Honestly I have no idea where some of you come up with some of this. We have arguably the best defense in the world at the moment.

We are also leading points and try scorers in this tournament, although NZ would have been had they played Italy. It's still impressive.

 

[ThebigARena]

This Williams injury is a massive disaster and hugely dent our chances now, I saw the gary owen as a real part of our gameplan and williams is one of the best at it, now we only have Biggar to use that tactic . Im struggling to see a win now tbh williams offers so much compared to halfpenny id rather have patchell at 15 .

 

[RedCard]

You do know that we have only conceded 1 try in the last 4 games right? 3 tries in the entire tournament, with only 2 against the All Blacks (In a 5minute period). How about the Rugby Championship? 1 try vs NZ, 2 vs Aus (Playing a with a 2nd team) and 1 vs Argentina. 2 games against Japan, 1 try conceded. They scored 3 against Scotland in 5 minutes.

Honestly I have no idea where some of you come up with some of this. We have arguably the best defense in the world at the moment.

We are also leading points and try scorers in this tournament, although NZ would have been had they played Italy. It's still impressive.

I have been trying to stay positive about this game even with Liam out, but after just reading that I am not sure if I can be bothered getting out of bed now. You could break it to us a bit more gently that we have no effing chance

 

[ThebigARena]

Honestly think we are leaving the team announcement because Gatland doesn't know yet, waiting on injury 50/50s and having to make last minute changes to the game plan around that..

Not ideal preparation for a semi final.

 

[Swper Ted]

Expect the unexpected from Gats .......

 

[MattGaff]

Expect the unexpected from Gats .......

I think we all know what to expect from Gats by now. His last roll of the dice with this Wales squad... this is effectively our WC final.

 

[RedCard]

Expect the unexpected from Gats .......

I reckon he will wear a stripey shirt instead of plain for this game just to keep us on our toes.......... when it comes to team selection though I can't see beyond the obvious starters and tactics.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Wales seem to have the most humble/approachable supporters of all the nations in the British Isles.

?

 

[bushytop]

As gutted as I am with losing Sanj (very), together with the prospect that Foxy could still be out too, Welsh fans could be forgiven for giving up hope! But the slight glimmer that I'm clinging onto like that guy out of 'Free Solo' is that I felt similarly deflated going into the QF against the Boks in 2015. I know we didn't win that (so why am I taking heart from it... I hear you say) well we were probably worse off injury-wise that day and we still pushed it all the way. I think we were leading with under 5 minutes to go and well the Boks won it in the end but it was close. Let's see if we can remain that close this time with 5 minutes to go and how about we reverse that one like we reversed the French one from 2011, last Sunday.

Its all against us boys... but we're used to that! Rage, rage against the dying of the light!

 

[Leinster Fan]

They're weighted double in the world cup and have a massive recency bias to warm up games that don't matter a shite! From the end of the RC after the world cup to the start of the one before it they're a decent indicator of where a team is in my opinion though!

God knows where us being cocky comes from, last time I remember being properly cocky before a game was NZ last year, I thought we'd beat England in the 6n but was telling everyone who'd listen, it wasn't the foregone conclusion it was being made out to be... The sarcasm doesn't flow south, or to some parts of the valleys and Highlands. The French though, those beautiful ******** get us!

I think Wales might win this and make it look not massively difficult if I'm being honest, it won't be a hammering but I could see them getting out in front early and keeping SA at an arm's length. A bit like what the grand slam game would have been like if Ireland had put up any fight. My radar has been so far out this year it's bonkers though, sorry for the kiss of death!

I think us all predicting we'd win the quarter final before losing by upwards of 30 points might not have helped in fairness.

 

[MattGaff]

As gutted as I am with losing Sanj (very), together with the prospect that Foxy could still be out too, Welsh fans could be forgiven for giving up hope! But the slight glimmer that I'm clinging onto like that guy out of 'Free Solo' is that I felt similarly deflated going into the QF against the Boks in 2015. I know we didn't win that (so why am I taking heart from it... I hear you say) well we were probably worse off injury-wise that day and we still pushed it all the way. I think we were leading with under 5 minutes to go and well the Boks won it in the end but it was close. Let's see if we can remain that close this time with 5 minutes to go and how about we reverse that one like we reversed the French one from 2011, last Sunday.

Its all against us boys... but we're used to that! Rage, rage against the dying of the light!

I do love an optimist

This is probably the flattest I have ever felt for a Wales game. I'll support the team all day long but I see us holding out (just) for 60 mins, then the SA bench will come on and destroy us.

My only hope is for SA to have really (really) bad discipline and maybe have 3 red cards and 2 yellows. Then and only then we might just about to score on an overlap

 

[bushytop]

I do love an optimist

This is probably the flattest I have ever felt for a Wales game. I'll support the team all day long but I see us holding out (just) for 60 mins, then the SA bench will come on and destroy us.

My only hope is for SA to have really (really) bad discipline and maybe have 3 red cards and 2 yellows. Then and only then we might just about to score on an overlap

I said a glimmer of hope. I currently view this at around 70/30 in the Boks favour.