Wales 6 Nations squad 2024

[Welsh Exile]

I know he likes him, and he is incredibly disruptive ball in hand, but he falls off tackles, finds himself out of position constantly and generally runs around like a big kid.

Re watch Wales workd cup games, Tomkins corner flags from midfield lol, even before a line break, he makes life so hard for North.

Browns 28, that's unbelievable, he still feels like a raw 23 year old prospect

I'm not a massive fan of Tompkins but I think he's probably our best bet at 12, would definitely prefer him to Watkin. Ideally we'd still be developing Hawkins but that ship has sailed.

I know its mad, I keep of thinking of Brown as this early 20s player. The big question mark for him wil be his scrummaging but he definitely has the ability to come on around the hour mark and cause some damage in the loose and I think the faster pace of international rugby suits him. Fingers crossed he stays fit.

 

[dirty harry]

I'm not a massive fan of Tompkins but I think he's probably our best bet at 12, would definitely prefer him to Watkin. Ideally we'd still be developing Hawkins but that ship has sailed.

I know its mad, I keep of thinking of Brown as this early 20s player. The big question mark for him wil be his scrummaging but he definitely has the ability to come on around the hour mark and cause some damage in the loose and I think the faster pace of international rugby suits him. Fingers crossed he stays fit.

For me Tompkins is a bench man, if you need a spark with 20 to go hes your man, but in modern day international rugby you just cant carry a player so frantic in defence.

Hawkins is a massive loss, he took so well to international rugby at 20 years old. We do have a real host of top quality youngsters with high potential ceilings, we just need to get them all together.

Lake, Fender, Jenkins, Carter, Tshiunsa, Morgan, Morse, Martin, Lloyd, Hawkins, Grady, Llewellyn, LRZ, all of which I think will make very good international players. We also have a host of potential behind them

 

[dullonien]

Before the WC, I would have agreed about Tompkins, but he was one of Wales' best players at the WC and fully deserves to be first choice going into the 6N.

 

[dirty harry]

Before the WC, I would have agreed about Tompkins, but he was one of Wales' best players at the WC and fully deserves to be first choice going into the 6N.

I couldnt disagree with you more, he was directly responsible for a few tries, including Fiji.
He looks great with time ball in hand, and is a good carrier, but the rest of his game is poor

 

[Welsh Exile]

We also don't have many options at the moment. Johnny Williams is injury prone and his form is inconsistent and is still untested at test level really. Gatland hates Kieran Williams, Hawkins as mentioned is not available, Ben Thomas doesn't seem to be fancied. Factoring all that in I guess that's why we're reverting back to Watkin.

I do wonder if North could make the same switch Foxy made when he went from 13 to 12. North definitely doesn't have the same pace anymore but is still a strong carrier.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I couldnt disagree with you more, he was directly responsible for a few tries, including Fiji.
He looks great with time ball in hand, and is a good carrier, but the rest of his game is poor

You're a hard man to please Harry. I like it but your wife must be a godsend. X

 

[dirty harry]

We also don't have many options at the moment. Johnny Williams is injury prone and his form is inconsistent and is still untested at test level really. Gatland hates Kieran Williams, Hawkins as mentioned is not available, Ben Thomas doesn't seem to be fancied. Factoring all that in I guess that's why we're reverting back to Watkin.

I do wonder if North could make the same switch Foxy made when he went from 13 to 12. North definitely doesn't have the same pace anymore but is still a strong carrier.

I agree with this 100%! Get out of my head bro lol.

Johnny William's has all the attributes of an int 12, always stands out at club level, yet has continually failed at int level. I was hoping he would put on a master class v Portugal, but once again he fell short.
I get why Gats hates Keiran Williams tbf, solid clubman lacking that class, but I think he deserves a look at in camp.
Ben Thomas has been around forever, he seems both 39 AND 21 at the same time. At 25 I think his shot has gone, classy ball carrier and ball player, he should have converted to 10 at least 2 years ago and got mentored by Preistland, but hes sadly a middling ball playing 12 now.

I 100% agree North should have gone to 12 years ago, he is still a decent quick 13, and he has become incredibly important defensively, I give him a lot of credit for covering LRZ and Dyer's lack of defensive nous, and I think that's why hes stayed at 13. But hes blocking that position now, and Grady doesnt have a brain for defensive decision making at all, he needs to play 13 asap, both at club level and int appearances. His showing in the RWC proved hes currently a rubbish decision maker. Maybe Grady is the 12 we are looking for, and Llewelllyn breaks through at 13, he was the exciting one at Cardiff after all. Sadly, I think Grady will reach his brothers level, and fall off after being a big talent with little bottle.

The future of the Welsh midfield is complex, lots of talent but no positional specific propositions coming through.

Oh and BTW, my GF is a little German, we met when she was playing international rugby, and I was coaching at a decent level, she has higher expectations than me of the Welsh team, and she lacks my empathy for players as human beings hahahaha

When she learnt of LRZ switch she went into full on rage mode, even having a pop at his dad in the sauna last week hahahaha

 

[dullonien]

Gatland should call up a couple of players after the dabacle of that first 45mins v Scotland.

Hooker: 1 or 2 of Parry, Roberts or Belcher in place of Elias.

10: Are either Sheedy or Jarrod Evans due back soon? I'd maybe take a chance on young Edwards at Ospreys. Cupboard is looking bare though!

Wing: Giles, Conbeer, Lane, Summerhill, Hopkins?

Centre: Ben Thomas, Max Llewellyn?

Scrum half: Blacker, Morgan-Williams, Bevan. Anyone would be better than Davies atm.

Depending on Gareth Thomas' injury, maybe should draft Nicky Smith or Rhys Carre in at loosehead too.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Gatland should call up a couple of players after the dabacle of that first 45mins v Scotland.

Hooker: 1 or 2 of Parry, Roberts or Belcher in place of Elias.

10: Are either Sheedy or Jarrod Evans due back soon? I'd maybe take a chance on young Edwards at Ospreys. Cupboard is looking bare though!

Wing: Giles, Conbeer, Lane, Summerhill, Hopkins?

Centre: Ben Thomas, Max Llewellyn?

Scrum half: Blacker, Morgan-Williams, Bevan. Anyone would be better than Davies atm.

Depending on Gareth Thomas' injury, maybe should draft Nicky Smith or Rhys Carre in at loosehead too.

I honestly think it wouldn't make much difference because, in my humble opinion, the real problem is Gatlands risk averse brand of rugby. I actually don't think the players are happy playing it either, look at the difference between the first and second half last night but you can bet your bottom dollar that at Twickenham next week we'll approach the game in the exact same way as we did in the first half against Scotland. We won't try and play, we won't really be concerned about securing quick ball as we're not looking to "play" anywhere outside the opposition 22 coz we'll kick and compete and try and force errors to get pens to either kick or put in the corner for a catch and drive try.

It annoys me as Gatland said in his press conference all the stuff I'm moaning about and painting it as we just weren't executing the game plan correctly in the first half but I call bullshit and I'll call it again, as I say, when I see us approach the England game in the exact same way and every other game after that. By his own admission we are an arm wrestle team that likes to be hard to beat which, by the way, I have no problem with intrinsically but we can't even do that right (joke lineout) so wtf are we doing here.

Sorry hungover and grumpy, might have to have a beer.

 

[dirty harry]

I disagree, I havnt re watched but the kicking game was dire first half. Kicking from Gareth Davies was atrocious, and Costelow carried on where he left off v Argentina.

That was pretty much the issue first half, sloppy mistakes happened with all 6N teams as it's the first game, however the Welsh kicking game was next level bad.

Tomos and Lloyd really did solve that problem, and I expect both to start in Twickers.

The issue with stupid errors is that they are usually done under pressure, Adam's stupidity Tompkins decision making etc... Elias lineout issues returned with a bang, however there were a fair amount of disruption with the lifters, maybe due to lack of experience., or lack of leadership.

I think we can all agree, Jenkins is not ready to lead, we have a huge issue at 10, and we are underpowered up front... good news is all these things can be fi... oh wait!

 

[Welsh Exile]

I bet you 50p that Costelow starts (if fit)

 

[dullonien]

I bet you 50p that Costelow starts (if fit)

I hope not.

I'm not completely against Costellow, I think he's shown plenty of promise in the past, but he's stalled badly at a region that's stalled in a similar fashion.

I don't think it would be fair to start him against England either. He's obviously in a bit of a slump after picking up a couple of nasty injuries vs BaBas, and then he also took a heavy knock v Scotland. Sending him out v England would feel like sending a lamb to slaughter, he's likely to fail again and that would do no one any good, including him.

I bloody hope Gatland has learn't a lesson from Priestland circa 2012, where he kept playing him despite no form, and you could see the confidence drain more and more, and then fans and pundits got on his back. Literally took him years to fully recover from that, and had to leave Wales in order to do so!

 

[Welsh Exile]

I completely agree. Also, and I said it at the time as well, but super annoying and stupid that Lloyd signed for the scarlets as it's going to effect both of their development at 10. Like you I've got nothing against Costelow and he could turn into a very good international 10 but there's no way he should be given a free ride. We had to do it with Biggar as he never really had any competition other than that brief time in 2019 with Anscombe but we should be using this rebuild time to say to our 2 promising young 10s that there are no given starts but because they both play for the same club Costelow is always going to have the upper hand as Peel will start him more at 10. As I say annoying.

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

I'm surprised Anscombe wasn't called up

 

[dirty harry]

I completely agree. Also, and I said it at the time as well, but super annoying and stupid that Lloyd signed for the scarlets as it's going to effect both of their development at 10. Like you I've got nothing against Costelow and he could turn into a very good international 10 but there's no way he should be given a free ride. We had to do it with Biggar as he never really had any competition other than that brief time in 2019 with Anscombe but we should be using this rebuild time to say to our 2 promising young 10s that there are no given starts but because they both play for the same club Costelow is always going to have the upper hand as Peel will start him more at 10. As I say annoying.

I have to disagree with both, nothing about Costelow at club or int level let's me think he'll make a solid int 10.

His boot is so underpowered it's crazy, he makes Sheedy and Evans look like bigger men. It's been remarked by coaches that Cai Evan's has the bigger boot of the 3, and hes barely a 40 yarder out of hand.

I'm not saying Costello needs to be written off, but he certainly needs some club form at least to start at 10 for Wales. That performance against the Dragons was an embarrassment, as was his appearance v Argentina, and his 40 mins v Scotland.

In every aspect Costello is a shite Steven Jones, smaller, weaker, bigger hunch, slower, quieter, lesser boot, worse hands etc... had we managed to coax Biggar into another season, I think Tomos William's would have started v Scotland, because Davies wouldnt have been required to hold Costellos hand, and we would have been within 7 come half time.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Griffin and Rogers released from squad. No call ups confirmed yet

 

[dirty harry]

Griffin and Rogers released from squad. No call ups confirmed yet

Griffin needs game time...

Roger's needs a trade to fall back on!

 

[Welsh Exile]

Griffin needs game time...

Roger's needs a trade to fall back on!

Harsh but funny.

 

[dirty harry]

Harsh but funny.

I mean is it harsh, hes 25 he still looks and plays like a 20 year old. Owen Lane is the same age, and is an established good club player who is proven, Roger's is still wishy washy at club level, having played what 40 times, Lane must have played double that number.

Roger's is a premiership player sadly

 

[Which Tyler]

Griffin needs game time...

Unlikely to get it at Bath currently - Prem's on hiatus until after the 6N.
I know we've a couple of friendlies booked (can't remember when) but he's what? 4th choice? 5th. Those friendlies are more likely to keep the higher choices sharp, rather giving time to the academy.

Right, those matches are both in March, 3 and 2 weekends before the Prem starts up again - definitely to shake any rust off the higher-ups. Though I guess he might get a few minutes off the bench for one of them - if not in those Wales squads.