Wales Final 31

[valley commando]

This is difficult but narrowing it down to the final 31 is not easy, here goes-:

FORWARDS.

Props
It looks like he may take 6 prop, I would stick with 5 -
Loose - Paul James and Melon ( Add Nicky Smith only if James or Melon were injured)
Tight - Samson Lee, Tomas Francis, Scott Andrews.

Hookers
Ken Owens
Scott Baldwin
Kristian Dacey (better throwing in and scrummager than Hibbo)

Locks
AWJ
Luke C
Bradley D
Jake B

Back Row
Tips
Warbs
Toby
Lydiate
Baker (Can also play 2nd row)
Morriarty Total 18 Forwards

BACKS
Back 3
1/2 penny
Liam Williams (if fit)
Hallam Amos
George North
Eli Walker

Centres
Tyler Morgan
Scott Williams
Jamie Roberts
Cory Allan

1/2 Backs
Biggar
Webb
Anscombe
L williams Total 13

Thank God i have no room for Priestland.

We look fragile in the front row and at centre.

 

[SWAGGER]

You need three scrum halves mate so I can see a centre being dropped like Allan. Plus hibs will definitely get in (great impact sub) also cub's may get in front of Amos as Williams can play fb. The rest is spot on I reckon. Hook needs to show up soon to make iy

 

[MojoPin]

Yep mostly this is what I would expect too - however I'd swap Baker for James King - can't see Baker getting selected at the moment and King is a more obvious 2nd row option. Cuthbert has a shot at getting into the squad if he can cover centre as well, but personally I don't think he can so wouldn't be surprised to see Amos or Walker take his place - both of them looked much, much sharper in the Ireland game regardless of mistakes. Oh, and I still think Phillips has a (slim) chance of making the squad. Gareth Davies also must be in with a shout though - wouldn't be surprised to see him get a run in one of the next warm-up games.

As for Hook, he's done IMO - would be extremely surprised if he survived the end of this week, to be honest. Very sad but unfortunately I don't think he leaves Gats with much of an option.

 

[valley commando]

You need three scrum halves mate so I can see a centre being dropped like Allan. Plus hibs will definitely get in (great impact sub) also cub's may get in front of Amos as Williams can play fb. The rest is spot on I reckon. Hook needs to show up soon to make iy

I'm not a massive Allan fan but we are pretty threadbare in the centre and he has played 12 and 13, much as I like Hook it looks like he will miss out.
I would hate to see Amos miss out he did spark a bit on Saturday, maybe we should think of North as a centre/wing rather than just wing, after the weekends match I am realy worried about the center, Scott Williams didn't step up to the plate.
Take your point about Hibbo, yes he is a good impact player off the bench, but the set piece is God in tight games and I see no value in a Hooker who can't throw the ball in and is not the greatest of scrummage. He is good in the loose, maybe he ought to loose weight do some speed work and apply for a job in the centre.

 

[psychic duck]

Hibbo?

 

[RedruthRFC]

Hibbo?

It appears that if you're bestest buddies with Richard Hibbard, you get to call him "Hibbo"!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/20...-hook-mike-phillips-richard-hibbard-world-cup

James Hook, Mike Phillips and Richard Hibbard are among eight players released from Wales' World Cup training squad, the Welsh Rugby Union has announced.

Nicky Smith, Rory Thornton, Dan Baker, Rhys Patchell and Jack Dixon have also been sent back to their respective clubs.

 

[bw245]

Feel for Hibbard...

 

[Maverick1987]

Feel for Hibbard...

I don't see how Dacey can get in ahead of him . He brings tonnes of experience of nothing else

 

[TobesHodges]

Against Ireland Hibbard looked like the only Welsh player with 1st XV credentials, he is a certainty pick.

 

[Raggs]

Against Ireland Hibbard looked like the only Welsh player with 1st XV credentials, he is a certainty pick.

He's already out...

 

[MojoPin]

I don't see how Dacey can get in ahead of him . He brings tonnes of experience of nothing else

Dacey hit his lineouts, I think it's probably as simple as that. Baldwin and Owens would have both been ahead anyway so it makes sense for Gatland to keep the promising youngster in the ranks for the time being. If anything happens to one of them Hibbard will be straight back in, and would probably leapfrog Dacey in a starting place if Owens or Baldwin took a knock.

Feel bad for Phillips a bit as he was getting pummeled behind a very weak Welsh pack. He didn't make any massive errors as such, just couldn't bring them back from a crap performance and get them moving. Hook by comparison did make some very questionable errors so not so shocked to see him go.

 

[valley commando]

I don't see how Dacey can get in ahead of him . He brings tonnes of experience of nothing else

Dacey is a better at scrum time, better at throwing in to lineouts and is a converted flanker so can handle well and get around the park.

- - - Updated - - -

Against Ireland Hibbard looked like the only Welsh player with 1st XV credentials, he is a certainty pick.

Tiperic was head and shoulders the best Welsh player v Ireland, you must have been watching a different game.

- - - Updated - - -

Dacey hit his lineouts, I think it's probably as simple as that. Baldwin and Owens would have both been ahead anyway so it makes sense for Gatland to keep the promising youngster in the ranks for the time being. If anything happens to one of them Hibbard will be straight back in, and would probably leapfrog Dacey in a starting place if Owens or Baldwin took a knock.

Feel bad for Phillips a bit as he was getting pummeled behind a very weak Welsh pack. He didn't make any massive errors as such, just couldn't bring them back from a crap performance and get them moving. Hook by comparison did make some very questionable errors so not so shocked to see him go.

I think you could be wrong about Hibbard getting straight back in should Owens or Baldwin get injured, Kristian is a player that has improved month on month since Ponty coaches decided a conversion from back row to hooker would suit him in 2010, so a big up for the Chief for spotting Daceys potential as a hooker, he wouldn't have been on many Welsh fans radar, but nobody at Ponty will be surprised.

 

[j'nuh]

Wow, very harsh on Hibbard.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hibbard's darts are poor and he's a liability in defence. He goes for the big smash every single time, but lands like 25% of them, the rest of the time leaving a gap where he shouldve been.

I'm a little surprised Gatland had the balls to drop Hook, Spike and Hibbard, but if I was Welsh I'd be happy

 

[dullonien]

Hibbard's gone backwards. He's no longer the strong scrummaging hooker he was pre law change, really struggling actually hooking the ball. His lineouts are as shaky as ever.

He still adds some physicality in both attack and defense, so still a little surprised he's been dropped completely. I suppose that's Baldwin's job now, he's a pretty physical player himself.

I hope nothing happens to Owens though. Baldwin had a good 6 nations, but he's looked shaky for the o's in the past, and I wouldn't totally trust him in a big game. Whilst Dacey is still raw and relatively unproven.

 

[TobesHodges]

I hope nothing happens to Owens though. Baldwin had a good 6 nations, but he's looked shaky for the o's in the past, and I wouldn't totally trust him in a big game. Whilst Dacey is still raw and relatively unproven.

This is why I cant understand dropping Hibbard, I know he isn't the best but I certainly don't think he's the worst of the bunch. But I suppose it is the Gatland Show..

 

[Lé Ddanno]

But I suppose it is the Gatland Show..

Google has no gifs for this. I demand someone steps up.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

 

[j'nuh]

Why does Wales not have a 2015 WC thread?

Anyway, 31-man squad announced:

Props: Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Paul James (Ospreys), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Samson Lee (Scarlets).
Hookers: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Ken Owens (Scarlets).
Locks: Jake Ball (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing 92), Dominic Day (Bath), Bradley Davies (Wasps), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys).
Back-rows: Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt).
Scrum-halves: Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues).
Fly-halves: Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Matthew Morgan (Bristol), Rhys Priestland (Bath).
Centres: Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Jamie Roberts (Harlequins), Scott Williams (Scarlets).
Wings: Hallam Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints).
Full-backs: Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon), Liam Williams (Scarlets).

Good selections in general, but don't like the squad balance. Too many locks, King is never going to be used, and Wales are making a fairly big risk in not having three hookers at least. Would have sacrificed Day or King for Dacey/Hibbard. What happens now if a hooker gets injured just before the game? Would also probably have preferred another centre.