Wales squad for Australia to be announced Sunday

[Draggs]

How is Knoyle, the worst scrumhalf at the Scarlets, involved?
I'd take Gareth or Aled Davies over him. Rhys Webb as well.

How Biggar is ahead of Tovey? Can't complain with the rest, all picked on recent form, which is fair.

 

[SelimNiai]

from that squad I would select

15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. George North
13. Scott Williams
12. Jamie Roberts
11. Shane Williams
10. Rhys Priestland
9. Lloyd Williams
1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees
3. Adam Jones
4. Bradley Davies
5. Luke Charteris
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Sam Warburton (c)
8. Toby Faletau

16. Huw Bennett
17. Ryan Bevington
18. Ryan Jones
19. Lewis Evans
20. Tavis Knoyle
21. Dan Biggar
22. Liam Williams

good to get a few big players back, team looks much stronger now if all stay fit

interesting to see Gatland has opted for Liam Williams ahead of Czekaj, James and Brew ... and Biggar ahead of Tovey ... not sure what Andrews or Burns have done to warrant selection ... and Evans ahead of Shingler

Thats the side I'd go with too tbh. Still a good side, obviously not 100% but we have to give the "second string" players runs out to build their experince at this level.

 

[Draggs]

Yeah, that team looks pretty much bang on.
Fair play to Warren for being bold and selecting Williams and Evans (x2). It will be interesting to see which of them make the 22.
I'd like to see Roberts as our vice captain, as after Shane he will be the most experienced player in the backline. He is an intelligent lad and seems like someone who would have the respect of his fellow players.

 

[rhifsaith]

hi,anyone know when Ben Morgan qualifies for Wales?
thanks

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Wales stick with skipper Warburton

He leads a 28-man squad that includes Shane Williams, who will play his final match in Welsh colours, in a game that is also a 'homecoming'.

http://planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_7320771,00.html​

 

[Draggs]

Adam Jones out... Outstanding.
Ben Morgan qualifies in January, from what I have heard.

EDIT. Rhodri Jones called up!

 

[Me 1]

Rhodri Jones called up!

Now THAT is interesting! Looks like he will be a very good player in the future, but is this just a little early for him? Well, Gatland is sticking to picking young players(he's only 19), and that isn't much of a bad thing but should he have picked Rhys Thomas? He's been playing decently. But, Rhodri will be worth more in the long run though as I can see him becoming first choice prop behind Gethin and Adam as he can play both sides.

 

[dullonien]

Adam Jones out... Outstanding.
Ben Morgan qualifies in January, from what I have heard.

EDIT. Rhodri Jones called up!

Big blow. I think Adam Jones needs to be given time to fully recover. He's being rushed back time and again, and is simply getting injured every other game with the same thing. In the long run, a good few weeks off will mean the Ospreys have him on the field more often afterwards. There seems to be a few players with ****ling little injurues at the moment, and they don't seem to be allowed time to fully recover, Jekins for example.

Glad to see Rhodri Jones being called up in front of Rhys Thomas, Yapp etc. Another example of Gatland noticing talent and getting them involved as soon as he can. It leaves us very weak on the tightead, but Aus' scrummaging isn't strong, especially with one of their frontline props out, so probably the best team to be short a prop or three.

 

[Draggs]

I feel he (Rhodri) is too old, it's time for some younger player to have a chance.
We need to start selecting players that will be available for the 2027 World Cup, it's time to start preparation.

 

[rhifsaith]

Adam Jones out... Outstanding.
Ben Morgan qualifies in January, from what I have heard.

EDIT. Rhodri Jones called up!

thanks. he'll be a great player to have in the squad.

 

[Draggs]

thanks. he'll be a great player to have in the squad.

Yes, hopefully he will be eager to impress Gatland and see this as his chance early on.
He will most certainly benefit from being around Gethin Jenkins, hopefully he can become as destructive of a player as Geth; he certainly has the size.

 

[dullonien]

Think he was talking about Ben Morgan.

 

[Draggs]

Think he was talking about Ben Morgan.

Ah, my bad.
I'll reedit this to make sense:

Yes, hopefully he will be eager to impress Gatland and see this as his chance <del>early on</del> to claim the starting shirt.
He will most certainly benefit from <del>being around Gethin Jenkins</del> the competition with Toby Faletau, hopefully he can become as destructive of a player as <del>Geth</del> Scott Quinnell; he certainly has the size.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

WALES SQUAD BIOGS

​

Gethin JENKINS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,006)
DoB: 17.11.80. 6'2" / 1.88m. 18st 9lbs / 118kgs
International record: 82 caps (W 37, L 43, D 2; 20 pts – 4T)

Rhodri JONES (SCARLETS - Uncapped)
DoB: 19.01.91. 6'3" / 1.91m. 18st 12lbs / 120kgs

Ryan BEVINGTON (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,081)
DoB: 9.12.88. 6'0"/1.82m. 17st 2lb/109kgs
International record: 6 caps (W 3, L 3)

Scott ANDREWS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,083)
DoB: 01.08.89. 6'2" / 1.88m. 18st 7lbs / 117kgs
International record: 1 cap (L 1)

Lloyd BURNS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,085)
DoB: 09.12.84. 6'0" / 1.83m. 17st 0lbs / 108kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 4, L 3; 5 pts – 1T)

Huw BENNETT (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,017)
DoB: 11.06.83. 6'0" / 1.83m. 16st 8lbs / 105kgs
International record: 48 caps (W 23, L 24, D 1)

Matthew REES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,033)
DoB: 09.12.80. 6'0" / 1.83m. 17st 1lbs / 108kgs
International record: 47 caps (W 20, L 26, D 1; 10 pts – 2T)

Bradley DAVIES (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,065)
DoB: 09.01.87. 6'6" / 1.98m. 19st 1lbs / 121kgs
International record: 31 caps (W 14, L 16, D 1)

Luke CHARTERIS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,030)
DoB: 09.03.83. 6'9" / 2.06m. 19st 10lbs / 125kgs
International record: 32 caps (W 16, L 16)

Ian EVANS (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,045)
DoB: 04.10.84. 6'8" / 2.04m. 18st 3lbs / 116kgs
International record: 16 caps (W 6, L 9, D 1; 5 pts – 1T)

Sam WARBURTON (CARDIFF BLUES, CAPTAIN – Cap No 1,070)
DoB: 05.10.88. 1.88m / 6'2". 16st 4lbs / 103kgs
International record: 23 caps (W 12, L 11; 10 pts - 2T)

Dan LYDIATE (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,071)
DoB: 18.12.87. 1.93m / 6'4". 17st 10lbs / 112kgs
International record: 19 caps (W 8, L 10, D 1)

Justin TIPURIC (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,086)
DoB: 06.08.89. 1.88m / 6'2" 15st 10lbs / 100kgs
International record: 1 cap (W 1)

Lewis EVANS (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Uncapped)
DoB: 09.07.87. 1.94m / 6'4". 15st 3lbs / 97kgs
International record: Uncapped

Toby FALETAU (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS – Cap No 1,082)
DoB: 12.11.90. 1.88m / 6'2". 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 10 caps (W 5, L 5; 10 pts – 2T)

Ryan JONES (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,029)
DoB: 13.03.81. 6'5" / 1.96m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 57 caps (W 28, L 27, D 2; 5 pts – 1T)

Tavis KNOYLE (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,076)
DoB: 02.06.90. 6'1" / 1.85m. 14st 5lbs / 91kgs
International record: 6 caps (W 3, L 3)

Lloyd WILLIAMS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,087)
DoB: 30.11.89. 6'0" / 1.83m. 13st 9lbs / 87kgs
International record: 4 caps (W 3, L 1; 10 pts – 2T)

Rhys PRIESTLAND (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,080)
DoB: 07.01.87 1.82m / 6'0". 13st 9lbs / 87kgs
International record: 9 caps (W 6, L 3; 42 pts – 12C, 6PG)

Dan BIGGAR (OSPREYS – Cap No 1,063)
DoB: 16.10.89. 6'2" / 1.88m. 14st 1lbs / 89kgs
International record: 8 caps (W 4, L 3, D 1; 52 pts – 8C, 12PG)

Jamie ROBERTS (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,057)
DoB: 08.11.86. 6'4" / 1.93m. 17st 5lbs / 110kgs
International record: 38 caps (W 18, L 20; 20 pts – 4T)

Jonathan DAVIES (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,066)
DoB: 05.04.88. 6'1" / 1.86m. 16st 3lb / 103kgs
International record: 21 caps (W 11, L 10; 25 pts – 5T)

Scott WILLIAMS (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,084)
DoB: 10.10.90. 6'0" / 1.83m. 15st 3lbs / 97kgs
International record: 7 caps (W 4, L 3; 20 pts – 4T)

Shane WILLIAMS (OSPREYS – Cap No 976)
DoB: 26.02.77. 5'7" / 1.71m. 12st 1lb / 77kgs
International record: 86 caps (W 41, L 43, D 2; 285 pts – 57T)

George NORTH (SCARLETS – Cap No 1,078)
DoB: 13.04.92. 6'4" / 1.92m. 16st 5lbs / 104kgs
International record: 15 caps (W 6, L 8, D 1; 45 pts – 9T)

Alex CUTHBERT (CARDIFF BLUES – Uncapped)
DoB: 05.04.90. 6'6" / 1.98m. 16st 5lbs / 104kgs
International record: Uncapped

Leigh HALFPENNY (CARDIFF BLUES – Cap No 1,060)
DoB: 22.12.88. 5'10" / 1.77m. 13st 2lbs / 83kgs
International record: 26 caps (W 12, L 14; 72 pts – 9T, 9PG)

Liam WILLIAMS (SCARLETS – Uncapped)
DoB:09.04.91. 6'2" / 1.88m. 13st 5lbs / 85kgs
International record: Uncapped

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Ah, I'd been waiting for that. Seems fairly correct. I remember once they declared Richie Rees 1kg heavy and didn't have a height for John Yapp.

 

[Seaton]

What's the ticket situation for this game?


Am thinking about hoping on a train west for it if possible.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Am thinking about hoping on a train west for it if possible.

9,284miles - that's quite some train journey!

Cheap seats (£25) and next step up (£40) all gone, the tickets left are £50 and £65 ones

 

[Seaton]

Hmm, will have to take a closer look at the travel prices when I get there then.

But that would be quite some journey, I'd want to avoid getting stuck in Zim and the east coast as much as possible, so I would have to take a train Pretoria, then Gabarone then through to Windhoek, up to Angola, jump the border fence and dodge the African Union patrols in the DRC, up through to Cameroon, then make the decision of braving at least one war zone like Sudan, or snaking along the west coast to avoid Niger. Either way, make headway to Cairo, on towards the Suez, hop a quick ferry over to the Sinai, up along to the equivalent of Antioch, through eastern Turkey to the Caucaus, or even go around the Caspian to visit Borat, then on to Belarus where I imagine one would find a fairly continuous line to Calais, under the channel and finally find a line to Cardiff.

Mind I'll have to have left last week to have made the game, but that would be a fantastic ride if one had a book to type/ write to keep oneself busy.