Wales v Fiji

[TRF_Cymro]

Millennium Stadium
19 November 2010
Kick Off 19:30​

 

[TRF_Olyy]

If Shane is ruled out with his shoulder, it's going to be a very unexperienced pair of wingers, with either 2 or 5 caps between the two, depending on the combination of Harries, North and Prydie

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Or Brew. Never rule out Aled Brew. (Even then, he also has just 3 caps, but is more experienced than any of the others.)

I'd like to see this XV when it's announced tommorow:

15. Lee Byrne
14. George North
13. Tom Shanklin
12. Andrew Bishop
11. Aled Brew
10. James Hook
9. Richie Rees

1. Gethin Jenkins/Paul James
2. Matthew Rees (c)
3. Adam Jones
4. Bradley Davies
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Ryan Jones
7. Martyn Williams
8. Andy Powell

Replacements: Hibbard, Andrews, Gough, J Thomas, Knoyle, S Jones, W Harries

Pretty much the strongest team, but put Hook at 10 to give the backline an extra bit of oompth. We can't afford to weaken the team too much against the Fijians. I don't get why the likes of Adam Jones would need a rest- He's probably our most important player. Where as when you look at the other positons inwhich we have someone world-class, (Gethin at loosehead, Shane on the wing, Stephen and Martyn to a lesser extent at 10 and 7) we have at least an international-class replacement. (Paul James, George North/Halfpenny, Hook [Or even Biggar or Tovey] and Warburton.) Tighthead we've got John Yapp and Craig Mitchell. Niether of which start for their region. He has to play.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Forgot about Brew, tbh
Him and North would be my choice for the two wings

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Shane's just been ruled out for 10 weeks, while Geth will miss this match but should be back against the Blacks. Sam Warburton and Dan Lydiate are in with a chance of featuring this weekend.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/9187152.stm

Powell out of Fiji game also!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Lydiate being back lessens the blow, but Powell is on good form and I bet Gatland is glad not to have to make the choice between him and Lydiate
Though this does mean JT is guaranteed a spot (though that was pretty much a given anyway) and he hasn't impressed me so far this series

 

[Draggs]

I'd put Harries at 11 to have a balance between big and small wingers.
You can't really drop Hook from the centres, or you would have no creativity.

15. Chris Czekaj (Can't risk Byrne, need a big guy to take on Fiji)
14. God North (Need I say more)
13. Andrew Bishop
12. James Hook (Good partnership at the O's)
11. Will Harries (Small, quick winger, like Shane)
10. Stephen Jones (I'd rather not, but certainly better than Biggar. Ideally, I'd like to see TOVEY)
9. Richie Rees (Played well so far)

1. Paul James (Can't risk Gethin)
2. Richard Hibbard
3. Adam Jones (Would have preferred Geth and Scott Andrews, but Wales need a full time prop to start, and Scott and Adam are both tightheads)
4. Bradley (Would rather see Evans or even Charteris, as Bradley is too valuable, but he is one of the best ball carries)
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Dan Lydiate (JT if not fit)
7. Martyn Williams (Would prefer to call up Turnbull or Gavin Thomas)
8. Ryan Jones (C) (Only true 8 left fit)

16. Matthew Rees (If thing go bad with Hibbard)
17. Scott Andrews
18. Ian Gough (again, would rather see Evans or Charteris)
19. Jonathan Thomas
20. Tavis Knoyle
21. Aled Brew (Give him a shot later on) or Tom Prydie
22. Tom Shanklin

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Got a feeling Gatland will pick the likes of Biggar, Andrews and Knoyle against Fiji. I personally dont agree with this but I think Gatland will want to keep the best players fit and healthy for the All Blacks game.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Wales: Lee Byrne; George North, James Hook, Andrew Bishop, Aled Brew; Dan Biggar, Richie Rees; Paul James, Huw Bennett, Adam Jones, Ian Gough, Deiniol Jones, Ryan Jones (capt), Dan Lydiate/Martyn Williams, Jonathan Thomas.
Replacements Richard Hibbard, John Yapp, Bradley Davies, Toby Faletau, Mike Phillips, Stephen Jones, Tom Shanklin.


Some good (Brew & Faletau, notably), some bad
Second row looks a bit poo, and Dull's favorite at hooker
Surprised no Knoyle on the bench, also would've expected one of Harries/Prydie/Czekaj at 22 instead of Shanklin

Also, I thought Lydiate only played at 6?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

How gash .... discuss

 

[MichaelBoard]

Quite like that team, looks quite exciting, only thing is I would have rested the likes of Lee Byrne, Hook and Adam Jones to make sure that they are fit for the biggest game which is New Zealand the following week as although we are likely to lose I'd rather we lose with our best possible side out so we can see exactly we are in terms of competing with the best.

 

[dullonien]

Very hit and miss selection this. Perfectly happy with the backs. Although Biggar isn't to everyones taste, we need a back-up to Jones and Biggar is obviously that man in Gatlands eyes. I still think he can become a very good player if he stops being a c*ck! Glad Brew's been given another opportunity, should see massive workrates from both wingers in this game. A little surprised that Byrne is playing. I thought Gatland would have wrapped him up in cotton wool for the NZ match. Fiji are a physical bunch, hope he doesn't get injured again in this match.

However, that pack is all over the place. Bennett had one of his better displays off the bench against SA, but they seem to only come around once in a blue moon. That second-row pairing is poor imo. Gough hasn't exactly been great this season for the O's, infact he's been a bit of a penalty machine, whilst Deiniol Jones is rubbish!!! Not sure what Gatland's doing with the backrow either. Lydiate at openside, why? Lydiate is a blindside through and through, and I don't like this idea that opensides and blindsides are somehow interchangeable. Turnbull must be injured? Hasn't figured for the Scarlets in any of the LV= cup games, and hasn't been draughted in to the squad, pitty, would have been a perfect game for him.

Strongish bench though, if you ignore Yapp. I'm personally not sure why Stephen Jones is on the bench. Use Hook as fly-half cover, Shanks on the bench for centre, then a back three player in Czekaj or Harries to fill the final bench spot. We now have a situation where Hook is fullback cover (again!), and Shanklin as wing cover. Shanklin just about passed as a winger back in '04, but he's just too slow now. Hope to god one of the wingers don't get injured.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

George North played 13 quite a bit a year ago or something, and I'd quite like to see him tried out there. He's certainly got the right size and skill set.

Good team, though, except Bennett and Biggar, but I won't go into them.Glad Brew's finally got his chance after over a year of knocking on the door.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

For me id rather have seen Faletau start at 8 and Scott Andrews at 3, otherwise I think what Gatland has selected is quite sensible. Biggar needs some game time and this is the chance for him to show that. Having Rees start is also good because it gives him an opportunity to stake a claim for that 9 shirt.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I would have liked to see Knoyle on the bench...

 

[iWin]

Czekaj for Byrne please. Byrne has not been awesome and Czekaj has been very good. Fiji is exactly the team to give him a run out against, but apparently not in the eyes of the team management.
Apart from that, I think the team is as strong as could be under the circumstances.

 

[SelimNiai]

I like that team, it's a strong pack if a tad immobile linked with a potentailly explosive back-line. As I stated in a previous post, Biggar needs to have a big game, if he bosses the game we win by 30+ if he doesn't it will be close

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Fair does to Fiji they are throwing some substantial chat about beating us.

 

[cyRil]

What, with Manu saying their more passionate about rugby than us?
He should get down my house on match day, the fat prick!