Wales v Scotland

[An Tarbh]

Opening day defeats were hardly a surprise for either side but Wales will be most frustrated considering how badly they played yet they could have come away with the win in the last 10 minutes.

The sin bin may have cost Wales in terms of point but the lineout was the real shambles on the day.

From what I saw, Scotland were rather toothless against the French and never really threatened their line, particularly in the second half.

Wales have won the last 2 matches between the sides but Scotland haven't won in Cardiff since 2002.

 

[gingergenius]

About Wales:

1. Scrummage wise, the front row is excellent. They need to make it a priority to find a hooker who can throw.
2. Considering they insist on picking 2 locks (AWJ & Charteris) who are of the lightweight, athletic variety, and lineout specialists, their lineout is and always has been absolutely ****. Either this means that their hookers are always to blame... or is it that there are no 2nd rows worth their salt in Wales?
3. When Williams and Jones play well, they have the makings of a good back row. They need to find a proper 6 who won't give away penalties.
4. Cooper = ****.
5. Midfield trio has potential.
6. Shane Williams and Byrne are both world class players. Halfpenny is one of the most exciting young British wingers and has to play.

About Scotland:

1. If they play on a Sunday they're f***ed, cos besides Murray they have no one capable of scrummaging.
2. Lineout functions well.
3. Back row good defensively, but really needs to work harder getting to the breakdown because they gave away so many turnovers yesterday.
4. They need to drive it up a couple of phases before going wide, because this contributes to the turnovers.
5. If they can get quick ball and an overlap, then Lamont and Evans are excellent wingers to have.

Can't see Scotland winning in Cardiff.

 

[dullonien]

Wales were poor v England, but the second half showed alot of positives. The linout was the main reason that we played so poorly in the first half. It's been an area that's been steadily improving throughout Gatland's reign, so I'm sure he'll be dissapointed with our showing there Saturday. If Mathew Rees is back, then I'd expect that aspect to go ok, but we need a backup hooker that's as capable. For me, that player is Ken Owens. His linout throwing is a big positive of his game, so please Galtland, draft him into the squad!

I'd probably retain Alun-Wyn Jones. It was an idiotic thing to do, but he's learned his lesson. There's no bigger punishment than knowing he probably cost us the game. He should be fired up and roaring to go next Sat, determined to redeem himself. He needs to be paired with someone different though. One of Gough, Jon Thomas or Bradley Davies.

Backrow is still a problem, the balance is still not right. So drop Powell to the bench, and start either JT or Warberton.

Hopefully we won't see Cooper playing for Wales again. He was the second biggest reason that we couldn't get into the game, as his service was pathetic. Richie Rees please, untill Peel or Phillips return. Martin Roberts on the bench.

The last change would be Halfpenny for Tom James.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Ken Owens should start, but won't. Wales' lineout functioned well over the Autumn, but is back to being bellow par again. I'd pick the following team:

1- Jenkins
2- Bennet (Rees ruled out.)
3- Adam
4- AWJ
5- Gough
6- Warburton
7- Martyn
8- Ryan

9- Rees
10- S Jones/Biggar

11- Shane
12- Hook
13- Bishop/Davies
14- Halfpenny
15- Byrne

Roberts should be on the bench, and either Bishop or Davies should start. We need to try someone else, as Roberts isn't performing for Wales. However, Gatland will pick Roberts, and probally will pick Cooper. And Powell over Warburton as well. Boo.

 

[dullonien]

How can you expect Roberts to perform when he is hardly touching the ball on the front foot? That goes for Wales and the Blues. Against England I can only remember him getting quality ball once, he burst through setting up Adam Jones' try. Not sure what more you want from the guy! Give him another run alongside Hook against Scotland, where we'll hopefully see alot more front foot ball. If he still doesn't perform, then give someone else a go, but I can't see the point chainging the midield pairing every game. We've gone through something like 5 different pairing's in 6 games, it can't continue, at some point we've just gotta settle on a combination and stick with it to see if it builds. Hook and Roberts are the best two centres we have (on form), so why not stick with them and see what kinda partership they can delevop?

Gatland may stick with Powell, but I doubt we'll see Cooper start against Scotland.

 

[Sir Speedy]

On Scotland: I thought they had some very good opportunities in the first half, but squandered due to slow recycling of the ball or due to lack of support. Scotland were scoring three-pointers whereas France were crossing the line seemingly at will.

Scotland certainly won't be useless this weekend but I still don't see us losing to them.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I think someone else should be given a chance, that's all. Scotland isn't as big a game as France or Ireland, and Italy is the last game, so I think it's time we tried someone else alongside Hook, and them go back to whoever played best.

 

[Meh]

Scotland are still going to be difficult.

Now's not the time to start swapping our best performers.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Bishop can defend better than any other back in Wales. His attack isn't bad, either. Try him out, and Roberts can always come off the bench if he goes off on a wobbler. I'm talking about just the one experement, besides Richie Rees coming in, which is totally nesecery.

These guys need a chance at some point.

 

[GJ#1]

For me its a almost stick with the same 15.

Changes:

Gough for Chateris.
Halfpenny for James
Rees for Cooper
Geth Jenks for James (If Fit)
Rees for Williams (If Fit)

 

[dullonien]

Sounds about right GJ#1. It looks as if Gethin will be fit, that's a big boost to Wales. Paul James had a cecent game by most props standards, but watching last years Wales v England match again on Fri reminded me just how much extra work Gethin does. Not just the covering tackles on backs either, he's also responsible for a couple of turnovers per match aswell, getting over the ball. Any help Martyn Williams can get is cricial imo, as he is struggling slightly at the breakdown with these revised rules. That's the reason I'd also consider Warberton, but he hasn't seen much gametime recently.

If Rees isn't fit (looking likely), and Gatland refuses to bring Owens/Hibbard into the squad (likely), then Bennett has gotta start in front of Gareth Williams.

 

[GJ#1]

I think Gareth Williams deserves another shot. He was good in loose and tight work and his throwing was off, not something that is common with Williams. Who would you bring Warburton in for? Would you take Bradley Davies off the bench? Something id be keen to see.

 

[Bluemoon]

Bradley Davies has a bright future. He's been keeping ***o on the bench for a while now. Hes pretty much Goughs build and has an awesome side step

Charteris one of the most overrated players in Wales and Id play Gough - AWJ with Bradley on the bench.

 

[dullonien]

I wasn't atall impressed with Gareth Williams on Sat. Imo it wasn't only his throwing that was poor. He's been awesome in the loose for the Blues for a few years now, but we didn't see half of that on the weekend. Maybe the linout threw off the rest of his game, maybe it's just the step-up in intensity he couldn't deal with, I'm not sure. The problem with Gareth Williams is his size. That doesn't seem to get exploited much at regional level, but on Sat he struggled scrum time slightly (this showed when Bennett came on, and the scrum improved slightly), and he struggled to make much of an impact in the loose. I didn't see him carry any ball, nor put in above average numbers of tackles. I've always liked the guy, but he's struggled in every game he's played for Wales. Not sure I see the point of giving him more gametime when there are young players like Owens and Hibbard really putting themselves forward!

I'd maybe bring Warberton in for Powell and have JT parter Alun-Wyn at lock. However I'd also like to see Gough come in at lock to offer the grunt we've also missed, but he doesn't offer any other linout option than front ball! Could settle for that and bring JT in at 6 to offer another linout option, but that doesn't really help Martyn all that much...... Tough choices for Gatland, although he'll probably make it simple and pick Powell and Charteris again <_<

Bradley Davies certainly does have a bright future. However, he's not aggressive enough for his size. He's a similar build to Gough, but he doesn't put his body on the line like Gough does. If he added that to his game, he'd be exactly what Wales need, but not quite yet.

 

[An Tarbh]

Scotland: C Paterson (Edinburgh); T Evans (Glasgow), S Lamont (Scarlets), G Morrison (Glasgow), R Lamont (Toulon); D Parks (Glasgow), C Cusiter (Glasgow, capt); A Dickinson (Gloucester), R Ford (Edinburgh), E Murray (Northampton), N Hines (Leinster), A Kellock (Glasgow), K Brown (Glasgow), J Barclay (Glasgow), J Beattie (Glasgow).

Replacements: S Lawson (Gloucester), A Jacobsen (Edinburgh), R Gray (Glasgow), A MacDonald (Edinburgh), M Blair (Edinburgh), P Godman (Edinburgh), M Evans (Glasgow).

 

[GJ#1]

Wales team to face Scotland on Saturday, 13 February at the Millennium Stadium (kick-off: 1400 GMT):

Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), James Hook (Ospreys), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues), Shane Williams (Ospreys); Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Gareth Cooper (Cardiff Blues); Paul James (Ospreys), Gareth Williams (Cardiff Blues), Adam Jones (Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues), Martyn Williams (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys, captain).

Replacements: Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Bradley Davies (Cardiff Blues), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues), Richie Rees (Cardiff Blues), Andrew Bishop (Ospreys), Tom Shanklin (Cardiff Blues).

* Changes in Bold

 

[Blindside6]

I'm completely baffled by this selection.

Cooper has retained his place. JT has ousted Charteris, who didn't do much wrong, instead of Powell. Then 2 centres on the bench.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Keeping Cooper and Powell baffles me. They're ****, I'm sorry.

 

[Bluemoon]

Oh dear, Cooper is a big, big mistake.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

I mean this in the nicest possible way, but could Cooper, say, stub his toe, and be out of the game? Richie Rees to start, and Wayne Evans called up, as both are better than him. Poor selection, Gatland. He was always going to pick Powell, but it's Gareth Williams that suprises me. I agree that Hibbard or Owens really should be starting, but even then, Bennet should be starting if they don't have the time.

Gethin being on the bench is good, although why two centres?