Wales v Scotland

[Ozzay]

As above, these selections are starting to make me think WTF?

Cooper shouldnt be in the 22
Still No Biggar.
Gareth Williams, Great player just can't hit a jumper.

I'm worried

 

[Thingimubob]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GJ#1 @ Feb 9 2010, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

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[/b]

GODAMNIT WHERE'S A FACEPALM WHEN YOU NEED ONE?! :wall:



I'm very worried, as the Scots have picked a very tidy team, and I really can see them beating us. Wtf are you smoking Gatland?!

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thingimubob @ Feb 9 2010, 04:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GJ#1 @ Feb 9 2010, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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[/b]

GODAMNIT WHERE'S A FACEPALM WHEN YOU NEED ONE?! :wall:



I'm very worried, as the Scots have picked a very tidy team, and I really can see them beating us. Wtf are you smoking Gatland?!
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I really don't get what Gatlands doing playing Cooper again, he messed up a couple of try scoring opportunities/just generally wasn't as good as Rees

 

[dullonien]

Wtf? Gatland's sections used to make sense, or at least they used to work when they didn't make sense. But this selection is just idiotic. Cooper and Gareth Williams were appalling and deserved to be dropped! What message is this saying to Richie Rees, who was very good after coming on on Sat? Gatland obviously doesn't trust the lad, and again picks Cooper as the stop gap untill Peel and Phillips returns. I feel very sorry for Rees, as it's obvious he'll never get a better opportunity than this to show what he's capable of, yet Gatland won't allow him.

Why has Gatland done a complete u-turn on Gareth Williams? He's been saying for years that he's too small, yet now he suddenly refuses to drop him after playing so badly. Doesn't make any sense.

I know us Welsh love to get on the backs of coaches when things go wrong, but it's justified here. Everyone else in Wales can see that Owens/Hibbard are better players than Williams and Bennett! Most agree that Powell isn't good enough, and everyone has seen how bad Cooper has been for the Blues and Wales recently. Gatland is putting too much emphasis on training I fear, ignoring the form players have been showing in the Magners League and HC.

Should still win, but that backline (which is spot on bar Cooper) may not see as much ball as I'd hoped.

 

[Meh]

Cooperwtq?

 

[bristol-iain]

Cooper? Seriously? Name me one good thing Cooper did on Saturday. Exactly. Rees should play. In hindsight I'm glad AWJ keeps his place because I expect he will try to play his heart out and have a stormer, expect a MOTM effort from him.

Hopefully in the last week someone has taught Williams to throw-in straight an' all.

 

[GJ#1]

I still don't think the criticism of Williams is at all fair, he did have a bad game, Gatland has probably given him one last throw of the dice and a chance to prove himself. There is no doubt that Ken Owens should be there, Hibbard for me is no better than Williams but is definitely better than Bennett. Whoever called for Wayne Evans needs his head checking. That boy is no good, Rees and Roberts on merit should be playing and not Cooper. But in Gatland we trust.

 

[dullonien]

I'm a big fan of Wayne Evans, he's been playing some good stuff lately (in between injuries that is).

Gareth Williams has rightly recieved some critisism after his performance on Saturday, as that was one of the worst lineout displays for quite some time. However it is always tough to know if it's all the hookers fault. I aired my concerns for Gareth Williams' linout throwing a while ago, as it's certainly got worse this season. Hard to know why! Hibbard isn't all that much better linout time, but that aspect of his game has been improving steadily, but I feel his bulk adds quite a bit scrum time and in the loose, where he really does get stuck in. The same can be said for Ken Owens, and he'd have been my choice below Rees. Owen' linout throwing is probably the best in Wales, and he really does make some yards in attack. Gareth Williams put's in alot of work for the Blues, and really has been an important player for them this season, but I felt he struggled physically aswell on Sat, struggling to make an impact in the loose and not quite up to scratch in the scrums.

I hope he proves me wrong against Scotland, but I feel he's one of those players who simply can't hack it at international level, even if excellent at regional level. We'll see.

 

[Blindside6]

I'd guess that the reason that Gareth Williams is still in there because the coaches didn't see the lineout problems as being down to him. The throw is only one element of the lineout which actually starts with getting the right call selected. I suspect this is the reason that JT has been drafted in to the 2nd row, to lead the lineouts.

 

[dullonien]

Overthrown and not straight throws has nothing to do with the linout caller or jumper. There were certainly a few of those on Sat, and the rest seemed to be thrown at Charteris' waist line allowing Borthwick to steal them! Wales certainly missed some opportunities for easy front of the linout ball, but that's not what our backline needs. Front ball is useless as an attacking option, and usually ends up in a driving maul and box kick. However, front ball is better than no ball I suppose.

I think Jon Thomas has come in to add some grunt to the second row, not because Charteris has been made a scape goat for the ineptness of our linout.

 

[GJ#1]

See what frustrates me about people who have no clue about forwards play is what is posted by a few members on this forum. They don't seem to understand that the lineout is not always down to the hookers fault. Its also down the lifters and jumpers as well as the opposition members. Whether you like it or not this is fact.

Charteris should have dealt with the balls better in the lineout, the fact Borthwick was jumping in front of him is his fault. No one else's but his.

Think people should stop moaning about Gareth Williams selection because only Ken Owens fit is better than him. What I love also is people are unwilling to give him another chance but were happy for Charteris to have another go. Get behind the selection, stop the moaning.

After re-watching the game on iPlayer it is clear that Williams was not alone for the fault at the lineout, as Blindside said. Also whilst re-watching the game Williams did not play all that bad, and Powell did well, something that has been criticised.

 

[Olyy]

Nathan Hines is out of this test, should make things a bit easier for Wales

 

[bristol-iain]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Olyy @ Feb 10 2010, 06:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Nathan Hines is out of this test, should make things a bit easier for Wales[/b]

Exactly what I thought, good news for us which should allow us to compete/dominate up front and in the line-outs.

 

[Thingimubob]

Scotland were almost a useless as Wales in the lineout when they played France, so could be a shambles for both sides in general. Though with Dan Parks in the side (who's got a very good tactical boot on him) Wales' line out will need to be on form if we want to win the game. Am worried about Paul James vs Euan Murray in the front row too, I guess it is a little bit of a consolation that Gethin is on the bench.

Also my Dad said he heard somewhere that the reason they picked Cooper over Rees last week (and I'm guessing this week too) was because all of our backline kickers are left footed, and they wanted a right footed kicker, which Richie Rees isn't. Seems a daft reason to pick a player imo. No idea if it's true though.

 

[shtove]

What's happened to Horsman?

Anyway, I'm supporting Scotland. I think they have only one poster on this forum who turns up about once a year. Wahay!

 

[GJ#1]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (shtove @ Feb 10 2010, 06:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

What's happened to Horsman?[/b]

Retired injured!

On another note:

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3...5935033,00.html

If the pitch gets ruined reckon the SRFU should pay for any damaged caused to the pitch!

 

[wlshby09]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Thingimubob @ Feb 10 2010, 06:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Scotland were almost a useless as Wales in the lineout when they played France, so could be a shambles for both sides in general. Though with Dan Parks in the side (who's got a very good tactical boot on him) Wales' line out will need to be on form if we want to win the game. Am worried about Paul James vs Euan Murray in the front row too, I guess it is a little bit of a consolation that Gethin is on the bench.

Also my Dad said he heard somewhere that the reason they picked Cooper over Rees last week (and I'm guessing this week too) was because all of our backline kickers are left footed, and they wanted a right footed kicker, which Richie Rees isn't. Seems a daft reason to pick a player imo. No idea if it's true though.[/b]

I'm pretty sure Stephen Jones and Hook are right footed

 

[dullonien]

Yup, I'm pretty sure they are too.

 

[RC]

I know Byrne's a lefty, but i think even halfpenny's a righty, isn't he?
Hook and jones are definite righty's

 

[Thingimubob]

Just a rumour then obviously :lol:
Still a daft selection <_<
Had a funny feeling Scotland might ask for the roof to be open (Italy did it 2 years ago) so it'll be interesting what the weathers gonna be like. It's meant to be a bit cloudy with sunny intervals according to the Beeb.