Wales vs Argentina - 20/08/2011 - RWC Warm Up

[getmeaway]

We're people too you know!

Oups! My mistake! I do not speak english perfectly. You scots have all my respect as long as you keep making Lavagulin.

 

[dangandan]

The 2nd half has been terrible. I don't think either team has made a single break. At least the first half kept me in tune with a few breaks here and there. And just as i'm typing this Wales score a try. Glad it was North.

 

[SelimNiai]

Nicely worked try there.

Pleased to see Powell having a good game, hopefully he's sorted his head out and kicks on to be the Scott Quinnell style 8 he can be. Argentina have given up as far as I can tell, nowhere near the side on 2007. Better sides than us will destroy them.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Despite North's try this 2nd half has been proper boring

 

[Seaton]

Oups! My mistake! I do not speak english perfectly. You scots have all my respect as long as you keep making Lavagulin.

No problem, had a little laugh myself, at the time I would have called Southwell an 'it' as well

 

[dangandan]

Why's Hook goin for the posts??? Mays well kick it out or have a go from the scrum.

 

[SelimNiai]

90% naff 10% decent.

A win is a win though

 

[Feicarsinn]

On a sidenote, I quite like that new Noel Gallagher song.

 

[cyRil]

Who played 13 for Argentina, was it Marcelo Bosch? Cos he was ****ing ****.

 

[Draggs]

Jonathan Davies (current player), FFFS... Dire.
Same with Lee Byrne, very poor from him.

Good game from Alun Wyn Jones at least; George North's setup was superb!

 

[cyRil]

I thought AWJ was massive today, definitely MOTM.

 

[Draggs]

I thought AWJ was massive today, definitely MOTM.

Yep, not taking anything away from Knoyle, but Alun Wyn showed up very well today. Pleased to see a few of the players step up over the recent weeks (Roberts, Phillips, AWJ)
I'd still be tempted to pick Faletau over Powell; Toby's defence last week was better than Andy Powell this week.

 

[Tom943]

Argentina were poor today and they only looked like they would score a try when the had the maul on the go. Dont think they will get out their pool at the world cup

 

[Thingimubob]

Wasn;t the greatest match I've ever seen, enjoyed it though. 3 cracking tries from Wales though also if anyone saw a dark haired fella celebrating just after Powells try...was totally me. Just saw I'm on the BBC Sport websites match report, there's a very blurry me inbetween Wyn-Jones and North on the default frame of the video before you play it.
Byrne was awful, really bloody awful. Wouldn't have him anywhere near the starting 15 for the South Africa game, but have no idea who would play there instead of him. Halfpenny maybe? Wasnt impressed with Jon Davies though did have a tidy pass for Norths try. Powell was better than I expected, and I thought Wyn-Jones and Martyn Williams had fantastic games! Very happy we're going to NZ with 2 very good no.7s. Scrum was impressive when the ref could actually get it to engage properly, but undiciplined in that aspect. I have a rough idea who I'd start against South Africa, but there's a fair few positions I'm not sure on, especially 15, 13, 12, 10 and 8.
Realised earlier that this is probably the best season we've ever had going in the World Cup:
2003: Lost all 6 Nations games, beat Romania and Scotland after getting whooped by Ireland and England in the 4 Warm Ups
2007: Only beat England in the 6 Nations then hammered at Twickenham, hammered in Cardiff by France but beat Argentina in the Warm Ups
2011: Won 3/5 6 Nations matches, narrow loss to England in Twickers, win in Cardiff in the reverse and relatively comfortable win vs Argentina.
Roll on the World Cup

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Hope you are regretting the above. Nugget has been at his usual high standards proving he is there on merit not because he;s getting nostalgia caps. Leave that to David Beckham

He won't regret it sadly.

As for the game, some players stepped up and some for me stepped out.

The Good:

AWJ - The workhorse was back
Martyn Williams - showing he still has game.
Tavis Knoyle - Was impressive today
Jamie Roberts - Defence and getting Wales over the gainline again.
George North - future Lions winger in the making

The Bad:

Lee Byrne was dire, might he go to NZ?
Hibbard was below par and not fit.
Did JT do anything on the pitch?
Jon Davies was poor again at centre

The Ugly:

Wales hooker dilemma
Wales lineout woes continue.
Wales options at 15. Lee Byrne is clearly not it.


Got to make a point that yes Argentina gave Wales a tough ride at times but was their try really a try? From the tv evidence showed, you could not see if the ball was grounded so surely the try should not have been awarded.

 

[Thingimubob]

Yeah could not see any hint of the ball at all in that maul! Assumed they gave them the benefit of the doubt for it.

 

[SelimNiai]

He won't regret it sadly.

As for the game, some players stepped up and some for me stepped out.

The Good:

AWJ - The workhorse was back
Martyn Williams - showing he still has game.
Tavis Knoyle - Was impressive today
Jamie Roberts - Defence and getting Wales over the gainline again.
George North - future Lions winger in the making

The Bad:

Lee Byrne was dire, might he go to NZ?
Hibbard was below par and not fit.
Did JT do anything on the pitch?
Jon Davies was poor again at centre

The Ugly:

Wales hooker dilemma
Wales lineout woes continue.
Wales options at 15. Lee Byrne is clearly not it.


Got to make a point that yes Argentina gave Wales a tough ride at times but was their try really a try? From the tv evidence showed, you could not see if the ball was grounded so surely the try should not have been awarded.

The ball was just visible, literally you could see the point of the ball. I didnt see it at first but only noticed it when I noticed the Argentinians pointed to it. AWJ was fantastic, was everywhere and never stopped it. Knoyle has effectivly kicked Ritchie Rees off the plane and stole his pillow to have a kip. Roberts showing he is close to his 2009 form. North continues to prove that he might be sub-normal, how is it possible to be this sucessful at 19?

 

[Draggs]

Got to be honest, I've never felt more pleased to see Huw Bennett come on.
Byrne is guaranteed to go to New Zealand, he is our only natural fullback and Morgan Stoddart's injury made his place certain.
Back three of Williams, North, and Halfpenny? Not bad.

 

[Melhor Time]

Who played 13 for Argentina, was it Marcelo Bosch? Cos he was ****ing ****.

Yes, it was Bosch making his first ever appearance in the Pumas 13 in palce of the injured Gonzalo Tiesi who won´t play vs Worcester. He is in doubt for the start of the RWC now, same as in 2007 when he broke a bone in the Argentine send-off vs Chile.

But, anyhow, why do you think Bosch was bad? I was happy with how he played. Defended well, was better in attack than Santi Fernández who was inside centre and above all was playing in the position for the first time ever as n international.

Argentina were bad in the backs for one reason - Felipe Contepomi. He turned 34 today btw but age is not the reason. He is just trying to do it all himself. He was able to get halfbreaks but was not working as a flyhalf. he was not creating opportunities for his centres or wingers. The best back was Rodríguez Gurruchaga who was good when entering from fb. But his bad penalty kicks for touch were simply basic errors. He should be the goalkicker in the World Cup.

Not much to really say about the Pumas forwards. They were good. Did what they had to. Leguizamon, Roncero and Carizza doing better than expected. Creevy could well start vs England after he came on to play a good hookers game. Vergallo was very good at scrumhalf too. For the sake of Los Pumas I wish Fernández was flyhalf and Contepomi inside centre.

BTW I was getting quite fed up with the referee in the secondhalf as he allowed red players to not roll away time after time and thus slow down play. He also missed multiple Martyn Williams infringments as he played the ball on the ground without being caught. Its part of the script of playing that position. More importantly though credit to him - he played better than I thought he would but I would not take him to New Zealand.

 

[Seaton]

Argentina were poor today and they only looked like they would score a try when the had the maul on the go. Dont think they will get out their pool at the world cup

Its early days min, I was aghast at our inability to score vs, Ireland in the first half, considering how much possesion and territory we had.