Wales vs New Zealand

[DuncTheDoodle]

I'm totally with the Millenium Stadium's take on Carter. He should have been binned, or at least walked off, knowing that nobody liked him. Alun Wyn shouldn't have looked for support with the interception, he just should have gone.

39 breakdown-based penalties that wheren't given I coutned in the end. I hate Riche McCaw.

 

[bates]

Nice and very close game.
Wales deserved a draw due to the high tackle DC did.
Altho the AB were everywhere during the second half.

Very nice game to watch

 

[Sir Speedy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DuncTheDoodle @ Nov 7 2009, 07:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

or at least walked off, knowing that nobody liked him.[/b]

:lol:

 

[durbutter]

Godawful game.

Powell is a waste of time.

 

[Olyy]

Think that Wales deserved a try in the last few minutes/deserved the draw,
Decent enough game to watch though, the time the all blacks spend on the wales try line got my heart thumping, glad they only got 3points from it, thought for sure they'd get the try

 

[fcukernaut]

First off, a backhanded compliment here, well done Wales for the gritty effort but how the hell did it end up that close? With all due respect, no team that plays that poorly at the breakdown deserves to win or even be close in a test match. New Zealand were far and away better in every aspect, and I might be mistaken but barring the last 5 mins were there any legitmate Welsh made scoring opportunities?

Boring ping pong in the first half, but Guildford and Jane played their part very well and were safe under the high ball.

Carter was outstanding, no malice in that high tackle either, and I had to laugh when the BBC commentators were half joking of him being the villian. Look at his face, no one with that face can be considered a villian.

Can Thorn make it to the World Cup? He's the most underrated cog in this team but he's getting old.

Kieran Read was underwhelming in this one, that's for sure.

Jenkins continues to impress me since I saw him in the Grand Slam game agaisnt Ireland a few years back, only his scrumaging pulls him down.

Speaking of scrummaging, god can we sort this out iRB? The scrum is as big a problem as this high ball nonsense.

To finish off my initial thoughts, Millenium Stadium is the worst ground I have ever seen. I'm not talking about the fans or the actual building I'm talking about the grass, the turf. It is brutal, everytime I see a game being played here, players are losing their footing and by the end it's completely torn to hell. Sort it out I say. This ground might be good for the roundball but is terrible for contact sports. It was the same when the NFL teams play at Arsenal's ground, the field was destroyed then too. Change the style of turf similar to that of NFL teams, maybe grow in longer I don't know but this putting green nonsense has to go.

 

[gingergenius]

The same as the England game really. Close, but the best team won.

 

[shtove]

Oops. I got that one wrong.

Fair dues to Wales for hanging in and giving themselves a chance, but the ABs are getting back to awesome. As soon as Carter switched from the kicking game they tore Wales to shreds. Strong scrum, hunting the breakdown in a pack, quick wits on the offload. Doesn't get better than that - unless you add in the missing players! Leonard impressed me for the first time. Will Moa get a chance next year?

And Roberts was disappointing - only broke the defence once, that I saw, but worse were the bad decisions on the break.

 

[Bluemoon]

Just got back from the game. Very frustrated with Wales first half, had alot of possession thanks to some crazy kicking from Carter, yet Wales made so many poor options in attack it pretty much killed us.

Ill point out two. Firstly, Shane williams running across field, taking up all the space and playing the scissors right on the touchline for the inside men to face two/three NZ attackers. It was very poor (although I am aware he had a better second half) and put us under pressure. Secondly, playing the ball to the first static forward in the line instead of Steven Jones is suicide. In the first twenty mins ryan jones attempted to take on the first pair of NZ forwards and got smashed at least three times. Im not sure whether this was Coopers fault or Ryans. Finally, with all the positives Andy Powell brings in attack (and I do like him alot) he is just to much of a liability at international level. First for his silly coming in from the inside when we were in full flow attack and second for that crazy off load in our 22. I think you have to start Dafydd Jones in the next game.

NZ were fantastic at the breakdown and they are very consistent, they will pound you for 80 mins. Loved the panto with Carter, even I was booing and I try not to get caught up in it :lol: I don't think England have much of a chance, so France have the only decent opportunity of beating them.

 

[An Tarbh]

if it's any consolation it looks like you've gone ahead of England in the world rankings.

 

[Sir Speedy]

That's always good consolation...

 

[TRUE LEGND]

Carters going to suffer the same fate as Tana Umaga did on the B.O.D Tackle saga where they whinged about it for the next 10 years plus long

 

[durbutter]

Ya, cos thats the same. A slightly high tackle we're half joking about and a malicious attempt to take out a key player.

 

[Nickdnz]

Oh please not the BOD vs Umaga thing. Carters tackle was very slightly high, and I think the fans over reacted by alot, no intent of malice from Carter. I think had it been Steven Donald who had done the high tackle then it would have gone pretty much ignored. AB's continuing to find their form, and Wales only once looked like they had the possibility to score with Alyn's intercept, which was hunted down nicley by Guildford.
Guildford looked good in the high ball area and looked like a good steady player, my only concern is he dosn't seem to have the attacking abuility of many other wingers in NZ, however he is very good at getting the ball across the line without doing too much work to get there. Overall though good game by Guildford and he made a good try saving tackle.

 

[thomas]

"very slightly high" ???????

explaination, please

 

[dullonien]

Congrats NZ, deserved that win with your second half performance. Wales just aren't quite there yet, but it's getting closer.I don't think NZ were on their best form either, so that's slightly worrying. They made quite a few mistakes at crucial times, not to mention kick away all their posetion in the first half.

Now for Wales, things just aren't quite klicking in the backline, and we got murdered at the breakdown (surprise, surprise). Every fan saw that coming with Powell on the pitch. Martyn Williams cannpt deal with the power NZ employ in that area on his own. He had a poor game by his standards, but he can't be expected to do it all himself against 3-4 NZ players. Out of intrest, what did people think of the breakdown area? I thought NZ were getting away with going over the top in almost every ruck, not hugely complaining, but interested to know if it was my biased eyes?

My player ratings:

01 Gethin Jenkins 9/10. Fantastic game again. Some of his cover tackling was simply unbelievable for a prop. Had no problems in the scrum either.
02 Mathew Rees 7/10. Good linout time, not as prominent in the loose as usual.
03 Paul James 5/10. Not as bad as I was fearing at the scrum, but the scrums were a mess! Missed Adam Jones' workrate in the loose.
04 Alun-Wyn Jones 8/10. Great under the kick-off. Good at the linout. Very god game from him.
05 Luke Charteris 6/10. Not as prominent as I'd hoped. Didn't get up in the linout on NZ throw. Not enough aggression from the big man.
06 Andy Powell 2/10. Waste of space as everyone knew he would be. Did nothing except hand over the ball all game. never start him again Gatland!
07 Martyn Williams 5/10. Outgunned at the breakdown. Couldn't become the link-man he's usually magnificent at.
08 Ryan Jones 6/10. Started off well, carrying as best he could. Faded badly in the second half.

09 Gareth Cooper 5/10. Few snipes early on. Passing was atrocious at time. Martyn Roberts improved things when he came on.
10 Stephen Jones 7/10. Did all he could. Some decent kicking all round, couldn't get into his stride.
11 Shane Williams 6/10. Not in the game much, didn't do anything when he got the ball.
12 Jamie Roberts 7/10. Again, did all he could. Hardly touched the ball, need to get him into the game more.
13 Tom Shanklin 5/10. Turned over posetion too often.
14 Leigh Halfpenny 6/10. Put under huge pressure in the first half, and did well initially. Isolated by NZ with some good kicking. Hard to fault him too much though.
15 James Hook 6/10. Decent fist half, some big clearance kicking. Went downhill in the second, when Carter targeted him with high balls. Not a natural fullback.

So imo, the two standout players for Wales were Gethin Jenkins and Alun-Wyn Jones.

I think Craif Mitchell should come in for Paul James. I don't see the point of Huw Bennett on the bench, he adds no impact whatsoever. That's where we need Ken Owens! I'd also start Bradley Davies instead of Charteris. He didn't dominate the linout, and Davies adds more dog imo. Dafydd Jones needs to come in at 6 to help Martyn Williams at the breakdown. He's also good for alot of tackling, and some decent carrying in the tight. Have Jonathan Thomas covering the bench.

In the backs. Peel needs to start a s/h, with Roberts as cover on the bench. I'd give Jonathan Davies a shot at 13, Shanks just doesn't do it for me at the moment. Him and Roberts are a terrible combination anyway! Leigh Halfpenny might make way for the more physical Tom James. Not sure what to do at fullback! Hook isn't good enough under the high ball, Stoddard is not better but adds a lack of tackling and a poor boot. Daniel Evans would be the best bet, but he's not in the squad! Suppose were gonna have to continue with Hook.

Think we may be good enough to win the other 3 matches. Aus didn't look great against England imo.

 

[feicarsinn]

God watching this one I realised how much I love Stephen Jones. Just doesn't put a foot wrong. One of the top, top outhalfs in the world.

 

[Bluemoon]

Great appraisal of the game Dullonien.

Maybe a little harsh on Martyn - we know he cant match them for power. I think this became more obvious because the lack of impact from Powell and Charteris thus not getting alot in attack.

As Ive said befofre, D. Jones must start at 6. Bradley Davies is the next Gough for me. He's a big lad who will through his weight around, has great stamina and has really come along in the lineout. All Charteris has is height and has been otherwise average on the international stage thus far.

 

[Charles]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dullonien @ Nov 8 2009, 01:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Out of intrest, what did people think of the breakdown area? I thought NZ were getting away with going over the top in almost every ruck, not hugely complaining, but interested to know if it was my biased eyes?[/b]

No it's not your biased eyes. NZ infringe at almost every ruck. Watch a Canterbury/Crusaders game and you'll see where they get it from...

 

[dullonien]

That's the problem with martyn Williams though. If he's getting out muscled, he doesn't feature in the game. Yesterday, Wales would have been better off with Warberton and Dafydd Jones playing at 6 and 7. Both offer much more physicality, and maybe then we'd have kept hold of our ball more often.

I'm not saying Martyn Williams isn't a good player, he's one of the best 7's in the world. But in games like yesterdays, he becomes a bit of a luxury Wales can't afford. Dafydd Jones has been playing superbly for the Scarlets, and really offers that physical openside play Martyn can't. I think against both NZ and SA we should leave Martyn Williams on the bench and play Dafydd Jones, or Warberton if he keeps improving!