Welsh Forwards

[Olliekooga]

Just watched highlights from Sunday (There were a few) and noticed a couple of things. Most notably Mike Phillips having to go digging for the ball at the base of a lot of rucks.

A few times he had to dig the ball out from the wrong side (Scotland side) of a Welsh forward.

I'm not Phillips biggest fan in fact he is quite frustrating as with some fairly simple changes he could be very good but felt the Welsh piano pushers could have got past the ball a bit for him and made his life a little easier.

Is this because of the injury crisis in the welsh pack at the moment or has this been happening for a while?

Or am I imagining the whole thing?

Thoughts Please
Ollie

 

[ThatFellowEdwards]

I think it's a testament to how good Ireland were at the breakdown, Ferris and O'Connell et al.

Phillips has always taken too long to pass the ball in my opinion. He's a cracking player but that extra step looks criminal every time he does it.

 

[Toby Faletau-Jones]

Lol mate, it's called illegal hands in the ruck. Everyteam does it. Forwards can clear out all day, but there is always going to be that person on the floor placing a hand trying to disrupt the ball.

 

[ThatFellowEdwards]

Yup, those Paddys are old heads!

 

[welshglory]

It seems to be a welsh trait from the forwards as well. Maybe its just the way we play but our forwards seem to carry the ball a lot by themselves without support. I think its so we get momentum and pace into play. But it also means that if support doesn't arrive to clear out the rucks we lose the ball or the scrum half struggles to get it out quickly. It seems to be the welsh style even at regional level. You watch the English or Irish forwards and they always carry in pods and with players attached to each other around the fringes.

 

[Peat]

Welsh forwards often seem a little slow clearing under Gatland but against Ireland, I'll put it down to Barnes' reffing of the breakdown.

 

[ThatFellowEdwards]

I thought Old Barnsey QC had a good game. He was virtually anonymous, which is always a good sign. I think he was right to send Ferris to the bin.

The only contentious issue was the Bradley Davies yellow card, but that was the fault of his mate on the line, as as he didn't actually see it. The touch-judge should have told him it was a clear red, which we all know it was.