Welsh squad under Gatland

[Welsh Exile]

WOL reporting Adams looking like he could be off to France at the end of the season ruling him out of the WC along with Rowlands. I expect something will eventually be done with the 60 cap rule but I wish they'd pull their finger out.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Worst fears almost confirmed by Gatland. Lake out of the 6N with Baldwin likely to called up. Gutted.

 

[Welsh Exile]

The plus side is that we'll get to have a good look at Roberts who I rate.

 

[dullonien]

That's a blow. Was hoping we'd see Lake develop into our first choice hooker by the WC. His carrying is really needed imo.

I rate Roberts as well, so it will be good to see him getting gametime. I have a slight worry that his size impacts the scrum though with both Dragons and Wales struggling in that aspect when he's been hooker.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Yeah agree. Will see how it goes. Do you know how Liam Williams is? I didn't watch the Cardiff game on the weekend but noticed he was subbed off after 20mins or so and replaced by Jarrod Evans. We don't need Williams being out as well as that'll mean Halfpenny starting. I love Halfpenny but got big reservations about him being our first choice 15.

 

[dullonien]

Yeah agree. Will see how it goes. Do you know how Liam Williams is? I didn't watch the Cardiff game on the weekend but noticed he was subbed off after 20mins or so and replaced by Jarrod Evans. We don't need Williams being out as well as that'll mean Halfpenny starting. I love Halfpenny but got big reservations about him being our first choice 15.

Liam Williams went off for an HIA after 20min, but returned to the field and finished the game I believe. I was only following score updates online, so didn't see it either.

 

[AWJ5GOAT]

Fellow Ospreys player Scott Baldwin has been called up and will be Lake's replacement!

 

[Welsh Exile]

Wtf is going on with Roberts. I'm not saying he's the solution to all our problems but line out is a joke and Roberts has been demoted to essentially 4th choice even though he was selected over Baldwin.

We've got to at least consider playing Tshiunza the second row as well though I'd be happy enough with him at 6 as long as Rhys Davies has a crack alongside Jenkins.

Against England I'd like to see

Carre, Roberts, Brown, Jenkins, Davies, Tshiunza, Morgan, Faletau, Williams, Patchell, Adams, Kieran Williams, Grady, LRZ, Williams

Both Liam and Tomos Williams can consider themselves lucky but lack of options in those potions in my opinion thiugj I wouldn't at all be against LRZ at 15 and keep Dyer

 

[dullonien]

Jamie Roberts pointed this out on Scrum V earlier, and it's something I was thinking about yesterday, the massive issue facing Gatland (and faced Pivac beforehand) is the complete dearth of 50-60 cap players that are mainstay, leaders in the side. Off the top of my head I can come up with a sizeable list of players who maybe should be the core of the side by now:

Nicky Smith - took a while to hone his craft at scrum time, but should be involved now he has.
Ryan Elias - has never ironed out his issues throwing in
Elliot Dee - another hooker with a lot of promise who's failed to kick on.
Samson Lee - injuries has ruined his career.
Cory Hill - moved away in his prime
Seb Davies - struggled for consistency
Adam Beard - doesn't cut it

Tomos Williams - in the side, but isn't playing as well as he's capable of
Jarrod Evans - never been trusted
Patchell - struggled with injuries
Sam Davies - looked the real deal, then fell of a cliff!
Owen Watkin - never kicked on as was hoped
Hallam Amos - retired in his prime
Owen Lane - promised much,

There's probably more, players like Matthew Morgan and Jordan Williams had all thr talent, others like Rory Thornton and Max Williams who excelled at under 20 level struggled to make the step up. Other hyped players like Olly Griffiths more recently have struggled with injuries. Feels like I'm forgetting many too.

I know this isn't unique to Welsh rugby, there's always players who fail to live up to their promise, or struggle with injury, but there's almost an entire missing generation (or half generation) of players.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Ross Moriarty is the obvious one I think of. 50 odd caps which is impressive but always been in and out of squads. We could do with him against England to be honest.

 

[dullonien]

A few more that's come to me.

Thomas Young - fell foul of the 60 cap rule.
Scott Williams - injuries
James Davies - forced to reture
Steff Evans - regressed after a strong couple of seasons
Eli Walker - had all the potential to be a top international winger, but forced to retire before he even got going
Dan Baker - horror injury all but ended his professional career
Keelan Giles - he was on the cusp of breaking into the welsh side before his own horror iniury. Still has time to make it, but years of his carrer have been wiped out.
Ashley Beck - another plagued by injuries

 

[Welsh Exile]

With all this talk about Hawkins eventually being a 10 I say give him 3 games there now and start Kieran Williams at 12 with Grady at 13.

 

[dullonien]

With all this talk about Hawkins eventually being a 10 I say give him 3 games there now and start Kieran Williams at 12 with Grady at 13.

I'm not sure why we'd want to move him to 10. He's almost the perfect 12, big enough to handle the physical side of things, but with a distribution and kicking game that we've lacked in that position since the days of Henson. One of the worst things that happened with Henson was the constant switching between 10 and 12, with Henson himself a little obsessed with the romanticism of being a Welsh fly-half. We don't want a repeat of that with Hawkins.

If we want a young 10 then there's Costellow, or Jarrod Evans who's a little older.

I know there's Kieran Williams waiting for a shot at 12 too (and maybe Llewellyn in the future), but I only see that as a good thing. We need options and competition in every position.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Iwan Jenkins, the Chiefs 10, this weekend looked really good - we didn't put him under much pressure but at only 19 he looks he's got a good future ahead of him

 

[Welsh Exile]

Iwan Jenkins, the Chiefs 10, this weekend looked really good - we didn't put him under much pressure but at only 19 he looks he's got a good future ahead of him

Wasn't there some other Welsh winger playing who scored a try. He was at Wasps but recently moved to Exeter I believe. Think he's only 20 or something.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I'm not sure why we'd want to move him to 10. He's almost the perfect 12, big enough to handle the physical side of things, but with a distribution and kicking game that we've lacked in that position since the days of Henson. One of the worst things that happened with Henson was the constant switching between 10 and 12, with Henson himself a little obsessed with the romanticism of being a Welsh fly-half. We don't want a repeat of that with Hawkins.

If we want a young 10 then there's Costellow, or Jarrod Evans who's a little older.

I know there's Kieran Williams waiting for a shot at 12 too (and maybe Llewellyn in the future), but I only see that as a good thing. We need options and competition in every position.

Yeah I was more thinking of getting Kieran Williams on the pitch. Plus Neil Jenkins and Gatland have both mentioned him ending up there so guck it why not. The 6N is gone.

You know me though. I would've had Evans starting for us months ago.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ah I didn't realise he was Welsh, they said he'd transferred from Aston to Exeter Uni for his medical degree so presumed he was from Birmingham - yeah he was very very good, like "cap him quick before someone else does" levels of good

 

[Scotty]

Wasn't there some other Welsh winger playing who scored a try. He was at Wasps but recently moved to Exeter I believe. Think he's only 20 or something.

Fayi-Waboso? Didnt know he was Welsh either.

So of promising young Chiefs you have Daf Jenkins, Tshiunza, Iwan Jenkins and Waboso. God Gatland needs to change his law about players not playing in Wales.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Yeah that's the guy. If I recall correctly he couldn't get a place at Cardiff uni so moved to England. I'm sure they're keeping tabs on him.

There's another winger who's name escapes me who just switched from league and has been signed up by Racing or some other French club but he got a pretty bad injury before starting his Union career in France. Ideally I want to see some young Welsh props tearing it up as that's what we need the most.

 

[dullonien]

Yeah that's the guy. If I recall correctly he couldn't get a place at Cardiff uni so moved to England. I'm sure they're keeping tabs on him.

There's another winger who's name escapes me who just switched from league and has been signed up by Racing or some other French club but he got a pretty bad injury before starting his Union career in France. Ideally I want to see some young Welsh props tearing it up as that's what we need the most.

Regan Grace. Such a shame he got injured after deciding to switch to union. I would have backed him to make the WC squad if he'd been fit all season. He's such a talent!