Team for Wales

[Scrumhead]

We were good for about 30 minutes in total. For the rest, we were average to poor.

On balance, I’m actually quite pleased. I thought we were better today than in Cardiff last year, but possibly as a result of the 6 day turnaround, we looked too tired to really put the hammer down.

Eddie seems to have felt it was too much of a risk to sub Mako until right at the death even though he was walking around the pitch for the best part of 10 minutes before he eventually went off. It’s a shame becasue I think Hepburn is good enough to hold his own.

It will definitely be a bonus to have Marler back and let’s hope the injuries for Watson and Simmonds aren’t anything serious (didn’t seem to be?).

[p/d]

Hughes benches for Wasps tomorrow, next week is anrest week for the 6N.
Assuming he doesn't relapse, he'll be good to go. 6.Robshaw, 7.Simmonds/Underhill, 8.Hughes

I'm not a Robshaw fan but there was one clear example today of him doing the classic flankers job of cleaning up shit ball.
He did ok today.

He's an excellent blindside, and fair play did a good job at the base today- he has played 8 quite a bit before in fairness.

He is indeed. The work rate and ability to read a game is first class. An extra yard of pace and he would be world class. As England stand he is undroppable

Thought Launch right on the money today whilst his second row partner meh. Time for Jones to pick a backrow made up of back row players and move Lawes back where he should be.

Behind the pack moments of good. Clear signs of ambition .........and then there is our kicking
Once again huge gripe on how the laws protect the 9

[Banquo]

I'm not a Robshaw fan but there was one clear example today of him doing the classic flankers job of cleaning up shit ball.
He did ok today.

He's an excellent blindside, and fair play did a good job at the base today- he has played 8 quite a bit before in fairness.

He is indeed. The work rate and ability to read a game is first class. An extra yard of pace and he would be world class. As England stand he is undroppable

Thought Launch right on the money today whilst his second row partner meh. Time for Jones to pick a backrow made up of back row players and move Lawes back where he should be.

Behind the pack moments of good. Clear signs of ambition .........and then there is our kicking
Once again huge gripe on how the laws protect the 9

Not sure why Itoje is getting stick tbh- his scrummaging remains strong, he ran the lineout pretty well, he carried a lot and better than for a while, my only disappointment was a few missed tackles (and he wasn't alone there Courtney missed a shocker to let Shingler through); also signs he was winding his neck in. Totally agree that Lawes isn't a 6 though.

Kicking was ridiculous-though maybe it was a lot more difficult than it looked- we kicked away far too much good attacking ball. Ford put in some ex cellent touch finders, but the cute dinks were just free ball; Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

[Mellsblue]

Whoops:

[Mellsblue]

Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

Great execution but I’d give May the credit for the inspiration. Faz is only looking to pass until he’s sees May having a fit pointing at the gap.

Backrow of Robshaw, Simmonds, Billy would change this team by a very large %.

[Banquo]

Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

Great execution but I’d give May the credit for the inspiration. Faz is only looking to pass until he’s sees May having a fit pointing at the gap.

Backrow of Robshaw, Simmonds, Billy would change this team by a very large %.

and Daly......though Brown was the man for today, no denying it.

[p/d]

He's an excellent blindside, and fair play did a good job at the base today- he has played 8 quite a bit before in fairness.

He is indeed. The work rate and ability to read a game is first class. An extra yard of pace and he would be world class. As England stand he is undroppable

Thought Launch right on the money today whilst his second row partner meh. Time for Jones to pick a backrow made up of back row players and move Lawes back where he should be.

Behind the pack moments of good. Clear signs of ambition .........and then there is our kicking
Once again huge gripe on how the laws protect the 9

Not sure why Itoje is getting stick tbh- his scrummaging remains strong, he ran the lineout pretty well, he carried a lot and better than for a while, my only disappointment was a few missed tackles (and he wasn't alone there Courtney missed a shocker to let Shingler through); also signs he was winding his neck in. Totally agree that Lawes isn't a 6 though.

Kicking was ridiculous-though maybe it was a lot more difficult than it looked- we kicked away far too much good attacking ball. Ford put in some ex cellent touch finders, but the cute dinks were just free ball; Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

Probably being tough on Itoje, and probably clouded by expectation rather than reality.

To be fair, and without bias, Ford did put in a beaut of a touch finder but matched that with a brace of in field kicks that resulted in us losing ground. I assume we have that much faith in our defence that we can get away with it.

Lawes carried well today - apart from having the ball ripped away - yet not convinced we don't need a genuine 7, and unfair on Robshaw to be expected to fulfil that role

[p/d]

Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

Great execution but I’d give May the credit for the inspiration. Faz is only looking to pass until he’s sees May having a fit pointing at the gap.

Backrow of Robshaw, Simmonds, Billy would change this team by a very large %.

and Daly......though Brown was the man for today, no denying it.

I love the idea of that backrow

A shame Daly has been out, that said would Jones have started Watson at 15. I would have, but not sure the glove wearing cold fearing Eddie would have.

[Banquo]

He is indeed. The work rate and ability to read a game is first class. An extra yard of pace and he would be world class. As England stand he is undroppable

Thought Launch right on the money today whilst his second row partner meh. Time for Jones to pick a backrow made up of back row players and move Lawes back where he should be.

Behind the pack moments of good. Clear signs of ambition .........and then there is our kicking
Once again huge gripe on how the laws protect the 9

Not sure why Itoje is getting stick tbh- his scrummaging remains strong, he ran the lineout pretty well, he carried a lot and better than for a while, my only disappointment was a few missed tackles (and he wasn't alone there Courtney missed a shocker to let Shingler through); also signs he was winding his neck in. Totally agree that Lawes isn't a 6 though.

Kicking was ridiculous-though maybe it was a lot more difficult than it looked- we kicked away far too much good attacking ball. Ford put in some ex cellent touch finders, but the cute dinks were just free ball; Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

Probably being tough on Itoje, and probably clouded by expectation rather than reality.

To be fair, and without bias, Ford did put in a beaut of a touch finder but matched that with a brace of in field kicks that resulted in us losing ground. I assume we have that much faith in our defence that we can get away with it.

Lawes carried well today - apart from having the ball ripped away - yet not convinced we don't need a genuine 7, and unfair on Robshaw to be expected to fulfil that role

The kicking is definitely deliberate, we are playing territory and pressure defence.....its just massively overdone, and a tad dangerous, as we saw last week.

We need an authentic, and balanced back row. Robshaw, Simmonds(I think he can be a 7, but needs to play there), Billy would work.....you need to make sure we have some gas in the front 5 ideally.

Scrum half position ....lol. Care was throwing some odd passes as he tired.

Edit- although we overdid the kicking, we did win more than usual out of it.

[p/d]

Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

Great execution but I’d give May the credit for the inspiration. Faz is only looking to pass until he’s sees May having a fit pointing at the gap.

Backrow of Robshaw, Simmonds, Billy would change this team by a very large %.

You are wrong. Faz was the visionary ......SCW said so.

[Banquo]

Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

Great execution but I’d give May the credit for the inspiration. Faz is only looking to pass until he’s sees May having a fit pointing at the gap.

Backrow of Robshaw, Simmonds, Billy would change this team by a very large %.

You are wrong. Faz was the visionary ......SCW said so.

was SCW seen wiping his pants surreptitiously around that time?

[p/d]

Great execution but I’d give May the credit for the inspiration. Faz is only looking to pass until he’s sees May having a fit pointing at the gap.

Backrow of Robshaw, Simmonds, Billy would change this team by a very large %.

You are wrong. Faz was the visionary ......SCW said so.

was SCW seen wiping his pants surreptitiously around that time?

Wiping his pants whilst telling those prepared to listen that the Underhill tackle was very reminiscent of what he instilled in his World Cup winning squad of 2003

[Which Tyler]

MVuniploa
Hartley
Williams
Lawes
Launchbury
Robshaw
Simmonds (Underhill if injured)
Hughes (if he comes through tomorrow and next weekend unscathed)

Care
Ford
May
Farrell
Joseph
Nowell
Watson

George, Marler, Cole/Sinckler, Itoje, Underhill/Mercer
Vellacott, Te'o, Brown

Harsh on Brown, but hey. Surely it's not going to be cold, wet or windy I'm Scotland this February... Erm... Okay, maybe swap Nowell out...

[p/d]

Who has upset Digby?

[WaspInWales]

The missus has just read a comment on Facebook saying what a dreadful human being Mike Brown is.

Besides playing for the side that just beat Wales, did he do anything naughty/controversial during the match?

[Mellsblue]

I can only assume the local off licence has run out of advocaat and he's having a sulk. Either that, or he's doing his minute by minute (mental) breakdown of the match to post in one hit.

[Banquo]

Who has upset Digby?

comatose on snowballs and sherry

[Which Tyler]

The missus has just read a comment on Facebook saying what a dreadful human being Mike Brown is.

Besides playing for the side that just beat Wales, did he do anything naughty/controversial during the match?

He had the temerity to laugh and want the ball after Underhill prevented Williams from scoring.
Wales Online is very unhappy with him, and stirring up drunk Welshmen to take to Twitter.

ETA, here you go: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... m-14273584

[Banquo]

The missus has just read a comment on Facebook saying what a dreadful human being Mike Brown is.

Besides playing for the side that just beat Wales, did he do anything naughty/controversial during the match?

He had the temerity to laugh and want the ball after Underhill prevented Williams from scoring.
Wales Online is very unhappy with him, and stirring up Welsh fans everywhere

I had to laugh at Williams, for all that it was great tackle by Underhill, he butchered that.

[Which Tyler]

The missus has just read a comment on Facebook saying what a dreadful human being Mike Brown is.

Besides playing for the side that just beat Wales, did he do anything naughty/controversial during the match?

He had the temerity to laugh and want the ball after Underhill prevented Williams from scoring.
Wales Online is very unhappy with him, and stirring up Welsh fans everywhere

I had to laugh at Williams, for all that it was great tackle by Underhill, he butchered that.

I just want a gif running from the shot with 4 Welshmen and Mike brown, through to Williams colliding with the post, trapped on his back like a tortoise

[WaspInWales]

The missus has just read a comment on Facebook saying what a dreadful human being Mike Brown is.

Besides playing for the side that just beat Wales, did he do anything naughty/controversial during the match?

He had the temerity to laugh and want the ball after Underhill prevented Williams from scoring.
Wales Online is very unhappy with him, and stirring up drunk Welshmen to take to Twitter.

ETA, here you go: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rug ... m-14273584

Fooking hell.

That is the very definition of a 'nothing burger' (that's a new phrase I've learnt since starting to follow US politics).

There was absolutely nothing wrong with what Brown did imo.

It wasn't that long ago when Scrum V and Welsh viewers went out of their way to ridicule Brown for being miserable in an interview after Wales beat England.

[p/d]

Who has upset Digby?

comatose on snowballs and sherry

The old rascal!

[Timbo]

For those who haven’t done so already, take a look at the full clip of the Scott Williams/Sam Underhill non try. See Underhills tracking back, it’s brilliant. When Shingler makes the half break and offloads Underhill is on the floor.

[Puja]

Interesting stats....we conceded 10 pens to Wales extraordinary 2; we had 85% tackle count to Wales 91%. Great defence from Wales, although we were a tad inaccurate and kicky.

For all Faz did well, he also missed a huge number of tackles.

I thought that penalty count showed a terrible game by Garces - if we spent a second or two on the wrong side of a ruck then it was a penalty for slowing down the ball, which is fair enough in of itself, but the Welsh seemed to get 5 seconds of colour commentary advising them to "Release! Roll away! Release red!" and then when Care complained, he got a "The ball is there!" like it hadn't just been slowed down by Alun Wyn clinging onto it for dear life.

Fair enough the Welsh moaning about the TMO, but a couple of penalties actually being given rather than talked away by the ref and the complexion of the game is very different indeed.

Puja

[switchskier]

He's an excellent blindside, and fair play did a good job at the base today- he has played 8 quite a bit before in fairness.

He is indeed. The work rate and ability to read a game is first class. An extra yard of pace and he would be world class. As England stand he is undroppable

Thought Launch right on the money today whilst his second row partner meh. Time for Jones to pick a backrow made up of back row players and move Lawes back where he should be.

Behind the pack moments of good. Clear signs of ambition .........and then there is our kicking
Once again huge gripe on how the laws protect the 9

Not sure why Itoje is getting stick tbh- his scrummaging remains strong, he ran the lineout pretty well, he carried a lot and better than for a while, my only disappointment was a few missed tackles (and he wasn't alone there Courtney missed a shocker to let Shingler through); also signs he was winding his neck in. Totally agree that Lawes isn't a 6 though.

Kicking was ridiculous-though maybe it was a lot more difficult than it looked- we kicked away far too much good attacking ball. Ford put in some ex cellent touch finders, but the cute dinks were just free ball; Faz's kick for the 1st try was inspired, but the rest was mostly meh.

Ijote is starting to get a bit of the McCaw feel for me. No matter how many times he's there resting his elbows on the ground or lying on the wrong side of the ball he never seems to get pinged for it. Bloody irritating unless he's on your side but I suspect buys him a lot off credit with coaches.