Team news for Wales

[Banquo]

Mako out. Biggar fit for the welsh.

better safe than sorry with Mako I suppose.

[Timbo]

Mako out. Biggar fit for the welsh.

better safe than sorry with Mako I suppose.

Mako self isolating in case of Coronavirus apparently

This has been quite a strange 6 nations. Doesn’t even feel like a big test week with a Wales game at the end of it to me.

[Banquo]

Mako out. Biggar fit for the welsh.

better safe than sorry with Mako I suppose.

Mako self isolating in case of Coronavirus apparently

This has been quite a strange 6 nations. Doesn’t even feel like a big test week with a Wales game at the end of it to me.

Yes indeed. It seems a little cautious.....but if he should happen to have the virus, then the impact would be pretty significant, obviously.

[Buggaluggs]

As long as Biggar can demonstrate that he can still angrily flap his arms around, he should be available - which is a big boost for us.

[fivepointer]

squad trimmed to 27 -
Forwards

Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby)
Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers)
Jamie George (Saracens)
Maro Itoje (Saracens)
George Kruis (Saracens)
Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints)
Lewis Ludlam (Northampton Saints)
Joe Marler (Harlequins)
Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
Will Stuart (Bath Rugby)
Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby)
Mark Wilson (Sale Sharks)

Backs
Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Owen Farrell (Saracens)
George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
George Furbank (Northampton Saints)
Willi Heinz (Gloucester Rugby)
Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby)
Jonny May (Leicester Tigers)
Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers)
Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby)
Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)

4 to miss out on the matchday squad. In a sane world it would be 2 locks, a back rower and one of the outside backs.

[Puja]

Looks like all those saying that Stuart was just sent back for game time last week were completely correct. Chapeau.

Puja

[ad_tigger]

Is there anyone here who wouldn’t pick Wilson at eight for this?

[Danno]

Is there anyone here who wouldn’t pick Wilson at eight for this?

Jones, E.

[Digby]

Is there anyone here who wouldn’t pick Wilson at eight for this?

Probably me, but only with a view to future development, and especially with the Slam already gone

[Oakboy]

Is there anyone here who wouldn’t pick Wilson at eight for this?

Probably me, but only with a view to future development, and especially with the Slam already gone

You would not pick Wilson at 8 from the squad retained?

[Stom]

Articles about Tuilagi and Slade. Perhaps we’ll see a Farrell, Tuilagi, Slade midfield.

[Scrumhead]

Is there anyone here who wouldn’t pick Wilson at eight for this?

Probably me, but only with a view to future development, and especially with the Slam already gone

Maybe if Mercer, Dombrandt or Simmonds we’re picked but I’m not sure continuing with Curry at 8 is that valuable for the team or Curry’s development. He’s been OK, but he’d be much better on the flank.

[Mikey Brown]

I’ve also wondered how Curry feels about playing 8 regarding his Lions ambitions. There’s no way he goes as an 8. Underhill, Van der Flier, Watson are all playing well and all the Welsh options are Welsh.

It surely won’t extend beyond Vunipola’s return anyway.

I imagine we’ll see Wilson in the 6 shirt but ready to do a switcheroo if things go wrong at the scrum.

[Banquo]

Mako training with Sarries and available for selection. Odd.

[Digby]

Is there anyone here who wouldn’t pick Wilson at eight for this?

Probably me, but only with a view to future development, and especially with the Slam already gone

You would not pick Wilson at 8 from the squad retained?

If I just wanted to win this game yes, looking to the World Cup and noting you want players giving as many options as possible then no. Curry has been given a chance to start something, and I'd let him carry on that process - although as we see with Earl, Lawes and Ludlam doing okay and even well is no guarantee of a role at the moment

[Digby]

Mako training with Sarries and available for selection. Odd.

Put that together with England's statement and I'd be assuming Mako is taking part in training whilst wearing a Zorb ball

[Puja]

Mako training with Sarries and available for selection. Odd.

That is odd. If he's at risk of Covid-19, then that's just irresponsible.

Puja

[Scrumhead]

Well he’s away from Owen ‘the living god’ Farrell so it’s OK

[Scrumhead]

I’ve also wondered how Curry feels about playing 8 regarding his Lions ambitions. There’s no way he goes as an 8. Underhill, Van der Flier, Watson are all playing well and all the Welsh options are Welsh.

It surely won’t extend beyond Vunipola’s return anyway.

I imagine we’ll see Wilson in the 6 shirt but ready to do a switcheroo if things go wrong at the scrum.

Good point. That said, after Gatland finished with Wales and was asked about which players he was excited about working with for the Lions, he name-checked both Curry and Underhill.

Also, it’s not as though he’s playing 8 for Sale so he won’t be out of practice playing at 7.

[jngf]

Is there anyone here who wouldn’t pick Wilson at eight for this?

There’s a case to be made for giving Ludlum a start there

[jngf]

Is there anyone here who wouldn’t pick Wilson at eight for this?

Probably me, but only with a view to future development, and especially with the Slam already gone

Maybe if Mercer, Dombrandt or Simmonds we’re picked but I’m not sure continuing with Curry at 8 is that valuable for the team or Curry’s development. He’s been OK, but he’d be much better on the flank.

Frankly he’s been absolute pants there...

[Mikey Brown]

I mean he clearly hasn't. He's looked dodgy at the back of the scrum and been knocked back in the tackle once or twice (not Nathan Hughes bad but not great) but he's still been a very useful player to have on the pitch. I agree it's not the best use of his talents to have him focussed so much on carrying, though he's had some good ones too.

I'd still agree he's not an 8, it's more that he's such a good player he's looked passable there.

[Oakboy]

I mean he clearly hasn't. He's looked dodgy at the back of the scrum and been knocked back in the tackle once or twice (not Nathan Hughes bad but not great) but he's still been a very useful player to have on the pitch. I agree it's not the best use of his talents to have him focussed so much on carrying, though he's had some good ones too.

I'd still agree he's not an 8, it's more that he's such a good player he's looked passable there.

Would you say he has looked as comfortable at 8 as Kvesic? I know club/country comparisons are daft. It's just that Kvesic's switch there for Exeter looked comfortable. Curry has never looked natural in the shirt and it is a waste of his talent at 6/7.

[Banquo]

I mean he clearly hasn't. He's looked dodgy at the back of the scrum and been knocked back in the tackle once or twice (not Nathan Hughes bad but not great) but he's still been a very useful player to have on the pitch. I agree it's not the best use of his talents to have him focussed so much on carrying, though he's had some good ones too.

I'd still agree he's not an 8, it's more that he's such a good player he's looked passable there.

Would you say he has looked as comfortable at 8 as Kvesic? I know club/country comparisons are daft. It's just that Kvesic's switch there for Exeter looked comfortable. Curry has never looked natural in the shirt and it is a waste of his talent at 6/7.

Kvesic played a lot as an 8 before Chiefs at Worcester. P/D will confirm .

Curry has looked iffy though improving at the base, but otherwise has played well.

[Banquo]

I mean he clearly hasn't. He's looked dodgy at the back of the scrum and been knocked back in the tackle once or twice (not Nathan Hughes bad but not great) but he's still been a very useful player to have on the pitch. I agree it's not the best use of his talents to have him focussed so much on carrying, though he's had some good ones too.

I'd still agree he's not an 8, it's more that he's such a good player he's looked passable there.

He's carried about the same as he has done throughout his England career from what I have seen. And totally agree.