South Africa tour

[Buggaluggs]

YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!

ha ha ha ha you fucking beauties!

[normanski]

That was a magnificent last five minutes and after last week’s disappointing loss it salves the pain somewhat.

[Wallpaperman]

What a kick Anscombe, what a win !!

[Buggaluggs]

RSA are going to really need an exceptional performance from the ref to win the series next week.

[Wallpaperman]

RSA are going to really need an exceptional performance from the ref to win the series next week.

Best chance of a win at sea level, too

[Wallpaperman]

RSA are going to really need an exceptional performance from the ref to win the series next week.

Best chance of a win at sea level, too

Fair play to Gardner at the end for awarding the penalty to Wales prior to the try and not giving a penalty when the scrum went down on 80. Not sure if the bloke last week would have done the same.

[Buggaluggs]

True. But AWJ yellow was a farce

[Son of Mathonwy]

Oh my god, that was something else.

[Son of Mathonwy]

How did we get through the last five minutes? How did we score? How did Anscombe nail that one? How did we not give away a penalty in the last 5 seconds???

[Son of Mathonwy]

True. But AWJ yellow was a farce

Definitely. Shame the TMO didn't have the balls to tell the ref he'd got it totally wrong.

Luckily we weren't punished too much . . . but then what might have happened if we hadn't been down a man for 10 minutes? Luckily it doesn't matter now.

[Buggaluggs]

We won because we weren't ahead with 4 mins left. The planets re-aligned. We were lucky, for sure. But we've had our fair share of shit luck with 5 to go. I'll take it. Our back row is monstrous. That's how we won. Dan Lydiate you crazy MoFo. I am literally giddy.

[Son of Mathonwy]

We won because we weren't ahead with 4 mins left. The planets re-aligned. We were lucky, for sure. But we've had our fair share of shit luck with 5 to go. I'll take it. Our back row is monstrous. That's how we won. Dan Lydiate you crazy MoFo. I am literally giddy.

Also, our lineout had been so bad that they couldn't believe it would work when we really needed it (I certainly didn't).

[Son of Mathonwy]

Anyway, nice of the Boks to change most of their team. I imagine just a few of the first test side will make a reappearance next week.

[Buggaluggs]

Yeah. But they are kind of fucked for next week. Go back to the originals, and let this lot know they're surplus, or stick with this lot and hope for the best. Win or lose, they haven't helped their resources.

[normanski]

Hopefully there will be a lot of finger pointing and recriminations in the SA camp this. They know they were lucky last week because of a spineless ‘homer’ ref. We need chaos to reign next week and our backs to wreak havoc. Although they have the edge in the forwards we are starting to hold our own and if we can get close to 50/50 parity this could be a memorable tour for Wales.

[francoisfou]

Great result! So pleased for you! Your team did exactly what was necessary when the Bok coach (can’t remember his name and don’t feckin’care!) decided to make wholesale changes and it came back and bit him on the balls

[Sandydragon]

Somehow we lost last week, this week we somehow won. It’s not easy being a supporter of welsh rugby but I’ll take a win any day over another gallant loss. And what a monkey to get off our backs (just need to beat the all blacks now).

Massive performance from the back row. Can Lydiate stay fit until the RWC? Because that backrow is nice, very balanced. Tipuric return brings something else but the current combination is nice. Lydiate gives us a great defensive baseline against the likes of Ireland, Bokke, France and others who like to try and steamroller you. And Navidi is a very good replacement to bring on.

And well done Wainwright!

[Son of Mathonwy]

18 tackles, none missed. Classic Lydiate. Not sure he's perfect if we plan to run the ball, but with a defensive strategy he's the man.

Now we just need to put in last week's first half performance and this week's second half.

Hate to think how the Boks and their coach are being destroyed in the SA press right now*.

* edit - actually I'm totally wrong there according to WOL. It was all an experiment apparently. Guess we'll just have to beat them again.

[Spiffy]

As captain, is Biggar undropable as long as he is fit ?

[francoisfou]

As captain, is Biggar undropable as long as he is fit ?

The Farrell of Wales?

[Son of Mathonwy]

As captain, is Biggar undropable as long as he is fit ?

That's the impression I get. Personally I'd like Anscombe to get a look in.

[Wallpaperman]

As captain, is Biggar undropable as long as he is fit ?

That's the impression I get. Personally I'd like Anscombe to get a look in.

Anscombe starting and Biggar finishing looked the way forward before Anscombe’s injury, but I think that would need a change of captain. Regardless of the last test, this has been a very good tour, especially after the Italy result.
The
Not sure what has happened to Dillon Lewis, he has put a great shift in in both tests.

Reffell is definitely a test player, will be interesting to see how he goes when Wales try to play a more expansive game.

What a bonus Lydiate’s form is - he is made of granite.

[normanski]

As captain, is Biggar undropable as long as he is fit ?

That's the impression I get. Personally I'd like Anscombe to get a look in.

Anscombe starting and Biggar finishing looked the way forward before Anscombe’s injury, but I think that would need a change of captain. Regardless of the last test, this has been a very good tour, especially after the Italy result.
The
Not sure what has happened to Dillon Lewis, he has put a great shift in in both tests.

Reffell is definitely a test player, will be interesting to see how he goes when Wales try to play a more expansive game.

What a bonus Lydiate’s form is - he is made of granite.

Lewis looked the part at 2019 RWC but seemed to have gone backwards over the last few years. It was great to see him standing up to the Bok onslaught and holding his own in both games. It gave a lot of confidence to the backs, especially in the first test, so they could play the more expansive Pivac game. I hope the medics can perform a miracle and get him fit for Saturday.

Lydiate’s tackling has been exceptional and that’s something we’ve missed over the last two years.

When you hit rock bottom as we did after Italy, the only way is up. This tour bodes well for the future.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Wales team: Liam Williams; Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Kieran Hardy; Gareth Thomas, Ryan Elias, Dillon Lewis, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Dan Lydiate, Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Dewi Lake, Wyn Jones, Sam Wainwright, Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi, Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Owen Watkin

Just the one change for Cuthbert. How long will Biggar and Lewis last?

[UKHamlet]

Wales team: Liam Williams; Louis Rees-Zammit, George North, Nick Tompkins, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar, Kieran Hardy; Gareth Thomas, Ryan Elias, Dillon Lewis, Will Rowlands, Adam Beard, Dan Lydiate, Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Dewi Lake, Wyn Jones, Sam Wainwright, Alun Wyn Jones, Josh Navidi, Tomos Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Owen Watkin

Just the one change for Cuthbert. How long will Biggar and Lewis last?

Biggar is definitely a mistake. Fit he plays every time given the form he's in, but he looked well out of sorts just before he went off and it didn't look like the kind of injury that you come back from in a week. Having said that, I would play Dan Lydiate if he only had one working leg.

I don't know about Lewis. How badly was he injured?