Team news for Wales

[Oakboy]

I think this is quite mild. I was half expecting Ewels to start at 8, Slade at FB and only 1 back on the bench. We've got off lightly.....

That was my feeling too.

Have to say, I have always been a 6:2 forwards on the bench man.

Forwards usually are there's a good reason why its not standard though.

I always think it is an accident waiting to happen. People tell me you never allow for injuries with your selection structure but . . .

Also, maybe, there's an element of complacency with a back knowing there is nobody waiting to take his place. I like to think if any area is not performing, there is an alternative.

Add on a coach's reluctance to make early backs' changes and I think what a waste of Slade's talents.

I suppose a defence might be form/fitness of backs' alternatives. Might a fully fit and firing Coka get on the bench ahead of a lock? Or Nowell, come to that?

[jngf]

Welsh team is here,

1. Rob Evans
2. Ken Owens
3. Dillon Lewis
4. Jake Ball
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Capt, obviously...)
6. Ross Moriarty
7. Justin Tipuric
8. Josh Navidi
9. Tomos Williams
10. Dan Biggar
11. Liam Williams
12. Hadleigh Parkes
13. Nick Tompkins
14. George North
15. Leigh Halfpenny

Bench:
16. Ryan Elias
17. Rhys Carre
18. Leon Brown
19. Aaron Shingler
20. Taulupe Faletau
21. Rhys Webb
22. Jarrod Evans
23. Johnny McNicholl

Even with our interesting approach to team selection, I'm pretty confident. That Welsh team isn't especially strong - Williams just back from injury, North off form and only likely to play 13 minutes anyway, Adams missing, Tompkins looking dubious as an international player - and we should really be expecting to win this kind of game at home.

Lawes, Wilson, T Curry vs Moriarty, Tipuric, Navidi. I think Wales has the stronger back-row this weekend.

This is my major area of concern though. I can see Lawes getting embarrassed at 6.

Puja

There’s also the issue that we’re now fielding quite a slow back row. Obviously Lawes is one factor here but neither Curry nor Wilson are notably quick even if they were to be played at their optimum positions by a less pig headed selection policy...

[Digby]

It had never occurred to me that Curry isn't that quick. If Curry is on the slow side what's the benchmark for acceptable speed?

[Mr Mwenda]

Minimal changes bar injury-enforced ones after a decent performance. Perhaps unsurprising.

[Banquo]

Got to be a reasonable question mark over Biggar too, bad knee injury last week, so many HIAs he nearly comes under the same banner as North....

Does anyone have the numbers of victories to losses with Lawes at 6? Was trying to make a point to a mate, whose memory only seems to last one game.

It's around 50/50 with Lawes at 6, probably a bit worse for us than that actually, but Lawes at 6 at HQ probably swings it the other way. And I don't know if anyone is collating those figures, save maybe Juggler

so, like , won 4 lost 4 then?

[Digby]

Got to be a reasonable question mark over Biggar too, bad knee injury last week, so many HIAs he nearly comes under the same banner as North....

Does anyone have the numbers of victories to losses with Lawes at 6? Was trying to make a point to a mate, whose memory only seems to last one game.

It's around 50/50 with Lawes at 6, probably a bit worse for us than that actually, but Lawes at 6 at HQ probably swings it the other way. And I don't know if anyone is collating those figures, save maybe Juggler

so, like , won 4 lost 4 then?

Some say 4, some say 5, one says 6

[Banquo]

That was my feeling too.

Have to say, I have always been a 6:2 forwards on the bench man.

Forwards usually are there's a good reason why its not standard though.

I always think it is an accident waiting to happen. P/quote]

That's it. Not so much the rest

[Banquo]

It's around 50/50 with Lawes at 6, probably a bit worse for us than that actually, but Lawes at 6 at HQ probably swings it the other way. And I don't know if anyone is collating those figures, save maybe Juggler

so, like , won 4 lost 4 then?

Some say 4, some say 5, one says 6

quite straightforward on ESPN as a starting 6. Though I might have miscounted in truth and they aren't always right anyway.

[Stom]

It had never occurred to me that Curry isn't that quick. If Curry is on the slow side what's the benchmark for acceptable speed?

Well, indeed. I mean, if Curry is slow for a backrow, then which international backrow is quick? Kwagga Smith is quite quick, Hooper, too, though I'm not sure he's quicker than Curry. Simmonds is rapid for a backrow, Clifford too, Tipuric is quick, but not much quicker than Curry, if at all...

Wilson also isn't particularly slow.

[Digby]

so, like , won 4 lost 4 then?

Some say 4, some say 5, one says 6

quite straightforward on ESPN as a starting 6. Though I might have miscounted in truth and they aren't always right anyway.

I aimed for comedy, and again missed it would seem

[Banquo]

It had never occurred to me that Curry isn't that quick. If Curry is on the slow side what's the benchmark for acceptable speed?

Well, indeed. I mean, if Curry is slow for a backrow, then which international backrow is quick? Kwagga Smith is quite quick, Hooper, too, though I'm not sure he's quicker than Curry. Simmonds is rapid for a backrow, Clifford too, Tipuric is quick, but not much quicker than Curry, if at all...

Wilson also isn't particularly slow.

This is from a bloke who wanted Itoje at 8.

[Banquo]

Some say 4, some say 5, one says 6

quite straightforward on ESPN as a starting 6. Though I might have miscounted in truth and they aren't always right anyway.

I aimed for comedy, and again missed it would seem

ah...forward numbering humour, apols

[Digby]

quite straightforward on ESPN as a starting 6. Though I might have miscounted in truth and they aren't always right anyway.

I aimed for comedy, and again missed it would seem

ah...forward numbering humour, apols

The actual figure is a little murkier given the 6 is sometimes a lock, so unless you were counting as we went and not relying on stats like ESPN you'd need a much better recollection than mine

[Which Tyler]

It had never occurred to me that Curry isn't that quick. If Curry is on the slow side what's the benchmark for acceptable speed?

Well, indeed. I mean, if Curry is slow for a backrow, then which international backrow is quick? Kwagga Smith is quite quick, Hooper, too, though I'm not sure he's quicker than Curry. Simmonds is rapid for a backrow, Clifford too, Tipuric is quick, but not much quicker than Curry, if at all...

Wilson also isn't particularly slow.

Mercer? He did this after playing 80 minutes, to Smith's 10

Is that Marchant failing to catch up and offer himself in support there? surely a case of "must work harder" rather than "could barely keep up"

[Stom]

It had never occurred to me that Curry isn't that quick. If Curry is on the slow side what's the benchmark for acceptable speed?

Well, indeed. I mean, if Curry is slow for a backrow, then which international backrow is quick? Kwagga Smith is quite quick, Hooper, too, though I'm not sure he's quicker than Curry. Simmonds is rapid for a backrow, Clifford too, Tipuric is quick, but not much quicker than Curry, if at all...

Wilson also isn't particularly slow.

Mercer? He did this after playing 80 minutes, to Smith's 10

Is that Marchant failing to catch up and offer himself in support there? surely a case of "must work harder" rather than "could barely keep up"

Mercer is quick, yes. Luckily Smith is a lot quicker than he was 2 years ago, though. He was still a kid back then, was blowing after 10m, lol.

[Banquo]

I aimed for comedy, and again missed it would seem

ah...forward numbering humour, apols

The actual figure is a little murkier given the 6 is sometimes a lock, so unless you were counting as we went and not relying on stats like ESPN you'd need a much better recollection than mine

I looked at starts, and checked whether other locks were starting

[Which Tyler]

Mercer is quick, yes. Luckily Smith is a lot quicker than he was 2 years ago, though. He was still a kid back then, was blowing after 10m, lol.

I know.. but...
He still got caught by a #8 who'd been playing the whole match.

He's going to have to do something pretty attrocious to be able to forget that one (something like Carling getting dumped instead of scoring a try).

Also - is Smith actually faster now? or just capable of running more than 20 yards whilst fresh? because at no stage was he pulling away from Zach

[Timbo]

According to Underhill Curry was the fastest of all the England forwards at the World Cup. Saw an interview where he joked that Tom should be doing speed work with the backs instead.

[jngf]

According to Underhill Curry was the fastest of all the England forwards at the World Cup. Saw an interview where he joked that Tom should be doing speed work with the backs instead.

So Eddie plays Wilson at openside instead

[Timbo]

Our resident ‘ruck marks’ experts will know better than me, but doesn’t Wilson tend to be a bit more prevalent and impactful at the breakdown than Underhill? Maybe in that respect balances out the Lawes selection a little better than previously.

[Banquo]

Mercer is quick, yes. Luckily Smith is a lot quicker than he was 2 years ago, though. He was still a kid back then, was blowing after 10m, lol.

I know.. but...
He still got caught by a #8 who'd been playing the whole match.

He's going to have to do something pretty attrocious to be able to forget that one (something like Carling getting dumped instead of scoring a try).

Also - is Smith actually faster now? or just capable of running more than 20 yards whilst fresh? because at no stage was he pulling away from Zach

I don't think that's too surprising tbh; most 10's would lose their wheels after 40m. Imagine Farrell in that scenario, or even Ford? Great effort from Mercer in fairness.

[Puja]

Mercer is quick, yes. Luckily Smith is a lot quicker than he was 2 years ago, though. He was still a kid back then, was blowing after 10m, lol.

I know.. but...
He still got caught by a #8 who'd been playing the whole match.

He's going to have to do something pretty attrocious to be able to forget that one (something like Carling getting dumped instead of scoring a try).

Also - is Smith actually faster now? or just capable of running more than 20 yards whilst fresh? because at no stage was he pulling away from Zach

He pulled away in the first 10 yards and then started running through ever-thickening treacle. Very impressive catch from Mercer, but I'd hope Smith's fitness is better now.

Puja

[Banquo]

Our resident ‘ruck marks’ experts will know better than me, but doesn’t Wilson tend to be a bit more prevalent and impactful at the breakdown than Underhill? Maybe in that respect balances out the Lawes selection a little better than previously.

I reckon Wilson is the better decision maker, picks and chooses well. He's a very bright player.

[Timbo]

According to Underhill Curry was the fastest of all the England forwards at the World Cup. Saw an interview where he joked that Tom should be doing speed work with the backs instead.

So Eddie plays Wilson at openside instead

Wilson is a machine. He’ll go well.

[Oakboy]

Over what distance should a backrower be judged, though? Normally, I'd guess 20 metres would be adequate. If the distance is longer I doubt any would catch Simmonds.