Congratulations to our ex player Harrison Walsh on winning a Bronze medal for Wales in the Commonwealth Games last night not forgetting Bridgend boy Aled Sion Davies winning the Gold in the same event. Well done both
Did anyone see the sharks scarlets game on Friday? I only saw small parts of it but the scoreline didn’t reflect how good the scarlets were. At one point I thought they were going to get a win against a side packed with SA internationals.
Anyone seen Phil Steele’s interview with Dafydd James? Really poignant and raw interview shows how he suffered and is still suffering with his mental health. Really brave of him to do that and a reminder that there are likely a number of professional players suffering in silence. Article also mentions the great work Lloyd Ashley is doing in this space.
I’m guessing that ship has sailed @ospreysfanforum and that we’ll have to wait til after the WC. Not sure who we’d get if we changed coaches now or how quickly they’d be able to improve things. The team don’t look as if they know what they want to do and seem very passive in defence, but as we all know it’s not just the senior national team that are struggling.
Wales have been poor. Peyper has had a shocker - apparently you can scrummage with your elbow on the floor now. 6 and 8 have been anonymous. Adams in the centre just has not worked. McNicholl defends way too narrowly.
I know we are not allowed to use the Os..... word on this topic but extra special good luck to 3 players today Captain Dan, Vice Captain Adam and hopefully Debutant Dewi, obviously good luck to our other players and Wales.
It's a very tough ask with the number of cap holders missing, but just do yourselves, family, club and country proud.
Rhys Davies would be the logical choice I think having already been involved in the previous camp and having continued his good form. Fingers crossed for him.
Unless you are a die hard rugby fan the series as a spectacle was pretty grim. There wouldn’t be many converts to the game after the boring arm wrestle we witnessed .Rugby as a game is about running with the ball not battering each other half to death.
A shame to have lost, and I’d have hoped not have been lamenting a dodgy ref decision, but it looks to have cost us. but at least we can now start to focus on the new season and the ospreys. Agree gutted for AWJ.
Gatland paying even less attention to you!! No place in 23 for Farrell George Beirne and Faletau . Owens and VDM the surprise starters for me and some wildcards on the bench in Russell and Simmonds. Sinkler citing not upheld so he benches.
Boks with two big injury misses in de Klerk and Du Toit and neither Oxche or Vermuelen have made it back from injury. Four of their better players not on the field Saturday.
I’m so pleased for Adam Beard. I have always been unsure whether he was of International standard in the modern game as today’s 2nd rows tend to be far more athletic around the pitch. However, since he was dropped by Pivac, his form playing for the Ospreys was outstanding and his Wales recall was more than justified. His performances for Wales and for the Lions in the warm up games were excellent and silenced his doubters (and me) who questioned whether he was good enough for the Lions. I truly hope that when he comes on on Saturday he again shows us just how good he is and that there is always a need for the more traditional type of 2nd row in todays game. Good luck Adam.
So the Lions win the First Test mainly due to some Dan Biggar kicks, some fortunate TMO decisions (the LeRoux try should have stood & Watson should have seen yellow) and SA running out of steam on the hour mark.
Curry and Daly were the wrong selections - giving away at least 5 penalties between them in the first half alone and I think Faletau or Watson should have started/benched at 7 with Farrell or Aki in at centre.
I doubt SA run out of steam next week and going toe to toe is not the ideal game plan as the first half showed. The Lions barely played any rugby of note.
@Fiddler Yesterday was the game that I thought we would see last week but SA ran out of gas. I said then that the selection and tactics were wrong and I stand by that but I think that Gatland will be stubborn and make very few selection changes for next Saturday and that will ultimately cost the Lions the series.
Does anyone know what the situation is in the Premiership this season with regards relegation, promotion etc.
Congratulations to our ex player Harrison Walsh on winning a Bronze medal for Wales in the Commonwealth Games last night not forgetting Bridgend boy Aled Sion Davies winning the Gold in the same event. Well done both
Did anyone see the sharks scarlets game on Friday? I only saw small parts of it but the scoreline didn’t reflect how good the scarlets were. At one point I thought they were going to get a win against a side packed with SA internationals.
Anyone seen Phil Steele’s interview with Dafydd James? Really poignant and raw interview shows how he suffered and is still suffering with his mental health. Really brave of him to do that and a reminder that there are likely a number of professional players suffering in silence. Article also mentions the great work Lloyd Ashley is doing in this space.
I’m guessing that ship has sailed @ospreysfanforum and that we’ll have to wait til after the WC. Not sure who we’d get if we changed coaches now or how quickly they’d be able to improve things. The team don’t look as if they know what they want to do and seem very passive in defence, but as we all know it’s not just the senior national team that are struggling.
Pivac has to go and go now.
Piss poor all round from Wales.
Wales have been poor. Peyper has had a shocker - apparently you can scrummage with your elbow on the floor now. 6 and 8 have been anonymous. Adams in the centre just has not worked. McNicholl defends way too narrowly.
Pivac has ruined Wales.
I know we are not allowed to use the Os..... word on this topic but extra special good luck to 3 players today Captain Dan, Vice Captain Adam and hopefully Debutant Dewi, obviously good luck to our other players and Wales.
It's a very tough ask with the number of cap holders missing, but just do yourselves, family, club and country proud.
Rhys Davies would be the logical choice I think having already been involved in the previous camp and having continued his good form. Fingers crossed for him.
Here are the Wales and Ireland teams for the 6 Nations opener on Saturday
Quite surprised to see Lake on the bench. Great to see 5 Ospreys involved.
Also Tshunzia is out of the 6 Nations with a hamstring injury so maybe Rhys Davies gets called up?
Unless you are a die hard rugby fan the series as a spectacle was pretty grim. There wouldn’t be many converts to the game after the boring arm wrestle we witnessed .Rugby as a game is about running with the ball not battering each other half to death.
A shame to have lost, and I’d have hoped not have been lamenting a dodgy ref decision, but it looks to have cost us. but at least we can now start to focus on the new season and the ospreys. Agree gutted for AWJ.
Well the Lions series is over and it was a case of missed opportunities as the Lions slipped to a 19-16 loss and a 2-1 series defeat.
The loss of Wyn Jones was huge as the scrum struggled after he went off - should that clearout have warranted more than what it did?
Sanjay should have passed to Adams who probably would have scored.
Curry was stupidly penalised for going in front of the maul when it seemed that a certain try would be scored.
Should the Lions have kicked a couple of those penalties instead of going for the corner?
Gutted for AWJ.
This time, I feel Gatland will listen to me and pick a more expansive team....
W Jones (if fit) or Mako
J George
T Furlong
A Beard
AWJ
T Beirne
T Curry
T Faletau
C Murray
D BIggar
J Adams
O Farrell
B Aki
L Rees-Zammit
L Williams
Reps
Mako (if W Jones is fit) or Sutherland
K Owens
A N Other if SInckler is banned (who is the next cab off the rank? Tom Francis?)
M Itoje
J Navidi
G Davies
S Hogg
R Henshaw
Kyler Sinckler cited for biting in the second Test - the only citing from the match.
Stuart Hogg alleged to have bitten Willie Le Roux but no citing.
Maro Itoje very very lucky to get away without a citing for his knee to the neck of a SA player.
Thanks
Does anyone know what is happening in the Welsh Premiership next season? Have players been allocated, has training started and is there relegation ?
So the Lions win the First Test mainly due to some Dan Biggar kicks, some fortunate TMO decisions (the LeRoux try should have stood & Watson should have seen yellow) and SA running out of steam on the hour mark.
Curry and Daly were the wrong selections - giving away at least 5 penalties between them in the first half alone and I think Faletau or Watson should have started/benched at 7 with Farrell or Aki in at centre.
I doubt SA run out of steam next week and going toe to toe is not the ideal game plan as the first half showed. The Lions barely played any rugby of note.
My 23 for next week would be
W Jones (if fit)
K Owens
T Furlong
Itoje
AWJ Lawes
Conan
Faletau
Price
Biggar
Adams
Henshaw
Aki
Van De Merwe
Hogg
Vunipola
George
Sinckler
Beard
Beirne
Simmonds
Farrell
Williams
I went 6/2 on the bench.
In what could be described as a risky selection, Gatland has picked this squad for the First Lions Test v South Africa on Saturday...
SOUTH AFRICA v THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS
15. Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland) #783
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) #816
13. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822
12. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #824
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #841
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) #843
1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) #842
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England) #851
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #818
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825
5. Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales) #761
6. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) #826
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) #853
8.Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839
Replacements:
16. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829
17. Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #840
18. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814
19. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #838
20. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) #847
21. Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens, England) #780
23. Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) #833
Saturday 24 July 2021
Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 5pm (BST)
No Josh Adams, Toby Faletau, Sam Simmonds, Adam Beard and Jamie George are just a few of the surprises by Gatland. If he gets this selection wrong....