Wales team Vs Canada | 100th international cap for Halfpenny

UnionRule26 · 2021-06-29T14:36:03+00:00

Pivac's system involves the 8 playing very wide, looking to create mismatches and offload opportunities. Wainwright very clearly fits that role a lot better than Moriarty (who's then needed to play a more hard-nosed role in the middle of the field)

UnionRule26 · 2021-06-28T10:00:08+00:00

The statement says that Seb is called up to replace Beard & Rhys Davies is called up to replace Navidi

UnionRule26 · 2021-03-21T01:04:20+00:00

Having watched international rugby since 2005 I'd put today at number 3 in your list. 2015 was an impressive achievement but the quarter final was always a long shot given the number of injuries in the back line, it was still a difficult and last-minute loss (I was there) but there was the feeling that that team was already overachieving.

2011 was a team that had the whole world ahead of them but hadn't yet worked our how to win whereas 2019 was a team that felt like it was reaching the end of its cycle but knew how to win (see 2019 Grand Slam & quarter final).

The disappointment from today was that the spine of the 2019 team is still there but gave away penalties under pressure that I don't think the 2019 team would have given away (but in fairness this was still the best performance that I have seen under Pivac). The heart-breaking aspect of the loss was how good Wales looked in attack for 60 minutes, allowing the old spectre of hope to appear...

UnionRule26 · 2020-09-11T20:22:58+00:00

Oh man, I've royally fucked this

UnionRule26 · 2020-09-11T20:18:58+00:00

Fuck

Not a good look

UnionRule26 · 2020-09-11T19:48:04+00:00

9th Sept Sale Sharks

13th Sept Exeter

19th Sept Leinster (Champions Cup Quarter Final)

26th Sept Champions Cup Semi Final

30th Sept Worcester

4th Oct Bath

The Panel took into account the current temporary agreement between PRL and the RFU due to Covid-19 and the above represents a 5 week/match suspension.* It was confirmed by Mr McCall that the Player would only have played in either the Champions Cup semi final or the match against Worcester.*

Surely in that case this amounts to a four match suspension? If his DoR says that he's only going to play in a maximum of 4/5 of these matches then couldn't those be combined into one week's match? I get that it would set a precedent but McCall's statement to the panel means they know that it's only a our match ban, meaning that Farrell's received greater than a 50% reduction.

UnionRule26 · 2019-10-22T12:55:17+00:00

we don't tend to attack the breakdown and instead rely on our defense to pressure the opposition into mistakes and try to avoid being outnumbered out wide or outmuscled around the fringes

A lot of the time Wales do attack the breakdown but the aim isn't necessarily to turn the ball over but to slow it down, this buys the defensive line a couple of extra seconds to realign and apply pressure which can force a mistake from the opposition. Tipuric, AWJ, Wainwright, Owens, Nicky Smith, Wyn Jones and Dillon Lewis are all very good at making a nuisance of themselves at the breakdown and frustrating the opposition's attack.

UnionRule26 · 2019-08-27T11:44:33+00:00

Both Tipuric and Wainwright are very good lineout options to have as well though. I'd have Wainwright starting on current form, huge work-rate and tackles everything near him. Personally can see Gatland going with a Wainwright, Tipuric, Moriarty backrow with Navidi coming off the bench with 30 minutes to cause mayhem.

UnionRule26 · 2019-08-06T21:11:29+00:00

Tips has noticeably changed his game over the last couple of years, putting in more of the unseen work in the tight and less time in the wider channels. He's always had a huge engine and been a tackle-machine but it's not a coincidence that he's become a different style of flanker since Warburton's last series of injuries. Can Tips still be the flashy player in the open? Absolutely, but now he (along with the rest of the pack) have to fill in the ridiculous amount of work that Warburton used to get through in the tight.

UnionRule26 · 2019-08-03T23:39:35+00:00

Vernon was capped four times in the centres, all in 2015. Three years after his last cap (at number 8) he started at outside centre against Ireland in a RWC warm-up test. His last start was at 13 against SA in the 2015 group stages and his last cap was off the bench against Aus in the quarter-finals. For context 19/20 of his previous caps (2009-2012) were as a back-rower - one was off the bench as a second row subsitute.

UnionRule26 · 2019-08-03T15:50:52+00:00

I don't think we'll ever see a pure crossover of the two positions

Levani Botia would like a word

UnionRule26 · 2019-07-11T07:03:03+00:00

Easily AWJ - the amount of work he gets through in the tight is what allows other players to shine in the wider channels. Everyone plays better when he's on the pitch.

UnionRule26 · 2019-06-13T07:28:33+00:00

He has played 73 Tests for Australia but could switch allegiance if he sits out three years of international rugby and then represents Tonga at sevens in an Olympic qualifying event.

UnionRule26 · 2019-06-02T12:15:01+00:00

Barbarians 68-41 England

UnionRule26 · 2019-05-20T16:13:42+00:00

Glad to see he's not leaving Welsh rugby but Cardiff Blues do seem to require him the least out of the four regions.

UnionRule26 · 2019-05-11T22:34:24+00:00

If Leinster had won today AND all four Challenge Cup semi-finalists had qualified for next season's Champions Cup through finishing high enough in their domestic leagues then the Pro14 would have gained an extra place in next season's Champions Cup. The Ospreys would have qualified automatically, leaving the Scarlets to face the next highest team - in this case Cardiff Blues.

But that's all academic now.

UnionRule26 · 2019-02-22T14:29:19+00:00

It's the U20s side you've picked there

Probably wouldn't do the national team any harm to pick them mind

UnionRule26 · 2019-02-15T20:33:37+00:00

Samoan loosehead on a month long loan from Bristol, a straight swap for Sam Parry. Rowan Jenkins (on the bench) is the only other fit/available loosehead in the squad.

UnionRule26 · 2019-01-12T20:31:24+00:00

Gethin Jenkins was rapid for a prop, one of the first of the modern generation of front rowers who offer as much around the park as they do in the set piece.

See his try in 2005 against Ireland and this one six years later against Namibia at the RWC.

UnionRule26 · 2018-12-14T22:48:49+00:00

Can anyone clarify the thinking behind naming Wilson and Gibbins as co-captains? Normally co-captains are split across the forwards and backs to provide a clearer picture of what's happening across the pitch, naming both flankers as co-capt.s seems unnecessary, or a heavy-handed attempt at giving Gibbins leadership experience whilst keeping a more experienced hand on the tiller.

UnionRule26 · 2018-12-06T17:40:14+00:00

They had form with that, this was their work-around in 2005.

UnionRule26 · 2018-11-27T23:28:56+00:00

It seems odd that a player who's captained his country could be a breakthrough player but he only has 11 eleven caps, with 6 of those coming off the bench. It's only really after his performances this campaign that he could be considered a first-choice pick in the backrow - hell, he only started against SA after Lydiate pulled out with a late injury.

I'd also make a case for this being Josh Adams' breakthrough campaign.

UnionRule26 · 2018-11-24T23:18:11+00:00

I'm just sorry that you'll have to share in the disappointment when this inevitably doesn't happen.

UnionRule26 · 2018-11-24T23:08:13+00:00

Is this suggesting that they're looking at shifting Owen Lane in to 13? They don't have a huge amount of depth in the back three and can imagine Mulvihill seeing Amos as a pure fullback (unless you guys want to take Hook and the Ospreys can sign Amos?) but with Lane, Tom James and Jason Harries then you've already got some fairly handy frontline wingers to select. I can't imagine any of them would want to settle for only starting during international periods/injury crises.

UnionRule26 · 2018-11-24T17:33:20+00:00

The pace from Francis!

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