Semi Final - South Africa

[Numbers]

I'm not saying you have to give the ball to the backs, though actually it would make things easier if done properly. But you need an attack system even if you only use 8 and 9.

Also people talk about kicking to create space forcing the other side to cover the backfield, but passing down the line can also earn you space on later phases if you can pass to the edge, you don't even need to be beating the edge but at least engage the defenders on the edge, and actually with SA so narrow even Wales worked the ball wide into space a number of times. But you need a better system to replicate such efforts, you need better ball presentation even without the better carriers which would I concede make it easier, you need better passing at 9, 10, 12 and 13, and you need a team being allowed to try

And some of that is doable if the team are given licence and instruction to play a little more, but in a number of little areas from ball presentation, clearouts being attacking rather than conservative, to the instructions given to the 9, to the lack of passing options (or at best functional passing) in the front three it's all too risk averse. A change doesn't mean you have to suddenly wang the ball around like Scotland or Australia, merely you need some other intent beyond one out and kicking

If you are stood stock still and face a blitz defence then you are not going to be able to use any width, the fact that we couldn't get any go forward was why we kicked, passing the ball along the line in those circumstances is not the answer as you will just end up going backwards. We can gain quick ball against most teams, the SA's stopped that from happening yesterday so fair play to them, very similarly to what England did to stifle NZs play, a very aggressive defensive line and prevention of gainline success.

You can't do everything you're currently doing and suddenly spin the ball out, but you can change lots of little things which mean you'd have more options and be giving defences more areas to cover. Not sure England were always that aggressive btw against NZ, we drifted a fair bit more than normal

Right now there's very little shape to the Welsh attack, and everything is ,intentionally one assumes, being done slowly with a degree of caution.

Would you say our attack was done slowly with a degree of caution against Georgia? If you can't generate quick ruck ball then there is always going to be a struggle to get over the gainline when you have a dearth of ball carriers, ergo kick and chase, against teams where we get gainline advantage we will obviously use the backs more, the mantra is earn the right to play, we didn't do that yesterday.

[Digby]

Would you say our attack was done slowly with a degree of caution against Georgia? If you can't generate quick ruck ball then there is always going to be a struggle to get over the gainline when you have a dearth of ball carriers, ergo kick and chase, against teams where we get gainline advantage we will obviously use the backs more, the mantra is earn the right to play, we didn't do that yesterday.

I don't remember the Georgia game, it's quite possible I didn't actually see it. If the point is that Wales played better in a game where they won the collisions then yes it's certainly easier if you do that, but a better attack system should be in place imo whether you're taking advantage of quick ball or trying to generate quick ball. Gats clearly doesn't agree with my take on rugby, and clearly he's had a lot of success

[Buggaluggs]

Yup...

[Spiffy]

We looked more dangerous with Tomos Williams on the field. Davies spent a lot of time looking at the floor today. Not his fault entirely due to how slow the ball oftne was, but there were opportunities to move the ball kn a bit quicker in times and generate some momentum which were missed.

Agree with that. Davies is a great SH with a decent enough pass and a great sniping game. But he does seem slow to clear the ball. Wales' best tactic against the Boks was obviously to move the ball quickly at every opportunity and avoid a slugfest up front. This they did not do. I notice Davies cannot get rid of his old habit of trying to dummy the opposition with body movements before he has the ball in hand, at ruck and maul, to try and milk an offside penalty. Everyone is on to this. It just doesn't work anymore. The opposition has moved on but he has not. He has a lot of talent and can still revamp his game.

[Sandydragon]

So Garces has been given the whistle for the final. I wonder if Bokke fans are still upset by that idea?

[Son of Mathonwy]

I guess the beating England took from SA makes our marginal semifinal loss look a whole lot better.

[Gog]

Been watching the semi again. Just to create a bit more conversation, what are the thoughts on what would have happened if George North hadn't pulled up with his hamstring? I feel he may have got to the ball first, or if not certainly collard the defender and isolate him with a good chance of a penalty. Could have been a match changing injury.

[Buggaluggs]

I guess the beating England took from SA makes our marginal semifinal loss look a whole lot better.

Other than our inability to trouble the ABs, the top 5-6 can pretty much beat each other on any given day

[Buggaluggs]

...which is a marvelous thing

[Son of Mathonwy]

Been watching the semi again. Just to create a bit more conversation, what are the thoughts on what would have happened if George North hadn't pulled up with his hamstring? I feel he may have got to the ball first, or if not certainly collard the defender and isolate him with a good chance of a penalty. Could have been a match changing injury.

I'd have to look at that again to see where it happened, but anything going in our favour - particularly not losing North - would probably have swung that match our way.

[Sandydragon]

Agreed. It was that close, tiny margins made a big impact.