South Africa tour

[Son of Mathonwy]

I put it down to decision making on the field. Any game plan will need adaptation and players must have the confidence to do that. Holding onto a draw whilst down a couple of players would suggest that a succession of tight pick and his would be the best option for 30 seconds. Yet we kicked. It’s even more flabbergasting when you are down players and have been playing with two less players for quite a while.

It’s almost as if players aren’t thinking and adapting.

Bad enough with a full team but with two men in the bin it's unforgivable. But the coaches need to coach this, there needs to be a plan in these circumstances. The scrum half needs to have some rule to follow, or at least to know that he needs to get the captain's opinion when things are tight in the last 5 minutes. And the captain should make it clear when they need to keep hold of the ball.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Anyway, having had a day for the red mist to recede . . .
A fantastic opportunity missed, but nonetheless an excellent performance, so much better than anyone really expected. Enough to keep Pivac safe in his job and have some confidence that we're not being steered in the wrong direction.

The tactics were pretty effective (ie kicking it back, not running into the Boks) and set piece decent (line out excellent and scrum okay given the opposition). Possession and territory were massively against us, although some of that's due to how efficiently we scored our tries.

The front five plus Lydiate all made 9 tackles, missing 2 or 3, but Rowlands was something else: 16 tackles, 1 missed, plus 43m run. Reffell 15 tackles, missed 2, Faletau 11 tackles, missed 0, 37m run. North, Adams and Sanjay barely touched the ball although Liam did make 7 tackles, missing 1. LRZ obviously had a world-class performance, 2 tries, 5 tackles, none missed, 75m run. Tompkins was busy: 10 tackles, missing 3, 10m run. Lake and Navidi both made 4 tackles, none missed, when they came on.

I would like to have seen Anscombe on towards the end (Biggar's game slipped a bit then), and I'm not sure AWJ brought anything when he came on (although Beard wasn't having a barnstorming game either). Lake should have started, I think - we could have done with his carrying from the beginning. I'm glad to see Lydiate coming through in one piece but I would start Navidi next time. Reffell was good enough to keep his shirt.

https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/playerstat ... gue=289234

[Mikey Brown]

Just seen the highlights and really feel for you. Blocking a passing lane for someone to then throw it at your hands should not win players a game, a yellow or a penalty. Thought LRZ was unlucky with that late penalty, in addition to the other good stuff in attack.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Big problem: SA will be better next week . . . so we will have to be too. And without Francis.

[Sandydragon]

Tight head prop is a massive concern and without Francis its looks a bit dicey. None of the 3 other options on tour fill me with any confidence.

I wouldn't change anything for next weekend. SA will be better but many of our players haven't played at that intensity for a while either so theres opportunity for us to improve.
I'm also questioning what AWJ brings to the party now. Immediately he enters the pitch he is yellow carded for offside. Yes a team card but still stupid.Rowlands had a massive game and Beard has credit in the bank. We could do with Ball coming back to Wales, or perhaps we have Seb Davies on the bench for mobility. But i do feel that AWJ is going to have to up his game to get to the next RWC

[Numbers]

Tight head prop is a massive concern and without Francis its looks a bit dicey. None of the 3 other options on tour fill me with any confidence.

I wouldn't change anything for next weekend. SA will be better but many of our players haven't played at that intensity for a while either so theres opportunity for us to improve.
I'm also questioning what AWJ brings to the party now. Immediately he enters the pitch he is yellow carded for offside. Yes a team card but still stupid.Rowlands had a massive game and Beard has credit in the bank. We could do with Ball coming back to Wales, or perhaps we have Seb Davies on the bench for mobility. But i do feel that AWJ is going to have to up his game to get to the next RWC

He played about 5 minutes due to the card and was influential in the Dewi Lake score if you watch it back so not a bad impact, perhaps 10% of Refs would have carded him for the offside when the try was scored anyway, we were unfortunate with his pedancy as I thought Rees-Zammitt wa also unfortunate, it looked like a decent jackal attempt to me but I haven't re-watched it yet.

[Sandydragon]

Tight head prop is a massive concern and without Francis its looks a bit dicey. None of the 3 other options on tour fill me with any confidence.

I wouldn't change anything for next weekend. SA will be better but many of our players haven't played at that intensity for a while either so theres opportunity for us to improve.
I'm also questioning what AWJ brings to the party now. Immediately he enters the pitch he is yellow carded for offside. Yes a team card but still stupid.Rowlands had a massive game and Beard has credit in the bank. We could do with Ball coming back to Wales, or perhaps we have Seb Davies on the bench for mobility. But i do feel that AWJ is going to have to up his game to get to the next RWC

He played about 5 minutes due to the card and was influential in the Dewi Lake score if you watch it back so not a bad impact, perhaps 10% of Refs would have carded him for the offside when the try was scored anyway, we were unfortunate with his pedancy as I thought Rees-Zammitt wa also unfortunate, it looked like a decent jackal attempt to me but I haven't re-watched it yet.

The Zammit yellow is the one that pissed me off, that was very marginal, particularly with another player already off the field. I hope this ref will be consistent in that approach as I have no issue really if thats how he decides to ref the game; as long as you know where you stand. But my over riding impression is that he was out of his depth and I hadn't realised that he was reffing the Ireland vs Italy game which saw that total balls up with the carding of the italian hooker.

[Sandydragon]

We need a serious rethink on our captain. Biggar's body language is terrible with the ref, it can't be helping.

[UKHamlet]

If you set aside the four yellow cards, all of which were marginal, and just take the penalty try - it seems to me that South Africa played the referee and brought it down themselves. The maul had stalled and despite their previous successes, it was by no means a forgone conclusion. Clever play by the Bokke, but an error by an inexperienced referee, who was frankly out of his depth. Nevertheless, I was pleased to see Wales step up and take it to the South Africans, but sadly, I think that was our chance. We'll take heart from it, but I don't see any repeats.

[Wallpaperman]

If you set aside the four yellow cards, all of which were marginal, and just take the penalty try - it seems to me that South Africa played the referee and brought it down themselves. The maul had stalled and despite their previous successes, it was by no means a forgone conclusion. Clever play by the Bokke, but an error by an inexperienced referee, who was frankly out of his depth. Nevertheless, I was pleased to see Wales step up and take it to the South Africans, but sadly, I think that was our chance. We'll take heart from it, but I don't see any repeats.

I also thought the same re the penalty try, there were a lot of players from both sides and I thought that it lost momentum. ( I remember Wales lost a game in Australia in the Garland era to a last minute kick where it looked as though the Australians pulled the maul down). The touch judge close to the maul, with a good view of Carre, didn’t indicate anything and the referee just ran straight under the posts, very irritating. The card for AWJ was harsh, given that the try was scored anyway.

I think we will see the same tactics from Wales this week, but I expect South Africa to be a lot better than they were in the first 40 on Saturday

[Mikey Brown]

That is a hell of a change/A side they've just named.

[Puja]

That is a hell of a change/A side they've just named.

Bold/cocky statement to change 14 players.

Puja

[Sandydragon]

That's an interesting selection. On paper theres still some very good and in form players in there so I'm wary of labelling this an A side or anything like that. But potentially they might not be as settled as they might wish to be, which could be an advantage.

Hopefully we stick with the same team (barring TH replacement on the bench). Im not sure that I would want too many changes.

[normanski]

That's an interesting selection. On paper theres still some very good and in form players in there so I'm wary of labelling this an A side or anything like that. But potentially they might not be as settled as they might wish to be, which could be an advantage.

Hopefully we stick with the same team (barring TH replacement on the bench). Im not sure that I would want too many changes.

And hopefully the side fully realise what they threw away on Saturday.

An honourable draw in the Veldt would have been one hell of an achievement and partially got another monkey off our back.

I would like to see a quantum step up in intensity that puts the much changed Boks on the back foot from the off.

[Son of Mathonwy]

If they want to go back to the drawing board that's good with me. We'll have the the warmed up team, they can have the rusty one.

Pretty arrogant, like it was entirely down to them that we got so close to winning. But that's all good, I feel much more confident about the return match now.

[Spiffy]

If they want to go back to the drawing board that's good with me. We'll have the the warmed up team, they can have the rusty one.

Pretty arrogant, like it was entirely down to them that we got so close to winning. But that's all good, I feel much more confident about the return match now.

That is a very good Bok team with speed out wide and a great back row of Coetzee/Roos/PSDT, Pollard to kick the goals and no Jantjies to screw things up.

[Son of Mathonwy]

If they want to go back to the drawing board that's good with me. We'll have the the warmed up team, they can have the rusty one.

Pretty arrogant, like it was entirely down to them that we got so close to winning. But that's all good, I feel much more confident about the return match now.

That is a very good Bok team with speed out wide and a great back row of Coetzee/Roos/PSDT, Pollard to kick the goals and no Jantjies to screw things up.

Sure, I'm not remotely saying we have an easy task but I'd prefer this 14-man change to facing the same team with only Jantjies dropped.

[Numbers]

Wales team to play South Africa: L Williams; Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Cuthbert; Biggar, Hardy; G Thomas, Elias, D Lewis, Rowlands, Beard, Lydiate, Reffell, Faletau.

Replacements: Lake, Wyn Jones, S Wainwright, Alun Wyn Jones, Navidi, T Williams, Anscombe, Adams.

[Mikey Brown]

Is that a form, fitness or tactical call on Adams? Sort of figured he was undroppably good/consistent for you guys.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Adams is benched, so it's not a fitness thing. I wouldn't drop him. He didn't see any ball last week (like North and Sanjay) because we didn't play that kind of game. Hope Cuthbert proves me wrong.

I'd start Lake and Navidi.

And I'd have Gareth Davies on the bench and send Tomos Williams home giving them the win last time.

Otherwise all good, it makes sense to make few changes.

[Sandydragon]

OK, not too upset with Cuthbert coming in. Cuthbert is in form and Adams was quiet. Not his fault entirely but not bad to have some competition. And I wonder if we will see him at centre on the second half?

Otherwise all the same which makes sense considering available options and the result last time.

[Buggaluggs]

Adams will come on to give Cuthbert a rest after his hat-trick

[Son of Mathonwy]

Adams will come on to give Cuthbert a rest after his hat-trick

Not convinced Cuthbert going to get the ball three times in the whole match...

[Wallpaperman]

Adams will come on to give Cuthbert a rest after his hat-trick

Not convinced Cuthbert going to get the ball three times in the whole match...

Still in it at half time, South Africa have looked much the more threatening but Wales have defended well. Have to be careful defending in the 22 as I assume that the official warning after the earlier offside penalties still applies

[Spiffy]

The organizers are spoiling the atmosphere of this game by the constant blaring of 50-year-old pop music between plays. How stupid and distracting.
Wales doing well to hang in and are making their tackles.
The Boks will regret not cashing in on their first half territory.
Lydiate going well for an old fella and getting through a lot of defensive work.