Team noos

[UKHamlet]

HP and Reffell definitely out. Adams and Cuthbert available.

Looks like Anscombe will be starting at 10, with Adams at FB. Cuthbert will probably get a start with Rio taking the hit (hope he gets a bench spot).

In the back row - Tips will move over to 7 and either Dan or Christ doing the honours at Blindside. Peronally, I'd go with Dan and Christ at lock, with maybe a switch around early in the second 40 when Dan runs out of juice from making 4000+ tackles, no misses.

[pompey-zebra]

Fail saying that LRZ likely to start at 15, with Cuthbert back on.the wing. Lydiate returning to the back row.

[Sandydragon]

Just read the fail predictions.

Lydiate back and Tips to 7 is much more balanced. I’d be tempted to use Christ off the bench once Lydiate slows up.

LRZ at FB is interesting. But part of me thinks that it might work. Kicking poorly to him will be very dangerous for any team and might make them think a bit. Cuthbert will give us plenty of go forward.

Hopefully we have got ourselves into the right head space for this weekend and turn up the physicality

[Puja]

Just read the fail predictions.

Lydiate back and Tips to 7 is much more balanced. I’d be tempted to use Christ off the bench once Lydiate slows up.

LRZ at FB is interesting. But part of me thinks that it might work. Kicking poorly to him will be very dangerous for any team and might make them think a bit. Cuthbert will give us plenty of go forward.

Hopefully we have got ourselves into the right head space for this weekend and turn up the physicality

LRZ has played a bit at 15 for Glaws, so it's not out of the blue.

Puja

[Sandydragon]

Just read the fail predictions.

Lydiate back and Tips to 7 is much more balanced. I’d be tempted to use Christ off the bench once Lydiate slows up.

LRZ at FB is interesting. But part of me thinks that it might work. Kicking poorly to him will be very dangerous for any team and might make them think a bit. Cuthbert will give us plenty of go forward.

Hopefully we have got ourselves into the right head space for this weekend and turn up the physicality

LRZ has played a bit at 15 for Glaws, so it's not out of the blue.

Puja

And apparently he reminded Privac that he can play 15, so its not a huge shock given Halfpenny and Liam Williams are both out and someone will have to be a makeshift as they were the 2 specialist fullbacks in the squad.

For me its interesting in that Privac could call up a specialist fullback and keep LRZ where he is, or he could give Adams a run there given thats been mentioned before. Obviously a big difference between an occasional role at club and then playing there for country but hopefully it works out.

[pompey-zebra]

I think Adams played quite a bit at FB at Worcester. Thats obviously a while ago now, and not sure if he's ever played there since for Cardiff. Perhaps Pivac's still wary after his experiment playing Adams in the centre against Ireland!

[Son of Mathonwy]

From the predicted team on WOL should we infer that Adams is still injured?

[UKHamlet]

LRZ is at FB

https://www.wru.wales/2022/11/wales-nam ... argentina/

[UKHamlet]

15 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby – 20 caps)
14 Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys – 52 caps)
13 George North (Ospreys – 106 caps)
12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 24 caps)
11 Rio Dyer (Dragons – 1 cap)
10 Gareth Anscombe (Ospreys – 33 caps)
9 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 37 caps);
1 Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 14 caps)
2 Ken Owens (Scarlets – 83 caps)
3 Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 42 caps)
4 Will Rowlands (Dragons – 22 caps)
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys – 38 caps)
6 Dan Lydiate (Ospreys – 68 caps)
7 Justin Tipuric (Ospreys – 86 caps) captain
8 Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 92 caps)

Replacements
16 Ryan Elias (Scarlets – 31 caps)
17 Rhodri Jones (Dragons – 21 caps)
18 Sam Wainwright (Saracens – 2 caps)
19 Ben Carter (Dragons – 6 caps)
20 Jac Morgan (Ospreys – 3 caps)
21 Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 15 caps)
22 Rhys Priestland (Cardiff Rugby – 53 caps)
23 Owen Watkin (Ospreys – 34 caps)

[Son of Mathonwy]

LRZ will be interesting viewing.
Cuthbert? I assume Adams is still injured - it would have been good to have mentioned this.
Tshiunza injured too presumably?

The team looks decent. I just hope they've brushed up on their defence and then some.

Wish we had someone better than Watkin for the 23 shirt.

[pompey-zebra]

Press conference confirmed that Tshiunza is injured, but no word as yet on Adams. No AWJ as Pivac wants to give Carter a go.

[pompey-zebra]

The curse of the full backs threatens to return as LRZ misses the captain's run according to the Fail.

[Sourdust]

It's not that I'm necessarily worried about LRZ at 15 for this game... but I see such troubling parallels with Halfpenny, who became the best defensive 15 in the world, but at the cost of nearly everything that had made him so exciting to watch. It LRZ becomes yet another casualty of "versatility", it'll be a bloody crime.

[normanski]

Pivac is in the last chance saloon and will be under severe pressure if Wales lose badly tomorrow.

I got a feeling that we will bounce back with a bit of edge.

LRZ is a bit of a gamble and it seems he’s been at the Vale for intense training and missed the Captain’s Run this afternoon. If it works we could have a long term solution to the position and if it fails it’s Costelow on and Anscombe to FB.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I wouldn't worry too much about the backs. It's the forwards that have to up their game. If they can make more impact, get that collisions thing right, we have a chance.

[Graigwen]

It is not a bad team in the circumstances.

LRZ at 15 is certainly interesting, as well as a bit risky. I suppose this is the time to try it.

I agree with SoM "Wish we had someone better than Watkin for the 23 shirt.".

We were very weak in defence last game. I was disappointed at how poor we were. Maybe it was just another bad first game, I hope so. We are still a bit experimental, groping our way towards a better team performance.

[Wallpaperman]

It is not a bad team in the circumstances.

LRZ at 15 is certainly interesting, as well as a bit risky. I suppose this is the time to try it.

I agree with SoM "Wish we had someone better than Watkin for the 23 shirt.".

We were very weak in defence last game. I was disappointed at how poor we were. Maybe it was just another bad first game, I hope so. We are still a bit experimental, groping our way towards a better team performance.

Agreed. There’s lots of doom and gloom in the press but I think this is a good match for Wales today and it isn’t a bad side. Dillon Lewis went well in South Africa despite a lot of people (including me) thinking he would get a bit of a stuffing. A solid performance in the scrum from him today, and his usual good performance in the loose would help Wales greatly. Beard needs a good game today and I’m not sure that Ben Carter is the most physical option off the bench. I still haven’t watched last week’s game, it sounds as though Rowlands didn’t have a good game, which is the first time in a while. Hopefully he will bounce back today. I went to the Dragons v Ospreys game a few weeks ago and he was miles better than Beard and Alun-Wyn on the day.

I think Lydiate is an almost essential pick for this one, or another tackler like Moriarty or even Keddie. I know it was a second string Wales team last year but Matera tore Wales a second a**whole and needs to be stopped today.

Agree re Watkin on the bench. I like him but ideally you’d be able to bring on someone with more pace. He’s a good man to bring on if Wales are looking to protect a lead though.

Wales also need to make the most out of Cuthbert today. On several occasions in the six nations he went on a run but was done for holding on. Having Tipuric back in the side and / or Rees-Zammit in support could be very good.

Not sure why, but I’m optimistic about this one. Definitely pleased to see Williams and Anscombe at 9 & 10, too.

[Wallpaperman]

Hmmm. Exciting first 5 from Wales but have shipped about 5 penalties in the last few minutes. Argentina look confident in possession

[Wallpaperman]

Really goo from Wales last 5 minutes, Owens knocks on on the line. Keep this up, and it will surely come. Lydiate off though

[Wallpaperman]

Get in. Try Faletau, pressure rewarded. Let’s have no nonsense from the restart boys

[Wallpaperman]

On the other hand, Argentina putting it straight out is perfectly acceptable

[Wallpaperman]

A lot better after they went 6 down.

[Son of Mathonwy]

With that territory we should be much further ahead but we have the lead, that'll do for now.

[Son of Mathonwy]

They really should have seen yellow for that deliberate ko on their try line.

[normanski]

It’s a much better effort. Argentina looking a little tired towards the end of the half after Wales have moved them about a bit. A four point lead could be better but I’ll take it after our stuttering first thirty minutes. I hope we can put them to the sword in the second half.