Team for Wales

[Oakboy]

How many caps is Ford on? Is it 98?

[Banquo]

Is Borthwick on the WUM?

Its like he's sticking his fingers up to his boring image. Its tinkerman 2.

[Mikey Brown]

I'm delighted with some of it: Pollock, Freeman, Roebuck. I'm appalled with some too: Earl at 8, Willis dropped, Ford in, Hill dumped.

CCS now covers lock, presumably. If Dingwall gets injured is it Ford or Fin at 12?

It genuinely looks like Earl to cover 12 with Freeman covering the outside backs. Bizarre.

[Oakboy]

Is Borthwick on the WUM?

Its like he's sticking his fingers up to his boring image. Its tinkerman 2.

I held my breath after reading 7 words . . .

[Danno]

Willis has to be injured, surely.

I was faintly nervous before. Now I'm just resigned to it.

[FKAS]

Willis has to be injured, surely.

I was faintly nervous before. Now I'm just resigned to it.

He went off early last week.

It's a bench with a lot of impact. I presume we're going to unleash the bench fairly early on with a view to upping the physicality and tempo. The Welsh bench did alright last weekend so maybe looking to negate that.

[Oakboy]

I'm delighted with some of it: Pollock, Freeman, Roebuck. I'm appalled with some too: Earl at 8, Willis dropped, Ford in, Hill dumped.

CCS now covers lock, presumably. If Dingwall gets injured is it Ford or Fin at 12?

It genuinely looks like Earl to cover 12 with Freeman covering the outside backs. Bizarre.

So, what is the plan for Ford?

[Stom]

I mean....the XV is good.

But the bench...that's insanity. CCS is lock cover. Ford is covering where exactly? Why not Beard at 23, he would at least allow us to cover every position...as it is, if we lose either center, we're pretty screwed.

[p/d]

I'm delighted with some of it: Pollock, Freeman, Roebuck. I'm appalled with some too: Earl at 8, Willis dropped, Ford in, Hill dumped.

CCS now covers lock, presumably. If Dingwall gets injured is it Ford or Fin at 12?

It genuinely looks like Earl to cover 12 with Freeman covering the outside backs. Bizarre.

So, what is the plan for Ford?

Of all the selections that is the most disappointing and comical.
We might as well have gone 7:1

[Oakboy]

It genuinely looks like Earl to cover 12 with Freeman covering the outside backs. Bizarre.

So, what is the plan for Ford?

Of all the selections that is the most disappointing and comical.
We might as well have gone 7:1

Tell me it's not more sentiment to get him to 100!

[fivepointer]

We lose a lock or 3 quarter early we are screwed. Still we have more 7's than we could possibly need and 3 FH's.

I'm finding it very hard to understand some of these calls.

[p/d]

So, what is the plan for Ford?

Of all the selections that is the most disappointing and comical.
We might as well have gone 7:1

Tell me it's not more sentiment to get him to 100!

It’s not. 20 mins to go, with us 3 scores to the good, we unleash the experienced tiger to moon walk his way through a tiring Welsh defence. The crowd cheer, the nation applaud and we all went to heaven in a little row boat

[Banquo]

Willis has to be injured, surely.

I was faintly nervous before. Now I'm just resigned to it.

He went off early last week.

It's a bench with a lot of impact. I presume we're going to unleash the bench fairly early on with a view to upping the physicality and tempo. The Welsh bench did alright last weekend so maybe looking to negate that.

But still benching, so one assumes not still injured. Really strikes me as trying to be a bit too clever, a bit too reactive to what they might do/negate, rather than what our intent is.

[FKAS]

Of all the selections that is the most disappointing and comical.
We might as well have gone 7:1

Tell me it's not more sentiment to get him to 100!

It’s not. 20 mins to go, with us 3 scores to the good, we unleash the experienced Sale Shark to moon walk his way through a tiring Welsh defence. The crowd cheer, the nation applaud and we all went to heaven in a little row boat

Not a Tiger anymore.

Don't really get his inclusion unless we have doubts over Fin and Marcus under the pressure of the Welsh crowd. If a centre goes down is it Fin to wing, Daly to centre and Ford to 10? We've got two 10s out there already don't really need a third on the bench.

[Banquo]

Tell me it's not more sentiment to get him to 100!

It’s not. 20 mins to go, with us 3 scores to the good, we unleash the experienced Sale Shark to moon walk his way through a tiring Welsh defence. The crowd cheer, the nation applaud and we all went to heaven in a little row boat

Not a Tiger anymore.

Don't really get his inclusion unless we have doubts over Fin and Marcus under the pressure of the Welsh crowd. If a centre goes down is it Fin to wing, Daly to centre and Ford to 10? We've got two 10s out there already don't really need a third on the bench.

If THE 12 goes down, we appear to be stuffed. I'd think Fin would shift out one.

[FKAS]

Willis has to be injured, surely.

I was faintly nervous before. Now I'm just resigned to it.

He went off early last week.

It's a bench with a lot of impact. I presume we're going to unleash the bench fairly early on with a view to upping the physicality and tempo. The Welsh bench did alright last weekend so maybe looking to negate that.

But still benching, so one assumes not still injured. Really strikes me as trying to be a bit too clever, a bit too reactive to what they might do/negate, rather than what our intent is.

Borthwick always tailors his squad to what he perceives the strength of the opposition is. If Wales are going to start Reffell and Morgan like they have done so far then look to bring on more ball carriers in the second half were effectively going to back our strengths to outgun them on both parts.

Also suggests the plan is to run in the first half and then become more physical as Wales hopefully tire which should be interesting.

[jngf]

Earl starting at 8 FFS ?!!!!

[Danno]

Earl starting at 8 FFS ?!!!!

That's not the worst bit

[jngf]

No carrier in our starting pack back 5 other than Chessum looks like carelessness

[LongForgotten]

Is Ford there because Marcus is no longer trusted at 10? I can't really work out why else we'd leave ourselves without any cover beyond 10 just to get a third 10 in the squad.

[Danno]

Earl and TC are good carriers, but no Willis is a peculiar choice. The man just doesn't go down

[jngf]

Earl and TC are good carriers, but no Willis is a peculiar choice. The man just doesn't go down

Not in heavy traffic they aren’t!

[Puja]

For 22 of that side, it's actually quite exciting and I can see the logic behind it. Would I have dropped TWillis myself? No, but BCurry has been phenomenal and I can see an argument for having maximum breakdown with the option to bring on TWillis for impact. Would I have dropped Sleightholme? No - I'd've put Daly on the bench, but I can see why reliability and experience of Daly's been preferred, especially with the Welsh wide attacking instincts under Sherratt.

But Ford at 23 is genuinely dumbfounding. We're playing a 6:2 bench and the two backs cover exactly two positions between them. Plus they're backing up two players who also only play those positions - we've managed to have a squad with Elliot Daly in it somehow result in there being no positional flexibility whatsoever. Are we genuinely saying that, if Freeman goes down injured in minute 1, that we're comfortable with Earl playing the whole match at centre?!

Even if we are assuming no injuries at all, what is the purpose of picking Ford? He's a great player, but what situation sees him come onto the pitch? The only way I can see him being useful if FSmith inexplicably shits the bed and needs to be given the shepherd's crook and, even then, we know MSmith can handle a pressured away game so we've already got the emergency option available to us.

If FSmith has anything above a crap game (which form would suggest), who is Ford going to come on for? He can play nowhere but 10 and will we want to replace our 10 if he's doing okay?

I would genuinely have been less confused if he'd picked Randall there. "Sure it's weird to play 3 scrum-halves in a XXIII, but I guess he's fast enough to cover wing?"

Puja

[Banquo]

For 22 of that side, it's actually quite exciting and I can see the logic behind it. Would I have dropped TWillis myself? No, but BCurry has been phenomenal and I can see an argument for having maximum breakdown with the option to bring on TWillis for impact. Would I have dropped Sleightholme? No - I'd've put Daly on the bench, but I can see why reliability and experience of Daly's been preferred, especially with the Welsh wide attacking instincts under Sherratt.

But Ford at 23 is genuinely dumbfounding. We're playing a 6:2 bench and the two backs cover exactly two positions between them. Plus they're backing up two players who also only play those positions - we've managed to have a squad with Elliot Daly in it somehow result in there being no positional flexibility whatsoever. Are we genuinely saying that, if Freeman goes down injured in minute 1, that we're comfortable with Earl playing the whole match at centre?!

Even if we are assuming no injuries at all, what is the purpose of picking Ford? He's a great player, but what situation sees him come onto the pitch? The only way I can see him being useful if FSmith inexplicably shits the bed and needs to be given the shepherd's crook and, even then, we know MSmith can handle a pressured away game so we've already got the emergency option available to us.

If FSmith has anything above a crap game (which form would suggest), who is Ford going to come on for? He can play nowhere but 10 and will we want to replace our 10 if he's doing okay?

I would genuinely have been less confused if he'd picked Randall there. "Sure it's weird to play 3 scrum-halves in a XXIII, but I guess he's fast enough to cover wing?"

Puja

If Freeman goes down, Daly moves in one and ...er.....if Dingwall goes down.....er...um...

Its mad and unnecessary. Just sticking Beard or Slade on the bench job done (tho no idea if Beard has played 12). Ditto one lock on the bench.

[Which Tyler]

So, what is the plan for Ford?

Get him up to 100 caps before he heads to France in September?