Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:22 pm
How many caps is Ford on? Is it 98?
Its like he's sticking his fingers up to his boring image. Its tinkerman 2.
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Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:23 pm
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:25 pm
It genuinely looks like Earl to cover 12 with Freeman covering the outside backs. Bizarre.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:25 pm
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:27 pm
Willis has to be injured, surely.
I was faintly nervous before. Now I'm just resigned to it.
I was faintly nervous before. Now I'm just resigned to it.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:29 pm
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.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:31 pm
So, what is the plan for Ford?Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:25 pmIt genuinely looks like Earl to cover 12 with Freeman covering the outside backs. Bizarre.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:35 pm
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.
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.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:38 pm
Oakboy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:31 pmSo, what is the plan for Ford?Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:25 pmIt genuinely looks like Earl to cover 12 with Freeman covering the outside backs. Bizarre.
Of all the selections that is the most disappointing and comical.
We might as well have gone 7:1
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:44 pm
Tell me it's not more sentiment to get him to 100!p/d wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:38 pmOakboy wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:31 pmSo, what is the plan for Ford?Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:25 pm
It genuinely looks like Earl to cover 12 with Freeman covering the outside backs. Bizarre.
Of all the selections that is the most disappointing and comical.
We might as well have gone 7:1
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:44 pm
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.
I'm finding it very hard to understand some of these calls.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:53 pm
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
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:56 pm
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.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:03 pm
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.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:04 pm
If THE 12 goes down, we appear to be stuffed. I'd think Fin would shift out one.FKAS wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:03 pmNot 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.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:05 pm
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.Banquo wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 2:56 pmBut 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.
Also suggests the plan is to run in the first half and then become more physical as Wales hopefully tire which should be interesting.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:08 pm
Earl starting at 8 FFS ?!!!!
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:10 pm
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:12 pm
No carrier in our starting pack back 5 other than Chessum looks like carelessness 
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:17 pm
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.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:18 pm
Earl and TC are good carriers, but no Willis is a peculiar choice. The man just doesn't go down
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:21 pm
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:26 pm
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
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
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:34 pm
If Freeman goes down, Daly moves in one and ...er.....if Dingwall goes down.....er...um...Puja wrote: ↑Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:26 pm 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
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.
Re: Team for Wales
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:38 pm