So what is the future?

[Sandydragon]

With three years to the next RWC, what do we think our team is going to look like over the next couple of seasons?

Surely time will catch up with AWJ and Ken Owens? Can Tipuric and Faletau make the next competition? It’s not impossible but both have hit the 30 mark.

JD2 is probably Not going to make that competition either, but Liam Williams might. North should make it.

The next six nations will be hugely important for us. We need new players to stand up but equally if we do poorly then Privac is toast.

Our best XV now, with players coming through:

Wyn Jones
Dee (least worst in my opinion and assuming no Owens)
Francis
AWJ (with Hill coming through)
Ball
Wainwright (hopefully Olly Griffiths will stay fit)
Tipuric (Navidi may be fit again and might make the next RWC)
Faletau (Moriarty is the obvious replacement)
Tomos Williams
Sheedy. I think he can be a very good player and needs experience.
Adams
Jonny Williams
North/ Tompkins. The latter hasn’t hit the heights of his first season but may come back.
North offers so much going forward.
LRZ
Liam Williams - maybe Holmes.

I suspect that a few of our elder statemen will retire after the lions so hopefully the younger players will step up.

[Son of Mathonwy]

While Faletau and Tipuric are playing at this level they have to be in the XV, regardless of whether they can make the next world cup.

Not that I'm saying they can't make it, I'm saying the WC isn't everything.

[Sandydragon]

While Faletau and Tipuric are playing at this level they have to be in the XV, regardless of whether they can make the next world cup.

Not that I'm saying they can't make it, I'm saying the WC isn't everything.

I personally think they are both capable of making the next competition, injuries permitting.

But it would be nice to have some alternatives.

[MrK]

Now :
Jones, Evans , Smith
Owens, Parry, Dee
Francis , Lee, will Griff
AWJ, Ball, Rowlands, Hill
Moriaty, Navidi , Tipuric , Wainwright , Faletau

Williams , Webb , G Davies
Sheedy , Biggar, Patch
Williams , watkin , Tompkins, Jd2
North, Adams, L Williams , halfpenny , Lane

Then:
Domachowski, carre , Evans
Dee, Elias , lake
Lewis , brown , Francis
Ball, rowlands , hill . Davies
Moriaty, fry , griffiths , wainwright , Basham

Williams , Davies , hardy
Sheedy , evans , Patchell/costelow
j Williams , k Williams , Tompkins , north
Adams, L Williams , Lane , zammit , Lloyd

[MrK]

Now :
Jones, Evans , Smith
Owens, Parry, Dee
Francis , Lee, will Griff
AWJ, Ball, Rowlands, Hill
Moriaty, Navidi , Tipuric , Wainwright , Faletau

Williams , Webb , G Davies
Sheedy , Biggar, Patch
Williams , watkin , Tompkins, Jd2
North, Adams, L Williams , halfpenny , Lane

Then:
Domachowski, carre , Evans
Dee, Elias , lake
Lewis , brown , Francis
Ball, rowlands , hill . Davies
Moriaty, fry , griffiths , wainwright , Basham

Williams , Davies , hardy
Sheedy , evans , Patchell/costelow
j Williams , k Williams , Tompkins , north
Adams, L Williams , Lane , zammit , Lloyd

[Wallpaperman]

Now :
Jones, Evans , Smith
Owens, Parry, Dee
Francis , Lee, will Griff
AWJ, Ball, Rowlands, Hill
Moriaty, Navidi , Tipuric , Wainwright , Faletau

Williams , Webb , G Davies
Sheedy , Biggar, Patch
Williams , watkin , Tompkins, Jd2
North, Adams, L Williams , halfpenny , Lane

Then:
Domachowski, carre , Evans
Dee, Elias , lake
Lewis , brown , Francis
Ball, rowlands , hill . Davies
Moriaty, fry , griffiths , wainwright , Basham

Williams , Davies , hardy
Sheedy , evans , Patchell/costelow
j Williams , k Williams , Tompkins , north
Adams, L Williams , Lane , zammit , Lloyd

Would be happy with that list of players for 2023. I think that Wyn Jones and Samson Lee are likely to still be around, injuries permitting. Lake is a superb prospect but I hope that someone gets him some darts for Christmas.

I think Adam Beard will be back in the squad for the six nations if he can keep up his recent form. He looks a bit more aggressive than he was previously and I think he will become a really important player for Wales in the next year or two.

Re the back row, Ellis Jenkins should be playing again soon according to Wales Online. He would make the squad if he got back to his performance levels before his injury. I also wouldn’t rule Faletau out, even though he will be 33 at the next World Cup. Sam Moore might also be a shout, as Pivac liked to pick Aaron Shingler at the Scarlets, and Moore looks to be a similar type of player, although he has only had a few games for the Blues.

Behind the scrum I would love to see Anscombe playing as he did last year, but he will be 32 by the time of the World Cup. I wouldn’t rule out Owen Watkin, either. Hopefully he can get back to his best with the new coaching regime at the Ospreys.

Obviously it’s been a rubbish 2020 for Wales, but I think we have a pretty strong squad going forward.

[Numbers]

I would add Ben Thomas at the Blues to the list, he looks very good, especially if Pivac wants a two playmaker option and also Jac Morgan going by his recent performances.

[Sandydragon]

I think our future second row is more likely to be Rowlands and Hill following Ball’s decision to head down under.

[Graigwen]

I think our future second row is more likely to be Rowlands and Hill following Ball’s decision to head down under.

Jake Ball's move was understandable. There must be a chance it is not permanent, if there is post COVID normality. He always gave his best and there were times when he was the only one carrying with such direct commitment for us.

.

[Sandydragon]

I think our future second row is more likely to be Rowlands and Hill following Ball’s decision to head down under.

Jake Ball's move was understandable. There must be a chance it is not permanent, if there is post COVID normality. He always gave his best and there were times when he was the only one carrying with such direct commitment for us.

.

I hope he comes back in a couple of years once all this settles down. Or sooner but I agree that it’s understandable that he has put family first.

It does give Hill, Rowlands, Beard and Davies to fight it out and hopefully one of them can provide some decent ball carrying ability.

[Wallpaperman]

It would be nice to think that Ball would still be an option for the World Cup. Everybody understands his reasons for going to Australia but he’ll be leaving a pretty big hole at he Scarlets, and also with Wales.

Beard has stepped up this season and is still only 25, he could easily be in the side for the next 2 world cups. I think that playing without AWJ or Bradley Davies has made him take on more responsibility at the Ospreys, bringing through a younger (and very promising) colleague in Rhys Davies, and this has added to his game. More good coaching by Toby Booth.

On the assumption that AWJ won’t make it to 2023, Beard, Ball and Rowlands would be a good bunch of second rows to have in the match day 23.

There is a nice piece on Rhys Davies in the WOL today, and it is entirely possible that he and 1 or 2 of the new second rows (also Morgan Jones & Ben Carter) might force their way into the reckoning in a year or two.

Cory Hill and Seb Davies are talented players, and still in the mix, but both have ground to make up. It will be interesting to see if Dai Young can revitalise some of the slightly underachieving Blues front 5 (Seb Davies, Cory Hill, Rhys Carre, Dillon Lewis), and whether prospects like Domachowski, Assirati (and further out) Sam Moore and Mason Grady can make the grade.

[Wallpaperman]

It won’t be Owen Williams at 10 or 12 then. A talented player, Wales have missed out on him.

[Sandydragon]

It won’t be Owen Williams at 10 or 12 then. A talented player, Wales have missed out on him.

He didn’t fit in that well with Gatland who found Parkes instead. Definitely a talented player but he has made his choice I suppose.