Can we knock Scotland out of kilter?

[normanski]

Well can we?

They have their tails up and are brimming with confidence. We have our tails between our legs after the hammering in Dublin.

Sam Warburton reckons it’s our lack of carrying power in the front five that caused our downfall to the Paddies.

I’m not so sure. I felt we lacked all round fitness and didn’t seem to have a game plan after that first try.

Let’s hope for great improvements on Saturday.

[Sandydragon]

Can we win - yes. But they are lear favourites for a good reason. I think Sam has a point with his comments on forwards carrying and creating momentum, although the game will be a different one on this weekend. I'm more concerned at the fact that we seemed so unlike a team on Saturday. We scrambled well but that was about it. Some of the mistakes were just painful to observe from a professional player and the whole lot looked rusty.

If we can get rid of that then we have a chance, but theres a lot to fix in 7 days. I'm not betting on Wales for this one, even if the obvious positional changes (Moriarty to blind side and a proper centre in place of Adams) are made.

[normanski]

Can we win - yes. But they are lear favourites for a good reason. I think Sam has a point with his comments on forwards carrying and creating momentum, although the game will be a different one on this weekend. I'm more concerned at the fact that we seemed so unlike a team on Saturday. We scrambled well but that was about it. Some of the mistakes were just painful to observe from a professional player and the whole lot looked rusty.

If we can get rid of that then we have a chance, but theres a lot to fix in 7 days. I'm not betting on Wales for this one, even if the obvious positional changes (Moriarty to blind side and a proper centre in place of Adams) are made.

Adams has to be returned to the wing and Moriarty to six. After that a lot depends on the team from Saturday stepping up at least three gears.

[Sandydragon]

Completely agree. I can't see many other players who are currently uninjured who I would replace existing players with (Halaholo or Watkin in at the centre obviously). There is some debate about replacing Biggar but until we can secure some quick ball theres not much that anyone could do.

Also, whilst this is painful, its kind of necessary as crucial players like AWJ, Owens and even Tipuric and Faletau are at that point where we can't rely on them continuing for ever and we need to blood younger players. I just wish we could find a physical 6 to replace Lydiate/ Navidi. I'm not convinced that Moriarty fills that role entirely but at least he fronts up with the carrying.

[Son of Mathonwy]

At least we had no injuries on Saturday.

Being in Cardiff will help, but the Scots will be looking to kick us while we're down and make some history. We need to play with pride and belief for the full 80.

There aren't too many changes we can make for the better. Moriarty to start. It's a real shame that Christ isn't available for the bench. I would start Anscombe (but this won't happen). Will Pivac continue with the Adams experiment? I think it needs more time but this is a must win match, so (for me) put him back on the wing, and Watkin/Halaholo to start. McNicholl to the bench (though it's a fine decision between Liam and him).

I look forward to it, but I can't kid myself we're favourites.

[Sandydragon]

Christ has looked pretty physical in the games I’ve seen him play. He’s obviously got a lot to learn but he could be that big physical bugger we need on the blindside.

[normanski]

Christ has looked pretty physical in the games I’ve seen him play. He’s obviously got a lot to learn but he could be that big physical bugger we need on the blindside.

Isn’t he out of the 6N with a pulled hamstring? We sorely missed Navidi on Saturday and he could have done a job for us to slow down the Green hordes.

At least Basham is stepping up to cover for Tipuric. Interesting selection if both were fit.

[Sandydragon]

Christ has looked pretty physical in the games I’ve seen him play. He’s obviously got a lot to learn but he could be that big physical bugger we need on the blindside.

Isn’t he out of the 6N with a pulled hamstring? We sorely missed Navidi on Saturday and he could have done a job for us to slow down the Green hordes.

At least Basham is stepping up to cover for Tipuric. Interesting selection if both were fit.

Privac would probably put Tips at blindside, although thats not the greatest of ideas in my opinion. I'd rather have one of them on the bench personally.

We have totally missed Navidi, without him our breakdown is awful. I think your right about Christ, I'm sure I read somewhere that it would be a few weeks for him to recover.

[whatisthejava]

Squidge reckons your breakdown tactics will work well against Scotland, I tend to agree we are pretty willing to give up ball.

I

[Sandydragon]

Squidge reckons your breakdown tactics will work well against Scotland, I tend to agree we are pretty willing to give up ball.

I

I think it will be a very different game this weekend as Ireland and Scotland are different teams. I don’t think we will be bullied like we were last week. I think it will be fast and furious and if we aren’t aligned in defence then it will be a long afternoon.

Also the Scottish defence is pretty tidy. We will need to take our opportunities and that will mean playing like we have not just met at the pub car park.

[cashead]

To be honest, I was hoping for a repeat of last year where Wales kept getting written off and then winning games they were supposed to lose.

Where’s a timely sending off when you need one?

[Sandydragon]

So it looks like we have come through the Irish encounter with no further injuries and Set Davies and Halaholo are both going to be fit for the weekend. Based on who is fit and who is in the squad, I would be looking at the following for this Saturday:

1. Wyn Jones.
2. Elias (tempted to swap with Lake actually but think the latter offers more as an impact player)
3. Francis.
4. Beard.
5. Rowlands
6. Moriarty
7. Basham
8. Wainwright
9. Williams
10. Biggar
11. Adams
12. Halaholo
13. Tompkins
14. LRZ
15. Williams

16. Lake
17. Thomas
18. Brown
19. Carter
20 Ratti
21 Davies
22. Sheedy
23. Watkin

I do wonder though if we will see McNicoll on the bench and Adams moving back to 13 when Halaholo runs out of steam, but thats not an experiment I'm keen on continuing in such a crucial game. I don't think Ellis Jenkins offers us enough at the moment. Against South Africa the game suited him and unsurprisingly he did will. But I don't think a fast game will suit him and I expect this one to be fast and furious. Ratti could make a big impact later on.

[Son of Mathonwy]

I'm in favour of playing 2 Moriarty's too.

[Son of Mathonwy]

So it looks like we have come through the Irish encounter with no further injuries and Set Davies and Halaholo are both going to be fit for the weekend. Based on who is fit and who is in the squad, I would be looking at the following for this Saturday:

1. Wyn Jones.
2. Elias (tempted to swap with Lake actually but think the latter offers more as an impact player)
3. Francis.
4. Beard.
5. Rowlands
6. Moriarty
7. Basham
8. Moriarty
9. Williams
10. Biggar
11. Adams
12. Halaholo
13. Tompkins
14. LRZ
15. Williams

16. G Thomas
17. Lake
18. Brown
19. Carter
20 Ratti
21 Davies
22. Sheedy
23. Watkin

I do wonder though if we will see McNicoll on the bench and Adams moving back to 13 when Halaholo runs out of steam, but thats not an experiment I'm keen on continuing in such a crucial game. I don't think Ellis Jenkins offers us enough at the moment. Against South Africa the game suited him and unsurprisingly he did will. But I don't think a fast game will suit him and I expect this one to be fast and furious. Ratti could make a big impact later on.

I think I'd probably go for McNichol on the bench, with Adams for centre cover.

Jenkins is the sensible back row cover, but I'd like to see what Ratti can do too.

And I'd prefer Anscombe to Biggar or Sheedy.

I'm not sure how Lake performed compared with Elias. I can't face looking at the match again...

[Sandydragon]

I'm in favour of playing 2 Moriarty's too.

Good spot - I do of course mean Wainwright. My bad for multi-tasking!

[Sandydragon]

Lakes first throw went astray, can't recall if he had any successes after that. Our line out was wonky before he came on so I can't say i noticed it getting worse.

I did notice some big carried and tackles - more dominant than Ellias. I think realistically the starting hooker and bench hooker is going to be those two in some order, I can't get really excited by which way around. Neither is brilliant yet (although both have potential).

[Sandydragon]

Just watched the second half again (side note - just how bad is ITV player?)

Lake shows up well. One line out went astray and that was a long throw that was intercepted. Otherwise he puts himself about and is a hard player to put down on the mainline. He has his little charge up the short side after his second line out here it takes 3 defenders to stop him and later on he runs through the Irish hooker before being scragged. A big mobile player who makes a dent.

I'm starting to think that we should have him in the first XV.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Just watched the second half again (side note - just how bad is ITV player?)

Lake shows up well. One line out went astray and that was a long throw that was intercepted. Otherwise he puts himself about and is a hard player to put down on the mainline. He has his little charge up the short side after his second line out here it takes 3 defenders to stop him and later on he runs through the Irish hooker before being scragged. A big mobile player who makes a dent.

I'm starting to think that we should have him in the first XV.

He certainly made more ground than Elias. Yeah, let's do it, start him.

Pivac certainly likes him, so it may well happen.

[Sandydragon]

The Fail is suggesting that Jac Morgan will start at blindside, with Moriarty moving to 8. They also suggest that Adams will continue in the centre.

[whatisthejava]

I was thinking about this today. I feel Pivac is reminding me very much of Johnson when he had Scotland. He basically went on a massive capping spree, playing loads of guys out of position , with interesting tactics to build up a portfolio for cotter.

Now, while SJ knew he had a year to do this, I think Pivac is basically trying to do this so when a RWC he has a squad of 33 that beat fiji and get into the quarters and possibly beyond.

He knows he is prob losing a massive number of the old guard so why not try spend the next year seeing what his players are like he’s not getting sacked a year out from the RWC

Im not convinced a guy that won the pro 14 with a shoestring budget isn’t trying to build something.

[Sandydragon]

Privac has inherited a squad that needed a revamp. Gatland took a group of young players and kept them throughout his career, by and large. Privacy has had to manage the replacement of some household names plus he has had to manage a horrendous injury list. Its easy to look at last year's results and suggest it was a freakish outcome, but you don't win a championship purely through luck. We had the likes of Navidi in the back row who are essential to how we want play. Plus of course Tipuric and AWJ.

Privacy has tried a number of new players and has unearthed some good along the way. Basham is coming along nicely, Botham has got a bag load of potential, LRZ of course in the backline and Sheedy looks like he will be an international class fly half to replace Biggar in due course.

The problem is that the Welsh public are hugely impatient and will give him zero leeway. He bought some time with the results of last year but if this years campaign is a whitewash then he could be in trouble. I don't think the WRU would sack him and would probably give him until the RWC, but they aren't known for making professional decisions so anything is possible.

Hopefully the performance will be a stronger one this weekend. Losing away to Ireland isnt the problem, they are a good team and have a formidable record at home. But the manner in which we lost was the real concern and heads did seem to drop. I hope the team are up for it on Saturday and put in a vastly improved performance. If they don't then Privac will be taking a lot more flak.

[Sandydragon]

So the team is announced at 1230 today. Ring has suggested that the only forwards who are inked in are Rowlands and Ellis Jenkins. Personally I think Jenkins needs some more time with Cardiff before he returns to the international scene, but Ringo has a habit of seeing things differently.

He also suggests moving Biggar to 12, which is intriguing.

[Son of Mathonwy]

So the team is announced at 1230 today. Ring has suggested that the only forwards who are inked in are Rowlands and Ellis Jenkins. Personally I think Jenkins needs some more time with Cardiff before he returns to the international scene, but Ringo has a habit of seeing things differently.

He also suggests moving Biggar to 12, which is intriguing.

Safe to say that Ring is thinking outside the box. If any changes are made to the forwards, Jenkins has to lose his starting place. WoL likes to big him up, but Jenkins was good cover for better players. He'd be nowhere near the 23 if we had all our players.

Jac Morgan would be a surprise but I guess this is Scotland, not Ireland, it might make sense to have Morgan and Basham for this one.

[Graigwen]

Scotland: Stuart Hogg (c); Darcy Graham, Chris Harris, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Finn Russell, Ali Price; Pierre Schoeman,Stuart McInally,WP Nel, Jonny Gray, Grant Gilchrist, Sam Skinner, Hamish Watson, Matt Fagerson.

Replacements: George Turner, Rory Sutherland, Zander Fagerson, Magnus Bradbury, Rory Darge, Ben White, Blair Kinghorn, Cameron Redpath.

[Graigwen]

Wales: L Williams; Cuthbert, Watkin, Tompkins, Rees-Zammit; Biggar (capt), T Williams; W Jones, Elias, Francis, Rowlands, Beard, Basham, Morgan, Moriarty.

Replacements: Lake, G Thomas, D Lewis, S Davies, Wainwright, G Davies, Sheedy, J Davies.