RugbyRebels

You're in the hot seat - you have to pick a starting XV and subs for the first game of the six nations - who would you have? And for any off the wall inclusions, make your case.

Gareth Thomas
Ken Owens
Tomos Francis
Will Rowlands
Adam Beard
Jac Morgan
Tommy Reffell
Taulupe Faletau
Tomos Williams
Dan Bigger
Josh Adams
Nick Tompkins
George North
LRZ
Liam Williams

Bench: Wyn Jones, Dewi Lake, Dillon Lewis, AWJ, Josh Navidi, Gareth Davies, Callum Sheedy, Joe Hawkins

Presuming they're all fit of course.

Inclined to agree with this, Numbers, only with the following changes.

AWJ to start. Rowlands to the bench (on for the whole of the second half).
Anscombe to start. Biggar to the Bench. Sheedy dropped.
Hawkins to start. Tomkins to the bench.
Toss up between Webb and Davies for a bench spot.
I might start Lake and bring Owens on for the last twenty.

I’d be inclined to start Lake as well. I’d also be tempted by Llewelyn at 12.

With Gatland back we could just about field a classic Gatland era team:
Halfpenny
Cuthbert
Foxy Davies
Scott Williams
North
Biggar
Webb
Rhodri Jones
Owens
T Francis
Beard
AWJ
Lydiate
Tipuric
Faletau
And also announce BUPA and Voltarol as major sponsors.

pompey-zebra wrote: ↑Thu Dec 08, 2022 10:34 pm With Gatland back we could just about field a classic Gatland era team:
Halfpenny
Cuthbert
Foxy Davies
Scott Williams
North
Biggar
Webb
Rhodri Jones
Owens
T Francis
Beard
AWJ
Lydiate
Tipuric
Faletau
And also announce BUPA and Voltarol as major sponsors.

Not sure the WRU’s insurance would cover that selection!

pompey-zebra wrote: ↑Thu Dec 08, 2022 10:34 pm With Gatland back we could just about field a classic Gatland era team:
Halfpenny
Cuthbert
Foxy Davies
Scott Williams
North
Biggar
Webb
Rhodri Jones
Owens
T Francis
Beard
AWJ
Lydiate
Tipuric
Faletau
And also announce BUPA and Voltarol as major sponsors.

Would certainly outcap the opposition, which is a kind of victory....

For me it's

Gareth Thomas
Dewi Lake
Tomas Francis
Will Rowlands
Adam Beard
James Botham
Jac Morgan
Taulupe Faletau
Tomos Williams
Gareth Anscombe
Josh Adams
Nick Tompkins
George North
LRZ
Liam Williams

Bench: Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Dillon Lewis, AWJ, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Rhys Patchell, Scott Williams

Beard as captain.

Would have Jonah Holmes at 23 if we scrap the 60 cap rule.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Thu Dec 08, 2022 9:05 pm I’d be inclined to start Lake as well. I’d also be tempted by Llewelyn at 12.

Llewellyn joining an English premiership side, according to the Fail this morning. Dillon Lewis too.

pompey-zebra wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 10:19 am

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Thu Dec 08, 2022 9:05 pm I’d be inclined to start Lake as well. I’d also be tempted by Llewelyn at 12.

Llewellyn joining an English premiership side, according to the Fail this morning. Dillon Lewis too.

Llewelyn isnt capped yet so I don't think the 60 cap rule would apply. Lewis is more of a problem.

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 9:41 am

pompey-zebra wrote: ↑Thu Dec 08, 2022 10:34 pm With Gatland back we could just about field a classic Gatland era team:
Halfpenny
Cuthbert
Foxy Davies
Scott Williams
North
Biggar
Webb
Rhodri Jones
Owens
T Francis
Beard
AWJ
Lydiate
Tipuric
Faletau
And also announce BUPA and Voltarol as major sponsors.

Would certainly outcap the opposition, which is a kind of victory....

Halfpenny - 100 caps (96 Wales and 4 Lions)
Cuthbert - 51 caps (50 Wales 2 Lion)
J Davies - 100 caps (94 Wales 6 Lions)
S Williams - 58 caps (all Wales)
G North - 112 caps (109 Wales and 3 Lions)
D Biggar - 105 Caps (102 Wales and 3 Lions)
R Webb - 35 caps (33 Wales and 2 Lions)
Rhodri Jones - 20 Caps (all Wales)
Ken Owens 94 caps (89 Wales and 5 Lions)
Tom Francis - 62 caps (all Wales)
Beard - 31 caps (30 Wales 1 Lions)
AWJ - 167 caps (155 Wales and 12 Lions)
Dan Lydiate - 67 caps (64 Wales and 3 Lions)
Tipuric - 89 caps (88Wales and 1 Lions)
Faletau - 100 caps (95 Wales and 5 Lions)

1191 in total. Not lacking in experience!

Swap out Cuthbert for Liam Williams and thats 86 caps, an extra 35.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 11:07 am

pompey-zebra wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 10:19 am

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Thu Dec 08, 2022 9:05 pm I’d be inclined to start Lake as well. I’d also be tempted by Llewelyn at 12.

Llewellyn joining an English premiership side, according to the Fail this morning. Dillon Lewis too.

Llewelyn isnt capped yet so I don't think the 60 cap rule would apply. Lewis is more of a problem.

Correct about llewellyn but he was born in Kingston upon Thames so could opt for England. I doubt it myself, given his heritage ( unless he's said somewhere he's open to the idea), but Wales capping as you suggest wouldn't do any harm!

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 9:58 am For me it's

Gareth Thomas
Dewi Lake
Tomas Francis
Will Rowlands
Adam Beard
James Botham
Jac Morgan
Taulupe Faletau
Tomos Williams
Gareth Anscombe
Josh Adams
Nick Tompkins
George North
LRZ
Liam Williams

Bench: Wyn Jones, Ken Owens, Dillon Lewis, AWJ, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Rhys Patchell, Scott Williams

Beard as captain.

Would have Jonah Holmes at 23 if we scrap the 60 cap rule.

I'm forgetting Johnny Williams. He'd be at 23.

Jonny Williams or Scott Williams?

We have a number of intriguing options at centre, but none who have really made themselves irreplaceable. North seems settled at 13 and is improving but no one really has grasped the 12 shirt.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 3:53 pm Jonny Williams or Scott Williams?

We have a number of intriguing options at centre, but none who have really made themselves irreplaceable. North seems settled at 13 and is improving but no one really has grasped the 12 shirt.

I'd love for Jonny Williams to have an injury free run. He really could add something if he could stay fit, I think.

G. Thomas
Lake
Francis
AWJ
Beard
J. Morgan
Reffell
Faletau
T. Williams
Biggar
Hawkins
North
LRZ
Dyer
Adams

B: R. Jones, Owens, D. Lewis, Rowlands, Tipuric, Hardy, Sheedy, Tompkins

Hawkins at "2nd 5" has to be tried again - although Gatland won't, of course - with Tompkins backing up. I really have no idea who plays 10 if Biggar can't. Any of Sheedy, Evans, Patchell or Owen Williams(!) would be equally risky IMO. Not much going on up front either, except I believe Tips needs a kick up the arse.

This game was a whole lot more fun when it was "who do you leave out?" rather than "who do you put in?"

On current form, Tipuric doesn’t deserve to get picked. I’m sure he will return to form, but he wasn’t his normal self in the AIs.

pompey-zebra wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 4:02 pm

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 3:53 pm Jonny Williams or Scott Williams?

We have a number of intriguing options at centre, but none who have really made themselves irreplaceable. North seems settled at 13 and is improving but no one really has grasped the 12 shirt.

I'd love for Jonny Williams to have an injury free run. He really could add something if he could stay fit, I think.

Exactly. Although I still doubt he could be a Henson Johnny could be very good indeed (if he stays fit).

It will be fascinating to see how Owen Williams is playing - he has a lot of skills.

And then there's Hawkins. Great potential but I would like to see him prove himself at the Ospreys before the 6Ns.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 7:14 pm On current form, Tipuric doesn’t deserve to get picked. I’m sure he will return to form, but he wasn’t his normal self in the AIs.

He was very good in the first two games, not so good in the other two. And then there was that trip.

Not at his excellent best.

Son of Mathonwy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 10:14 pm

pompey-zebra wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 4:02 pm

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Fri Dec 09, 2022 3:53 pm Jonny Williams or Scott Williams?

We have a number of intriguing options at centre, but none who have really made themselves irreplaceable. North seems settled at 13 and is improving but no one really has grasped the 12 shirt.

I'd love for Jonny Williams to have an injury free run. He really could add something if he could stay fit, I think.

Exactly. Although I still doubt he could be a Henson Johnny could be very good indeed (if he stays fit).

It will be fascinating to see how Owen Williams is playing - he has a lot of skills.

And then there's Hawkins. Great potential but I would like to see him prove himself at the Ospreys before the 6Ns.

Agree with this, Anscombe, Johnny Williams and North would be my preferred 10-12-13, and I also like Owen Williams.

I think that 6 is really open for Wales, don’t know who to go for, don’t think it’s Morgan’s best position but he has played too well to leave out.

Gareth Thomas
Owens
Francis
Rowlands
Beard
Morgan
Faletau
Reffell
T Williams
Anscombe
Adams
J Williams
North
LRZ
L Williams

Wyn Jones, Lake, Lewis, AWJ, Navidi, Hardy, Biggar, Dyer

I’d be tempted to put Navidi at six as he dominates the breakdown and start Morgan at 7. We need carriers. The either have a Moriarty on the bench for carrying or Tipuric for something different.

Loads of options there, almost too many. But we need someone who is proven at blindside.

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Sat Dec 10, 2022 5:44 pm I’d be tempted to put Navidi at six as he dominates the breakdown and start Morgan at 7. We need carriers. The either have a Moriarty on the bench for carrying or Tipuric for something different.

Loads of options there, almost too many. But we need someone who is proven at blindside.

I think that Morgan has already proved to be very adept at 6 in the AIs and I think Reffell is our best jackler so I'd definitely have him at 7.

I like Hawkins because the true "2nd 5" is an exciting attacking option. It's possible Owen Williams could fit there too, bringing a bit more experience but not quite so much pizzazz IMO. But Gatland has never shown any inclination to field a playmaker 12 so it's probably a moot point. If Johnny Williams can stay fit he's got to be in the mix. Keiron Williams just had another one of those once-a-year games where he looks unplayable; if he can string a couple together he's another option who is more of a Gatland 12.

The real long-term problem remains 10 and 15, with all remotely viable options well the wrong side of 30. We haven't really brought anyone on there, although Adams looks like he might develop into a 15 with time. Otherwise it's "prospects", most of whom have been that for a good few years now. That's why it's so refreshing to see Hawkins looking so good, so young.

Wales online had an article this week speculating on Gatland picking the Japan based internationals in future.

I think that Hadleigh Parkes’ time has gone, but if all were fit (and somehow available) a 4,5,6 of Jake Ball, Will Rowlands and Cory Hill would tick a few boxes.

The return of Ball and Hill would be very welcome. Both proven internationals and both apparently playing well.

Haddleigh Parkes is probably a step too far