Wales v Scotland

[Son of Mathonwy]

Wales: 15. Cameron Winnett, 14. Josh Adams, 13. Owen Watkin, 12. Nick Tompkins 11. Rio Dyer, 10. Sam Costelow 9. Gareth Davies; 1. Corey Domachowski, 2. Ryan Elias, 3. Leon Brown, 4. Adam Beard, 5. Dafydd Jenkins (c), 6. James Botham, 7. Tommy Reffell, 8. Aaron Wainwright

Replacements: 16. Elliot Dee, 17. Kemsley Mathias, 18. Keiron Assiratti, 19. Teddy Williams, 20. Alex Mann, 21. Tomos Williams, 22. Ioan Lloyd 23. Mason Grady

[Numbers]

I'm surprised that Gareth Thomas isn't involved in the 23, glad to see Winnett and no sign of Cai Evans thanks god, I'll be interested to see how Leon Brown goes at tighthead too.

[pompey-zebra]

Well, we've had records for the most number of caps in a Wales 6n squad, this can't be far off the squad with the fewest!

Great for the young players to be given the chance, and not many arguments against them on form either.

[Son of Mathonwy]

So, we've lost another star, North. Not good, hopefully it's just for this game.

Winnett - I'm not convinced yet but given who we have to choose from (and assuming Adams isn't really up to switching position), it's a sensible call. Let's see if he can step up.

Wingers and centres - I really think we should be starting Grady, somewhere. Personally I would have him on the wing in the place of Adams or Dyer. Otherwise as North's replacement (which he basically is - it's like for like).

Costelow hasn't been back from injury for long enough or shown enough form to be starting. Lloyd should start, he's far and away the form 10. At least he's on the bench but will he get a chance at fly half or will he just be the replacement full back?

Davies over Williams is a surprise but no problem, they're both excellent.

Back row is sensible. Could have started Mackenzie Martin but this is the safer choice. Surprised Martin doesn't make the bench though. He would for me. Or Basham, before Mann.

Rowlands out (not great for us) so second row picks itself.

Front row. Could be a difficult day.

[Sandydragon]

So, we've lost another star, North. Not good, hopefully it's just for this game.

Winnett - I'm not convinced yet but given who we have to choose from (and assuming Adams isn't really up to switching position), it's a sensible call. Let's see if he can step up.

Wingers and centres - I really think we should be starting Grady, somewhere. Personally I would have him on the wing in the place of Adams or Dyer. Otherwise as North's replacement (which he basically is - it's like for like).

Costelow hasn't been back from injury for long enough or shown enough form to be starting. Lloyd should start, he's far and away the form 10. At least he's on the bench but will he get a chance at fly half or will he just be the replacement full back?

Davies over Williams is a surprise but no problem, they're both excellent.

Back row is sensible. Could have started Mackenzie Martin but this is the safer choice. Surprised Martin doesn't make the bench though. He would for me. Or Basham, before Mann.

Rowlands out (not great for us) so second row picks itself.

Front row. Could be a difficult day.

Broadly agree, and the props worry me a lot. I’d have put Thomas in there for some experience. Scotland will target our scrum, so I hope all 4 will show the other qualities we know they have.

The rugby gods obviously hate us at the moment with both Rowlands and North unavailable. FFS. There’s almost a very good XV of players who have either become injured or are otherwise no longer available, aside from those who have retired.

I think (hope) the plan is to bring on impact players hence Lloyd and Grady on the bench for when the game opens up.

I’m not surprised at the absence of Basham, there’s been a bit too much indiscipline and a few too many errors creeping into his game of late.

[Numbers]

So, we've lost another star, North. Not good, hopefully it's just for this game.

Winnett - I'm not convinced yet but given who we have to choose from (and assuming Adams isn't really up to switching position), it's a sensible call. Let's see if he can step up.

Wingers and centres - I really think we should be starting Grady, somewhere. Personally I would have him on the wing in the place of Adams or Dyer. Otherwise as North's replacement (which he basically is - it's like for like).

Costelow hasn't been back from injury for long enough or shown enough form to be starting. Lloyd should start, he's far and away the form 10. At least he's on the bench but will he get a chance at fly half or will he just be the replacement full back?

Davies over Williams is a surprise but no problem, they're both excellent.

Back row is sensible. Could have started Mackenzie Martin but this is the safer choice. Surprised Martin doesn't make the bench though. He would for me. Or Basham, before Mann.

Rowlands out (not great for us) so second row picks itself.

Front row. Could be a difficult day.

Broadly agree, and the props worry me a lot. I’d have put Thomas in there for some experience. Scotland will target our scrum, so I hope all 4 will show the other qualities we know they have.

The rugby gods obviously hate us at the moment with both Rowlands and North unavailable. FFS. There’s almost a very good XV of players who have either become injured or are otherwise no longer available, aside from those who have retired.

I think (hope) the plan is to bring on impact players hence Lloyd and Grady on the bench for when the game opens up.

I’m not surprised at the absence of Basham, there’s been a bit too much indiscipline and a few too many errors creeping into his game of late.

Thomas hasn't trained this week.

[Son of Mathonwy]

So, we've lost another star, North. Not good, hopefully it's just for this game.

Winnett - I'm not convinced yet but given who we have to choose from (and assuming Adams isn't really up to switching position), it's a sensible call. Let's see if he can step up.

Wingers and centres - I really think we should be starting Grady, somewhere. Personally I would have him on the wing in the place of Adams or Dyer. Otherwise as North's replacement (which he basically is - it's like for like).

Costelow hasn't been back from injury for long enough or shown enough form to be starting. Lloyd should start, he's far and away the form 10. At least he's on the bench but will he get a chance at fly half or will he just be the replacement full back?

Davies over Williams is a surprise but no problem, they're both excellent.

Back row is sensible. Could have started Mackenzie Martin but this is the safer choice. Surprised Martin doesn't make the bench though. He would for me. Or Basham, before Mann.

Rowlands out (not great for us) so second row picks itself.

Front row. Could be a difficult day.

Broadly agree, and the props worry me a lot. I’d have put Thomas in there for some experience. Scotland will target our scrum, so I hope all 4 will show the other qualities we know they have.

The rugby gods obviously hate us at the moment with both Rowlands and North unavailable. FFS. There’s almost a very good XV of players who have either become injured or are otherwise no longer available, aside from those who have retired.

I think (hope) the plan is to bring on impact players hence Lloyd and Grady on the bench for when the game opens up.

I’m not surprised at the absence of Basham, there’s been a bit too much indiscipline and a few too many errors creeping into his game of late.

Yeah, I really don't fancy our chances now. The scrum could leak penalties. We have no outstanding weapons in the starting team - Grady and Lloyd being on the bench. Defence should be solid - most of the forwards are good and the centres also (if Watkin doesn't bring that much else) . . . although Winnett will be put to the test. We might just win a low-scoring arm-wrestle, but the odds are against us. (And yet, after Italy, this is our best chance of a win )

[normanski]

The Scots have suffered a few withdrawals this week so will have lost some of their balance and combinations. Their fullback is also starting for the first time (he was a substitute for ten minutes in Argentina) so that will even things up with Winnett.

All in all, with injuries and retirements, this is probably as strong a side that we can muster.

For our youngsters it’s a case of going out to give a performance without fear.

I think people expect us to lose but it’s all to play for. Come on boys!

[Sandydragon]

Silly mistakes are hurting us at the moment

[Sandydragon]

And we’re getting nothing out of Okeef

[Sandydragon]

FFS Adams.

This is painful

[pompey-zebra]

And we’re getting nothing out of Okeef

No we're not. Although we're not doing a lot to merit his favour.

This could be a long campaign.

[Sandydragon]

We appear to be playing a total kicking game. And we’re shit at it

[Sandydragon]

So a decoy runner is now allowed to run into a defender?

[pompey-zebra]

We appear to be playing a total kicking game. And we’re shit at it

To be fair, we're pretty shit at everything else we've tried.

I can't remember a performance as bad as this for years. We're making Scotland look like the all blacks.

[Sandydragon]

Fucking lineout

[Sandydragon]

Scotland re taking the piss. This is utterly dire

[pompey-zebra]

Fucking lineout

Fucking everything. That was awful.

[bruce]

Jesus this is painful watching. Record breaking humping on the cards. Absolutely nothing going right.

[Sourdust]

I wonder if the Scottish ambassador would be willing to outline their surrender terms?

[Sandydragon]

I have a horrible feeling this is about to become a total humiliation. Our sole positive from the first 40 was a scrum penalty. The lineout is a joke and we keep making mistakes and losing discipline.

Has this team actually been coached to do something, because the evidence of any cohesion is very limited. Yes this is a very new team but I would expect a lineout to actually function.

Might as well bring on our replacements early and see if that makes a difference because another 20-30 mins of the same is just not worth contemplating.

[pompey-zebra]

I have a horrible feeling this is about to become a total humiliation. Our sole positive from the first 40 was a scrum penalty. The lineout is a joke and we keep making mistakes and losing discipline.

Has this team actually been coached to do something, because the evidence of any cohesion is very limited. Yes this is a very new team but I would expect a lineout to actually function.

Might as well bring on our replacements early and see if that makes a difference because another 20-30 mins of the same is just not worth contemplating.

Well even in the good times, the lineout has never been an area of dominance.

I wasnt expecting much from today. I said to some Scots fans in the pub before the match I thought the result to be 32-20 to Scotland. Now, I can't see where we get 20 from and Scotland getting less than 12 in the 2nd half.

[Sandydragon]

Loads of replacements for us.

[Sandydragon]

Christ oh fucking mighty.

How much bloody space do you give a player.

[Sandydragon]

I have a horrible feeling this is about to become a total humiliation. Our sole positive from the first 40 was a scrum penalty. The lineout is a joke and we keep making mistakes and losing discipline.

Has this team actually been coached to do something, because the evidence of any cohesion is very limited. Yes this is a very new team but I would expect a lineout to actually function.

Might as well bring on our replacements early and see if that makes a difference because another 20-30 mins of the same is just not worth contemplating.

Well even in the good times, the lineout has never been an area of dominance.

I wasnt expecting much from today. I said to some Scots fans in the pub before the match I thought the result to be 32-20 to Scotland. Now, I can't see where we get 20 from and Scotland getting less than 12 in the 2nd half.

Every chance of 52 points being scored, just not by us.