1) Which group of players has the fortitude to not be cowed by the challenge of an away trip to NZ?
2) Who is the coach?
3) What type of rugby will we play to score more tries than the all blacks?
4) How many dickheads can we tolerate?

I also think that so much will happen between now and then that speculation should start at the coaching team, then imagine how they will think about selection.

On Biggar, I honestly can’t recall a time when I saw him breaking the line (or even taking it to the line) or pulling strings amongst a back line. I’ve even seem him struggle time and again to do it at club level for the Ospreys (who admittedly don’t have the best back line outside him).

His kick and chase to himself are brilliant though! Unfortunately, that for me is a bit like picking a hooker that can’t throw or scrummage because he nice hands. Must be able to do the basics first, which for a 10, has to be getting the back line flowing.

Completely understand your personal dislike of Farrell, can’t help but think he is a bit of a nob; but I think it makes him the player he is.

I only wish that at the mo that was how Gats worked….

Yes :-) I have terrible trouble with remembering names so I end up forgetting things like who plays 3 for England so yep, only the ones who regularly standout manage to make it into my head. I think it was still fairly ok – there were a lot of non-Welsh players in there, some natural bias and fondly remembered delight from these players playing well (I’m a fan, not a coach/pro-critic).

I think when Biggar is on form he is much better than your appraisal – his defence, his breaks (he does make them), his kick and chase (especially that, he is a master at this forward pass) and has been known to get Wales fizzing. It was he who played in a lot of our big wins in the last couple of years. He just isn’t doing it right now. I know you’re a long term member of the unconvinced about him.

Farrel is an amazing kicker – what I meant was that he’s not a better 10, for me, than Sexton/Biggar/Thingy-from-Scotland… And then there’s the whole objectionable player thing which, as I’m not a coach, I don’t have to look past….

I’d be perfectly happy with Sexton playing over Farrell but for me it’s only between those two. The more I think about Russell the more i realise I have no idea what his kicking is like since Laidlaw takes that role for Scotland.

Haha so your selection was more, I’m picking the Welsh team and only players that have really stood out can get the shirt off them. A lot like Gatland then ;)

That being said, Henshaw gets in ahead of him for me, so I wouldn’t be starting Roberts in a test 15.

No problem with Nel at all – he is fantastic, think Lee edges it. As a front row the Welsh were excellent against the big packs in the tournament – Eng and Fra. Hartley still has a tendency to not actually hook but to rely on the scrum to walk forward over the ball. He is though a better thrower than Baldwin so it’s not clear cut for me.

In terms of units I was more harking back to my comment about thinking of selection that way, putting the welsh boys in my head where I can’t think of utter standouts, then playing mental games of “who’s better in Uk/Ire then these”. It’s a naturally biased approach obviously as my incumbents in lower quality positions will be Welsh.

I think Murray has been cold this season – not the nippy and dynamic of old, more reliance on his aggression and chuntering now than his wits and distribution.

You don’t think Farrell is a 90% goal kicker? Not really convinced by that at all. Farrell, despite not playing 10 this 6 nations, has been a consistent kicker, kicker well out of hand and has also (to everyone’s surprise) managed to carry his passing/running game from Saracens into the test arena. I can’t really see past picking him there right now.

I really don’t like the idea of picking units to be honest – especially in the front row. The only units I’d be tempted to lean towards would be between hooker and jumper, and maybe half backs. But even then, I think top players, if the style and balance is right, should click quickly enough.

We’ll have to agree to disagree on the form of Evans and Baldwin – I’ve seen neither play in a way that suggests Lions form, and Hartley was immense against Wales. Best set piece hooker by a mile. As I mentioned, can’t see what’s not to like about Dickinson this 6 nations, and Nel for that matter.

Biggar is a fly half; not a large ball carrying center and therefore has absolutely no excuse not to be able to pass a ball of pick a gap.