Warren Gatland has recalled skipper Sam Warburton to the starting line-up for this weekend’s game against Italy in Cardiff.
Warburton joins James King and Taulupe Faletau in a new look back-row. Surprise inclusion in the World Cup squad Cory Allen is given a start in the 13 shirt, while the only other changes to the side that beat Ireland come in the engine room, where Jake Ball and Dom Day are the locking duo.
Matthew Morgan is named on the bench, along with Kristian Dacey and Ross Moriarty, both of whom missed out on the World Cup squad but have remained in training and will be looking to win their second caps this weekend.
“With our opening Rugby World Cup fixture just two weeks away, this weekend is important run-out and opportunity for fine tuning,” said Gatland.
“We were happy with the performance away from home in Ireland last weekend, but there are plenty of things we need to work on from that victory so we will be looking to put those in place on Saturday.
“We’ve made a couple of changes to try a few new combinations and ensure players get some more game time under their belts.”
WALES TEAM TO PLAY ITALY:
Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), George North (Northampton), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Dominic Day (Bath), James King (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues) (Capt), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Paul James (Ospreys), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), Ross Moriarty (Gloucester), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Bath), Matthew Morgan (Bristol).
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Just seen that Tomas Francis has signed a new contract with Exeter.
Based on Gatland’s rules – is he now out of selection contention?
I saw an interview recently where only two players were given exception from the “play in Wales” rules, those being Preistland and Roberts. Anyone else that signs a contract from then on will jeopardise their chances of playing for Wales. He didn’t go as far as to rule them out completely for obvious reasons, but he did say that those playing in Wales would get preferential treatment, or words to that effect.
Does anyone know how it is expected these things will play out now?
In essence Jacob – the rule is a load of old flannel. He uses it when he has some vaguely equal choices e.g. King vs Moriarty, Owens vs Hibbard. if you look the WC squad in general he has favoured boys playing in Wales – the big Lions casualties all play outside. But if we’re stuck he’ll pick whoever.
I don’t think it affects players already playing outside Wales re-signing for their current club so he’s fine. Roberts’ situation was a bit unclear since he wasn’t leaving Wales, but wasn’t staying with the same club, but the whole thing is pretty complicated with all sorts of exceptions (which change over time).
Being cynical, I think it’s just a way of formalising the preference that players play in Wales, but still giving Gatland freedom to pick whomever he likes!
In the interview I saw of Gatland, he made it clear that is re-signing deals would be treated in the same way, as he explained why Halfpenny is currently exempt as he signed a contract before the change.
I think you’re probably right. But if you are, it won’t take long for players to just ignore it.
No, I can’t imagine anyone taking it seriously until an undoubtably first-choice player isn’t considered for selection – the Welsh equivalent of Armitage, I guess.
They really need to think about why they want players playing in Wales – if guys have full release then I really don’t see the problem.
Taking Francis as a topical example – something’s clearly going right for him at Exeter and would going to play for the Blues really help his development? I can’t imagine it.
We also have the problem of only having four professional teams. We’re in a position where some guys just won’t get much game time if players stay in Wales (though tight head isn’t a great example of this). Okay, there’s a balance and you don’t want them playing every week of the season, but particularly with young guys (Sam Davies leaps to mind) you want them playing regularly – not just when the internationals are on.
Keeping current internationals in Wales (particularly regular starters) might benefit the regions (though it didn’t solve the Ospreys particularly well) but it won’t help to develop strength in depth at the national level.
Sorry, that turned into a bit of a rant!
But isn’t that a chicken and egg scenario? You say you only have 4 teams, but isn’t that down to players numbers and quality?
If all the Welsh internationals played in Wales, the WRU would undoubtedly make more money and then in the future it may be plausible to have more teams?
Personally (despite liking Armitage as a player), I fully back the RFU stance and do believe it is by far the best long term stance to take.
NZ are undoubtedly the best rugby playing nation, consistently, on the planet. They have full control over all players from when they are kids, shaping their development. NZ youngsters often then fit seamlessly into the AB side because they play the exact same structure elsewhere through junior levels internationally and at club level.
The RFU are doing their best to mirror it, but unfortunately there is already a high level of club control in England that will prevent us ever going all the way to the NZ model, where clubs have no real control over where players play.
It’s possible that getting more players to play in Wales could lead to more teams, though when the Warriors were disbanded (due to financial reasons) there were few Welsh internationals playing in other countries (though arguably there were also fewer quality players). I think finances are a different problem, though, and wouldn’t be completely fixed (or even mostly fixed) by bringing stars back.
I agree with the RFU’s stance, but think the situation is a bit different: the premiership clubs, being that much more financially independent, have a lot more power than the Welsh regions (and the NZ franchises, as you mention) so and picking only England-based players is very beneficial for the relationship with them. Aside from that, their position has been unambiguous for some time and I imagine it would cause a lot of disquiet if they were to change their stance over-night and this would certainly be damaging to the national team.
Superficially at least, the oversight the NZRU and the WRU have looks very similar (though I’m sure the grass roots administration is better in NZ). Where that differs is at the highest level where, as you say, the franchises have far less control over the players and the NZRU is more of a benign dictatorship
The big difference I see at lower levels (of which I have infinitely more practical experience) is the emphasis on basic skills at all levels and playing positive, heads-up rugby. From my experience of playing in England, if players want to get better they get bigger (less so in Wales), but this came very much from the players themselves, rather than the coaches, and this is harder to address.
I would say the WRU do have a large amount of control over the regions, but the problem is when the players leave Wales that the WRU lose that control.
You’re right, bringing the stars back won’t overnight solve the financial issues, but it would help, particularly long term.
Ultimately, the unions make the decision they feel is in the best interest of the sport long term in the country. That is shown the the ARU stance on Giteau. They were hemorrhaging money, with interest in the sport dwindling in favour of the NRL and Aussie Rules. The attraction of those bigger names was needed for the benefit of the sport in the short and long term.
I would imagine that, as long as he has the necessary access, Gatland is far happier with players playing in England than in France.
France is a far longer season, and I really don’t think that the French players, and the French-based players come into the 6 nations, or the summer tours, in the best condition because of the length and intensity of their seasons.
Playing up (or down) the M5 or M4, in the less intense Premiership is far less of an issue I would have thought.
England is complicated though by the Prem Rugby stance on any releases outside IRB windows. Hence the George North fine – I’m not sure what the situation is for Jamie Roberts et al but “full release” for Gats doesn’t just mean IRB windows (which nobody can deny) but releases outside that for training camps, etc as he gets for the Welsh based players. Is any other team doing what Northampton are doing and just signing these Welsh players with this extended release and just accepting the fine?
In France the likes of Halfpenny have extended release in their contracts. Prem rugby rules forbid this?
How is Cuthbert getting another go? He has been shocking in the last 2 games (against Ireland). Why is Hallam Amos not being given a go. I really hope Liam Williams is fit again soon, so we dont have to see Cuthbert on the pitch.
C+ntbutt is a ‘golden boy’ in the eyes of Cementhead and will be getting 1st choice rugby. Back 3 always the same, back row always the same.
At least SL will drop people. With Cementhead it is harder to be dropped for being utterly cr+p than getting picked for being the best player in your position.
Exit stage left Messrs Liam Williams, Eli Walker, Dan Biggar (for years with P+sshand), Tips…the list just goes on and on.
Cementhead is an appalingly blinkered coach and when it goes wrong, it always always someone else’s fault.
It was Howley that paired Warburton and Tips in the back row for the 2013 6n decider and I suspect Gatland really hates the fact that someone showed up his own back row selections.