Warren Gatland has revealed the Wales team that will take on Scotland in the second round of the Six Nations this weekend.
Dan Biggar has recovered from the ankle strain that forced him off against Ireland, so Gatland has the luxury of naming an unchanged XV. Sam Warburton continues at number six with Justin Tipuric on the openside.
The only change to the matchday 23 sees Gareth Anscombe come onto the bench after recovering from the injury that forced him out of the squad last weekend.
“It’s great to be able to name an unchanged side, with Dan coming through, fit and ready to play,”said Gatland.
“It’s a reward for some players who put in a great shift in Dublin whilst we will be asking a little more of some of the players as well.
“It’s great to see Jonathan [Davies] reach his 50th cap and continue his impressive international partnership with Jamie in the midfield.
“We were impressed with the impact from the bench last week and that will be just as vital this weekend in what is going to be a tough battle.”
WALES TEAM TO PLAY SCOTLAND
15. Liam Williams 14. George North 13. Jonathan Davies 12. Jamie Roberts 11. Tom James 10. Dan Biggar 9. Gareth Davies; 1. Rob Evans 2. Scott Baldwin 3. Samson Lee 4. Luke Charteris 5. Alun-Wyn Jones 6. Sam Warburton 7. Justin Tipuric 8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16. Ken Owens 17. Gethin Jenkins 18. Tomas Francis 19. Bradley Davies 20. Dan Lydiate 21. Lloyd Williams 22. Rhys Priestland 23. Gareth Anscombe
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
26 replies on “Six Nations 2016: Wales team to play Scotland”
More than enough to beat Scotland, a plus 15 points difference is my prediction.
Provided everyone is actually fit this is about as good a squad as Gatland could select
Actually surprised that Biggar has been picked, hope they are not taking a chance on him as there are bigger tests to come & he shouldn’t be risked if not 100%. Thought Jones would have been on the bench in place of Williams, his ‘cameo’ last week realistically cost Wales the match with that fluffed box kick.
Wales need to be at it from kick off this week as the Scots are already in the last chance saloon & will undoubtedly go for the throat from the start.
I don’t doubt that potentially in picking Biggar for instance may not be the wisest desicion Gatland has made, 1 because Priestland did ok and 2 because Biggar would be needed for England game and playing him now could risk that participation. Also, the scrum half situation is again agreed.
However, vs Scotland not a problem for Wales at all. In fact I think they could rest a number of big players and still win easily.
Obviously I can’t believe that Russell will be as poor two weeks on the trot, but still, Scotland are wooden spoon fodder yet again and could be treated as such in their remaining games, even by a resurgent Italy.
Jez
Pride before a fall? You’re certainly asking for it with your elevated opinion after just ONE game.
Maybe the Jocks will commit suicide again by turning over the ball 18 times & maybe Russell will butcher a cert one more time.
And perhaps Scotland’s narrow loss v Oz in the WC was just a fluke.
You’re likely right that Wales will win @ home, but Vern Cotter will also equally be happy to ram yr somewhat lofty ‘wooden spoon fodder yet again’ view where the sun don’t shine.
I’m not sure what I’ve said that professes false pride Don?
I just think that probably Wales will stay with tried and tested which has ‘failed’ at the very highest level whereas England, through necessity more than anything will change. That doesn’t fill me full of confidence for this season or even next, but does for seasons following on.
Of course, as is England’s way, he could all go to rats shit…
That wooden spoon is coming like a train for scotland, they were poor, they are poor and they will continue to be poor.
Who can they beat? The scots don’t have a single player better than their welsh counterpart and as for the bench, tier 1 international teams cant be that poor
Can’t help but feel that Wales need and will take the opportunity to really give their points difference a massive boost in this game to pull away from Ireland. The only test this team really has between them and yet another 6n title will be England in Twickenham, unfortunately they look the stronger of the 2 outfits at the minute and almost always improve as the tournament goes on.
Can’t disagree there and although my heart says England my head says Wales. Not because Wales have the better players per se, but more that they have the experience and nounce to win what will be a tight match.
However, as I’ve said in previous posts I don’t necessarily see that as too disapoint in provided the performance against the favourites shows progress and potential with the result being that England would or could overtake what is a one dimensional, albeit effective, Welsh team in the future.
If Biggar is not 100% then he simply should not be picked. Over the last 30 years I’ve seen too many Welsh players declared ‘fit to play’ when they are still carrying an injury. it has cost Wales games in the past and this policy will do so again against better oppposition
The fully fit 2nd choice is always better than the injured/out of practice 1st choice.
As others have said above there are far tougher teams to come than the Scots and it is senseless to play Biggar if he is carrying a knock.
On the same lines I cannot see the logic of picking Captain Darling again. He was so so off the pace last week. His name was hardly mentioned. If he doesn’t have a great game this week eh should be sent back to the Blues to prove his match fitness.
It is a clear case of favouritism just to get him on the park from the start. This is utterly wrong and should not be happening. He should be playing for region this week and next to prepare for the France game and then earn selection not just be given it.
Lloyd Williams…he lost the game at then end for Wales and should be replaced by Aled Davies.
So much for Gats ‘punishing’ those players that make key errors. Rule for some and not others depending on whether Gats likes you or not.
Bloody hell Enoch, a level headed and sensible critique of the Welsh team…must be lent and you given up myopic one eyeness. …but yes I think your right. You either play Warburton or Tipuric with Lydiate. At mo it’s Tipuric even though the dummy he bought from Murray was awful, should have gone offside and smashed him instead!
Is somebody pretending to be the Prophet? Are you actually admitting a fully fit Preistland is better than a hobbling Biggar?
No I’d still pick a sack of spuds or a block of cement over P+sshand any day of the week.
We are playing Scotland at home and have a decent scrum (after last week) and AWJ/Charteris to win lineout ball and so a drunken monkey should be able to guide Wales to win this match……..should…
The question is who to play ay 10.
Hook is a better option than P++shand but only just ……and of course Gats hates Hook.
Yes Hook has made too many mistakes playing for Wales in the past but………………..
1: P++shand cost us the game with 2 fluffed drop goals and giving away the lineout in the Welsh 22 when he should have grounded for a 22 Welsh drop out.
2: Anscombe is not match-fit and I don’t think he’s a 15 either.
3: Patchell and Sam Davies are far too in experienced at present.
4: Hook does seem to be ok at Gloucester so I’d have him on the bench if Biggar is truly 100% fit. If not Hook to play and P++shand on the bench.
Essentially we only have Biggar and the others are virtually the same standard.. not really good enough for international level games.
Just in reference to your point 3 Enoch and the young players without experience. Do you think Gatt is the right coach to take Wales forward for next 4 years dependent as he appears to be on developing a ‘Dad’s Army’, one which is good enough at present to win 6n’s but which has been found not quite good enough at last two world cups?
You only have to look at NZ now to see how former Welsh coaches had the balls and determination to a) blood youngsters and b) not allow senior players to go on too long.
I think that is a good point. How will he select the when Scott Williams is fit?
I cannot see how he can leave him out. If he picks him who does he drop?
Scott Williams is the one Wales centre with that X factor (Winning try as replacement v England 2012 Triple Crown game, he cut England open with one utterly superb run in the RWC 2015.)
I suspect Gats is thinking of 2019 and the fact that apart from his 2 RWC looseheads the rest of the squad will still be around. After that he’ll retire to any coaching post or just put his feet up having raked it in from the WRU for over 10 years.
However, by 2019 he will have been in post for 12 years and that is way too long for 1 man who still cannot beat Australia or NZ no matter how many time we play them and has delivered 1 win v SA.
Gatland seems good enough for the 6n, to competitive against the SH without winning and has taken us through to the ko stages of the last 2 RWCs but cannot take them any further. (That said we had 3 different coaches who took us to the pool stage only in 1991, 1995 and 2007)
After living through the era of horror for Welsh rugby starting with the 1988 NZ tour to the 2004 6 nations I’d take the success of the era 2008-2015 over risking something else.
Wales going 20 years waiting for a win a Twickenham was almost as long as the Herrenvolk MasterRace waitied to Cardiff after 1963.
Myself personally I’d pick Williams and Davies. I’m really sorry but I think Roberts is overrated and too one dimensional (although I think he may be good enough for this season) but going forward?
You cannot fault his commitment and his ability in what he does well but I have too main issues with him
1. In attack he can’t pass. Against Ireland he didn’t tie in enough defenders, and instead of changing to try and exploit gaps with a pass to two he just carried on bosh ING up, easy to defend.
2. In defence a decent 10/12 combo would exploit the gaps Roberts leaves in rushing up. He got away with it ti a certain extent although Sexton did through his channel gap a couple of times. Imagine if D’Arcy and BOD had been there on Saturday, Wales would have been to sword.
That’s more like the rants we know and love.
Hi Enoch
Another here has ?ed Gatland’s cred to continue with Wales in future, but do you think he would really pick Biggar if he were a doubt? Doesn’t make sense, surely?
Also, do you not think it interesting that Wales’ start with 2 No.7’s as an option? Worked pretty good for Oz.
And this is more so in light of the fact that a few here have suggested that Wales only need turn up to win it.
Don,
I think playing the 2 No7s is a great idea assuming the 2 No7s are match fit as per Wales v England 6n 30-3 and the last 10 minutes of the England v Wales RWC 2015 game.
Both games paired Tips and SW and Wales won both.
Wales should have beaten the Aussies in the RWC when they were down to 13 men. That was a failure of captaincy as SW should have kicked the 3 points and made the Aussies play on the full rugby pitch with 13 v 15 for 13 minutes wthi2 guy in the bin.
Captain Darling is however clearly not fit at present. 1 game v a minor Italian team not even in the Pro 12 is no preparation for the away game v Ireland.
It is Gats’ selection all over again. ‘I’m picking Mr X and I’ll always pick Mr X.’
He is stubborn as ill tempered mule and that is where he falls down.
Don,
The stats say that Wales have not lost to Scotland in Cardiff since 2002 and not in Scotland since that utter buffoon Gareth Jenkins had a year off rugby to impersonate a Wales coach (2006-2007)
The recent stat’s suggest that a Scottish point outside of the first minute is as rare as praise for England from Jeremy Guscott.
All Wales need to do is outscore Scotland in the first 20 minutes or simply shut them out I think the stat is something like 20 odd points scored in the last 8 6 Nations games outside of the first 20 minutes.
Wales by at least 8.
Mr B
‘Wales by at least 8’ doesn’t seem unreasonable on last week’s showing, but what did the stats show in the recent WC?
Oh god more Scotland World Cup rhetoric………..
What did the stat’s show against England?
Anybody thinking that Wales only have to turn up to win are utterly mistaken, Wales just do not bode well with ‘favourites’ tag, it seems it takes them 30 mins to realise they are in a game ! plus the fact the Scots will be up for it knowing they cannot afford to lose .
Unless Wales get ahead early I can see it being far closer than most people predict.
Last time it was 51-3 and nothing much has changed….