Comments on: Wales announces squad for Rugby World Cup 2015

By: Blub

Blub — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 13:28:37 +0000

Indeed. Stuart Barnes has been taking the Murdoch shilling for so long now he has forgotten how to be balanced and reasonable, and instead contrary and critical.

By: brighty

brighty — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 13:10:09 +0000

As for it being Gats fault we have less depth than Ire and Eng … over on the Eng selection thread they’re discussing the issues around Wales multi-cap squad and the relatively less experienced midfield/wings/backrow/2ndrow in the Eng squad. How did we build this experience? By playing our best players as often as we can do so, to build a squad of players.

You can’t compare Eng to Wales – the playing numbers are so vastly different that nobody has the depth they have.

Ire have serious depth issues in key positions because they, like us, have standouts in some of those positions (9/10/15/2nd row, front row) etc. such that their 2nd choices have far less experience and would scare the crap out of most Irish fans if they had to rely on them to win a world cup. Yes, they have depth in midfield, wings and backrow but that’s as much down to injury as it is to some genius selection approach.

By: brighty

brighty — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 13:04:19 +0000

“Welsh fans have been calling for Tips at 7″

I keep reading this. It’s a self enforcing delusion – those who already believe it’s the right call have been calling for it. Many of us who think the opposite are not calling for it at all. Please, you fancy it, some readers of the Estern Fail fancy it, but it’s not “Welsh fans” as a group who are calling for it. The day we put selection into the hands of a bunch of armchair tacticians is the day we can forget about winning anything ever.

By: brighty

brighty — Tue, 01 Sep 2015 13:02:23 +0000

I watched the press meet and he didn’t say anything about Tips through gritted teeth. He was effusive in his praise. He only mentioned Warbs because most of the questions about Tips were phrased in a “where does this leave Warbs?” way. You’re getting paranoid now.

Cuthbert is total crap? A few slams, a 2nd tier Euro comp medal and a Lions series win with a brace of tries.
Priestland is total crap? A few slams and a world cup semi final. Chased by Bath to join them.

If only we had more of this “crap”.

For all of the stuff written about Gats, SL, Schmidt etc. and their world cup selections some people same to miss some basic facts – all of these teams have been building for this WC since the last. Only an idiotic coach would base his entire selection based on player form for the 3 months prior to the WC. Yes, some of it (Morgan, Amos, dropping Phillips, Hibbard, Dominic Day, etc.) but he’s not looking at the form of players just over a few weeks. He’s looking at proven ability, squad balance, etc. You just hate some specific players and will therefore call Gats an idiot, and worse, until he gets rid of them.

Some people will call these players “his favourites”, some of us will remember Cuthbert topping try scoring tables or Priestland directing us to within an inch of beating SA in the last world cup amongst many other fine performances for Wales and think, you know what, maybe as the 2nd choice 10 he’s a better option than the 2 or 3 other guys we have who are just not as proven, not as mature and not as tested when it comes to a WC.

By: Benjit

Benjit — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:39:00 +0000

Seems a bit of an uneccesary risk to me. Surely Wales have a back row fwd who could cover 2nd row? Especially as AWJ would hopefully only be out for one match?

All hypothetical I suppose atm.

By: Taliesin

Taliesin — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:33:47 +0000

Sorry LSSF, can’t agree with any of this; Gatland probably understands rugby even better than you do, and has probably seen these guys at slightly closer quarters.
Nevertheless, I like the look of Scotland. Think they might serve up one or two shocks; hope so!

By: Taliesin

Taliesin — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:30:23 +0000

Nice point Benjit! But I think Gats kind of answered it; if we’re short of a hooker…..a lock ‘gets injured’! It’s been done many times in many competitions, not just WC!

By: Taliesin

Taliesin — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:27:34 +0000

Prophet E, if you scorn Gatland and go along with Stuart Barnes….well, that kind of says it all.

By: Taliesin

Taliesin — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 22:24:38 +0000

Silly stuff Prophet E – you’ve been fun, but time to change the record now. ‘Welsh Backline (sic) crying out for something creative…….I’ll have the big one, fast, elusive and creative can get stuffed….’.
Errr sorry to mention it PE, but, um, Mathew Morgan ring any bells? No?,… never mind……..

By: Benjit

Benjit — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 21:40:56 +0000

Have I read that right…only 2 hookers?

Now with Aus it was tactical and they are training a prop to hook/ throw. Gats seems to have been forced into this by AWJ’s injury and decided to take 5 locks.

Question: what happens if one of the 2 hookers gets suspended (not injured) leaving Wales unable to call up a replacement? I honestly don’t know. I know you have to have a minimum number of fit props, not sure on the hooker situation.

By: Stesco

Stesco — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 18:39:52 +0000

Think you have to trust Gatland & the training team on who plays when & where , lets face it , SW,Tips, DL & James King will all be used at some stage during such a congested turnaround timetable. I think the training team who have been living & working with the guys 24/7 for the past 3 months would know better than anybody posting on here what players have been performing during training etc!!. Sorry Enoch but I get the feeling that such is your dislike for Gats that even if Wales were to win the tournament ( yeh, unlikely I know ) you would still slate him ! .He always said to judge the team on this WC so he has more to lose than anyone.

By: Long Suffering Scotland Fan

Long Suffering Scotland Fan — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 17:59:55 +0000

Must agree. Gatland has his favourites and always seems very reluctant to stray from those. The back row is a prime example. Welsh fans have been calling for Tips at 7 for eons but Gatland true to form keeps Lydiate at 6 and Warbs at 7. Likewise Priestland and Cuthbert, it’s no wonder Wales lack the real depth of Ireland & England when Gatland keeps picking the same old guys.