3 players who are a better fullback than Lee Byrne.

He really is god awful. My 3 players would be.

Spencer John
Jason Jones Hughes
Chris Horsman

Spencer John was a dam good player, his sister was my German teacher in school! She had great legs too

Hook needs to start against South Africa. Byrne dropped. Jones on bench. Priestland or Quarterthruppence at fullback.

I was going to post a thread asking if Lee Byne, had played himself into the Welsh squad for NZ, or as he played himself out of the squad?

Most certainly out but Gatland luvz him xxx

Hysterical over reaction to an ordinary performance from a player coming back after injury.

Unfortunately we need him at his best, because we are a much more potent attacking force when he is.

When did you start supporting rugby Krusty? Last week?

Can't take a player who had consistently underachieved since 2008.

krusty wrote:Can't take a player who had consistently underachieved since 2008.

I think we can, because Morgan Stoddart is the only real replacement for him. Priestland, Halfpenny and (at a pinch) Hook can all cover full back - but all of them are more convincing elsewhere.

I hope Byrne will go, and with a little more preparation can recover the form that made him the best in the Northern Hemisphere. He may not be ready to start against SA, or may start and not finish - but he has the experience, and even when playing poorly, there is no standout replacement for him.

He makes easy suicidal mistakes. On way too many occasions he has missed easy kicks to touch (many of them penalties).

15. Preistland

Please...

Thats your basis for dropping him? Missing touch? Mmmmm - then Hook and Halfpenny will be staying at home too then.

As I said - your reaction is hysterical. He wasn't outstanding today, but he was no where near as bad as you claim, and by the time Halfpenny took over on the hour, the Argentinian threat had been snuffed out.

I don't think Byrne did that badly, (although I only caught the 2nd half). He's obviously not at his best although he clearly needs playing time. It's not like Wales have that many options at 15. The lineouts a shambles, worrying considering that's the pencilled in front 5 for the SA match.

As ML says a very silly over-reaction from a recurring number of fickle fans.

No, Byrne didn't play very well but he wasn't the walking disaster many of the pessimistic haters make him out to be. That was his first game for Wales in how long? Although he didn't particularly contribute to the win, he defended okay, especially during the first half-hour Pumas offensive. His kicking game was found wanting again but that was about it.

What I'd like to know is how most of you would react if you were in Byrne's position, coming back from injury and all people could do is treat you as if you'd single-handedly lost the game. Think about it

I'd say with Stoddart out injured Byrne will probably make the flight. Whether in the starting XV, bench or as a reserve, I wouldn't have that much to say. When's the last time Halfpenny had a good game at 15? Priestland has never played there for Wales, although I wouldn't complain if he did against SA. Before anyone mentions Hook, he's five times more of a 10 than a 15...

Knowsit17 wrote:

What I'd like to know is how most of you would react if you were in Byrne's position, coming back from injury and all people could do is treat you as if you'd single-handedly lost the game. Think about it

This is irrelevant.

Can any of you defending Byrne tell me something he did well/solidly today? Any attacking decision he made ended up in tears. Compare to Rougerie's performance for France today - imperious.

Mmmm - Krusty is a WUM obviously - he has started another thread saying that Byrne is one of his two FB picks to take to the World Cup.

He last played 4 months ago to be fair against Munster in April, so lets give him a chance, we should take him to the World Cup, but I think Priestland as someone stated above, should be our first choice 15 at the moment, he looks sharp.

captainrapido wrote:

Knowsit17 wrote:

What I'd like to know is how most of you would react if you were in Byrne's position, coming back from injury and all people could do is treat you as if you'd single-handedly lost the game. Think about it

This is irrelevant.

Can any of you defending Byrne tell me something he did well/solidly today? Any attacking decision he made ended up in tears. Compare to Rougerie's performance for France today - imperious.

Why is it irrelevant? It's the attitude adopted by many people hell-bent on having someone to throw rocks at, which frankly is a petty child's attitude, probably coming from the same sort of people who were booing today even though we won comfortably.

As I believe I've already said, Byrne's attacking was poor but his defence wasn't bad, especially during the early Pumas offensive.

The truth is that he was very poor today. But he'll go to the World Cup because we don't have enough standout full backs in Wales.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:The truth is that he was very poor today. ...............

I wouldn't even agree with that. He looked what he was, a player coming back from injury. In the absence of Morgan Stoddart, we dont really have many options.

Poor old Hook he plays a different postion every game ....he is the most gifted footballer in the welsh backline maybe in the NH....build the team around him. Poor chap has had to leave his own country and team he grew up with in order to find somehwere that will start him where he wants to be. If he was number 10 from the start of his career and kept there the welsh would have a flyhalf to rival dan carter going into this worldcup...but instead you have a very gifted player who is good at several positions and master of none....where next gatland...hooking options are looking a little fragile at the mo.

Knowsit, I was saying it was irrelevant because people's perceptions of Byrne's comeback have little to do with how he actually played. That's all.

I think that it is relevant to say he played poorly, because he did, and that, whether or not he has just come back from injury (much like Rougerie, as I said, who played superbly) he shouldn't be supported as a leading option at fullback.

Isn't it hard to agree with that?

Otherwise I suppose you could argue that, with the lack of options Wales have, it would be better to be supportive. But as a neutral I have no reason to be so.

Stoddart injured leaves Gatland ( unless he's got a cunning plan )with newby Priestland or byrne .

I think Hook's wasted at FB and needed at 10 so it will have to be Priestland . Which is a lot of pressure to put on him for the WC.

I might have settled for Henson but as bad luck would have it he's got a dislocated bone.

At least if Priestland played full back he'd look to see if there was a counter-attack on. Lee Byrne doesn't even bother to look. All he wants to do is kick the ball away, and if he's not even doing that well, there isn't much in his favour.

Byrne failed to do the basics and had a poor game. Rougerie was also returning from injury today, you're either ready and up to it or not. Byrne is not IMO but will go on reputation, same goes for Nuggett.

Rougerie looked like he'd never been away. He could be one of the stars of the World Cup.

RubyGuby wrote:Byrne failed to do the basics and had a poor game.

I have just watched the game again specifically to check out Byrne's performance, and whilst Byrne wasnt brilliant, he certainly WASNT as bad as posters here are making out.

Yes he overcooked a couple of kicks (including one that should have been passed outside) but he made all his tackles, stealing the ball in the process on one ocassion, took a difficult pass that was behind him and still managed to set Halfpenny free outside him, threw a good miss pass to set JD2 and George off too. He ran intelligent supporting lines but the ball didn't reach him often.

Saying that he had a poor game and failed to do the basics is bull I am afraid!

We beg to differ - its allowed

RubyGuby wrote:We beg to differ - its allowed

Of course!

I note that your 3 alternatives are 2 props and an Australian. Having played against Spencer John I can say he was (and perhaps is) a tw*t but as a prop he is clearly on a higher evolutionary plane than a leather hoofing fullback. Never played against Horsman, but by default the same applies.
Puzzled that you singled Byrne out for criticism; from what I saw at the game Wales' problems were further upfield than fullback. The number of turnovers that Wales conceded was shocking. Is Martyn Williams finally getting too old? Also, you need to wrap Adam Jones in cotton wool, because without him the scrummage looks awful.
On a positive note Knoyle & North were sharp & I thought Brew did enough as sub to justify a seat on the plane.

Nice appraisal donkey

donkeyprop, I have to disagree that Brew did enough to justify his place on the plane. If he'd been given a fair crack of the whip, it would be different. The truth is that Aled Brew hasn't been given a fair crack of the whip. He's come on as a sub here and there. Let's be honest: we know George North is quality, and we know what he can do; so why on earth has he played every game? Seeing as they knew they were taking him to New Zealand, why didn't they give Brewy a full game to show what he could do in a Wales shirt?

I had this argument last night about Brew, I don't think he's been given a fair chance either. He was always looking for ball and helping out with rucks etc but never got chance to show his pace with ball in hand.

I'll be gutted for him if he doesn't make the squad but will be very glad to have him back in the Dragons squad