Wales v All Blacks Match thread, Poll, and Previews

[maestegmafia]

So this week saw the fans calls for players unused the week before who are in form this season answered and we lost to Samoa, we also lost more players to injury.

So what next...?

Wales offered little in impetus yet again. Few of the form players made a difference against Samoa. Wales have to make a massive improvement in every aspect of their game for next weeks match vs the ABs but what are your suggestions...???

Wales team:
Leigh Halfpenny; Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North; Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips; Paul James, Matthew Rees, Aaron Jarvis, Bradley Davies, Luke Charteris, Ryan Jones, Sam Warburton (captain), Toby Faletau

Replacements:
Ken Owens, Gethin Jenkins, Scott Andrews, Aaron Shingler, Justin Tipuric, Tavis Knoyle, James Hook, Scott Williams


New Zealand team:
Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Daniel Carter, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock.

Replacements: Dane Coles, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Brodie Retallick, Victor Vito, Piri Weepu, Aaron Cruden, Ben Smith.

[thebluesmancometh]

Pray!!

Wales by 3!!

[maestegmafia]

Likely Wales team...?

Paul James
Ken Owens
Aaron Jarvis
Luke Charteris
Bradley Davies
Ryan Jones
Sam Warburton
Toby Faletau
Mike Phillips
Rhys Priestland
Alex Cuthbert
Jamie Roberts
JD2 (Hopefully if not Ashley Beck)
George North
Lee Halfpenny

[maestegmafia]

Dan Biggar, Richard Hibbard and Ian Evans are all unlikely to recover from injuries.

[majesticimperialman]

Pray!!

Wales by 3!!

Wales might score 3.

[ALPanorak]

Damage limitation by committing as much as they can to the breakdown to prevent 'quick-ball', otherwise i'll go along with the 'praying' idea

[thebluesmancometh]

I don't think numbers at the breakdown will help, in fact I think that would hurt us massively!!!

IMHO first and foremost line speed has to be exceptional, do not let them get behind you, when at the ruck you have to be smart, someone has to fight to the wrong side over and over without getting pinged.

Once the defence is on the front foot and kiwi ball gets slowed they are as normal as anyone else, easy as that!

[Lyn2012]

Considering we cannot alter the players in the squad, and will have to stick with what we have, I suggest we go for something like this:

1. Paul James
2. Ken Owens
3. Samson Lee
4. Bradley Davies
5. Luke Charteris
6. Sam Warburton
7. Justin Tipuric
8. Toby Faletau
9. Mike Phillips
10. James Hook
11. Leigh Halfpenny
12. Ashley Beck
13. George North
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Liam Williams

[Guest]

How about they just grow a pair and man F up, play like they want it.
If i was Gatland i would call celibacy for the team this week , get them bouncing off the walls ready brake some bones.

[HERSH]

What no Poll!

Poor Show Mae.

[maestegmafia]

How about they just grow a pair and man F up, play like they want it.
If i was Gatland i would call celibacy for the team this week , get them bouncing off the walls ready brake some bones.

I couldnt agree more

[anotherworldofpain]

I don't think numbers at the breakdown will help, in fact I think that would hurt us massively!!!

IMHO first and foremost line speed has to be exceptional, do not let them get behind you, when at the ruck you have to be smart, someone has to fight to the wrong side over and over without getting pinged.

Once the defence is on the front foot and kiwi ball gets slowed they are as normal as anyone else, easy as that!

By "linespeed has to be exceptional" do you mean "Wales should try to get away with being a meter off side for 80 minutes as they allowed to be last time Wales played NZ at home?"

I suspect Wales should take a look at the Australia and Ireland games where NZ were run close...there are plenty of common elements there and no evidence NZ have fixed the problems.

Wales' best chance based on the evidence we've seen is that NZ have one eye on their Xmas vacation and take Wales a bit lightly, unlikely with Hansen at the helm.

I can't help but feel the ABs are due to trip up though, either this week or next. They've been erratic this year and are yet to be punished for a poor performance. Unless you count draws as losses as some are inclined to do.

[HERSH]

Wales v All Blacks Poll.

[mogg]

Realy cant see what we can do against them tbh NZ by 30-40 maybe more

[mogg]

We need to play like we wanna win for a start. The forwards gotta pick up they're game 100% our backs need to look and play whats in front of them (heads up rugby). defence gotta be a lil better. Realy cant see us doing anything we've looked slow and unfit so far we've created nothing in attack we got no go forward momentum but it's rugby so you never know, could we see the big upset in the AI's and Wales win ? could the AB's put over 100 on us as said in another post??

[jammoboss]

Can somebody tell me why lee Byrne, Richie Rees and even Gavin Henson hasn't been considered?

Don't stay up to date with injurys.

Thanks

[Guest]

Lee Byrne fell out of favour when he moved to Clermont

Richie Rees fell out of favour during the 2010 season when he received a ban

Gavin Henson didnt have enough run of games since he returned from injury after the world cup. also likely considered too old

[Guest]

I've gone for 20-30, they were going to beat us convincingly either way, but now that we're a bit shell shocked by the recent losses, I think our confidence will drop considerably against the All Blacks if they get a few early tries in.

[Guest]

Simple; for every kick that we would normally kick down the centre of the field we should instead kick it out for a lineout. The easiest of our tactics to change, and the most effective IMO. Instead of us always being the team under pressure in the lineout in our own half, let's make it someone else for a change. Oh, and lets actually compete for it too. Start Charteris in the 2nd row and get him jumping. Worse case scenario: NZ either win the lineout and kick out for our lineout not too far down field, or they box kick to us still in their own half, or they run it but have to go the length of the field so the likelihood is we can tackle them before they get to half way. Our current tactics are to boot it in field to allow a team to run it back which means we end up tackling them on the half way and giving away a penalty or allowing the opposition to start their attack from pretty much in our half, or even worse they kick out for the lineout deep in our half and pressure us. Let's experiment with playing the game in the other team's half for once.

That's all. [u]

[jammoboss]

Thanks ironMike I still would have Richie Rees based on his fast play especially watching him with the barbarians and club.

[Lyn2012]

Wales need to stay out of the rucks where the ball cant be won. Organise a total fan defence, that borders on the offside for 80 mins. We also need to be careful around the fringes. Wales must run the inside shoulder as lateral running will be easy to defend. Support runners need to follow up every line break and maximise every single chance in behind the All Blacks. If our fitness is so superior from Poland this should be easier to employ. Line out and Scrum need to be on a par with theirs. The kicking game needs to be about territory. Any kick that drops in field, New Zealand will run us ragged off. At the breakdown we need to protect the ball better, with discipline and intensity.

Did I mention scanning? "It's all about scanning!"

[Guest]

Thanks ironMike I still would have Richie Rees based on his fast play especially watching him with the barbarians and club.

As a Blues fan I was gutted seeing Rees leave us, with Williams not playing well, we don't really have another decent 9 to replace him.

[maestegmafia]

We can hope that with the gluttony of errors committed over two matches that there is enough footage to show those concerned where we are going wrong...!

I feel like I did after our previous poor run back in 2010/11 after we lost to England in Cardiff, we were playing scotland up there and all i wanted to see was a win by any measure. That is all we need this weekend coming.

[Casartelli]

If we throw the Gatland Gameplan out the window and run everything from everywhere (no kicking the ball dead when there's a two man overlap etc etc) we could have a one in fifty chance of giving them a game.

If we pick & drive/kick & chase like we have for the past 4 years, with our available personnel, we'll get annihilated.

[HERSH]

Poll now set up follow link.

https://www.606v2.com/t37383-wales-v-all-blacks-poll

[Cyril]

Gluttony of errors!

[HERSH]

Are you the real Cyril?

[bedfordwelsh]

Pray that NZ don't trun up but then again we might still struggle to score a try

[bedfordwelsh]

Maes,

Why Beck over Scott Williams, if JD is injured I would go with Roberts and Williams if JD wasn't injured I would go with JD and Williams.

This would be my team

James (but it will be Jenkins)
Owens
Jarvis (might as well stick with him)
Charteris
Evans (Davies if Evans not fit)
Jones
Faletau
Tipuric (but it will be Warburton)

9 Whoever is best of bad bunch
10 Whoever is best of bad bunch

North
JD
Williams (but it will be Roberts)
Cuthbert
Halfpenny

[maestegmafia]

Beds I think Beck offers more than Williams though to be fair not much more.

[Cyril]

Are you the real Cyril?

Shhh! I don't think anyone has spotted me yet.

Can you ask maes to put up the link to his bike shop site. I seem to have mislaid it

[HERSH]

Was that Mae?

[bedfordwelsh]

Beds I think Beck offers more than Williams though to be fair not much more.

Fair one Maes, Williams shades it for me as still think Becks' defence suspect.

[Cyril]

Was that Mae?

Yep, mae is/was evanjonescyrmu. Can't you tell from the style and all the ....! and ....? on all his comments?

maestegmafia was banned from old 606 and became evanjonescymru. I guess they've haven't taken his previous record into account on here!

[bedfordwelsh]

I have gone for 30-40 in the hope we actually turn up, if we don't then the 50+ option might even not be high enough

[majesticimperialman]

I have gone for 30-40 in the hope we actually turn up, if we don't then the 50+ option might even not be high enough

+1

[Cyril]

I think that attack on other posters removed those 2 posters who went for Wales by 10+ should explain their reasoning.

Just bash the keys randomly and see what comes out, chaps.

[Guest]

Or yours, Cyril/SafeAsMilk/Sugar'N'Spikes!

[Cyril]

Griff,

I resemble those remarks

[majesticimperialman]

I realy,realy,realy cannot see Wales beating the ALL Blacks this week.

Is it me? or do the Wales team look like they cannot be bothered to play at all? Is it down too player tired ness, Coaching, the Players enviroment?

They seem to have a plan get the ball to George North, but when he cannot make head way due to being tackled their heads go down and they go back wards.

I do wish Wales all the best this week. And yes i do mean that.

[Seagultaf]

Maes,

Why Beck over Scott Williams, if JD is injured I would go with Roberts and Williams if JD wasn't injured I would go with JD and Williams.

This would be my team

James (but it will be Jenkins)
Owens
Jarvis (might as well stick with him)
Charteris
Evans (Davies if Evans not fit)
Jones
Faletau
Tipuric (but it will be Warburton)

9 Whoever is best of bad bunch
10 Whoever is best of bad bunch

North
JD
Williams (but it will be Roberts)
Cuthbert
Halfpenny

Wales are no where near the team they were last season,and I think that is down to two factors; the change of Coach and the uncertainty surrounding their day jobs with their regions.

They lost on Friday with a much changed side featuring many popular selections. Samoa were comfortable winners and are no where near the team that Argentia were, and Argentina are no where near the team that New Zealand is. The time for messing around with the team is over!

Injuries will dictate a lot of the selections. The pack must stand their ground, so if fit I would pick Rees who is still Wales best hooker. The props and second row will be whoever is fit! Backrow, Warburton must come back as Tipuric did nothing to show he is worthy of the jersey on Friday.

The back will have to defend for much of the game. So Phillips will play 9, none of Wales 10s are strong defenders, Biggar is injured, Hook does not relish defence, so Priestland (marginally the best defender of the 3) is likely to start. The rest of the backs are easier, if fit JD will start with Roberts, if not then Williams. The back three is likely to stay the same. Although Cuthbert has looked shakey and Halfpenny has struggled in defence so there may be case for Liam Williams at 15 with Halfpenny on the wing.

Simple tactical talk: Take on the NZ forwards and in defence; tackle tackle, tackle!

[Guest]

I realy,realy,realy cannot see Wales beating the ALL Blacks this week.

Is it me? or do the Wales team look like they cannot be bothered to play at all? Is it down too player tired ness, Coaching, the Players enviroment?

They seem to have a plan get the ball to George North, but when he cannot make head way due to being tackled their heads go down and they go back wards.

I do wish Wales all the best this week. And yes i do mean that.

No-one can see Wales beating the all blacks. Not even us over confident souls from Wales. It's probably the only team we do not get over confident about beating!

[Guest]

Fair enough, Cyril.

But, Mods: we have a banned member returning here. Anything that can be done?

[GavinDragon]

in a way it will be kind of refreshing to have zero expectancy ahead of a match.....cant remember the last time that happened

[RubyGuby]

We need to come out playing and believing, that would help, we need to be organised, we are currently dreadful, no thought for the restarts and just standing off tackles and the less said about the passing the better in the backs. We need to run better angles and come from deep instead of standing flat.For what its worth here's my lot.

Paul James
Ken Owens
Gethin Jenkins
Luke Charteris
Bradley Davies
Ryan Jones
Sam Warburton
Toby Faletau
Mike Phillips
Hook if Biggar injured
Alex Cuthbert
Jamie Roberts
JD2 (Hopefully if not Ashley Beck)
George North
Lee Halfpenny.

[HERSH]

Nice to have you back cyril

[Guest]

I don't think it is cyril, no where near as persistent as the real one.

[Guest]

Really wanted to play New Zealand in the world cup when we had players on form and were starting to build confidence and momentum, we might have finally broken the duck or at least come close.

Dont feel so good playing them next week given our squad, injuries and recent run of bad results.

[majesticimperialman]

RugbyGuby

Do you truly think/believe that Gethin Jenkins should start this week?

I am all for giving players a second chance. But he has been on the bench for so long at Toulon, that maybe he ought to stay their and retire from international rugby. Because each time he comes on he does not improve any thing in the scrum.

That is my opinion any way.

[RubyGuby]

Maj Gethin for me epitomises class is permanent and form is temporary, coming on for a few mionutes against Samoa in a retreating scrum and slipping off the bind is what people are judging him on. He alongside Paul James and Ken Owens would add a sense of urgency and grit. The rest have been nowhere thus far so if you can point out someone more worthy I'd be interested otherwise its. Gethin. Rhys Gill, if not injured would have been another option.

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