Wales Tour of Japan

First topic message reminder :

I know there was a thread on this somewhere, but it's been swamped.

Wales Lions - likely replacements

Halfpenny - Liam Williams
Cuthbert - Walker, Robinson
Davies - Williams, Maule
Roberts - Beck, Hewitt
North - Owen Williams (gutted for Mike Poole)
Phillips - Aled Davies, Tavis Knoyle
Jenkins - Gill
Hibbard - Myhill
Jones - Mitchell
AW Jones - Lou Reed
Ian Evans - King, Kohn
Lydiate - Ieuan Jones
Warburton and Tipuric - Thomas
Faletau - Bearman

What do you think? Anybody else you'd like to see tour Japan?

Wales Training Squad:
Forwards: Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Sam Hobbs (Blues), Ken Owens (Scarlets), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Blues), Lou Reed (Blues), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Andries Pretorius (Blues), Josh Navidi (Blues).
Backs: Lloyd Williams (Blues), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Aled Davis (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Owen Williams (Blues), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Blues), Tom Prydie (Dragons), Steven Shingler (London Irish).

LATEST WRU PRESS RELEASE:




Wales Training Squad Update

Wales have called Cardiff Blues outside half Rhys Patchell and Newport Gwent Dragons hooker Sam Parry into their training squad for the tour of Japan but Scarlets fly-half Rhys Priestland has been ruled out of the tour.

Priestland aggravated his Achilles tendon in the warm-up of the Scarlets’ RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final on Friday evening and will miss the two-test tour.

Patchell, 19, who has scored 147 points in 22 appearances for the Blues this season and Haverfordwest born Parry, joined up with the training squad when they met for the first time this morning.

Ken Owens, Scott Williams and Liam Williams who picked up knocks in the defeat to Ulster, will continue to be monitored by the National Squad medical team.

Rhys PATCHELL (CARDIFF BLUES - Uncapped)
DoB: 17.05.93. 6’2” / 1.88m. 14st 13lbs / 95kgs
International record: Uncapped

Sam PARRY (NEWPORT GWENT DRAGONS - Uncapped)
DoB: 17.12.91. 6’1” / 1.86m. 16st 11lbs / 107kgs
International record: Uncapped.

Further update:

Scott Williams out. Will not be replaced in the squad.

Further update:

Ken Owens confirmed out, won't be replaced. 27 man squad TBA.

Cheers Munkian:

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE WELSH RUGBY UNION:
WALES ANNOUNCE JAPAN TOUR SQUAD

Cardiff Blues lock Bradley Davies will lead Wales in the forthcoming two-test tour of Japan.

The 26-year-old was named captain as Head Coach for the Japan tour Robin McBryde reduced his initial training squad down to a 27-man touring party.

The squad includes nine uncapped players including Ospreys duo Dafydd Howells and Dan Baker and Blues fly-half Rhys Patchell.

Props Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues) and Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs) who all featured for Wales in the 2013 RBS 6 Nations are joined by Saracens’ Rhys Gill and Rhodri Jones (Scarlets).

Uncapped pair Emyr Phillips (Scarlets) and Scott Baldwin (Ospreys) are named as hookers.

Davies returns to the squad after missing the Six Nations campaign due to injury and is named alongside Andrew Coombs (Dragons), Lou Reed (Blues) and James King (Ospreys).

Baker, 20, who featured 25 times for Swansea in the Principality Premiership this season, joins Scarlets duo Aaron Shingler and Rob McCusker and Blues captain Andries Pretorius.

Lloyd Williams (Blues) and Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets) are named at scrum-half alongside Dan Biggar (Ospreys) and Patchell at fly-half.

In the backline Ospreys trio Ashley Beck, Jonathan Spratt and 18-year-old Howells are joined by Blues duo Owen Williams and Harry Robinson, Liam Williams (Scarlets), Tom Prydie (Dragons) and Steven Shingler (London Irish).

Wales face Eddie Jones’ Japan in Osaka on June 8th and then in Tokyo on June 15th and McBryde has been impressed with his squad over the past ten days.

“We’ve had the training squad together for more than a week and we’ve been impressed,” said McBryde.

“They have really put the effort in and stepped up as we have asked them to. Everyone in the training squad put their hand up for selection making our jobs much harder.

“It’s a chance for these players now to experience the international test environment and put their marker down.
Wales Squad:

Forwards: Ryan Bevington (Ospreys), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Emyr Phillips (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Scott Andrews (Blues), Craig Mitchell (Exeter Chiefs), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (Blues), Lou Reed (Blues), Andrew Coombs (Dragons), James King (Ospreys), Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Dan Baker (Ospreys), Rob McCusker (Scarlets), Andries Pretorius (Blues).

Backs: Lloyd Williams (Blues), Tavis Knoyle (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Patchell (Blues), Ashley Beck (Ospreys), Owen Williams (Blues), Jonathan Spratt (Ospreys), Dafydd Howells (Ospreys), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Harry Robinson (Blues), Tom Prydie (Dragons), Steven Shingler (London Irish).

Wales are shocking, I haven't seen us play this badly for years. This team can't even do basic passing without messing it up.

Turnover count must be embarrasing

wales606 wrote:Liam Williams takes over the mantle of best welsh no7 on the pitch

Seems everyone's playing 7...except the 7.

Well Wales are staying in it, Japan has missed 11 points in kicks.

MELON OUT OF THE LIONS TOUR!

Will Japan rue those missed kicks at the end?

Still feel wales will win

Coombs has offered more than his other back rowers and Reed and has more experience and he gets hooked. Get bent McBryde. You are out of your depth.

Gethin out of the Lions tour!

Let make this game a succession of scrum...for him

Cari wrote:Japan on the attack again. Wales haven't looked even close to scoring a try at all. Sad to see because there's some good individual players out there. Just poorly coached it seems.

They're not playing as a team. Not really surprising.

Cari wrote:

wales606 wrote:Liam Williams takes over the mantle of best welsh no7 on the pitch

Seems everyone's playing 7...except the 7.

Thats because he's not a 7 but McBryde seems nopt to know that

Wales will take the lead here

Risca Rev wrote:Coombs has offered more than his other back rowers and Reed and has more experience and he gets hooked. Get bent McBryde. You are out of your depth.

Agree Coombs has been the best backrower by a mile, why he came off for Pretorious I don't know, I wouldve put him to 6,8 or either lock positions!

Wales take the lead!

Finally...

It's all Wales

Japan are starting to look a little tired now and seem to be falling off tackles a bit, hopefully we can take the game now.

Personally if i was the Japanease coach now, I'd throw all my subs on to freshen then up.

Mccusker off

Williams off

Knoyle has a bit chance now

Now Wales have taken the lead you'd back them to see it out. But will this inexperienced team have that level of calmness to see the job done?

Wales looked for a quick one in Japan's 22 but it was Biggar who came over, demanded the ball and pointed at the posts. He could be key.

12-11?

thebluesmancometh wrote:Mccusker off

Williams off

Which Williams?

How long left?

thebluesmancometh wrote:Mccusker off

Williams off

Blues,

Worrying thing is, is that in McBrydes eyes they were first choice to start

Linebreaker wrote:12-11?

Yup.

Knackeredknees wrote:How long left?

18 mins.

Alan Lewis blaming the weather already....doesn't bode well does it?

wales606 wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Mccusker off

Williams off

Which Williams?

Brynmors boy

20 mins

20 minutes to go

YAY! A WELSH TRY!!! Good boy Robinson.

That was a ridiculous pass from Williams

Edit: good ridiculous not bad ridiculou

Very nice try by Wales. 17-11 with a kick to come.

FINALLLLLYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOAH!!!!!!!

What a slip pass!!! Who was that?! That is something straight out of SBW playbook!!

Liam Williams take a bow son!

omg omg omg. what a try!!!

Nice try by Wales, taking control now.

11-17 to Wales

SOMEONE GIVE LIAM WILLIAMS A MEDAL!

BIEBER SCORES!

What a slip pass from Sanjay. Excellent skill.

Fair play good bit of play good try lets push on now boys Japan looking tired now.

I'm loving the commentary - not sure why, but he makes it seem like I'm watching rugby in the 70s or something.

He's a commentator, but not the polished, elocuted peacocks we have today.

64:30 Kick is over

11-19 Wales

It's all Wales

Patchell getting his first cap.

IanBru wrote:I'm loving the commentary - not sure why, but he makes it seem like I'm watching rugby in the 70s or something.

He's a commentator, but not the polished, elocuted peacocks we have today.

Patchell on lets see how he goes.

Patchell is on

It's ok guys...he's got this.

Patchell on at centre?

Biggars taking control now, Japan are tiring, expect fireworks...

Whoa Biggar off???? AAARRRRGGGGHHHH WTF is Mccbride doing?!

IanBru wrote:I'm loving the commentary - not sure why, but he makes it seem like I'm watching rugby in the 70s or something.

He's a commentator, but not the polished, elocuted peacocks we have today.

He normally does the commentary for S4C. I like him, he's a bit old school.

I wouldn't of taken Dan Biggar off this early

HammerofThunor wrote:That was a ridiculous pass from Williams

Edit: good ridiculous not bad ridiculou

Alexis Ridiculou is a Greek born prop hoping to make his England debut next year.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Patchell on at centre?

Biggars taking control now, Japan are tiring, expect fireworks...

Whoa Biggar off???? AAARRRRGGGGHHHH WTF is Mccbride doing?!

In fairness, Patchell is not a great centre - probably better than Spratt though

Cari wrote:

IanBru wrote:I'm loving the commentary - not sure why, but he makes it seem like I'm watching rugby in the 70s or something.

He's a commentator, but not the polished, elocuted peacocks we have today.

He normally does the commentary for S4C. I like him, he's a bit old school.

Isn't it Nigel Starmer Smith, I thought he's normally on HTV with Ieuan Evans or Gareth Edwards.