Wales vs Italy September 5th Cardiff

First topic message reminder :

WALES v ITALY at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Saturday 5th September 2015 – Kick Off: 5pm
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (FFR)


TV Coverage: Live on BBC Two Wales


Tickets for the Wales v Italy warm-up match are available to purchase at the official WRU eTicketing website with prices from £20 – £35.



History

Italy and Wales have played each other at rugby union since 1994. A total of 22 matches have been played, with Wales winning 19, Italy winning two and one drawn match.[1]



Wales Team

15 L Halfpenny
14 A Cuthbert
13 C Allen
12 S Williams
11 G North
10 D Biggar
9 R Webb
1 G Jenkins
2 K Owens
3 T Francis
4 J Ball
5  D Day
6 J King
7 S Warburton
8 T Faletau.

Reps: 16 K Dacey, 17 P James, 18 A Jarvis, 19 L Charteris,  20 R Moriarty,  21 G Davies,  22 R Priestland,  23 M Morgan.





Italian Team

15 Andrea Masi
14 Leonardo Sarto
13 Luca Morisi
12 Gonzalo Garcia
11 Giovanbattista Venditti
10 Tommaso Allan
9 Edoardo Gori
1 Michele Rizzo
2 Leonardo Ghiraldini
3 Martin Castrogiovanni
4 Quintin Geldenhuys
5 Josh Furno
6 Alessandro Zanni
7Francesco Minto
8 Sergio Parisse (capt)

Replacements: 16 Andrea Manici, 17 Matias Aguero, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Valerio Bernabo', 20 Samula Vunisa, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Carlo Canna, 23 Luke McLean.

VinceWLB wrote:I don't see either Webb and Halfpenny being that big losses for Wales, Gareth Davies in form is a better player than Webb, Biggar is as good a place kicker if not better than Halfpenny and Liam Williams is a better overall fullback than the man with the golden boots..

I wont argue with you regards to Webb....but Halfpenny? he's a different story all together.....mister big boots as he is called at work.

majesticimperialman wrote:

VinceWLB wrote:I don't see either Webb and Halfpenny being that big losses for Wales, Gareth Davies in form is a better player than Webb, Biggar is as good a place kicker if not better than Halfpenny and Liam Williams is a better overall fullback than the man with the golden boots..

I wont argue with you regards to Webb....but Halfpenny? he's a different story all together.....mister big boots as he is called at work.

Biggar is a phenomenal place kicker maybe not as long a range as Halfpenny but still very very good.

Halfpenny was playing very well up to today's injury, as was Webb. Probably both first choice in their position. We're just lucky to have good back-up players and another high percentage kicker in the team.

mikey_dragon wrote:Halfpenny was playing very well up to today's injury, as was Webb. Probably both first choice in their position. We're just lucky to have good back-up players and another high percentage kicker in the team.

So if Halfpenny were to be ruled out of the squad as unfit, It may then be an opportunity for Gatty to replace him with a specialist Hooker?

Or maybe Anscombe.

Two horrible looking injuries. Assuming that Webb is out and Halfpenny will miss at least a couple of games, it seems to me, as an interested outsider, that the problems that causes for Wales are twofold.

Firstly, losing Halfpenny's range will have a knock-on impact on the gameplan. Wales have often kept the scoreboard ticking over by converting long penalties, especially in close games. If that option isn't available, it could force Wales into having to be the team playing the game rather than trying to make the opposition chase it. That could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how your backline gels. I don't think Gatlandball is going to cut it in this pool.

Secodnly, and possibly the bigger issue, is how exposed you are to any more injuries, whether in those positions or not. With their best players on the pitch, Wales are a challenge for any side, but I think a lot of Gatland's tactics rely on having players who can execute exactly what he wants, and if you have too many changes you lose cohesiveness.

We have had potentially 3 big injuries:-

JD already out but Scott Williams had a cracking game yesterday.

Webb looks like the worst of yesterdays and was playing well but I think Gareth Davies is a great player and has a better box kicking game than Webb so not to worried.

Halfpenny is hopefully not as bad as first looked but Liam Williams will step in and Amos onto the wing, we will miss the added distance Halfpenny brings to the kicking game but over your average distance Biggar is a 90% kicker so again is not end of world.

Who (if needed) Gatland calls up will be interesting, I would say Phillips and Anscombe if wanted to go for similar in each position, or like has been mentioned will he maybe call a 3rd hooker up?

The very long odds of getting out of the group just got longer. Not just because of nasty injuries to two of our better players but because of such an awful performance. It hardly inspires confidence when we need to rack up points in the first game. The front five were pathetic.

Would someone please explain to me what Gatland is seeing in Cuthbert? He has no rugby brain and can't tackle.

bedfordwelsh wrote:We have had potentially 3 big injuries:-

JD already out but Scott Williams had a cracking game yesterday.

Webb looks like the worst of yesterdays and was playing well but I think Gareth Davies is a great player and has a better box kicking game than Webb so not to worried.

Halfpenny is hopefully not as bad as first looked but Liam Williams will step in and Amos onto the wing, we will miss the added distance Halfpenny brings to the kicking game but over your average distance Biggar is a 90% kicker so again is not end of world.

Who (if needed) Gatland calls up will be interesting, I would say Phillips and Anscombe if wanted to go for similar in each position, or like has been mentioned will he maybe call a 3rd hooker up?

I think you hit the nail I the head, we travelled to SA without either Webb or Halfpenny last summer and we played well in the second test.

aucklandlaurie wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Halfpenny was playing very well up to today's injury, as was Webb. Probably both first choice in their position. We're just lucky to have good back-up players and another high percentage kicker in the team.

So if Halfpenny were to be ruled out of the squad as unfit, It may then be an opportunity for Gatty to replace him with a specialist Hooker?

Unfortunately that will mean Nipper Morgan getting a lots of game time, and he again proved he does not have what it takes for this level. Back three looking threadbare with Cuthbert also way off the pace. Perhaps Morgan can feign an injury so that Wales can have Anscombe and a hooker?

Seagultaf wrote:

aucklandlaurie wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Halfpenny was playing very well up to today's injury, as was Webb. Probably both first choice in their position. We're just lucky to have good back-up players and another high percentage kicker in the team.

So if Halfpenny were to be ruled out of the squad as unfit, It may then be an opportunity for Gatty to replace him with a specialist Hooker?

Unfortunately that will mean Nipper Morgan getting a lots of game time, and he again proved he does not have what it takes for this level. Back three looking threadbare with Cuthbert also way off the pace. Perhaps Morgan can feign an injury so that Wales can have Anscombe and a hooker?

A bit like Priestland then? I reckon Morgan will be the new super-sub. He offers a lot more in attack than most of our other backline players.

mikey_dragon wrote:

Seagultaf wrote:

aucklandlaurie wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Halfpenny was playing very well up to today's injury, as was Webb. Probably both first choice in their position. We're just lucky to have good back-up players and another high percentage kicker in the team.

So if Halfpenny were to be ruled out of the squad as unfit, It may then be an opportunity for Gatty to replace him with a specialist Hooker?

Unfortunately that will mean Nipper Morgan getting a lots of game time, and he again proved he does not have what it takes for this level. Back three looking threadbare with Cuthbert also way off the pace. Perhaps Morgan can feign an injury so that Wales can have Anscombe and a hooker?

A bit like Priestland then? I reckon Morgan will be the new super-sub. He offers a lot more in attack than most of our other backline players.

If Morgan was any good he would not have been released by Ospreys and now be playing in the second division and often dropped for a way past his best Robinson. Unlike Priestland who has been Scarlets 1st choice, played well throughout the Guiness and Euro campaigns and has now been head hunted by top English side Bath.

No doubt that Morgan is a pretty runner, but he can't/won't tackle, his only contributions yesterday was kicking the ball out on the full when put in space and missing the tackle that allowed Italy to score their second try. Pretty much a very small version of Cuthbert on that evidence and a luxury that Wales (or any top side) cannot afford. If Anscombe was fit and there was not doubts about Liam Williams fitness he would be nowhere near the squad.

Morgan was never dropped at Bristol. He was never first choice so I don't get where you have got this from and why you keep bringing it up. Ospreys may have shown him the door but that's their choice; and it's not like they have a decent replacement for him right now... You're also wrong about Priestland - you must see something totally different to what I see. PS I also don't get why you keep mentioning the fact he's off to Bath? That doesn't prove that he is some sort of amazing player; if you watched rugby you would know he's the opposite which is why he rarely gets on the pitch .

[quote="mikey_dragon"]Morgan was never dropped at Bristol. He was never first choice so I don't get where you have got this from and why you keep bringing it up. Ospreys may have shown him the door but that's their choice; and it's not like they have a decent replacement for him right now... You're also wrong about Priestland - you must see something totally different to what I see. PS I also don't get why you keep mentioning the fact he's off to Bath? That doesn't prove that he is some sort of amazing player; if you watched rugby you would know he's the opposite which is why he rarely gets on the pitch .[/quote

How am I wrong about Priestland, did he not play well for the Scarlets last season, including a number of MoM performances and out playing Wales first choice 10 at PYS? Did he not perform well at the highest possible club standard (Top tier European competition)? The relevance of Bath is quite clear, they are one of the top 4 English clubs and they chased him but did not chase Morgan!

As for rarely getting on the pitch, I suspect he would have got 30mins yesterday had not Halfpenny gone off meaning Gatts wanted to keep Biggar on for his goal kicking.

As for the Ospreys, they have Biggar and Davies at 10 and Dan Evans and Fussell at 15. Only one of whom are in the Welsh squad but players they clearly rate higher than Morgan.

He hasn't played well for Wales since 2011, apart from the odd game in 2012. He rarely plays well for the Scarlets, but Jiffy will usually award him MOTM if he manages to not drop the ball and make a kick to touch... Oh right so because Priestland gets picked up by Bath when his Scarlets' contract is up he's some amazing player? Life must be so simple in the bubble you live in.

So not only is Priestland unreliable in tight games, but he can never be brought on when we also need to rely on his boot for the 3 pointers?

Like I said it's up to them, but I don't think your comments there are wholly accurate.

Just going to reiterate:

Seagultaf wrote:Unfortunately that will mean Nipper Morgan getting a lots of game time, and he again proved he does not have what it takes for this level. Back three looking threadbare with Cuthbert also way off the pace. Perhaps Morgan can feign an injury so that Wales can have Anscombe and a hooker?

So does RP. He's proven it for years. I don't get why you rate him knowing this fact, yet 'hate on' Nip for the exact same reason. The latter has only 3 caps and somehow has proven he doesn't have what it takes .

I know there is a lot of doom and gloom around with yesterday's injuries, no rugby fan likes to see players leave the field like they did yesterday and I wish them both a speedy recovery, but IMO many of you are doing Italy a mis-justice I thought they played very well and executed the type of game they want to play at the RWC, Parrasie is an awesome player to watch and Italy are very lucky to have him.