Wales squad for Summer Tour

Forwards: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Seb Davies (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Rob Evans (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Ollie Griffiths (Newport Gwent Dragons), Cory Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons), Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), James King (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Rory Thornton (Ospreys), Thomas Young (Wasps).

Backs:Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Aled Davies (Scarlets), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Sam Davies (Ospreys), Steff Evans (Scarlets), Keelan Giles (Ospreys), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (captain, Harlequins), Owen Williams (Leicester Tigers), Rhun Williams (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues).

On the whole I like it.

Surprised to see Seb Davies and Cory Allen in there and Tomos over Lloyd. Tough on Cracknell.

The biggest shame is no Beck for me. I'll be interested to see who plays fullback. If it's Rhun Williams or Stef Evans I'd be happy, if it's Anscombe, not so much.

Gutted for Mike Brown though

Jonathan Evans can feel very hard done by that the player he's been keeping out of the Scarlets' 23 has been picked ahead of him.

miaow wrote:Jonathan Evans can feel very hard done by that the player he's been keeping out of the Scarlets' 23 has been picked ahead of him.

Agreed, I was gutted when he left us to go to Bath.

chris_501 wrote:On the whole I like it.

Surprised to see Seb Davies and Cory Allen in there and Tomos over Lloyd. Tough on Cracknell.

The biggest shame is no Beck for me. I'll be interested to see who plays fullback. If it's Rhun Williams or Stef Evans I'd be happy, if it's Anscombe, not so much.

Agree with you Chris on Cracknell, but if there is a player that I'm really pleased is in that squad it is Josh Navidi, he's been harshly treated IMO for a number of years by TW, and those 2 Teams are exactly the right ones to show if he really has a future at that level, excited to see Thomas Young and Ollie Griffiths there as well.

munkian wrote:

miaow wrote:Jonathan Evans can feel very hard done by that the player he's been keeping out of the Scarlets' 23 has been picked ahead of him.

Agreed, I was gutted when he left us to go to Bath.

Arguably the best 9 in West Wales this season, it's a really stange decision. I'm not sure he's a long term international prospect, but he's only 24, which puts his Dragons performances into some perspective. Aled Davies is in no way a test player for me. It's a very strange call, as although the 3rd choice scrum half will probably only play 40 minutes of rugby at best, it would still be a great experience touring that part of the world, winning a cap etc.

You could see Jamie Roberts being made captain a mile off.  I thought that would happen back in March when I put him in the team as captain on the other thread.  

I guess Callum Bradburry and Rhys Carre were way too outside the squad though.  I'm glad they took a punt on Adam Beard, as I stuck him in my squad, even though he wasn't with Wales at the time.

On a brighter note, at least Alex Cuthbert i going, we'll need his experience, and solid defensive work out in the Islands.

I can't see James Davies getting a cap until at least 2020, at which point it's almost pointless.

Likewise gutted Mike Brown has missed out on selection. Apparently he is unavailable due to being standby replacement for the Lions replacements.

Dumb re Cracknell....so he was good enough and took up a spot in January and what, suddenly not good enough? I am staggered Cuthy is going on, must be so that the coaches can watch him being mashed by the PI players.

Hope Lee, Roberts, S.Williams and Cuthbert stay sharp as they will be called up to the Lions once a few injuries hit.

Top of Gatlands list those boys are.

Is Shane touring after his successful season with a village team and Principality Stadium appearance?

TightHEAD wrote:Hope Lee, Roberts, S.Williams and Cuthbert stay sharp as they will be called up to the Lions once a few injuries hit.

Top of Gatlands list those boys are.

I'm confident Cuthbert will be picked before Mike Brown even if Gats needs another full back

Good Lad Cuthbert seeing as he has no balance, no handling skills, and the all round game of a not so talented 9 year old.

TightHEAD wrote:Good Lad Cuthbert seeing as he has no balance, no handling skills, and the all round game of a not so talented 9 year old.

All true, but he isn't a cry baby with a temperament like meringue.

I'm not sure about that, did you see him at in the Wales v England game this year.

Just after JD2 had a brain fart and kicked it down the middle of the park and then followed by 2 world class passes from Farrell and Ford to Daly on the wing to run in a great try un-touched, Cuthbert looked like he had a tear in his eye when he ran into the corner flag!

He'll still get picked before Mike Brown, unless the lions are planning to do some amateur dramatics in NZ that is.

TightHEAD wrote:Is Shane touring after his successful season with a village team and Principality Stadium appearance?

Hell no... after all those farewell games he had, we now need all the welcome back games before he goes for the Lions.

munkian wrote:Forwards: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Kristian Dacey (Cardiff Blues), Seb Davies (Cardiff Blues), Ryan Elias (Scarlets), Rob Evans (Scarlets), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Ollie Griffiths (Newport Gwent Dragons), Cory Hill (Newport Gwent Dragons), Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), James King (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Rory Thornton (Ospreys), Thomas Young (Wasps).

Backs:Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues), Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues), Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), Aled Davies (Scarlets), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Sam Davies (Ospreys), Steff Evans (Scarlets), Keelan Giles (Ospreys), Tyler Morgan (Newport Gwent Dragons), Jamie Roberts (captain, Harlequins), Owen Williams (Leicester Tigers), Rhun Williams (Cardiff Blues), Scott Williams (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues).

Not too bad in terms of taking new caps, though I wonder how many will get used. It makes me sad that Roberts is captain for this, just two years from a World Cup. It saddens me further that Scott Williams will be shifted out to 13 again.

No real number 8 in the squad is a bit of a worry. Maybe that's why Kingsley swapped Griffiths and Evans at 6 and 8 for the last few Dragons games?

I'd have to agree about Roberts and it makes no sense that he is dropped from the Wales team for SW and now that mid field is going to be upset again by guaranteeing him 2 run outs at 12. But I think SW has been pretty unconvincing IMO so perhaps the experiment is over and to be honest Roberts carrying will be a necessity v Samoa and Tonga. Problem is as a servant of Wales, he has no match and having been left out of the Lions to leave him out of this tour would seem to have been almost punitive, he had to go and with his seniority probably understandable he got the skipper role. That said it is highly likely he will be selected as a Lions replacement if there are any midfield injuries. It's a great swan song for the Doc.

I expect Charteris may retire from international rugby shortly as I can't see him being around in 19.

The signs are also ominous for BBBD, he's played the last few games for the Ospreys and Thornton and Beard haven't, both have also been available for us, so it looks a long road back for both Charteris and Davies.

Very happy with the inclusion of Rhun Williams, he has been a gem of a find for both Cardiff Blues and Wales. He is going to be the next Welsh superstar.

TightHEAD wrote:Good Lad Cuthbert seeing as he has no balance, no handling skills, and the all round game of a not so talented 9 year old.

Mike Brown for the Lions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-nak5zOMTk

miaow wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Good Lad Cuthbert seeing as he has no balance, no handling skills, and the all round game of a not so talented 9 year old.

Mike Brown for the Lions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-nak5zOMTk

Is that the try where Brown is dummied by Tipuric ?

Na, the other one, where he gets skinned by a not so talented 9 year old.

miaow wrote:Na, the other one, where he gets skinned by a not so talented 9 year old.

The 9 year old that scored two tries against the nailed on Grand Slam winners ? Crazy

wayne wrote:The signs are also ominous for BBBD, he's played the last few games for the Ospreys and Thornton and Beard haven't, both have also been available for us, so it looks a long road back for both Charteris and Davies.

I was going to say Wayne, very strange decision that, to leave both Charteris and Bradley Davies out. Surely one should have gone. The second row looks like an area of weakness to me.

I wouldn't write their chances off just yet, though. Charteris may be just a bit too old to hold on until the RWC, but I see no reason why Bradley Davies can't. As long as he's playing well for the Ospreys- which he will do if he's starting over the two second rows picked ahead of him- he'll be making the Welsh squad next season.

Hoping Keddie gets more starts for the Dragons next season, he could be a very tidy option at 8

He should be starting ahead of Lewis Evans. Evans has more experience, but a fat lot of good that's done us.

Luckless Pedestrian wrote:He should be starting ahead of Lewis Evans. Evans has more experience, but a fat lot of good that's done us.

Agreed.

Wonder if jones pulling out is political, I increasingly think the selection of Roberts at 12 for this clearly development tour is inconsistent with 2 years to RWC. Either SW is the go to first choice 12 or not.

Well i'm pulling out of this tour and so is my wife.

Well on behalf of the WRU I would like to thank you and your wife during, what must be, a very difficult time.

Ball probably out, no Charteris and Bradley Davies either. Could be a real problem as we need a solid front 5 against the PI big boys. Time to call Ianto back into the squad.

Gwlad wrote:Ball probably out, no Charteris and Bradley Davies either. Could be a real problem as we need a solid front 5 against the PI big boys. Time to call Ianto back into the squad.

Forced retirement through injury.

Call up Shingler.

Ball might miss the tour, now they need to call up Bradley Davies, otherwise this will be a repeat of Japan.

I believe he has made himself unavailable hopefully someone will have a chat with him or Charteris as they are most definitely needed though tis is a great opportunity for youngsters to front up behind a solid front row; I'd really like to see Hibbard involved too.

I get the feeling there'd be no problems with availability if any of the Welsh 2nd rows get a Lions call up as a replacement (not advocating that, btw, in case some of our B&I comrades are watching You have to be so careful what you say these days )

I get why we're fast-tracking Beard, but there's a few selections I disagree with. Not sure what Seb Davies is doing there and if you want to take an experienced hooker then take Hibbard because allowing Baldwin to use this time 'playing himself back to form' isn't good for anyone. There's a lot of 7's in there and no room for a 6 like Cracknell? Wonder how Robin is going to explain that one by himself now that Wilson and Jones have left him.

I imagine Tyler Morgan is covering wing, which leaves Stef Evans and Sam Davies (ooops) to play full-back. Beck should be in there over Allen. I would have liked to have seen Owen Williams feature at 12 at some point but that's highly unlikely with Roberts as captain. What they continue to see in Aled Davies I'll never know; they may as well have called up Tavis Knoyle.

Assuming that Ball is out and replaced by Davies I'm going to attempt picking the match day squad:

15, Stef Evans. 14, Alex Cuthbert. 13, Scott Williams. 12, Jamie Roberts. 11, Keelan Giles. 10, Gareth Anscombe. 9, Gareth Davies.
1, Rob Evans. 2, Scott Baldwin. 3, Tomas Francis. 4, Bradley Davies. 5, Rory Thornton. 6, Ollie Griffiths. 7, Ellis Jenkins. 8, Josh Navidi.

Subs: Dacey/Elias, Smith, Lee, Beard, King, Williams, Williams, Davies.

MIKEY BRADLEY IS OUT!!

mikey_dragon wrote:Assuming that Ball is out and replaced by Davies I'm going to attempt picking the match day squad:

15, Stef Evans. 14, Alex Cuthbert. 13, Scott Williams. 12, Jamie Roberts. 11, Keelan Giles. 10, Gareth Anscombe. 9, Gareth Davies.
1, Rob Evans. 2, Scott Baldwin. 3, Tomas Francis. 4, Bradley Davies. 5, Rory Thornton. 6, Ollie Griffiths. 7, Ellis Jenkins. 8, Josh Navidi.

Subs: Dacey/Elias, Smith, Lee, Beard, King, Williams, Williams, Davies.

I would play the youngster from Cardiff Blues Rhun Williams at fullback and put Stef Evans on the wing.

Gwlad wrote:MIKEY BRADLEY IS OUT!!

When was this announced ? He is playing for Ospreys on Saturday isn't he ?

Gwlad wrote:MIKEY BRADLEY IS OUT!!

The Georgia defense coach ?

LordDowlais wrote:

Gwlad wrote:MIKEY BRADLEY IS OUT!!

When was this announced ? He is playing for Ospreys on Saturday isn't he ?

'Avin a baby I believe.

I think I remember reading that somewhere now. Maybe Beard and Thornton then, pretty radical but we're all outta locks.

15, Sam Davies. 14, Alex Cuthbert. 13, Scott Williams. 12, Jamie Roberts. 11, Keelan Giles. 10, Gareth Anscombe. 9, Gareth Davies.
1, Rob Evans. 2, Scott Baldwin. 3, Tomas Francis. 4, Cory Hill. 5, Rory Thornton. 6, James King 7, Ellis Jenkins. 8, Josh Navidi.

That's more like what I think the fraud will pick.

No place for Young? The PI boys will literally eat Cuthbert and I think Davies, who is the new Welsh 10 after Biggar, will be fly half with perhaps Anscombe at 15.