End of season reflection time!
At the Ospreys i'd look out for Matthew Morgan. Great runner of the ball and good overall game. He needs to learn how to run the back line and organise the team better. He played in quite a few matches last year and had a mixed bag imo, some good games and some very average ones. With that experience i think he will have improved a lot.
Hmm, not a great year for Matthew. Limited time hasn't helped, but he really didn't look great. No little runs or anything. I don't think he will quite make it fully.
Blindside/second row (more of a 6) James King has been in the Ospreys squad for a few years now and hasn't really established himself. He's a solid player, nothing special just makes his tackles and does the grunt. He could and should add more to his game in the coming years, he's only 22. Going into the new season he's played in a lot of the pre-season matches and head coach Steve Tandy has had good things to say about him, i think we could see a lot more of him this season.
Very good prospect, unlucky to have Jones and Lydiate ahead, along with Pretorius and seemingly McCusker/Turnbull (I'll call them McBull). He and Peers are really bright young players who could get a few caps if all goes well for them.
Having lost a lot of quality back three players and not brought in any replacements, the youngsters will have to stake their claim. I'd look out for Ross Jones, he's naturally a fullback but we could see him on the left wing quite a bit with Fussell kept at fullback (bad decision imo, Fussell is a crap fullback).
Back three was a huge issue this season. Fussell was pretty good I'd say, much better than Jones when given the chance.
Scott Baldwin is a big and mobile young hooker. With Huw Bennett gone and only Welsh international Hibbard as his competition we will see plenty of him, and i have to say he looks like a very good prospect. Then there's young tighthead Joe Rees who will get games hear and there, dito openside Sam Lewis.
With Bennett injured for a while, Owens/Rees/Hibbard all unpredictable, I would not be surprised if Baldwin has some involvement with the national squad. Very likely to get a cap soon, with the Japan tour occurring next year.
I do realise that this is a Prem thread, but can't we all be friends?
Got one! He was mixed, certainly darts is a worry, but that is a prerequisite for a Welsh hooker. Not worth discarding though, Owens and Hibbard have both improved massively over the past two seasons, so plenty of time for Scott.
For the Dragons, Jack Dixon is highly thought of and if Tuilagi is poor once more we could see young Dixon given a run at inside centre. I have high hopes for Tom Prydie. He is seemingly our first choice goalkicker already, and had a very good JWC. Daniel Evans has been praised throughout the preseason, as had Darren Waters until his injury (ACL, 6 months). I desperately want to see Jonathan Evans given a shot.
Jack was good when given a chance. Given Smith has had injury issues and Andy is leaving, he should get good time next season. Ross Wardle looked adequate at outside centre end of the season as well. Jonathan was my Dragon of the Season. Great young scrumhalf, can snipe
and pass!!1! Really like the lad, glad to see we have him for a few more years. Daniel was pretty decent, both at standoff and fullback. He offered a greater attacking edge than Steff and Lewis from standoff. I know some had him tipped for the Lions
Prydie was steady, not great, not dire. His kicking was better than Tovey on average I'd say. Back in the Welsh squad, so there we go, Gwent does wonders for a lad.
There's quite a few players to look out for at the Cardiff Blues.
There's Rhys Williams at hooker who I firmly believe to be their best option, but will probably start the season behind Breeze, Dacey and Kyriacou unfortunately. Hopefully Davies gives him some games early and he can move ahead of those three that I don't really rate, especially Breeze.
I can't even tell you who played most of the season at hooker. The scouse started off there, but was injured.
The Blues have a massive pool of potential in the second row with Cook, Down, Hill and Screech all potential future Welsh internationals. This makes the signing of Lou Reed all the more confusing and annoying. If at least two of these aren't playing regularly this coming season I'll be extremely ******.
Lou should be sent down Dirty Blvd if you ask me. Really doesn't offer much. Blues also signed another SR, that Samoan, and have just announced a Cardiff Met SR named Miles Normandale. Waste of the former-U20 lads...
Despite being on the radar for a long time, I think Tovey's move to the Blues could be the kick start he's needed after a substantial lull in his career over the past season. He might have been hoping for a stronger pack in front of him, especially at scrum time, but the Blues pack with the likes of Warburton, Pretorius, Bradley Davies and Peterson is still substantially stronger than the Dragons pack he left behind (despite the best efforts of Lydiate and Faletau). This is make or break for him, I say he makes it and is involved in next years 6 nations.
Jason who? In 2010 I tipped him as the next Welsh standoff, ahead of Biggar who would melt down every so often...
Center is another area where the Blues have a few options coming through the ranks. Cory Allen and Owen Williams should feature regularly if Davies has any sense and doesn't share B&B's love of the useless Gavin Evans. I'd also consider both over Daf Hewitt as well, who's a good servant and a solid player, but nothing special.
At least Owen was given time, albeit on the wing. Allen was pretty involved with the Sevens, so that is a good achievement for him.
Out wide there is of course the biggest (smallest) player to look out for in Harry Robinson. I'm sure most know about him, but with Czekaj out for the beginning of the season, Robinson should be given plenty of gametime.
Mixed season for Harry, had a few matches where I was suitably impressed (over in Munster, handled Howlett like a champ)
