2018 NatWest 6 Nations - Round 1 Wales Vs Scotland

[dullonien]

9 tackles, 2 misses, 10 carries for 18m and giving away the most penalties in the Wales squad is hardly the life changing performance Williams was on about.
Navidi was comfortably the best backrower on the pitch

He wasn't bad but he wasn't deserving of the praise or motm especially with navidi in the same back row.

Stats ain't everything. Watching the match Shingler was a colossus imo. He just seems to be everywhere, making breaks, shooting up quickly in defence and forcing Scotland back inside, being a real nuisance. His service from the lineout was almost faultless as well. Also pressured Scotland's lineout too.

Navidi was good, with a couple of key turnovers, but Shingler was a step above again.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

See I went looking for stats because I thought I must have been missing something for shingler cause navidi and Moriarty stood out way more

Lineouts won? 100% lineouts stolen? Had a few. Offloads? Linebreaks? :s

One line break 2 offloads,
Hardly mercurial.

Navidi had several important turnovers, more offloads and almost as many metres made off of 3 fewer carries

 

[dullonien]

Wow! The welsh are so quick to label world class. I watched the game as a neutral hoping to Wales to win. Shingler was good, nothing special. He was better in the 2nd half. I didn't think the game was won by the back row battle. Wales managed the game, Scotland were playing a different game.

World class lineout forward is what I said. I.e. He's a world class lineout jumper, which he is......

 

[Reiser99]

Wales played well took their chances and got the 5 points. If they build on this and beat England next week then they will definitely be challenging for the ***le. However considering how badly Scotland played you can't say it gives an accurate assessment of where they are. Out of 4 tries, one was a forward pass that should have been checked, one was an intercept that everyone saw coming a mile away and one started from a gap about the size of the grand canyon. Wales won't get the same opportunities in the rest of the tournament.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Scotland were poor, running laterally from the off. Barely used their forwards. I can't remember their 8 having the ball. Who was it?

Du Preez. 2nd choice 8 at Edinburgh. Scotland don't have a lot of options there but I think they could have come up with a better backrow combination.

 

[TommiG88]

Du Preez. 2nd choice 8 at Edinburgh. Scotland don't have a lot of options there but I think they could have come up with a better backrow combination.

Who's the fella at London Irish? I think he would have been a better bet.

 

[Reiser99]

Denton isn't it.

Edit: nope he's worcester, just checked. Blair Cowan plays for Irish, but he's a 7.

 

[Which Tyler]

LIrish have Blair Cowan

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Why have Scotland dropped Strauss?
He was excellent for Scotland and has been excellent for sale.
Punishment for moving to England?

 

[bushytop]

Scotland... I feel for you guys! I've been there a few times, coming into a game feeling confident enough that, while... of course it'll be a challenge, we can handle what ever comes. A couple of matches each against England and against Ireland over the last 10 years... and against you guys last year too... and we got well and truly 'broken' by great game management and cool heads.

We managed to do that to you guys today and all I'll say is that I wouldn't want to be the team to play you next. You're no way a bad team over two performances of implosion in the past 2 seasons.

As for Wales, yes it was against a Scottish team that capitulated but it was a highly professional performance that was full of endeavour, where a unfancied team devoid of their 'world class players' through injury did a job.

Da iawn.

 

[Maverick1987]

Kinda agree with Ollyy a bit . I thought Shingler was good but not what the commentators made him out to be . Also agree that Navidi was the best back rower on the field . But motm for me has to be Patchell . He played really well today I thought . Very impressed how well he carries the ball too !

 

[dullonien]

Yeah Patchell was great. He's a really rounded player, so is capable of varying his game really well. He's quite physical for an out half, but has pace to back it up. His distribution is great, and he's got a massive boot on him.

Considering it was his first start at 10 in his first 6 nations appearance, and the game was all out chaos at times, he controlled things really well. He kept Scotland's defence honest with some well placed cross kicks, put people into gaps, and threatened the line himself.

Biggar shouldn't get close if Patchell can carry on playing like that!

 

[The5thOfficial]

Well, I didn't expect that! Although I did ask if Scotland were going to come down to earth with a bump this year. I hear those saying well Scotland played not that good but by any standards Scotland very nearly got nilled. And then I saw the France Ireland game and watched Sexton win it for Ireland win it with the last kick of the game. Baring in mind that Ireland were (aguably) favs and France were 'unknowns' you know this year its wide open to say the least. Of course that will change with the expected thumping that England will give to Itally tomorrow - or will they? Pretty good weekend openers if you ask me,

 

[TommiG88]

Well, I didn't expect that! Although I did ask if Scotland were going to come down to earth with a bump this year. I hear those saying well Scotland played not that good but by any standards Scotland very nearly got nilled. And then I saw the France Ireland game and watched Sexton win it for Ireland win it with the last kick of the game. Baring in mind that Ireland were (aguably) favs and France were 'unknowns' you know this year its wide open to say the least. Of course that will change with the expected thumping that England will give to Itally tomorrow - or will they? Pretty good weekend openers if you ask me,

Where's the rolls eyes emoji...

 

[The5thOfficial]

Where's the rolls eyes emoji...

I dont understand the question? Just saying it as it is.

 

[Hound]

Don't think Wales is getting enough credit for their game management here... they made Scotland play a style that doesn't suit them (even at the expense of exerting their dominance in the lineout in order to stick with that game plan) and made it so it never was really in doubt.

Saying "Yeah, well Scotland didn't play very well"... well, there's a reason for that.

 

[ncurd]

Saying "Yeah, well Scotland didn't play very well"... well, there's a reason for that.

The problem is Scotland were pretty much fighting from the minute they were 14 points down, neither of which scores were from Wales playing superbly or forcing a game on Scotland. They were due to Scotland playing **** after that Scotland kept just about in the game for a half but when your two scores down its going to give eventually if you can't get back in. Which is pretty much what happened.

 

[dullonien]

The problem is Scotland were pretty much fighting from the minute they were 14 points down, neither of which scores were from Wales playing superbly or forcing a game on Scotland. They were due to Scotland playing **** after that Scotland kept just about in the game for a half but when your two scores down its going to give eventually if you can't get back in. Which is pretty much what happened.

Wales had looked threatening up till that point, even if Scotland were pinning us back in our own half.

Whilst the second Welsh try came from a good position due to Scotland being pinged for a crooked feed, Wales got into that position 5m out from Scotland's line through a superb line break and were a pass away from scoring a superb try.

The Welsh defence throughout was magnificent. I thought before the match that Wales would be committing suicide if they continued their usual tactic of kicking the ball in-field, but they continued with the same tactic and contained Scotland's dangerous counter attacking runners really well.

I am really encouraged with the way Wales are building. Our forwards are almost to a man comfortable is open space and with ball in hand as evidenced by Samson Lee's lovely flick pass. There's a good balance in the backline, and we're developing some depth in most positions.

North, Liam Williams and Amos are all back in contention for the England game, which isn't a bad position to be in the backline. The depth we've got in the back row is bordering the ridiculous now. We're also building some depth in midfield as well. Front row isn't too bad either!

 

[die_mole]

Wrong thread moran.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Patchell offered so much more than Biggar does. All he needs to do is throw in the odd up and under and he does everything Biggar can, minus the **** attitude.