[2023 Six Nations] Scotland vs Wales - 11 February 2023

[Welsh Exile]

WOL say the team could be the following which means there's about a 10% chance they'll get one change right.

Wyn Jones, Owens, Francis, Jenkins, Beard, Tshiunza, Reffell, Morgan, Williams, Biggar, Adams, Hawkins, North, Dyer, Williams.

Dropping Faletau would be a shock and in my opinion would give us a lesser chance of winning but I'm not against it from a testing players out point of view. Same for why I'm happy for Tipuric to not feature. Morgan at 8 though? He played there for the Ospreys in a couple of matches but weird he wouldn't just play Wainwright but it's probably a ******** team anyway.

 

[General Melchett]

WOL say the team could be the following which means there's about a 10% chance they'll get one change right.

Wyn Jones, Owens, Francis, Jenkins, Beard, Tshiunza, Reffell, Morgan, Williams, Biggar, Adams, Hawkins, North, Dyer, Williams.

Dropping Faletau would be a shock and in my opinion would give us a lesser chance of winning but I'm not against it from a testing players out point of view. Same for why I'm happy for Tipuric to not feature. Morgan at 8 though? He played there for the Ospreys in a couple of matches but weird he wouldn't just play Wainwright but it's probably a ******** team anyway.

I hope Wyn Jones doesn't get Zander sent off again.

I also wonder if AWJ's neck injury been changed back to a head injury. I hope for his sake that the Welsh medics overruled any attempt to get him on the pitch if there were any doubts about his HIA.

 

[dullonien]

WOL say the team could be the following which means there's about a 10% chance they'll get one change right.

Wyn Jones, Owens, Francis, Jenkins, Beard, Tshiunza, Reffell, Morgan, Williams, Biggar, Adams, Hawkins, North, Dyer, Williams.

Dropping Faletau would be a shock and in my opinion would give us a lesser chance of winning but I'm not against it from a testing players out point of view. Same for why I'm happy for Tipuric to not feature. Morgan at 8 though? He played there for the Ospreys in a couple of matches but weird he wouldn't just play Wainwright but it's probably a ******** team anyway.

Christ, I hope that's not true! Wyn Jones hasn't hit form yet this season, why not bring Carre in to start? If Beard keeps his place after that shower of **** he served up v Ireland then I give up! Biggar and North keeping their places isn't great either.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I hope Wyn Jones doesn't get Zander sent off again.

I also wonder if AWJ's neck injury been changed back to a head injury. I hope for his sake that the Welsh medics overruled any attempt to get him on the pitch if there were any doubts about his HIA.

I reckon that's the only reason Wyn Jones would be in.

Joking aside surely that is ******** I don't believe he'll be starting and nor should he be.

Beard and Jenkins just doesn't sound right to me. I'd rather Beard Davies if we're insistent, for whatever weird reason, on Beard having to start. I'd rather play a concussed AWJ.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Christ, I hope that's not true! Wyn Jones hasn't hit form yet this season, why not bring Carre in to start? If Beard keeps his place after that shower of **** he served up v Ireland then I give up! Biggar and North keeping their places isn't great either.

Yeah I agree obviously. Reckon it's ********. I can't even see Wyn Jones being on the bench.

 

[Reiser99]

I also wonder if AWJ's neck injury been changed back to a head injury. I hope for his sake that the Welsh medics overruled any attempt to get him on the pitch if there were any doubts about his HIA.

I honestly wonder about the Welsh HIA protocols. They seem to put more emphasis on subsequent assessments that overrule the initial assessment. I think it's very bad practice and dangerous in the current climate and personally there is an aspect of trying to get players available earlier.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I honestly wonder about the Welsh HIA protocols. They seem to put more emphasis on subsequent assessments that overrule the initial assessment. I think it's very bad practice and dangerous in the current climate and personally there is an aspect of trying to get players available earlier.

He didn't technically fail the initial assessment though apparently. I dunno, I don't think we'd take any unnecessary risks with him. Or at least I'd like to think.

 

[AlRums]

I honestly wonder about the Welsh HIA protocols. They seem to put more emphasis on subsequent assessments that overrule the initial assessment. I think it's very bad practice and dangerous in the current climate and personally there is an aspect of trying to get players available earlier.

I'm not sure, it is possible a false positive was made, but it's extremely difficult to say given the subjective nature of the test

 

[General Melchett]

I honestly wonder about the Welsh HIA protocols. They seem to put more emphasis on subsequent assessments that overrule the initial assessment. I think it's very bad practice and dangerous in the current climate and personally there is an aspect of trying to get players available earlier.

I think it's got Gatland written all over it. AWJ dislocated his shoulder in the Lions warm up game v Japan and was immediately ruled out of the tour. It didn't take long before Gatland was talking up his chances of making the tour. Maybe god like status means the recovery time is half of that of mere mortal locks.

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

Why are they taking a risk with him? All he does is flap his arms around and fall onto rucks

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Quite different to over celebrating though.

I agree with Ogg, they accepted the win and took it well but are under no illusions as to what must happen this week. A maturity is coming, they haven't shown it in the past and it's not yet proven itself to be cemented in yet but I feel that they are being more honest about the situation now.

There is little appetite to be the glorious losers now, we in Scotland know what they can do and having got a few monkeys off the back with Twickenham, Paris and wales away there is serious questioning from the public when they do not perform. The group are good enough now, it's time to show it.

Fair enough. Heading into semantics I see nothing to indicate the Scottish camp have overcome their previous issues of excessive emotional investment in a single win in a five game tournament, as typified by the likes of Townsend's admission (and in my opinion, some of the try celebrations) Scotland hasn't finished top half of the table since 2018 and are chronic underacheivers. To get emotional at bumping off the lowest ranked English side in living memory (possibly ever?) doesn't bode well for a squad having its 'eyes on the prize'

I fully agree it's time to show it and Scotland should have been competing for tournament victory over the past decade. My assessment is they won't show it and they'll probably find a way to end up in the bottom half of the table again. If they end in the top half of the table I'll gladly accept they've turned a corner psychologically. Perhaps the fact they pulled out the win late on is an early sign they've turned a corner in that regard and I'm already wrong. We'll see in the coming weeks.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Fair enough. Heading into semantics I see nothing to indicate the Scottish camp have overcome their previous issues of excessive emotional investment in a single win in a five game tournament, as typified by the likes of Townsend's admission (and in my opinion, some of the try celebrations) Scotland hasn't finished top half of the table since 2018 and are chronic underacheivers. To get emotional at bumping off the lowest ranked English side in living memory (possibly ever?) doesn't bode well for a squad having its 'eyes on the prize'

I fully agree it's time to show it and Scotland should have been competing for tournament victory over the past decade. My assessment is they won't show it and they'll probably find a way to end up in the bottom half of the table again. If they end in the top half of the table I'll gladly accept they've turned a corner psychologically. Perhaps the fact they pulled out the win late on is an early sign they've turned a corner in that regard and I'm already wrong. We'll see in the coming weeks.

I don't think Russell would have the balls to push Sexton like he pushed Farrell...

Heading to Edinburgh in a few weeks and I really hope to see us stop Scotland winning a triple crown.

The one thing I'd give Scotland is that they won playing badly and I haven't seen that before from them. You'd hope it wasn't an elevated performance on Saturday because the standard performance would be fairly meek in that case.

I'm throwing a 10er on Wales if they go past 5/2 though, given the history of this game that's crazy value!

 

[General Melchett]

I don't think Russell would have the balls to push Sexton like he pushed Farrell...

Heading to Edinburgh in a few weeks and I really hope to see us stop Scotland winning a triple crown.

The one thing I'd give Scotland is that they won playing badly and I haven't seen that before from them. You'd hope it wasn't an elevated performance on Saturday because the standard performance would be fairly meek in that case.

I'm throwing a 10er on Wales if they go past 5/2 though, given the history of this game that's crazy value!

If Ireland were going to target Racing 92's greatest ever fly half they'd probably give that job to a dark arts guru like POM as Sexton might injure himself putting in a late hit.

I'm edgy about this weekend's game. It's hard to imagine there not being a backlash from the Welsh team with Gatland at the helm. I just hope it's 15 v 15 for 80 mins.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

If Ireland were going to target Racing 92's greatest ever fly half they'd probably give that job to a dark arts guru like POM as Sexton might injure himself putting in a late hit.

I'm edgy about this weekend's game. It's hard to imagine there not being a backlash from the Welsh team with Gatland at the helm. I just hope it's 15 v 15 for 80 mins.

Johnny wink > POM cheapshot

I also agree on the Racing comment!

 

[AlRums]

I don't think Russell would have the balls to push Sexton like he pushed Farrell...

I can see Sexton going down like he'd been shot and claiming all sorts of things with his histrionics

 

[retired9]

I can see Sexton going down like he'd been shot and claiming all sorts of things with his histrionics

Not to mention what the online backlash would be

 

[Amiga500]

I think they will **** the bed because I see zero change in their unprofessional mindset by over celebrating a single victory (although as far as I'm aware we have yet to have the annual "we are awesome" media quote from the camp).

Ah, its not so much celebrating as getting your mental state "up" for the match. There is only so many times you can go to the deepest levels of the emotional well.

There is "up" and there is "up". They were the latter for England. Will they just be the former for Wales?

 

[HamJan]

Maybe a bit OT but I reckon Wales and Scotland have the two best national anthems in the world (together with my beloved Sweden that is ) with South Africa and Japan not far behind too. I like Irelands too, Amhrán na Bhfiann. Irelands Call is a pretty decent anthem as well even though it's not a "real" National Anthem! ! Maybe I should create a new thread for National Anthems There are so man great hymns! France and Italy have majestic ones too!

I'll never understand why this sort of comment creeps out of the woodwork every time the 6N comes around. It's like 'yeah we were c**p on Saturday, but we had the best anthem'.

 

[Welsh Exile]

OMG WOL were right except it's worse. Halfpenny is in. How the **** is Wyn Jones starting? Explain that one to me Warren.

 

[Welsh Exile]

15. Liam Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 82 caps)

14. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 45 caps)

13. George North (Ospreys – 110 caps)

12. Joe Hawkins (Ospreys – 2 caps)

11. Rio Dyer (Dragons – 4 caps)

10. Dan Biggar (Toulon – 104 caps)

9. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 41 caps)

1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets – 45 caps)

2. Ken Owens (Scarlets – 87 caps) captain

3. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Rugby – 46 caps)

4. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 2 caps)

5. Adam Beard (Ospreys – 42 caps)

6. Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs – 3 caps)

7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 5 caps)

8. Jac Morgan (Ospreys – 7 caps)



Replacements

16. Scott Baldwin (Ospreys – 35 caps)

17. Rhys Carre (Cardiff Rugby – 18 caps)

18. Leon Brown (Dragons – 22 caps)

19. Rhys Davies (Ospreys – uncapped)

20. Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff Rugby – 96 caps)

21. Rhys Webb (Ospreys – 37 caps)

22. Rhys Patchell (Scarlets – 21 caps)

23. Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys – 56 caps)