Italy v Wales

[An Tarbh]

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Italy v Wales</div>

Wales go to Rome knowing they'll have a great chance to put the pressure back on Ireland and France by putting up a big score against the Italians.

They'll also have the added motivation of putting right their last trip to Rome where they lost the match but due to the ineptitudes of both players and referees managed to let the Italians away with an unlikely win.

This Italian side though is a shadow of that team and even the team which managed to beat Scotland last year, in no large part due to the questionable selctions of Nick Mallet.

Wales should win with something to spare and pile the pressure on Ireland and France.

 

[Vambo]

Not even Wales could f*** this one up.... could they?

 

[An Tarbh]

not a chance and given that they did 2 years ago that will keep them from being any way complacent ahead of it

 

[dullonien]

We've gotta smash 'em, no two ways about it. I'd expect Ireland to beat Scotland by ~ 15, which means if we want a winners take all match against Ireland on the last weekend, we need to win by ~ 38!

Gatland was on about giving squad players a match, but I can't see much of that happening now. I can see him starting Henson with Roberts in the centre, Both Hook and Peel will also come in I think. Up front it should be same again imo. I can't see us loosing, being beaten by a French team playing well is one thing, but Italy aren't providing anything at the moment (except Parrise who was a one man army v Scotland).

I'm gonna predict Wales by 5 at the break, with us cutting loose in the second to win by 30+.

 

[Sir Speedy]

Agreed with Dull. A 30 - 40 point win against Italy is vital otherwise we'll make things even harder for ourselves in the final match, and that will probably result in a loss if we're in two minds about winning by +20 points etc...
I'm not sure Henson should start. He doesn't seem ready yet and I'm peeved about his missing the two-man overlap against France... Besides, Roberts has been man-marked the past two games. You really think the Italian centres will be up to marking him? And Shanklin was absolutely immense against France. No way can we drop him.
Peel should come in and Hook deserves a shot aswell. Otherwise the team should remain the same.

 

[Meh]

Wales by 30.

Italy looked even more abysmal than usual against Scotland.

 

[dullonien]

I know Henson blew that opportunity, I'm sure he knows it too, not normally the kinda thing he does as he's not a selfish player. But re-watching the match just now, he played very well after coming on (apart from that wrong decision). His delicate hands in the middle of getting smashed to release Burne on the outside almost led to a try, but for Odrego's superb last ditch tackle on Burne, was superb.

I know it would be unfair to drop Shanklin, but I think Gatland will want to test his 'dream' partnership in this game. We need to score tries, lots of them, and Henson-Roberts is the way to do that. Shanklin is still in pole position for the Ireland game the following weekend, but for this match we have gotta see what this possible centre partnership can do. If it clicks like it has the possibility of doing, it can start v Ireland, if not we revert to a Roberts-Shanklin or a Henson-Shanklin midfield.

 

[An Tarbh]

Hard to see Shanklin being dropped after his performance in Paris, the orange one did nothing special when he came on, so why would weaken your side.

 

[Thingimubob]

as you know Tarbh us Welsh really do believe that Henson is a class act (and he is) and is more than capable of shining and ripping teams to shreds. He just needs the right balance of belief and confidence, and to be under a coach that can handle him well, Lyn Jones could, and so can Gatland, so I really hope we can get him back in at full form. He's too much of an asset to leave out.

 

[An Tarbh]

OK but is he anywhere near full form at the moment, no. So why bother with an off form guy when you've got 2 on form guys there already.

 

[Cymro]

Shanklin cannot be dropped simple as! Anyone who thinks he should be after last game needs their head sorting!

 

[Sir Speedy]

You know it's a cold day in Hell when me and Cymro can agree on Welsh centres...

 

[An Tarbh]

well if Shanklin's performance on Friday can't convince you then you're a lost cause.

 

[Count of Devonshire]

Hopefully the Italians can fight out a close game at least.

I hate it when they're so weak they might as well not even be there.

 

[Cymro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Mar 2 2009, 10:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

You know it's a cold day in Hell when me and Cymro can agree on Welsh centres...[/b]

Urm no are you now telling erm that Shanklin was not good on Friday? He was the star preformer in the backs and has been good this 6 Nations!

 

[Sir Speedy]

No, I'm actually agreeing that Shanklin's been very good as of late.

 

[Cymro]

GOOD

 

[shazbooger]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cymro @ Mar 2 2009, 10:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

GOOD[/b]

Nope I think he said VERY good.

 

[Cymro]

Alun Wyn Jones will captain Wales for their Six Nations match in Italy as coach Warren Gatland makes 10 changes.

Regular skipper Ryan Jones is on the bench with Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Rees, Mike Phillips, Stephen Jones and Tom Shanklin who all started in France.

Martyn Williams, Leigh Halfpenny and Ian Gough drop out of the matchday 22.

Dwayne Peel and James Hook start at half-back for the 14 March Rome clash, while Gavin Henson comes in at centre with Jamie Roberts shifting to 13.

Wales: Lee Byrne (Ospreys); Mark Jones (Scarlets), Jamie Roberts (Blues), Gavin Henson (Ospreys), Shane Williams (Ospreys); James Hook (Ospreys), Dwayne Peel (Sale); John Yapp (Blues), Huw Bennett (Ospreys), Rhys Thomas (Dragons), Luke Charteris (Dragons), Alun Wyn Jones (capt, Ospreys), Jonathan Thomas (Ospreys), Dafydd Jones (Scarlets), Andy Powell (Blues).
Replacements: Matthew Rees (Scarlets), Gethin Jenkins (Blues), Bradley Davies (Blues), Ryan Jones (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Ospreys), Stephen Jones (Scarlets), Tom Shanklin (Blues).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_unio...lsh/7917686.stm

 

[Sir Speedy]

That's nuts!
AWJ as captain is an interesting move.
Hopefully Gavin Henson can atone for wasting a try against France.
Peel and Hook deserve an opportunity as Jones and Phillips were lacklustre against Les Bleus.