RWC: Samoa - Wales (18-9-11, 15:30)

[Draggs]

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton (18-9-11, 15:30)

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
18/9/2011
15:30
Referee: Alain Rolland (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Romain Poite (FFR), Jérôme Garces (FFR)
Television Match Official: Giulio De Santis (FIR)
​

[TABLE="class: grid"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD]Samoa[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Wales
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Paul Williams[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]James Hook[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Sailosi Tagicakibau[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]George North[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]George Pisi[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]Jonathan Davies[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Seilala Mapusua[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]Jamie Roberts[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Alesana Tuilagi[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]Shane Williams[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tusi Pisiata[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]Rhys Priestland[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kahn Fotuali'i[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]Mike Phillips[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]George Stowers[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]Toby Faletau[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Mautie Fa'asavalu[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]Sam Warburton[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ofisa Treviranus[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]Dan Lydiate[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Kane Thompson[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]Alun Wyn Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Daniel Leo[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]Luke Charteris[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Anthony Perenise[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]Adam Jones[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Mahonri Schwalger[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]Huw Bennett[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Zak Taulafo[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]Paul James[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Ti'i Paulo[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]Lloyd Burns[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Cencus Johnston[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]Gethin Jenkins[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Joe Tekori[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]Bradley Davies[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Taiasina Tu'ifua[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]Andy Powell[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Jeremy Sua[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]Tavis Knoyle[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]Scott Williams[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Tasesa Lavea-Levi[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]Leigh Halfpenny[/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]

 

[Sam Owen]

Lets go Samoa!...straight through.

Your avatar cracks me up Draggs, as PDivvy just looks clueless.

 

[cardassian]

Should be a cracker game this one.
Hoping Samoa win of course but will feel gutted for Wales if they do.

 

[Me 1]

Well with another performance like the one against South Africa, this should be ours! Although Samoa are formidable opponents and we could well lose, but I hope not! Come on Wales!

 

[SelimNiai]

The breakdown is going to be huge. The Samoans are psychopathic at ruck time, if we can match/best them there then we will win. Massive game for Warburton, Lydiate and Faletaum to ensure we keep our ball and occasionally nick theirs

 

[markshaw]

GO Samoa!! THERES NO WAY!!!!

 

[Shaggy]

Should be a great match ... Samoa will need to be more disciplined than what they were against Namibia, as penalties or Yellow cards could determine the outcome of the match ... gonna be a cracker game

... too hard to pick who will win, as both teams are playing well ... backing Wales, as I have to pick one

 

[Thingimubob]

The breakdown is going to be huge. The Samoans are psychopathic at ruck time, if we can match/best them there then we will win. Massive game for Warburton, Lydiate and Faletaum to ensure we keep our ball and occasionally nick theirs

I'm still not so sure on the Samoan back row, they're big strong ball carriers and they were blasting lighter Namibian pack (bar Jaques Burger) off the the ball in a lot of the rucks, but didn't seem they had someone in the same mould as Warburton or Brussow. Fa'asavalu for example had a great game against Nambia with some fantastic powerful runs but personally I don;t see him as the 'fetcher' of the back row. They were quite undisciplined when Namibia had the ball though, and were giving away penalties in situations where they were comfortable in defence too, will be interesting to see how they do against a team who're more of a threat in attack. One reason I'd have liked to see Halfpenny start, any infringement within 55m - 60m could potentially be 3 points for Wales with Halfpenny on the field.
I think we can match their physicality though, gonna be some huge collisions on sunday!

 

[profitius]

This'll be a good game to watch. Warburton could be the key. The Samoans will have to stop him disrupting the breakdown.

Wales have picked a big team so Samoa won't be able to make the hard yards that easily. It could turn out to be a low scoring game!

 

[kovana]

The closest player we have as a fetcher is Ofisa... We dont really have any fetcher.. These guys are all Number 8s... Ofisa however is a 6 IMO.. Also Manaia Salavea.

 

[hitman51]

Ofisa an Faasavalu will be up for the task they are brutes in defence and both are super fit. I havent seen much of warburton an co but i've seen enough of ofisa to know excactly what he offers in this game. This game will be won at the break downs right now samoa have it over wales in the looosies. This will be a cracker of a game, another key for samoa is Khan fotualii arguablly the best half back on display at this years world cup. If everyone does thier job right then tuilagi will finishh it off, every welsh fan and thier dogs knows what he can do.

Can wait for this game hope the welsh get decent support, cause wakato stadium will be taken over by the manu supporters as Auckland aint far away you could walk there lol.

 

[nickdnz]

Ofisa an Faasavalu will be up for the task they are brutes in defence and both are super fit. I havent seen much of warburton an co but i've seen enough of ofisa to know excactly what he offers in this game. This game will be won at the break downs right now samoa have it over wales in the looosies. This will be a cracker of a game, another key for samoa is Khan fotualii arguablly the best half back on display at this years world cup. If everyone does thier job right then tuilagi will finishh it off, every welsh fan and thier dogs knows what he can do.

Can wait for this game hope the welsh get decent support, cause wakato stadium will be taken over by the manu supporters as Auckland aint far away you could walk there lol.

Disagree. Samoa's loose forwards are very physical and all very good ball runners, but Wales have the better looseforwards in my opinion. Sam Warburton has been outstanding and Dan Lydiate is very under rated. Toby Faletau is a good ball runner and complements the other two. I think in this same Lydiate and Warburton have the chance to turn over a lot of ball.

 

[hitman51]

Faletau is going to struggle against Samoa. Not to bring up the Samoan vs Tongan thing but he will be in the firing line of all samoan players when they meet tomorrow so lets hope for welsh sake that he doesn't crumble under pressure.

 

[Darwin]

Disagree. Samoa's loose forwards are very physical and all very good ball runners, but Wales have the better looseforwards in my opinion. Sam Warburton has been outstanding and Dan Lydiate is very under rated. Toby Faletau is a good ball runner and complements the other two. I think in this same Lydiate and Warburton have the chance to turn over a lot of ball.

Agree entirely with this - one of the areas where I see Wales having a big advantage in the loose-forwards. All three Welsh loosies had strong games last week, and got the better of South Africa at the breakdown (and few teams have ever got the edge at the breakdown against Brussow!).

Really looking forward to this game - should be a cracker. I expect it to be relatively even up front, with the Samoan scrum the strongest I've ever seen it. As I mentioned I do see Wales having the edge in the loose though. The Halves look reasonably evenly matched: I'd take Fotuali'i over Phillips, but I just don't have that much faith in Tusi Pisi (more from his previous reputation as a very flaky player than his current form, which has been impressive). The backlines look pretty evenly matched, with both teams having plenty of size. I'm expecting it to be a very close match - I'm picking Samoa to sneak home with a win (though that may be more with my heart than my head!).

 

[DJRonStar]

I hope the Welsh have another quality number 7 to back up Warburton. Afterr a few big hits from the boys in blue he won't be so keen to go scavaging for the ball. Ofisa Tevaranus has been brought in to speed up the game and to cover Fa'asavalu in the loose. They'll look to play a fast high tempo game and try to tire the Welsh forwards before bringing on devastating runners Tuifua and Tekori in to the game. Faletau will be a nervous man knowing he's going to be receiving some brotherly love from his Island cousins.

Danger men for the Welsh for me are Roberts and Williams. Glad that Mapusua is marking Roberts because he is one of hardest running second five eighths going around and if Williams gets his happy feet dancing then Samoa could be in for some trouble out wide.

I think Fotuali'i and Tusi Pisi will be the key men for Samoa. Decisive running and tactical kicking could win the game for Samoa.

Was in Rotorua for the Samoa vs Namibia game trust me there are plenty of Welsh support that will be in Hamilton tomorrow. Samoan and Welsh fans are the same. It dont take many numbers to hear them make noise.

My Prediction - Samoa 28 Wales 25

 

[Thingimubob]

I hope the Welsh have another quality number 7 to back up Warburton. Afterr a few big hits from the boys in blue he won't be so keen to go scavaging for the ball. Ofisa Tevaranus has been brought in to speed up the game and to cover Fa'asavalu in the loose. They'll look to play a fast high tempo game and try to tire the Welsh forwards before bringing on devastating runners Tuifua and Tekori in to the game. Faletau will be a nervous man knowing he's going to be receiving some brotherly love from his Island cousins.

Danger men for the Welsh for me are Roberts and Williams. Glad that Mapusua is marking Roberts because he is one of hardest running second five eighths going around and if Williams gets his happy feet dancing then Samoa could be in for some trouble out wide.

I think Fotuali'i and Tusi Pisi will be the key men for Samoa. Decisive running and tactical kicking could win the game for Samoa.

Was in Rotorua for the Samoa vs Namibia game trust me there are plenty of Welsh support that will be in Hamilton tomorrow. Samoan and Welsh fans are the same. It dont take many numbers to hear them make noise.

My Prediction - Samoa 28 Wales 25

Find this a bit of a strange comment, Warburtons a big boy now, has played against Samoans before (think he actually made his Welsh debut vs Samoa) and can take the hits with the best of them! A Bok put in a nasty after the whistle cheap shot on him during the match last week too when Wayne Barnes took ages to give a penalty for holding on, didn't put him off at all.

Will be interesting to see how Faletau does tbf, he started off a bit nervous vs SA (as he did in in the two warm ups vs England) but burst into life after his try. Hopefully he'll still be brimming with confidence anyway!

It should be one hell of a game anyway, we need to play well if we want to win anyway. Personally I think the best tactic would be a good structured kicking game to keep the Samoans stuck in their own half, test their line out (was impressed with our line out vs SA tbf) and force them to make mistakes in their own territory. We do have the dangerous runners (Hook, Shane, North and co) to score plenty of tries in a wide loose game, but so do Samoa and it would probably end up suiting them more than it will us.

 

[DJRonStar]

Find this a bit of a strange comment, Warburtons a big boy now, has played against Samoans before (think he actually made his Welsh debut vs Samoa) and can take the hits with the best of them! A Bok put in a nasty after the whistle cheap shot on him during the match last week too when Wayne Barnes took ages to give a penalty for holding on, didn't put him off at all.

I'm sure he's a big boy but we all know it don't matter how big you are, you'll still feel the hits. He got some rough treatment from the Boks but held his own. Two big matches in two weeks will truly test the young man.

I think you'll find that Samoa will do the same with there tactics by pinning back the Welsh in there own half forcing mistakes by big defence. Tuilagi vs North should be a good match up. I hope the ref doesn't get pedantic and make silly calls like the sinbinning of Paul Williams which clearly was a legitimate tackle using his arms.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Considering a fair chunk of Samoa players ply their trade in the NH, he'll have encountered their physical play before...

 

[DJRonStar]

Considering a fair chunk of Samoa players ply their trade in the NH, he'll have encountered their physical play before...

It's when you get 15 Samoans playing together as a team, thats when they are at there best. Hit after hit.... : )

 

[SelimNiai]

OI, wheres our vbookie, I want to lose my vcash :lol: