[RWC19 Warm-Up] - England vs Wales

[NickBD]

Yes. should have been in this position one year ago at least.
I've heard people saying we don't need to put our full strength team for Argentina, and we should withhold our cards until France game. Mad!

I would play make shift teams against Tonga and USA but not Argentina but I get why people would want to rest some for the France game. If England make it to the final that's Argentina, France, Aus or Wales, New Zealand and 1 of Ireland or South Africa. 5 tough games against the best teams all in a row in a short space of time with little rest. In groups most teams have that 1 tough game and can rest the squad during the group stage. England from game 3 in groups have it tough.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

I would play make shift teams against Tonga and USA but not Argentina but I get why people would want to rest some for the France game. If England make it to the final that's Argentina, France, Aus or Wales, New Zealand and 1 of Ireland or South Africa. 5 tough games against the best teams all in a row in a short space of time with little rest. In groups most teams have that 1 tough game and can rest the squad during the group stage. England from game 3 in groups have it tough.

Very good point. We ought to beat Arg and Fra, but the starting XVs should be full pelt to make sure of the job. Maybe the bench can be mixed up a little.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Very good point. We ought to beat Arg and Fra, but the starting XVs should be full pelt to make sure of the job. Maybe the bench can be mixed up a little.

With the squad we have we can do quite a lot of filtering players in and out of the 1st XV without it necessarily being weakened. For example, if we choose that our best flanker combination is Curry-Underhill, would putting Wilson in for one of those players really weaken us much, if at all? Similarly, our locks are practically interchangeable and our back three can rotate players in and out without being objectively weakened. I'm not saying we shouldn't go all out in those games, but we can certainly rotate without it costing us too much.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

With the squad we have we can do quite a lot of filtering players in and out of the 1st XV without it necessarily being weakened. For example, if we choose that our best flanker combination is Curry-Underhill, would putting Wilson in for one of those players really weaken us much, if at all? Similarly, our locks are practically interchangeable and our back three can rotate players in and out without being objectively weakened. I'm not saying we shouldn't go all out in those games, but we can certainly rotate without it costing us too much.

Yes, but there's the continuity aspect. If we play weakened teams in the first two you wouldn't want the first XV then heading into a decidedly losable QF with only one game together.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Yeah we can't risk resting players against Tier 1 oppo, that's just a given. Both France and Argentina are good enough to beat us, we can't hand them any advantage.

With the squad we have we can do quite a lot of filtering players in and out of the 1st XV without it necessarily being weakened. For example, if we choose that our best flanker combination is Curry-Underhill, would putting Wilson in for one of those players really weaken us much, if at all? Similarly, our locks are practically interchangeable and our back three can rotate players in and out without being objectively weakened. I'm not saying we shouldn't go all out in those games, but we can certainly rotate without it costing us too much.

We need the first choice team to be getting game time together, especially since it looks like some potentially first-choice combos won't have played much together, if at all

 

[ncurd]

I'd expect to see some example of the real first team in the last warm up against Ireland, a little rotation in key positions but to keep the back five and back row virtually unchanged for the first 5 games.

 

[TW27BA]

I hope Eddie doesn't flog Billy V into the ground during these "friendlies" It's not like he has many options in his final squad apart from Wilson.

 

[dullonien]

Wales need to give game time to Patchell and/or Jarrod now to ensure they're up to speed for the WC. Both have the talent so I'm hopeful that Anscombe's injury isn't catastrophic.

We may also need to protect a few other key players, namely AWJ, Biggar, JD2 & Liam.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I hope Eddie doesn't flog Billy V into the ground during these "friendlies" It's not like he has many options in his final squad apart from Wilson.

#GengeFor8

 

[TW27BA]

#GengeFor8

Eddie's probably pencilled in Big Joe.

 

[Rinkadink]

Eddie's probably pencilled in Big Joe.

As Nowell is 7, Daly for 8.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

As Nowell is 7, Daly for 8.

May at 6

 

[MikeTheNative]

Wales need to give game time to Patchell and/or Jarrod now to ensure they're up to speed for the WC. Both have the talent so I'm hopeful that Anscombe's injury isn't catastrophic.

We may also need to protect a few other key players, namely AWJ, Biggar, JD2 & Liam.

I agree, giving some of those names a rest would also mean game time for Watkins and Lane.

 

[barkinghooker]

May at 6

Have Ford as hooker for the extra playmaker like rugby league. Could work if you had two "Sheridan's" either side of him!

And if he was any good at lineout!

 

[Rinkadink]

Have Ford as hooker for the extra playmaker like rugby league. Could work if you had two "Sheridan's" either side of him!

And if he was any good at lineout!

In all seriousness, this just reminds me that Harry Thacker should have had some caps by now (too late for this WC).

I really rated Sheridan at 8 as well but that was a long time ago now.

 

[barkinghooker]

In all seriousness, this just reminds me that Harry Thacker should have had some caps by now (too late for this WC).

I really rated Sheridan at 8 as well but that was a long time ago now.

I only ever remember Sheridan as a prop. Did he ever get any caps as an 8?

 

[Rinkadink]

I only ever remember Sheridan as a prop. Did he ever get any caps as an 8?

I don't think he's ever been capped at 8 although I may be mistaken. He'd played 8 and second row for clubs before converting to prop.

 

[Nudger]

I don't think he's ever been capped at 8 although I may be mistaken. He'd played 8 and second row for clubs before converting to prop.

I dont think he played first class rugby at 8

 

[Rinkadink]

I dont think he played first class rugby at 8

Premiership rugby isn't first class? Eh?