Wales "has what it takes for 2015"

[Big Ewis]

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_8846218,00.html

I personally think it's overreaction from the recent results (impressive, albeit) Wales has achieved. Being like 80% of the Lions, and the Lions being pretty good this year, and the huge win against England and claiming the trophy two years in a row...
But all this may wear thin come 2015, when those will just be fond memories but nothing current.

England are under pressure, now already, for the pools. Knowing how they are, they'll stop at nothing to give a very good impression during the pools, and being at home, I honestly see England and Australia advancing over Wales. England could never ever get over not advancing from the pool stages, as hosts of the RWC. The level of competition will be absolutely INSANE there in the 'pool of death', and I'll repeat knowing English pride there's no way they'll be left behind two advancing teams...unless ??

Regardless of that, let's say Wales comes through as a second seed or even first - eventually they have to beat the likes of SA or NZ at some point:
* They've a 13-game losing streak against SA, which they haven't beaten since the twilight of the new millennium back in '99.
* NZ: sorry to bring this up, but a 25-game losing streak since '53.

My point is merely Wales, as it's well known, struggle more than they should against the SANZAR SH sides. And I haven't looked at the RWC structure in a few months, but unless they get a "nice" path like France at some point, Ireland, maybe Argentina - and then have to put up a monstrous fight in the final against a SANZAR ***an, maybe.

- they've got SA or Samoa (or Scotland, but unlikely) which is problematic in the very 1/4 final.
Then who the hell knows...

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Wales doesn't have what it takes (and just to add i don't think england do either). I can't really see past another SH winner.

 

[profitius]

Theres a few problems for Wales.

- They might have already peaked.
- More of their players are playing in France or England.
- They've been lucky with injuries. Jamie Roberts for example is always injured for Cardiff Blues but always seems to be fit for Wales. Adam Jones is very durable.
- The type of player Gatland likes is big. A few of their players are not easily replaced because of their size.
- They need to add a new dimension to their play especially against the big 3 southern hemisphere teams.


Its not all bad though

- They have good 10s coming through and if Phillips does go then another type of scrumhalf could speed up the game for them.
- Their current team is young.
- They have excellent coaches who will be there for the next world cup so they will remain competitive.
- Apart from the England match its practically a home world cup for Wales.

 

[munstermuffin]

The Woodward kiss of death No chance now of winning

 

[Big Ewis]

Theres a few problems for Wales.

- They might have already peaked.
- More of their players are playing in France or England.
- They've been lucky with injuries. Jamie Roberts for example is always injured for Cardiff Blues but always seems to be fit for Wales. Adam Jones is very durable.
- The type of player Gatland likes is big. A few of their players are not easily replaced because of their size.
- They need to add a new dimension to their play especially against the big 3 southern hemisphere teams.


Its not all bad though

- They have good 10s coming through and if Phillips does go then another type of scrumhalf could speed up the game for them.
- Their current team is young.
- They have excellent coaches who will be there for the next world cup so they will remain competitive.
- Apart from the England match its practically a home world cup for Wales.

yup. Good points there, profiterole.
Hadn't thought about the virtual home field advantage...the coaching DOES seem fine.
I dunno, I must admit that besides the 6N they've under-performed quite blatantly in retrospect. It's quite awful in fact. The 8 game losing streak, all the losses at home...and with the kind of squad they have...I mean, they've got it all covered:
* Best scrummager in the world, great unit overall up front.
* Very good 3rd row, powerful no.8.
* Fine at 9 and 10.
* Excellent, tall, powerful backs.
* HP for a lot of things, including converting those boot points...

Shouldn't they be rivaling the top 3 right now ?

 

[nickdnz]

I'm skeptical. To be one of the best you need great depth and Wales just doesn't have that. I would say England have the depth but not the coaching setup - they really need to get those guys that are coming through regular game time for England - guys like Wade, Burns, May, Yarde need to be backed to succeed while guys like Flood, Croft and Barritt should be realized as decent but limited players. I can't help but feel that if England recruited a New Zealand coach like everyone else in the UK, then they'll succedd above everyone else because of their depth. France are just f*cked until they pick the best coach avalible, and then adopt to a global calander.

 

[ZeFrenchy]

What a bunch of delusional dreamers. It'll be France's next time round.

 

[Big Ewis]

While I certainly wouldn't bet on Wales personally, I have absolutely no comment for France. We may lose in the 1/4 final against NZ or Argentina in a hard-fought battle, and then finally get it in 2019 in Japan...
I hope the classic thing doesn't happen though: we lose an important match in the pool, end up being second, go up against NZ in the 1/4, magically beat them by 2 and rid the entire RWC of the best side only to lose in the very next round to a far, far lesser side by 10 ! :lol:

 

[Peat]

I'm skeptical. To be one of the best you need great depth and Wales just doesn't have that. I would say England have the depth but not the coaching setup - they really need to get those guys that are coming through regular game time for England - guys like Wade, Burns, May, Yarde need to be backed to succeed while guys like Flood, Croft and Barritt should be realized as decent but limited players. I can't help but feel that if England recruited a New Zealand coach like everyone else in the UK, then they'll succedd above everyone else because of their depth. France are just f*cked until they pick the best coach avalible, and then adopt to a global calander.

We don't have the depth - yet - and we don't have the up front talent either. I'm not sure Lancaster is the right man, but anyone in charge of the job would be doing a lot of rebuilding regardless. And I reckon a lot of the older generation you dismiss are better than you give them credit for, and a lot of the young guys have a lot to prove.

As for Wales - I'll start believing in them as World Cup contenders when I see them beat some Sanzar countries.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I can see Wales beat any of SA, England, France, Aus and Samoa in a one-off. I can't see them beating some combination of these teams 3 times in a row with the All Blacks thrown in for good measure.

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

We're perfectly capable of winning all four games in the autumn (Considering we don't have NZ), and that'd put us right on track. We need to begin scraping past the likes of SA and Australia, which we're currently slightly behind, then defeat Argentina (Not to make light of them) and put Tonga to the sword (Probably by 3 points with a third team on a Friday afternoon). We win that, there's still 20 months to the World Cup, in which time we win the Six Nations again, and then look to beat South Africa on their home ground in the summer. We then scrape through that autumn and we could have eight-or-so big wins under our belts (Including wins over England, who shall continue to improve, and possibly France and ireland) going into the World Cup. I don't see why we can't do it. Some big ifs, but this group of players is capable, and the showing against England and the first and third tests for the Lions shows we can do it. The bloody-mindedness of the rest of the Six Nations, from the second half of the Ireland game on, gives me confidence we can make this step up.

 

[j'nuh]

As for Wales - I'll start believing in them as World Cup contenders when I see them beat some Sanzar countries.

But beating Aussies is now becoming a national pastime. Olympics, Lions, Ashes...

What was it... if Yorkshire were a country, they'd have tied Australia for golds?

 

[big ginger 8]

Joe Schmidt is now Ireland's coach, there's only one possible winner now....

Waiting for cheeky response.

 

[Draggs]

The past month had been nice, not having threads Irished constantly.

 

[big ginger 8]

The past month had been nice, not having threads Irished constantly.

This was Englished before it was Irished can't go having those double standards.

 

[Draggs]

Typical oppressive English.
Off the the holiday cottages, got some torches ready.

 

[Peat]

This was Englished before it was Irished can't go having those double standards.

Hey, nick started it. We are merely responding to his thoughts.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Just posting this for ****s and giggles...

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/how-englands-world-cup-winners-5380621

England 2003: Total: 124 out of 150
Wales now: Total: 125 out of 150

 

[Feicarsinn]

Rating this Welsh team above England's 03 side is a bit mad to be frank. When Wales can come to Dublin and put 40 past us we'll talk, but at the moment that England team is in a different league entirely to the current Welsh side.

Out of interest, when was the last time Wales took a SANZAR scalp away from home?

 

[Peat]

Rating this Welsh team above England's 03 side is a bit mad to be frank. When Wales can come to Dublin and put 40 past us we'll talk, but at the moment that England team is in a different league entirely to the current Welsh side.

Out of interest, when was the last time Wales took a SANZAR scalp away from home?

They last beat a SANZAR side full stop in November 2008, unless I've missed one. They beat Straya. Continuing to look on wiki for the away one...

edit: They beat Straya in the 1987 World Cup. If we're looking for the SANZAR team having home advantage, same victim 1969.