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Is there really not already any Welsh thread for this RWC? Sort yourself out @bushytop
Anyway, Gats has announced his 31-man squad:
Forwards
Props: Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Rhys Carre (Saracens), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues).
Hookers: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets).
Second-rows: Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, capt), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Cory Hill (Dragons), Jake Ball (Scarlets).
Back-rowers: Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Ross Moriarty (Dragons), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), James Davies (Scarlets).
Backs
Scrum-halves: Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues), Aled Davies (Ospreys).
Fly-halves: Dan Biggar (Northampton), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets).
Centres: Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Owen Watkin (Ospreys).
Back three: Liam Williams (Saracens), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), George North (Ospreys), Hallam Amos (Cardiff Blues), Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues
Prop selection is the major talking point here. Taking 3 LHPs and Rob Evans not being one of them is baffling, what's happened to him? He's been one of the finest props in the NH for a couple of years now. Only taking 2 THPs is also a huge gamble; probably an even bigger gamble than England's seeing as one of yours is Dillon Lewis who sees scrummaging as optional. The fact that you're an injury to Francis away from him being a starter has to be a pretty major concern. Any idea which of your LHPs will be covering tighthead? Carre, physically, seems like he'd be suited to it but I have no idea whether he has any experience there.
6 back rowers seems very odd and frankly unnecessary. I get that you have a lot of depth there but is it really worth the THP situation, or situation in midfield for that matter? Shingler really hasn't offered anything in the warm-ups; I'm guessing he's in there to cover Hill's injury during the pool games? That's understandable, but in that case Cubby's inclusion seems unnecessary; he just isn't on the same level as Navidi or Tips.
Similarly to THP, I think you've put yourself in a sticky situation in the midfield for no apparent reason. There's no 10 cover in there beyond Biggar and Patchell, whereas you've got specialist 15s in Williams, Halfpenny and Amos with both Patchell and Adams able to cover. I'd have dropped Halfpenny or Amos for Jarrod Evans in a heartbeat.On top of that, you've only got 3 centres, again with no obvious cover. I guess North is covering 13?
Seems like Gats has been uncharacteristically naïve with this squad. I'm fully prepared to eat my words though.
Edit: Wyn Jones is covering tighthead, apparently.
Anyway, Gats has announced his 31-man squad:
Forwards
Props: Nicky Smith (Ospreys), Wyn Jones (Scarlets), Rhys Carre (Saracens), Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs), Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues).
Hookers: Ken Owens (Scarlets), Elliot Dee (Dragons), Ryan Elias (Scarlets).
Second-rows: Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys, capt), Adam Beard (Ospreys), Cory Hill (Dragons), Jake Ball (Scarlets).
Back-rowers: Aaron Shingler (Scarlets), Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues), Ross Moriarty (Dragons), Aaron Wainwright (Dragons), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), James Davies (Scarlets).
Backs
Scrum-halves: Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues), Aled Davies (Ospreys).
Fly-halves: Dan Biggar (Northampton), Rhys Patchell (Scarlets).
Centres: Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets), Jonathan Davies (Scarlets), Owen Watkin (Ospreys).
Back three: Liam Williams (Saracens), Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets), George North (Ospreys), Hallam Amos (Cardiff Blues), Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues
Prop selection is the major talking point here. Taking 3 LHPs and Rob Evans not being one of them is baffling, what's happened to him? He's been one of the finest props in the NH for a couple of years now. Only taking 2 THPs is also a huge gamble; probably an even bigger gamble than England's seeing as one of yours is Dillon Lewis who sees scrummaging as optional. The fact that you're an injury to Francis away from him being a starter has to be a pretty major concern. Any idea which of your LHPs will be covering tighthead? Carre, physically, seems like he'd be suited to it but I have no idea whether he has any experience there.
6 back rowers seems very odd and frankly unnecessary. I get that you have a lot of depth there but is it really worth the THP situation, or situation in midfield for that matter? Shingler really hasn't offered anything in the warm-ups; I'm guessing he's in there to cover Hill's injury during the pool games? That's understandable, but in that case Cubby's inclusion seems unnecessary; he just isn't on the same level as Navidi or Tips.
Similarly to THP, I think you've put yourself in a sticky situation in the midfield for no apparent reason. There's no 10 cover in there beyond Biggar and Patchell, whereas you've got specialist 15s in Williams, Halfpenny and Amos with both Patchell and Adams able to cover. I'd have dropped Halfpenny or Amos for Jarrod Evans in a heartbeat.On top of that, you've only got 3 centres, again with no obvious cover. I guess North is covering 13?
Seems like Gats has been uncharacteristically naïve with this squad. I'm fully prepared to eat my words though.
Edit: Wyn Jones is covering tighthead, apparently.
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