Wales summer Tour of Australia (and 1 off match against SA)

[Welsh Exile]

Squad announced today around 2pm. Ben Thomas tipped to get a call up.

The SA game will be interesting as they'll be none of the English based players like Jenkins and Tshiunza and we've already got injuries in the second row to players like Rhys Davies and Beard so it'll provide an opportunity for us to have a look at some other players.

 

[dullonien]

I thought Shane Lewis Highes went well at lock on Saturday, so could be an option, although quite a similar player to James Ratti who's gotta be the front runner given who's missing.

Still not at all convinced with Ben Carter, just doesn't impact games enough, but Gatland likes him, so I'm expecting him to start.

Would love to see James Fender involved soon, but he's been injured since christmas, so I don't think it would be sensible to throw him straight in for his first cap v SA!

Really scraping the barrell at this point though!

 

[Welsh Exile]

Yeah, I recall @dirty harry saying he's 6ft 5 or something and used to play lock so maybe he'll get a call.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Will be interested to see if we've shat the bed so much about IFW that we cap this Hathaway kid sooner than we perhaps might've done had IFW not gone to play for England

 

[BPM]

What about Regan Grace?

 

[dullonien]

What about Regan Grace?

Has he played anything other than friendlies yet? Desparate for him to prove his fitness, but he could be nowhere near the same player after the injuries he's had.

 

[Which Tyler]

Has he played anything other than friendlies yet?

Nope. Don't think he's reached 80 minutes yet, and all of them friendlies.

 

[Welsh Exile]

What about Regan Grace?

I think that would be even more desperate (though something I wouldn't be dead against) we obviously don't have to worry about him going to play for England (I think) but he's only played like 1 game of rugby union in his professional career and even that was a friendly so would be a big call to call him up. See how he gets on at Bath next season and then decide would be my guess.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Forwards (22)

Corey Domachowski (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd - 10 caps)
Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets - 2 caps)
Gareth Thomas (Ospreys / Gweilch - 30 caps)
Elliot Dee (Dragons / Dreigiau - 51 caps)
Dewi Lake (Ospreys / Gweilch - 12 caps).
Evan Lloyd (Cardiff Rugby - 2 caps)
Sam Parry (Ospreys / Gweilch - 7 caps)
Keiron Assiratti (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd - 6 caps)
Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby - 1 cap)
Dillon Lewis (Harlequins - 57 caps)
Harri O'Connor (Scarlets - 1 cap)
Henry Thomas (Castres Olympique - 4 caps)
Ben Carter (Dragons / Dreigiau - 11 caps)
Cory Hill (Secom Rugguts - 32 caps)
Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg - 17 caps)
Matthew Screech (Dragons / Dreigiau - 1 cap)
Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs / Caerwysg - 10 caps)
Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby/Caerdydd - 3 caps)
Jac Morgan (Ospreys / Gweilch - 15 caps)
Taine Plumtree (Scarlets - 2 caps)
Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers / Caerlŷr - 18 caps)
Aaron Wainwright (Dragons / Dreigiau - 48 caps

Backs (14)

Ellis Bevan (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd - uncapped / heb gap)
Gareth Davies (Scarlets - 76 caps)
Kieran Hardy (Scarlets - 21 caps)
Sam Costelow (Scarlets - 12 caps)
Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd - 11 caps)
Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd - 2 caps)
Nick Tompkins (Saracens / Saraseniaid - 36 caps)
Owen Watkin (Ospreys / Gweilch - 38 caps)
Rio Dyer (Dragons / Dreigiau - 19 caps)
Keelan Giles (Ospreys / Gweilch - uncapped / heb gap)
Josh Hathaway (Gloucester Rugby / Caerloyw - uncapped / heb gap)
Liam Williams (Kubota Spears - 89 caps)
Jacob Beetham (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd - uncapped / heb gap)
Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby / Caerdydd - 5 caps)

 

[Welsh Exile]

What a minute, has Ioan Lloyd been dropped. lol. What a joke. **** off Gatland.

 

[Welsh Exile]

There's so much wrong with this I can't even be bothered.

 

[dullonien]

Once again, Gatland makes a bunch of random selection calls!

Mathias over Smith - wtf
Cory Hill and Screech over Ratti?
Bevan over Morgan-Williams - less issue with this, but still.
Only one (out of form) 10, although glad to see Thomas in there.
Tompkins and Watkin ahead of the likes of Eddie James and Kieron Williams.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Maybe it would be easier to focus on the positives.

Ummmmmmmmm………..pleased for Giles and kind of pleased Hathaway kinda, maybe, I suppose.

Thanks for making something I was knd of looking forward to a complete non event. Hope Schmidt ******* schools us and exposes Gatland. He's past it.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Once again, Gatland makes a bunch of random selection calls!

Mathias over Smith - wtf
Cory Hill and Screech over Ratti?
Bevan over Morgan-Williams - less issue with this, but still.
Only one (out of form) 10, although glad to see Thomas in there.
Tompkins and Watkin ahead of the likes of Eddie James and Kieron Williams.

Honestly, 3 9s and 1 fly half who's been ******* **** in both red shirts. I watched the Scarlets game and he was poor, Lloyd came on off the bench and they immediately looked better. But even forgetting that why take 1 fly half. I know Thomas will be there as cover but still. You're spot on about everything else as well.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

5 tightheads, 1 fly half. Certainly a bold choice.

 

[Welsh Exile]

5 tightheads, 1 fly half. Certainly a bold choice.

Bold is one word for it. **** my life.

 

[dullonien]

Honestly, 3 9s and 1 fly half who's been ******* **** in both red shirts. I watched the Scarlets game and he was poor, Lloyd came on off the bench and they immediately looked better. But even forgetting that why take 1 fly half. I know Thomas will be there as cover but still. You're spot on about everything else as well.

Dan Edwards has been far better than Costellow (and possibly Lloyd), so why not introduce someone like that to the squad. Ideally, we'd leave him develop for another year at Ospreys, but needs must sometimes.

Is Costellow starts, for me Thoms must start at 12 to take some pressure off, because Costellow 'aint up to it based on recent form.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Personally I'm at the point where I would've dropped Costelow altogether and had Evans as first choice (bit of experience) with Lloyd as back up and can fill in for Winnett at 15 then Edwards or Thomas as a 10/12 hybrid.

I have zero faith in Gatland at this point.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I'd have even taking the Reed kid at Dragons over Costelow at the moment.

 

[odw26]

I'd have even taking the Reed kid at Dragons over Costelow at the moment.

I don't watch a lot of Welsh regional rugby, but at the Judgement Day on Saturday, Scarlets really tried to hype Costellow up before ko and he was so poor during the game.