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Wales v Australia
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<blockquote data-quote="dullonien" data-source="post: 290538"><p><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ozzay @ Nov 29 2009, 08:19 AM) <a href="http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=424033" target="_blank"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div></p><p></p><p>We cannot continue relying on Gavin Henson. Who knows when he'll be back, or if he'll still be any good. If he does, great, but in the mean time we've gotta get the team playing well without him.</p><p></p><p>Roberts is a class centre. However you can't expect him to break every tackle when there's no kind of foil for him. He created as much, if not more than BOD for the Lions. The reason why is that BOD, Bowe, Burne and Kearney were also breaking the line, or running lines alongside Roberts to take defenders eyes away from him. Wales have very rarely used Roberts in an intelligent way i.e. England last year. We do need to try other combinations though.</p><p></p><p>I'm still not sure who can fill the other centre birth. Hook's worth a shot, but I'm getting more and more tired at his running across field antics. Does he think he can hand-off ever player in front of him? He needs to start running straighter lines and use that quick feet in a different way, cos it's just so predictable nowerdays, he rarely get's anywhere against quality opposition. I thought Andrew Bishop played well yesterday. If he had more support runners, we might have got a try or two off his half breaks. Jonathan Davies didn't have enough time to show what he can do unfortunately. Maybe we'll start seeing more of Gareth Owen this year. He's the kinda player Wales needs.</p><p></p><p>Unfortunately this game was also another example of how Martyn Williams cannot compete against the more physical opensides out there. Every time he comes up against the likes of McCaw, Brussow, Pocock & Smith, he get's blown away at the breakdown. We cannot continue to rely on him in these kinda games. This is where we need to develop a player like Warberton, who has the strength to compete in the tight. There may still be space for Williams is other members of the pack help him out in the ruck. Look at Ireland against SA, the likes of O'Connell were stealing as much ball as Wallace was. The only other member of Wales' pack that does that is Gethin Jenkins, and we didn't see him yesterday due to the pummelling he was taking in the scrum.</p><p></p><p>I still think we've got hugely talented players available. That our strength in depth is developing nicely. We just need to sort out a few key positions and modify our game plan. Emphasis needs to be brought back to the attacking rugby that won is the Grand Slams in 05 and 08. But more importantly that hard nosed, hard defense needs to be improved again. Alot of work for the coaches, but they're good enough I feel.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="dullonien, post: 290538"] <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ozzay @ Nov 29 2009, 08:19 AM) [url='index.php?act=findpost&pid=424033']<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/url]</div> We cannot continue relying on Gavin Henson. Who knows when he'll be back, or if he'll still be any good. If he does, great, but in the mean time we've gotta get the team playing well without him. Roberts is a class centre. However you can't expect him to break every tackle when there's no kind of foil for him. He created as much, if not more than BOD for the Lions. The reason why is that BOD, Bowe, Burne and Kearney were also breaking the line, or running lines alongside Roberts to take defenders eyes away from him. Wales have very rarely used Roberts in an intelligent way i.e. England last year. We do need to try other combinations though. I'm still not sure who can fill the other centre birth. Hook's worth a shot, but I'm getting more and more tired at his running across field antics. Does he think he can hand-off ever player in front of him? He needs to start running straighter lines and use that quick feet in a different way, cos it's just so predictable nowerdays, he rarely get's anywhere against quality opposition. I thought Andrew Bishop played well yesterday. If he had more support runners, we might have got a try or two off his half breaks. Jonathan Davies didn't have enough time to show what he can do unfortunately. Maybe we'll start seeing more of Gareth Owen this year. He's the kinda player Wales needs. Unfortunately this game was also another example of how Martyn Williams cannot compete against the more physical opensides out there. Every time he comes up against the likes of McCaw, Brussow, Pocock & Smith, he get's blown away at the breakdown. We cannot continue to rely on him in these kinda games. This is where we need to develop a player like Warberton, who has the strength to compete in the tight. There may still be space for Williams is other members of the pack help him out in the ruck. Look at Ireland against SA, the likes of O'Connell were stealing as much ball as Wallace was. The only other member of Wales' pack that does that is Gethin Jenkins, and we didn't see him yesterday due to the pummelling he was taking in the scrum. I still think we've got hugely talented players available. That our strength in depth is developing nicely. We just need to sort out a few key positions and modify our game plan. Emphasis needs to be brought back to the attacking rugby that won is the Grand Slams in 05 and 08. But more importantly that hard nosed, hard defense needs to be improved again. Alot of work for the coaches, but they're good enough I feel. [/QUOTE]
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