Team for Fiji

[Graigwen]

Wales team to face Fiji, at Principality Stadium, on Sunday 14th November 2021;
15 Liam Williams (Scarlets)
14 Alex Cuthbert (Ospreys)
13 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby)
12 Johnny Williams (Scarlets)
11 Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby)
10 Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints)
9 Kieran Hardy (Scarlets)
;
1 Rhys Carré (Cardiff Rugby)
2 Ryan Elias (Scarlets)
3 Tomas Francis (Ospreys)
4 Will Rowlands (Dragons)
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys)
6 Ellis Jenkins (Cardiff Rugby – captain)
7 Thomas Young (Wasps Rugby)
8 Taine Basham (Dragons)

Replacements
16 Bradley Roberts (Ulster)
17 Gareth Thomas (Ospreys)
18 WillGriff John (Scarlets)
19 Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs – uncapped)
20 Seb Davies (Cardiff Rugby)
21 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby)
22 Callum Sheedy (Bristol Bears)
23 Nick Tompkins (Saracens)

[Numbers]

Well we should dominate the breakdown with that back row.

[Sandydragon]

Interesting. That’s a quick backrow which isn’t a bad thing. I hope Adams is fully ready to defend the OC channel as he will be tested and equally I hope we don’t just kick aimlessly to sizeable and quick Fijian wingers.

[Graigwen]

We wanted a bit of experimentation didn't we?

Carre is retained at loosehead as a punishment for his performance last Saturday. If he can't show up well against Fiji there is no hope for him.

I would rather have like Bradley Roberts to get a start at hooker, although Ryan Elias threw in well last weekend.

The back row adjustment makes sense (three opensides!), as does Kieran Hardy at scrum half. Nothing would have been learned from having Priestland on the bench, although arguably he should be there on merit. This was also the ideal game to give Tshiunza a bit of a run out.

It is a major achievement to put out a three quarter line where LRZ looks like the only non-experimental choice. Adams is often to be found in the centre anyway! In case anything goes wrong on Sunday I had better admit now that I like this three quarter line (although Halaholo might have been better on the bench if fit, rather than Tomkins).

.

[Sandydragon]

I’m assuming that Halaholo is still unfit following his covid bout. Otherwise there would be a lot of sense in playing him, or having him on the bench, in lieu of Adams who is a sure fire starter against Australia.

[Spiffy]

Interesting. That’s a quick backrow which isn’t a bad thing. I hope Adams is fully ready to defend the OC channel as he will be tested and equally I hope we don’t just kick aimlessly to sizeable and quick Fijian wingers.

Yes. A quick and mobile backrow, but perhaps overall a little small for international rugby.

[Son of Mathonwy]

Way too experimental for my liking (will be fun to watch though, as is the way with experiments).

Cuthbert - what is the point, really?
Adams at centre? What is the chance that a world-class winger is going to be better at centre? I guess it gives Pivac more options in the future, if a flurry of injuries hit... I wouldn't do it though.
Carre - well they are persisting with this one aren't they?

The rest of the changes, well it's too much for one match, hope they hold it together.
Our cohesion will suffer for this in the Aussie match, but I guess that's the way Pivac is playing these Autumn games, sacrifices to get our 6N in shape. Which is not completely crazy.

[normanski]

Way too experimental for my liking (will be fun to watch though, as is the way with experiments).

Cuthbert - what is the point, really?
Adams at centre? What is the chance that a world-class winger is going to be better at centre? I guess it gives Pivac more options in the future, if a flurry of injuries hit... I wouldn't do it though.
Carre - well they are persisting with this one aren't they?

The rest of the changes, well it's too much for one match, hope they hold it together.
Our cohesion will suffer for this in the Aussie match, but I guess that's the way Pivac is playing these Autumn games, sacrifices to get our 6N in shape. Which is not completely crazy.

Well Gatland often made major changes for ‘easier’ games and Wales didn’t fare too well.

This is a major structural selection change and against a side as big and mobile as the Fijians could spell disaster.

I hope not and that Pivac and Wellies have found a way to unleash Wales as a potent attacking force.

[Sandydragon]

Interesting. That’s a quick backrow which isn’t a bad thing. I hope Adams is fully ready to defend the OC channel as he will be tested and equally I hope we don’t just kick aimlessly to sizeable and quick Fijian wingers.

Yes. A quick and mobile backrow, but perhaps overall a little small for international rugby.

Yeah, it’s not what you would call balanced.

[normanski]

Interesting. That’s a quick backrow which isn’t a bad thing. I hope Adams is fully ready to defend the OC channel as he will be tested and equally I hope we don’t just kick aimlessly to sizeable and quick Fijian wingers.

Yes. A quick and mobile backrow, but perhaps overall a little small for international rugby.

Yeah, it’s not what you would call balanced.

Sandy, has Basham had many starts at eight? Like you I would have liked a slightly more balanced back row but I guess Pivac has to play with the cards he has been dealt with because of injuries.

[Sandydragon]

Yes. A quick and mobile backrow, but perhaps overall a little small for international rugby.

Yeah, it’s not what you would call balanced.

Sandy, has Basham had many starts at eight? Like you I would have liked a slightly more balanced back row but I guess Pivac has to play with the cards he has been dealt with because of injuries.

A couple of times but not consistently. He probably has more experience there than Ellis Jenkins or Young and I feel that this is a bit makeshift to give Wainwright time to recover. I hope this isn’t the back row vs Australia!

[normanski]

Yeah, it’s not what you would call balanced.

Sandy, has Basham had many starts at eight? Like you I would have liked a slightly more balanced back row but I guess Pivac has to play with the cards he has been dealt with because of injuries.

A couple of times but not consistently. He probably has more experience there than Ellis Jenkins or Young and I feel that this is a bit makeshift to give Wainwright time to recover. I hope this isn’t the back row vs Australia!

I hope Wainwright is back for Australia because I think he has the making of a top eight when the Faletau era is over.

It will be good to see how three sevens perform in the back row against Fiji and if they can dominate the breakdown and get the midfield roaring. Intriguing match ahead.

[Numbers]

Sandy, has Basham had many starts at eight? Like you I would have liked a slightly more balanced back row but I guess Pivac has to play with the cards he has been dealt with because of injuries.

A couple of times but not consistently. He probably has more experience there than Ellis Jenkins or Young and I feel that this is a bit makeshift to give Wainwright time to recover. I hope this isn’t the back row vs Australia!

I hope Wainwright is back for Australia because I think he has the making of a top eight when the Faletau era is over.

It will be good to see how three sevens perform in the back row against Fiji and if they can dominate the breakdown and get the midfield roaring. Intriguing match ahead.

Pivac's winning Scarlets side scored a lot of tries from turnover ball, with James Davies, Barclay, Beirne all chipping in with turnovers, so if we can achieve some turnover we wil be in with a good shout of scoring some tries.

[normanski]

Pivac's winning Scarlets side scored a lot of tries from turnover ball, with James Davies, Barclay, Beirne all chipping in with turnovers, so if we can achieve some turnover we wil be in with a good shout of scoring some tries.[/quote]
Hopefully that will be the case though I worry we could be in for an unstructured game for large parts and the Fijians cut loose.

Our defence against the Boks was much improved and it needs to go up another notch on Sunday. A good win would set us up for good game against the Aussies.

[Sandydragon]

Tomos Francis is a late withdrawal, apparently due to concussion. Will Griff John gets a start with Dillon Lewis on the bench. Hopefully Francis recovers for next week, although I’m keen to see how John gets on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[normanski]

Well that try sets the tone! A long afternoon in prospect.

[Sandydragon]

Not our best start. Leaked a try and can’t hold onto the ball.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sandydragon]

Dillon Lewis on. Oh good.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sandydragon]

We need to calm this game down a bit. This ain’t the day for harum scarum


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sandydragon]

Try Ellias!

Driving maul works then


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sandydragon]

Considering we have three open sides in our back row, we are coughing up a few turnovers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[normanski]

They are big and strong fellas to stop. Fitness may tell in the last quarter.

[Sandydragon]

Our scrum shunting backwards there. We need a scrum doctor and quickly


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sandydragon]

They are big and strong fellas to stop. Fitness may tell in the last quarter.

Hopefully we’re still in contention then.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sandydragon]

Potential red card here


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk