RugbyRebels

Gentlemen,,,,,Watching this all unfold from Far East Wales......Why no Josh Adams? WTF Why?

I suspect he will be in next week. His wife just gave birth to their first child which he watched via zoom instead of playing a mid-week game. He played the next game but his head wasn't really in it. Good call to pull him, but he offers a bit more than van der Merwe in my opinion. THat said, van der Merwe did nothing wrong today so maybe Adams will have to wait.

I’d personally start with Adams and have VDM as an impact sub. Although of all the back three, it’s perhaps Watson who had the worst game yesterday.

I thought Watson was good. Adams puts himself about better than VDM. I start him with Liam Williams on the bench to cover all back 3.

Sandydragon wrote:I’d personally start with Adams and have VDM as an impact sub. Although of all the back three, it’s perhaps Watson who had the worst game yesterday.

Didn't Watson beat 7 defenders?

Puja

I was super impressed by Adams and Watson.

I was impressed by Watson and Adams and Rhys. Mind you I was also impresseed by by Nigel. But it;s Puja so fairy enough.

Puja wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:I’d personally start with Adams and have VDM as an impact sub. Although of all the back three, it’s perhaps Watson who had the worst game yesterday.

Didn't Watson beat 7 defenders?

Puja

To make about 5 yards up the pitch as I recall, tho he would be one of the first players on my team sheet, the choice really for me is between VDM and Adams and it's a 50/50 really.

Numbers wrote:

Puja wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:I’d personally start with Adams and have VDM as an impact sub. Although of all the back three, it’s perhaps Watson who had the worst game yesterday.

Didn't Watson beat 7 defenders?

Puja

To make about 5 yards up the pitch as I recall, tho he would be one of the first players on my team sheet, the choice really for me is between VDM and Adams and it's a 50/50 really.

Yeah, hard to understand focussing on a box-kicking game and then leaving Adams out for VDM - though he did better in the air and on the turn than I'd feared he might.

Adams has been so consistent since breaking through, it's hard not to wonder if there's more to his non-selection than what we've been told. Could hardly blame him for being a bit distracted.

Mikey Brown wrote:

Numbers wrote:

Puja wrote:
Didn't Watson beat 7 defenders?

Puja

To make about 5 yards up the pitch as I recall, tho he would be one of the first players on my team sheet, the choice really for me is between VDM and Adams and it's a 50/50 really.

Yeah, hard to understand focussing on a box-kicking game and then leaving Adams out for VDM - though he did better in the air and on the turn than I'd feared he might.

Adams has been so consistent since breaking through, it's hard not to wonder if there's more to his non-selection than what we've been told. Could hardly blame him for being a bit distracted.

Worst of all possible worlds for the poor sod though isn't it? Missing out on the birth of his kid to go on the Lions and then not selected for any of the tests.

Puja

Puja wrote:

Mikey Brown wrote:

Numbers wrote:
To make about 5 yards up the pitch as I recall, tho he would be one of the first players on my team sheet, the choice really for me is between VDM and Adams and it's a 50/50 really.

Yeah, hard to understand focussing on a box-kicking game and then leaving Adams out for VDM - though he did better in the air and on the turn than I'd feared he might.

Adams has been so consistent since breaking through, it's hard not to wonder if there's more to his non-selection than what we've been told. Could hardly blame him for being a bit distracted.

Worst of all possible worlds for the poor sod though isn't it? Missing out on the birth of his kid to go on the Lions and then not selected for any of the tests.

Puja

Despite being the leading try scorer. Its a bit of a kicker for him.

I hope that Adams is fuming at this and will respond by running rings past all other wingers in the next six nations just to prove a point.

I'm surprised Daly was preferred on the bench to Liam

Mikey Brown wrote:

Numbers wrote:

Puja wrote:
Didn't Watson beat 7 defenders?

Puja

To make about 5 yards up the pitch as I recall, tho he would be one of the first players on my team sheet, the choice really for me is between VDM and Adams and it's a 50/50 really.

Yeah, hard to understand focussing on a box-kicking game and then leaving Adams out for VDM - though he did better in the air and on the turn than I'd feared he might.

Adams has been so consistent since breaking through, it's hard not to wonder if there's more to his non-selection than what we've been told. Could hardly blame him for being a bit distracted.

I just think the reality is that selection is that tight in the back 3. Nearly any combination could have been named last week and someone would be able to grumble about selection. Adams has scored 8, VdM has scored 5 but beaten most defenders (30) and before Saturday was making 12m per carry on average over 35 carries.

I totally understand why some would prefer Watson and Duhan and others prefer Adams in there but I think it is close enough where any combination would be fine. If only there were similar quality battles elsewhere.

Adams is class and will continue to be class for a while.

Buggaluggs wrote:I'm surprised Daly was preferred on the bench to Liam

Me too, though Daly does cover 3/4 positions. Any outside back going off could be a straight swap, whereas (say) Harris goes off, bit of juggling if Liam is on the bench (wouldn't trust Faz at 13, so Henshaw goes there and Faz to 12....and then no ten cover).

And Daly is faster than Williams. Williams seems to have lost 1-2 yards in the last 3-4 years, meaning he's a starting 15 or not in the 23 these days

Digby wrote:And Daly is faster than Williams. Williams seems to have lost 1-2 yards in the last 3-4 years, meaning he's a starting 15 or not in the 23 these days

I'm not sure what you're basing that on other than pure speculation, Liam has never been lightning quick, what he is good at is being a very skilful player and an aggressive ball carrier, obviously Gatland and the other coaches don't agree with your assessment as he was on the bench last week..

Daly has been selected because he covers more positions.

Numbers wrote:

Digby wrote:And Daly is faster than Williams. Williams seems to have lost 1-2 yards in the last 3-4 years, meaning he's a starting 15 or not in the 23 these days

I'm not sure what you're basing that on other than pure speculation, Liam has never been lightning quick, what he is good at is being a very skilful player and an aggressive ball carrier, obviously Gatland and the other coaches don't agree with your assessment as he was on the bench last week..

Daly has been selected because he covers more positions.

Speculation in part, also watching him, and comments from one Liam Williams to the effect he's slower than he used to be. It's possible Williams doesn't know anything about Williams, or he thinks it's a useful method of lobbying not to play on the wing, and the comments from Williams about Williams are simply misinformed, deliberately or otherwise

Digby wrote:

Numbers wrote:

Digby wrote:And Daly is faster than Williams. Williams seems to have lost 1-2 yards in the last 3-4 years, meaning he's a starting 15 or not in the 23 these days

I'm not sure what you're basing that on other than pure speculation, Liam has never been lightning quick, what he is good at is being a very skilful player and an aggressive ball carrier, obviously Gatland and the other coaches don't agree with your assessment as he was on the bench last week..

Daly has been selected because he covers more positions.

Speculation in part, also watching him, and comments from one Liam Williams to the effect he's slower than he used to be. It's possible Williams doesn't know anything about Williams, or he thinks it's a useful method of lobbying not to play on the wing, and the comments from Williams about Williams are simply misinformed, deliberately or otherwise

Surprisingly I've never read that and I read all articles about Welsh rugby so not sure where your got your info, I'd be interested to read it if you have a link?

Numbers wrote:

Digby wrote:

Numbers wrote:
I'm not sure what you're basing that on other than pure speculation, Liam has never been lightning quick, what he is good at is being a very skilful player and an aggressive ball carrier, obviously Gatland and the other coaches don't agree with your assessment as he was on the bench last week..

Daly has been selected because he covers more positions.

Speculation in part, also watching him, and comments from one Liam Williams to the effect he's slower than he used to be. It's possible Williams doesn't know anything about Williams, or he thinks it's a useful method of lobbying not to play on the wing, and the comments from Williams about Williams are simply misinformed, deliberately or otherwise

Surprisingly I've never read that and I read all articles about Welsh rugby so not sure where your got your info, I'd be interested to read it if you have a link?

I don't spend much time reading about Welsh rugby, so I'd have in mind it was a 6N interview on t'TV. The gist was he was pleased to see the emergence of Adams and LRZ because that took him away from wing, something he felt less suited to being slower than he was, though I would accept he might in his own way have been lobbying for the 15 shirt ahead of Halfpenny, slightly odd lobbying for a back 3 player to say pick me I'm slower than I was, but maybe.

I don't think he set out whether his top end pace was simply down on what it was, or he now struggled more with in game recovery and replicating the top end sprints throughout a game.

I reckon Adams will be infor test 3 now...

Mr Mwenda wrote:I reckon Adams will be infor test 3 now...

Yes the Hogg/VDM experiment seems to have blown up in Gatland’s face. Liam aught to be in for next week but wouldn’t be surprised if Daly (God forbid!) got the nod. It does seem to me that Gatland lets his coaches have more influence over selection than he would normally allow.

Would love to see LRZ have a blast on the other wing but this game is vital so I guess Watson will keep his place.

Has anyone heard news of the Wyn Jones injury? We could have done with him yesterday to shore up the scrum with Vunipola not having his best set piece starting play yesterday.

I’d have Beard on the bench for his line out and maul disruption abilities especially if Itoje is cited and misses the game.

It's not the biggest issue facing the Lions but it's really, really hard to understand what would keep Adams out for the last test.

normanski wrote:

Mr Mwenda wrote:I reckon Adams will be infor test 3 now...

Yes the Hogg/VDM experiment seems to have blown up in Gatland’s face. Liam aught to be in for next week but wouldn’t be surprised if Daly (God forbid!) got the nod. It does seem to me that Gatland lets his coaches have more influence over selection than he would normally allow.

Would love to see LRZ have a blast on the other wing but this game is vital so I guess Watson will keep his place.

Has anyone heard news of the Wyn Jones injury? We could have done with him yesterday to shore up the scrum with Vunipola not having his best set piece starting play yesterday.

I’d have Beard on the bench for his line out and maul disruption abilities especially if Itoje is cited and misses the game.

Vunipola went pretty well, it was the other side that was the issue with the starting props; when mostert went to 6, both sides of the scrum struggled depending on whether left or right.

Adams and Liam Williams should have been starting all series imo.

Just picking a gameplan that matches the selection would be great, whichever way it goes.