Lets hope that Wyn, Ryan, Samson & Jake come back to us in one piece so at least our forward effort will be strong with Louisi, Blade, Sione and Jac Morgan joining them with Rob, Taylor, Javan, Tex ( hopefully) & Kennedy on the bench. 

I hope that we use a bit of both, some players have really put their hands up and dont deserve to be 'dropped' simply because someone like Fox is back, if fit.

We all know Liam, Foxy, Cubby, Patchell need game time. 

if we lose to england as i expect does that mean we are down the bottom of this tournement and then may have fiji who cant play any games, therefore weekend off?  or am i missing something.

Would any of them get into our side?😋

No, we will play Italy as they will be the 3rd placed team in the other pool.

Mind they are in good form the Italians, in the last 12 months or so they have drawn 0-0 with New Zealand & beaten Fiji 28-0.... their defence has certainly stepped up 

Haha it's in the record books.

would like pivac to pick as many non scarlets for these games (even more selfish). 

 

if he's done his rib cartilage hell be out for a while, it's very painful and really limits your mobility

 

I'd guess well go with

 

halfpenny liam stef

jonny w foxy

patchell Cawdor

 

wyn elias lee

ball louisi

blade sione and morgan

 

If everyone is fit although asquith  hardy conibeer   McLeod and rob evans will all be in the mix as well

I'm not sure, but whether he is fit or not, I'd be inclined to give the 2 centres from Saturday a game because we need to start planning for not having the likes of Foxy, Biggar etc. I don't think Sanjay can play given the stitches he has had so I think it will be something like:

Wyn, Dee, Lee

Ball, AWJ

Wainwright, Navidi, Faletau (going on Tipuric being unavailable).

L.Williams, Sheedy

J.Williams, Tompkins

Adams, Halfpenny, Ree-Zammit

Though I do think he will parachute North in there somehow.

Rib cartilage  injuries are screaming agony for a week, then really painful for the next week and then sore for a third week. And that should be the end of the injury. However in Johnny's case its apparently a recurrence of a previous injury so he may be out for rather longer.

Don't see Foxy making the European games. In reality at the moment I would pick Asquith & Tyler ahead of him on form even if he is fit. Likewise Patchell has it all to do to be ready. I would start with Costelow. He knows no fear and plays what is ahead of him especially if we have Halfpenny to take the pressure of him with goalkicking. 

The Scottish government however, like to do one better than the English government, and will probably allow 4000-8000 fans  

Or 2001-4001 fans. 

Which is where I despair with Drakeford. Ive supported him despite him being on occasions like someones grandad but if every other country has fans and we are like the poor people looking through the windows, I cant agree with it.

That doesn’t really make sense. It’s not a case of the choice of an individual feeling safe. They could carry the virus onto others. 

It may be a coincidence, but Ulster and Scarlets have both had positive tests since last weekend’s match.

The way things are going in Wales,I don't think there'll be any change soon.

Rates are falling by all accounts.

 

I reckon it'll be next season before we see decent sized live gates at grounds

What if the vaccination programme is not suitable for this mutating virus?

The time to move on imo has passed. 

 

I agree I just don't see drakeford going for it even less chance of the bars being open in the ground

And there lies the problem. This pandemic has shown that a lot of people have no common sense whatsoever. That’s why we’re still in this position. 

Bath v Scarlets 12 Dec - Alexandre Ruiz (Fr)

Scarlets v Toulon 18 Dec - Wayne Barnes (Eng)

Our home game against Bath in round 4 (23 Jan) will be the live game on Channel 4 that weekend and fingers crossed we'll still be in the mix by then. Shame we haven't got Leinster before the European campaign to see where we're at and to carry on the good work after the Ulster game.

A game against Leinster with an already depleted squad depleted even more due to some positive COVID results and subsequent self isolations could have proved very damaging ahead of european matches (based on result) just as the signs are starting to look good.

patchell has looked good in patches, no pun intended. poor old foxy needs time to see if he can get fitness back and to see if he can still compete at this level after the major injuries

Selection now would also depend who has contracted Covid,as they would have to isolate for 14 days..then their contact 10 days 

Don’t know anything about the French ref. Is he one if the better ones or a comparative newbie? Wayne Barnes is normally very good so glad we have him over any of the Irish refs.

In the past, he was inclined to be a bit fussy. I think that’s no longer the case.

He did deny us a win v Saracens by not giving Foxy the turnover penalty with the clock red. Instead, he gave it to them and they scored a try for the draw and conversion to win it, or have I got that last bit wrong?

Last time Barnes was at the Parc, we beat Toulon and got to the SF. 

Good omen, perhaps??? 

In the past, he was inclined to be a bit fussy. I think that’s no longer the case.

He did deny us a win v Saracens by not giving Foxy the turnover penalty with the clock red. Instead, he gave it to them and they scored a try for the draw and conversion to win it, or have I got that last bit wrong?

I think Sarries got a draw Steve. 

I give you Argentina 25-15 New Zealand. The break did them good 

For once, I agree with you - 100%... we in Ceredigion have had very low rates of COVID until recently, when a bunch of idiots in Cardigan thought it a 'good idea' to celebrate the end of the lockdown with a pub crawl, leading to 55 positive tests and 300 contacts...