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Wales Test team against Japan.
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GPR - Rochester View Drop Down
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Points: 23492 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote GPR - Rochester Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 July 2025 at 7:08am
I cannot offer any personal views on Hawkins as I haven't seen enough of him. However when he burst on to the scene at the Ospreys at 20 Gatland & his coaches were very excited about his potential.

Ok his time at a fading Exeter team trying to rebuild after losing most of their star players was not great but the boy was a big star at 20's level & a lot of very good coaches talk very highly of his potential. He may fall flat but I am excited to see what Dwayne can get out of him. 
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Points: 1451 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lincscarlet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 July 2025 at 10:49am
Originally posted by aber-fan aber-fan wrote:

Originally posted by gaffer gaffer wrote:

Originally posted by roy munster roy munster wrote:

whats your verdict on individual performances? I only saw the highlights... is edwards now the number 1 fly half? how was the front row? second row pairing?

as usual blair looked like our best player (in the highlights) hardy scored a few but almost threw the game away too....nice little back flip pass from plumtree ..ben thomas had a few nice touches....adams yet again blew hot and cold as he managed to finish 1 nicely and missed an open goal too....


It's not a very high bar. Japan were awful. Our backrow did a decent job. front 5 collectively are weak. Hardy wasawful, Dan an upgrade at 10 (he just has more confidence in himself) centres all wrong but had a go, back 3 fairly efficient. Subs helped for once.

Pluses were Blair (as usual) Rogers, MacLeod and Plumtree - all Scarlets, but that's a coincidence!WinkWainwright was pretty good overall, as was Teddy Williams who had his moments. 

Mixed day - Edwards - I like him a lot at 10, he looks cool, kicks his goals and gets long distance downfield. The only minus for him was his missed tackles - but they matter. Sort that out and the starting shirt is his for a while. Giles showed some awareness and pace in trying to break out from lost Japan balls.  

Hardy scored two tries BUT despite having a much better caterpillar for his kicks still nearly got charged down a few times, and did once for a try, I think (?) He also threw a pass above Edwards' head which definitely led directly to a Japan try. I was amazed he was picked again after last week's display. Can't coaches see when players are off form? Baffling. Definitely, Reuben M-W deserved a shot. 

Unit skills wise - the scrum looked OK; the lineout was shaky once again.. several throws were pinched or not straight, including attacking ones. I've said for years that Dee should start, if only because he's our best lineout hooker. Is he injured? AFAIK he didn't get on the pitch on the tour. 

Lake is not a captain. Last week, Hardy was getting charged down time and again - or scragged - at rucks. Lake - and Sherratt - should have sorted this for the second half, but didn't. This week was a lot better, but not perfect by any means. 

A win is a win. At least it gets the monkey off the back of the Wales team.




RE lake not being a captain, I’ve had the same feeling tbh. It’s seemed like all the media work you’d expect the captain to do has been shouldered by Josh for this tour. I’d also use lake off the bench, Dee throws the best arrows of anyone in wales and has for years we need that secure lineout ball to stay in games 
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Points: 2514 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raised By Peregos Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 July 2025 at 11:27am
Been away for the weekend so only just caught up with the Wales game. Some takeaways (similar to what's just been posted as I was writing!):

- Jeez it was a low standard game of rugby. Out basic skills and decision-making is so poor. Generally the backs handling is worse than the forwards - Teddy Williams, Macleod and Wainwright better passing than the whole backline. So many times the backs have to check or stand still to get a pass (and that's if it is even in their vicinity!). 

- Hardy - I said RMW should've started, I absolutely stand by that. Hardy is not up to this standard. I've been consistent on this for years... his support lines and tries (still sub-Cawdor) DO NOT make up for his poos game management and decision-making, his inability to be aware of his surroundings, and timings, his lack of game intelligence (outside of a few breaks and support runs). The charge down in the second half - why is he even trying to kick there? Some of his passing was atrocious. The time he takes at rucks. 

- inconsistency in reffing again is laughable - Macleod pen for high tackle (if he'd have hinged he'd have taken the guys head off!) cost us 3 points - if Adams had scored like he should've of that would've been an absolute travesty if it had been disallowed. Then. few minutes later, the Japan 4 drives his head into Nicky Smiths's and the pen is for offside and it's not even looked at!

- Dan Edwards looks like HE believes he should be there - that's half the battle at OH. Defence IS an issue but overall I thought he was good. Needs a decent SH inside him and centres outside. Jonny was left in the lurch again at OC.

- Plumtree made a difference when he came on. Macleod deserved MOTM. Wainwright also very good. 
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Points: 422 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tov Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 July 2025 at 11:33am
It looks like Sam is going to star in a replay of the Priestland saga. Disappointed Scarlets did not capture Patchell as a mentor, he's someone who doesn't lack confidence.
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Points: 14101 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ap sior Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 July 2025 at 12:00pm
Originally posted by Tov Tov wrote:

It looks like Sam is going to star in a replay of the Priestland saga. Disappointed Scarlets did not capture Patchell as a mentor, he's someone who doesn't lack confidence.

Re a mentor, don’t forget Scott W is now helping out at the region, and he has played alongside and against Sam. That is something to be looked at.
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Points: 20259 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote aber-fan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 July 2025 at 7:48pm
Originally posted by Scarlswb Scarlswb wrote:

I think people over critical of Sam, the change of tactics yesterday to run the ball more, would have suited Sam. EDWARDS WAS OK, Nothing special, poor defence, dropped a really poor pass from Hardy, which gave away a try, Sherratt's tactics over the 2 games with playing squad selection on and match day squads are poor and lack any logic. Assiratti I, S No way  international level, The backrow was good, Mcloed MoM well deserved, 

One big plus from Edwards - and not a negligible one - was his kicking - both at goal and tactical - plus, he kicks the ball a good bit further than Sam. If you look at some of the top teams (in France, say) they usually pack two guys who can kick the ball MILES downfield; Ireland the same - and I daresay SA and NZ, though I've not seen them play recently. 

His defence does need to be better, though. No argument there. 
“You cannot reason a man out of what he never reasoned himself into.” (Jonathan Swift)
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Points: 422 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tov Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 July 2025 at 12:17pm
Originally posted by aber-fan aber-fan wrote:

Originally posted by Scarlswb Scarlswb wrote:

I think people over critical of Sam, the change of tactics yesterday to run the ball more, would have suited Sam. EDWARDS WAS OK, Nothing special, poor defence, dropped a really poor pass from Hardy, which gave away a try, Sherratt's tactics over the 2 games with playing squad selection on and match day squads are poor and lack any logic. Assiratti I, S No way  international level, The backrow was good, Mcloed MoM well deserved, 

One big plus from Edwards - and not a negligible one - was his kicking - both at goal and tactical - plus, he kicks the ball a good bit further than Sam. If you look at some of the top teams (in France, say) they usually pack two guys who can kick the ball MILES downfield; Ireland the same - and I daresay SA and NZ, though I've not seen them play recently. 

His defence does need to be better, though. No argument there. 
I've said it before and I'll keep saying it. Scarlets need a kicking coach. If the best golfers in the world need coaches I'm sure kickers do. 
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