General Chat

WALES TEAM AS POSITIONED ON THE FIELD
(The numbers mark the positions as best I can do it on this site:-D)




1. ROB EVANS ........................... 2. KEN OWENS ........................ 3. SAMSON LEE
Loosehead Prop ................................. Hooker ................................. Tighthead Prop



..............................4. CORY HILL Lock ......................... 5. ALUN-WYN JONES Lock



6. AARON SHINGLER ................. 8.ROSS MORIARTY ................ 7.JOSH NAVIDI
Blindside Flanker .................................. Eightman ....................... Openside Flanker



...............................................9. GARETH DAVIES Scrum Half



...........................................................10. RHYS PATCHELL Fly Half



...................................................................... 12. HADLEIGH PARKES Inside Centre



................................................................ SCOTT WILLIAMS 13. Outside Centre



11. STEFF EVANS Left Wing ..................................... JOSH ADAMS Right Wing 14.



..................................................... 15. LEIGH HALFPENNY Full Back



Full Wales Starting Team v Scotland for Saturday posted earlier on this page :-)

ENGLAND NEWS

ENGLAND CALL UP JAMES HASKELL and JOE MARLER DESPITE BANS!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42860924

SCOTLAND NEWS

RICHIE GRAY OUT OF SIX NATIONS OPENER!

Scotland Lock, Richie Gray, has been ruled out of Scotland's opening Six Nations game v Wales on Saturday. He has sustained a calf injury.

The 28 year old, who plays his club rugby in France for Toulouse, is very disappointed not to be lining up with his brother and fellow Scotland International Jonny.

But when Richie is fit enough to play again, there will be no mistaking him
.... he stands at 6 FOOT 10 INCHES in his socks! :-0 :-D

Get well soon Richie :-)

Well, Warren Gatland and Co have had some difficult decisions to make, what with all the injuries etc ..... but they have at last decided .....

WALES TEAM TO FACE SCOTLAND ON SATURDAY!

WALES <3

Backs:
15. Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets)
14. Josh Adams (Worcester) *First Wales Cap
13. Scott Williams (Scarlets)
12. Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets)
11. Steff Evans (Scarlets)
10. Rhys Patchell (Scarlets)
9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets)

Forwards:
1. Rob Evans (Scarlets)
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets)
3. Samson Lee (Scarlets)
4. Cory Hill (Dragons)
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) Captain
6. Aaron Shingler (Scarlets)
7. Josh Navidi (Cardiff Blues)
8. Ross Moriarty (Gloucester).

Replacements:
16. Elliot Dee (Dragons)
17. Wyn Jones (Scarlets)
18. Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs)
19.Bradley Davies (Ospreys),
20. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys)
21. Aled Davies (Scarlets)
22. Gareth Anscombe (Cardiff Blues)
23. Owen Watkin (Ospreys)


AN INTERESTING SELECTION!


Of note is the fact that....
10 OUT OF THE 15 STARTING PLAYERS ARE SCARLETS!
...with 2 more Scarlets Players on the replacement bench!
This reflects how well the Llanelli based Scarlets are doing again this year!:-)



FLY-HALF
With Dan Biggar and Rhys Priestland both injured, young RHYS PATCHELL (Scarlets) has been chosen ahead of GARETH ANSCOMBE to start in the Fly-Half position (10)



* WALES DEBUT FOR JOSH ADAMS
Worcester wing Josh Adams will make his Wales debut against Scotland as the 2018 Six Nations starts in Cardiff on Saturday.

JOSH IS THE TOP TRY SCORER IN THE PREMIERSHIP

He has beaten the more experienced GEORGE NORTH and ALEX CUTHBERT to a Wing position (14 & 11)
Former Scarlet, now Saracen, LIAM WILLIAMS also loses out due to a knee injury.



*WE HAVE THE GOLDEN KICKING BOOTS OF LITTLE LEIGH HALFPENNY!

A question mark hung over Leigh for the opening game, due to injury, but Leigh takes up the Full Back position (15) and will very likely do the Kicking duties in the manner we have come to expect.

But Rhys Patchell is also an excellent kicker and Gareth Anscombe is not bad either! :-D



STILL WAITING
No Wales Seniors debut this time for Jonathan Davies' little brother JAMES DAVIES (Cubby)
He and Justin Tipuric have been beaten to the number 7 shirt by JOSH NAVIDI.
Tipuric is on the bench.





SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3

WALES <3 v SCOTLAND ...... Kick Off 2.15pm

LIVE ON BBC1, S4C and Radio Jem* ;-) :-D :-D :-D

ALL WELCOME :-) :-) :-)


*Radio Jem participation as possible - please see post on this page
JemimaFawr 26 Jan 2018 21:30

Hi Jem, got carried away there. A lot going on & got my dates all muddled. :-S

Hi Hilary <3

It's ok - you've missed nothing, cos it's next week! :-D

Hi to all, can't be with you this afternoon as we are having a family get together, we are having our Haggis supper today, as you know I am 1/2 Scot so will be cheering them on. good luck to all.x <3

Good Evening Rugby Fans :-D <3

For those of you who love watching this great competition .... a word of warning!
....I have repeatedly seen a misleading advert this week claiming that the Six Nations begins on Sunday February 4th .... IT DOES NOT!

It's ENGLAND's opening game that is on that day!

THE SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP STARTS ON SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3RD!


SCHEDULE FOR ROUND 1:
Times posted are GMT (UK time)


Saturday February 3
1.
WALES <3 v SCOTLAND ...... Kick Off 2.15pm
Live TV: BBC 1 & S4C (Welsh Commentary)

2.
FRANCE v IRELAND ...... Kick Off 4.45pm
Live TV: BBC 1


Sunday February 4
3.
ITALY v ENGLAND ...... Kick Off 3pm


RADIO JEM PARTICIPATION:
Most of you are aware that my circumstances have changed quite drastically this last year, and now I am caring full time for two people who are not at all well, and we have also had a recent bereavement. But I am going to do my very best to be here LIVE for this great competition :-)


Please feel free to join in and cheer on the team of your choice....
.... I am unashamedly going to be supporting my Wales boys, but we are all good sports on this thread who use rugby to unite us and not divide us!


So.... don't be scared .... there's not only a "Welcome in the Hillside" ;-) ;-) ;-)
.... but a Welcome on "Radio Jem" to Rugby Fans from any of the 6 Nations involved! :-) :-) :-)

MORE LIAM WILLIAMS NEWS (WALES)

Wales and Saracens' Full Back / Winger Liam Williams has an abdominal injury which Wales head coach Warren Gatland says might require surgery if it does not respond to treatment and potentially rule him out of the tournament.

Full Story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42803570

ENGLAND NEWS:

HARLEQUINS TRIO SHOCKER!

Three Harlequins players are either in doubt or ruled out for England.

A question mark still remains regarding Full Back MIKE BROWN's fitness in time for England's opening game v Italy.
The 32 year old is still hampered by blurred vision.

Also, Brown's teammate, Tighthead (3) KYLE SINCKLER, has had to withdraw through injury and has been replaced by HENRY THOMAS (Bath)

Flanker CHRIS ROBSHAW has a back injury and is "borderline" to play.


Full Story
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42804034

~~~~~~~~ Thank You Hilary <3

Love the six nations. Not long to go now. Good luck to your boys Jem. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ to Jem & Fly. :-) <3

GOOD NEWS FOR SCOTLAND

THE HOGG IS BACK!!!!

Yes, Glasgow and Scotland's Full Back (15) Stuart Hogg has recovered from the hip injury that has kept him out of rugby for 2 months, and is joining Scotland's Six Nations Squad!

Stuart has said that Scotland can "do some damage" in this years Championship.
The way Scotland have been playing in recent years this is a distinct possibilty!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42761904

IRELAND NEWS

DAVE KILCOYNE has picked up a knee injury during his club MUNSTER's European Champions Cup win over Castres on Sunday.

Clubmate JAMES CRONIN called up to the Ireland Squad following this incident

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42777998

WALES NEWS

DAN BIGGAR INJURY FEAR!

Wales' First Choice Fly Half (10) Dan Biggar took a bad blow to his shoulder while playing an away game for his club OSPREYS v Clermont Auvergne, France.

Wales have already lost Bath Fly Half, RHYS PRIESTLAND, due to injury so this will be a huge worry for Wales Head Coach Warren Gatland so close to the opening of this year's Six Nations Championship.


ANOTHER WORRY FOR WALES ....
Saracens Back Rower, LIAM WILLIAMS, also failed a late fitness test on Saturday for their game v Northampton.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42762480


Wales have already lost their regular Captain- Flanker SAM WARBURTON and first choice 13, Centre Jonathan Davies, to injury.

I really hope there are no more casualties :-(

Not long now Jem :-D :-D ;-)

MORE WALES SIX NATIONS NEWS

LEIGH HALFPENNY

There has been a question mark over the fitness of WALES' Full Back and Kicker, Leigh Halfpenny, for this year's Six Nations Championship, following a pectoral injury sustained while playing for his club SCARLETS against Cardiff Blues on New Year's Eve.

The good news is that Leigh has recovered from that chest injury, but will remain on the bench when his club plays against his former club, TOULON, on Saturday.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42729080


FANS OF LEIGH WILL BE HOPING HE WILL HAVE HIS GOLDEN KICKING BOOTS ON FOR WALES <3

WALES SIX NATIONS NEWS

RHYS PRIESTLAND

Bath Fly-Half, Rhys Priestland, has sustained a Hamstring injury which is likely to prevent him from featuring in this year's Six Nations Championship for Wales.

A statement from the WRU read: "Following further assessments and consultation with a specialist it has been concluded that due to the severity of Rhys Priestland's hamstring injury, he will remain at Bath Rugby for ongoing rehabilitation and will not link up with the Wales squad on Monday morning.

"It is envisaged that the injury will preclude him from taking an active part for the majority of the Championship hence this course of action has been deemed the most appropriate."

MORE ENGLAND SIX NATIONS NEWS

BILLY VUNIPOLA is ruled out of the entire 2018 Championship after fracturing his forearm last weekend.

This is just the latest in a series of injuries that Billy has sustained over the last year.
He missed out on the British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand in the summer due to a shoulder injury.

If that wasn't bad enough, then came knee surgery in September and he was then ruled out for almost four months.

His latest injury now looks likely to rule him out until April.


OTHER ENGLAND ABSENTEES FROM EDDIE JONES' ENGLAND SQUAD:
Jack Clifford, Matt Mullan, Nathan Hughes, Beno Obano and Ellis Genge also join Vunipola on the list of absentees.


SOME GOOD NEWS FOR ENGLAND FANS

MIKE BROWN:
Eddie Jones expects England's injured Full Back, Mike Brown, to be fit for England's Six Nations opener.
https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/rugby/eddie-jones-expects-injured-mike-brown-to-be-fit-for-englands-six-nations-opener-a3744771.html

ENGLAND SIX NATIONS SQUAD TO FACE ITALY

Backs
Mike Brown (Harlequins), Nathan Earle (Saracens), Harry Mallinder (Northampton), Jonny May (Leicester Tigers), Denny Solomona (Sale Sharks), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Danny Care (Harlequins), Owen Farrell (Saracens), George Ford (Leicester), Jonathan Joseph (Bath), Alex Lozowski (Saracens),Jack Nowell (Exeter), Henry Slade (Exeter), Ben Te'o (Worcester) Marcus Smith (Harlequins) **, Ben Youngs (Leicester)

Forwards
Gary Graham (Newcastle), Nick Isiekwe (Saracens), Maro Itoje (Saracens), George Kruis (Saracens), Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints), Joe Launchbury (Wasps)Zach Mercer (Bath), Chris Robshaw (Harlequins), Sam Simmonds (Exeter), Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), Lewis Boyce (Harlequins), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Tom Dunn (Bath), Jamie George (Saracens), Dylan Hartley (Northampton), Alec Hepburn (Exeter Chiefs), Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Harry Williams (Exeter Chiefs)



Six Nations 2018: England name eight uncapped players in squad for Italy
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/42731062