Firstly, appologises it's been a while since my last post, and it's going to be so again, as I'm going to Italy tommorow, so I'll see you all a week today. Now that's the formalities over, in the past two weeks, I've witnessed Wales attempt to develop some kind of strength in depth over the course of two games, home and away, against England. I was lucky enough to be at the one in Cardiff, which was amazing, but the experience has helped me to narrow down my pick as to which players should be headed to New Zealand in under a months time. It'll be the pinacle of many of these players careers, and I'd say all of the ones I've selected have, on the whole, earnt it, with two exceptions, which I'll mention. Anyway, without further ado, here they are, my 30 for Wales:
FULLBACK
Lee Byrne
With Stoddart out, here's our only option. Having been first choice since 2008, he must be selected, and should probably be starting Vs. South Africa and Samoa (The biggest games) due to being a specalist. If we can find him on a good day, he'll be running good lines and using his rather handy 70-metre boot to good effect.
WINGS
Shane Williams
He's arguably the best attacking player in the world. He's the top try-scorer of any Welshman (ever) or any current player. He's an utter legend and could by no means be left out.
Leigh Halfpenny
Outrageously quick, a fantastic tackler (Amongst the best cover-tacklers in the world) and he also has that seigegun boot to draw upon. A vital player, and one I'd start over George North just for his greater skill set. He should probably be our back-up Fullback as well.
George North
15 stone, 6 foot, 19 years old. Physically, he's a monster, but he's got the skills of a far smalle,r defter man, proving that big wingers don't have to be brain-dead Matt Banahans. 5 tries in 7 games says it all.
CENTRES
Jamie Roberts
Finally starting to regain form after his Lions exploits in 2009, Roberts has been on great form in the past two games and is looking increasingly like he's going to be a key part of Wales' plans at the World Cup. His defence has improved immesurably and he's starting to run at gaps again.
Jonathan Davies
The form centre in not only Wales but the British Isles in club rugby last season, Davies is finally starting to deliver on his poential thanks to his increased respect for the basic skill of passing. He's looking more and more like a playmaker with each passing game, but still offers Roberts-like physicality in midfield. He's also far too quick for his size.
Gavin Henson
Yes, I'd take him and no, I'm not watching The Bachelor on Friday. It's simple as this: Henson is a distributing 12. Wales need a distributer at 12. Henson use to be world class, before he went off the boil and took 18 months off from rugby. In his 20 mins on Saturday, I think he showed his poetential once more. I'd not only take him, but start him once he's fit again.
Scott Williams
Creeps in thanks to the Stoddart injury, he's virtualy a no-namer, but has really impressed me on all three of his bench appearances for Wales. He seems to have an eye for the gap and quite a bit of pace, as well as physicality. I recall him playing well for the u20s last year, and he's taken a massive step up.
Fly-Halves
James Hook
"James Hook... HOOK IS THROUGH! It's Wales who gets the try!" His try, plus two vital penalties, on Saturday just showed how key he is to Wales. Shane and Adam Jones aside, he's our best player, and he has to play every game (Possibly aside from Namibia) otherwise our creativty shall stiffle majorly. Fly-Half is his best positon, but he may be forced to act as that distributing 12.
Good ol' Stephen. Mr. Dependable. Soon to be Wales' most-capped player, Steve may yet be the man we need. A cool, calculating head and a very nice chap indeed, he's less likely to make the mistakes Hook or Priestland'll make, but at the same time, the risks he doesn't take may prevent Wales from scoring. I don't think Steveo stiffles Wales creativity or anything, but he won't start something himself like the other 2 would. However, I think him and Hook together may be what we need in a big game.
Rhys Priestland
If you'd told me a year ago that Rhys Priestland would be playing for Wales, I'd assume Gatland had thrown another wobbler. However, he's really earnt it, and then rewarded the Welsh coaches, and, indeed, public with two excellent displays against the Old Enemy. He's a cert for the plane now.
Scrum-Halves
Tavis Knoyle
At the minute, Tavis Knoyle is our best scrum-half. He suits our style of play, offering both physicality and quick ball and is also a great passer, unlike a certain Mr. Phillips. I can see the arguments that he isn't expeirenced enough to take on the Boks, but we'll see this wekeend when he plays Argentina.
Mike Phillips
Not because he's one of our three best scrum-halves, because he certainly isn't, but because he's the one getting all the gametime. The slowest in international Rugby by a long way, Phillips is pretty much useless in attack, but when it comes to defending he earns his worth, and he finally convinced me of that last week. He may be the man to sit on the bench and come on if we get a narrow lead.
Dwyane Peel
I have no idea what's going on with Dwyane Peel. He should probably be first choice, but he wasn't released until the 4th August, meaning he couldn't play Vs. England, and even then he was injured, according to Rob Howley, but then he says he's not and... AGGHH!! Just pick him. He's a good, all-round 9.
Props
Adam Jones
The best prop in the world. That's all.
Gethin Jenkins
He's going, no matter what state he's in. Probably the world's premier loosehead, he's an excellent scrummager but it's in the loose that his work is really apprechiated. He tackles and chases like a flanker and runs with the ball in hand like a centre. His work rate is phoenimum, and he also holds the world record for most tackles in one match bya prop- 18, a statistic the Richie McCaws and Thierry Dusitoirs of the world would be proud of.
Paul James
He's turned himself into a fine replacement for the currently ultra-injury prone Gethin Jenkins, and as such is likely to play the first game against the defending champions, and shall be on the bench for the big games once Gethin's fit again. A good scrummager and decent enough in the loose to pass at international level.
Craig Mitchell
He's struggled the past two weeks, but held up very, very well in the Six Nations against some world-class front rowers such as Castrogiovanni, Cole and Mas. He booked his flight to New Zealand long ago.
Ryan Bevington
Wonderfully athletic, he gets in thanks to Gethin's injury. He's a very intellegent footballer for a propa dn is currently learning to handle top-level scrummaging. Could find himself on the Lions tour in 2013 if he continues to develop at this pace.
Hookers
Richard Hibbard
He'll find himself as our first-choice at the World Cup thanks to Matthew Rees' incredibly unfortunate recovery (I wish him a speedy recovery). Thankfully, he's proved his worth as of late, and is, in my opinon, better than Dylan Hartley, Rory Best and Ross Ford, the first-choice hookers for each of the other home nations.
Huw 'Not Straight' Bennett
He's certainly not earnt his right to be playing for Wales. He's awful. He can't throw at all and is constantly mashed in the scrum. He's not even a good carrier, as Burns is. His one good trait is his knack of cleaning up after others when they make mistakes, although nobody can ever manage to clean up after his horrendous wobblers. However, he has to go as Ken Owens hasn't played for Wales yet.
Lloyd Burns
Again, he's not as good as Ken Owens, but he is capped, and has looked quite good in the loose, even if his throwing was rather poor on Saturday. He should be behind Ken, but finds himself infront. Good form for the Dragons is to thank for that. He's a good carrier, as mentioned above, though, so that's something.
Locks
Alun-Wyn Jones
Great tackle count, hard worker, good in the lineout. He's a leader. He must go and must start.
Bradley Davies
A hard-nosed player and a good carrier, Bradley and Alun-Wyn could and probably should be the Welsh boiler room combination for years to come. Both have already etched their way into the First XV, and as such little more has to be said on them.
Luke Charteris
A good performance on Saturday was, in my eyes, all he needed to get on the plane. he delivered, and so they're currently moddifying that particular jet to hold in 7-foot frame. His heigh is useful in the lineout, but he's also got some deft skills in those long arms, although he is somewhat more mistake prone than AWJ and Bradley.
Back Row
Lydiate's game is simple: He hits hard, and he keeps hitting hard. He's a grafter, and he doesn't pretend to be any more or any less. Watch the game against Fiji, where he just smashed and continued to smash a team known for their physicality and the last All Blacks match, as he just took the NZ back-row out of the game, meaning Wales could keep hold of their own ball without a certain Mr. McCaw pinching it. We need him to provide some serious bish bash bosh.
The king is dead, long live the king... The only player to ever look like, let alone actually manage to, usurp Martyn 'legend' Williams from the Welsh no. 7 jesrey, Warburton is the modern-day jackle king and over the past few weeks has surpased David Pocock, in my eyes, anyway, as the second-best openside in world rugby. He'll probably be our captain, too.
Ryan Jones
He should be our starting No. 8, in my eyes, a decission that I think has finally been settled.. He's not as dynamic as Toby Faletau, but is a safe pair of hands in what is otherwise a very young and inexperienced back row. He'll also be the cover lock and 6.
Toby Faletau
Toby needs more time to turn himself into a top-level eightman, and in a vital RWC match Vs. the Springboks isn't the time to do it. Bench, maybe, but not starting. He should certainly go to the World Cup, mind. Hence his inclusion on this list.
Josh Turnbull
Turnbull's been in excellent form all season, and that's why he gets in. I would have liked to have seen him play at 6 this weekend, as I feel Lydiate's done enough, but I'd still say he's booked himself a place by not screwing up on any of his international cameos. He won Wales the penalty that clinched the win on Saturday, too, just proving that he can cope at the highest level.
Martyn Williams
Yes, he's 9000 years old, and yes, he's begining to drop off the pace, but I, along with the entire Welsh public, love Martyn and just want him to go to the World Cup. He doesn't have to earn it. All we have to do is get Jiffy to give Martyn a man-of-the-match award for the game against Argentina on Saturday, and we'll be happy. Please let him go, Mr. Gatland. He doesn't have to be first choice (Warburton has earnt that right) but I so want him to get his 100th cap, there is nobody more deserving...
So, that's my 30. I'd like to see Gareth Delve go, too, but he's been dropped from the squad thanks to 'Not being able to keep up in training' or something. I'll examine what Gatland does when I'm back home next week, after he names his actualy 30 on Monday, giving him 2 days to chew over the Argentina game and decide he realy does want to take Martyn Williams. Until next time...
