Wales squad: You have your say

10:04am Wednesday 13th February 2008

Comments (3)   Have your say »

WALES continued to impress with a comfortable 30-15 victory over Scotland at the weekend and with Italy next up, dreams of another Grand Slam are very much alive.

We headed to Glan-yr-Afon Park to get the views of members of Blackwood RFC, a club who themselves have a big game coming up on Saturday with the Premiership's Pontypridd visiting in the Konica Minolta Cup.

Giving their opinions were 34-year-old team manager and flanker Craig Clements, 21-year-old hooker Stuart Vokes, 23-year-old prop Craig Nutt and 25-year-old lock Gareth Short.

Q: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CHANGES MADE BY GATLAND FOR THE ITALY GAME?

CC: I don't think he knows his best team so it's best to experiment now and have a look at some players. And I don't think the players will mind being dropped as long as they are given good reasons.

If a coach explains his decisions then you can't have complaints as a player.

GS: It's a good move to pick half-backs from the same region because they know each other's games. It was a great move against Scotland to bring on Jones and Peel because they were never going to score a try and he just needed some control.

CC: I probably would have made a few changes. I would have brought in a few more players to test if they are good enough, say if you want to show you are good enough for international rugby go and do it against the Italians'. He doesn't know his best side really so he has to see if his fringe players can step up to the mark.

SV: Roberts was a bit nervous against Scotland but I think he should have been kept in for Italy. Byrne is playing well so maybe he couldn't be fitted in at full-back but it would have been a good chance for him to have a run against Italy. He should have been in the 22 at least.

Q: DO YOU AGREE WITH BRINGING STEPHEN JONES BACK IN?

CC: You've got to pick the best team for the opposition. And I think he has done that in going for Jones rather than Hook.

The Italians will attack the 10 channel with their big men but Jones is maybe a bit stronger there than Hook.

GS: Jones will control the game more.

SV: There's no rush is there, you can bring Hook along slowly and he'll get more experience.

It's the first time in a long time that we have a strong 22 and Gatland probably wants to see if the players coming in are up to it.

CN: I don't think he will pick Stephen Jones for Ireland or France, he has to go with Hook but there's no harm in looking at Jones against Italy.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR EARLY IMPRESSIONS OF THE NEW COACHING STAFF?

GS: There's no messing with Shaun Edwards, he is screaming in their face. He's a hard rugby league man.

CC: There's no danger of player power now.

Maybe Gareth Jenkins wasn't strong enough with his team and I don't think Gatland and Edwards will take any messing around from the squad.

It's like Capello with the England football team - if you don't like it you're out.

Q: WHAT NEEDS TO BE IMPROVED IF WALES ARE TO WIN THE GRAND SLAM?

CN: The set piece needs to be better.

It's going OK but it still worries me at key points in the game. And I'm not convinced by the options at hooker.

CC: I don't like the Jones boys in the front row, I don't think they get around the pitch enough and they are a bit lazy.

GS: But Adam did well against Scotland.

CN: They've brought in Rhys Thomas and it will be a big test for him, because they've put him in against probably the best scrummagers in the tournament. It will be a real test to see if he is good enough for international rugby.

Q: SHANE WILLIAMS WAS ON DAZZLING FORM AGAINST THE SCOTS, HOW CAN THEY BRING HIM INTO THE GAME MORE?

SV: I think he already comes off his wing a lot and asks for the ball, not like Mark Jones who stays out wide.

GS: He's hot and cold. He's a great finisher but sometimes you just want him to kick it when he is trying to jink around in his own half. Get it off the island.

CC: He pops up all over the place. He keeps on trying and when it comes off he is a world-beater.

And defensively he is doing something right because you never really see him miss a tackle.

Q: ANY WORRIES?

CN: If Martyn Williams got injured then there is no-one to come in and fill his role. Robin Sowden-Taylor works hard but I'm not convinced.

CC: I'd rather have Richard Parks in the squad.

GS: I don't think we have many options behind Henson at 12.

CC: Henson's arrogant but he brings something to the table.

CN: But it's that arrogance that makes him special. He looks like he can't be bothered and then he does something special that makes the opposition look stupid.

CC: I'm not a big fan of Sonny Parker or Tom Shanklin. That pass by Shanklin was woeful against Scotland.

Q: IS THE GRAND SLAM ON?

GS: Italy were all over England in the second half and it's a real banana skin. You can't win because if you win by 40 you've done what's expected but you look daft if you lose.

SV: Ireland is the key one because if we win over there then I think we will beat France in Cardiff.

CC: They don't like it at Croke Park either, it's too open for them.

GS: They struggled against Italy as well.

CC: I think if they win in Ireland they will beat France, but if they lose in Dublin they will lose against France.

GS: If we win the Ireland game the momentum will take them home against France.