There’s plenty to play for in Wales stars’ final frontier before their trek to Japan
SPEAKING ahead of a football World Cup match in Japan in 2002, Gary Lineker said: “Trevor Brooking is in the Sapporo Bowl. What’s it like, Trevor?”
Trevor Brooking: “Well, it’s bowlshaped, Gary.”
And so it’s back to the Far East next week when rugby arrives in readiness for its own global tournament.
How much should be read into the warm-up games that have been played across the world over the past month is debatable. In 2011, Ireland lost all four such matches before winning every one of their pool games. Few remember warm-ups.
But they can clarify certain issues in selectors’ minds.
His squad having been picked for Japan, Warren Gatland will now be thinking of his starting line-up to face Georgia on September 23. And then there’s the potential pool decider against Australia six days later - who will run onto the field for that one?
Will performances in his team’s final friendly ahead of the World Cup have any bearing on his plans? Probably.
We check out main talking points from his selection...
A CRAFTSMAN RETURNS
HE won’t say he has a point to prove, because Justin Tipuric likes to go under the radar and he would argue he looks to play his best in every game.
But it was an eyebrow-raiser this week when Sam Warburton left him out of his proposed Wales team to start a World Cup final, with the exWales captain choosing Aaron Wainwright, Josh Navidi and Ross Moriarty as his breakaway trio, a selection he says was made on form.
Well, Tipuric hasn’t played since the game with England at Twickenham on August 11, so perhaps that explains Warburton’s thinking.
But it would be a surprise if Tipuric were short on credit with Wales’ coaches at this stage of his career.
Last autumn, he faced Australia in a breakaway trio with Dan Lydiate and Ross Moriarty, two excellent players but who are not renowned for snaffling opposition ball at the breakdown. Oh, and David Pocock and Michael Hooper were in the Wallabies line-up.
Tipuric played one of the games of his career, stealing possession on three occasions himself and teaming up with others to effect two more turnovers. One of his own pilfering episodes saw him haul down Will Genia, rise to his feet in a split-second and rob the Australian pretty much before he had realised what was going on.
Had Pocock, standing just yards away, opted to applaud at that point it would have been no surprise, because masters of their craft tend to enjoy others performing expertly.
After the game, The Times called the talented Osprey “a show-pony doing the donkey work in a dog fight. Three animals in one”.
There’s also his peerless defence, allied to reading of play, experience and organisational skills.
A side prepared to bench all that would have an embarrassment of riches, indeed.
From here, Tipuric still looks the man.
Start with him in the back row and then find two others.
That would be the advice for Mr Gatland should he need it, which he probably doesn’t.
PATCHELL’S CHANCE AS MAIN MAN
THERE had been suggestions after his stint off the bench against Ireland that Rhys Patchell should be Wales’ firstchoice fly-half for the World Cup.
The legend that is Barry John was among those making that very point.
But Gatland is not a coach to make major selection shifts without hard evidence over a period of time.
Patchell looked outstanding for 20 minutes as a replacement for Wales against Tonga last autumn.
But how big is the difference between a short burst of Test rugby and a whole game? As someone said of the contrast between the mile and the marathon, it is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals.
There is no doubt about the Scarlet’s attacking prowess and his ability to lift a side.
But Gatland will want to see how he copes from the first whistle, before opposition fatigue has kicked in, with space at a premium.
Even then, it will take a lot for the Kiwi to downgrade Dan Biggar’s experience, will to win and proven ability to handle pressure.
This is a big opportunity for Patchell, however, one he will be keen to take.
SKIPPER STARTS
A completely unscientific poll outside a doctor’s surgery in Maesteg the other day suggested four out of five people would have been happy had Alun Wyn Jones sat out all four of Wales’ World Cup warm-up matches, with prayers possibly offered if the national captain and all-round talisman even so much dared to run on the field dispensing water.
But preparing for a global tournament involves a bit more. In fact, it involves a lot more. There’s always a balance to be struck between avoiding needless risks and playing enough to become battle hardened.
Everyone will have his or her own opinion about what’s ideal.
Jones has already had more minutes (160) on the pitch than any of Wales’ other specialist locks this summer, heading Adam Beard (147), Jake Ball (122) and Bradley Davies (46), while the injured Cory Hill hasn’t figured.
But had the skipper not featured this weekend he would have gone 30 days without being on a pitch before his country’s World Cup opener against Georgia.
So he starts, with fingers crossed from Rhyl to Rhossili.
HALFPENNY RETURNS TO STARTING LINE-UP
LEIGH Halfpenny has begun just four out of Wales’ last 15 matches, and one of those appearances, against England in Cardiff last month, saw him parachuted in at the last minute after Liam Williams pulled out.
The Scarlet understandably looked rusty early on, before settling and reminding all of his quality with a try
saving tackle and a superbly-judged catch under pressure.
Gatland will know he can rely on the 30-year-old.
There is no Biggar in the starting line-up this weekend, so there’s a fair chance Gatland wanted Halfpenny in the side for his marksmanship as well as to give him more rugby.
Rhys Patchell kicked well as a replacement against Ireland, but Halfpenny is one of the great goalkickers.
Opponents know that with him on the pitch they dare not give away penalties in their own half.
Don’t forget his peerless reading of play, too.
It’s an opportunity for him to show that Wales have more than one worldclass No.15 in their squad.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE FRONT ROW
THERE is no point anyone pretending the Wales scrum has gone especially well this summer.
True, it hasn’t been utterly overwhelmed.
But it has looked unstable at times, especially late in matches after reserve props have been introduced.
Wyn Jones has been one of the bench brigade, but he been responsible for only one of the 13 front-row penalties Wales have conceded, with tight-heads responsible for eight of the transgressions.
Also, when the former Llandovery man stepped onto the senior scene with the Scarlets, he was regarded as a more than capable scrummager, one who could also make his presence felt at the breakdown.
But let’s see.
He features alongside Wales’ top No.3 tomorrow in Tomas Francis with the Exeter Chief doubtless hoping to return to the form of last season’s Grand Slam.
Elliot Dee, a livewire against Ireland last weekend, packs down at hooker.
Quietly, he has been establishing himself as an important member of the squad, featuring in 20 of Wales’ last 21 matches.
DOOR OPENS FOR WILLIAMS
IT went a bit under the radar given the plaudits dished out to Rhys Patchell last Saturday, but Tomos Williams also made a mark off the bench.
The Cardiff Blue fired out a number of crisp passes and posed a threat around the fringes with his alertness and willing to take on the opposition back row.
He mixes energy with skill, but the big test is how he copes from the start.
Come through such an examination in Dublin and the debate over who is Wales’ premier No.9 will hot up even more.