Davies to start – and earn us a bonus!
Wales should beat Italy quite comfortably and a bonus-point would be the cherry on top. But with the Six Nations title gone for another year, there are two things I’d like to see from Warren Gatland’s side against the Azzurri.
There will be no excuse for not producing an 80-minute display at Principality Stadium and I want to see the attacking rugby Wales showed against Scotland back on display. The other area wher there has to be a significant improvement is the breakdown.
I’d urge Warren not to consider too many changes. I think three or four – not nine or ten as we’ve seen in autumn campaigns in the past – is the way to go.
Everyone knows Italy stay in the game a little longer these days, they give it everything, but ultimately often come out on the wrong side of the result. I expect that to happen again this weekend. If it doesn’t, there will have been one big shock.
There has been a lot of discussion about the fly-half jersey since the defeat to Ireland. I know that’s always the case in Wales, but it’s a tricky situation for Warren. What does he do?
Gareth Anscombe has been superb at No.10 in the last two games and I think he’s an excellent player who offers a running threat which challenges defences. I can see why he is an attractive option, but if Gareth starts against Italy, that’s three flyhalves used in the Championship already.
That’s a good thing if you’re looking at new combinations and trying different personnel. We are 18 months out from a World Cup and that does give Warren a degree of breathing room to assess.
But there is a fine line between giving everyone a chance and making too many changes, too often. At the moment, my opinion is Wales are just the wrong side of that line and if I analyse the three selections so far, they’ve been a little bit choppy.
Of course Warren would have wanted to pick his strongest side on a consistent basis and his hand has been forced by injuries. But if anything, that’s a reason to keep a degree of stability, especially in such a key position as fly-half. Things haven’t really worked out in the last two games with two defeats following some messy, mix-and-match selection. That’s why I’d pick Dan Biggar against Italy.
We all know what a top-class player he is and Dan arguably came back a bit too soon in the game with Ireland following a shoulder injury. He will only get better this weekend and I’ve got no doubt he can bring the best from the backline outside him.
The fly-half discussion sums up why I think it’s important to not make too many changes against Italy. Wales have played some good rugby in this tournament, but only in patches.
Our best performance was against Scotland and we need to get back to that level. Panicking and making sweeping personnel rotations won’t help that.
That said, two men I’d like to see play against Italy are George North and Taulupe Faletau. George starts on the wing for me in place of Liam Williams. I didn’t think Liam looked quite match fit against Ireland after his abdominal problem. In contrast, George has looked very, very dangerpeople
“If Wales tidy up the breakdown they should blow Italy away whoever takes the field”
ous coming off the bench in the last two games and must begin the match.
George looks incredibly hungry to me and he also seems a little lighter on his feet. A lively George North will be a real threat to Italy, while I think Taulupe will offer a different dynamic to Ross Moriarty at No 8. Ross is inching back to full fitness – as is Taulupe – but now the latter has got some game time for Bath, I’d bring him back into the international fold.
Both George and Taulupe can help Wales play with the width and tempo they need to run Italy around the field, but I’m sure Warren will want to see an improvement at the breakdown.
Against England and Ireland, we weren’t good enough there. In Dublin, Ireland absolutely destroyed us in that area. It can’t be allowed to happen again and I don’t really know why it’s been going on. I’m sure some will point to the absence of guys like Sam Warburton, but I don’t think it’s a personnel issue. Wales aren’t any less physical than any other team in the Six Nations.
In fact, they pride themselves on that area and the only thing I can think of is that it might just have been neglected a little bit in training. So much focus has been on Wales’ new attacking game and I know from speaking to some of the players they’re working incredibly hard on it during practice. Perhaps that has become too much of a focus to the detriment of the breakdown.
Against Ireland, Wales were too slow to the contact area. We sent up a lot of one-up runners who were smashed back.
Ireland worked harder to get over the ball and it allowed Conor Murray to have a field day at scrum-half. It’s a pretty simple part of the game, one man carries the ball forward and two or three men support him to clean out the opposition and secure clean, quick possession. That might sound simple, but it hasn’t been happening on a high enough level in the last two games.
It’s not a slight on the back row who have played so far because guys like Josh Navidi have been among Wales’ best players. It’s something for every man on the pitch to consider.
One person who is a fine expert at the breakdown is James Davies. I’ve no doubt he could do a job from the start against Italy and I’d have him among my replacements at the very least.
He’s different, possesses tireless energy and been unlucky to not have had a shot so far. If he isn’t going to get a chance now, then when is he?
If Wales tidy up the breakdown they should blow Italy away whoever takes to the field. Anything other than a bonus-point win will be a disappointment.