Will a bolter kick the door down and earn a World Cup ticket?
THE late actor David Carradine knew what to do when it came to swinging a verdict in an audition.
Back in the day, the American put in for the iconic role of Caine in the old western TV series Kung Fu.
Those making the call had previously rejected Bruce Lee for the role and had seemingly been unimpressed by Carradine as the interview session came to an end.
Then came the moment changed it all.
As he went to leave the room, Carradine jumped up and kicked a wall, leaving a footprint above the door frame.
He landed the job.
Will any Wales players do the rugby equivalent of what Carradine did to bag World Cup places in the coming warm-up games, starting with the encounter against England at Twickenham tomorrow? Will any change minds late in the day?
gives his verdict on the team Warren Gatland has chosen for the match in London...
GATLAND GOES CLOSE TO FULL TILT
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IT’S safe to assume not everyone would have seen this side coming, especially with Wales playing four Tests in 27 days with a World Cup campaign to follow.
Some would have assumed Warren Gatland would have used the opening game of Wales’ warm-up programme to try out different combinations and maybe give a few borderline players opportunities in the starting line-up.
There was also the risk of injuries to factor in. Post-Taulupe Faletau’s costly training ground mishap, the coach could not have been blamed for being wary of exposing too many of his front liners in an England-Wales encounter at Twickenham.
But, evidently, Gatland is of the view that players can’t be hidden away.
Momentum is priceless in sport, Wales have it in spades and their head coach doesn’t want to see it given up.
He will be looking for a strong performance to set the tone for the challenges ahead.
Evidently, the World Cup starts here.
NO COTTON WOOL FOR AWJ
WELL, notwithstanding the customised playing regime he played under last season, Alun Wyn Jones doesn’t seem a cotton wool type of guy, does he?
Combat is what he does and he would have wanted to lead his team out at the start of a huge period for Welsh rugby.
There are risks – of course there are.
Jones saw Rhys Webb and Leigh Halfpenny suffer serious injuries in the 2015 World Cup warm-up against Italy and he was on duty when Morgan Stoddart and Gavin Henson were invalided out of contention for the 2011 tournament, barely a month before it started.
He played in only one such encounter himself before the last World Cup, against Ireland in Dublin – in a match Wales won.
Wales need him to stay fit if they are to have a serious chance of returning home with the Webb Ellis Cup, for he is a player who sets the standard.
He expects a lot from team-mates, but more from himself.
He has the words if they’re needed, but he recognises that what he does is more important. There are political leaders who could take lessons from him.
But Wales also need him to be battle-hardened.
It’s a tricky balancing act for Gatland and his on-pitch leader.
How they handle it over the coming weeks will be fascinating.
WHAT DOES THE PICK TELL US ABOUT GATLAND’S FAITH IN HIS WIDER SQUAD?
IT doesn’t tell us much on that front, actually.
Wales made 14 changes for the game with Tonga last autumn and posted a 74-24 victory. Gatland will know he has strength in depth in most positions and the probability is he will vary his selections as the warm-up campaign unfolds.
This is all about starting as Wales mean to go on in terms of performance.
Aside from the odd area hit by injuries, they will be happy with how deep their talent reserves are.
“We seem to be acquiring the kind of depth we haven’t had in certain positions in 30 years or more,” said Phil Bennett last year.
That still stands.
And players will have opportunities off the bench this weekend.
HOW SIGNIFICANT IS AARON’S SHINGLER’S RETURN TO A MATCHDAY SQUAD?
VERY significant and then a bit more.
How the Scarlets missed the 6ft 6in, 16st 7lb back rower last season with his line-out expertise, groundeating charges with ball in hand, work at the breakdown and committed defence.
And Wales will be delighted he