Give Lane a run but continuity is key now
“Owen is a young man in form... with others missing, he deserves a chance against Scotland”
WARREN Gatland names his Wales squad for the November Tests on Tuesday and if I was him, I’d pick only one uncapped player – Cardiff Blues winger Owen Lane has to be involved. He looks a perfect fit for international rugby.
By the time the World Cup comes around next year, Warren can pick only 31 men but I’d expect the party he names for the Autumn series to be a touch bigger.
I think that will create an opportunity for Owen in the back three.
I know Warren is a fan of Owen and he could even start against Scotland in the first Test on November 3. That match is outside the World Rugby window which means Saracens Liam Williams and Worcester Warriors Josh Adams won’t be available. Hallam Amos is out injured at the moment, too, and Steffan Evans – as much as I rate him – hasn’t been playing much senior rugby this season.
Owen could very well end up with an earlier-than-expected Test debut and the thing is from what I’ve seen of him, I don’t think it would phase him one bit. He looks coolness personified on the big stage.
In many ways, Owen reminds me of Alex Cuthbert when he burst on to the stage when Wales won the Grand Slam in 2012. He’s a rangy runner, but powerful too and his support lines are fantastic.
The best wingers pop up all over the field and although some of his tries might look like easy finishes, don’t let that fool you.
To be in the right position when it matters most is a natural talent you’re either born with or you’re not. You can’t really be taught it. Luckily I had a sense of where to be when the tries were coming during my career and Owen has that too.
Whether he can transfer that to Test level only time will tell, but I’d back him to do so.
If Owen is to become a World Cup bolter, he has to be given a chance and Scotland is the perfect opportunity. A few tries there and he will have really staked his claim.
The other thing about Owen is he’s a young man in form after his two tries against the Dragons. It’s the right time for him to be given a chance, especially with others missing.
Other than Owen, I don’t expect there to be too many surprises from Warren and two men who will certainly be named in the squad are Hadleigh Parkes and Jonathan Davies.
They are players I’ll be watching closely over the next month – not because I doubt their quality one bit – but because I think their centre partnership could hold the key to our World Cup hopes.
Everyone knows how much I rate Scott Williams, but I think if Hadleigh and Jon are fit they’re our first-choice midfield partnership for Japan.
There are only 13 games to the World Cup now and it’s important those two men get the time to get to know each other on the international stage because they are yet to play with each other there.
Of course as Scarlets team-mates they know each other’s games pretty well, but combining together on the Test stage is a different matter.
That’s why they must be given plenty of time to get to know the men inside and outside of them over the course of November. To build a new Welsh midfield partnership at this stage might appear risky, but I don’t think that’s the case. It looks to me like the perfect balance.
Both Jon and Hadleigh are comcially plete footballers. They can pass, run and kick and have brute power when it’s required.
Fitness permitting, they need to start at least three of the four Autumn games together especially if the half-backs change around them. Continuity is key.
Every single Wales fan will have their own opinion on who should play in the back row, but that area of the pitch has had its fair share of injuries already this season.
Sam Warburton is now retired and James Davies, Aaron Shingler and Taulupe Faletau are on the sidelines. Taulupe’s absence with a broken arm leaves a vacancy at No.8 and it’s one which I expect to be filled by Ross Moriarty, even though Josh Navidi and Ellis Jenkins can play in that position. I do have one word of warning, though.
Ross must curb his anger on the field or risk becoming a Test liability. I am concerned about his behaviour, especially after what I saw in the derby clash between the Dragons and the Blues.
Every player gets frustrated, espe- if refereeing decisions aren’t going your way and your team is up against it, but what you can’t do in international rugby is lose your head.
Ross did that in the summer when he was sent off against Argentina for choking Nicolas Sanchez. I had hoped he’d learned his lesson, but in my view he was lucky to escape a sanction against the Blues for the way he showed his displeasure at referee Ian Davies. It wasn’t good enough.
Warren will know he can’t remove Ross’ edge because that’s what makes him the fine player he is. He needs that aggression to take on the world’s biggest and best players, but if I were Warren I’d have a quiet word in Ross’ ear when the squad meet up in camp next week.
The message needs to be: ‘Just think twice in the heat of battle’ because I’m not sure that’s something he does right now. Can you imagine if Wales’ World Cup campaign was ruined by a red card for Ross or any other player? It simply can’t be allowed to happen.
In the back row department I’d also like to see Thomas Young and Aaron Wainwright given a chance.
I’m sure both will be in the squad, but as I mentioned on Owen needing a chance to impress, the same applies to Thomas and Aaron.
One or both of them really needs to start against Tonga in my view. Thomas has been injured so far this season and won’t be available for Scotland either, but the fact he came pretty much straight back into the Wasps side for the Champions Cup clash with Leinster this weekend means he must be in pretty decent shape.
Thomas could yet throw his hat into the World Cup ring and I’ll be watching him with interest. Can he replicate the form he’s shown in the English Premiership in the last few seasons with Wales?
If so, Warren will surely have to take him to Japan and that’s what every player in Gatland’s squad has to be thinking, whether they’re an established name or not.
Time is of the essence, so stand up and be counted!