Wallabies v Wales Game 2 Sat 13 July Melbourne

[Rugby Head]

Serious doubt doesn't sound good. Poor bloke, has had a wretched run of injuries and finally sees some consistency. Hopefully he doesn't miss too much time.

 

[KOB1987]

It will be a good opportunity for Cale to show what he's got as a starter as well. I still think he's a bit light for test rugby but he does play above his weight. I think he's fine against Wales & Georgia but NZ, Saffers, and the grand slam tour might be different stories. At least he has the opportunity to grow into the better & bigger opposition.

 

[stillmissit]

At 95kg (wiki) he is light but his speed and smarts help. He will grow to about 105 over the next few years and I hope he can keep some of that speed. We need a fast skilful #8 as we have mostly used our 8 as another 6. The SMH article notes him as 105 he doesn't look that to me. I hope he plays at 8 in this game as you say he's too light for a 6.

 

[Strewthcobber]

Wales XV to face Australia (apologies for the stupid NH numbering system......)

15. Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby – 6 caps)
14. Liam Williams (Kubota Spears – 91 caps)
13. Owen Watkin (Ospreys – 40 caps)
12. Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby – 13 caps)
11. Rio Dyer (Dragons – 21 caps)
10. Ben Thomas (Cardiff Rugby – 3 caps)
9. Ellis Bevan (Cardiff Rugby – 2 caps)
1. Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 32 caps)
2. Dewi Lake (Ospreys – 14 caps) captain / capten
3. Archie Griffin (Bath Rugby – 2 caps)
4. Christ Tshiunza (Exeter Chiefs – 11 caps)
5. Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 18 caps)
6. James Botham (Cardiff Rugby – 12 caps)
7. Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 19 caps)
8. Taine Plumtree (Scarlets – 4 caps)

Replacements

16. Evan Lloyd (Cardiff Rugby – 4 caps)
17. Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets – 4 caps)
18. Harri O’Connor (Scarlets – 3 caps)
19. Cory Hill (Secom Rugguts – 33 caps)
20. Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby – 4 caps)
21. Kieran Hardy (Ospreys – 22 caps)
22. Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 14 caps)
23. Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 37 caps)

 

[Slim 293]

I'm not sure where wiki got 95kg from, because every other profile of his, going back to Uni-Norths in 2022, has him listed at 105kg...

 

[Strewthcobber]

He's 1.95m tall. There's no way he's 95kg

 

[Wilson]

I'm a bit surprised Gatland hasn't started Costelow here. Wainwright a massive loss.

 

[Strewthcobber]

It's quite a strange team. The Welsh fans are not impressed

 

[Alex Sharpe]

Of all the things I hate about northern hemisphere rugby, the creation of the 15-9 then 1-8 team sheet has to be the thing that shits me the most

 

[Wilson]

Amazing to only bring one specialist 10 and then leave him on the bench. Could still get all the value from Thomas by playing him at 12.

 

[Wilson]

Wales XV to face Australia (apologies for the stupid NH numbering system......)

...
19. Cory Hill (Secom Rugguts – 33 caps)

Also, I missed this last week, but Cory Hill is playing for a 4th Division Japanese side! I know he's got plenty of caps but that's got to be about equivalent to getting picked of reserve grade in Perth or Canberra here. Hell of a great name for a club though.

 

[John S]

I'm 1.95m and 95kg. But then, I'm not working out like a rugby player is/should be

 

[Strewthcobber]

I'm 1.96cm and I'm well above 95kg, but also not working out like a pro-rugby player . I would have been just about too light at 95kg in schoolboy rugby

 

[Adam84]

Lynagh suffered hamstring strain so Donaldson onto bench.

Josh Nasser to debut off bench replacing Pollard

 

[fatprop]

95kg is the weight of a modern rugby 9

 

[Rugby Head]

When is our team announced?

 

[whitefalcon]

its usually at 12pm isn't it?

 

[Sword of Justice]

The listed weight of a modern 9. I think it’s impossible to get a sense of what’s a good weight these days given the outrageous claims by some of these teams. Isaac Henry is listed at 94kg which I think is actually probably honest and he’s huge compared to almost all 9s.

 

[Sword of Justice]

On the other hand there was a period not so long ago when every lock and prop was listed at 115kg for some reason and I know for a fact that some props were running around at 105kg. Tupou on the other hand was rumoured to be 15kg heavier than listed this year.

 

[fatprop]

Yeah, I remember Adam Freier talking about always being under weight and drinking gallons of water before any weigh in to try to bump it up