The Silver Fern

The biggest concern for us in Wales at the moment should be the apathy among the supporters.
Many of my friends don't bother even watching games on TV anymore never mind buying a ticket.
It's a slippery slope. 😟
As for the game, it's a foregone conclusion.
We struggle against anyone with a degree of physicality and we're playing the most physical side in world rugby.
Again some strange selections but whatever the team it'd be like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic!!

@sparky said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

@Jet Time for a fresh voice, like Matt Sherratt or Dwayne Peel.

Toby Booth would be ideal for me, he turned the ospreys around totally changing the culture there.
Gats has been a good coach but that was nearly a decade ago, rugby has changed.
Wales don't have the players to complete right at the top end that much is obvious but even many of our better players seem to be going backwards performance wise.

Never physically in the contest today (apart from briefly in the 2nd quarter)
Next week is going to be painful indeed.
I was offered a ticket for the SA game, not going to bother - I'd rather poke myself in the eye

@game_film that's never going to happen, he knows no one else will be paying him 600k a year.

Better 2nd quarter from Wales, finally started to win some collisions.
First 20 we were far too passive.
Aus looked very good in that 1st quarter though.

It's going to be a long afternoon

Fabulous try NZ 😎

Looking forward to this one.
NZ should have one tactic - run straight at Ramos, he's a shitehouse defender.

@Bovidae said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

Is Plumtree dropped or also injured?

Plumtree and winger Rio Dyer have according to Gats been left out "to give them a kick in the backside".

Shame we can't do the same thing with the coaching team.

Must admit I'm not liking the fact that Australia really fronted up physically against the English pack & now bring in bloody Will Skelton against Wales too !! That's not fair 😳😁

@MiketheSnow said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Australia:

This could easily be an absolute drubbing for Wales if Australia kick on, or a win for Wales if we can make better decisions and hold on to the ball.

Grady having a scan today. Hopefully he'll be fit. If not Dyer to the wing.

Wales XV
Winnett; Grady / Dyer, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Murray; Anscombe, T Williams

G Thomas, Lake (capt), Griffin, Tshiunza, Beard, Plumtree, J Morgan, Wainwright.

Replacements
Elias, N Smith, Assiratti, Botham, Reffell
Bevan, James, Dyer/Hathaway

It's going to be an interesting post match analysis today at the Vale.
I think yesterday's game highlighted how rusty Wainwright was, he's been Wales' best performer over the last year but his lack of match practice showed. Botham added a bit more go forward when he came off the bench as did Jac Morgan.
Freddie Thomas is someone who could come into the 23.
Hopefully Grady will be fit but initial signs aren't good.

@Catogrande said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Fiji:

@MiketheSnow @pooler-fan

Seriously not gloating but fuck me, you lot are in a dark place atm. Potential record breaking losing streak and likely looking at a calendar year of losses. Not seen since 1937 (3 games). Domestic game all over the place.

Hats off to Gatland for taking that poisoned chalice and more so for sticking with it.

It’s tough to be an England fan currently, but you boys are doing it tough.

It's pretty dire at the moment.

On Gats, I wouldn't feel too sorry for him - we're paying him 580k a year. He was a world class coach a decade ago but don't think anyone else would be stupid enough to pay him anywhere near that money these days but the WRU aren't too clever.

I admire Mike's optimism but we'll have to improve immeasurably to get anywhere near Australia next week.

@MiketheSnow it looked like the loosehead got under Griffin for the penalty.
Think he'll be a good international tighthead in a few years.
He's not ready now though.

Don't understand why Gats persists with Griffin at tighthead, I get that he has potential but hasn't played.
Henry Thomas is performing well this season, just a head scratching decision for me.

Australia have been superb

Scrappy game to watch not helped by Chuck Berry giving Ireland the licence at the breakdown to cause havoc.
Thought the AB's hooker & 6 were epic - made some serious post contact metres.
Ireland have been great over the last few years but didn't help themselves with their bench, I'm all for using experience but O'Mahony, Healy, Murray etc should be put out to pasture now. They have plenty of young talents in the URC - use them.
Roigard looked great off the bench.

AB scrum starting to get some dominance.

@ARHS our best one now plays for England and the 2nd best is in the NFL.
I wouldn't say the cupboard is bare but it's almost empty. 🙄😁

Looking forward to this, hope it's an epic tussle.

@MiketheSnow said in Autumn Test 2024 : Wales v Fiji:

Wales 23 announced

Pretty happy with that.

Very happy to see a playmaker at 12 in Ben Thomas

6-2 bench is interesting

Good impact off the bench

Blair Murray makes his debut after a good start to the season with the Scarlets

Playmakers at 9, 10, 12, 13

If we win clean ball we could see our backs at their best

Surprised we didn't see Henry Thomas get a start at tighthead.
Also Freddie Thomas, thought they'd have capped him off the bench.

That Fijian backline is bloody scary, no lose kicks please. 🫣