Welsh back line

[bazzaj]

Was debating with a mate if Wales had one of the best rugby back lines in World rugby or not.
Love to hear the view from the hill and won't influence by offering what my view is at this point.
Yes or no will suffice if you don't want to over indulge.
Thanks in advance.

[Russ]

No

Pish poor at 9
10 is steady eddie
11 cant defend
12 is a bosher
13 is non existent
14 lol
15 can kick

[Nightsoil]

To be a smart alec, depending on how you define world rugby, a suitably large definition makes them de facto one of the best...

But, like, assuming any sensible definition, no. Too one-dimensional, far too dependent on Halfpenny to bail out the wings' naivety, and seemingly never-ending half-back problems (maybe now solved, but maybe not). Sure, they're lethal on their own terms, but that doesn't make you one of the best.

[BaggyTrousers]

With a supply of ball, their sheer size and pace often is enough to create scoring opportunities but when Warrenball goes wrong and their pack are being torn a new sphincter, you see the frailties in both wingers defending and Jamie Roberts turning slower than milk.

Their new 9 Rhys Webb is a marvellous player, bright as a button rather than strong plodder as his predecessor was and I admire Dan Biggar but he is no Sexton. Newpence is decent but can get knocked about in defence.

So powerful and hard to stop if the pack are on top, certainly individual talent but otherwise limited - a bit like Warrenball.

I can't help thinking than Wazza would have been a perfect England coach, their strengths suit his philosophy.

[LegsLikeSausages]

No

Pish poor at 9
10 is steady eddie
11 cant defend
12 is a bosher
13 is non existent
14 lol
15 can kick

Broadly agree with Russ, apart from scrum-half, Rhys Webb is a class act.

What they do have, however, is the most settled back line in the Northern hemisphere and that might give them a bit of an edge over us as we have no idea what we're doing at 12/13.

[bazzaj]

So any one think they are on a par with the SH sides?
Thanks for the replies thus far.

[BaggyTrousers]

So any one think they are on a par with the SH sides?
Thanks for the replies thus far.

OH FFS Jizzer must we do all the work here.

NZ - can put out a multiplicity of backlines that will trounce most teams
OZ - exceptionally talented, highly inventive but often without a platform to perform & too many mavericks getting into scrapes to settle into a regular bckline
SA - many fine players but no identifiable settled backline, the fact that they kick the ball more than most except Ireland doesn't help.

[bazzaj]

All tallies up with my opinion.
My friend is an English man who was basking in the current glory of their 'nullifying one of the worlds best back lines', in his opinion.
My Welsh friend and I have been trying to convince him otherwise but he insists that its only our opinion.
I have tried to explain that its fact.

The Welsh aren't in the same stratosphere compared to SH sides or even Toulon in terms of inventiveness,creativity or effectiveness.
None of the 6 nations sides are even close for that matter and the worrying aspect for me is none of them have learnt anything from them in the last decade.
Just bosh bosh bosh then repeat/kick.
Genius.

[BaggyTrousers]

Well Jizzer, you are keeping odd company but sure that's life, into every life a little rain must fall. As always I've been glad to help.

Actually if your English friend opened his eyes he would see that England have at least as much individual talent in their legion of backline options. The main difficulty is that Lancaster needs to decide how he wants to play, solid bangers like Barritt & 36 or some of these young more skilful Johnnies that are threatening to break through.

I of course loathe the thoughts of England winning the RWC but if they are to do it, I suspect it would be with the bludgeon rather than the rapier, they will not outplay NZ, they might outmuscle them - not guaranteed but they might ,maybe twice out of ten attempts????

I do see them winning the 6Ns.

[bazzaj]

Kind of thinking the winner of that Wales England opener would go on to win it Bagster.
I don't see anyone living with that front 5 in particular.
If we struggle against Italy there then we are bang in trouble against them.

For the world cup England are too one deminsial to win it.
Think every side who has won it to date and they would have at least 5 players who would be short listed on an all time list.
Look at this England team and I don't think any would be short listed even on an all time England list especially since they persist in overlooking their one class act.
Possibly Brown at a push but there is no real x factor on their team that is traditionally required to be the worlds best.
You may a sleep easy with that knowledge.

[rumncoke]

The Toulon backline look good because Toulon bunch 3 man magnets mid field who off load quickly .

Back lines are defined by the scrum half / out half combination creating time and space . Out side it is advantageous to have a centre combination who have some experience of playing together and playing a form of defence with which they are familiar with be it rush, drift or support by that I mean a first up ball winning role .
In attack wings are only as good as the service they receive and in defence most wings rely on the players in side them to ensure that they are not exposed facing 2 on 1 with their opposite number in space . Full backs are some what similar to wings but with more freedom in attack
The Welsh have a promising scrum half presently lacking experience a sound out half an ageing inside centre a clever outside centre and two wings who can finish if given space and time ( which is basically true of most ) where the welsh wings have an added advantage is size . Half penny as a full back is not the best what provides him for consideration for selection is his boot which is good both wide and long and worth at least 9 points a game.thus individual the welsh back may not be the best collective they could be considered the most experienced .

Bas where your English fiend may be right is that at the moment in the N/H England may have the best defence which is achieved by denying the opposition possession and by varying the form of defence which frequently has at least one player off side usually either out side centre or wing on a early rush to inhibit the use of outside centre or wings


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[Spiffsson]

The Welsh threequartes are massive, powerful and quite fast, but lack rugby intelligence, flair and good coaching. Behind them, Halfpenny is a defensive rock and a points machine match winner, but has had all the earlier spark coached out of him. I'd love to see what Schmidt would do with this lot.

[rumncoke]

Spiff

Never Never refer to a Welsh back line as unintelligent. The welsh wrote the manual for attacking back play along time before many others . Their current problems are an inexperienced 9 and a predictable 10 . I would not consider !/2p to a full back close to world class other than the fact he is a points machine as you correctly state.

[Russ]

Spiff

Never Never refer to a Welsh back line as unintelligent. The welsh wrote the manual for attacking back play along time before many others . Their current problems are an inexperienced 9 and a predictable 10 . I would not consider !/2p to a full back close to world class other than the fact he is a points machine as you correctly state.

Those are not Wales problems at the minute

They have boshers. Who only know how to bosh as if they don't bosh they get the kind of bollocking normally reserved for a team doctor trying to take a star player off

[BR]

Agree a lot with Baggy here. The England 3/4s scare the carp out of me. I can only hope that multitude of riches, dazzles Lancaster and he is unable to decide on a consistent approach.