Welsh injury crisis looms
19 May 2008
Hooker Huw Bennett is the latest Welshman to be ruled out of their tour to South Africa.
Coach Warren Gatland has already had to omit six of his Grand Slam winners due to injury. Centre Gavin Henson, fullback Lee Byrne, loose-forwards Martyn Williams and Alix Popham, as well as scrumhalves Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel will not play in the two-Test series next month.
Bennett became the most recent casualty after he damaged ankle ligaments in Shane Williams’s testimonial match on Saturday.
“After consultation we can confirm Huw will not be fit enough to join the South Africa tour party,” Wales team physiotherapist Mark Davies told the BBC.
“We know he won’t travel due to the ligament damage he has sustained to his left ankle, but are awaiting further test results to determine precisely how long he will be in recovery,” said Davies.
45 Comments
20 May 2008, 10:17 am
Hurt Dragons
20 May 2008, 10:19 am
Pitty. I would have liked to have seen a full strength side against our new outfit.
20 May 2008, 10:32 am
yip, real pity, we needed a full strength wales.
20 May 2008, 10:33 am
Also would’ve liked a full strength outfit. Now they’ve got their future excuses lined up…
20 May 2008, 10:40 am
Still think they will give the Boks a game
20 May 2008, 10:42 am
As with the England sqaud etc and now the welsh i think the call for a world rugby season is getting stronger because both these teams are in for a hammering now. This scenario almost negates the June tours, the same with the EOYT for the Tri-Nation teams.
20 May 2008, 11:03 am
What are the Odds………….Bennett’s replacemnent to be a Jones.
20 May 2008, 11:09 am
Joe Jones maybe??
or
David Davies??
dropping like flies as usual whenever it comes to tours downunder
20 May 2008, 11:36 am
Pity that they are missing so many players now as they would have given the Boks a good warm up for the Tri Nations unfortunately now I think they are going to be nothing fixtures. Talking about injuries did anyone see what happened to Cipriani’a ankle on Sunday in the Wasps game, his foot was twisted around 90 degrees, looked very painful.
20 May 2008, 11:46 am
Brother Cane….. are you still alive??
The only concern here is that we will be playing the “old” rules…. its surely going to count against us.
Had this game been played under ELV’s it would have been a serious case of good night nurse
20 May 2008, 11:50 am
Are they really injured or are they just scared? I think the latter, this way Gatland can use the old “not at full strenght” excuse.
Dragons prepare to be slaughtered!
20 May 2008, 11:50 am
One thing most okes are forgetting is that Wales with their big names stars are a pretty mediocre lot. Yes they won the GS in the 6N but the quality of the tournament was the worst in living memory. So lets get a bit of perspective here. The Dragons are not Dragons. Maybe Dragon Flies but definitely not worldbeaters. Problem is that everybody has blown so much smoke up their arses and they have starting believing that they are a major force in rugby. They are not.
20 May 2008, 11:59 am
lol Pauld, its all about the respect.
See thats where Jake got it all wrong with ireland, he shot from the hip.
Instead, better to blow smoke up their arses all day long in public, and prepare to hammer them in private.
20 May 2008, 12:00 pm
I dont think they’ll be a walkover, its an astute coaching staff, gatland is a kiwi who will come to win – but if the boks remain injury free, its one of the strongest bok squads i can remember.
20 May 2008, 12:03 pm
Question………. I’ll make it multiple choice, to give you Saffas a fair suck of the savoloy.
How many Jones’s have Worn the Red Dragon Jersey.
A) 44.
B) 63.
C) 79.
Answer below:-
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.
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..
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79……………………Now that’s incredible.
Only one Jackson in 1800′s.
20 May 2008, 12:04 pm
#14 Cab
I agree on the boks. But even a full strength Taff team would never be a match. They just lack the build and physicality. Sure Shane Williams has scored 40 test tries against Romania , Italy , The Eastern Highlands of Guam etc but put up against a JDV/JF and they will murder him. I as a bok supporter would be more afraid of England who came 3rd in the 6N.
20 May 2008, 12:06 pm
#10 Bod:
I hope you have gotten over your Team not making the Semi’s.
They did you proud just the same. Right up untill the final game I had them IN.
20 May 2008, 12:09 pm
#15 cane: 79 jones’ interesting – what about the boks with Botha (your favourite)? lets hope its just a popular surname and not an indication of our gene pool diversity.
#16 pauld: ya i dont think they’ll match us at home, but there’s nothing more diabolical than a complacent Bok team thats expected to drill the oppo. …the eastern highlands of Guam…hahaha.
20 May 2008, 12:09 pm
#13 cab:
” he shot from the hip”.
Close cab…………….close but,
” he shot from the LIP”.
20 May 2008, 12:17 pm
#18 cab:
Cab the Bokke Gene Pool is far more diversified with your McCelts, Van Dals, Van Der Huns, LeGauls, Von Goths etc…………..and of course the odd Tacitus.
20 May 2008, 12:17 pm
#18 Cab
problem is that playing against cannon fodder like Wales won’t be a good tune up for the 3N. At least NZ have England. England don’t have any decent backs on their tour but they will compete up front as they always do. That alone is valuble for the Kiwis.
20 May 2008, 12:39 pm
#21 pauld: It’s interesting that you say the boks will be playing against cannon fodder Wales… the Welsh seem to think they are going to pip us on this tour…
Perspectives could not be further adrift.
20 May 2008, 12:45 pm
#22 eight ball: Read my #12 post. When people start believing their own BS the wheels normally come off
20 May 2008, 12:46 pm
#20 cane: not sure about that..have u seen some of the eye spacing of our props?
#21 pauld: hehe … pauld, every welshman’s nightmare come true…say what u really mean. ‘cannon fodder’ LMAO.
20 May 2008, 12:49 pm
#23 pauld: I did read it, couldn’t agree more. I think we could give them a serious hiding, was just commenting on the divergent opinions.
20 May 2008, 12:51 pm
#24 cab: Well the English have used the Taffs , Jocks and Micks as cannon fodder for years. They are used to fight all the wars the english start. The english officers get all the credit though. Tough sipping pink gin in a war zone. But honestly , this welsh team is cannon fodder. It will be a turkey shoot
20 May 2008, 12:52 pm
lol Pauld..i should imagine u are very good value at the game.
20 May 2008, 12:56 pm
#27 cab: Normally wasted at the game. Went to the boks/baabaas last year at twickers. Left home at 10 in the morning and got back at 4 the next morning. Got a lot of visual and zero audio from the ball and chain. Where you based ?
20 May 2008, 12:59 pm
hehe…i have done the trek to twickers for our annual EOY tour match there only to see the boks get slaughtered…the RWC final and pool games were very special…based in paris at mo, u?
20 May 2008, 13:01 pm
#29 cab: In London. What you doing in Frogville ?
20 May 2008, 13:04 pm
flipping burgers, was in london for a few years, summer is lekker if not too short. nothing like a few pints after work on a summer’s day. u making a plan for the Lions in SA 2009?
20 May 2008, 13:08 pm
#31 cab: Flipping burgers. Goddamn potatohead belongs under a circus tent , not flipping burgers. (From Dusk Till Dawn). Summers when good are great here. Always do a bit of beer drinking. Even in winter. Give me London over Paris anyday.
20 May 2008, 13:10 pm
keep cricket off the rugby field.
20 May 2008, 13:38 pm
#32 pauld: yip, but totally different, paris is a prettier city, has better food, culture, tannies, wine and is more laidback – london is 24hr laager fueled pisstake session – on 2nd thoughts you’re quite right not sure why i moved.
20 May 2008, 13:38 pm
The tough test will be Italy.
They have a formidable pack and Mallet as coach.
Yes, I know they get hammered in the 6N, but that pack will give us a game up front, and who better than Mallet as your coach when you play against SA.
20 May 2008, 13:47 pm
#35 tight head: Disagree. More cannon fodder than the Taffs. Last time the wops were in SA Corne Krige’s side put 100 against them. The 6N was piss poor this year so lets not hype up Italy.
20 May 2008, 13:54 pm
#36 pauld:
Hi Pauld.
Don’t get me wrong, we should beat them convincingly.
However this is a vastly different Italy to last time.
They now have a very competitive pack, including the best front row in the 6N and the best tight head in world rugby.
They are no longer soft up front and their backs are far more disciplined than before.
20 May 2008, 13:54 pm
Still a test match, the welsh fancy their chances and the italians pack is a good one, if the boks are prepared for each test should be fine, but must not be underestimate these teams, if the gamescore is low and drags on, could be difficult.
20 May 2008, 13:57 pm
#37 tight head: Tights
Ja , but look at the competition. The Scots were non-existent as a team. The Irish frontrow is about 35 years old per man. The English lost the plot and Wales were pushed all over the park. I really don’t know why we are giving these guys so much respect. The Italians will disrupt as they know they cant win. The first half will be a mess but the 2nd half will be genocide in terms of putting points over them. If anything , European rugby has actually regressed
20 May 2008, 14:04 pm
#39 pauld:
I tend to agree with you about the quality of 6N rugby.
However I believe that the Italian and Pommie packs are very good at the basics like scrumming.
We should beat Italy comfortably, but I think they will test us more than the Welsh, with their injury problems and style of play.
Italy will be very beneficial for us to play against before the tri nations, because I believe they will offer more of a physical test.
20 May 2008, 16:17 pm
Tighthead,
I agree..the Italians will match us upfront. their front row is the equal of any in the world.
20 May 2008, 16:28 pm
#41 greatest13gerber: you have lost the plot. You honestly don’t believe that do you ? Get real
20 May 2008, 16:30 pm
#42 pauld:
Pauld.
He is right.
Argies, Italy, England, NZ, SA.
20 May 2008, 17:33 pm
#43 tight head: I’ll believe it when I see it. These okes only ever have one good half in them. After that it’s all tears
20 May 2008, 18:32 pm
#44 pauld:
We are not talking about who wins the game.
We are saying that they have one of the best front rows in the world, and a good pack.
Remember this, and watch their scrumming against us.
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