GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Rhys Webb
Following in the footsteps of Mike Phillips is no easy task – especially when the Welsh side, and the fans for that matter, have become used to Phillips’ brand of physicality, aggression and verbal jousting over the past eight years. But Webb fully repaid the faith shown in him by Gatland, looking full of the creative spark and explosive acceleration that has made him such a threat for the Ospreys this year. His long, fast passes have maintained the width that the Welsh gameplan demands and, although a couple of decisions were a bit off, he looks to have sewn up that nine shirt for the Six Nations. He also went throughout the Autumn Internationals without kicking once in the opposition’s half, which must be some sort of record (or a terrible indictment of his kicking ability). Has hopefully also learnt that winding up the All Blacks pre-game is a bad idea.
Dan Biggar
Let’s be honest, Biggar has never been the armchair pundit’s or the rugby romanticist’s choice for the Welsh 10 shirt. He’s not especially flash or sexy, but he is reliable. Except, that doesn’t do justice to the Ospreys 10. Sure, he’s reliable and he may not be the ‘maverick’ that many expect a Welsh fly half to be, but he nearly always makes the right decision and – with a backline consisting of Roberts, Davies, North etc – that is all you really need. He has a smart tactical boot on him as well and tackles well above his weight (check out some of his hits against the South Africans) and, in the post-Stephen Jones era where nobody has known who is the best Welsh fly-half, his confidence and assurance in the 10 jersey should be a relief to all Welsh fans.
Samson Lee
I’m not going to lie, before the Autumn Internationals, all I saw was a bloke who looked like he should be working the door of a Newport nightclub who happened to hold up a corner of a scrum OK. But, he’s proven to me (and the man he replaced, Adam Jones, it would seem) that he has now ready for international rugby and – beyond that – he is ready to make a statement. His work in the tight and in the set piece was superb and culminated in a magnificent performance against the Springboks and, although we didn’t see him on the carry as much as we’d expect, it looks like Jones’ long term successor has been located.
Jamie Roberts
Old Desperate Dan tends to puzzle me. On one hand he happens to be one of the most destructive ball carriers around, a doctor and apparently an all round decent chap – but on the other hand he tends to go missing in big games for seasons on end. I hadn’t seen him really bring out his ‘A’ game in a Welsh shirt since 2013, but this Autumn he was direct and aggressive in defence and attack, providing a source of front foot ball against some of the world’s best backlines.
Sam Warburton
A lot was made of the fact that Warburton had only played six club games prior to the Autumn Internationals, but it now looks as if this was one of the few things that WRU got right. Warburton didn’t seem undercooked, he looked fresh and energetic and was a nuisance in all of the games in which he played. Competing against the best is one thing, matching them is quite another – and Warburton managed it with room to spare.
WORK TO DO
Rhys Priestland
I staunchly defended the Scarlets man before, and to an extent I still do – I maintain that booing his introduction against the Aussies was both churlish and counter-productive, when dealing with a confidence player. Sadly, the Scarlets man was unable to have a positive effect on the side during his time on the pitch, and as a result he was dropped completely for the New Zealand game and an unused substitute against South Africa. It doesn’t seem all that long ago that Priestland was seen as a fixture in the Welsh backline for years to come – but those days are certainly over now.
Mike Phillips
The scrum half has been a shoo-in starter for the last seven years, but Phillips’ reign looks to have come to an end – and about time. He has, over recent years, become far too erratic in his displays and his tactical decisions and execution have often been appalling (see his display v Wallabies in 2013 for an example of how not to kick to Israel Folau). His continued selection seemed more to do with there not being any adequate replacements, but the emergence of Rhys Webb has seen Phillips relegated to the bench for the foreseeable future.
James Hook
It’s been said in the media that Hook’s international career has been ruined by his own versatility – and the Autumn Internationals gave a perfect example of why that is the case. The full back, centre and fly half spots were all vacated at separate times due to injuries, but in none of the above situations did Hook get to fill in, despite his international experience and quality across the backline. Instead, he seems to have suffered from the same debilitating versatility that Austin Healey did – he’s seen as the jack of all trades but the master of none. And although he worked his way onto the bench for the game against the All Blacks, the fact that he is not a first choice replacement will have concerned him.
Taulupe Faletau
Taulupe (we’re not to call him Toby any more, apparently) has a fantastic work rate and – when put next to Dan Lydiate – forms part of one of the best defensive back rows in world rugby. He simply does not miss tackles but he also seems to struggle to make metres. His display against the Wallabies – just four metres in 10 carries – was simply not good enough for a man who is supposed to be a banker for front foot ball. He improved against the All Blacks and the Springboks, but his inability to get over the gainline consistently is still a concern.
Paul James
The loosehead has been in destructive form for Bath but seems unable to replicate that form on the international circuit, despite getting the nod ahead of Gethin Jenkins. In particular, against the All Blacks, James found himself on the wrong end of Wayne Barnes’ whistle on three occasions in the scrum – all for “angling in”. We can argue all we want over whether or not that was the right call, but the inability to adapt to a referee’s interpretation is rather problematic for a prop. He’s seldom seen in the loose, too, and you suspect that Gethin Jenkins is not ready to hand over the jersey just yet.
Who were you impressed/disappointed with this autumn?
By Mike Cooper (@RuckedOver)
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
As you know by now, we are hilarious, and you should be following us on Facebook and Twitter. 
Think Danny Lydiate put in a huge shift over the Autumn too despite not getting a look in at Racing Metro.. A huge tackle count once again
I largely agree. I think Lydiate’s stock has risen – the calls for Tipuric to start ahead of him have gone away – and Liam Williams deserves a positive mention.
I’d put George North in the latter category. Aside from a break against Australia he was fairly anonymous and his defence is looking very suspect.
Mike Philips needs to be playing regular club rugby to get a look in again. On current form I’d put him behind the three Scarlets boys (as well as Webb). His decision making has been poor and that’ll only improve when he’s playing more rugby.
Jamie, a good summing-up on the whole, and I agree Webb was brilliant in the internationals. But Mike Phillips; I get a bit fed up with people knocking him constantly. Talking about last year you say “his continued selection seemed more to do with there not being any adequate replacements”; come on, the guy had just come back from being no.1 choice for the Lions in a successful series! Not many scrum-halves get selected for 6 Lions matches in succession (one off the bench admittedly). He’s a great player, and it’s just a huge relief there are so many good younger candidates waiting to fill his boots. Give him a break please…..
Mike
The fans booed P++shand because:-
1:He should NEVER have been anywhere near the team.
2:He is just awful and has been since the England game in 2012.
3:He is the man that threw away the Test Series against the Aussies in 2012. Him and him alone.
4: He was there in the 6N 2014 and the AIs 2014 as Gatland’s little pet.
This AI season P++hand proved yet again both in the 2nd half v Aus and throughout the whole 80mins v Fiji that he is a total liability. Everything he did against Fiji went wrong. Fiji for Go’d sake a team beatn 66-o in RWC 2011.
Gutless stuck with this idiot for far far too long.
At the end of the day if an out of form player cannot take the stick from the paying public for being rubbish-don’t play and have the strength of character to tell the coach to leave you at your club/region until you re-discover your previous form.
Defeating the Boks (at last) and seeing the end of P++shand in a Wales jersey are most important outcomes of the entire AI campaign for Wales.
Prophet Enoch, I don’t know why you’re so bitter and unpleasant to RP. After all, you mention Wales 66 Fiji 0 – who was outside-half that day? I do agree he’s been disappointing for the last couple of seasons, but I disagree in thinking that he’s actually a very talented player – but too much of a confidence player for his own, and Wales’s good.
But no player should be abused for doing his best and not coming up to scratch. Neither is Gatland ‘gutless’ – ask Brian O’Driscoll!!
Gwyn
P++shand is rubbish, he has blown games over and over again for Wales and does not deserve to be anywhere near the squad ever again. With Anscombe coming over to Wales plus Owain Williams and at the very worst James Hook there are plenty of people to choose over ‘Mr F+++up’
His display against Fiji this AI was the worst I have ever seen from a Welsh No10 since Colin Stephens in the early 90s. P++shand did everything wrong from virtually start to finish.
Watch the match ….. dropped passes, made knock-ons. got stripped of possession, almost gifting a try to Fiji in the 1st half, gifting an interception try whilst looking at the centre he passed to in the 2nd half, gave 2x hospital passes- 1 to JR and 1 to Tipuric + one thrown pass at Roberts knees..the list of errors in 1 game alone is almost endless.
I just cannot see why Gutless stuck with him as long as he did when it was clear to every Welsh fan that P++shand post RWC 2011 is totally useless.
Yes P++shand played well at RWC 2011 but not since and has lived off the pool games and 1/4 final ever since.
How a coach can pick a guy based on form 3 years ago when he has blown so many games home, away, 6N…overseas tours…. is a mystery when other players get jettisoned for no apparent reason for example Lee Byrne after 2011… Alex Popham in 2008..
Hook has never been forgiven by Gutless for missing the kicks in 1st half of the RWC 2011 Semi-Final but with P++shand it is totally the opposite.
In 2012 P++shand made the same mistake right at the end of the 2nd and 3rd Tests-same error at the same stage of the match twice within a week and so went the chance to win a Test Series Down Under that was there for the taking.
If the AIs in 2014 was P++shand doing his best then what on earth is him at his worst?
As far as being and BOD being a brave decision is concerned-why didn’t he take Biggar to Aus in 2013 coz there is no way after the 6N 2013 that Biggar was the No3 outside half in the home unions. He ended up being the only Wales player that started the 6n decide v England that did not go with the Lions.
Wales won v Boks with Biggar on the field. Wales lost v Aus with P++shand on the field after Biggar was injured.
‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating’ as my old rugby master used to say at grammar school.
I think you’re being a bit harsh on Priestland.
I’m not his biggest fan and agree that he shouldn’t be playing for Wales (and bemoaned the number of chances he’s been given), but to say his performance against Fiji was the worse in 20 years is going a bit far. Maybe you missed Nicky Robinson, Iestyn Harris and even Dan Biggar’s performance against the same opposition a few years ago (he really isn’t the same player now)!
Much as I’m loathed to admit it, but Gatland probably knows more about rugby than I do, so if he keeps picking him, he must have a good reason. What I have found confusing though is that since 2012 he seems to have been told to play like Dan Biggar, so we’ve hardly seen his running game.
I can see how he’s regularly included in the squad – he’s good more often than he’s bad for the Scarlets (admittedly, I probably only see ~2/3 of their games) and occasionally brilliant – but his performances for Wales, aside from a couple of nice touches or runs (over the whole season) have been sub-standard.
O
Ha.. ha …..Iestyn Harris- I won £20 betting on the Wales v Pumas game in 2001 without the +7 handicap for the Pumas.
What a shocker …. the supposed saviour of Welsh Rugby…. a try conceded from a charged down kick and 1 try conceded from a poor kick in-field and I a little the richer as a result
Fans were laughing at and booing the Wales team at the end…so P++shand cannot feel too hard done by as it has happened to others b 4.
Nicky Robinson-he was pretty useless.. a smattering of caps every now and again and never a proper run in the team….seemed to only play v USA ,Canada and Argentina.
With Biggar he is totally different to the mouthy so and so that first appeared at the Ospreys and has now become a key player for Wales. As he was in 2013 6N.
OK O I shall concede on the ex-Cardiff pair are pretty awful career-wise compared to P+++shand’s overall career to date as he had RWC 2011 and the 2012 GS but I am sticking with RiP v Fiji as the worst individual performance because it was just so so bad
I don’t know, his performance two autumns ago against Samoa (albeit for only half a game) was surely worse!
I turned the TV off at some point in that game such was my disgust at the overall team performance so I cannot really comment on that game.
Still at the end of the day we have Biggar in his current rich vein of form so with the idiots we have identified between us over the last c14 years+ (20 years + if you include Colin the Sludge against both England-away and Australia at home in 1992) so I suppose we should be grateful.
And to think I used to slate Biggar about 6 years ago as a petulant little big kid!
My God, O, we really did have some awful No10s after 2000 didn’t we?????