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Controversial Wales selection Plumtree a World Cup doubt
By Ian Cameron
Controversial selection Taine Plumtree's Rugby World Cup participation has been thrown into doubt after he left the field against England in their Summner Nations Series clash in Twickenham.
The twenty-three-year-old former New Zealand U20 loose forward featured off the bench against England last weekend, having just signed for Welsh URC side Scarlets this June. He started at No.8 today but his match came to an unplanned end after he appeared to suffer an arm injury.
Swansea-born Plumtree, whose rugby education came in the southern hemisphere’s Super Rugby competition, only linked up with Wales ahead of their mid-July training camp in Switzerland.
He had played just six Super Rugby games for the Blues, leading some to criticise his lighting-fast ascension into the Wales squad.
One of the most vocal critics of his selection is Ross Moriarty, who walked away from Wales selection earlier the in year shortly after Warren Gatland took over the reins for a second stint as head coach.
“‘Must be a kick in the teeth to the back rowers who play in wales [sic] and moved back to wales [sic] to see lad who played 6 professional games get a cap for wales [sic] really takes the mick out of the passion for the badge” Moriarty posted in a reply to a picture of Wales’ new cap on Instagram, which he ultimately deleted.
A thoroughly awful match to watch, the game took a heavy toll on players for both sides. Leicester scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet was carried off in the first half, while Wales captain Dewi Lake also limped off.
additional reporting PA
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Latest Comments
Well deserved for a young talented, bright and humble player.
Go to commentsCane shouldn’t have been one last year, based purely on performances. Lakai is as close to a like for like of swap of Savea you’re ever likely to find, based on his short career so far at least. He has many of the same qualities - very strong ball carrier, great at the breakdown, and an absolute work horse on defence. I feel like he and Sititi could lead the way in the loose at the next WC.
I think we have become obsessed with replacing Kaino with someone exactly like him. Kaino was a perfect foil for the other loose forwards we had at the time. Based on the talent we have around at the moment those players could be made up in the aggregate by three players who are all exception all rounders - Lakai, Sititi, and Savea. Missing some height for sure but Sititi’s defensive work in the line out last year was phenomenal. He gets off the ground so quickly and was able to steal a couple of balls off the top of the springbok line out.
If our young locks coming through can actually stay fit long enough to get selected, it seems inevitable that Va’ai could end up in a hybrid 6/lock role.
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