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The Welsh backrow fans are demanding makes the World Cup plane
By Josh Raisey
Warren Gatland announced his 42-man training squad for the World Cup this year, and it has received a positive reaction from fans on Twitter.
Many are hailing this as one of the strongest and deepest Welsh squads in a long time, as Gatland hopes to improve on his Grand Slam success with a World Cup win in Japan later this year.
While this is a strong squad, there are some omissions that have raised a few eyebrows., notably the absence of Ellis Jenkins and Thomas Young. However, Gatland has emphasized that the two flankers are only omitted because of their injuries that they are currently suffering, and that they may still get their chance to prove themselves.
In light of these statements made by Gatland, many Welsh fans feel that Jenkins deserves a place on the plane to Japan, and while he has been out the entirety of 2019 so far, he still merits a place.
Jenkins sustained an ACL injury in late November in the test win against South Africa, which required surgery. While these injuries take a long time to heal, there may be a window of opportunity for him before the World Cup.
This is what the fans have been saying:
The 26-year-old Jenkins is a hugely admired player in Wales, and many felt that he would hold the number six shirt for a long time when he was awarded it to play against the Springboks in November. However, this devastating injury to the Cardiff Blue has allowed other players to stake a claim for a World Cup place, and the Grand Slam would have only helped their cause.
However, many feel that if Jenkins can replicate the form he showed for the Blues before his injury, he must be picked for Wales. He will face a race for time to be fit for the warm-up tests against England and Ireland, but he seems to be many fans’ wildcard for Japan.
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Latest Comments
Always proud of the effort, Sam. The All blacks never stop fighting, never just roll over. He didn’t get anywhere near the respect he earned, but that’s due to results, not commitment to the cause. Have fun dominating in Japan!
Go to commentsNot sure why Papali’i thinks Scott Robertson needs his help to select the next All Black Captain. In my view, Papali’i would be well advised to have a good hard look at his own game, and to reflect on how fortunate he is to even wear the black jersey. Rather than shouting at his team mates at every set piece, standing in the mid-field pointing and holding his arms out and flopping to the ground at the back of every second or third ruck, may I suggest he would be far better employed actually doing something on the field. Seriously, watch him for 10 minutes during a game - not much happens. When was the last time he was first to a breakdown, or actually made a turnover? If Robertson is half the Coach I think he is, Papali’i will not be anywhere near the AB’s this season.
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