Confirmed: Wales face major rejig as 4 starters versus Ireland ruled out of Scotland match
Dan Lydiate is set to miss the remainder of the 2020/21 season following his short-lived return to the Wales jersey in last Sunday's 21-16 Guinness Six Nations win over Ireland. Uncapped since November 2018, the inclusion of Lydiate by Wayne Pivac to start against the Irish was a major talking point last week.
However, the 33-year-old suffered an injury when chasing up an aerial kick and while he initially tried to play on, he exited on twelve minutes to be replaced by Josh Navidi. The Welsh camp have now confirmed the injury as an anterior cruciate ligament issue and he will now go for further assessment.
He isn't the only Wales player ruled out of next Saturday's round two Six Nations encounter away to Scotland as Tomos Williams (hamstring), Johnny Williams and Hallam Amos (head injuries) will also be absent.
A WRU injury update statement released on Tuesday lunchtime read: "Dan Lydiate has been released from the Guinness Six Nations squad due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained in the match against Ireland at Principality Stadium. He will undergo a number of assessments and consultations in the coming days to establish the best course of management.
"Tomos Williams suffered a hamstring injury in the game against Ireland and is currently being assessed. He is ruled out of the fixture against Scotland on Saturday. Johnny Williams and Hallam Amos will also both miss the fixture due to head injury."
Aside from the four definitely ruled out, Pivac has a number of other injury concerns. Centre George North scratched an eye during the second half on Sunday, Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies will again be missing at Murrayfield as he continues to nurse an ankle injury while Dragons centre Nick Tompkins, who came on for Williams, is struggling with a shoulder injury.
Wales boss Pivac endured a miserable first year in the job but he was finally able to celebrate a first major win of note after his injury-hit team held on for a dramatic success over the dogged 14 men of Ireland. Second-half tries from North and tournament debutant Louis Rees-Zammit, plus eleven points from the boot of Leigh Halfpenny, saw the hosts capitalise on Peter O’Mahony’s early dismissal in Cardiff.
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My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,
Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Mun better V Ireland better prep than England.
The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,
{starting} bench (3rd choice)
1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi (Williams)
2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)
Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!
3 {Lomax}/ Tosi (Newell )
Tosi immense strength V England
4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry
( Isaia Walker-Leawere)
Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)
6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi )
9 {Roigard } Ratima ( TJ )
10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)
12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )
13 {Proctor} Ioane ( AJ Lam )
Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not Sexton!)
14 { Tele’a} Reece (bkup W.Jordan )
11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)
15 {W.Jordan} Love (Stevenson)
Go to commentsI guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
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