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Wales lose Josh Adams minutes before Fiji game
By Sam Smith
Josh Adams has been a last minute withdrawal from the Wales team after appearing to pull-up in the pre-game warm-up.
Adams had been switched from wing to outside centre by Wales head coach Wayne Pivac, with Fiji parading six members of the starting line-up that faced Wales during the 2019 World Cup in Japan.
No explanation has yet been given for his withdrawal. He is replaced in the starting team by Saracens' Nick Tompkins.
Elsewhere Prop WillGriff John makes first Test start as Wales tackled Autumn Nations Series opponents Fiji at the Principality Stadium.
The Scarlets forward replaced Tomas Francis, who suffered concussion during training on Friday, while Wales were captained by Cardiff flanker Ellis Jenkins.
Jenkins’ back-row colleagues included Thomas Young on his first Wales appearance for more than two years, and wing Alex Cuthbert returned following a four-year international absence.
Wales are “prepared for anything” when they tackle unpredictable Fiji in Sunday’s Autumn Nations Series clash, according to scrum-half Kieran Hardy.
Wales have beaten Fiji in 10 of their previous 12 meetings, with exceptions being when they were knocked out of the 2007 World Cup by them and drawing in Cardiff 11 years ago.
But four of those victories were by seven points or less, including an 11-10 verdict in 2005, and Fiji led 10-0 during the last meeting – a 2019 World Cup pool game – before Wales prevailed.
Fiji will be Wales’ opening opponents in Bordeaux at the 2023 World Cup, and they are coached this weekend by a Welshman – former Cardiff scrum-half Gareth Baber.
Baber masterminded Fiji’s sevens gold medal triumph at the Tokyo Olympics, and he has a detailed understanding of the Welsh game.
“We know they are a side that is quite physical and particularly like to off-load and try to play in behind,” said Hardy, who wins his eighth cap on Sunday.
“We are prepared for anything this weekend. We’ve trained for all scenarios.
“We know what is coming at us. They can be unpredictable at times, but we will have to adapt to the situations as they come."
- additional reporting PA
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Latest Comments
I agree.
I’d like to know what constitutes a 208 week ban though?
Must the eyeball be dislodged? Hanging by a vein?
Go to commentsAlso a Bristol fan and echo your sentiments.
I love watching Bristol but their approach will only get them so far I think. Exeter played like this when they first got promoted to the prem and had intermittent success, it wasn't until they wised up and played a more balanced game that they became a consistently top side.
I really want Bristol to continue playing this brand of rugby and I don't mind them running it from under their posts but I don't think they need to do it every single time. They need to be just a little bit more selective about when and where on the pitch they play. Every game they put themselves under so much needless pressure by turning the ball over under their posts trying to do kamikaze moves when it's not required. By all means run it from your goal line if there is a chance for a counter attack, we all want to see Bristol running in 100m tries from under their posts but I think until they learn when to do it and when to be pragmatic, they are unlikely to win the premiership.
Defense has been a real positive from Bristol, they've shown a lot of improvement there... And I will say that I think this kamikaze strategy they employ is a very good one for a struggling side and could be employed by Newcastle. It's seems to have turned around Gloucester's fortunes. The big advantage is even if you don't have the biggest and best players, what you have is cohesion. This is why Scotland keep battering England. England have better individuals but they look muddled as a team, trying to play a mixed strategy under coaches who lack charisma, the team has no identity. Scotland come out and give it full throttle from 1-15 even if they struggle against the top sides, sides like England and Wales who lack that identity drown under the relentless will and synergy of the Scots. If Newcastle did the same they could really surprise some people, I know the weather is bad up there but it hasn't bothered the Scots. Bristol can learn from Scotland too, Pat is on to something when he says the following but Scotland don't play test matches like headless chickens. They still play with the same level of clarity and ambition Bristol do but they are much better at picking their moments. They needed to go back to this mad game to get their cohesion back after a couple of seasons struggling but I hope they get a bit wiser from matches like Leinster and La Rochelle.
“If there’s clarity on what you’re trying to do as a team you can win anything.”
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