Gatland details the extent of Anscombe's brutal injury - piles pressure on his own players
Wales boss Warren Gatland has told his players they are under pressure to perform against World Cup warm-up opponents England on Saturday.
The fierce rivals meet in Cardiff less than a week after Gatland’s men were beaten 33-19 at Twickenham.
Gatland has made just three changes to the line-up in south-west London, and it features 10 players who were on starting duty in a Six Nations title and Grand Slam-clinching victory over Ireland five months ago.
“It’s easy enough to make a lot of changes, but some of the players would have been disappointed with last weekend, and particularly that first 20 minutes,” Gatland said.
“For us, it’s about a chance to redeem ourselves and give those players another hit-out and go out there and perform, and put some pressure on them to perform as well.
“There is a lot of pressure on those guys on the weekend, because if some of them don’t front and don’t perform, they are opening the door for someone else.
“If you win last week and you win this weekend, you pretty much would have sealed, potentially, a starting spot for the first game or first couple of games in the World Cup.
BRODYR ? James and Jonathan Davies will be the first pair of brothers to play alongside each other for Wales since Jamie and Nicky Robinson in 2006. pic.twitter.com/S0dDdU9LRf
— Welsh Rugby Union ??????? (@WelshRugbyUnion) August 15, 2019
“That’s why we wanted to make sure that players are aware and that they are under pressure.”
Scarlets duo Jonathan and James Davies will become the first set of brothers since 2006 to start for Wales when they feature against England.
Gatland has named openside flanker James, who wins his fourth cap, alongside back-row colleagues Aaron Wainwright and Ross Moriarty, while Jonathan partners Hadleigh Parkes in midfield.
They are the first set of brothers to play alongside each other for Wales since Jamie and Nicky Robinson 13 years ago.
James Davies replaces Justin Tipuric, while fly-half Dan Biggar takes over from an injured Gareth Anscombe and lock Jake Ball is in for Adam Beard.
“It’s been tough for James,” Gatland added. “He has been really struggling with back issues, and he has dug in in terms of the way he has pushed himself when he has been in a lot of pain.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for him. He is pretty fired up.
“He is kind of someone who for his whole career people have knocked him and said he’s too small and not able to compete at the highest level.
“We probably had some of the same thoughts as well, but having coached him and been involved with him, we have been incredibly impressed with him.
“We’ve always been looking at him and seeing his potential. He has been unfortunate that for a few campaigns he has had injuries. We were very impressed with him in Argentina last year.”
Biggar starts with Anscombe having suffered a World Cup-ending knee ligament injury at Twickenham.
On Anscombe, Gatland said: “He’s done his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and a meniscus as well.
“He did it when he made the break down the sideline. It wasn’t from a tackle, he’s just stepped off his right leg. You can see the jarring on the video.
“He said to the physios he felt he had jarred his knee and stayed on thinking he could run it off.
“He asked the physios if he’d done any more damage, and they said: ‘No, you’d already done that and it wasn’t going to get any worse’.
“Unfortunately, he’s going to require surgery and it’s going to keep him out for most of the season.”
Tipuric (ankle) and Beard (wrist), meanwhile, have been left out as a precaution this weekend.
– PA
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments