12/03/2017 Scrum V

Friday night rugby at the principality stadium in Cardiff,

Wales with something to prove after two defeats.

Long pass to Leigh Halfpenny! Back with a vengeance! What a finish,

that is brilliant. Sexting going to the sin-bin. Jones with the try!

Charged down by Faletau, Roberts over the line! Wales have just won

the counter in a pulsating, enthralling game. -- the encounter.

Good evening and welcome to Scrum V. It was also waiting and enthralling,

all those things, and Wales delivered a performance we can all

be proud of. Judging by the look on you lot, you have had a pretty good

weekend. Behind me is the kayaks and to my right...

By the bar as always we have Mr Sean Holley in the house! I think those

beer barrels have run dry because drowning his sorrows all afternoon

has been Ken Byrne. Shall we get our guests out? Please welcome Jonathan

Davies... Peter Jackson... Wyn Jones and Martyn Williams.

Evening, gents. You should have got addressed before you came out. You

are smiling, good start. On a scale from one to ten, how much better

with that? Good performance. The speed of the rocks was a lot better.

-- the rucks. Terrific Test match, I think 47 in play so it was very

high. Many things to commend but what about the defensive showing?

Unbelievable. Second half we didn't have much of the ball and the

defence was superb. When the final whistle went there was hardly any

celebration from the Welsh boys, they collapsed, they had given

everything. Unbelievable performance. We did see some

celebration from the coaches' box. How much will this have relieved the

pressure for the coaches? He was the only person in Wales who didn't want

to make changes. He was putting his coaching credentials on the line by

being so stubborn, determined, whatever you call it, letting the

players would deem themselves. Had he lost it would have been curtains

for his long-term future perhaps in terms of the job but he made a big

call, stuck with it, he won and he has been vindicated to an extent and

he will be very relieved with that performance. A lot at stake for the

coaches and players as well. George North, did he take some kind of

magic potion. They have to find some way of unleashing another 100

rockets this week to get the same sort of performance. Credit where it

was due, it was terrific, Rob Howley, decent bloke, delighted for

him. I am delighted most of all for the fans because I think they have

been short-changed this season. Does this compensate for the other

performances? Certainly not but it was great to reconnect with Wales

and the team. It struck me, something you can lose sight of

easily, how much it means to the Welsh public. So many happy faces.

You are pleased for them because they have been aching for a

performance like this. You probably would have to get a psychologist to

ask you, why does it take torrents of criticism to produce that?

Players don't try to lose a Test match. You need to be there. There

are two incidences against Scotland, defence of individual errors, should

have one the match, England, they should have kicked the ball into

touch immediately. They just didn't get over the line against England

but it was good. You can say if Henshaw didn't do what he did... We

will get into that. Shane Byrne, how are you? What is the perspective

from an Irish point of view? Brilliant! I will continue getting

the chance to drown my short -- my sorrows but they are only giving the

water. There is a big sense of disappointment and a little tinge of

anger with Joe Schmidt. Afterwards he is always very calm and measured

and we get the feeling that maybe it is time, we expect he is doing it in

training, but get out the sword and absolutely hammer it. We don't have

a rudder down the pitch, the attack was too predictable, and it fed into

it. You can't allow Welsh tales to be upcoming you can't let the crowd

getting behind it and that is what they did. Very disappointing. It

sounds like very familiar accusations, no creativity in the

attack, etc. First, let's relive the highlights of what went down on

Friday night. This time we can do it without the tension.

Williams again. Dan Biggar. Zebo has it. But the kick in. Dan Biggar

heads back. Very well played by Dan Biggar. He watches, goes to ground,

can Joel -- cajoles the ball over line. Very good play. Ken Owens

throws, one button wins the line-out. Moriarty to Rhys Webb.

Scott Williams is through, passed to Leigh Halfpenny, to George North.

Nor is back with a vengeance! -- George North is. Great support play,

brilliant passing, great vision. The support they have lacked in past

games, what a finish from George North. What does it mean to him to

be back in that fashion! Jake Ball. It is a penalty for Wales at last.

Two halfpenny, Jonathan Davies, a foot short. -- to Leigh Halfpenny.

Advantage again, yellow card. Jonny Sexton is going into the

sin-bin. Really killing the ball on the line.

Leigh Halfpenny lands the penalty. Ken Owens prepares the throw, five

metres from the Irish line. Arlene Wyn Jones.

A second try. Great vision, he sucks Zebo in and schools. He has made

such a mark on this game. -- in and he scores. It is there for Marmian.

Sean O'Brien, Sam Warburton tries to grab the ball. Ringrose. A high

tackle, accidental but the penalty is still given. The referee says it

is still a high tackle. Jonny Sexton masterminding the Irish comeback.

15-9. Clever play by Ireland. Scott

Charteris getting near the ball and on comes Best. Rory Best edges

closer. No, I can't allow it. I think the forwards will be

absolutely crazy because it seemed to be going in the right direction,

seemed to be slowly... Henshaw comes in and goes in front of the ball and

reignites the drive. He has disallowed it and given the penalty.

Shelters the ball for Marmian. Sexton. It is narrow, it has gone

wrong for Ireland, but has it gone backward? It has gone forwards.

Ireland trailed by six points. Sexton, charged down by Faletau.

Roberts... Roberts! Wales have just won the counter. -- encounter. Sam

Davies knocks on, the game is over, Wales have the victory. They have

beaten Ireland 22-9. That is how the 80 minutes panned

out. Let's hear from those involved on the night. The players I thought

have been outstanding since the Scotland game, very honest about

where praise of 15, 20 minutes after the second half. ? Their appraisal.

We all felt they wanted to go out against the best supporters in world

rugby and give a performance that they are proud of and I think they

certainly did that. I don't think it was about proving a

point to anybody outside the camp, if that makes sense. Like Robert

said, there was a bit of Hertha the individual in the group. It was

difficult, a lot of fingers have been pointed from outside the squad

but from inside the squad I haven't known a closer group. They are

quality players, we know them from playing week in week out in the

Pro12. We weren't saying there was any kind of demise, we knew this

would be a tough test and it proved to be that. You have to get people

on your side when you play aside as good as they are. They played really

well, their set pieces and defence were strong. I think we have

answered the questions from the coaches today. There are still parts

to improve the me and the squad but we can be pleased what we did

without the ball, that we still went for it forthright at the end, so

there is ambition there and on the whole we can take that but there

will be areas of improvement. We played quite smart but probably

disappointed in terms of the contact area, the back row in particular.

Was that a concerted effort to play closer to the gain line or was that

Ireland's defence? Probably a bit of both. High risk, high reward staff

they were playing and we were probably a bit too wide on

occasions, leaving the ball in the air too long. We probably should

have played on the inside channels more. And training park on Monday we

against France, they probably one of the best sides in the championship

will stop we know how to win there but we have to make sure that our

attitude this week is the same as last week. We will put huge pressure

on ourselves on Monday morning to pimp -- to improve on that

performance because we will need to in Paris.

How do we interpret this win? We have sat here for weeks on end

tearing in two our performances. Completely satisfied? I don't think

they are so we shouldn't. I think Alan win said people will be

euphoric walking to the pubs, but they felt the pressure and gave a

performance for the supporters. The ruck speed was better, they looked

more creative, they lost the battle, which we are so good at, but we can

do a lot more offensively. England were brilliant yesterday. If you see

spot defenders coming out like Sexton, send a big man over the top

of him, because he has a history of injuries. When he makes a lot of

tackles he gets that he so when he gets the ball he is not as effective

or you just get an inside ball and run on the inside of him. A lot of

things need to be improved but I thought it was a far better

performance and we answered a lot of questions that were asked previously

in the tournament. Some of those questions were to a Wales team in

decline, searching for an identity? To what extent do you think that

marks a significant turning point? I don't think it necessarily marks a

turning point. We know that in a street fight this side are as good

as anybody, against England it was 15-9 until the last few minutes, an

old story of blood and thunder rugby. We have impressive

physicality. Attacking, we scored three tries against Ireland, one

against England and against Scotland, all from the first phase.

Our phase play doesn't create tries, the more we go through phases the

less likely we are to break them down. We have to get better at that

and it is hard. It tells you we have the chance our I'm a bit more from

first phase. It was good to see ten minutes into the game we had a

line-out in our half, we went wide, got the ball into George North's

hands, he knocked the opposing player head over heels and he got us

going. I have been crying out for them to do that. We use these words

like earn the right to go white, we didn't earn anything, we just went

wide. -- go wide. We are rubbish through the phases, get a penalty,

counterattack and turnovers, that is where we scored tries, and that is

maybe getting through to them a bit now. In terms of a team under

pressure, character, attitude, that is where the defence came in and it

was outstanding. On the defence, you touched on it at the top, 100

tackles in the second half, backs to the wall stuff, Shaun Edwards was

absolutely pumped, you could see him in the stands. He will be delighted

because it has been poor at times during the campaign but what does it

tell asked about the spirit and unity in the squad that they held

that line intact? It was two individual mistakes against

Scotland. The defence has been good. Warburton and Tippett on Friday

night really stood up, Ireland threw everything at us, whether the aerial

battle, they won the high balls but we stopped the driving line up. They

said Bob that. It -- they sent O'Brien down and we stop to that.

62% possession for them and we stood firm.

Decision-making was much better. When Ireland went down to 14 men we

haven't always taken advantage of that, Australia in the World Cup

being an example. Mentally we looked stronger. I thought Wales looked

smart, and impressive all-round performance, they made the most of

Sexton's time. Tomorrow morning they will think they must have missed a

trick. It happened in the last 30 seconds when George North made the

last of his career ring runs, he had the ball in one hand, said I am not

going to pass it to anybody, but after two tackles there was a simple

inside pass to Gareth, which probably would have given him a

clear run between the posts. Bonus points can get you up a place, the

difference between fourth and second, where Wales are now and

where they could conceivably be. What we were good at as well,

against Scotland, they off-loaded. On this occasion they didn't hand

the possession over. When we start losing, everybody is going, change

this and that, the best players in Wales play for Wales at the moment

and we don't have the strength in depth people think. We need more

performance directing, the coaches are doing as much as they can at

Academy and regional level. We need people to say, we will improve these

players. When you look at somebody like Jamie Roberts who has done the

job to ten years, he hasn't improved much as a player but he has done the

job he needed. Scott Williams, Jonathan Davies, they need to work

on their kicking, Dan Biggar has to be a bit flatter, Halfpenny... We

need somebody to say, get these players better at international

level. We have the best players there but we're not seeing the best

of them. He is talking himself into a jot! Luckily I see somebody like

Johnny Wilkinson. -- a job. Andrew John in Australia, he goes around

and he meant is. We say change this, change that, we don't have the

players. You mean an individual consultant or a skills coach. Just

say, he to work on his kicking. Farrell looks so confident, England

against Scotland, straighten up, they held ten, 12 and 13, didn't

want -- didn't know what to do with dummy runs. If we don't make changes

we want know if we have got any depth. We are approaching two years

out of the next World Cup and we have maybe given three new caps

since the last one. How do we know, if Dan Biggar goes down with injury,

you don't want sub Eddie who has barely played a few minutes to come

on. -- somebody who has. I agree that individual skills should be

improved but unless we put boys on the pitch and find out how good they

are we will never know. It is like Ross Moriarty, who would have said

that he would be playing instead of Tony Faletau by the end of the

tournament? It was accident rather than design. England and Ireland are

testing players out, granted, they have done it from a position of

strength, but you have to do it. There was a graphic, you may have

seen it on the BBC coverage, showing Wales at the bottom of that table.

You have Argentina at the top, 26 new caps since the last World Cup.

Wales, only three, Sam Davies, Cory Hill and Ellis Jenkins. Unless we

give these ball was -- boys ago we don't know whether they are at test

level. It is twofold, the coaches feel they are under so much pressure

they can't experiment. If they lose everybody gets on their case. As

well we don't have the strength in depth we think we have, but we

always see the third game, the game against the lesser nations, throw

everybody in. It is impossible for those players to gel together. We

need to drip feed them in. We never do that and those boys always go in

en masse, against Japan or Fiji. They lose against Fiji and they are

written off. -- against Samoa. We had a chat about the autumn lasted,

if they don't lose by 30 points against Australia, they put players

and against Japan, but because you lose heavily you can sense the

pressure. In the camp you think, shall we make changes? In the camp

everybody gets nervous and it is all about winning so it is a balance. It

was inexcusable for them to not play Keelan Giles against Japan. With all

respect to Japan, it is not as big as the game last Friday. My views on

that are well-known. I thought it was inexcusable that they didn't cap

Steph Evans. We have one more game left in the time and so we will talk

about that but we have to yesterday's game to talk about.

I think Rob Howley gave all of those players an opportunity to redeem

themselves in terms of effort and commitment they did that. To get a

result against a good Irish side, under so much pressure, keeping

going to the end shows real determination in the squad. Great

performance, gutsy. I said before the game that I thought we would

edge a win and we got across the line and the effort was tremendous,

the defensive effort was one of the best I have seen. It was certainly a

universe away from the second half against Scotland. But I thought the

game was won by the defence. When they review the game they've will

feel it was one that got away. I thought Wales were magnificent but

Ireland are usually proud of themselves and they create the

options but they didn't tonight. Credit to Wales, magnificent

defensive performance from the first minute. I think we pinched three

line-outs in critical areas of the game. What pleased me was the way we

stopped the Irish driving line and ported their confidence. No matter

how good they were going into the game, all teams are the same on the

back foot. When Sexton went off they looked a bit lost and when they came

back on we were dangerous. We mixed the game Opera North and I was

chuffed the George North, a lot of pressure and Giroud Lee wanted it.

-- we mixed the game up a lot. With the warning he has had, that first

try meant more to him than the rest of the stadium put together. It will

be a different sort of game against the French, they are coming back,

they will have a powerful scrum, so a bigger test than today. A terrific

victory tonight and why can't they go to France and when? But have done

in the past and have had a lot of success there in recent years. --

France and to win. The two standout performances so far were Rhys Webb

and Conor Murray. And almost overwhelmingly positive

performance from those at the stadium. What did you think? Lots of

stuff to analyse. Some fine margins meant it could have gone another way

but I prefer to concentrate on the positives. Some of the fine margins,

the smaller things, are what the coaches are pleased about. Look at

Dan Biggar trapped in the bottom corner, not just clears but takes

its 60 metres downfield, his forwards would be pleased. Look at

Williams coming in, Henshaw is over the ball and he does his job,

something that doesn't get noticed. This is not a perfect tackle by

Leigh Halfpenny but enough to rescue it. Would any other player have done

this on the night, the composure to do this, sublime skill from Dan

Biggar? The set piece, Ireland attacked but the scrum was rock

solid, if not on top. We scored some crucial line-outs in crucial

positions. Luke Charteris's first intervention was to get in front and

steal it from Best. There were critical moments in the game, this

is the head injury assessment. Paddy Jackson was on fresh tomato time and

Wales were smart. The top of the jump and a great lift. Moriarty

looks like he is going into a more but he peels out. Rhys Webb in the

ten position and Jackson has a lot to do. He leaves O'Brien a bit high

and dry on the dogleg. Scott Williams goes through and great

insights about from Scott Webb. Straight to Carney, leaving the

space outside. Great skills and George North back to his best, does

the rest. The next critical moment only with the yellow card, was it

not? When sextant gets in here Wales are smart, Jonathan Davies and the

boys know what they are doing. -- when sextant gets in. It is the

correct decision to go to the sin-bin. Wales were at it even at

half-time, they came out early and warmed up. Look at Tipuric and

Moriarty goes to zero, puts it in behind and Leigh Halfpenny but Conor

Murray off the field. They needed to score when they were a man down and

they took their chance really well. Look at George North behind the --.

All Irish eyes are on the maul. Rory Best is committed to the forward

drive. Conor Murray is in there protecting were Sexton should have

been. A great score. Up the other end, did Ireland score here? No.

Henshaw the centre joins in front of the ball carrier, Rory Best. That is

illegal, Barnes is on the spot once again. Some of the individual

performances and Warburton was immense. I've together in hand, it

kicked out. They seemed Do you want to pick up on a few of

those critical point is that were mentioned their? Henshaw joining the

rolling maul? How infuriated but you have been as a back? You would

think, because they love Patterson, they have these ten man line-ups,

they would know the laws, but these backs... We were lucky because they

were over and that was a turning point certainly in the second half

because they were all waiting for the conversion to go ahead. And Sean

made the point that it was exactly the right decision. Mick has

admitted that afterwards, completely right decision, no controversy at

all. If you are a forward there you are thinking, what does he do?

Kicked the conversion, they go in front. We say in rugby, so often,

small margins are turning points. But there, with Sexton... That

analysis was spot-on. Because he's lip and a Brayan Garcia loosely

top-class players, and to reduce them, really to stand-by rolls on

Friday night took some doing. He's lost the captaincy but he's playing

the best rugby of his life. If we don't control the runners at the

front five then our back row gets sucked in and then out the game and

your standards are running at 10-12, but the front five did the job so

well, they involve the back row not getting it tackle areas, and then

they put in the hits. I thought that Tipuric was more effective

defensively than I have ever seen him before. We have not seen him

live a place for the Ospreys being creative but he did a different job

on Friday night very well. Who, I want that Welsh 18 will have

enhanced their France credentials? One guy who has been consistent is

Ken Owens, throughout the tournament, he's been outstanding,

the standout hooker over the four games. He has hit his jumpers in the

line-out and scrummaged really well and has tackled well. So for me, he

is outstanding. That is the calling from Alun Wyn Jones. Expecting to

win the ball, then to lose it. And the back row boys, all three of

them, Moriarty, again, hard grafting. And their physicality was

superb. You mentioned Ken Owens. As the celebration and to get them on

the line, to be their? Look at them, full of emotion. Let's talk about

Ken Owens and the battle between him and Rory Best. What do you make of

it? Ken has been fantastic through the Six Nations. Even when the

performances have not been wonderful, he has shown himself all

the way through the season to be a great player. Rory Best, on the day,

he can't be happy with just being a good book on the day. He is also the

leader on the pitch. And that was starting to slip, no doubt about it.

It was something that came up in the game previously, his debate with

Sexton about whether to go for the posts go for the corner and he

arrived again and again. I don't think his captaincy has gone as well

as it should. But, as a player, when things are going badly, particularly

in the line-out for ago, a lot of the responsibility goes on Devin

Toner. The calling in the line-out has been deplorable. They are always

prone to traffic. That was, most of the calls that they threw in, you go

where they are not. That is key. It doesn't always have to be the

spectacular ball at the back of the line-out, as Wales shirt. Just win

the bloody thing, get it to the bloody thing, get into that one.

These were the things that were lacking. The one thing that Wales

did well, their senior players came up when they were needed and in

Ireland, that didn't happen. They're talking about Ken Owens and Rory

Best. I am not talking about Dylan Hartley, who is the England captain

then you look at Jamie Jordan sitting on the bench for England.

Usually, the Grand Slam captain has a good shout to be captain. It

doesn't always happen but with Martin Johnson in 2001, it happen,

then they didn't go for Gareth Thomas they went for Brian

O'Driscoll. And, at the moment, with the best will in the world, Dylan

Hartley is probably number three choice behind Ken Owens, who has

been incredible. Probably he has jumped to the top of the pecking

order with Jamie George behind him. It will be a big call to leave the

captain of the Grand Slam, assuming a bit much, though, but certainly

the champion steam, to leave him behind. Interestingly, Marton, the

odds on Sam Warburton -- Sam Warburton being capped now getting

shorter. Warburton was released on the captaincy and it has massively

released and improved his attitude. For me, Sam Warburton is at his best

when he goes out and creates havoc. Not worrying about the captaincy and

what comes with it. He has spoken before the tournament about how much

that has affected him, all the extra stuff. Alan Wyn Fognini are still

the man. He would make an even better Lions captain. I would have

him in for the last four games. -- Alun Wyn, for me,... We have

problems with your microphone. I think the selection for a lot of the

positions is fascinating. As Pete said. You look at the England team,

how many of those players are not going, then fill the spots? That is

a weird is going to go, because they are playing well. Friday was my game

was big for the Welsh players, and then next week, it is a massive game

for the Irish to pit themselves against the English for the Lions

squad. And you can be on the karaoke team now, only joking! The Welsh

woman took on their Irish counterparts and the U20s were in

action at Colwyn Bay. Pressure on Wales were again. In for

the try. Strong scrum by Arlen but Wales,

wheeling round. Short initially. We may very well see the television

match official... For me, the player has been taken to ground as she

placed the ball. So that is a try. Now, Ireland shunting Wales back.

Jenny Murphy has it. Jenny Murphy falling down to the ground. Muldoon

moves it quickly. Stapleton. It goes down in the corner. Really proud of

the way that the reactor to everything that was going on. We

knew that it would be a tough day. Even though we didn't get the

results, the guilty -- the girls wanted to put in a performance.

Heads up towards halfway. He puts on a bit of gas, as well. Finds the

ball from Nash. And the Irish skipper is rounder Welsh the bench

to score from nothing. Blackett getting it out. Could be a chance.

Ben Jones. Beautiful pass putting Corrie Tarrant over. Jones assessing

his options. Feeding it onto Ward, and mopping up the damage. Williams,

then, on the counter. Almost through his man. Back in field to Cam Lewis.

And then inside to Dane Blacker. And black is over. -- Blacker is over.

Wales, again. Neat hands from Wales. And Kieran Williams with an

absolutely glorious break. And the try. Ireland have got about one

metre to go. They have got the ball on the line. And that could be the

try that levels the scores. Down the middle comes Kieran Williams. He

heads for the posts. What a moment for the Ospreys youngster. Wales,

looking for the rumble over for a fifth try. Have they got it? The

referee, Ridley, is in. And Wales have made sure of try number five.

That was a good performance against a good Irish team and some of the

rugby we played at times was excellent. Just very pleased for the

players that they got rewarded for that. Good performance which took a

lot of commitment, tonight. Congratulations to Jason strange and

his team. Another fine win in Colwyn Bay, taking them to second. England

have already been crowned champions in the U20s championship. As for the

woman, Wales remain for following that defeat to Ireland. Next week it

is a winner takes all clash as Ireland and England face off in a

title decider. Let's round up the rest of the senior men's Six Nations

action with England hoping to win the Six Nations with one game to

spare. Scotland had the Triple Crown in their sights and were going in

search of the first victory at Twickenham since 1983. The challenge

was almost over before it began with Fraser Brown fortunate not to see

red. That's a yellow card. England took immediate advantage with

Jonathan Joseph providing the spark for an utterly ruthless display.

Joseph, flying to the line! Hartley, goes long, wonderful take by

Courtney Lawes. And Joseph once again through the middle. Lovely

step. What a try from Jonathan Joseph, two tries! The England

line-out functioning so well. And the pass worked out well. Joseph

again, and the runner is there, and the try is therefore Anthony Watson.

Still England come through Nathan Hughes. A quick ball for England.

And a try, a hat-trick, for Jonathan Joseph. Two and a half minutes into

the second half. Itoje takes it down and end and try again. They are

driving, charging towards the line, the try is there. And it is the

giant returning to the side, Billy Vunipola. Itoje the important man in

the line-out. And onto Danny Care on the line and the try is there again.

It looked so simple, by England. 12 phases of interplay then into the

scrum-half, and Joe Launchbury, to the roar of the crowd, and Danny

Care, now, gives it to Mako Vunipola. And the final pass, it is

Danny Care and England with a conversion still to come will surely

hit 60. England are Six Nations champions again. That trophy will

come next week. For now, England celebrate and hold the Calcutta Cup.

In the earlier game on Saturday, Wales' next opponents, France,

looking to make hay in the Roman sunshine. Sergio Parisse put the

Italians in front before French nerves were settled with one of

their own. Further tries followed from Louis Picamoles before this

long-range effort sealed the victory and the bonus points. France now

return to Paris looking to cement a top half finish for the first time

since 2011. And if they are to do that they'll need to beat Wales on a

final we. Wales can still finish second if they do the business in

Paris. The game of the weekend for the mutual has to be against

England. Not the title decider many anticipated, Ireland can stop

England winning the title but they can stop them winning the Grand Slam

and they can stop them breaking New Zealand's record of consecutive test

wins and you can't tell me that the Irish will not be motivated to do

that. Ireland are not going to the championship like many predicted

they would, but you don't need any greater motivation than to stop

England from getting a second did -- second consecutive Grand Slam?

Absolutely. That is the holding. The guys alluded to it early on. It is

talked about a lot in Wales, or maybe they just don't admit it. The

Lions thing is issue. When Wales were in the position against Ireland

last week and Ireland were favourites in Wales, it is almost a

flip. Next week, is the simple fact that England are coming to Ireland

as favourites with the job done with the championship, but there is a

huge amount of players who personally need to make sure that

they have really good games. And the motivation to stop them getting the

Grand Slam, listen, you don't need any more motivation than that. What

do we do, do they stick with the same team? They were talking about

mixing it up. Is that what you would do? Personally, I would make

changes. I think the back row needs to change. That is a hard one to

call. Whatever you do, Peter O'Mahony needs to come into the back

row, I think. He said that the line-out has gone well, and Peter is

a better option, no doubt about that, but, to me, they could even go

with the stalwart, putting in Brian, and putting Peter O'Mahony at six.

There needs to be some change. I would bring, into the team at

full-back, Payne. I would like to see change, but not just for the

sake of it, it need some sort of response. It seems that when we were

in trouble on the park, the response isn't there, so maybe the coaches

have to generate a response, themselves. England looked pretty

good yesterday. Can Ireland do it? They have got one week to solve the

issues of this weekend. They have had some fantastic wins. They have

beaten the big three in the southern hemisphere in the 12 months

previously, had some fantastic performances. Yes, they can do it.

England did come out with a masterclass, with deceptive running

and creating space. It is going to be one hell of a challenge to get it

right. But there is nothing there that can't be done. It is just, will

they do it? Talking about Wales, now. It has been a bit doom and

gloom recently. Let's get your opinion on Wales. What do you make

of Rob Howley's team at the moment and a situation that we are in?

Wales, that has always been the head scratching thing with Wales. Why

have they not been playing well? What has been the problem? The most

experienced side, still an amazing set of players, so there is no

reason to be going back, other Welsh players annoyed that their head

coach has gone and the assistant coach has taken over, they are not

responding as well to him? You still need the players to stand up. What's

this pressure comes back on the players. More than anything, your

senior players, remember those senior players, to a man, every one

of them stood up and played one of the best games you have seen them in

a hell of a long time. And I have no gone back to drying my socks that is

the last I'm saying about Wales. Goodbye, now!

APPLAUSE Still jealous, all right, then, what

have you been looking at? The championship is one for both teams

but France are an improving side and for Wales, Lions places and ranking

points, but they are still a very dangerous team, France. Trying to

get some tempo their game and the backs are instrumental. These two

wingers, Vakatawa, he is very dangerous and gets involved all over

the place. You can see Nakaitaci coming off his wing a lot, and

Vakatawa is very close to him. It allows the big ball carrying French

forward to get across the gain line. They have not scored many tries

before the Italy game but they have, these guys can get across the gain

line. Nakaitaci again off-loading in the first phase, and you cannot

forget who's Picamoles, one of their better players, he finds himself out

in the wider channels these days. They have some good, fluid ball

runners and if they can get across the gain line they get the big

forwards into play. Atonio, he is 136 kilograms, and if they can get

him to play this quick tempo game it brings the outside backs into play.

And then Gael Fickou, they have one of the provincial high scorers in

the Six Nations now. Two of the best young players in the cabin ship have

included Sarin and Godin. The Welsh front five only to be careful. If

they get the off-loading game in then Wales could be in trouble, as

good as their defence has again. But there are opportunities, like all

big French backs, they do congregate a lot around the ruck and get quite

lazy, and so, spotting when this is not necessarily, Italy creating

overlaps, but they didn't have the class or maybe a George North in the

white channels to finish them off. Early on, the French backs looked

in, they spot out of airline and that man, Sergio Parisse, got some

consolation. My question would be to Martin, next week, to be blood some

youngsters audibly just go for Lions places? -- or do we just go. I know

that I am in the minority, I would keep more or less the same team.

Maybe, I know that I would keep going about this, Liam Williams at

15. That is the only experiment I would make. Looking at the Six

Nations as a whole, taking Italy out of it, there has been one away win

and that was England against us. Every other game between the big

teams has been home win. It is vital, if we win next week we could

finish runners-up, if we lose, we could finish fifth. These boys are

right to play again, they have earned the right to play next week.

You say, who are you going to put in, but there's quite a long list of

players that the public would maybe like to see given a chance, isn't

there? Sure, but having named the same team after the surrender in

Scotland there is no way it's going to be anything other than the same

23. I'd like to see Sam Davies given ago. It is too late now. There were

opportunities that were missed in December to do that. Paris is a huge

game for people like Leigh Halfpenny. It would have been

sacrilegious to think of a line squad without him being in it a few

months ago, but we saw yesterday, arguably, Rob Carney, who was many

people's favourite at the start of the season, playing himself out of

Lions contingent. I don't see him as the test full-back Alessi produces

something big. It is like a kaleidoscope. Every round, the

picture changes. And suddenly people come in that you haven't thought of.

We've seen great performances from some of the Welsh team and we say,

yes, they are back in the lines, so should we be looking at the Irish

team that didn't play as well, should one performance define some

of the individuals? They have got everything to play for against

England now. The majority of the lines will be made up by England and

who can knock some of those out was going to be the question? I think to

be Faletau is one of the best No. 8 s on the world and has been for

another of years and that is harsh on Murray Artie because he has done

nothing wrong and played well against England. So he comes back in

for me, Faletau. The argument is that world ranking points are not a

risk. So if you don't experiment now, when do you? People would give

their right arm to play for Wales. But if you are not the best, you

appreciate sometimes you get picked, or you don't. So only three recap

since the World Cup? Because they are not good enough. That is one way

of looking at it. Maybe England have got strength in depth and that is

why the changes are made. Against Japan, a saved them and through the

big boys in at the end but against Tonga and Samoa, blood them in

there. But the outside-half position in the lines is very tight. If Dan

Biggar has a good big game, George North has had one big game in this

tournament, he maybe deserves to go and meet our one big game again. I

agree, I would have Faletau at No. 8, he's the best, Moriarty has been

brilliant, and then I would go with Leigh Halfpenny, he's got the better

chance of playing on the wing for the lines. As Johnny Sexton on a

different planet to every stand-off in the championship? On his

all-round game, he has been fantastic. When you watch him from a

common point of view, you would watch him, he was directing

everything, the forwards, the backs, he is brilliant. But for me, George

Ford, because of that ten - 12 access, the back line, it needs to

be able to score tries. The All Blacks will score tries against the

lines and we have to score tries against them. Sexton is there,

George Ford is there, and there's maybe one spot and Dan Biggar maybe

deserves... And you're not going to risk Farrell in the midweek games.

Then you have got two tens. I did think we should make decisions about

who plays for Wales against rust depending on who has got the chance

to go and play for the lines. We pick the side because of what is

good for us, not just this game but for the future. Obviously we want to

win and I don't think we can make changes, if necessary, like Shane

said about Ireland. You've got to make some changes now. Who would you

change? Liam has got to be played in at full-back. If we can become a

contract attacking side, Leigh Halfpenny, for all his strengths,

does not do that for us. Liam Williams seems to be the guy to do

that for us. Unless we try Sam Davies in the game, he has to have a

substantial amount of time in a proper Test match like that, not

against Tonga away, but under pressure against equality, world

ranking side, can you do it there? Until we try we will never know.

We'll be win in Paris? They have won five in a row against France, so

nothing to fear, but picking up on Glyn's point, he's made it

desperately late to make the changes that should have been made months

ago. Just so as not to underestimate, Ross, the importance

of that win. Ireland have been a big team. Four months ago on the same

day when Wales were abysmal against Australia, Ireland in one of their

all-time greatest matches, beat the All Blacks. Thank you for your time,

James. Jonathan Davies, Glyn Jones and Martyn Williams. Thank you for

watching. There is a Facebook live page after this at 7:10pm. Hopefully

we will be celebrating a win in Paris, but for now, let's revel in

the highlights from Friday. Good night.

Roberts from the line. Roberts! And Wales are just won the encounter.

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