Wales’ performance in the Guinness Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham attracted what theatre critics refer to as ‘mixed reviews’.
Many were impressed by the second-half rally that saw Wayne Pivac’s team out-score their opponents three tries to one.
More still were dismayed by the lamentable opening 44 minutes from the visitors which allowed England to build a 17-0 lead without touching any great heights themselves.
So the head coach faces a tricky selection for the game with Grand Slam-chasing France in Cardiff a week on Friday.
The assumption is Pivac will not be satisfied with all aspects of the team effort, but would changing personnel bring about an improvement or would it risk the element of continuity every side needs to prosper?
Are there any players who might come into Pivac’s squad?
MARK ORDERS assesses how the coach’s options and how his selection might go.
Read next:The latest Six Nations headlines
Back three
There won’t be much going on here in terms of changes.
Alex Cuthbert marked his 50th cap by banging in one of the finest displays of his career, powering through tackles and showing a relentless appetite for hard work. England struggled to deal with him and the official draft of stats suggested the wing had made 176 metres from 14 carries.
For those in any doubt, that’s impressive.
Louis Rees-Zammit is just going to have to bide his time in terms of winning back his place.
On the other wing, Josh Adams also grew into the game after a quiet first half.
By the closing minutes, he was troubling England every time he had the ball.
Liam Williams will be disappointed to have picked up a yellow card, and Wales do have Johnny McNicholl as a full-back option, but, on balance, Williams should keep his place.
Verdict: Adams, Cuthbert and Williams will start.
Centres
Nick Tompkins has made himself undroppable for the France game with a wonderfully industrious effort in round three. He may not tick every box for every single critic, but few players do. What Tompkins offers is relentless energy and huge tenacity. Such factors count for a lot.
Who starts alongside him?
Owen Watkin fronted up in defence in south-west London but was quiet in attack. In his previous game he’d excelled with his tackling and caused Scotland problems with his running. A first-quarter knock also could have affected his effort against England.
Jonathan Davies has performed well off the bench over the last two games, while maybe Willis Halaholo will come back into contention. He has considerable attacking gifts, but in defence maybe Watkin, with his ability to hit hard and also rip possession from opponents, has a strong case for staying in the side.
The wild card might be George North for the Italy game on March 19.
But even that might be a stretch after a year out with a smashed knee and his comeback due for the Ospreys next Sunday.
Verdict: Tompkins starts, while Pivac needs to be wary of making change for change’s sake, with continuity important. On balance, Watkin is likely to figure alongside him, assuming there are no after-effects from his knock.
Half-backs
Dan Biggar will keep his place as captain.
Pivac likes Biggar’s whole-hearted commitment and the Northampton Saints man came up with a lot more that was good than bad against England.
Tomos Williams edged the scrum-half battle at Twickenham, notwithstanding the pre-match hype over Harry Randall. Williams was sharp and inventive while flicking out a series of crisp and fast passes.
A nod, too, in the direction of Kieran Hardy, who once again showed his opportunism.
Verdict: No change. Biggar and Williams will start.
Props
Wales’ scrum stood up well over the first hour in London, with England coughing up penalties and neither of Pivac’s starting props incurring the referee’s displeasure at any point.
High marks for Wyn Jones and Tomas Francis there.
The pair also fronted up in defence.
But they both need to carry more.
Jones made one run forward for two metres against England, while Francis didn’t manage anything with ball in hand. By contrast, France’s loosehead Cyril Baille made 30 metres from five heavyweight charges against Scotland.
Both Wales’ replacement props, Gareth Thomas and Leon Brown, impressed around the field, but Francis is the best tighthead scrummager in Pivac’s group and Wales dare not show any kind of set-piece vulnerability against the French.
But the call at loosehead could be interesting.
While Jones went well at the scrums and in defence, Gareth Thomas made 43 metres from nine carries, achieved a turnover and didn’t miss one tackle.
Pivac will know via training how much difference there is in the scrummaging prowess of the two players.
But, suffice to say, Thomas has given the coach something to think about.
Verdict: Francis stays at No. 3—fitness permitting after his head bump—probably alongside Jones but Thomas is applying pressure on the Scarlet, with Wales needing their props to carry more.
Hooker
How much was Ryan Elias to blame for the throw that infamously ended in an England try? Not as much as first appeared, with Maro Itoje appearing to bump Adam Beard as the Welsh lock prepared to jump.
The match officials overlooked the incident.
As you do.
Let’s be bold and suggest match referee Mike Adamson and his TMO Brian MacNeice shouldn’t expect Christmas cards from Elias and Beard this year.
There was also an earlier lineout error that cost Wales a good attacking position.
On the plus side, Elias didn’t stop working in defence.
Dewi Lake came on and made his presence felt with a series of drives, while he also achieved a turnover. He’s been a success in this campaign, though he needs to continue working hard on his throwing.
The probability is the selectors will spend time debating this one.
Verdict: The result of the deliberations will probably see Elias start once more, but Lake is showing he can live at this level.
Second row
Both Will Rowlands and Adam Beard fared well enough against England.
Indeed, Rowlands is proving a quiet front-five star of the Welsh campaign.
The official Six Nations figures reveal he made 57 metres from his 14 runs forward with the Dragons player returning 100 percent numbers in defence: 13 hits attempted, every one nailed.
He also pilfered two opposition throws and didn’t shirk in the tight exchanges.
(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)
The horror lineout episode with Itoje aside, Beard also showed up in a largely positive light in south-west London, staying in the fight until the end.
Verdict: Pivac won’t change anything here.
Back row
The imperious Taulupe Faletau will be the first name on Pivac’s teamsheet after his logic-defying contribution against England. Really, he shouldn’t have been able to perform as he did just a game-and-a-half into a comeback after seven months on the sidelines.
Ross Moriarty brings balance to the back row and grafted hard against England. He did concede three penalties, but he is a Test animal and Pivac will not want to leave him out.
There could be a debate over openside flanker, though.
A major debate.
Wales were second best at the breakdown against England. There were some questionable refereeing interpretations, fair enough, but they will need to do better in that area against France, who pulled off eight turnovers against Scotland with hooker Julien Marchand and No. 8 Gregory Alldritt bagging two apiece.
Could Pivac reinstate Jac Morgan at openside flanker?
Taine Basham had his moments around the field at Twickenham but was quieter than he has been for the second successive game.
Morgan also made a significant impact off the bench as the game opened up late on. Would the west Walian’s less flashy grit and steel be more useful in a match where Wales will need to be ultra-vigilant in defence against opponents who can fashion tries out of nothing? Would his ability over the ball also come in handy?
It’s a difficult call and Basham will have credit in the bank.
One final thing.
Dai Young said earlier this month there was a long-shot chance of Josh Navidi being fit to play for Cardiff against Ulster next Friday. If that were to happen, all bets would be off as to the make-up of the back row.
Like Faletau, Navidi has shown he can conjure big performances quickly after returning from injury.
An early return from him could see Pivac putting in a call assuming all went well.
But until we see Young’s selection for the trip to Belfast, such a possibility must remain only theoretical.
Verdict: Faletau is a certainty, with Moriarty likely to hold his place, as well. Leaving out Basham would be tough on the youngster, but it’s not wildly out of the question, withMorgan a player who has impressed in this Six Nations.
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