Cardiff Blues
Selection at 10
By Craig Muncey
December 8 2015
Over the last month or so the news broke that Rhys Patchell who is out of contract this summer with the Cardiff Blues, is being heavily linked with the current Pro 12 leaders, Scarlets. Cardiff Blues are keen for him to stay, but it appears if the rumours are true, that Patchell will be joining the Scarlets for next season. This article looks at the selectional decision the Cardiff Blues have, do they play Patchell in his favoured position of 10, that is when Gareth Anscombe is unavailable or do they go with Jarrod Evans, a young upcoming 10, who over the last two matches has started ahead of Patchell.
Rhys Patchell is a 22 young old who was born in Llandough, Penarth, he has played for the Cardiff Blues since 2012, and to date has 2 Welsh caps. Patchell is a confident young footballer, who on his day, has all the skills to play at a very high level, he is good in defence, has good passing skills off both hands, has a kick like a mule, and can kick penalties from within his own half, comfortably, and has a good kicking game from hand. He is very vocal in his support ot his team mates and wants ot lead the team tactically around the field. He takes the ball up to the line well, and looks to offload to potential support runners when taking the ball into contact, and does have a turn of pace. The main reason we are led to believe is that he wishes to leave Cardiff Blues, is that he wants to play mainly in the 10 shirt, and try to push on his chances of playing for Wales in that position, and his belief is that he has a better chance of playing regularly for the Scarlets in that position and not Cardiff Blues. I am sure also playing a part is having Stephen Jones as his backs coach, plus potentially a centre partnership alongside him of Scott Williams and Jonathan Davies, not too bad at all!
He can at times take on too much himself, and try a pass that is not on and can put players into dangerous positions, such as happened last week with a ball into centre field to Gethin Jenkins with an onrushing defence after a wayward kick from Connacht, the resulting phase of play, left Cardiff Blues defending a 5 metre scrum. It was not intellingent play from Patchell.
At times Patchell reminds me of Nicky Robinson when he played for the Cardiff Blues, when Robinson was on form he was outstanding, with his kicking game and passing freeing the Cardiff Blues backline, but when he was having an off day then everything can go wrong, and in particular Robinson's place kicking, and this is very similar to Patchell who as per last Friday missed a kick right in front of the posts, but when he is on form he can be quite outstanding, as his attacking play against Zebre, Leinster and Munster in particular demonstrated. Against Munster, some of his passing was top drawer, had an outstanding individual performance.
Jarrod Evans is a 19 year old who was born in Pontypridd, Evans is highly regarded by well respected rugby folk, and has high expectations of him, he has come through the Cardiff Blues academy via Pontypridd RFC. What I have seen of the player, he looks confident for a young man in a struggling side, he takes the ball up well to the line, and looks to offload when he can, however, for me he likes like more of a jinking running type of 10 to Patchell, with quick feet to beat players in small spaces, he looks a competent goal kicker, and his kicking from hand game looks decent, but as a young man finding his way in professional rugby after only 2 league starts, has a lot to work on, especially in defence.
The selection poser as I see it for the coaching staff is there is no doubt when all are fit and available to the Cardiff Blues, Gareth Anscombe will be the starting 10, especially with his NDC contract and the fact Warren Gatland is keen to see Anscombe playing that position as the likely back up to Dan Biggar in the 6 Nations. However, there will be games he will not be available, so should the Cardiff Blues choose Rhys Patchell or Jarrod Evans in the key position of 10?
A number of supporters will say that in all likelihood the Pro 12 plays off are over and that European Cup qualification is gone (hard to argue otherwise), so if Patchell is off this summer, let's play Evans at 10, give him the experience of playing there, get him the gametime, learn his trade and then if things are not working out on the pitch bring Patchell in at 10, either off the bench or potentially move him positionally from the 15 or 12 jersey, that the Cardiff Blues may look to use him in.
The other way to look at this is who gives Cardiff Blues the best chance of winning a rugby match, with a team who are struggling to get through oppositions first line of defence and thus going phase to phase without much penetration, who is best suited to playing at 10. In a team low in confidence, for me they need to be playing the best player at 10, wins provides confidence, and for me the best option at 10 right now is Rhys Patchell.
Before anyone says it, no I am not saying the difference between Cardiff Blues winning or losing is who plays at 10, but I am saying right now, in my opinion the man who gives us a better chance is Patchell. From what I have seen, his demeanor has not changed, he still looks eager for the team to win, and is still totally committed, some people may think play him at 15 and allow Evans at 10, with Patchell going in at first receiver in some instances, but again I don't believe Patchell is our best 15, I think Dan Fish and Blaine Scully are better suited to the full back position.
We saw on Friday night, with 15 to go, when the result was still very much up in the air, Evans was replaced with Patchell moving to 10 and Fish going to full back, to see the game out and to get us a much needed victory against the team who were top of the league.
In closing Friday night we have a big European tie against French side Montpellier, there should be a decent crowd, and an opportunity for Cardiff Blues to claim a confidence boosting victory over a team currently sitting 7th in the French top division, who have players such as Bismarck Du Plessis, Nicolas Mas, Jesse Mogg, Julien Malzieu, Timoci Nagusa and Nic White in their ranks and have plenty of money evidenced by their recent signing for later this season, Fijian warship, Nemani Nadolo. This would be a great chance to claim a victory who gives us our best chance, for me that is Rhys Patchell.
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Stumbleupon08/12/2015 12:53
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Patchell was a much better player than Evans at 20. Problem is he hasn't kicked on much since then. I believe he has more of the skill set to play 15 and 12 than he has at 10.
He may well benefit from playing under Stephen Jones and with JD at the Scarlets. Can't imagine he learns much from Gavin Evans. It would be a pity if he went but not the end of the world. He'd be a useful squad member but I suspect may come under the heading of 'having a great future behind him '.
With patchell at ten and a young jarred Evans coming through as well as a stop gap Gareth Davies there was no need to recruit anscombe as a ten. Which of course if why we didn't. We signed him to play fifteen as we knew that halfpenny was off and he had the added value of being able to cover ten which meant we wouldn't have to rely on Gareth Davies. Patchell was offered a contract two years ago and was reassured that anscombe was coming as a fifteen primarily and that patch would be able to challenge for ten.
What happened? Gatland remarked that he saw anscombe as a ten and Hammett in his wisdom selected patch at fifteen for most of the opening third of the season before anscombe had even arrived so that he could learn the position!
This is of course the Rhys patchell who had been alongside navidi our only shining light for the past two seasons and who had almost singlehandedly been the decision maker behind our pack.
People think his decision making is sometimes flawed? Well of course it was as unlike Nicky he didn't have a spice inside him and a Peter muller outside. He was learning on the pitch and then just as we appeared to invest we were shunting him to fullback over a guy being parachuted from the other side of the world.
Now I like anscombe but I find it disappointing that in our biggest game of the season last year (cup qtr) away at dragons he had a nightmare at ten and then when Wales finally needed him in the World Cup it was as fullback!
Patchell is a local boy and any team with any sense of self would have been building a team around a talent like his. It would have invested heavily in a guiding twelve and would have given him a long term contract to tie him to us. But what do Cardiff do? The opposite and we are now where we are.
I think it's farcical and I guarantee that he will set the world on fire at the Scarlets.
I guess one of the problems about judging a blues 10 over the last 2 years is that they've all played outside feeble packs and poor 9s and inside dreadful mid fields.
I do however believe that Anscombe has a better pedigree at 10 than Patchell who hasn't really been trusted to play there consistently by any of his 3 coaches. Was Evans preferred as the starter 10 last week or was it tactical ?
I do however agree he'd be a loss if he left. I'm just not sure how much he's going to kick on. I hope he does and makes me eat my words.
09/12/2015 15:24
I hope Patch kicks on but he is only a couple of years behind Biggar and he has had a shed load of games for the Blues as a 10. All of his coaches have been frustrated by his inability to control a game for 80 mins as a 10. He is in danger of turning into a Hook or a Nicky. All the dazzle dazzle when you don't need it but none of the ability to do simple basic rugby thinking
I thought that then he preferred Davies at 10 at Patch at 15 than Patch at 10 and Fish.
Seeing that Wison has in the last 3 games tried Fish, Skully and now patch maybe he's still not sure who our best full back is.
Personally I thought the two combined well with patch running from deep and also offering a blindside extra first receiver option in open play.
I thought Evans brought the centres into the game last Friday, better than we have managed at any time this season. But we did have better ball.
Quote:cardiffrcm
Patch could be a World beater at 15, will always be like Hook at 10.
I thought Evans brought the centres into the game last Friday, better than we have managed at any time this season. But we did have better ball.
Too true. pace to beat, boot like a muel, good in the air and that maverick nature needed.
Quote:southcoast5
Gatlands had a close eye on him for 2 years now and hasn't considered him for the squad even when we were desperate.i think Sam Davies may overtake him this season. You can only be promising for so long.
Agreed.
Quote:cardiffrcm
Patch could be a World beater at 15, will always be like Hook at 10.
I thought Evans brought the centres into the game last Friday, better than we have managed at any time this season. But we did have better ball.
Yup. In total agreement.
Quote:Cardiffblues1
Why would the WRU give Anscombe a NDC is they saw him as a 15? They must have seen him as a 10
I hope Patch kicks on but he is only a couple of years behind Biggar and he has had a shed load of games for the Blues as a 10. All of his coaches have been frustrated by his inability to control a game for 80 mins as a 10. He is in danger of turning into a Hook or a Nicky. All the dazzle dazzle when you don't need it but none of the ability to do simple basic rugby thinking
Clearly they see him as a ten. I said that Cardiff recruited him to cover fifteen not Wales. The Wales involvement came later.
Hammett as I said already never really even saw him at ten and followed gatlands instructions re anscombe. As for macintosh and John, well does anyone really judge their decisions? They brought dicomidis in and picked Adam Thomas in almost every game. Oh yes and favoured Lewis jones over Lloyd.
10/12/2015 09:11
Quote:InvaderQuote:cardiffrcm
Patch could be a World beater at 15, will always be like Hook at 10.
I thought Evans brought the centres into the game last Friday, better than we have managed at any time this season. But we did have better ball.
Yup. In total agreement.
Yes I am, thanks for pointing that out for me!!
10/12/2015 09:36
Most worrying thing for me at the moment is Andrews appears to be selected as 2nd row replacement against Montpellier, the guy is crying out to be a LH, being wasted at Lock
11/12/2015 08:47
Quote:ExiledBluesFan
Pat hell is pretty much gone let's face it. Evans is our other fit 10 but he is a kid at 20 & has a lot to learn but this exposure at 10 until Amscombe gets back will only be beneficial. I think we should look at bringing Sheedy back from Bristol to battle it out with Evans next season to fill in for Anscombe when he isn't available.
Most worrying thing for me at the moment is Andrews appears to be selected as 2nd row replacement against Montpellier, the guy is crying out to be a LH, being wasted at Lock
For me he would make a decent hooker, excellent with ball in hand, defensively sound. May need a bit of work on his darts and scrimmaging at 2. He needs to do something because he is a talent just not a tighthead.
Re a new 10 I would like to see Nick Macleod come back, a lot of experience to help Jarrod out.
11/12/2015 13:12
Quote:YupQuote:ExiledBluesFan
Pat hell is pretty much gone let's face it. Evans is our other fit 10 but he is a kid at 20 & has a lot to learn but this exposure at 10 until Amscombe gets back will only be beneficial. I think we should look at bringing Sheedy back from Bristol to battle it out with Evans next season to fill in for Anscombe when he isn't available.
Most worrying thing for me at the moment is Andrews appears to be selected as 2nd row replacement against Montpellier, the guy is crying out to be a LH, being wasted at Lock
For me he would make a decent hooker, excellent with ball in hand, defensively sound. May need a bit of work on his darts and scrimmaging at 2. He needs to do something because he is a talent just not a tighthead.
Re a new 10 I would like to see Nick Macleod come back, a lot of experience to help Jarrod out.
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Macleod has experience but he'll be 33 at the start of next season & for me it would be a step backwards, I think Hibbard & Hook both out of contract at Gloucester next season though?
Quote:Yup
For me he would make a decent hooker, excellent with ball in hand, defensively sound. May need a bit of work on his darts and scrimmaging at 2. He needs to do something because he is a talent just not a tighthead.
Re a new 10 I would like to see Nick Macleod come back, a lot of experience to help Jarrod out.
Great post.
Bubba is a great forward, but it would appear that he cannot scrummage. Whether he can develop into a Garin Jenkins/McBryde type hooker remains to be seen.
If Patch leaves; Rosie would be the perfect replacement.
Quote:Beard from Tad Cymru
Thought Patch played very well from 15
100% agree, 15 plays to his strengths, so much more space before contact to make things happen. At 10 he tryst to breaks through with runs like last night but gets suffocated
