Davies plans Welsh midfield raid
Wales centre Jonathan Davies hopes his midfield partnership with Jamie Roberts can cause Scotland even more of a problem than it did in last weekend’s Six Nations opening victory over Ireland.
Wales play Scotland at the Millennium Stadium here on Sunday after a thrilling 23-21 win in Dublin where Scarlets midfelder Davies scored two tries.
In the build-up to last year’s World Cup in New Zealand, Wales were accused of being too predictable in attack.
But the likes of emerging flyhalf Rhys Priestland and the developmentof a youthful backline featuring teenage wing George North helped Wales reach the semifinals.
And the 23-year-old Davies believes the current Wales team are nowhere near their peak.
“On the weekend it was great to be part of a good all-round performance by everyone, and it’s good to see a balance coming in to our play and an understanding with each other,” Davies said Saturday.
“Partnerships take a while to develop but everyone is starting to get comfortable with each other and what we need to do on the field.
“Jamie and I have both worked hard on different aspects of our game and tried to improve.
“People say we are quite similar in that we are two big guys who can carry the ball well but we have subtleties in our game and skills that maybe the other does not have.
“It has taken a while but as long as we understand each other and the lines of running of each other, the more games you have the better the partnership will get as a whole.”
Davies’s Dublin double stands in stark contrast to a Scotland side who have not scored a try in their last four Tests, including last weekend’s 13-6 loss to England at Murrayfield where Andy Robinson’s men botched several chances.
Flyhalf Dan Parks, whose charged down kick led to England’s lone try from opposing No.10 Charlie Hodgson, has since retired from international rugby.
Scotland, who haven’t won in Cardiff for 10 years, have asked for the Millennium’s roof to be shut in a bid to ensure ideal conditions for running rugby and Davies said: “They have said they will look to keep ball alive and we have to make sure we don’t fall into the trap of playing a game of sevens or touch rugby.
“We like a high tempo but it is about having that balance and structure and not getting too loose.”
Parks’s placed has been talen by Gregor Laidlaw and Davies added: “He’s an attack-minded player and a good running threat who will look to bring runners into the game. It will be a tough ask to keep him quiet but we have been working so hard on defence.”
AFP
