Is Rhys Webb Ready for Wales?

Rhys Webb insists that he is not thinking about Welsh selection but based on his performances he could be excused for wondering what his future might hold. The twenty-five year old Ospreys scrum half has had a career ravaged by injury but is now fit, on form and playing with a smile on his face.

With two tries against Edinburgh last weekend his total for the season stands at four with just three games played. The performance against Edinburgh was outstanding and his try scoring form speaks for itself, however is he ready to carry the number nine for Wales.

There are a few reasons Rhys Webb is seen as the successor to Mike Phillips; one is that Philips has always delivered slower ball than other scrum halves and too often finds himself at the bottom of a ruck. Rhys Webb’s service is far quicker and with Wales’ backline that is exactly what the scrum half needs to do.

There is also Webb’s try scoring form, the reason we are having this debate is because of the amount of tries he has scored. However, all the tries that Webb has scored have been exactly the same, they have been a quick ‘show and go’ and burst through the gap left by the guard at the edge of the ruck. They are not world-class tries and in all these cases the defence is to blame. He would not be able to do this at international level and if he tried the ‘show and go’ he is likely to get caught up in rucks as Phillips so often does.

In Mike Phillips’ defence, when he tries the dummy and it fails he does have the strength to make some yardage. Rhys Webb does not have that extra attribute to his game, and he could find himself going backwards at test level.

The stature of Phillips is something that Warren Gatland has always liked about the Racing Metro scrum half, he fits the mould. However, the Gatland-mould is something increasingly disliked by Welsh fans and would rather see some invention in the backline. Phillips is clearly a favourite of Gatland as he has survived moving to France whereas former Welsh scrum half Dwayne Peel did not survive a move to England.

Although Welsh fans are now calling for Webb to be first choice for Wales in the autumn internationals it is not all that simple. Phillips has been with the Wales squad for so long that all the calls and set ups are second nature, going into a World Cup this is a good position to be in. If Webb is put in at scrum half the combinations need to re-taught once more over the next year, far from an ideal situation.

Yet, if Dan Biggar is to be the outside-half at the World Cup as many people believe he should be then the half-back combination is already in place. This all leaves out Gareth Davies who is also in fine form at the Scarlets, if Gatland reverts back to Rhys Priestland then Davies would be the obvious incumbent.

In my opinion it is the combinations that hold the key to the scrum half debate and if Biggar retains the jersey then Rhys Webb has every chance to push Mike Phillips out of the team.