10:40am Tuesday 16th March 2010
By Iwan Davies
WALES should be throwing more lineout ball to Newport Gwent Dragons second row Luke Charteris, hooker Matthew Rees has admitted.
And the straight talking Lions star confessed Wales’ performance against Ireland was “unacceptable” as they look to bounce back against Italy.
Wales’ lineout against Ireland was again chronic and a major factor in why they went down to an ignominious defeat.
Rees, 29, who made his first Six Nations appearance of the season in Dublin after struggling with a groin injury, said: “We are all disappointed with the result and with parts of the performance.
“I think it’s important we have an honesty call throughout the team, because what happened isn’t acceptable for this level of rugby. The line-out definitely needs to improve.”
On being asked if Charteris should be used more often for Wales, the Scarlets hooker replied: “Definitely.”
Rees said Wales go back to the drawing board in the line-out again this week: “But we need to address whatever issues there are and make sure everything is put in place for Italy. We know it’s going to be a tough game. We have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
“You are going to lose lineouts at international level – at any level. But four of them were of our own doing and that’s something we need to look at this week.
“I was speaking to Gareth Delve and he was saying that Marco Bortolami (Delve’s Italian Gloucester teammate) is good in the line-outs. He reads the systems well and will be key for them.
“Hopefully, we can knuckle down as a pack and make sure we put everything right for Saturday.”
With Tests looming against South Africa at home and a tour to New Zealand in June, Rees said Wales must up their performances as a matter of urgency.
“We have to up our performance levels as a team and as individuals. As players we need to have a look at ourselves personally,” he said. And if there’s finger-pointing that has to be done, then it has to be done.”
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/trade_directory/