Lions

Just caught up on the replay.

Was this really a set of players from the top 40 GB&I have to offer?

It ruled some players out for the Tests at least. Best's throwing was diabolical so that should mean Youngs or Hibbard, but the starting front 5 were all poor. Mistake not to bring a 3rd FH for these occasions (this dirt-tracker match 4 days before the Test was made for a pro like Wilko to come in and control the game). Youngs was poor, felt sorry for the Scottish full back and Twelvetrees who had nothing to work with.

From my reckoning we're like to have just 3 or 4 Englishmen start the First Test. Either Corbisiero/Vunipola will play (hopef Corbs for his scrummage, Vunipola as a sub), Croft has a decent shot in the back row, Parling is likely to be a bench option for second row, TYoungs might start at hooker (Gatland will prefer Hibbard), whilst Tuilagu might represent at 12 depending on fitness.

I think Dan Cole will start, maybe with Corbs, Vunipola, Croft, Parling, Farrell and possibly Youngs will come off the bench to good effect.

The bench is where we shall win the series.

British & Irish Lions starting XV: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Alex Cuthbert (Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), Jonathan Davies (Wales), George North (Wales), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales); Alex Corbisiero (England), Tom Youngs (England), Adam Jones (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Paul O'Connell (Ireland), Tom Croft (England), Sam Warburton (Wales, capt), Jamie Heaslip (Ireland).
Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Wales), Mako Vunipola (England), Dan Cole (England), Geoff Parling (England), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Ben Youngs (England), Owen Farrell (England), Sean Maitland (Scotland).
Australia starting XV: Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs); Israel Folau (NSW), Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW), Christian Leali'ifano (ACT Brumbies), Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds); James O'Connor (Melbourne Rebels), Will Genia (Reds); Benn Robinson (NSW), Stephen Moore (ACT), Ben Alexander (ACT), James Horwill (Reds - capt), Kane Douglas (NSW), Ben Mowen (ACT), Michael Hooper (NSW), Wycliff Palu (NSW).
Replacements: Saia Fainga'a (Reds), James Slipper (Reds), S Kepu (NSW), Rob Simmons (Reds), Liam Gill (Reds) Nick Phipps (Rebels), Pat McCabe (ACT), Kurtley Beale (Rebels).

Prapper excited for it now. Surprised at back-row, puts a lot of pressure on Warburton at the breakdown.

British & Irish Lions starting XV: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Alex Cuthbert (Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), Jonathan Davies (Wales), George North (Wales), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales); Alex Corbisiero (England), Tom Youngs (England), Adam Jones (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Paul O'Connell (Ireland), Tom Croft (England), Sam Warburton (Wales, capt), Jamie Heaslip (Ireland).

Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Wales), Mako Vunipola (England), Dan Cole (England), Geoff Parling (England), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Ben Youngs (England), Owen Farrell (England), Sean Maitland (Scotland).

Well well!

What a conservative selection, only one outside back on the bench, I really can't see Farrell anywhere but 10, no o'Brien or Tupiric or a midfield banger, North will be finding plenty to do from the wing. Jones in at tight head which is fair play on ability but he has been injured, expect Coley on early and I doubt Warbuton will last either which means we should be 7 less against a team of foragers.

Bring it on.

Have all the Scottish players got a virus?

I'd have gone with Tipuric too, plus Lydiate on the bench only really covers one eventuality/position.

The Scots just aren't very good Jock. Richie Gray possibly unlucky but he hasn't impressed in the warm-ups, then 20yo Hogg was shoved into a position completely alien to him so hasn't been able to justify his spot on the bench at fullback/wing cover. You've got Maitland in there but he's a kiwi really.

Should smash them in the scrum with Corbs/Jones. Halfpenny should kick his goals. Whether that'll be enough, not sure!

Greenjock wrote:

Have all the Scottish players got a virus?

No, they are just shiite.

The squad just about reflects the 6 nations, Wales won it with England flattering until their awful performance if Cardiff, Scotland and Ireland were pretty ineffective. The Paddies have some v strong players and some real also rans so they have more in the frame, SoB and Tipuric being the two we may miss if anyone in the back row takes a dig, Warburton is a big risk imho.

Most importantly I think Gatland has gone with form on tour, except Warburton and Corbs who was a shoe in once they worked out that the Oz will in fact be scrummaging. The back line picked itself on availability, experience and form, I think we will miss Robertson/Manu and Cuthbert's defence is pretty much non existent, an awful lot will depend on the tight five establishing superiority cos we lack monster ball carriers further back.

Me, I think Ben Youngs is shiite, his pass is terminally slow and his kicking options and execution fecking dire, alright he puts himself about and has some gas, but the scrum half's job is to improve the game of others, not his own, for that reason I would have Murray on the bench and SoB over Lydiate


I am also a bit mystified why so many people think we are faves, this Ox team are rated 3 for very good reason, they don't lose much and concede very few tries, if they can compete in the tight and not give away pens they will be v hard to beat.

Almost Lions time

Friggin ref hasn't done us any favours and if Phillips puts in another one of them dumb ass uncontested box kicks I am gonna get a flight out there and give him a slap myself.

Very poor first half from both sides, total lack of imagination in attack, tries coming from poor tackles in broken play, best players for the Lions coming from the English contingent, which says a lot for how generally crap it has been.

Suck that you choking Aussie bastards.

1 up 2 to go, we should have won that a lot more easier

thank god Kurtley Beale choked twice

If Id known it was on I may have taken my missus for a romantic drink daan taan instead of going shopping.

Thought they were average, but a win is a win.

Phillips did my nut in, outplayed so badly by good scrum half. If we were playing either SA or NZ they'd have kicked us into submission without even thinking about it. Can't think much more on it! 

Corbisiero was our best player then got taken off! crumbs...

Very muted reporting of the defeat here in Oz.............

Come on The Lions

ROAR

Next Saturday is going to be a cracker with it at 1-1. Bit deflated we couldnt hold on for the win and gave away a stupid penalty to gift the game to Australia.

It was a big as for Halfpenny to hit the target from there at the end to win the game and series for the lions

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If anybody hasn't got sky apparently this link works to watch it live.

What a win, I said 3 nil If that last kick and a little thought by the players last week it would have been a clean sweep,

Gatlands choice is vindicated.

Don't usually bother with rugby in any way shape or form, but watching that yesterday at an absolutely rammed pub on the beach (The Watering Hole at Perranporth) it was a top top atmosphere. An abundance of scantily clad honeys prancing around added to the day too, foreshore.

Czarcasm wrote:

Don't usually bother with rugby in any way shape or form, but watching that yesterday at an absolutely rammed pub on the beach (The Watering Hole at Perranporth) it was a top top atmosphere. An abundance of scantily clad honeys prancing around  added to the day too, foreshore.

Some of my mates were in there yesterday as well.

Greenjock wrote:

Czarcasm wrote:

Don't usually bother with rugby in any way shape or form, but watching that yesterday at an absolutely rammed pub on the beach (The Watering Hole at Perranporth) it was a top top atmosphere. An abundance of scantily clad honeys prancing around  added to the day too, foreshore.

Some of my mates were in there yesterday as well.

'Twas brill. When the sun shines I can't think of a better location. Doubt there are many others that are literally on the beach - and with Rattler on tap...

  

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They used to sell giant prawns by the pint glass as well. Bootiful