BOD to lead the Lions out in game 2.

Leslie91

http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/7863.php

I can't wait to see how this team goes. Donners and Luke F not getting a sniff yet.

zAbbo

Injuries to Luke, Earls, Flutey and Powell so a number of guys are having to play again.

Halfpenny flying out tomorrow.

British & Irish Lions (vs Golden Lions)

15. Rob Kearney (Leinster/Ireland)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ospreys/Ireland)
13. Brian O’Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England)
10. Stephen Jones (Scarlets/Wales)
9. Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales)

8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)
7. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
6. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
5. Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
4. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)
3. Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England)
2. Lee Mears (Bath/England)
1. Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales)

Replacements

16. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)
17. Euan Murray (Northampton Saints/Scotland)
18. Stephen Ferris (Ulster/Ireland)
19. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
20. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)
21. James Hook (Ospreys/Wales)
22. Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales)

Podge_irl

One or two obvious omissions aside, that has a distinctly test-team feel to it.

Stev_o

That is a seriously fast pack i must say, i think this match will be a cracker. Would prefer Byrne to start at 15 but again everyone deserve their chance. Monye to score first for me.

Leslie91

zAbbo wrote: »

Injuries to Luke, Earls, Flutey and Powell so a number of guys are having to play again.

Didn't know Luke was injured, what's up with him?.

zAbbo

Leslie91 wrote: »

Didn't know Luke was injured, what's up with him?.

Not sure, but it's just niggles which are keeping the players out.

overmantle

Best of luck to BOD. He's the jewel in the crown.

overmantle

After the heartache in Christchurch 5 years ago, he deserves a bit of luck this time>

Stev_o

Stev_o wrote: »

That is a seriously fast pack i must say, i think this match will be a cracker. Would prefer Byrne to start at 15 but again everyone deserve their chance. Monye to score first for me.

Why would Byrne start at 15?
An on form Kearney is just as devastating and he has an equal chance of making the team.

Hes also facing a far better fullback and team than Byrne was playing against.

danthefan

Archer Crooked Utensil wrote: »

Why would Byrne start at 15?
An on form Kearney is just as devastating and he has an equal chance of making the team.

Hes also facing a far better fullback and team than Byrne was playing against.

I'd say fullback is one of the positions where how one plays doesn't really have a huge effect on his opposite number, it's not as if they come into contact all that much. I'd also have Byrne ahead of Kearney at the moment, I think Kearney needs some really big performances to make the test side.

danthefan

danthefan wrote: »

I'd say fullback is one of the positions where how one plays doesn't really have a huge effect on his opposite number, it's not as if they come into contact all that much. I'd also have Byrne ahead of Kearney at the moment, I think Kearney needs some really big performances to make the test side.

Byrne had a cracker alright but why would anyone not want Kearney to start,when he plays well he is class.

Aidric

That's a nice looking side. Wednesdays game should be a cracker.

madds

Leslie91 wrote: »

Didn't know Luke was injured, what's up with him?.

The Indo reports the below...

Luke Fitzgerald has a mild strain of the knee and a slight chest infection, but was not ruled out of contention yesterday.

Podge_irl

Archer Crooked Utensil wrote: »

Byrne had a cracker alright but why would anyone not want Kearney to start,when he plays well he is class.

Cause Byrne is better?

An on form Kearney is just as devastating and he has an equal chance of making the team.

Devasting is not a word I would use to describe Kearney at full back. He has a better boot and is better in the air then Byrne, but Byrne hits the line far better than Kearney and is currently a better counter-attacker. When both on top of their game then its close, but Byrne is way ahead of Kearney at the moment.

Sangre

Archer Crooked Utensil wrote: »

Byrne had a cracker alright but why would anyone not want Kearney to start,when he plays well he is class.

Byrne is on better form at the moment. I think Kearney will have to play his way into the team with Byrne playing himself out of it.

Serenity Now!

Podge_irl wrote: »

One or two obvious omissions aside, that has a distinctly test-team feel to it.

There's a smaller squad to pick from therefore every game is going to seem like that.

Serenity Now!

Archer Crooked Utensil wrote: »

Why would Byrne start at 15?

Because he's the best of the bunch?

Podge_irl

Serenity Now! wrote: »

There's a smaller squad to pick from therefore every game is going to seem like that.

I dunno, I think its much closer to what the team is going to end up looking like than Saturday's team for example.

chupacabra

What a moment for BOD, to put the demons of 2005 to rest. Fair play to geech for giving him he captaincy.

Amabokke

I think BOD will have a bigger impact as captain than POC as he is not afraid to speak up and tell his players to raise the bar.

Serenity Now!

Serenity Now! wrote: »

Because he's the best of the bunch?

Yes but take the answer in context.Its a midweek game against poor opposition,why would you risk Byrne and not give Kearney a shot.

Leslie91

Archer Crooked Utensil wrote: »

Yes but take the answer in context.Its a midweek game against poor opposition,why would you risk Byrne and not give Kearney a shot.

This team will be better than the Royal 15 supposedly!. 'Poor opposition'!?, hardly.

On the Byrne Kearney debate, no doubt about it Byrne is ahead right now. Think about it though the no. 11 shirt is up for grabs and Kearney can play there too. He needs a good game wed though.

sm.org

Leslie91 wrote: »

This team will be better than the Royal 15 supposedly!. 'Poor opposition'!?, hardly.

On the Byrne Kearney debate, no doubt about it Byrne is ahead right now. Think about it though the no. 11 shirt is up for grabs and Kearney can play there too. He needs a good game wed though.

He's only about 50% as effect at 11 though. Hasn't played well for a while now , only injuries will see him start a test.

remus808

Leslie91 wrote: »

This team will be better than the Royal 15 supposedly!. 'Poor opposition'!?, hardly.

On the Byrne Kearney debate, no doubt about it Byrne is ahead right now. Think about it though the no. 11 shirt is up for grabs and Kearney can play there too. He needs a good game wed though.

I would be absolutely baffled if Geech and co. (or anyone else in world rugby for that matter) saw Kearney as a better option at 11 than Luke.

thomond2006

karmabass wrote: »

I would be absolutely baffled if Geech and co. (or anyone else in world rugby for that matter) saw Kearney as a better option at 11 than Luke.

+1.