Lions vs Southern Kings team named

NU8

From: http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/8103.php

British & Irish Lions vs Southern Kings
15. Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland)
14. Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales)
13. Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England)
12. Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster/Ireland)
11. Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland)
10. James Hook (Ospreys/Wales)
9. Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland)

8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
7. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)
6. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)
5. Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland) captain
4. Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England)
3. Euan Murray (Northampton/Scotland)
2. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)
1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England)

Replacements

16. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)
17. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
18. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
20. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)
21. Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland)
22. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England

Stev_o

That looks all wrong there's about 4 lads out of position. What is the SK team?

chupacabra

I dont like the look of that pack at all. Ford really needs to play well tomorrow or his selection just wont be justified. Earls at full back will be interesting, ive always said that it was a better position for him than center. If fitz has a cracker of a game he could just overtake monye for that wing slot and Hines at 6? I know he played alot there when he was younger but that was a long time ago.

Delighted for Donners too.

That looks all wrong there's about 4 lads out of position. What is the SK team?

Dunno but Mike Catt was invited to play.

ALH-06

Wow, more Scottish players than English and Welsh...

Happy that Darcy and Fitz are being given a decent shot in their preferred positions. Would normally have reservations about Hines at 6 and Earls at 15, but that's only to rest the incumbents in these positions, surely - this match should be straight-forward and is only 4 days before the first test, after all.

Tim Robbins

NU8 wrote: »

From: http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/8103.php

British & Irish Lions vs Southern Kings
15. Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland)
14. Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales)
13. Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England)
12. Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster/Ireland)
11. Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland)
10. James Hook (Ospreys/Wales)
9. Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland)

8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
7. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)
6. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)
5. Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland) captain
4. Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England)
3. Euan Murray (Northampton/Scotland)
2. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)
1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England)

Replacements

16. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)
17. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
18. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
20. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)
21. Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland)
22. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England

That looks like the B team. The A team now looks set, bar one or two positions.

Stev_o

I think it's a serious mistake on part of the Lions management not calling up a replacement 6 in the form of Simon Taylor or Ally Hogg i mean that is a desperate backrow that have only had a 4 day turn around from a slug fest match.

ALH-06

chupacabra wrote: »

Delighted for Donners too.

Ah just noticed that! Has he ever captained before? Strange move, considering Scotland's 6N captain is starting!

NU8

Stev_o wrote: »

That looks all wrong there's about 4 lads out of position. What is the SK team?

I can't find the team anywhere but this is the squad they named for the match:

Southern Kings Squad (in alphabetical order): De Wet Barry, Rayno Benjamin, Kevin Buys, Michael Coetzee, Jaco Engels, Bevin Fortuin, Josh Fowles, Henry Grimes, Francois Hougaard, Wylie Human, Sivuyile Kobokana, Derick Kuün, Tiger Mangweni, Mpho Mbiyozo, Darron Nel, Lungile Payi, Ross Skeate, Mzwandile Stick, Heinrich Stride, Solly Tyibilika, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Michael Vermaak, Ruan Vermeulen, Elgar Watts, Frikkie Welsh, Marco Wentzel, Simon Westraadt.

TarfHead

8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
7. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)
6. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)

Car-crash back-row ! And not in a good way !

jayteecork

So none of the starting 15 players will make the test 22 I take it?

Bit messy on Fitz. And Sheridan.

lobber

NU8 wrote: »

From: http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/8103.php

British & Irish Lions vs Southern Kings
15. Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland)
14. Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales)
13. Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England)
12. Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster/Ireland)
11. Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland)
10. James Hook (Ospreys/Wales)
9. Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland)

8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
7. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)
6. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)
5. Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland) captain
4. Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England)
3. Euan Murray (Northampton/Scotland)
2. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)
1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England)

Replacements

16. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)
17. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
18. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
20. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)
21. Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland)
22. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England

Why why why are they persisting with Shane Williams. He is probably the only player to be on every game panel of the tour. Yes he is the world player of the year 2008 but he just hasn't had a good tour. I would worry that even if he has a mediocre game tomorrow night they would put him straight onto the test side in place of players like Fitzgerald or Monye who have performed very well on tour.

Delighted to see Earls at full back, hopefully he can give the selectors something to think about, as well as for O'Callaghan to get the captaincy. Wondering why wallace is on the subs bench and not martyn williams?? Surely williams is the one who has to earn a place as wally has sone really well so far!

chupacabra

NU8 wrote: »

Southern Kings Squad (in alphabetical order): De Wet Barry, Rayno Benjamin, Kevin Buys, Michael Coetzee, Jaco Engels, Bevin Fortuin, Josh Fowles, Henry Grimes, Francois Hougaard, Wylie Human, Sivuyile Kobokana, Derick Kuün, Tiger Mangweni, Mpho Mbiyozo, Darron Nel, Lungile Payi, Ross Skeate, Mzwandile Stick, Heinrich Stride, Solly Tyibilika, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Michael Vermaak, Ruan Vermeulen, Elgar Watts, Frikkie Welsh, Marco Wentzel, Simon Westraadt.

:eek: Absolutley delighted for Stridey, a legend of a player down here. But no Mike Catt?

Fizman

I don't understand why people are saying that it looks all wrong. Yes, it pretty much the 'possibles' lineup, apart from one or two. The bones of the 'probables' will not be taking part. Its basically a game where the 'possibles' can put in one last big effort for a test place. Namely Fitz, Hines, O'Gara and one or two more who still have a chance of taking part on Saturday.

Of course the team for this fixture was always going to be imbalanced. Its unreasonable to think that the selectors have gotten anything 'wrong' with this team.

The only really negative thing about this situation is that it does threaten the unbeaten run. The priority however is Saturday, so that has to be taken into account.

subfreq

jayteecork wrote: »

So none of the starting 15 players will make the test 22 I take it?

Bit messy on Fitz. And Sheridan.

I am not sure about that. Hook and ROG are in the 22 so at least one of them will make the subs.

Surprised that Murray and Sheridan missed the cut.

anonymous_joe

Damn was hoping Catt would be playing.

Good to see D'Arcy and Fitz starting. Earls and Williams have both had patchy tours, let's hope to see them do better.

But ehm, that pack. Wow. That's an awful back-row.

Good to see Donncha get a chance at captain though.

remus808

chupacabra wrote: »

:eek: Absolutley delighted for Stridey, a legend of a player down here. But no Mike Catt?

The Clontarf flanker?! Fair play to him if he's playing against the Lions!!!!

remus808

Interesting that DOC is captaining, would've expected Scotland captain Blair to take that role. But then again, I suppose Blair was only called out as a replacement so maybe that was factored in..

NU8

From an unreliable source the Southern Kings team is :

Southern Kings:

15 Tiger Mangweni; 14 Wylie Human, 13 Frikkie Welsh, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Mat Turner; 10 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 9 Francois Hougaard; 8 Darron Nell, 7 Solly Tyibilika, 6 Mpho Mbiyozo, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Marco Wentzel, 3 Ruan Vermeulen, 2 Derick Küun, 1 Jaco Engels.

Replacements - from: Simon Westraadt, Kevin Buys, Lungelo Payi, Heinrich Stride, Josh Fowles, Mzwandile Stick, Elger Watts, Bevin Fortuin, Henry Grimes, Michael Coetzee.

remus808

NU8 wrote: »

2 Derick Küun

Only decent player out of that lot as far as I can see.

jayteecork

De Wet Barry?

He played for the Boks didn't he?

NU8

jayteecork wrote: »

De Wet Barry?

He played for the Boks didn't he?

Yes, 38 caps. He was a pretty decent player iirc.

spoon

jayteecork wrote: »

So none of the starting 15 players will make the test 22 I take it?

Bit messy on Fitz. And Sheridan.

I would have thought Fitz, Flutey, D'Arcy and Earls are fighting for a bench spot in this game.

accensi0n

lobber wrote: »

Why why why are they persisting with Shane Williams. He is probably the only player to be on every game panel of the tour. Yes he is the world player of the year 2008 but he just hasn't had a good tour. I would worry that even if he has a mediocre game tomorrow night they would put him straight onto the test side in place of players like Fitzgerald or Monye who have performed very well on tour.

Who would you start in this match instead of Shane Williams then?

Can't have monye or bowe because they'll probably be starting a test match 4 days later.

Kearney is injured.

If you put Earls on the wing, who do you play at fullback?

Makes perfect sense to me to play Williams in this match...

jayteecork

spoon wrote: »

I would have thought Fitz, Flutey, D'Arcy and Earls are fighting for a bench spot in this game.

I seriously doubt those two will have anything other than a midweek role for the rest of the tour.

Looks like they've gone with Kearney instead of Fitz for the bench as well.

ch2008

I'd imagine none of these players will start on saturday baring an injury. In saying that I reckon Fitz will start tests 2 and 3 after Monye has a nighmare on Sat

remus808

NU8 wrote: »

Yes, 38 caps. He was pretty decent player iirc.

I'v heard alot of bad things

Crash

jayteecork wrote: »

I seriously doubt those two will have anything other than a midweek role for the rest of the tour.

Looks like they've gone with Kearney instead of Fitz for the bench as well.

Nope. Kearney has a dead leg, so he's out for this game. Can't read anything into that.

thomond2006

NU8 wrote: »

From: http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/8103.php

British & Irish Lions vs Southern Kings
15. Keith Earls (Munster/Ireland)
14. Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales)
13. Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England)
12. Gordon D'Arcy (Leinster/Ireland)
11. Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland)
10. James Hook (Ospreys/Wales)
9. Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland)

8. Andy Powell (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
7. Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England)
6. Nathan Hines (Perpignan/Scotland)
5. Donncha O'Callaghan (Munster/Ireland) captain
4. Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England)
3. Euan Murray (Northampton/Scotland)
2. Ross Ford (Edinburgh/Scotland)
1. Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks/England)

Replacements

16. Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales)
17. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
18. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. David Wallace (Munster/Ireland)
20. Harry Ellis (Leicester Tigers/England)
21. Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland)
22. Ugo Monye (Harlequins/England

First of all, delighted for Donncha O' Callaghan being named captain, although it's safe to say there will be some strange decisions made by the team! ;) Has he ever captained a team before? Not in my memory.

From this team, it is safe to say these positions are nailed down for the test side:

Certainties
1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Lee Mears
3. Phil Vickery (at least on bench)
4/5. POC
7. Martyn Williams (at least on bench)
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Mike Phillips
12. Jamie Roberts
13. BOD
14. Tommy Bowe

That's at least 8 positions set in stone imo.

TarfHead

karmabass wrote: »

I'v heard alot of bad things

such as .. :rolleyes:

Barry is a hard-tackling #12. Some of his tackles have been over-the-top and have been penalised. I don't remember him making much of an impression with Harlequins when he played in the GP.

Not a bad signing for a new franchise.

zenmonk

I thought DOC had a good game against WP and maybe should be on the bench for the first test.
My test team-Jenkins, Mears, Vickery, Jones, O Connell, Croft, Wallace, Heaslip, Philips, O Gara (Jones was poor last week) Monye, Roberts, O Driscoll, Bowe, Byrne.

thomond2006

Is that the Clontarf no.6 Stride I see on the bench? :eek::eek::eek:

GiftofGab

thomond2006 wrote: »

First of all, delighted for Donncha O' Callaghan being named captain, although it's safe to say there will be some strange decisions made by the team! ;) Has he ever captained a team before? Not in my memory.

From this team, it is safe to say these positions are nailed down for the test side:

Certainties
1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Lee Mears
3. Phil Vickery (at least on bench)
4/5. POC
7. Martyn Williams (at least on bench)
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Mike Phillips
12. Jamie Roberts
13. BOD
14. Tommy Bowe

That's at least 8 positions set in stone imo.

Lee Byrne is a certainty too

SQ2

thomond2006 wrote: »

First of all, delighted for Donncha O' Callaghan being named captain, although it's safe to say there will be some strange decisions made by the team! ;) Has he ever captained a team before? Not in my memory.

From this team, it is safe to say these positions are nailed down for the test side:

Certainties
1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Lee Mears
3. Phil Vickery (at least on bench)
4/5. POC
7. Martyn Williams (at least on bench)
8. Jamie Heaslip
9. Mike Phillips
12. Jamie Roberts
13. BOD
14. Tommy Bowe

That's at least 8 positions set in stone imo.

POC is bucket of steel, understood, but playing him as the whole 2nd row could be a bit much for even him

bamboozle

thomond2006 wrote: »

Is that the Clontarf no.6 Stride I see on the bench? :eek::eek::eek:

unfortunately he is now the former Clontarf no. 6, he was offered a 2 year deal with one of the SA Super 14 teams so went back,

Trojan

thomond2006 wrote: »

Is that the Clontarf no.6 Stride I see on the bench? :eek::eek::eek:

Looks that way - fair play to our Tarf man, he deserves a pro contract.

thomond2006

SQ2 wrote: »

POC is bucket of steel, understood, but playing him as the whole 2nd row could be a bit much for even him

No way, he's that damn good.

chupacabra

karmabass wrote: »

The Clontarf flanker?! Fair play to him if he's playing against the Lions!!!!

Yup, he almost single handedly beat Con in the semis this year. Beast of a man.

Teej

jayteecork wrote: »

So none of the starting 15 players will make the test 22 I take it?

Bit messy on Fitz. And Sheridan.

To my reckoning there's only 36 players in the squad left so at least 8 players from tomorrows squad will have to me in test 22

dreamer_ire

Blair won't be confirmed fit til tomorrow which could lead to significant probs given that neither Phillips nor Ellis fully fit. We might see Williams at 9 after all.

http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/8098.php

zenmonk

I'd be surprised

Colm_OReilly

William's complaining of a tummy bug, Bowe into the squad - according to the Lions' site.

chupacabra

Colm_OReilly wrote: »

William's complaining of a tummy bug, Bowe into the squad - according to the Lions' site.

Lets hope that Bowe doesent have to play tomorrow, i want him 100% for the game on saturday.

Ciaran-Irl

Bowe joins Lion kings
15 June 2009, 4:24 pm
by Westgate, Marc Heywood


Tommy Bowe has been added to the squad
© INPHO

Tommy Bowe has joined the Lions squad for Tuesday night's game against the Southern Kings.
Bowe joins up with the rest of the matchday squad for the game in Port Elizabeth after fellow Ospreys wing Shane Williams complained of a mild tummy bug earlier this afternoon. A further update on Williams’ fitness will be available on Tuesday morning, as will the results of scrum-half Mike Blair’s fitness test on a foot injury.
Williams, who has so far seen game time in all bar one of the Lions’ five fixtures, is desperate to recover from the illness in time for the match at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, particularly as head coach Ian McGeechan has made it clear that the team for Saturday’s first Test against the Springboks has not yet been decided.

“I’m looking forward to getting out there and getting involved as much as I can,” said Williams, after he had been named in the starting line up this morning.
“I feel I’m getting better as every game goes by and I’m going to do as much as I can to convince the coaches to give me a Test place.

“If I manage to do that, then great. If not, I will do as much as I can to contribute to the team cause.
“The players all know that there is still everything to play for on Tuesday, but it will be about the team first and keeping the winning streak going rather than individual performances.”

gav86

So is bowe gonna cover SH, or would O Gara come in if Blair gets injured, Cant see Bowe playing Scrum Half.
God this tour is cursed.

gav86

sorry just seen ellis on the bench, panic over

Stealdo

Would just be the most horrible twist of fate if Bowe was injured in this game and Williams ended up with his test place on Saturday. Tragedy.

gav86

If bowe was injured (touch wood no) then there is still moyne ,fitz or earls and kearney or darcy at a stretch all ahead of williams, even if they play on tuesday

themont85

They're really trying to avoid calling up another player to the squad given that there is just the Emerging Boks game plus the tests, they may have to do that though with the back row and scrum half positions looking lean fitness wise.

Chucky the tree

They should put Monye in at 14 if they have any sense.

Soldie

Thank god the Williams love-affair has concluded temporarily. It was getting quite annoying seeing him feature in almost every single game in spite of his poor form.

RuggieBear

hines at blindside!? seriously?