British and Irish Lions vs Western Force, Wed 5 June 11am; Sky Sports 1

Artful_Badger

Big games today from SOB and Heaslip. Halfpenny too cemented his test spot place, he's untouchable at FB due to his kicking and Bowe and North I think set the bar for the wing positions.

BOD didnt get enough ball for my liking but I cant see anyone getting selected ahead of him at 13. 12 is between Roberts and Manu. Sexton too put his name on the 10 shirt.

Thought Murray didnt really stand out or do a good enough job to fend off Youngs. Youngs will overtake him if he puts in a decent shift in the next game. Best's throwing cost his dearly I think. He did himself no favours today.

Healy looked a little under pressure too tbh and Vunipola looked more dangerous when he came on. Hope he can get back in action and up his game.

Mahatma Geansai

Haven't seen the game yet, but great to read that Heaslip put in a top shift. He has been finding some great form post 6N and looks to thrive in a Lions environment.

Artful_Badger

Who got MOTM btw ? I assume it was SOB or Heaslip ?

JustinDee

Skid X wrote: »

Wow, that is cringeworthy. Reminds me of the days when Irish Media would talk up heavy defeats as 'moral victories'.

Just a retort to the bilge in Brit press about WA not respecting Lions with team selection etc. Even more of it in today's Daily Mail courtesy of Sir Clive.

Ruck Inspector

Heaslip deserves it, 1/2p probably got it

Taco Corp

Healy hasn't broken his ankle. Some ligament damage. just on Sky Sports news

Skid X

Looks like ligament damage to Cian Healy, but leg not broken.

Leslie91

Artful_Badger wrote: »

Who got MOTM btw ? I assume it was SOB or Heaslip ?

1/2penny got it I believe.

From my limited knowledge I know a bad strain or tear to ankle ligaments is likely to be 3 - 4 weeks minimum and potentially up to 3 months.

Hope it's not as bad as either.

alchemist33

Artful_Badger wrote: »

Who got MOTM btw ? I assume it was SOB or Heaslip ?

Depends on whose MOTM, presumably. Talksport gave it to Sexton by a whisker from SOB.

monkeybutter

Leslie91 wrote: »

1/2penny got it I believe.

In fairness Halfpenny was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch. A class act. He is now the key Lion out there. He solves the issues at No. 10. If he injured, we have a problem there. Sextons wouldn't have made 1/2 those kicks today and Farell isnt up to it, hes just too young

Best, well I reckon Gatland has been proven right not to bring him. Disappointing. Everyone else was good, playing in a super international team against a second string super 15 team.

Heaslip might have done enough there to put him ahead of Faletau and it wont be an all welsh back row. So he could start. O'brien didn't do enough today to start, so he has an uphill battle there. Vainpoloa is ahead of Healy and Cole wasn't impressive, but will be on the bench.

The Locks today were the B team for sure, with Parling the bench option.

Murray didn't outshine philips and he is a shoe in to start.

Bowe should start, he started very strongly maybe faded a little but finished his try well.

O'Driscoll has to start, he is the spark, with Roberts who was superb. Dunno who will bench there, great strength in depth in the centers.

Xavi6

Just in the door from the game, by no means a captivating affair but the Force gave a decent account of themselves all things considered.

35,103 wasn't a bad crowd and justifies the move to Patersons from NIB Stadium. Huge Irish contingent scattered about the place and you get hear the very audible cheers when BOD, Sexton etc were read out pre-game. Being so one sided, the crowd barely got involved during the match and (disappointingly) a Mexican wave broke out with ten minutes to go.

From where I was sat, Halfpenny's kicking was awesome, Heaslip and O'Brien played very well and it was great to see O'Driscoll score two.

All in all not bad for a once in 12 years opportunity, $30 well spent.

Few pics below anyway.

Ruck Inspector

monkeybutter wrote: »

In fairness Halfpenny was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch. A class act. He is now the key Lion out there. He solves the issues at No. 10. If he injured, we have a problem there. Sextons wouldn't have made 1/2 those kicks today and Farell isnt up to it, hes just too young

Best, well I reckon Gatland has been proven right not to bring him. Disappointing. Everyone else was good, playing in a super international team against a second string super 15 team.

Heaslip might have done enough there to put him ahead of Faletau and it wont be an all welsh back row. So he could start. O'brien didn't do enough today to start, so he has an uphill battle there. Vainpoloa is ahead of Healy and Cole wasn't impressive, but will be on the bench.

The Locks today were the B team for sure, with Parling the bench option.

Murray didn't outshine philips and he is a shoe in to start.

Bowe should start, he started very strongly maybe faded a little but finished his try well.

O'Driscoll has to start, he is the spark, with Roberts who was superb. Dunno who will bench there, great strength in depth in the centers.

halfpenny was class on the tee, very little impact in attack. hardly the best player on the pitch

laughable to say SOB didnt do enough, second best forward on the pitch

Noopti

Ruck Inspector wrote: »

halfpenny was class on the tee, very little impact in attack. hardly the best player on the pitch

laughable to say SOB didnt do enough, second best forward on the pitch

Agree. Halfpenny was excellent, but only one person was "head and shoulders" above everyone else, and that was Heaslip.

toomevara

Well, I've absolutely no idea what the point of that was, having just watched it on fast forward following this morns superb origin game. It did bugger all for the Lions as ,to be frank,the Perth Women's institute (pastry and bread making section) would have given them a better challenge and it certainly did nothing for the game of RU in WA.

awec

I really hate the look of those AFL stadiums being used for rugby. Sure you're sitting in a different postcode to the pitch ffs.

jank

The rest of the tour is going to take place in proper rugby grounds so no need to worry about the grounds from now on, but yea they are dime a dozen down here.

JustinDee

awec wrote: »

I really hate the look of those AFL stadiums being used for rugby. Sure you're sitting in a different postcode to the pitch ffs.

It cost WA nothing to host it there as it is a municipal ground.

.ak

monkeybutter wrote: »

In fairness Halfpenny was head and shoulders the best player on the pitch. A class act. He is now the key Lion out there. He solves the issues at No. 10. If he injured, we have a problem there. Sextons wouldn't have made 1/2 those kicks today and Farell isnt up to it, hes just too young

Best, well I reckon Gatland has been proven right not to bring him. Disappointing. Everyone else was good, playing in a super international team against a second string super 15 team.

Heaslip might have done enough there to put him ahead of Faletau and it wont be an all welsh back row. So he could start. O'brien didn't do enough today to start, so he has an uphill battle there. Vainpoloa is ahead of Healy and Cole wasn't impressive, but will be on the bench.

The Locks today were the B team for sure, with Parling the bench option.

Murray didn't outshine philips and he is a shoe in to start.

Bowe should start, he started very strongly maybe faded a little but finished his try well.

O'Driscoll has to start, he is the spark, with Roberts who was superb. Dunno who will bench there, great strength in depth in the centers.

Have to disagree, halfpenny was sheer class on the kicking tee but he was no way the best player on the pitch, he shouldve won that 50/50 and looked incertain in some of his counters, which brings me to your next point: What should SOB have done to ensure he starts? Best player by a mile. Going on that he's been the best back row of the two games.

.ak

toomevara wrote: »

Well, I've absolutely no idea what the point of that was, having just watched it on fast forward following this morns superb origin game. It did bugger all for the Lions as ,to be frank,the Perth Women's institute (pastry and bread making section) would have given them a better challenge and it certainly did nothing for the game of RU in WA.

Got a feeling all the midweek games are gonna be like this, although I think the game did serve a purpose. The decent games in a row will provide the lions with a platform of confidence, seeing combinations work will help also, BODs 2nd try proves that the two centres can click, things like that.


On that subject that's the backline I'd pick for the test, with the exception of Roberts for Tuilagi and a question mark over 9

monkeybutter

.ak wrote: »

Have to disagree, halfpenny was sheer class on the kicking tee but he was no way the best player on the pitch, he shouldve won that 50/50 and looked incertain in some of his counters, which brings me to your next point: What should SOB have done to ensure he starts? Best player by a mile. Going on that he's been the best back row of the two games.

Halfpenny never looked uncertain, he missed no tackles, ran 28 meters, beat 2 defenders. A class act, by far and away the most important lion and a dead cert for the full back spot, even if not kicking.

Which is why he won MOTM


How exactly has he been the best back row now? He wasn't even the best No 7.

The boy O'Brien missed 2 tackles and hardly made one only 1 barnstorming run, won no turn overs and is 3rd in the pecking order for the number 7 spot.

Losty Dublin

.ak wrote: »

What should SOB have done to ensure he starts? Best player by a mile. Going on that he's been the best back row of the two games.

By the soundings of some people on here, SOB could play 80 minute at scrum half, hooker and number 8 all at once and still considered to be lazy and a one trick pony on field

Buer

Halfpenny was excellent. Assured and confident. SOB was class too. I don't know how anyone without an agenda could argue otherwise. Stats have a very limited impact for anyone that actually watched that performance. The inside pass for Parling's try was eerily similar to a delayed inside ball from Stephen Larkham for a famous try, if anyone recalls it.

rockbeast

monkeybutter wrote: »

Halfpenny never looked uncertain, he missed no tackles, ran 28 meters, beat 2 defenders. A class act, by far and away the most important lion and a dead cert for the full back spot, even if not kicking.

Which is why he won MOTM


How exactly has he been the best back row now? He wasn't even the best No 7.

The boy O'Brien missed 2 tackles and hardly made one only 1 barnstorming run, won no turn overs and is 3rd in the pecking order for the number 7 spot.

Ha! watch the game again and tell us SOB didn't perform. You're trolling and know it and your syntax gives you away

.ak

monkeybutter wrote: »

Halfpenny never looked uncertain, he missed no tackles, ran 28 meters, beat 2 defenders. A class act, by far and away the most important lion and a dead cert for the full back spot, even if not kicking.

Which is why he won MOTM


How exactly has he been the best back row now? He wasn't even the best No 7.

The boy O'Brien missed 2 tackles and hardly made one only 1 barnstorming run, won no turn overs and is 3rd in the pecking order for the number 7 spot.

I counted three turn overs from SOB, but the ref was playing advantage every time for WF, I think your 're reading into stats too much, SOB broke the gain line every time he got crash ball, was a thorn in their side at ruck time, was extremely efficient on the deck, his link play was easily the best of any back rows, and was a direct result in a lot of tries today.

Even the little things like when the lions were on the backfoot he took the ball and buried himself a meter past the ruck to allow some breathing room for a clearance.

Listen, I'm a massive Halfpenny fan, but in no way did he put a motm performance in, all those nailed on kicks mean very little when your beating a team off the park with tries. He wouldn't be entirely happy with his game off the tee either.

monkeybutter

Losty Dublin wrote: »

By the soundings of some people on here, SOB could play 80 minute at scrum half, hooker and number 8 all at once and still considered to be lazy and a one trick pony on field

hahaha, I love the Leinster Bias.

He needs to outshine Tipuric for one, which he hasn't. And he'll also need to outshine the Captain, which he still might. But he still wont start.

He had an ok game, but 7 just aint his position.

This was the B forward pack today I'm afraid and only Heaslip stood out. Today was a fight for the benc for these guys.

B forward pack with the A fly half, the A fullback, and the A Center

rockbeast

monkeybutter wrote: »

hahaha, I love the Leinster Bias.

He needs to outshine Tipuric for one, which he hasn't. And he'll also need to outshine the Captain, which he still might. But he still wont start.

He had an ok game, but 7 just aint his position.

This was the B forward pack today I'm afraid and only Heaslip stood out. Today was a fight for the benc for these guys.

B forward pack with the A fly half, the A fullback, and the A Center

Away with your provincialism, we're discussing the Lions.

.ak

monkeybutter wrote: »

hahaha, I love the Leinster Bias.

He needs to outshine Tipuric for one, which he hasn't. And he'll also need to outshine the Captain, which he still might. But he still wont start.

He had an ok game, but 7 just aint his position.

This was the B forward pack today I'm afraid and only Heaslip stood out. Today was a fight for the benc for these guys.

B forward pack with the A fly half, the A fullback, and the A Center

Heaslip had a good running and defending game, but SOBs work rate was way higher and was actually the more effective carrier.

I think your just a tad too easily wooed by eye catching runs.

andrewdcs

monkeybutter wrote: »

He is now the key Lion out there. He solves the issues at No. 10.

Disagree with almost all of what you say bar this, I reckon we'll see him and/or hogg tried out at 10 next wednesday.

Buer

Its the first game in Australia. It wasn't any variety of pack or back line. Half the people praising SOB aren't even Leinster fans.

For example, lets look at the only player ratings I found when I typed it into Google. Highest rated player? SOB:

SEAN O’BRIEN: Superb display from the rampaging Ireland openside - carried well, offered a line-out option, played with intelligence and showed great hands. 9