Brumbies vs Lions, Match Thread

P.Walnuts

This pundits line up is going to be annoying.....

petebricquette

Sky still talking about Faletau being involved. Also saying that Lydiate will start if it rains? Madness. No way in hell is Faletau going to start now after playing a full 80.

HigginsJ

A few guys with bench aspirations really did themselves no good at all today. Best was obviously terrible, thought Youngs passing was awful.

Gray was disappointing, Barritt was completely anonymous, Twelvetrees & Wade were out of there depth.

SOB & Tipuric were solid as was Kearney. Murray & Zebo did well off the bench.

Hunterbiker

The replacement front row didn't do themselves any harm either.

Chabals Beard

My test team
Mako
Hibbard
Jones
AWJ
POC
Croft
Tipuric
Heaslip
Philips
Sexton
North /Zebo
Davies
BOD
Cuthburt
Halfpenny

irishbucsfan

I thought the pundits had it pretty right.

I don't think Faletau should start and I would be very surprised if he does after 80 minutes tonight?

.ak

Think they went too Welsh heavy on the 50/50 calls, i.e Faletau, Hibbard etc. Don't know if North will be fit imo.

preddy

Anyone else have a feeling Bowe might make Saturday if no North?

HigginsJ

What I expect test team to be

1. Vunipola
2. Hibbard
3. Jones
4. AWJ
5. POC
6. Croft
7. Warburton
8. Heaslip
9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. Halfpenny (Doubt North be fit)
12. Davies
13. BOD
14. Maitland (i'd have him no-where neat test team, Zebo is much better)
15. Kearney

Bench
2 props
Tom Youngs
Parling
SOB
Murray
Farrell
Zebo

HigginsJ

preddy wrote: »

Anyone else have a feeling Bowe might make Saturday if no North?

I'd be shocked tbh. Think he could make 3rd test if needed

irishbucsfan

preddy wrote: »

Anyone else have a feeling Bowe might make Saturday if no North?

No, pretty sure Bowe ruled himself out today

trouttrout

If today showed us one thing it's that Tipuric/Heaslip/SOB won't work as a unit. Need a Lydiate or Warburton in there, especially if Jones starts at 3

awec

HigginsJ wrote: »

What I expect test team to be

1. Vunipola
2. Hibbard
3. Jones
4. AWJ
5. POC
6. Croft
7. Warburton
8. Heaslip
9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. Halfpenny (Doubt North be fit)
12. Davies
13. BOD
14. Maitland (i'd have him no-where neat test team, Zebo is much better)
15. Kearney

Bench
2 props
Tom Youngs
Parling
SOB
Murray
Farrell
Zebo

There is no way I would start Halfpenny on the wing. Halfpenny has excelled at full back, he is absolutely nailed on to start at 15 for me.

Grandpa Hassan

awec wrote: »

There is no way I would start Halfpenny on the wing. Halfpenny has excelled at full back, he is absolutely nailed on to start at 15 for me.

Absolutely. Why would any coach in his right mind mess with one of the clear successess of this tour so far?

HigginsJ

awec wrote: »

There is no way I would start Halfpenny on the wing. Halfpenny has excelled at full back, he is absolutely nailed on to start at 15 for me.

If both are required, I think it would work better with Kearney at FB & 1/2P on the wing.

awec

HigginsJ wrote: »

If both are required, I think it would work better with Kearney at FB & 1/2P on the wing.

Don't think both are required. Halfpenny has nailed on the 15 position, he has been one of the best players of the tour so far.

Rob Kearney will bench at best IMO. His lack of versatility may not be as important as Halfpenny can always move to the wing late on in the game, but Halfpenny starts at full back for me without question.

.ak

Honestly wouldnt be surprised to see Halfpenny on the wing. If North and Bowe are out then the only established winger available is Cuthbert, and even he hasn't had an error free tour. So who else is a safe pair of hands? Maitland? I'm a fan but he's been caught out defensively. Hogg? No way. Zebo? Maybe, untested. I'd put Halfpenny on the wing with Cuthbert and move Kearney into FB.

We should be praying for either North or Bowe.

.ak

People seem to think that it's more important that Halfpenny starts at 15 than it is to make sure we have the strongest possible wings on the field. It won't matter who we have at 15 if our wings leak space.

.ak

For me, a back three of 11. Cuthbert, 14. Halfpenny, 15. Kearney is FAR more safe than 11. Cuthbert, 14. Maitland. 15. Halfpenny

.ak

Nothing against Maitland, but he's been a bit suspect defensively on tour.

awec

I have all crossable body parts crossed for George North.

trouttrout

North/Halfpenny/Zebo is a lovely balanced back three imo

First Up

matTNT wrote: »

Fixed. IMHO.

Croft will start.

.ak

trouttrout wrote: »

North/Halfpenny/Zebo is a lovely balanced back three imo

Yep. I reckon had Zebo started the tour he'd be on the test side. As it is, we haven't seen enough of him, and I can't see him gettin near the team if North is not injured.

First Up

.ak wrote: »

Yep. I reckon had Zebo started the tour he'd be on the test side. As it is, we haven't seen enough of him, and I can't see him gettin near the team if North is not injured.

I thought he injected pace and purpose today but that was such a dreadful three quarter line to start almost anyone would have shown up well.

matTNT

awec wrote: »

I have all crossable body parts crossed for George North.

I don't, that sounds bad but I hope Zebo takes his place, otherwise I fear we will be stuck with Cuthbert and a half fit North for the entire series, I hope Zebo has a cracker and a fully fit North returns for the second and third tests with Zebo and they're the wings that could win a tour.

Buer

matTNT wrote: »

I don't, that sounds bad but I hope Zebo takes his place, otherwise I fear we will be stuck with Cuthbert and a half fit North for the entire series, I hope Zebo has a cracker and a fully fit North returns for the second and third tests with Zebo and they're the wings that could win a tour.

I'd be fairly sure that, if fit which is looking likely, North and Bowe will take their places for the final two tests unless someone does something special this weekend. Bowe already indicated today that he'll be in full training starting next week.

Grimebox

That team was closer to the British and Irish Barbarians than the Lions

Gambas

First Up wrote: »

I thought he injected pace and purpose today but that was such a dreadful three quarter line to start almost anyone would have shown up well.

He didn't get many opportunities in the time he came on but botched one move by taking it into contact and getting swallowed up when he had men outside him. Like Murray I'm not sure that on balance he added to his stock today either.

trouttrout

Gambas wrote: »

He didn't get many opportunities in the time he came on but botched one move by taking it into contact and getting swallowed up when he had men outside him. Like Murray I'm not sure that on balance he added to his stock today either.

Going on the balance of play, both Zebo and Murray improved their prospects

Murray's delivery was top notch and got the Lions on the front foot for the first time in the game. Made one top notch clearing kick and made a good break too. His kick at the end was a bad decision and going without support probably wasn't wise but on the balance of play he did a lot more good than bad. Plus he has nothing to lose considering he's been unfairly ruled out of the 23 by virtually every pundit despite being the best performing nine on tour imo

Same for Zebo, didn't get much ball but made one half break. The situation where he took the contact he certainly didn't have men outside him, Brumbies just targeted that ruck (which Zebo spotted and extended his ball placement well as a result) but didn't turn it over in the end