British and Irish Lions vs Melbourne Rebels, 25th June 2013, Sky Sports 10.40am

.ak

Crowd chanting 'Zebo'...

OnTheCouch

Melbourne Rebels

irishbucsfan wrote: »

He played well enough to maybe actually be trusted off the bench this week

Farrell isn't as good as Sexton, but I would have far less qualms about him coming off the bench/replacing Sexton through injury than many on here. He's a perfectly competent international fly-half in my opinion.

Tox56

"That's why Croft has to play"... because of a good catch at the back of the lineout, identical to 3 seperate lineout takes SOB has had today...

.ak

It sounds like SOB won the lineout stats for the game anyway?

Chabals Beard

Haha was that a Zebo chant I heard?

leakyboots

leakyboots wrote: »

Tom Croft has to play because he won a lineout.

Barnes is some ignoramus

Ah he just loves hyperbole. When he has a favourite, they're the favouritist favourite in the whole favourite world.

irishbucsfan

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

not really, obviously I'm well aware Tipuric is totally unsuited to the role Warburton plays in the Lions team

But I just find it funny that Warburton has been constantly lauded as a world class ground hog seven despite not making one turnover on this tour to date

But he's not playing because of his ability as a "world class ground hog", and I don't know anyone with half a brain who thinks he is?

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

**** off Barnes

sydthebeat

Why want not retreating ten awarded a penalty?

Spudmonkey

.ak wrote: »

Crowd chanting 'Zebo'...

Cause they know he might do a rap for them!

irishbucsfan

Deleted User wrote: »

Ah he just loves hyperbole. When he has a favourite, they're the favouritist favourite in the whole favourite world.

Yeah it's really annoying.

Listening to him talking about Leinster in 2011 and 2012 was insufferable

Tox56

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Yeah it's really annoying.

Listening to him talking about Leinster in 2011 and 2012 was insufferable

It does get annoying to be honest, I support the Lions but their commentary during the test matches is just nauseating

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Yeah it's really annoying.

Listening to him talking about Leinster in 2011 and 2012 was insufferable

The most cromulent use of this word going!

Buer

leakyboots wrote: »

Tom Croft has to play because he won a lineout.

Barnes is some ignoramus

A tad harsh. He said Croft has to start because "that's what he gives you" in relation to good ball off the top at the tail. It's a valid point. Croft is a superb line out taker and Lions use off the top ball a lot.

I wouldn't have him in but he definitely brings a lot of things to a team.

.ak

irishbucsfan wrote: »

But he's not playing because of his ability as a "world class ground hog", and I don't know anyone with half a brain who thinks he is?

Enough of the snipes.

.ak

Buer wrote: »

A tad harsh. He said Croft has to start because "that's what he gives you" in relation to good ball off the top at the tail. It's a valid point. Croft is a superb line out taker and Lions use off the top ball a lot.

I wouldn't have him in but he definitely brings a lot of things to a team.

They got almost zero off the top ball in the test tho. So he could become useless really.

Tox56

Buer wrote: »

A tad harsh. He said Croft has to start because "that's what he gives you" in relation to good ball off the top at the tail. It's a valid point. Croft is a superb line out taker and Lions use off the top ball a lot.

And SOB has taken 3 lineouts off the top absolutely identical to that. He is very useful at the front because he's 6'6 and can get up in the air like a shot, but Heaslip and SOB are perfectly capable of doing what Croft just did

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

irishbucsfan wrote: »

But he's not playing because of his ability as a "world class ground hog", and I don't know anyone with half a brain who thinks he is?

He's playing because he's captain. If there was any reward for form Lydiate would be doing that job at six and SOB would be at 7

19543261

Gray, 11 tackles - played awful, did he?

Buer

.ak wrote: »

It sounds like SOB won the lineout stats for the game anyway?

Ha, that may be a decent example of Irish bias in operation then because Ian Evans has been absolutely outstanding in the line out. He has won 6 on his own throw and stolen 3!

JRant

.ak wrote: »

It sounds like SOB won the lineout stats for the game anyway?

Along with 10 tackles, a couple of turnovers and some great link up play.

Does Brad Barritt play rugby?

wonderfullife

Pudsy33 wrote: »

If sob goes off, good.
If lydiate, bad.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience wrote: »

YESSSSS SOB OFFF

GET HIM OFF!

tbm wrote: »

SOB off!

Pudsy33 wrote: »

Seanie off, he's in!

.ak wrote: »

SOB off... Fingers crossed.

peteeeed wrote: »

sob coming off, bench saturday?

Weetabix wrote: »

From BBC text commentry:

"Sean O'Brien, the man of the match, must have exploded into the Lions squad for the second Test. He has just scored a great try from a line-out, crashing over. The Lions will win this comfortably and this will be a good boost for Saturday."

Whilst i would love this to be the case, it's worth pointing out SOB went off in the exact same minute last week. Dan Lydiate only played a handful of minutes yet he got the bench spot.

I hold out very little hope for SOB to be included in the 23.

Also worth reading these quotes from SOB yesterday:

"But O’Brien echoed Lydiate’s view that there is everything to play for against the Rebels.

“That’s what the coaches are telling us so we have to trust them,” he said.

“We can only look after ourselves. We have another match and there’s no point going out and thinking we haven’t a chance.

“You just have to do the best you can every time you get that Lions jersey.”


I've taken that quote verbatim from a tv interview aired on Sky Sports News (and it's also written in various papers). Point for me was the tone of his voice as he was saying it. Almost like he didn't believe his own words.

Nermal

Aus commentators suggest Tuilagi is 'hard as a cat's head'?

.ak

Hahaha, the RTE commentary is gas. 'Bit of a hugging match in the middle of the field..'

Buer

Tox56 wrote: »

And SOB has taken 3 lineouts off the top absolutely identical to that. He is very useful at the front because he's 6'6 and can get up in the air like a shot, but Heaslip and SOB are perfectly capable of doing what Croft just did

I know but I don't think calling someone an ignoramus on the basis of one comment which does have foundation is really valid.

Leslie91

Was Barritt in Oz on his hols too?, he is pure hopeless. A disgrace to the jersey.

stackerman

Deleted User wrote: »

Does Brad Barritt play rugby?

:pac::pac::pac:

.ak

Buer wrote: »

Ha, that may be a decent example of Irish bias in operation then because Ian Evans has been absolutely outstanding in the line out. He has won 6 on his own throw and stolen 3!

I'm listening to RTE radio, so that's my defence! I can't see. Taking their word for it. :P

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Decent outing