B&I Lions v Wallabies, Test 2 Match Thread, Sat June 29, 1105am

.ak

Grimebox wrote: »

Where does SOB and Croft fit into the gameplan coming off the bench?

SOB to run at a tired side at 6. Croft to clean up the lineout if there's any issues.

shuffol

I'm going to predict that this game isnt going to be very exciting rugby wise, Lions are set up to hold onto the ball but IMO wont have the firepower in the pack to create a lot of openings. Think they'll shut down the Australians too and make it a cagey affair which when your goalkickers on fire isnt an altogether bad tactic.

sydthebeat

shuffol wrote: »

I'm going to predict that this game isnt going to be very exciting rugby wise, Lions are set up to hold onto the ball but IMO wont have the firepower in the pack to create a lot of openings. Think they'll shut down the Australians too and make it a cagey affair which when your goalkickers on fire isnt an altogether bad tactic.

this is why i think they wont hold onto it so much around the fringes... they will play a lot more to the backline.

expect sextons pass rate to nearly double from last week.....

shuffol

sydthebeat wrote: »

this is why i think they wont hold onto it so much around the fringes... they will play a lot more to the backline.

expect sextons pass rate to nearly double from last week.....

But if your pack is not going forward it puts a lot of pressure on your backline, I think the Lions will be happy to play the game in the Australian half and employ a lot of up and unders.

sydthebeat

shuffol wrote: »

But if your pack is not going forward it puts a lot of pressure on your backline, I think the Lions will be happy to play the game in the Australian half and employ a lot of up and unders.

the pack will go forward... just not at the bashing rate that they employed so far on the tour.

i can see the lions targeting the aussie midfield as a weak point and if teh can get some hard runners down the 12 channel they will profit from it.

chippers

I'm expecting a lot more from Davies and BOD this weekend. They have both played well individually in the warm up games but I presume the coaching setup never expected them to be forming the center partnership for the tests and maybe didn't dedicate too much time with them working together in training. I expect they might be singing off the same hymnsheet a bit more this weekend.

.ak

Still think they should've taken the risk on Tuilagi. Fair enough he hasn't been training with the squad, but he looked dangerous on Tuesday and really fit the bill for Gatty's smash it up the middle game plan.

dub_skav

I reckon Davies will have a cracker without the show donkey hogging all the ball

Digifriendly

Feel some sympathy for both Croft and Cuthbert as they did nothing wrong in the first Test but see why Lydiate and Bowe have been picked and I think we will see a more expansive game from the Lions as a result of changes made.

.ak

Digifriendly wrote: »

Feel some sympathy for both Croft and Cuthbert as they did nothing wrong in the first Test but see why Lydiate and Bowe have been picked and I think we will see a more expansive game from the Lions as a result of changes made.

In fairness they were both poor in the first test so I'm not sure if Gatland could be afford to be sympathetic really. Croft is especially lucky to be in the 23.

andrewdcs

.ak wrote: »

In fairness they were both poor in the first test so I'm not sure if Gatland could be afford to be sympathetic really. Croft is especially lucky to be in the 23.

He is, more to do with the other, real, lock options having done nothing to warrant Gatlands attention.

who_me

shuffol wrote: »

But if your pack is not going forward it puts a lot of pressure on your backline, I think the Lions will be happy to play the game in the Australian half and employ a lot of up and unders.

With Bowe and North now available, that might not be the worst option.

phog

Delighted to see SOB and Murray getting into the squad, a bit disappointed that Murray didn't get to start in place of Philips but to get a bench spot must be special for him.

Hope now they get 20mins at least and show enough to force themselves into a starting place for the final test.

irishbucsfan

I see Tommy Bowe will be wearing a hurling glove. He's clearly not fit?

Just how much higher he's rated than Cuthbert I guess

19543261

They did initially say it was a 6 week injury. Smells fishy. Maybe its not his hand...

bilston

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I see Tommy Bowe will be wearing a hurling glove. He's clearly not fit?

Just how much higher he's rated than Cuthbert I guess

They must have done a lot of tests on his hand to make sure he is good to go. Speaking with my Ulster hat on I just hope he doesn't do more damage to it. But then I think Bowe was quoted as saying this would be one of the biggest games of his career so I guess he is prepared to take the risk.

.ak

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I see Tommy Bowe will be wearing a hurling glove. He's clearly not fit?

Just how much higher he's rated than Cuthbert I guess

Bones can only heal so quick. I think he even still has the pins in there. I wouldn't be surprised if he's a little stand offish....

ThisRegard

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I see Tommy Bowe will be wearing a hurling glove. He's clearly not fit?

Apparently the doctors over there said they had seen league players with similar injuries return within 2 or 3 weeks so they had experience of getting players up and running within a short time frame.

Teferi

Sure Trimble wore a glove for ages after a similar injury didn't he? I expected him to at least have some sort of protection on it.

ThisRegard

Teferi wrote: »

Sure Trimble wore a glove for ages after a similar injury didn't he? I expected him to at least have some sort of protection on it.

Yip, that's where they got the idea from and Bowe said himself it just adds a bit of padding, it's not for support or anything like that.

Ryle will be only deeeeeeeeelighted

andrewdcs

Catching a ball = GAA background.




(in fairness, its true though)

jamiedav2011

andrewdcs wrote: »

Catching a ball = GAA background.




(in fairness, its true though)

A hurling catch wouldn't be much use on a rugby pitch!

Actually as an aside, can't wait to see Folau in action again this week, his high fielding is incredible.
Brings in technique from both AFL and NRL. Can't understand why they didn't test him with 1/2P last week.

Woody1997

fisgon wrote: »

Shows a lot of balls by Gatland, this selection. Phillips isn't even in the 23, that sends a serious message, that no-one is immune, no-one's place is safe.

I see that Croft is covering 2nd row on the bench. Don't really get the attraction of Lydiate, he seems like a very defensive option there, though SOB coming off the bench is a nice option. Nice to see Bowe straight in there, that's some come-back for him this year.

The Aussie team is not as badly effected by injuries as it would have appeared last week. This is going to be tight. I feel that Australia have had the scales tipped in their favour by the loss of Corbisiero and POC.

Is Phillips not injured? Gatland said yesterday that they were resting him, does this mean he was unfit last week or is it just a cover up for him dropping someone who was tipped to be a nailed on test starter since day one? Corbisiero is a huge loss, it's hard to believe that we are now on our fourth choice tight head, and one injury away from Tom Court potentially being on the bench for a test match. All this while Andrew Sheridan is sitting at home...

damianmcr

I took it as that as soon as Bowe got the surgery that was the break fixed. The reason he is wearing the glove is to protect the area they did the cut.

.ak

damianmcr wrote: »

I took it as that as soon as Bowe got the surgery that was the break fixed. The reason he is wearing the glove is to protect the area they did the cut.

I'm not a doctor, but I don't think it works like that. Fractures need time to fuse.

rrpc

.ak wrote: »

I'm not a doctor, but I don't think it works like that. Fractures need time to fuse.

He has a plate in. It's actually stronger now than it'll be when they take the plate out.

NoelJ

Who do people think will be the Aussie kicker?

Guessing lealifiano ? Want to be sure for the fantasy rugby team

Pudsy33

It was meant to be CL last week until his injury, and considering JOCs kicking woes, I'd imagine it will be CL again.

duckysauce

NoelJ wrote: »

Who do people think will be the Aussie kicker?

Guessing lealifiano ? Want to be sure for the fantasy rugby team

yep its lealifiano