Welsh Lions: Brian O'Driscoll dropped from the 23 for 3rd Test [MOD NOTE POST 1]

mfceiling

Listen gatland....you couldn't beat Oz with 15 welsh men a few months back...

There's no point dropping BOD and Heaslip and hoping that players who couldn't beat Oz before will suddenly win the last test for you.

Sorry but this isn't a ballsy call or anything like it....I think the correct terminology is "reverting to type"

Larbre34

The 4 year old in me says I hope they loose.

No wait,the 39 year old in me says I hope they loose.....

its_phil

Honestly gonna be hard to be look forward as much to this game with no BOD and a watered down Johnny Sexton just passing the ball to Roberts for crashing (wrap arounds not necessary thank Johnny) and Tommy Bowe to chase his bloody garryowens.

Thank God for SOB playing.

Klunk_NZ

I think England are being under represented in this team something crazy....

Larbre34

Larbre34 wrote: »

The 4 year old in me says I hope they loose.

No wait,the 39 year old in me says I hope they loose.....

I want Gatland to get some form of punishment somehow for this, but wishing a loss on the team is just a step too far for me. There are other Irish players in that team and they deserve a win just as much as anyone.

Something must have gone on between BOD and Gatland, it just beggars belief that he's not even made the bench.

G

highly1111 wrote: »

Rumour in oz is that he confronted / expressed his views to gatland about his tactics and gatland took great exception to that.

That he hasn't even made the bench tells me there might be some truth in that.

Swiwi.

Klunk_NZ wrote: »

I think England are being under represented in this team something crazy....

England are the only B&I team that strike fear into SANZAR nations. No doubt their poor display v Wales nailed a few coffins shut. Mind you, it's hard to think of too many English players left behind who could complain. And those who might have (eg Corbisiero) are with the team now, anyway.

Larbre34

Shane Byrne said on monday from Oz that rumours abounded about trouble in the camp but he heard Mike Phillips was the issue, so much for that!

Ok it is hard to hope they lose, lets just say I dont give a f**k if they win

its_phil

Looking forward to Shane Horgan being spoken to... Wednesday night rugby on Newstalk too. Hopefully he is on

S*** will go down...big shtyle

Klunk_NZ

Manu is the only runner who I could see tearing up AAC, he can't do much on the bench tho =/

Grandpa Hassan

I don't see the problem with him being dropped. He has not played well in attack. but should have been Roberts and Tuilagi

Grandpa Hassan

Larbre34 wrote: »

Ok it is hard to hope they lose, lets just say I dont give a f**k if they win

Really? Just because a player who isn't on great form is dropped?

P_1

10 Welsh players in total with presumably a Welsh gameplan. Can't see this ending in any other way than a late Australian win to be honest

JagerScout

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

I don't see the problem with him being dropped. He has not played well in attack. but should have been Roberts and Tuilagi

Roberts has played well? news to me.

its_phil

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

I don't see the problem with him being dropped. He has not played well in attack. but should have been Roberts and Tuilagi

He's barely got the ball. Jonathan Davies made one pass in the last game. Hardly the type of service needed to have a good day in attack.

accidentprone1

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/odriscoll-dumped-by-lions-ahead-of-wallabies-decider-20130703-2pbao.html#ixzz2XxgDpLHL

Head coach Warren Gatland paid tribute to O'Driscoll but said he felt Roberts "offered us something more".

Seems like Touts was right a few comments back. We all missed a trick and Davies was the nailed on centre from the start.

Larbre34

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

Really? Just because a player who isn't on great form is dropped?

Lack of form is news to me, in a patchy outing for the team last saturday he didnt misfire anymore than the rest of the backline. You want your leaders on the pitch. Attempting to muffle the aussies with the lumpier welshmen will backfire

Inspector Coptoor

I fully expected a much more vitriolic reaction than this to the news.

Davies, while standing at 13, misses a tackle to let cooper in for his try & is rewarded by starting at 13 on Saturday.

Genuinely NOT the way for a true legend of works rugby to end his Lions career.

Buer

Think it should be pointed out that I reckon he has got the pack spot on for this game, firstly.

Secondly, moving JD to 13 ahead of BOD is a shambles. BOD has not been great in attack but has been colossal in defence and, in the first test, showed great hands a couple of times to put away those outside. JD has done nothing in attack or defence notable aside from mistakes.

The oddest part is that his clearest and worst mistake came in the 13 position when he let AAC through for the try. Gatland has made a rod for his own back now. The media of the world will absolutely destroy him if JD does not deliver.

Profiler

O'Driscoll dropped from the squad?

In his place we have a Welsh center pairing which has failed in Wales and abroad against Australia? and if plan A of bash dosen't work then we have Plan A to come off the bench with some Manu Tuilagi shaped bash?

Heaslip dropped from the squad?
In his place you have Toby... ehh... what's his name... Toby Anonymous? no, that's not it... Nobody Faletau? and off the bench we have ehh? wow I'm struggling here... I'm sure there a backrower but I'm f**ked if I can think of who it is... I mean I see the Subs bench but...

Gatland has completely panicked here and has defecated the bed.

I still want a Lions win and am happy for O'Brien, but sweet zombie Jesus what a omnishambles of a test squad that is!

Grandpa Hassan

Larbre34 wrote: »

Lack of form is news to me, in a patchy outing for the team last saturday he didnt misfire anymore than the rest of the backline. You want your leaders on the pitch. Attempting to muffle the aussies with the lumpier welshmen will backfire

My observation was more around deciding not to support a team just because you dont like the selection. I don't get that

Daz_

Larbre34 wrote: »

Shane Byrne said on monday from Oz that rumours abounded about trouble in the camp but he heard Mike Phillips was the issue, so much for that!

Ok it is hard to hope they lose, lets just say I dont give a f**k if they win

I'm with you on that! I think the comment made earlier about keeping the welsh happy or his return to national team has a lot to do with it.

BobBobBobBob

Another leader gone!

It will be an interesting final test, best of luck to the Irish lads.

fitz

Buer wrote: »

The oddest part is that his clearest and worst mistake came in the 13 position when he let AAC through for the try. Gatland has made a rod for his own back now. The media of the world will absolutely destroy him if JD does not deliver.

If the Lions lose, and Davies leaks another try, it will (rightly) have a massively detrimental impact on Gatland's future career prospects beyond Wales.

Larbre34

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

My observation was more around deciding not to support a team just because you dont like the selection. I don't get that

As an invitational side with a coach nobody likes much, the Lions offers a unique opportunity to be petty about selections. I'm taking it.

Inspector Coptoor

Tipuruc should be 7, withSOB at 6 but I think Heaslip should have kept the 8 jersey.

Tuilagi at 12 with BOD at 13 for me.
Roberts is a complete Bosh merchant, at least Manu can offload.

It really is a weird selection.

Fiery biscuits

Still can't believe it. Even if you take into account BOD being slightly off form comparative to his high standards, who would doubt that a man of his stature and experience wouldn't put in a huge performance in his final lions game.

The man is a winner and a leader. Huge mistake by Gatland and huge pressure on JD to perform too. The media and social media will be waiting with sharp fangs

molloyjh

I'm actually getting more annoyed about this over time, not less. Drico has been the best centre on tour so far. Davies has been very average (bar 1 good performance). And from a leadership point of view we've lost POC and Warburton and now Gatland has chosen, chosen, to drop another big leader!?

What's more, all the changes that have been made to this squad have favoured the Welsh, with the exception of LH where there is no Welsh option. 10 Welsh in the starting XV and they haven't been able to beat the Aussies home or away for years. And the Lions haven't looked like beating them in either Test. Short of a load of Aussie missed kicks the series would have been over already. It's going to be very hard to get behind this side with the complete BS calls and negative game plan we've seen so far.

Diabhal Beag

Sir Ian McGeechan must be spinning in his grave.

Swiwi.

A message of support from former AB Captain Wayne Shelford "Bring back BOD!"