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

When the pressure is on, people revert to what they know. It's one of the reasons why coaches' drill basics over and over. It's also one of the reasons why top top players make game winning contributions when the game is in the balance. Their abilities under extreme stress are more valuable than others.

Gatland has buckled it appears.

Akrasia

Is it too early to call Warren Gatland as the worst Lions coach of all time?

Phoenix Park

Part of me wants Oz to pummel Wales on Saturday. I just can't help it

Itziger

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.....

All the ages in me say, "Learn to spell".

Diamondmaker

Its plainly obvious hes gone for the beefiest team he could field in the backs for sure SH - 15. With Manu and Murray biggest bench options in relevant positions.

Looking back you would have to think BOD may not have started the 1st two at all if it were not for the injuries.

Regardless not too many people play all 3 Lions tests in a series, main thing BOD still should get his just deserts and get a series winners medal right, should they win ?

Grandpa Hassan

Akrasia wrote: »

Is it too early to call Warren Gatland as the worst Lions coach of all time?

He still has a way to go to beat Clive Woodward. And this is coming from someone who is half English, and rejoiced and the altar of Clive Woodward in 2003

andrewdcs

shocker.

sydthebeat

Roberts has been extremely average for the last 12 months. Davies one good game do far was with bod beside him and bod made him look good.

Roberts and tuilagi have never played together.


This is going to end in a cluster fcuk

joe316

I'm just surprised Shane Williams didn't even get a spot on the bench

microsim

I'm very disappointed that O'Driscoll will not feature on Saturday. I don't think I'll bother even watching it.
Alun Wyn Jones, some captain alright

prettyboy81

Astonishing....has really ruined by buzz for the Final Test. AWJ as Captain too sweet jesus, he can barely last 80mins.

Who will be deputy dog on Saturday when the petrol ruins out in AWJ????? Ah prob just hand it to one of the Welsh Mafia.

bilston

microsim wrote: »

I'm very disappointed that O'Driscoll will not feature on Saturday. I don't think I'll bother even watching it.
Alun Wyn Jones, some captain alright

To be fair AWJ will be a good captain, that's not the issue, it's the stupidity in not picking BOD for his defensively organisation in the biggest Lions game in 12 years that's the problem.

Gambas

Inspector Coptoor wrote: »

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

That's top class sport for you. Doesn't matter who you are.

Gambas

bilston wrote: »

To be fair AWJ will be a good captain, that's not the issue, it's the stupidity in not picking BOD for his defensively organisation in the biggest Lions game in 12 years that's the problem.

Roberts runs the Welsh defence I think.

brandon_flowers

Gambas wrote: »

Roberts runs the Welsh defence I think.

He better do it Saturday.

Davies still in the 15?


If I could find a laughing smiley, I'd use 100 of them. Shocking selection.

Judgement Day

On the basis of this crazy decision I've reversed my previous prediction and will be going for an Aussie win. Gutted for BOD on a day that could/would have been a glittering end to his superb career. :mad:

eyeball kid

Shocked and very disappointed in that decision by Gatland. Just wonder would O'Driscoll have been playing the first two tests if Roberts wasn't injured? Seems unlikely with this news today. He might never have really been in Gatlands plans for the tests.

Had planned my Saturday about watching this test. It sure has taken the gloss off it for me.

microsim

bilston wrote: »

To be fair AWJ will be a good captain, that's not the issue, it's the stupidity in not picking BOD for his defensively organisation in the biggest Lions game in 12 years that's the problem.

Agreed on that too except for I don't think Jones will be a good captain but I guess we will see on Saturday...

TheGoldenAges

In fairness to super troll Stephen Jones he picked most of this team on Sunday, but still WG making his team selection like his is a crime in itself!

Since Fox Sports started a #JusticeForHorwill campaign and it worked we should start a #JusticeForBOD campaign boardsies!

microsim

O'Driscoll should just head to the airport now and tell Gatland to shove it, Roy Keane style.

He's ruined the whole Lions tour.

8-10

microsim wrote: »

I'm very disappointed that O'Driscoll will not feature on Saturday. I don't think I'll bother even watching it

Jaysus really? Come on I'm disappointed for him he won't play, disappointed for the team that I don't think the centre-pairing or captain choices are the best available.

But it's the British and Irish Lions in a series-decider in Australia after 2 pulsating 80-min test matches.

And you're not going to watch a second of it because you disagree with the selection?

Poor support.

gimli2112

I know f-all about rugby but this made no sense to me. Judging by the comments here it's a bizzare decision.

Buer

microsim wrote: »

O'Driscoll should just head to the airport now and tell Gatland to shove it, Roy Keane style.

He's ruined the whole Lions tour.

Nah, cause he's an adult and a professional, he won't be doing that.

Thud

probably sheds some light on the Warburton captaincy as well, BOD was probably never in the running for it if Gatland saw him as droppable.

Can't wait for Joe Schmidt to give Gatland a schooling in next years 6N

J Cheever Loophole

gimli2112 wrote: »

I know f-all about rugby but this made no sense to me. Judging by the comments here it's a bizzare decision.

Like yourself, I'm no expert, but love watching rugby and am gutted that this has happened. Was interested to see the follwing quote from the BBC.

Ian Robertson BBC rugby union correspondent

"You just wonder if they got a lucky bag and picked some names out. The Lions won the first Test and made eight changes to their squad. The Wallabies won the second and probably won't make any changes. The Lions lose by one point and there are six changes in the team and three guys on the bench who were nowhere near the team for the second Test. I was convinced Brian O'Driscoll should have been named as captain. It's catastrophic leaving him out. He's still one of the top centres in world rugby. He's a fantastic guy and has been on four tours and knows it all inside out. It's a massive mistake."

Otacon

If Gatland had chosen a Roberts/Tuilagi centre pairing, while I still would have thought it the wrong choice, I at least could understand what was in his head when he made that call.

Sticking with Davies though, can only be down to bias - because it makes no sense when you are talking about form or gameplan.

Benny Cake

Very disappointed to wake up to this news. Leaving sentimentality aside, I genuinely cannot understand this decision. If Davies was the nailed on 13, then why not f*cking play him there all tour with Tualigi inside him? Fair enough BOD wasn't scything through the opposition but the "Gattyball" being served up hardly allowed for it....

Everything about this stinks to the high heavens, it will make shouting for the Lions Saturday morning a difficult task.

(and don't even get me started on Phillips getting back into the starting 15 ahead of Murray!)

abff

Akrasia wrote: »

Is it too early to call Warren Gatland as the worst Lions coach of all time?

My only comment on that is that it is far too polite a description of him! If I said what I really think of him, I probably get a record ban from this forum.

andrewdcs

Grandpa Hassan wrote: »

He still has a way to go to beat Clive Woodward. And this is coming from someone who is half English, and rejoiced and the altar of Clive Woodward in 2003

MMMmmm, Woodwards tour was one farce after another. The team selections were not that contentious, so the losses dint get tainted with "tactics are wrong" "selection was wrong" so much... more that we were playing far and away the best team on the planet, then and now.


Australia are consistently in the top 3 in the world, and regularly beat the ABs, but they are no where near as good (imho and in others) as the South Africans last tour or the ABs before that...

then again rugby has little to do with players and everything to do with teams, and Australia are waaay out ahead of this lions tour in that.