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

.ak

You'd hope this is the last time they pick a current coach from the home nations. Ruins the spectacle/idea of the lions.

twinytwo

abff wrote: »

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.

So he decides to play 10 welsh players, for gatty ball that is proven to not work. This is going to get hilarious id say. Between dropping drico and stating phillips im going to predict Aus by at least 15

microsim

8-10 wrote: »

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.

Okay, maybe I will watch it but I can't understand why O'Driscoll is not playing. Rumours of a bust up are now coming out and that would make sense. HE would never have been dropped on form alone...

awec

Gatland is trying to bosh his way to victory. Snore:mad:

joe316

.ak wrote: »

You'd hope this is the last time they pick a current coach from the home nations. Ruins the spectacle/idea of the lions.

Absolutely, as a matter of interest was there any other name(s) on the list as potential coach?

Gambas

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.

Christ on a bike.

This tour isn't BOD's testimonial. It is simple. If Lions win on Saturday, Gatland is vindicated. If Lions lose on Saturday, there is ample evidence to suggest that Gatland made a complete balls of the test series and blew the most winnable series in at least 16 years.

As for Saipan - once is enough for the country to drop a bollock about such trivialities.

twinytwo

microsim wrote: »

Okay, maybe I will watch it but I can't understand why O'Driscoll is not playing. Rumours of a bust up are now coming out and that would make sense. HE would never have been dropped on form alone...

link?

SlickRic

the thing is, now Australia know what they're getting from the Lions on Saturday.

there's no mystery or guile to the gameplan, at all. that is what BOD offered in partnership with Sexton. it's now just going to be "Bish, Bash, Bosh" rugby, and hope Australia have a weak centre.

Sexton is now basically nullified. Gatland has managed to take out 2 of his best players in one daft selection decision.

brandon_flowers

Buer

twinytwo wrote: »

So he decides to play 10 welsh players, for gatty ball that is proven to not work. This is going to get hilarious id say. Between dropping drico and stating phillips im going to predict Aus by at least 15

I don't think so. It's going to be another one score game just like Wales had in their 4 games with them last season. If they keep it tight and make their tackles, they might just sneak it on the three pointers. They've some heavy hitters with ball in hand. Faletau, Roberts, SOB and Phillips are all there to make yards. If they can do that then they've a great chance.

intellectual dosser

Is it very 'Irish' of me to have a creeping feeling of wanting the Lions to lose just so that we can annihilate Gatland for cocking it up? Am I alone in thinking this?

Buer

intellectual dosser wrote: »

Is it very 'Irish' of me to have a creeping feeling of wanting the Lions to lose just so that we can annihilate Gatland for cocking it up? Am I alone in thinking this?

Is it very Irish? Yes. Are you alone? Judging by previous posts, no, unfortunately.

Congrats to SOB who is making his first test start and will kill himself for the team. Well done to Sexton for being the first Irish test outhalf in 30 years and only one of 6 men to be selected for all tests. Fair play to TB for making it back and showing his class after a very interrupted season.

I'll be absolutely cheering them on along with their colleagues. One man does not make a team. The Irish contingent have a small and vital role to play yet.

hoodwinked

microsim wrote: »

Okay, maybe I will watch it but I can't understand why O'Driscoll is not playing. Rumours of a bust up are now coming out and that would make sense. HE would never have been dropped on form alone...

there was the whole BOD vs SOB on twitter thing, i doubt thats it though.

ThisRegard

intellectual dosser wrote: »

Is it very 'Irish' of me to have a creeping feeling of wanting the Lions to lose just so that we can annihilate Gatland for cocking it up? Am I alone in thinking this?

No, just there's not many that will admit to it on this forum

Hype710

BOD looked to be limping at the end last week. A half fit BOD will be selected for Ireland and rightly so, but for the Lions, no, no man is bigger than the team as Philips found out last week.

kenmc

On the plus side, when the Lions lose on Saturday, at least BOD won't have had any hand or part to play in it and his legacy will be "If only BOD had been selected for the last game we might have won" rather than "Even with BOD we couldn't win; he cost us the game".

Buer

hoodwinked wrote: »

there was the whole BOD vs SOB on twitter thing, i doubt thats it though.

Given that it was two mates taking the p*ss out of one another...

I doubt there's anything to the "bust up" rumours which I have seen nowhere aside from this thread. Gatland went back to what he knows. He wants to play direct, aggressive rugby. He knows JD is capable of that and is praying JR brings that out of him if he gets front foot ball.

I wouldn't say there's anything more to it.

Kerrydude1981

Not even having BOD on the bench is leaving Gatland open to massive cock up,BOD could make a massive impact off the bench.

Cienciano

Wonder if Gatland is thinking about the time the IRFU sacked him when he made that selection?

Buer

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Not even having BOD on the bench is leaving Gatland open to massive cock up,BOD could make a massive impact off the bench.

He offers no cover to the back line. He has started a handful of games in his career outside of 13 and it never went well. Tuilagi at least covers 12 and 13 and offers big impact. He hasn't played wing in a long time but he has at least payed there in the last 2-3 years.

BOD had to start or be outside the 23. He should have started, obviously, but Judy went another way.

Quint2010

Can't believe I just saw Gatland say on Sky News that "leadership is not that important".

It just beggars belief. I thought the Australians might sneak it on Saturday. Now they are a shoo-in.

abff

Kerrydude1981 wrote: »

Not even having BOD on the bench is leaving Gatland open to massive cock up,BOD could make a massive impact off the bench.

That's the part I find hardest to understand. Even if Gatland feels that Roberts fits in better with his game plan, surely having O'Driscoll on the bench gives him more options if Plan A isn't working.

SebBerkovich

I was pretty motivated about supporting the Lions from the start, and i know it doesn't make any sense but I just don't care anymore.

irrationally i feel personally offended by BoD's exclusion.

all very weird.

Buer

Cienciano wrote: »

Wonder if Gatland is thinking about the time the IRFU sacked him when he made that selection?

Nah. He gave BOD his debut and brought him into the set up. If he was to harbour grudges, it would have been against the senior players who backed the coup at the time, apparently. BOD wasn't one of them.

Gambas

kenmc wrote: »

On the plus side, when the Lions lose on Saturday, at least BOD won't have had any hand or part to play in it and his legacy will be "If only BOD had been selected for the last game we might have won" rather than "Even with BOD we couldn't win; he cost us the game".

No, his legacy will either read '4 lions tours, 8 tests but he never won a series' or '4 lions tours 8 tests and 1 series win in Australia in 2013'. The pub chat will fade quickly.

Buer

SebBerkovich wrote: »

irrationally i feel personally offended by BoD's exclusion.

all very weird.

That's it, sort of. I'm not even angry. Just deflated completely by it. I'm almost upset for the bloke.

microsim

twinytwo wrote: »

link?

from http://www.thescore.ie/lions-australia-brian-odriscoll-dropped-gatland-976200-Jul2013/

The writing may have been on the wall for O’Driscoll some 12 hours before Gatland named his Lions XV, which features 10 Welshmen. In an interview [published a 15.55pm on Tuesday] the centre told French rugby website Rugbyrama.fr that instructions for the backline to curb their attacking instincts were disappointing. O’Driscoll said, “As a back you always want to play running and passing rugby, so these tactical game are sometimes frustrating.

Questioned the manager's tactics... bad move

NicsM

Robbie Deans' reaction:

Gambas

microsim wrote: »

from http://www.thescore.ie/lions-australia-brian-odriscoll-dropped-gatland-976200-Jul2013/

The writing may have been on the wall for O’Driscoll some 12 hours before Gatland named his Lions XV, which features 10 Welshmen. In an interview [published a 15.55pm on Tuesday] the centre told French rugby website Rugbyrama.fr that instructions for the backline to curb their attacking instincts were disappointing. O’Driscoll said, “As a back you always want to play running and passing rugby, so these tactical game are sometimes frustrating.

Questioned the manager's tactics... bad move

Pull yourself together man.

MBolgia

Buer wrote: »

That's it, sort of. I'm not even angry. Just deflated completely by it. I'm almost upset for the bloke.

I'm very much the same. Like, how many times can you kick a guy who has given so much, so selflessly. I don't necessarily want the Lions to lose on Saturday, but I do want Gatland, and all other spectators and commentators, to regret not picking BOD. I want to be able to point at the match afterwards and show that it was a mistake to drop him.