Lions 2017 [MOD WARNING IN OP]

bilston

Not a good night for the Lions.

They've been lucky with injuries so far but this weekend was always going to be a dangerous one with 9 sides with Lions players (including Toulon) playing very high intensity games..

bilston

jr86 wrote: »

No comparison between sexton and Farrell the last two weeks...

In any case id eat my hat if Farrell didn't start bar injury. I'm truly amazed to see some posters leaving him out of predicted 15s

Farrell's days of being ordinary are long gone. I think his early career petulance still leave a sour taste amongst many Irish fans tbh

I think everyone recognises Farrell's quality.

The vast majority of posters here have Farrell in their team, albeit at 12.

You can talk about the form of the last two weeks, which in reality is one game, but don't forget forget Sexton's performances against France and England in the 6Ns which wasn't that long ago.

Buer

bilston wrote:

Not a good night for the Lions.

Depends how you look at it.

Garland will be quietly pleased that McGrath, Furlong and Sexton are done for the season now.

Former Former

jr86 wrote: »

I actually stuck a few quid on marler starting for the craic when thomond2006 put up the odds...

McGrath had a very average 6n sadly. Big chance mako will be used as an impact sub too

To be clear, I meant I'd be worried because of McGrath's injury.

pickarooney

Halfpenny on top form in the play offs. Now begins the fight between Boudjellal and Gatland for his services.

bilston

Buer wrote: »

bilston wrote:

Not a good night for the Lions.

Depends how you look at it.

Garland will be quietly pleased that McGrath, Furlong and Sexton are done for the season now.

Yeah but he won't be pleased if they are done done, which could be the case with McGrath.

jr86

Former Former wrote: »

To be clear, I meant I'd be worried because of McGrath's injury.

I know. I'm saying a bet I put on before the injury. Perhaps shouldnt have quoted

odds will be much shorter now

Nothing wrong with taking the Marler bet based on the assumption that there would be some knocks in the front row before Test 1.

Something a bit off about being self-congratulatory after the fact, given that the fact that what has led to the odds shortening / your value increasing is a young professional sports player's injury which might rule them out of a Lions Tour.

It's a surreal form of after-timing.

jr86

I put a bet on weeks ago. It was a punt. For the record I don't even expect it to come off so where you're getting "self-congrstulatory" from I don't know

I really hope youre not this precious in real life and are just looking for the virtual thanks with the holier than thou nonsense

Internet forums are strange places at times that's for sure

Yes. That's fine.

It's the posting about it now in a weird self-congratulatory manner that is off.

jr86

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Yes. That's fine.

It's the posting about it now in a weird self-congratulatory manner that is off.

Jaysus it's not at all like that ffs

Ok it's hard convey tone over this granted

D14Rugby

Bar farrell and b vunipola, none of sarries lions have looked too good today. Not been awful just not lionsesque

bilston

D14Rugby wrote: »

Bar farrell and b vunipola, none of sarries lions have looked too good today. Not been awful just not lionsesque

It's a big ask to expect to play a Champions Cup final one week and a League semi final seven days later when your opposition in the semi final have had two weeks off. Plus they're away from home. If Saracens turn this around it will be a big achievement.

Professor Moriarty

D14Rugby wrote: »

Bar farrell and b vunipola, none of sarries lions have looked too good today. Not been awful just not lionsesque

Leonine.

D14Rugby

bilston wrote: »

It's a big ask to expect to play a Champions Cup final one week and a League semi final seven days later when your opposition in the semi final have had two weeks off. Plus they're away from home. If Saracens turn this around it will be a big achievement.

Part of the reason I was commenting on it is the Lions games are a week apart so it's interesting to see the drop in performance some of these players have had. I know NZ will have the same one week turnaround so it'll be interesting to see the extent of rotation of players Gatland uses

Jim Hamilton's podcast said they were on the sauce for 2 days after last weekend. That might have made the preparation a bit tougher.

bilston

What a finish anyway! Delighted for the Chiefs!

Unbelievable finish. Slade will be able to dine off that kick for the rest of his life.

Amazing stuff.

Gatland will be delighted that Saracens are done now btw. Less chances of injuries.

bilston

Deleted User wrote: »

Gatland will be delighted that Saracens are done now btw. Less chances of injuries.

I was thinking that too. Farrell and B.Vunipola took a few bangs out there today.

Rhys Webb doesn't get passed fit for the Os (groin).

D14Rugby

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Rhys Webb doesn't get passed fit for the Os (groin).

Get stringer on that plane!

swiwi_

stephen_n wrote: »

And Swiwi thought the Leinster fans gave little Jimmy Goperth a hard time? The New Zealand herald seems like a very balanced read :pac:

You're cherry-picking there stephen...as my learned compatriot has pointed out, Devlin is a soccer fan and a shock-jock radio host.

What time has shown us is that

a) Gopperth is a better rugby player now than back in his Super Rugby days
b) Gopperth is a better rugby player than Madigan

He would nevertheless still only make the starting XV for the Blues - I don't rate him better than Cruden, Barrett, Mo'unga or Sopoaga.

But he has carved out for himself a very handy (and no doubt) lucrative career.

irishbucsfan

swiwi_ wrote: »

You're cherry-picking there stephen...as my learned compatriot has pointed out, Devlin is a soccer fan and a shock-jock radio host.

What time has shown us is that

a) Gopperth is a better rugby player now than back in his Super Rugby days
b) Gopperth is a better rugby player than Madigan

He would nevertheless still only make the starting XV for the Blues - I don't rate him better than Cruden, Barrett, Mo'unga or Sopoaga.

But he has carved out for himself a very handy (and no doubt) lucrative career.

Unfortunately he wasn't capable of doing that consistently when they played on the same team.

Wasps have used him much better though, although they have a better backline to make it work.

CatFromHue

I thought Gopperth played better than Madigan when they were both at Leinster. Granted that wasn't an amazing level but it is interesting to see how their careers have gone post Leinster.

stephen_n

swiwi_ wrote: »

You're cherry-picking there stephen...as my learned compatriot has pointed out, Devlin is a soccer fan and a shock-jock radio host.

What time has shown us is that

a) Gopperth is a better rugby player now than back in his Super Rugby days
b) Gopperth is a better rugby player than Madigan

He would nevertheless still only make the starting XV for the Blues - I don't rate him better than Cruden, Barrett, Mo'unga or Sopoaga.

But he has carved out for himself a very handy (and no doubt) lucrative career.

I'm not cherry picking any more than you are when you talk about Goperth getting it rough from Leinster fans

I don't know what he was like in his super rugby days, so can't really comment on that. I don't think he is a better player now than with Leinster though, I just think he is being used better.

irishbucsfan

CatFromHue wrote: »

I thought Gopperth played better than Madigan when they were both at Leinster. Granted that wasn't an amazing level but it is interesting to see how their careers have gone post Leinster.

But not consistently. Unfortunately.

swiwi_

stephen_n wrote: »

I'm not cherry picking any more than you are when you talk about Goperth getting it rough from Leinster fans

Did I mention in Lyon that your limited edition leinster supporters club "I love JG" t-shirt looked super swell

Just use a bit of twink and it quickly becomes JGP, handy for the 17/18 season.

P.Walnuts

Hearing rumours B Vunipola is out of the tour....

LuckyGent88

P.Walnuts wrote: »

Hearing rumours B Vunipola is out of the tour....

Confirmed now and Haskell is in. Enormous loss