Lions 2017 [MOD WARNING IN OP]

Erik Shin

mfceiling wrote: »

You've just insulted a midlands buffalo!!

Is that actually possible?

sydthebeat

mfceiling wrote: »

You've just insulted a midlands buffalo!!

Pretty much on the mark

swiwi_

awec wrote: »

Are you a kiwi? How many bloody kiwis do we have on this forum?

You're a northern Protestant aren't you? How many bloody brits do we have on this forum?

wp_rathead

Erik Shin wrote: »

Stander is in the test 23...it's whether or not be starts is the question

Is he? Like I'm a massive fan but Warburton and Faletau are the two who are nailed on
POM 6 and SOB 20 is very possible also

The real mccoy 91

wp_rathead wrote:

Is he? Like I'm a massive fan but Warburton and Faletau are the two who are nailed on POM 6 and SOB 20 is very possible also

I think pom is a very good shout for 6 and would be worried about stander but I'd like to see sob again next weekend before deciding on him for the tests

P.Walnuts

swiwi_ wrote: »

You're a northern Protestant aren't you? How many bloody brits do we have on this forum?

Ninja edit

Sephiral

I think O Brien and Warburton both need to be in the 23 for cover tbh. I would guess that O Mahony, Warburton, Faletau with O Brien benching is what is currently penciled in.

Buer

Rewatching the game and Farrell should be nailed on for the 10 jersey. He has one issue though which is a big one: he looked a weak link in open field defending. The Crusaders made two big breaks that went the length of the field. The first was when Mo'unga broke through and was chased down by SOB. He went straight through Farrell who fell off him.

The second was when Jack Goodhue stepped through off first phase ball and kicked down into the corner. He stepped inside Farrell without a finger on him and had open grass ahead of him.

It's a shame but I don't think Gatland is going to go with Farrell and Sexton unless forced to. It worked so well in that second half and Sexton put in arguably a better 40 minutes than Farrell but Farrell looks more relaxed and composed overall at the moment. I reckon they have Te'o and Davies lined up for the centre and will give them another run next week.

Unfortunately for Henshaw, this tour seems to have completely passed him by. It's hard for him given Te'o has been the player of the tour for me, thus far, coming from left field. You get a tiny window in which to deliver and, if you don't, you're out of the running.

It took a second look to see just how impressive and busy guys like Vunipola, Sexton and George were. Vunipola has to start the tests. He was absolutely everywhere.

The real mccoy 91

Buer wrote:

The second was when Jack Goodhue stepped through off first phase ball and kicked down into the corner. He stepped inside Farrell without a finger on him and had open grass ahead of him.

I thought the inside man (could have been sexton not 100% sure) should have done better for that break wouldn't be pinning it solely on farrell.

Buer wrote:

Unfortunately for Henshaw, this tour seems to have completely passed him by. It's hard for him given Te'o has been the player of the tour for me, thus far, coming from left field. You get a tiny window in which to deliver and, if you don't, you're out of the running.

Te'o has looked very good in every aspect except his passing it has been exposed badly a couple of times yesterday he had williams wide open outside him and put the ball a mile over his head that could be his downfall

Ardillaun

I know we got the scrum penalties against Crusaders but I am concerned about all that backpedalling we did there, reminiscent of some past Irish performances that did not end well. What's going on? Do we need changes in the props/second row or are they going to scrummage better next time?

Buer

The real mccoy 91 wrote: »

I thought the inside man (could have been sexton not 100% sure) should have done better for that break wouldn't be pinning it solely on farrell.

You're right. On watching it, Sexton probably should have done better. It wasn't his man but he had drifted to a point where he could have executed an effective tackle if he had launched himself at Goodhue (who I thought was excellent).

The Lions had a huge defensive showing. They came up hard and in groups to kill the ball. I'd have a concern over that working as effectively against the NZ midfield though. They'll be more composed and, if they go get up quickly into the face of someone like SBW (I'm assuming he'll get the nod if Crotty is out), he has the power and skill to take the contact and move the ball on.

The real mccoy 91 wrote: »

Te'o has looked very good in every aspect except his passing it has been exposed badly a couple of times yesterday he had williams wide open outside him and put the ball a mile over his head that could be his downfall.

His passing has been off but I don't see it costing him a spot. He has been a line breaking, gain line winning machine for the Lions. He's playing like he did for Leinster in the Pro12 making a positive contribution on almost every involvement (even if it does end with a poor pass on occasion).

I'd love to see Sexton, Farrell and Te'o line up with Te'o taking hard lines at 13. Te'o should be fairly familiar with both Farrell and Sexton having played and trained with both extensively by now. But I don't see Gatland going with anyone but an established 13 for the opening test due to defensive concerns so I reckon Davies is first choice and Payne thereafter.

By the end of the Australian tour, 30 players had picked up test caps though. There will be guys who won't be in the 23 for the first test that are going to have a big involvement in the test series like SOB and Roberts in 2013 or Simon Shawe and Joe Worsley in 2009. Who knows what combination will end up taking the field for the final test (Tommy Bowe and Riki Flutey were the winning test partnership in 2009!)

swiwi_

swiwi_ wrote: »

You're a northern Protestant aren't you? How many bloody brits do we have on this forum?

I should like to apologise for this post. Syd took the time to give people who don't watch Super Rugby a rundown on his favourite not Ireland not Leinster team and it seemed to me a pity to then ask him if he was kiwi. I think a forum such is this is better with some non-Irish posters (provided they are not bigbok style) to give some alternate views but I lost the run of myself here. To any Ulster or other fans who might have taken offence, consider my post retracted.

dub_skav

swiwi_ wrote: »

I should like to apologise for this post. Syd took the time to give people who don't watch Super Rugby a rundown on his favourite not Ireland not Leinster team and it seemed to me a pity to then ask him if he was kiwi. I think a forum such is this is better with some non-Irish posters (provided they are not bigbok style) to give some alternate views but I lost the run of myself here. To any Ulster or other fans who might have taken offence, consider my post retracted.

Typical Swiss neutrality

bilston

swiwi_ wrote: »

swiwi_ wrote: »

You're a northern Protestant aren't you? How many bloody brits do we have on this forum?

I should like to apologise for this post. Syd took the time to give people who don't watch Super Rugby a rundown on his favourite not Ireland not Leinster team and it seemed to me a pity to then ask him if he was kiwi. I think a forum such is this is better with some non-Irish posters (provided they are not bigbok style) to give some alternate views but I lost the run of myself here. To any Ulster or other fans who might have taken offence, consider my post retracted.

Fair play swiwi. I had a bit of whoaaahh moment when I read it earlier but didn't take it to heart.

We're all big boys and girls anyway. Plus it turns out we in Ulster now run the UK so life is great! In fact I have it on good authority that one of Big Arlene's demands from Theresa for her support is an extradition order for David Nucifora for crimes against Ulster rugby.

Finally I think it's great we have loads of Kiwis on the board. It's only during the Lions tour that I realised del.monte was one, there's yourself, Yeah Right and Basil. Any other wishing to come out of the closet???

mfceiling

swiwi_ wrote: »

I should like to apologise for this post. Syd took the time to give people who don't watch Super Rugby a rundown on his favourite not Ireland not Leinster team and it seemed to me a pity to then ask him if he was kiwi. I think a forum such is this is better with some non-Irish posters (provided they are not bigbok style) to give some alternate views but I lost the run of myself here. To any Ulster or other fans who might have taken offence, consider my post retracted.

I actually laughed when I read it!! Not sure if I'm a Brit, a Nordie or a Free State blow in!!

irishbucsfan

bilston wrote: »

Fair play swiwi. I had a bit of whoaaahh moment when I read it earlier but didn't take it to heart.

We're all big boys and girls anyway. Plus it turns out we in Ulster now run the UK so life is great! In fact I have it on good authority that one of Big Arlene's demands from Theresa for her support is an extradition order for David Nucifora for crimes against Ulster rugby.

Finally I think it's great we have loads of Kiwis on the board. It's only during the Lions tour that I realised del.monte was one, there's yourself, Yeah Right and Basil. Any other wishing to come out of the closet???

Myself and Awec already sorted the Nucifora thing in return for a tariff-free fireworks import treaty for the republic. Arlene is wasting her ammunition on that one.

awec

swiwi_ wrote: »

I should like to apologise for this post. Syd took the time to give people who don't watch Super Rugby a rundown on his favourite not Ireland not Leinster team and it seemed to me a pity to then ask him if he was kiwi. I think a forum such is this is better with some non-Irish posters (provided they are not bigbok style) to give some alternate views but I lost the run of myself here. To any Ulster or other fans who might have taken offence, consider my post retracted.

Ah yer a decent oul spud swiwi, I wasn't offended or anything.

Kiwis are a sound people and are of course welcome here. You didn't give us Nucifora so you're the good kind of antipodean. Which is not to say I dislike all australians, the likes of Yeah_Right is sound. I even think IBF is sound and he's a Nucifora loving lunatic from Kildare.

bilston

awec wrote: »

Ah yer a decent oul spud swiwi, I wasn't offended or anything.

Kiwis are a sound people and are of course welcome here. You didn't give us Nucifora so you're the good kind of antipodean. Which is not to say I dislike all australians, the likes of Yeah_Right is sound. I even think IBF is sound and he's a Nucifora loving lunatic from Kildare.

So Yeah_Right is an Aussie? FFS...

Yeah_Right

:mad:

****en Brits!!!

Bring back a proper border.

And deport Awec

:mad:

Wailin

Buer wrote: »

When proving a point, never ask a question you don't already know the answer to!

You know the answer is zero, I'm sure. But the point stands, it's more important to shut NZ down than it is to carve them open. Give them a sniff and you'll lose. It has to be an 80 minute display and if the guard goes down, you concede.

You don't say...

Ardillaun

If we're going to play this hyper-defensive game against the ABs are there any other players (esp. backs) we should have brought who may not be spectacular on the attacking front but are great tacklers?

Dog Botherer

Ardillaun wrote: »

If we're going to play this hyper-defensive game against the ABs are there any other players (esp. backs) we should have brought who may not be spectacular on the attacking front but are great tacklers?

Fergus McFadden.

swiwi_

Hogg is out of the tour. He has had no luck really - a very nervy opening 40 minutes vs the Baa-baas, which would have put serious doubts in Gatland's mind, then an early tour-ending injury due to friendly fire (thank God it wasn't due to foul play by a Crusaders player...)

No replacement likely to be called up, but if there were to be one, you'd think the mostly likely would be Zebo, with Earls, May or I suppose Mike Brown also in the mix.

irelandrover

It seems strange that no replacement will be called up. I assume this means Halfpenny is nailed on as a starter now.

Podge_irl

irelandrover wrote: »

It seems strange that no replacement will be called up. I assume this means Halfpenny is nailed on as a starter now.

This has got to be the furthest they have gotten into a tour without calling anyone up surely? (Haskell excepted as it was before they left).

I guess part of the reason for the larger squad is to avoid having to call people up. Of course coaches have claimed the exact same thing in the past and it hasn't stopped them.

Erik Shin

I missed the most of Gatlands interview..buy are they saying that Hoggs sight could have been affected ?

Buer

irelandrover wrote: »

It seems strange that no replacement will be called up. I assume this means Halfpenny is nailed on as a starter now.

Hogg is a full back and nothing else. They've a rake of guys on tour who can play full back including the likely first choice in Halfpenny.

Daly, Payne, Watson, Nowell, Halfpenny and Henshaw all have significant experience there. I suppose if there was one position where they weren't going to call up a replacement it would be for full back.

In terms of potential call ups, if they need to call someone up in the next 3-4 days, I'd be surprised if it wasn't a Welsh player given they're in Auckland right now.

They've gotten through the initial games and are close to settling on a test side. Any call up now is just going to supplement the midweek side like Wade, Barritt, Zebo etc. did last time out.

Dog Botherer

Buer wrote: »

In terms of potential call ups, if they need to call someone up in the next 3-4 days, I'd be surprised if it wasn't a Welsh player given they're in Auckland right now.

The only back three player with real experience in that squad is Alex Cuthbert, so maybe not...

Buer

Dog Botherer wrote: »

The only back three player with real experience in that squad is Alex Cuthbert, so maybe not...

Yeah, hardly ideal in fairness. But he has Lions experience and Gatland didn't have any issue in calling up someone like Shane Williams last time.

If there was a need to fill a jersey in the back three for a one off though, I'd suspect Sam Davies would be a more likely candidate.

Tigerandahalf

Buer wrote: »

Hogg is a full back and nothing else. They've a rake of guys on tour who can play full back including the likely first choice in Halfpenny.

Daly, Payne, Watson, Nowell, Halfpenny and Henshaw all have significant experience there. I suppose if there was one position where they weren't going to call up a replacement it would be for full back.

In terms of potential call ups, if they need to call someone up in the next 3-4 days, I'd be surprised if it wasn't a Welsh player given they're in Auckland right now.

They've gotten through the initial games and are close to settling on a test side. Any call up now is just going to supplement the midweek side like Wade, Barritt, Zebo etc. did last time out.

But only Halfpenny has any significant experience playing in that full back position. Zebo would be a good call up and it would give him time to learn the systems.

Given the Lions are playing high ball to gain territory none of those other full backs would be near Zebo for catching those up and unders.

Very little injuries so far but the Maoris have yet to come.