Lions 2017 [MOD WARNING IN OP]

swiwi_

swiwi_ wrote: »

All Blacks team to play Samoa

Ben Smith (c), Israel Dagg, Anton Lienert-Brown, Sonny Bill Williams, Julian Savea, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Jerome Kaino, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moodie.

Reserves Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Scott Barrett, Vaea Fifita, TJ Perenara, Lima Sopoaga, Jordie Barrett.

For first test next week

Read for Savea. Savea to bench. Bye bye Fifita. Cruden for Sopoaga. Possibly Naholo or Ioane for Savea or Barrett Jnr.

I suppose TJP could start.

We see what the Lions top team can bring to the Maori game. I'm hoping the Maoris will go Kerr-Barlow, McKenzie, Lowe, Ngatai, Proctor, Ioane, NMS in the backs.

Buer

swiwi_ wrote: »

I'm hoping the Maoris will go Kerr-Barlow, McKenzie, Lowe, Ngatai, Proctor, Ioane, NMS in the backs.

And, at this stage, I'm hoping the Lions go Murray, Farrell, Sinckler, George, Tipuric, Vunipola, Itoje in the backs.

gally74

Delighted for peter as a conn man

He embodies so much of the values of rugby. Proud day for mun and cork.

swiwi_

swiwi_ wrote: »

We see what the Lions top team can bring to the Maori game. I'm hoping the Maoris will go Kerr-Barlow, McKenzie, Lowe, Ngatai, Proctor, Ioane, NMS in the backs.

Happy days (although Lowe and NMS have interestingly swapped places - if Lowe goes OK at 15, it might give Leinster fans food for thought)

The Maori pack is the epitome of hard-grafting journeymen, the game will boil down to whether the Lions pack can prevent the Maori backs getting enough good-quality ball.

Given the forum often tells me Gatland is anti-Irish, it is surprising to see Peter O'Ma-ha-knee named as captain, and Sexton handed the 10 shirt. Am I to conclude maybe the forum is wrong

ScissorPaperRock

Lions team v Maori All Blacks:

L Halfpenny (Wales); A Watson (England), J Davies (Wales), B Te'o (England), G North (Wales); J Sexton, C Murray (both Ireland); M Vunipola, J George (both England), T Furlong (Ireland), M Itoje, G Kruis (both England), P O'Mahony (capt, Ireland), S O'Brien (Ireland), T Faletau (Wales).

Replacements: K Owens (Wales), J McGrath (Ireland), K Sinckler (England), I Henderson (Ireland), S Warburton (Wales), G Laidlaw (Scotland), O Farrell, E Daly (both England).

ScissorPaperRock

Looking like a pretty strong team all over the park really.

Hopefully the Murray & Sexton combo will go well.

irishbucsfan

Not bad for POM given someone was predicting the end of his international career not so long ago!

Clegg

That's the guts of the pack for the first test. Not enough time left for Tipuric or Warburton to force their way into contention.

Buer

I suppose the only element that surprises me at all is the outhalf selection. I still wouldn't count on Sexton starting the tests. Whilst the final Saturday game is always a strong indication of the test side, it is never the actual test side. We'll surely see the Farrell/Sexton combination at some point this weekend.

Makes sense for George to get the nod ahead of Owens as he has gone well and this retains the Saracens line out with only Furlong spoiling the party in the front five.

Webb must still be carrying a knock as there isn't a hope that Laidlaw will be in the 23. The bench is interesting though. AWJ is being rested, I would assume but, if Itoje goes well and Henderson makes an impact off the bench, he has a great chance of being an impact player for the tests. I don't see Gatland dropping AWJ from the 23 though.

I expected Warburton to be on the bench but I also expect him to still start the first test and SOB to drop to the bench. It's not out of the question that Warburton goes to 6 and POM drops out either with Warburton playing 6. I feel this might be a straight shoot out between the two. Gatland clearly values POM though so he appears to be in front due to his strong leadership ability.

Daly at 23 is a bit of a surprise to me but others did call it. He gives flexibility for cover but I really think he has been extremely one dimensional and will offer next to no impact off the bench.

Erik Shin

Owen Farrell has just been left out of the squad...has an injury

Buer

Biggar to replace Farrell on bench for the match. He's injured. Now we know why Sexton is starting.

Strained quad. That could put him in jeopardy for the first test.

Buer

Clegg wrote: »

That's the guts of the pack for the first test. Not enough time left for Tipuric or Warburton to force their way into contention.

I wouldn't be so sure. Warburton had only 2 appearances in 2013 before the test series and was very quiet but, come the first test, he was straight into the team.

I can see him getting 25 minutes on Saturday and Gatland giving it a bit of "Much sharper, fitness coming back, important player and leader for us" etc.

Dog Botherer

Spreadsheet for the Lions by minutes played.




Credit to theblitzdefence.

https://theblitzdefence.wordpress.com/2017/06/14/which-lions-players-have-played-the-most-minutes/

preddy

Bottom 5 on the list being saved it looks like to me if they get 60-80 mins in on Saturday we wont seem them till Test time

Burkie1203

preddy wrote: »

Bottom 5 on the list being saved it looks like to me if they get 60-80 mins in on Saturday we wont seem them till Test time

The 23 on saturday is going to be fairly close to the first test 23. Seen one or two twitter posts guessing Warburton will start at 6 with SoB at 7 for first test.

Buer

Burkie1203 wrote: »

The 23 on saturday is going to be fairly close to the first test 23. Seen one or two twitter posts guessing Warburton will start at 6 with SoB at 7 for first test.

It has really flown under the radar but don't rule it out at all as Gatland's big curveball.

10 of Warburton's last 20 starts for Wales have come on the blindside including some massive games such as Australia in the RWC and all of this year's 6N.

I'd say he's more likely to start at 7 with SOB on the bench as SOB is more of an impact player than POM but I wouldn't rule out the other way around at all. As I mentioned, this match could be a straight shoot out between POM and SOB.

FellasFellas

No sign of Moriarty, he would be the midweek 6 for Chiefs and Hurricanes at this rate as we get close to the test but last I heard was a back spasm. Surely enough cover within the squad still but one more injury and we could see the first replacements of the tour. Fairly incredible to have only lost Hogg coming into the 4th game and that was self inflicted almost.

Burkie1203

Buer wrote: »

It has really flown under the radar but don't rule it out at all as Gatland's big curveball.

10 of Warburton's last 20 starts for Wales have come on the blindside including some massive games such as Australia in the RWC and all of this year's 6N.

I'd say he's more likely to start at 7 with SOB on the bench as SOB is more of an impact player than POM but I wouldn't rule out the other way around at all. As I mentioned, this match could be a straight shoot out between POM and SOB.

Yeah i just saw that 10 out of 20 games stat there on Twitter too.

SoB has had some of his best games against NZ and i dont think that will have gone unnoticed either by Gatland.

Warburton/SoB/Faletau with POM on the bench is my guess.

.ak

Pity about Farrel. That's atleast a two weeker.

Can laidlaw play 10?

irishbucsfan

.ak wrote: »

Pity about Farrel. That's atleast a two weeker.

Can laidlaw play 10?

They're reporting it as a grade one strain, so I think they'll be hopeful about him being available. May not train all the days though, it certainly is very disruptive and it'll shift the odds.

Former Former

.ak wrote: »

Can laidlaw play 10?

Laidlaw can play 10 in the same way I can play the violin. The basic tools are there but holy sh*t no one wants to be around when it happens.

blackdog1

Former Former wrote:

Laidlaw can play 10 in the same way I can play the violin. The basic tools are there but holy sh*t no one wants to be around when it happens.

Ford is playing cracking rugby over in Argentina atm and they do have a squad spot open if they need cover.

irishbucsfan

Who is a better 10 though, Laidlaw or Hogg? I'd say absolutely Laidlaw.

Buer

blackdog1 wrote: »

Ford is playing cracking rugby over in Argentina atm and they do have a squad spot open if they need cover.

He is but, if Farrell is just out for 1-2 weeks and they need someone to bench for the midweek side, I'd guess Sam Davies will get the call given he's a drive away.

sydthebeat

blackdog1 wrote: »

Ford is playing cracking rugby over in Argentina atm and they do have a squad spot open if they need cover.

Sam Davies is just up the road if they are really stuck....

.ak

Davies is a good shout actually - he can play 15 also?

Pity Carbery got injured. I know he had a mixed bag the other day but he'd have been ideal to slot in.

Squidgy Black

.ak wrote: »

Pity Carbery got injured. I know he had a mixed bag the other day but he'd have been ideal to slot in.

Ah now. After the performance against the USA I think we can shut down that fantasy right away.

Former Former

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Who is a better 10 though, Laidlaw or Hogg? I'd say absolutely Laidlaw.

Keeping in mind Hogg is gone...

.ak

_Tyrrell_ wrote: »

Ah now. After the performance against the USA I think we can shut down that fantasy right away.

Like I said, he had a mixed bag against USA, but I don't think that reflects what he's capable of. I don't think Gatland would care either. He'd be there to fill shoes to give guys like Sexton/Farrell/Halfpenny a break. It's all moot, ofcourse.

Erik Shin

Former Former wrote: »

Laidlaw can play 10 in the same way I can play the violin. The basic tools are there but holy sh*t no one wants to be around when it happens.

You know....I'd kinda pay money to see you play the violin with your tool