Team For Manawatu Announced

qwertyup

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/international/4625325.stm

The team for Tuesday's game has been announced:

Lions Team:
Murphy
Robinson
Smith
D'Arcy
S Williams
Hodgson
Cusiter

Sheridan
Bulloch (capt)
Hayes
Shaw
O'Callaghan
Corry
M Williams
Owen


Replacements:
Titterell
Stevens
Cockbain
Back
Cooper
O'Gara
Cueto

Opinions?

damnyanks

Didn't think Corry played so badly (Compared to others) against NZ. Would like to see O'Callaghan at least make the sub bench for the NZ test.

Bri

O come on! As much as SCW says you can play Tuesday and Saturday what the hell is he doing?! Corry is a good player and leader; kind of important now I would have thought. Playing him Tuesday is 3 straight games I think, so he won't be starting Sat. Murhphy AGAIN?! He should at least be subbing.

At least Robinson got dropped I guess.

PJG

CW has reversed again one of his earlier statements,

playing tomorrow night will not rule players out for the weekend. hope for DOC and murphy yet

Davei141

Interesting no dennis hickie in the manwatu game, does that mean he might get a game on saturday?

Souless

Davei141 wrote:

Interesting no dennis hickie in the manwatu game, does that mean he might get a game on saturday?

Quite the intersting point lets hope so but I wouldnt hold my breath
Oh yeah and when is the 2nd test team announced does anybody know?

RuggieBear

well wasn't shane williams the winger to miss out last week....tbh i reckon they've just been swopped.

Nukem

SCW your an idiot. Cusitor is the best scrum half out there and il put money on it he will start Dawson at 9 with Wilko at 10 for the next test - i really don't know.

Nukem

Souless

Nukem wrote:

SCW your an idiot. Cusitor is the best scrum half out there and il put money on it he will start Dawson at 9 with Wilko at 10 for the next test - i really don't know.

Nukem

Lol I couldnt agree with you more mate. Ive been saying cusitor is best scrum half they have for whole tour

Chucky the tree

RuggieBear wrote:

well wasn't shane williams the winger to miss out last week....tbh i reckon they've just been swopped.

yea but robinson dropped, horgan moved to wing for proper test. that leaves no wing cover on the subs becnh. SO strong chance hicke might be there.

Nukem

Chucky the tree wrote:

yea but robinson dropped, horgan moved to wing for proper test. that leaves no wing cover on the subs becnh. SO strong chance hicke might be there.

Ya i hope he is and i hope that he has one of those days "le crunch" remember the England match; he was outstanding and anyone who came near him was just meat ready for roasting. Would love to see the big Leinster man(Horgan) on the other wing,great player and i honestly think like Lewsey is just there to play his best. Always get that feeling when i see them play.

Nukem

monkeyman

If Williams puts in a half decent game in the morning, he will be on the bench and Hickie will be #23

Can't understand why Corry is named. He's the type we need out there next Sat unless he only plays 40 mins

zAbbo

And the game starts, a rather cagey start by the lions

Davei141

6-109 well played, interestingly he took robinson off at half time and left williams on.

Fearo

Yeah great to see so many trys! Manawatu were a poor side but the Lions looked good. Nice to see a lot less mistakes during the match.

Yeah whats up with Robinson being taken off and Williams being left on??? Williams has got to make the 22, I would be very surprised if Robinson got in. This will give them a lift before the 2nd test.

Did anyone see that T-Shirt someone in the crowd was wearing with a picture of Umaga and a big wanted sign under it for the assasination of O'Driscoll? It was very funny, didnt take long for them to make that!!

andyman

I would be suprised if ROG isn't even considered as a replacement for the NZ test after that display.

I would think drop Steve Jones and put Wilko/ROG in at FH. Play Henson and Greenwood probably, in Centre. With Thomas and Williams on the Wings and Robinson or Murphy in FB. Probably keep Peel at SH. DOC played well he should get a game in 1 of the 2 remaining tests.

Davei141

I think it has to be cusiter, peel is so slow with the pass compared to him. Darcy had a great game maybe hes in contention for the centre, ollie smith played really well too.
I agree about steven jones, hes just been a bystander in the games hes played, no impact what so ever. O gara got his goal kicking in order after 2 misses, which was nice to see. Williams must of played his way in, who can exclude somebody who scores 5 tries in that game?

damnyanks

Manawatu are a second division team. No point getting carried away with peoples performances or scores. It would be like NZ playing borders or someone club from scotland and winning by that much.

Davei141

Theyve been promoted to division one, No matter what opposition the team still done the basics and played well. Nobodies getting carried away.

Souless

Davei141 wrote:

Theyve been promoted to division one, No matter what opposition the team still done the basics and played well. Nobodies getting carried away.

Thats exactly it I mean the Lions have stuggled to do even the basics right whole tour with shoddy lineout calls/balls, Scrums and to many knock ons to count. This match they seemed to rectify this even if it was against a hardly amazing oposing team, it was nice to see them finally click

Johnson

A pointless match (for the most part) against a team of part timers. The very fact that O'Gara, who is known to be the slowest back in the Irish side, scored 2 tries says a lot. The match was over by the time O'Gara came on, and I was more impressed with Hodgson, as I have been throughout the tour. No argument that O'Gara's tactical kicking was excellent, but I just think he lacks the edge required against the All Blacks. He can be quite slow to get rid of the ball, he just wasn't put under any pressure when he received the ball today.


As for the person who put Greenwood at centre. WTF? Greenwood shouldn't be near the test side. Lewsey should partner Henson in the centre, Greenwood should be partnering the fans in the stand. Robinson shouldn't be in the side either. Murphy and Thomas have played better than him on the tour, and we know Thomas has his test spot secured. I would say a back 3 of Williams, Thomas and Murphy (Horgan maybe instead of Murphy, if Thomas is chosen as fullback).