Lions tour to Australia

I can't believe Schmidt didn't bring in Gamble.

I think the approach with Porter starting and Genge coming off the bench for impact is more logical. I think Porter's work around the field in the first 40-50 mins is valuable - the Wallabies are going to be far more abrasive and direct this week with Valetini and Skelton back in the fold, whereas I think Genge's energy and dynamism is better suited to the last 30 mins or so if the game has broken up a bit and players are starting to tire.

Agree on the bench - have more confidence in this and think you're getting better coverage for more positions.

I love VDF and he absolutely deserves a test cap but hard to drop Curry after last week. I didn't agree with Farrell starting Curry and Beirne last week but surprise surprise, he knows more than I do and they both turned up when it mattered.

Listening to the ruck podcast and they are very unhappy at so many Irish. Gatland picking 10 Welsh in 2013 was fine because Wales dominated the 6n then more than Ireland have recently. Also Leinster are big game bottlers. No mention of course of England being the only one from Ire, Eng and Sco to lose to Aus last autumn. They genuinely sound like they'd rather more Scottish than Irish in the team despite Scotland having no recent history of winning big games. The hypocrisy is off the charts.

I’d consider Curry more wild than mediocre. He brought lots of energy to the last game but could easily have been more severely penalized.

My thoughts exactly, it's gas that he could end up being one of Ireland's best ever players and not make a Lions Team.

Very unfortunate for Ringrose but I can't share the pessimism of others saying his tour us over.

I can see him playing in the 3rd test assuming he can get over the post concussion protocols — or is he definitely sidelined for another 10 days minimum???

Per World Rugby's concussion guidance, if Ringrose complained of still suffering from concussion symptoms coming off the training pitch yesterday, he's put back into the 12-day standdown protocol, unless he completes the 'Individualised Rehabilitation Programme' which is an option for 'elite' players.

However, in Ringrose's case, the original concussion he suffered on this tour was against the Brumbies on July 9th, and he was still suffering from those concussion symptoms when the 1st Test side was being picked.

I don't think it's a good fact pattern for him either way - he either has suffered a second concussion in the game on Tuesday (in which case he'll trigger the 2 concussions in 12 months protocol from the guidance) or he's still suffering lingering symptoms from the concussion on July 9th.

I hate to say it, because I'm an enormous fan of his (and think he's been the form centre on this tour and one of the form players), but I cannot see a scenario where he features in the 3rd test. I imagine he's potentially heading for an extended standdown period, as he's had prior concussions before (against Scotland in 2023 notably, and possibly more I'm forgetting).

Agreed.

Strangely - that might put Jamie Osborne not a million miles away from a test spot in the event of injury / suspension to Huw Jones. He's the next best thirteen in the squad IMO.

It'd be mad, the guy thats not viewed by club or country to be a first choice centre ends up being a test match Lion

He wasn’t average all things considered. Totally agree regarding being lucky for a yellow card and he may well have been the worst of the back row but they were all good. I wouldn’t have started him originally, but hard to drop after last week.

I don’t see the Lions losing on Saturday so VDF should be getting a well deserved cap in test 3 anyway hopefully.