Title suggestions welcome!
All discussion about squad selection etc should go here
Go lions..
In the context of head injuries and player safety too getting rid of jackaling would be a big help. Lots of bad head injuries and lower limb injuries over the years from players torpedoing the jackler as it's so difficult to remove them from the ball.
The contest for possesion should probably be limited to the ruck only, counter ruck to win the ball back. Much safer and far easier to referee.
A big part of the problem is also the “torpedo” clear out approach - which causes a significant proportion of the injuries around the ruck. Players launch in, not in control of their weight, knowing that the contact will prevent them going instantly off their feet. Becomes blatantly obvious when a potential jackal steps back in the “matador” move to try and milk a sealing off penalty.
Whilst I’m still partial to a jackal when I get the opportunity (rarer and rarer these days!) - I’ve come around to the thinking that the laws should be changed and that the defending team should only be allowed to put hands on the ball post tackle if a team mate has successfully stepped through the gate and stepped over/past the ball.
The torpedo is a bugbear of mine - watching players take a short run up and launch themselves recklessly into the ruck is immensely frustrating.
But I do think you need to keep the jackal. Safe in the knowledge that they can't be turned over, attacking teams would just turn the game into grinds of pick and goes otherwise. The ruck does need rethought, though. I wonder what difference it might make if you limited the numbers that could join.
Dan Leavy's knee likes this.
I hate when refs wave off, saying a defender stepped back. Yea, just because they didn't want their knees blown out, doesn't somehow make it legal for a clearer to just fly in off their feet. Back when I was (somewhat) learning to play as a sprog, we were taught to step over the player on the ground when we entered a ruck, and brace ourselves. Always hated it because I never understood how you were supposed to avoid stepping on the player on the ground.
The British & Irish Lions v Wallabies
Accor Stadium, Sydney, Saturday 2nd August, 2025, KO: 11:00 BST
15. Hugo Keenan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #881
14. Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints/England) #858
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland) #878
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby/Ireland) #837
11. Blair Kinghorn (Toulouse/Scotland) #882
10. Finn Russell (Bath Rugby/Scotland) #835
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #879
1. Andrew Porter (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #876
2. Dan Sheehan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #873
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #818
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens/England) (C) #825
5. James Ryan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #880
6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby/Ireland) #838
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks/England) #853
8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #839
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Leinster Rugby/Ireland) #864
17. Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears/England) #859
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby/England) #877
19. Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers/England) #875
20. Jac Morgan (Ospreys/Wales) #861
21. Ben Earl (Saracens/England) #857
22. Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints/England) #860
23. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England) #780
Team announced for the third test:
Hugo Keenan, Tommy Freeman, Huw Jones, Blair Kinghorn, Finn Russell, Jamison Gibson Park, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Maro Itoje, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jack Conan
reps: Ronan Kelleher, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, Ollie Chessum, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Owen Farrell
6-2 split ok the bench, and unfortunately no places for Joe McCarthy, Mack Hansen or JVDF. Delighted for James Ryan getting a test start!
Lowe dropped or injured?
No Lowe, JvdF, Hansen but at least Ryan gets a start.
Lowe must surely be injured as he's another favourite of Farrell's
Just noticed, he's gone with a 6-2 split too.
Don’t think Lowe can feel too hard done by, his performances haven’t been great on the whole.
Delighted for Ryan.
Not feeling it for this game at all.
Just want the Irish boys back home and uninjured.
I think that Aussie team is significantly weaker than last week and throwing 3 guys in for their first tour starts, plus going 5-3 against the lions power are mistakes.
Lions could walk this one by 20
Ffs .... Never mind Dan Sheehan or Keith Wood, we all know Shane Byrne is Ireland's greatest ever hooker. And he started twice for the Lions which I only realised recently
Gavin Coombes too, was lucky he didn't end up like Leavy that time Toner torpedoed him.
I think Farrell has actually shown less loyalty and sentimentality in this selection than he has done as an Ireland coach.
Disappointed for VdF. Lowe played himself off the team last week I'd say.
6-2 split and still no VdF. I'd have lost money on him not having a Lions cap by the end of the tour….
Have a funny feeling the Lions will win this one pretty comfortably.
and kinghorn played himself in, made big yardage with outside breaks on at least 2 occasions.
But I agree, Farrell could have also pointed towards Lowe's assist for Beirne's try as a reason to keep him.
Deleted
Aussie Legends v Lions Legends on YouTube now. Some big names playing, including Munch the Mullet himself, looks like a bit of craic for the lads!
Flicked on to see the B&I "Legends" get a try, scored by Archie Russell, converted by Tom May. Playing it fast and loose with the trade descriptions act :)
In fairness, the Aussies do have some big names on show.
Been a decent game so far
As I said, I'm not trying to attach credit or discredit either way to the quality of the sides they played in when I compare the two as players (who played the same position).
Back to my original comment on this, I'm just comparing them based on their rugby abilities, and that's where I think it's clear that Sheehan is the superior player.
This has probably runs it course though, obviously some people have different views on it, that's fine.
MOD: I have moved a rake of posts to the Ireland thread, if you want to continue the discussion please do so there.
Its very poor that he wasn't selected in any shape or form.
And yes of course Farrell is justifying it, and rightly doesn't answer to anyone, but with a 2-0 lead and 6/2 split, he deserved to feature, 100%.
Very tough on him. He wasn't at his best during the 6N but was super for Leinster at the end of the season. Think AF really likes Tom Curry and Jac Morgan almost has to be picked as the token Welshman. Not to disparage Morgan, he's a fine player but VdF should have a lot more credit in the bank than him.
"Deserved to feature" is a bit nebulous - Curry obviously did enough to win the spot for the first test, and his performances since have more than vindicated that decision. Morgan has been very good, and I guess Earl's versatility works in his favour for the bench.
Picking VDF on anything other than what he's done since the middle of June is not how it should work.
Epsom salt doesn’t bind and stay in the ground. 80% vinegar in the mix, kill anything without harming the ground.
disappointed for VDF but hopefully he’ll have a chip on his shoulder come the England match in the 6N. Overall this tour was OK but generally hard to get excited about. Lions is a bit anachronistic when all these teams play each other so often.
VdF has comfortably outplayed Curry and every other backrow since June. It's Curry who has been picked on reputation. Farrell has massively contradicted himself, unless Josh has been an omnishambles in training.
Table salt.
I think VDF has been very badly treated. Curry had a shocker and still got selected for the first test.
