Lions 2013 Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

JagerScout · 03-07-2013 08:47AM

No matter the result at the weekend, this news has basically killed any affection I had for the Lions.

With Sky's non stop hyping, to the biased management and ugly game plans, i've frankly had enough.

crusher000 · 03-07-2013 08:49AM

Wales may have been the dominant/in form team for the last couple of years in the six nations but in all fairness I'm not willing to tune in and watch them play Oz Saturday morning. Where there are injuries yo expect re placements to come in but to me it seems he never but togehter the strongest 15 players on the squad in any of the two teams he picked thus far and has now gone and turned the team on it's head again. Murray for me should be starting as he played well when he came on last week.

.ak · 03-07-2013 08:52AM

I feel bad for all the people who paid to go see the tour. They wanted to see the Lions, but instead they get to see Wales.

P_1 · 03-07-2013 08:53AM

sydthebeat wrote: »

Bish, bash, bosh, kick, rinse, repeat....

I thought the 3rd Origin match wasn't till the week after :P

First Up · 03-07-2013 08:53AM

The last few weeks it was the SOB whinge. Now replaced by the BOD whinge. This forum is just a teeeeeny bit parochial don't ya think?

Be honest, he was poor last week and got poor ratings from everyone. If not for his reputation (and ahem, nationality) his position and the midfield combination would have been fair game for discussion. Yes it is a tight call and yes, he and Roberts did play well together a few years ago. But this is now; they are facing a particular opponent on a particular pitch with a particular referee.

Am I surprised at his omission - only a little. Am I outraged and sticking pins in Gatland? - get a life.

darragh_haven · 03-07-2013 08:54AM

JagerScout wrote: »

Bod not even in 23, what a joke. Pray to god they lose now.

Its a shock that hes dropped, wrong even. But the attitude that we "pray they lose" is as wrong

03-07-2013 08:54AM

Can we get the title changed to

"Wales 2.0 2013 Team Talk..."

simonmln · 03-07-2013 08:55AM

No back 3 cover at all? What an absolute joke.

Chances of Murray playing on the wing at some stage?

03-07-2013 08:55AM

First Up wrote: »

The last few weeks it was the SOB whinge. Now replaced by the BOD whinge. This forum is just a teeeeeny bit parochial don't ya think?

Be honest, he was poor last week and got poor ratings from everyone. If not for his reputation (and ahem, nationality) his position and the midfield combination would have been fair game for discussion. Yes it is a tight call and yes, he and Roberts did play well together a few years ago. But this is now; they are facing a particular opponent on a particular pitch with a particular referee.

Am I surprised at his omission - only a little. Am I outraged and sticking pins in Gatland? - get a life.

What pray tell do you believe makes the decision between playing Brian O'Driscoll or Jonathan Davies at 13 tight?

The first sentence of the second paragraph there can be attributed to Davies in both tests so far.

.ak · 03-07-2013 08:56AM

Has the team been confirmed btw?

03-07-2013 08:58AM

.ak wrote: »

Has the team been confirmed btw?

15-Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14-Tommy Bowe (Ireland), 13-Jonathan Davies (Wales), 12-Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11-George North (Wales), 10-Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 9-Mike Phillips (Wales), 8-Toby Faletau (Wales), 7-Sean O'Brien (Ireland), 6-Dan Lydiate (Wales), 5-Geoff Parling (England), 4-Alun Wyn Jones (captain, Wales), 3-Adam Jones (Wales), 2-Richard Hibbard (Wales), 1-Alex Corbisiero (England)

Replacements - 16-Tom Youngs (England), Mako Vunipola (England), 18-Dan Cole (England), 19-Richie Gray (Scotland), 20-Justin Tipuric (Wales), 21-Conor Murray (Ireland), 22-Owen Farrell (England), 23-Manu Tuilagi (England)

tvc15 · 03-07-2013 08:58AM

I am surprised and a little dissapointed in myself to be honest but I would love to see Australia run all over the Welsh Lions just to hear Gatland answer questions on dropping BOD and forcing the Lions to play boring rugby for three tests

crusher000 · 03-07-2013 08:59AM

It's not just about BOD being replaced, but dropped of the squad completely, and how Lyons was left on for so long last week. The guy held onto the ball for every scrum , the one ball he did but in in the second half hit an OZ hand and they got the ball back from a Lions put in.

hsbc · 03-07-2013 09:00AM

Maybe it's a plan by Glatland? Perhaps Roberts is still struggling with the hamstring and will be pulled from the starting line-up before kick-off and BOD will start. That would mess up any game plan the aussies had in dealing with the Roberts/Davies partnership.

I'm just clutching at straws here lads - cannot see the sense in it at all. Ridiculous decision by Gatland.

Surely you'd want as much experience on the team for the biggest game on tour so far? BOD has been there seen it all.

Very harsh on Heaslip also.

It's also disappointing for me because if the Aussies win i won't be too upset because it'll have blown up in Gatlands face. You've just ruined the whole event Gatland!

crusher000 · 03-07-2013 09:02AM

hsbc wrote: »

Maybe it's a plan by Glatland? Perhaps Roberts is still struggling with the hamstring and will be pulled from the starting line-up before kick-off and BOD will start. That would mess up any game plan the aussies had in dealing with the Roberts/Davies partnership.

I'm just clutching at straws here lads - cannot see the sense in it at all. Ridiculous decision by Gatland.

Surely you'd want as much experience on the team for the biggest game on tour so far? BOD has been there seen it all.

Very harsh on Heaslip also.

It's also disappointing for me because if the Aussies win i won't be too upset because it'll have blown up in Gatlands face. You've just ruined the whole event Gatland!

Only problem is BOD isn't in the squad, not on the bench.

03-07-2013 09:06AM

crusher000 wrote: »

It's not just about BOD being replaced, but dropped of the squad completely, and how Lyons was left on for so long last week. The guy held onto the ball for every scrum , the one ball he did but in in the second half hit an OZ hand and they got the ball back from a Lions put in.

He only covers one position, he starts or doesn't feature.

keano_afc · 03-07-2013 09:11AM

BOD aside, restoring Phillips to the starting 15 is a travesty too. He shoudnt even be in the 23.

First Up · 03-07-2013 09:15AM

Hooky talking sense on RTE. Miriam doing an impression of this forum.

phog · 03-07-2013 09:18AM

I can understand BOD not being on the bench but I'm shocked he was dropped from the team. Winning on Saturday won't make it the right call either.

microsim · 03-07-2013 09:21AM

First Up wrote: »

Hooky talking sense on RTE. Miriam doing an impression of this forum.

ah yeah he always talks sense. has he mentioned Ingrid yet?

Buer · 03-07-2013 09:22AM

First Up wrote: »

Hooky talking sense on RTE. Miriam doing an impression of this forum.

Hook has never been a fan of BOD and has kicked him repeatedly through his career. If Hook is seen to be talking sense, you should be very worried.

jamiedav2011 · 03-07-2013 09:22AM

The Faletau, SOB, Lydiate backrow is a big, big mistake for me.

We've seen how Heaslip compensates for SOB's unorthodox 7 play in a blue and green jersey, just don't think there's enough cohesion between those three.

Smith could have a field day.

Interesting that the Aussies include only two backs on their bench too, obviously expecting a forward contest.

molloyjh · 03-07-2013 09:23AM

.ak wrote: »

I feel bad gor all the people who paid to go see the tour. They wanted to see the Lions, but instead they get to see Wales.

This. Things looked pretty positive in the warmup games but the Tests themselves haven't exactly been inspiring rugby! Fairly deflated now today after hearing the squad. Sexton hasn't been allowed to play his natural game at all and our back row for the last Test was selected to defend, not attack. Kidney got plenty of slack here over the years for trying to defend his way to victory. It's only to be expected that Gatland gets the same. Now we've got turgid bash 'em up rugby to look forward to.

We have players that have real ball handling skills. Players who have pace, vision and can exploit a gap. We have the potential for real creativity, to stretch sides. Yet all we've gotten so far is a phase or two followed by a kick. Even if you think that's the right game plan, the fact that we haven't been able to execute it properly, to me anyway, says it isn't. The game plan is not a separate thing to the players on the pitch. It depends on them as much as they it. And if coaches are trying to implement a game plan that the players can't get right then it is either the wrong game plan for the players or the wrong players for the game plan.

I'll still enjoy myself on Saturday obviously. I'll still cheer on the Lions. But I won't be doing so as whole heartedly as I could. I can't buy into this selection and that will impact my support. And I'd be surprised to see us win it tbh.

hsbc · 03-07-2013 09:24AM

First Up - surely BOD is a better option to Davies? O'Driscoll provides leadership and his defense is second to none. I don't think he's getting the oppurtunities in attack due to the conservative gameplan that Gatland wants to play.

Was it not Davies that missed the tackle on AAC?

Plus Roberts and BOD worked well together on their start at the beginning of the tour.

Also Roberts must be a major risk with his hamstring.

Taking the Irish thing out of it i just think it's a really poor call by Gatland. I'd have a fit-again Tuilagi at 13 before starting Davies if that's the way Gatland wants to go.

The decision does not make sense.

03-07-2013 09:25AM

http://www.thescore.ie/lions-australia-brian-odriscoll-dropped-gatland-976200-Jul2013/

Pretty obvious to the guys who've watched players play a different game all season, but Gatland has the brakes on.

In an interview [published a 15.55pm on Tuesday] the centre told French rugby website Rugbyrama.fr that instructions for the backline to curb their attacking instincts were disappointing. O’Driscoll said,

BOD wrote:

“As a back you always want to play running and passing rugby, so these tactical game are sometimes frustrating.
To win, you have to know how to play with intelligence. If that’s through kicking and pressure, you have to do it… But do it right.”

.ak · 03-07-2013 09:25AM

Defensively the centres will be unsound I think.

I've a feeling Davies will be caught out, both defensively and offensively.

Probably the one player that didn't deserve to be in the team at all. I can see him being hauled ashore at 50min as the Lions are chasing the lead and Tuilagi brought on. That could open it up a bit.

.ak · 03-07-2013 09:26AM

Deleted User wrote: »

http://www.thescore.ie/lions-australia-brian-odriscoll-dropped-gatland-976200-Jul2013/

Pretty obvious to the guys who've watched players play a different game all season, but Gatland has the brakes on.

Well reading the full quote he backs up Gatland's decision. So... I can't see any bustup in camp from that quote anyway.

03-07-2013 09:28AM

.ak wrote: »

Well reading the full quote he backs up Gatland's decision. So... I can't see any bustup in camp from that quote anyway.

not really interested in a bustup rumour, just the idea that Gatland is enforcing a gameplan that doesn't suit who we have available or what they're able to do.

Telling a backline to curb their attacking instincts? A backline with Sexton, BOD, North, Bowe in it?

Ridiculous.

former legend · 03-07-2013 09:29AM

First Up wrote: »

Hooky talking sense on RTE. Miriam doing an impression of this forum.

Poster agrees with George Hook.

Forum knows all it needs to know about poster.

subfreq · 03-07-2013 09:29AM

What strikes me is that the Lions now have four senior leaders and decision makers out of the team. AWJ, Phillips and Sexton are now the guys.

I think it is huge pressure on Sexton if Phillips and Roberts don't deliver the go forward ball

POC - Injured
Warburton - Injured
Heaslip - Out
BOD - Out

For me the biggest loss of BOD will be felt in the defensive organisation, he has held that back line together for two tests.

Lions 2013 Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

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