Lions vs NSW-Q Country XV - Discussion Thread

[LondonTiger]

First topic message reminder :

So after the first real test for the Lions, the shebang moves on to Newcastle for what should be another opposed training session. Who can we expect to see playing? Well after featuring prominently in all 3 matches we should see MakoV getting a well earned rest and Corbs and Grant getting 40 minutes each. In the back row Tipuric will be hoping to get some game time having barely featured since the HK fixture. Maitland is an almost certainty on one wing but we may see a surprise on the other with Manu possibly being given a run-out in a 3rd position (assuming he recovers from his stinger) as I expect North to be selected for next weekends match. Sexton should be starting, and we can expect to see the coaches taking a look at how he goes with Mike Phillips.

Predicted Line-up:

Corbs
Hibbard
Jones
POC
AWJ
SOB
Tipuric
Heaslip
Phillips
Sexton
Maitland
Roberts
BOD
Manu
1/2p

Grant, Cole, Best, Evans, Croft, Murray, Farrell, Hogg

Actual Lineup (more left field than I had expected):

15. Maitland
14. Cuthbert
13.BOD
12. Roberts
11. North
10. Hogg
9. Murray

1. Corbisiero
2. Hibbard
3. Cole
4. Gray
5. Evans
6. O'Brien
7. Tipuric
8. Heaslip

Bench

Best, Grant, Stevens, AW Jones, Faletau, Phillips, Davies, Halfpenny

[Knowsit17]

Lions look like they can barely be bothered to play anymore.

[rodders]

Hogg for test 10?

[GLove39]

Handling could be better too...

Yeah fair to say that Gatland's experiment with Hogg at 10 has worked well, Matt Stevens at centre less so though...

[Scrumpy]

One of the sky presenters was talking about the Lions scoring 100 odd points! hmm not unless thay can start catching the ball.

[SecretFly]

The handling errors is because they're thinking of other things. The intensity isn't high enough. "What will I have for dinner?" "Did I put my things in the wash?"

[Mickado]

Try O'Brien

57 - 0

[SecretFly]

Why didn't they give it to them anyway???

[mckay1402]

How is hogg getting on?

[BamBam]

Ah come on I need them to win by 77+ !

[Guest]

STOP PRESS! Halfpenny makes a mistake when catching! Oh the excitement!

[sirBiggles]

How is hogg getting on?

Moved ahead of Farrel for test 10 shirt...

[Cyril]

Playing a game like this is like wearing your coat inside on a cold day.

Come the tests we're not going to feel the benefit.

[mckay1402]

How is hogg getting on?

Moved ahead of Farrel for test 10 shirt...

Well SirBiggles that is a name I haven't seen for a while.


Assume your being sarcastic...

[SecretFly]

limping

[Mickado]

Get Drico off.

[Rugby Fan]

Sadly, the biggest problem with this game is that it has been boring.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

The Lions are in a no-win situation here. The more tries they score, the more people will say it's a no-contest; but if they don't pile on the points, people will complain and ask why they haven't!

[BamBam]

Especially people like me with money on it

[GLove39]

Gutted they didn't reach the 80 point mark, lost a bet with my mate

[sirBiggles]

How is hogg getting on?

Moved ahead of Farrel for test 10 shirt...

Well SirBiggles that is a name I haven't seen for a while.


Assume your being sarcastic...

A little bit...

He has done well though... Proving to be a realistic backup, and wont be surprised if Scotland and Glasgow give him few more run outs at 10.

[Guest]

These NSW boys have done better than the Force anyway...

[wrfc1980]

Think Roberts has played himself out of the test team. Manu and BOD will form the centre partnership

[sirBiggles]

64 - 0

[GLove39]

So the home team made 69m to the Lions 739

[Knowsit17]

Maybe next time Australia tour the NH they can play a couple of pub sides as part of their prep, see how they like it

[BamBam]

Especially people like me with money on it

Sob

[rodders]

Any standout performers?

[valtrepkos]

Think Roberts has played himself out of the test team. Manu and BOD will form the centre partnership

Think Manu needs another run out but Roberts didn't have his best game today. Thought SOB was a little below par as well

[Rugby Fan]

Gatland will have to choose his Test team soon but, realistically, only one game out of the four to date has been at all instructive. No wonder he feels he could have used two more games in the schedule.

[Mickado]

Think Roberts has played himself out of the test team. Manu and BOD will form the centre partnership

Think Manu needs another run out but Roberts didn't have his best game today. Thought SOB was a little below par as well

+1

[SecretFly]

It's true though...some players turn it on in big games and find it hard to motor against lesser talent. It's just how it is.

I wouldn't go rushing to an opinion on what Roberts or any of the others who dropped balls etc, would do in a real game. This wasn't a real game.

[Thomond]

I got the scoreline bang on, I'm absolutely delighted with that, thanks to Hogg and Halfpenny missing a few conversions.

A decent performance, thought Tipuric was good, and I would have him in the test team (then again I always would have), BOD looked good in defence, decent in attack marvellous chip through at the end for Davies' try. Maitland looked pretty great in space, I'm an advocate for him on the wing as I don't tryust Cuthbert in defence, or in the kicking game, he played on the wing in the second half and showed us something, deft hands at times, probably the most impressive back. The forwards can be hard to judge as the quality of the opposition isn't grea,t you expect them to dominate and they did, lineout was decent bar one or two poor ones (miscommunication at the end of the first half me thinks).

Plenty of positives, but some rubbish handling errors I believe we had about 10 knockons which isn't up to scratch, but decent all in all.

[Duty281]

What was the point of this? Just 80 minutes risking injuries to players while racking up a cricket score.

[Artful_Dodger]

O'Brien is invaluable because he covers 6 and 7 and can play 8 if really needed. On that basis I think he's a certainty for the test 22 provided he doesn't get injured.

[thomh]

It's true though...some players turn it on in big games and find it hard to motor against lesser talent. It's just how it is.

I wouldn't go rushing to an opinion on what Roberts or any of the others who dropped balls etc, would do in a real game. This wasn't a real game.

That wasn't true of Roberts four years ago though, when he dominated the warm up games.

[tigertattie]

I'm a fan of Hogg but you cannot read anything into his performance at 10 against this team!

I hope he does not become the next Paterson for Scotland and is moved form 15 to 10 back to 15 then to wing then back to 10...............

[valtrepkos]

O'Brien is invaluable because he covers 6 and 7 and can play 8 if really needed. On that basis I think he's a certainty for the test 22 provided he doesn't get injured.

I'd personally have him on the bench for that exact reason - additionally I like the idea of his carrying against tired legs

[fa0019]

Maybe next time Australia tour the NH they can play a couple of pub sides as part of their prep, see how they like it

They do every time they go for a Grand Slam... well at least results tend to suggest this!

[Submachine]

O'Brien is invaluable because he covers 6 and 7 and can play 8 if really needed. On that basis I think he's a certainty for the test 22 provided he doesn't get injured.

I'd personally have him on the bench for that exact reason - additionally I like the idea of his carrying against tired legs

I think the combinator of Warburton - Felatau - Lydiate will start the first test as Gatland simply trusts them. Depending on their performance in that game O'Brien could be promoted off the bench to start ahead of Lydiate in the second test with Tipuric coming in to the 23..

[BlueNote]

The lineout is a bit of a worry, it's not quite clicking, and both Hibbard and Best were inconsistent with their throwing today.

Ian Evans had a much better game though, I thought.

Maybe the scrum was not on top quite as much as you'd have expected.

It is going to be maddening when they pick Warburton over Tipuric.

[red_stag]

I can't understand why they won't just play Warburton and Tipuric together. I was so impressed with this combo against England. I want to see it again for Lions.

[GunsGerms]

I can't understand why they won't just play Warburton and Tipuric together. I was so impressed with this combo against England. I want to see it again for Lions.

I dont. I think it will be Warb, Croft and Heaslip. I would like it to be Tipuric, O'B and Heaslip.

[maestegmafia]

I can't understand why they won't just play Warburton and Tipuric together. I was so impressed with this combo against England. I want to see it again for Lions.

I think they will. One or the other will be playing Saturday and the other bench, both will be on in the second half.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

If they do select Warburton over Tipuric, how are they going to justify it?

[GunsGerms]

If they do select Warburton over Tipuric, how are they going to justify it?

Leadership qualities.

[Submachine]

Agreed re Evans carried well and won rucks by himself

[LondonTiger]

I was a muppet and thought this game was tomorrow, hence am working from then rather than today.

Shoudl I bother watching my recording of the match?

[fa0019]

The lineout is always an issue during lions tests.

Near always the calls have been easy to breakdown as the number of variations are much less than a standard test side.
Why we need a genuine threat at the back... not just a guy who is willing to put his hand up.

Croft is one of the very best, if not the best back-line operator with Spies in world rugby.

It was a problem in 01, 05 & 09.

Due to this I think playing Tipuric and Warburton together is unwise.... fine for a standard test nation like Wales though.

Think its going to be either or.... I'd be happy with Tipuric to be honest, the leadership gulf with 2 ex. captains in the test side will not suffer like the lions did in 05.

[maestegmafia]

If they do select Warburton over Tipuric, how are they going to justify it?

Hopefully Warburton would justify his selection himself.

If we want the lions to win then we should be behind whoever is selected.

Saying that though I was bloody happy Hogg looked confident and comfortable at flyhalf.

[fa0019]

Well its a Wilkinson or Jones question... and the knives were out immediately after it didn't pay off.

Should have gone with Jones in 05... should go Tipuric in 13.

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