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

[George Carlin]

Missed the kick - get him off!

[sirBiggles]

Not a pointless exercise at all... This is Lions Tour. Its not all about tough games, but promoting rugby. This game, is allowing some Aussies who would never face a team of international class to live a dream, and although they may not be of the calibre to challenge the Lions, each and every Comb Country player will give it his all, as this is his game of a lifetime.

I never had the skills to ever play international rugby, but it was a dream of mine. If I had ever had the chance to play for my local "region" against a touring All Black, Wallaby or Bok team it would have been a life memory I would never forget.

So please guys, the game may not be competitive, but calling it a pointless game is very disrespectful.

[RDW]

Apologies, pointless was the wrong word.

[Guest]

All this is, is a training session for the guys, cant read too much into combinations or how well the players are doing

[Tattie Scones RRN]

Has anyone got a link that I can watch the game on an iPhone? Other links sent by Biltong at al aren't working!!!

Cheers

[Toadfish]

The game is pointless. The lions could make a team out of the medical staff and bagmen that could beat this lot.

[t1000advancedprototype]

Good hands.

[Ozzy3213]

SirB, let me rephrase.

In terms of preparing the Lions for the test series, this match is a pointless exercise. All that can realistically happen here that has a bearing on the test is somebody gets injured and misses out.

I get the whole promoting rugby thing, but in terms of the Lions this match is not worth anything.

[Cyril]

Not a pointless exercise at all... This is Lions Tour. Its not all about tough games, but promoting rugby. This game, is allowing some Aussies who would never face a team of international class to live a dream, and although they may not be of the calibre to challenge the Lions, each and every Comb Country player will give it his all, as this is his game of a lifetime.

I never had the skills to ever play international rugby, but it was a dream of mine. If I had ever had the chance to play for my local "region" against a touring All Black, Wallaby or Bok team it would have been a life memory I would never forget.

So please guys, the game may not be competitive, but calling it a pointless game is very disrespectful.

Disagree. It's about winning the tour and having the best preparation. Gats has said as much with needing to up the intensity in training to compensate. Nobody gains from a completely one-sided mauling (even though the home players may enjoy the occasion)

If you want to promote rugby on the tours go out to schools/communities etc (which they already do).

[jelly]

Maybe dangerous would have been a better word. Finely tuned athletes, used to playing international rugby, could cause serious injury to part time players. The advent of professionalism means the gap between the top level and these players is much bigger than it would have been 20 years ago. I hope that both teams escape injury and the Lions can move on to the proper games.

Not being disrespectful to the opposition but I don't think it does anyone any favours to go through this type of exercise.

[sirBiggles]

The game is pointless. The lions could make a team out of the medical staff and bagmen that could beat this lot.

Respect is a big thing in rugby, for players and true fans. Your response says far more about you doesnt it...

[Mickado]

Unlucky Seanie.

[GunsGerms]

I guess Cuthbert is playing because he was off the pace v the reds. Top try sorer for the Lions now. Is he playing well?

[BristolDave]

Not sure how much the coaches will gain from this - wont tell them much they don't already know.

As well as this match could the lions have also played an Aus A team (if there was one??) to give their fringe players a chance and also give the lions a tougher work out.

Didn't the lions play a springbok A last time ?

[SecretFly]

Lions complain about Force not giving them respect in not putting out a side that would have been at least able to compete with them...and then they saunter casually into a game with a non-side?

And yes, risk injury for little preparation gains.

[Scrumpy]

What is wrong with the Aussies?

[Guest]

Hard to judge Guns; yes he's scored a good try which wasn't a walk in and he's shown up well in broken field, but it's a broken field because the opposition are blowing already! Really don't know how to judge a lot of the performances.

What I would say though is that Jamie Roberts hasn't done too well IMO. A few knock ons and hasn't punched holes in the defence as you'd expect. A couple of nice dummy runs though which has allowed O'Driscoll to receive and set up tries.

[doctor_grey]

Not sure how much the coaches will gain from this - wont tell them much they don't already know.

As well as this match could the lions have also played an Aus A team (if there was one??) to give their fringe players a chance and also give the lions a tougher work out.

Didn't the lions play a springbok A last time ?

Played 'Emerging Springboks' last tour.
In 2005 Lions played Manawatu and put 100 on them If I recall accurately). For what?

[Rugby Fan]

Our lineout seems poor again. I know it's not always down to bad throwing by the hooker but Hibbard appeared to miss his man a couple of times.

We've got great lineout locks but there's no guarantee any of our hookers can hit them consistently.

[George Carlin]

Not sure how much the coaches will gain from this - wont tell them much they don't already know.

As well as this match could the lions have also played an Aus A team (if there was one??) to give their fringe players a chance and also give the lions a tougher work out.

Didn't the lions play a springbok A last time ?

Played 'Emerging Springboks' last tour.
In 2005 Lions played Manawatu and put 100 on them If I recall accurately). For what?

Didn't Shane score 5 in that game or something?

[sirBiggles]

I understand where you are going, re risk of injury, but as many injuries can get picked up in the intensive training they do as a game. So by playing a game, it gives it a competitive nature that no training session could do.

I agree the objective of a Lions tour is to win the series. But it is a TOUR and as such they need to play the club/provincial sides and it is a way of promoting the game.

If we go away from this idea, then we may as well just go out and play the tests only in the way our National sides have now become accustomed in doing.

Here we don't get real tours anymore, and I miss seeing the All Blacks play LLanelli or the Boks against Cardiff, etc.. It promotes the game like nothing else. I don't want the Lions tours to change into just a 3 Test series.

And yes, meeting the kids, visiting the schools, is all part of it and long may it continue.

Anyway this digresses from the context of this thread, so I'll say no more on this...

[RDW]

Right back to the match - who is playing well?

[LordDowlais]

Are these Aussies actually pro rugby players ?

[Guest]

Right back to the match - who is playing well?

North, Maitland, Cuthbert, Hogg, Tipuric, O'Driscoll has had some nice touches. Whole front row at scrum time.

Locks have been quiet. Centres could do with working on their partnership. Lineout not going well. Flankers going about their job quietly at the breakdown - nothing spectacular from them in normal forward play, but pretty decent in the loose.

Edit: Heaslip has been very quiet I think. Haven't noticed him much. To be honest though the forward battle is so easy that it is just popped up to the backs for them to do their thing. Not much for the forwards to do.

[George Carlin]

Are these Aussies actually pro rugby players ?

8 of them are, plus 1 of the bench.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

Not sure how much the coaches will gain from this - wont tell them much they don't already know.

As well as this match could the lions have also played an Aus A team (if there was one??) to give their fringe players a chance and also give the lions a tougher work out.

Didn't the lions play a springbok A last time ?

Played 'Emerging Springboks' last tour.
In 2005 Lions played Manawatu and put 100 on them If I recall accurately). For what?

Didn't Shane score 5 in that game or something?

Shane who?

[LordDowlais]

Are these Aussies actually pro rugby players ?

8 of them are, plus 1 of the bench.

Surely we could have had a more competitive game than this, I would have preferred a Pacific Island team come over and have a game, FFS this is just pointless and I do not care what nostalgia it brings to the tour, our best should not be playing Australia's worst.

[Toadfish]

The game is pointless. The lions could make a team out of the medical staff and bagmen that could beat this lot.

Respect is a big thing in rugby, for players and true fans. Your response says far more about you doesnt it...

Don't give me this garbage. There is loads of positive work that a touring party can do to promote the game without having to smash a bunch of amateurs on the pitch, probably picking up a few injuries on the way. You think the locals watching this game with see it and think, 'hmm yeah I like this game' when it bears almost no resemblance to a real game of rugby.

We are also talking about Australia here, not some developing nation. I think you implying they effectively need some charity from the lions is far more disrespectful.

[rodders]

Hells bells thought this was on tomorrow!

[LordDowlais]

Hells bells thought this was on tomorrow!

[Mickado]

Halfpenny on for North
AWJ on for Gray

[LordDowlais]

Are these Aussies actually pro rugby players ?

8 of them are, plus 1 of the bench.

Surely we could have had a more competitive game than this, I would have preferred a Pacific Island team come over and have a game, FFS this is just pointless and I do not care what nostalgia it brings to the tour, our best should not be playing Australia's worst.

And what do you know, Ben Kay has just tweeted the exact same thing, he must be on here reading what I am posting.

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I'm Ben Kay.

[SecretFly]

Hells bells thought this was on tomorrow!

I got caught out too. I came in here and noticed some guys were talking like the game was already being played!

[SecretFly]

I don't know which players this game is insulting more...the Australian cobbled together outfit or the Lions players themselves.

[Scrumpy]

I really think its time the Lions miss the next tour to Aus and play a country or countries who really want to play.

[Mickado]

BOD try - halfpenny misses the conversion

Whole front row has been changed.

Well done Grant!

[GLove39]

halfpenny misses a conversion???

[nathan]

How was hibbards throwing?

[Scrumpy]

The stream I'm watching is about 2mins behind

[Mickado]

We lost two off his throws. But the lineout was perfectly functional.

It's not as if we were under pressure from those misses.

Felatau on for Heaslip

[Guest]

How was hibbards throwing?

Overthrew one. Missed another as nobody jumped, which is probably not his fault.

[whocares]

What's the score folks? Is this good enternaing value? Cheers

[Cyril]

I don't know which players this game is insulting more...the Australian cobbled together outfit or the Lions players themselves.

Or the paying fans who want to see a contest.

The humanity!

[Mickado]

1/2 penny try

48-0 conversion to come

55mins gone

[GLove39]

Nice touch from Hogg there delayed the pass nicely and puts 1/2p in for a try

[Mickado]

50-0

[whocares]

Ouch

[GLove39]

Hmmmm, Lions lineout is rather dodgy.

[Mickado]

Handling could be better too...

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