Lions team for Combined Country announced - Stuart Hogg at 10!

Right team announced for Tuesdays game...

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

Big call putting Hogg at 10, apart from a half against Connacht don't think I've ever seen him play there, plus he was knackered after today's game. Also looking at the team he'll be goal kicking I take it. Lots of pressure on his shoulders. Lets hope he responds well.

Great to see Grant on the bench, it'll be very fitting when he comes off the bench, making his Lions debut at the same stadium he made his Scotland one.

Holy Shiznay.

Are this combined team the whipping boys of the tour? If they are any good then we might have an issue in the backs, has Maitland played much full back? Pack looks very strong though, Phillips will need to be controlling the game to help out young Hogg

IanBru wrote:Holy Shiznay.

Indeed, starting at fly half for the first time, goal kicking & looking after Bil. Lot of responsibilities for Hogg!

BamBam wrote:Are this combined team the whipping boys of the tour? If they are any good then we might have an issue in the backs, has Maitland played much full back? Pack looks very strong though, Phillips will need to be controlling the game to help out young Hogg

Murray is starting, Phillips on bench.. lots of pressure on Phillips to help Hogg out from the bench!

I hope sextons hamstring is ok and this is not a forced decision!

Neither outhalf in the matchday squad

Mind you, this team are going to be the whipping boys of the tour as someone pointed out above.

Notch wrote:Neither outhalf in the matchday squad

So if Hogg gets hurt who goes in at 10? Jenks?

doctor_grey wrote:

Notch wrote:Neither outhalf in the matchday squad

So if Hogg gets hurt who goes in at 10? Jenks?

Halfpenny could slot in it 10 if that happens

For clarification, mainland has played 15. He will slot in fine.

Hogg at 10 though smacks of desperation from gatland. Hogg will be pooped. Only having two 10's could hurt the lions tour.

RDSguru wrote:

BamBam wrote:Are this combined team the whipping boys of the tour? If they are any good then we might have an issue in the backs, has Maitland played much full back? Pack looks very strong though, Phillips will need to be controlling the game to help out young Hogg

Murray is starting, Phillips on bench.. lots of pressure on Phillips to help Hogg out from the bench!

Doh, I clearly can't read. Same applies to Murray though, he is a relatively experienced international 9 compared to Hogg at 10 so want to see him taking responsibility

Did not see this coming!

hard to believe Hogg is still just a youngster.

BamBam wrote:

RDSguru wrote:

BamBam wrote:Are this combined team the whipping boys of the tour? If they are any good then we might have an issue in the backs, has Maitland played much full back? Pack looks very strong though, Phillips will need to be controlling the game to help out young Hogg

Murray is starting, Phillips on bench.. lots of pressure on Phillips to help Hogg out from the bench!

Doh, I clearly can't read. Same applies to Murray though, he is a relatively experienced international 9 compared to Hogg at 10 so want to see him taking responsibility

Agreed to an extent, but really would like to see Hogg do what he can do and control the game somewhat....

Wierd experiment this by Gatland

Don't worry lads. I heard Howley say that the "magic" of the Lions jersey will help Hogg be a good 10.

Now I've never heard a coach cite magic as a reason to be confident before, but I'm sure he knows what he's talking about.

Feckless Rogue wrote:Don't worry lads. I heard Howley say that the "magic" of the Lions jersey will help Hogg be a good 10.

Now I've never heard a coach cite magic as a reason to be confident before, but I'm sure he knows what he's talking about.

Welsh Wizardry at it's best

Mentioned this on LondonTiger's thread but yes, these guys should be the traditional wedgie fodder for us. Only 10 of the Australian regional squad of 23 have actually played Super rugby - the rest being local club players:

Rikki Abraham (Qld Country) Prop
Dale Ah-Wong (Qld Country) Wing
Phoenix Battye (Force) Lock
Jarrad Butler (Reds) Backrow
Lewie Catt (NSW Country) Centre
Tom Cox (Brumbies) Wing
Tim Davidson (Rebels) Backrow
Trent Dyer (Rebels) Backrow
Blake Enever (Reds) Lock
Dylan Evans (NSW Country) Prop
Alex Gibbon (Southern Districts) Centre/Wing
Ben Greentree (NSW Country) Centre
Haydn Hirsimaki (Qld Country) Prop
Tom Kearney (Qld Country) Hooker
Josh Mann-Rae (Brumbies) Hooker
Adam McCormack (NSW Country) Halfback
Tim Metcher (Southern Districts) Prop
Angus Roberts (Rebels) Fly half/Full back
Beau Robinson (Reds) Backrow
Tereta-Junior Siakisini (Qld Country) Centre
Michael Snowden (Force) Halfback
Richard Stanford (Eastern Suburbs) Lock
Nathan Trist (Sydney Uni) Full back/Wing

Maitland played about a third of his games for the Crusaders at 15 incidentally, so that's no biggie at all.

Wonderful experience for Hoggy. As a Glasgow fan, I can only comment on what I know which is that (a) Hogg's kicking out of hand is good and accurate, (b) his goalkicking is good - he's already more consistent than Peter Horne or Rhubarb Jackson, (c) he plays heads up football and is very confident (hopefully he'll be able to calm down knowing that nothing will be as bad as the kick throughs he had to deal with against the Reds).

Feic it, let's see how he does. He has experience to his left and his right and that pack (which looks really excellent) should give him an armchair ride.

I really like the look of this back row. A formidable combination if they remember to do the grunt work at the breakdown too.

Like the look of this pack. Should be far too strong for CC side.

Hogg was always going to get a start sometime at 10 but interesting to see no automatic bench cover for 10, Halfpenny to get a run out there to maybe?

Evans needs a huge game on tuesday, have shouted his corner for long while now but he was very very quiet in last outing.

Jeez no pressure Hogg - first ever game at 10 really and his 3rd game ever as first choice goal kicker!

Saying that I am absolutely delighted for him - he's going to have such a wonderful experience on this tour and has very experienced players round him - even just playing a game with BoD will be the chance of a lifetime for him.

Interesting that Gray has been picked - does this suggest Gatland doesn't view him as first choice or am I looking too much into it? Everyone on here generally has him pencilled in for the 4 shirt....

No need to worry

Tipuric will move to 10 if Hogg has a shocker.

Also still no Rob Kearny - bearing in mind there's only 2 games left until the first test is there much point in him playing now? Don't get me wrong I think he's an incredible player but 1/2P needs to start on Saturday then that would only leave Tuesday...

RDW_Scotland wrote:Also still no Rob Kearny - bearing in mind there's only 2 games left until the first test is there much point in him playing now? Don't get me wrong I think he's an incredible player but 1/2P needs to start on Saturday then that would only leave Tuesday...

Kearney will be fit for Saturday apparently

606,

If he's not fit even for bench duty come Saturday then surely they must look for a replacement. You can't carry someone all tour can you?

t1000advancedprototype wrote:No need to worry

Tipuric will move to 10 if Hogg has a shocker.

Fact. Tipuric can cover all backline and forward positions simultaneously. If fact, I consider us even having another 14 players as something of an unnecessary indulgence.

How strange that Gats is happy to bring in another wing as cover but does not feel the need to do the same with the 10 shirt. Clearly he always had Hogg pencilled in for this one to give Sexton and Farrell a break. What is slightly diconcerting is that Wilko has just had a groin operation and may well not even be available as injury cover any more.

As an aside, boggles my mind that the Torygraph's lead in to their preview of this game was not the fact that the Lions playmaker was a 20 year old who last assumed that position at school but rather that Corbs was starting at 1. Just the important point, I guess.

George,

If Sexton or Farrell got injured then I am sure another 10 or someone more use to playing there would be called in as cover.

Sexton has a hamstring issue

Gatland has said it is not that serious, but he said that about Gethin and Kearney's injury

Anyone know how to read into this selection? I would have expected any likely starting players for the first test to be rested for Wednesday. Then you'd see a likely starting 15 on the Saturday game v Waratahs.

Now maybe I shouldn't be overworried, but if the likes of North, BOD, Heaslip, Gray and maybe Roberts are likely starters on the 22nd won't they likely end up playing 3 games in 10 days? I'd expect more injuries and more call ups if they can't rotate players effectively.

Of course maybe this is now the midweek team?!?

I can imagine Hogg doing well as a flyhalf, he looks like he must have played there as a kid. The first receiver ball he takes head up not down.

As a nippy and confident player he could be very exciting. Can he be relied upon as cover at flyhalf for Sexton in the tests?

bedfordwelsh wrote:George,

If Sexton or Farrell got injured then I am sure another 10 or someone more use to playing there would be called in as cover.

Quite right too. Not fair on Hogg to expect him to take test responsibilities. These boards will catch fire if Sexton does get injured, because whom should the cover be if Wilko's recent groin op stops him from playing? I'd actually probably rather have Toby Flood than Biggar to be honest. You cannot parachute in people who are talented but internationally inexperienced (Madigan) or people whose form has fluctuated enough recently to be a consistency concern (I'm afraid I would put James Hook in that category).

Gatland won't even select Hook for Wales so I doubt he'd call him up for the Lions!

Hook hasnt played much for Wales recently but his club form this season for Perpingnan has been good. I think it would be between Flood, who had a strong end to the season, and Hook.
PS. I think behind a strong pack against weak opposition that Hogg will actually play well on Wed.

When do you think we'll see the test team? I would have thought that they'd play together once??? If so, and working backwards, here's my logic:

The first test is on the 22nd (a week Saturday).
Gatland wouldn't want to play his test players on the weds before would he? So, those who play against the Brumbies are unlikely to be in the test team.
So is the game before (Waratahs) next sat likely to be the test team to give them a run out beforehand?

Griff,

Thats logic what you doing on these boards Sky have been saying the Waratahs game is when we will be 'likely' to see the best clue as to the test team.

I don't think Farrell is up to playing the tests. We need bench cover for Sexton and it is important that we try players in the squad like Hogg and Halfpenny in the role should they be needed.

If Sexton does get injured I think Flood would be a great call up, he is a very good player with experience and a varied skill set, he reads games very well.

The other name I would throw into the mix, a player i would pick as my replacement, would be Charlie Hodgson. He has been probably the best flyhalf in Britain this season. He had a superb lions tour before, he can still do the job.

maestegmafia wrote:I don't think Farrell is up to playing the tests. We need bench cover for Sexton and it is important that we try players in the squad like Hogg and Halfpenny in the role should they be needed.

If Sexton does get injured I think Flood would be a great call up, he is a very good player with experience and a varied skill set, he reads games very well.

The other name I would throw into the mix, a player i would pick as my replacement, would be Charlie Hodgson. He has been probably the best flyhalf in Britain this season. He had a superb lions tour before, he can still do the job.

never would of guessed that!!

I havn't got a problem wih giving Hoog and Halfpenny both a run at 10 on Tuesday to see how they go but I don't think Farrell is as bad as most are suggesting.

He seemed far more comfortable yesterday and had a good (not brilliant but does it need to be) game and his place kicking is pretty much spot on to.

Force 13 - 28 Waratahs (FT)

So it was obviously totally worth the Force putting out a shoite team against us.

bedfordwelsh wrote:I havn't got a problem wih giving Hoog and Halfpenny both a run at 10 on Tuesday to see how they go but I don't think Farrell is as bad as most are suggesting.

He seemed far more comfortable yesterday and had a good (not brilliant but does it need to be) game and his place kicking is pretty much spot on to.

He lacks experience, his kicking out of hand was awful, lead straight to a try. Why would you kick to the fastest man on the field who is in space???

Many called that Farrell was the wrong selection pre tour, so far they have been proved undoubtably right.

I saw on tv this morning that many of the Combined Counties squad are amateurs. If that is really the case then I am not sure it matters who is at 10. This is becomes a practise run out. If 60 points were scored against the Force, the Lions should do the same here.

I assume BOD is captain?

I'm not surprised Hogg is playing this game at 10 - my guess is that was always the plan. If he goes well I can see the Lions going with Hogg on the bench for the 1st test without Farrell in the squad as this would give an extra option on the bench with Hogg covering 10, 11, 14 and 15.

Could be interesting!

Expected Warburton to play a part in this one as he has so little gametime. But he must be being rested for Saturday to hopefully play 80 as skipper.

I think this is the most exciting team of the tour so far, really slick backline and backrow. Just a shame that the opposition probably won't offer much, would love to see them up against an established team.

Hogg will do really well I think,expect him to keep things simple with BOD,Roberts and North picking hard lines off him so he can just supply the pass. After a few hit ups I expect him to have a dart through the gaps that will appear as he has serious pace.

Excited to see Maitlands counter attacking from FB too.

Take it Beau Robinson is out of this match after getting KOed yesterday?shame cause I thought he was outstanding over the ball and provided the lions pack with a real test of shifting a nuisance open side that they will certainly face vs Australia,could do with him playing against us again!

GLove39 wrote:

IanBru wrote:Holy Shiznay.

Indeed, starting at fly half for the first time, goal kicking & looking after Bil. Lot of responsibilities for Hogg!

BOD's a decent kicker isn't he?

maestegmafia wrote:I don't think Farrell is up to playing the tests. We need bench cover for Sexton and it is important that we try players in the squad like Hogg and Halfpenny in the role should they be needed.

If Sexton does get injured I think Flood would be a great call up, he is a very good player with experience and a varied skill set, he reads games very well.

The other name I would throw into the mix, a player i would pick as my replacement, would be Charlie Hodgson. He has been probably the best flyhalf in Britain this season. He had a superb lions tour before, he can still do the job.

So the established international 10 who was nominated for IRB player of the year last year is not up to playing in the tests, and Halfpenny or Hogg who have never started a test at 10 would be better outside half cover for Sexton.

Really?

That is one of the funniest posts I've seen on here for a very long time!

littlejohn wrote:Anyone know how to read into this selection? I would have expected any likely starting players for the first test to be rested for Wednesday. Then you'd see a likely starting 15 on the Saturday game v Waratahs.

Now maybe I shouldn't be overworried, but if the likes of North, BOD, Heaslip, Gray and maybe Roberts are likely starters on the 22nd won't they likely end up playing 3 games in 10 days? I'd expect more injuries and more call ups if they can't rotate players effectively.

Of course maybe this is now the midweek team?!?

That is what I was thinking. I am a bit confused on that front.

Really excited about the backs and backrow, not sure on the front 5 but the opposition don't sound like they are gonna be up to much