Lions V NSW Waratahs

by hugehandoff Tue 11 Jun 2013, 3:35 pm

First topic message reminder :

This is obviously a very important game in the overall context of the tour. Gats should use it primarily as a tough run out for his test team 1 week before the test series begins. But will he still want to give some players a chance to put up their hands? Are there certain positions still up for grabs and if so will he try and use this game as a winner takes all shoot out. It is not ideal to still be asking players to play the Brumbies game and then appear in the 1st test, although not impossible.

For me it should be:

Adam Jones - nailed on
Hibbard - almost nailed on
Grant - experiment
POC - nailed on
AWJ - trial V Parling
Lydiate - needs to prove himself
Faletau - needs to prove himself
Warbs - needs to prove himself
Phillips - nailed on
Sexton - nailed on
North - nailed on
Roberts - nailed on
BOD - nailed on
Maitland - experiment
1/2P - nailed on

Bench:
Cole.....purely for some hard match practice as I see Jones as nailed on
T.Youngs....could challenge for a starting spot if he excels as a replacement - worth a look
Vuni.......originally viewed as an impact sub so interesting to see how he goes compared to the highly rated (by the Scots) Grant who is deserving of a start
Parling.....worth another look to see if he is worth a starting or bench spot
Croft....another who deserves a run out to see if he is worth a bench spot
Heaslip....given an opportunity could take the starters spot
Youngs....assuming he will be the test sub so let him see what impact he can make
Farrell....ditto as for Youngs

Is a 6/2 bench split a bit risky?

Who would you like to see run out on Sat and do you just want the test side to play or do you still see this as a chance to experiment and give players a fair crack?

Update with actual team.
Lions team: Leigh Halfpenny; Sean Maitland, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Simon Zebo; Jonathan Sexton, Mike Phillips; Mako Vunipola, Tom Youngs, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell , Tom Croft, Sam Warburton (capt), Jamie Heaslip
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Alex Corbisiero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell, Rob Kearney

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:57 am

I really think BOD could have to settle for a bench play after today

I guess we will see how much Gatland has already made his mind up

by Hood83 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:57 am

Really annoyed though with Mako carrying with one hand - in the words of Hans Solo - 'Don't get cocky kid'

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:57 am

ooh Chilli could be coming on...does that mean Halfpee will be off or move to wing?

by t1000advancedprototype Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:58 am

LIONS NAILED

Halfpenny
Davies
Roberts
Sexton
Phillips

AWJ
Vunipola
Jones

by maestegmafia Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:58 am

Ha ha ha ha...!

Trev

On one side he has been superb the other he does bugger all as a forward.

Great pace but doesn't do enough in the forwards.

Plus points for him tonight are definitely winning a penalty at a ruck and scoring a try. Bad points is that we need another man at the breakdown and croft is out wide too often.

We need a happy medium between croft and Lydiate at blindside and the answer is Warburton to be honest. With Tipuric at openside.

BigTrevsbigmac wrote:Croft proves his unique talent

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:58 am

Warbs is over the ball at every ruck now - he is match fit again Smile

by Golden Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:59 am

Dont think theres anypoint having O'Driscoll on the bench either he starts or he doesnt play!

by maestegmafia Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:59 am

The subs bench are warming up..

Cole for jones, Youngs for Jones and Parling for jones?

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:59 am

Zebo rushed up a bit early then :/

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:59 am

Tahs go for the silly lineout again and first steal by Croft.

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 11:59 am

What a hit on Alywynjo...but that don't stop him.

Lions breakdown a bit creaky...

by t1000advancedprototype Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:00 pm

Not trying to be cocky but when you see which players are putting their hands up you can kinda see why Wales have won back to back championships.

A lot of Welsh quality since the Gatland era began.

by maestegmafia Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:00 pm

A touchline camera on a Segway...? Very clever.

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:00 pm

Tom youngs off - has he played his way onto the team with that display?

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:00 pm

ooh get the Tahs number 9 slapping Phillips! Dirty bugggers aren't they?

Lots of Lions changes now...

by BamBam Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:01 pm

Jolly good of Gats to let Barnes know the test team in advance

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:01 pm

Whole bench is on

Lydiate and Warburton back together

by flyhalffactory Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:01 pm

Here comes the cavalry

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:02 pm

Wow! Look at those tackle stats...POC and Bread of Seven top tacklers today.

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:02 pm

Heaslip has had a quite game, hasn't taken his chance to sow up the starting place

Hibbard needs a big 20

by flyhalffactory Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:03 pm

LondonTiger wrote:Tom youngs off - has he played his way onto the team with that display?

I think he has been superb and would have him starting

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:03 pm

I see Tommy Bowe with his bad paw!!!! Crying or Very sad

by maestegmafia Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:04 pm

The subs bench looks like a quick fit mechanics shop, loads of mechanics running around fixing limbs and appendages instead of exhausts and tyres

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:04 pm

Go Maitland! Shocked

Floppy pass mind, but he had to do it...well picked up by JD2.

by Hood83 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:04 pm

Pass off the floor by Warbs was top class.

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:04 pm

Davies is all over the place!

Good start for Kearney

Poor pace from Maitland

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:05 pm

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAVE...

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:05 pm

Strong shove, but had they lostthe ball?

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:06 pm

Lions pushing for another scrum...wear them down boys....

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:06 pm

The new front row looking to make a statement

by flyhalffactory Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:06 pm

Cari wrote:Wow! Look at those tackle stats...POC and Bread of Seven top tacklers today.

Croft at blindside didn't even get into that tackle stats POC and Warbs 11 each, Croft less than 7......... Blindside has to be top of the tackle stats IMHO

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:06 pm

What's Mariella Frostrup doing in the coaching seats? Erm

by Hookisms and Hyperbole Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:06 pm

wales606 wrote:I really think BOD could have to settle for a bench play after today

I guess we will see how much Gatland has already made his mind up

Hardly. Roberts been rather quiet and ineffective in attack, Davies excellent in attack but caught out too often in defence. BOD will be in there, no doubt about it.

by maestegmafia Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:07 pm

Get used to watching scrum resets guys...! This will be a big part of the test.

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:07 pm

This has been a good perfomance

Still work to do, but this is more like a test winning performance than anything we have seen so far

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:07 pm

flyhalffactory wrote:
Cari wrote:Wow! Look at those tackle stats...POC and Bread of Seven top tacklers today.

Croft at blindside didn't even get into that tackle stats POC and Warbs 11 each, Croft less than 7......... Blindside has to be top of the tackle stats IMHO

As a former openside I would have been disappointed in my performance if I did not have the most tackles.

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:07 pm

Ah buggger...all that hard work and the Lions are pinged.

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:08 pm

Corbs gives away a penalty in the scrum - thats a black mark

by flyhalffactory Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:08 pm

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
wales606 wrote:I really think BOD could have to settle for a bench play after today

I guess we will see how much Gatland has already made his mind up

Hardly. Roberts been rather quiet and ineffective in attack, Davies excellent in attack but caught out too often in defence. BOD will be in there, no doubt about it.

WHAT!!!! For goodness sake

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:08 pm

Youngs does not have Phillips physicality, but much sharper at the breakdown clearing the ball.

by maestegmafia Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:09 pm

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
wales606 wrote:I really think BOD could have to settle for a bench play after today

I guess we will see how much Gatland has already made his mind up

Hardly. Roberts been rather quiet and ineffective in attack, Davies excellent in attack but caught out too often in defence. BOD will be in there, no doubt about it.

Absolute BS...! Davies defence has been textbook stuff superb performance all round

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:09 pm

ooh nooo...Dr Robs a little injured. He's limping. Crying or Very sad

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:10 pm

Lazy running by Tahs, just to show Bob Dwyer that aussies can cheat too Very Happy

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:10 pm

What did Rory best do to his left eye, he's had a black eye for months it seems. Smile

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:11 pm

First dodgy thing by JD2 there (after 70mins of excellence), very odd looking attempt at a pass.

by Hookisms and Hyperbole Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:11 pm

flyhalffactory wrote:
Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
wales606 wrote:I really think BOD could have to settle for a bench play after today

I guess we will see how much Gatland has already made his mind up

Hardly. Roberts been rather quiet and ineffective in attack, Davies excellent in attack but caught out too often in defence. BOD will be in there, no doubt about it.

WHAT!!!! For goodness sake

That would have been Farrell's reaction as well. He came up in a blitz a few times, creating gaps and exposing people outside him- even the Sky commentators pointed it out. If you watched the first half it was clearly obvious. So his performance has been very good, but far from perfect. Davies/BOD looks likes a good combo.

by Cari Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:11 pm

That would've been a good move by Farrell if Mitchell wasn't too strong for him.

Phew, Roberts up and walking about.

by Seagultaf Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:12 pm

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
wales606 wrote:I really think BOD could have to settle for a bench play after today

I guess we will see how much Gatland has already made his mind up

Hardly. Roberts been rather quiet and ineffective in attack, Davies excellent in attack but caught out too often in defence. BOD will be in there, no doubt about it.

You must be watching a different game! Besides BOD is yet to play in a real game.

by wales606 Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:12 pm

Roberts is walking now apparenly

Hope he is ok

by **LondonTiger** Sat 15 Jun 2013, 12:12 pm

Nice pass from Youngs and attacking line from JD2

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