Lions Backrow Dilema. Its Tipuric or Croft for me...!

First topic message reminder :

Today I thought Heaslip and Warburton earned two spots in the backrow, who will make the third. 


For me we need a player who can do half what Croft does well in the open play, back support, lineout, and half what Lydiate does well in the tight with tackling and aggressive ball winning work around rucks expoliting the aussie attack and defence around the breakdown.

That man for me would be Warburton. 

With Tipuric at openside we have a fetcher support player and in Warburton and Heaslip we have everything else we need in defence, attack and ball winning.

Great game in some aspects for Crofty, Warburton and Heaslip today...!

Surely work rate is more important than fractions of seconds in pace... Tipuric has an incredible ability to get a huge amount done throughout the 80 minutes.

I don't think you can judge tackle count on 15 minute spells - especially since it relies on your opposition actually having possession.

wales606 wrote:I don't think you can judge tackle count on 15 minute spells - especially since it relies on your opposition actually having possession.

Agreed. Though there are some that still consider Croft to have been hanging out on the wing during that 15 minute spell when he was actually tackling, hitting the breakdown and winning the line-out. He must be pretty quick if he was doing all that in 15 minutes

It's just a bit tiresome when the same old tired (and incorrect) arguments are coming out.

wales606 wrote:I don't think you can judge tackle count on 15 minute spells - especially since it relies on your opposition actually having possession.

Sounds like a dubious statistic what was the source?

More likely that the guy spotting crofts tackles had a computer error, maybe he spilt his coffee on his notepad?

I just can't believe you lot are interested in Crofts tackle! Makes me wonder sometimes

maestegmafia wrote:

wales606 wrote:I don't think you can judge tackle count on 15 minute spells - especially since it relies on your opposition actually having possession.

Sounds like a dubious statistic what was the source?

More likely that the guy spotting crofts tackles had a computer error, maybe he spilt his coffee on his notepad?

Opta and ESPN, its ok though Maes, you don't need to let facts get in the way of your dislike of Croft.

belovedfrosties wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

wales606 wrote:I don't think you can judge tackle count on 15 minute spells - especially since it relies on your opposition actually having possession.

Sounds like a dubious statistic what was the source?

More likely that the guy spotting Crofts tackles had a computer error, maybe he spilt his coffee on his notepad?

Opta and ESPN, its ok though Maes, you don't need to let facts get in the way of your dislike of Croft.  

I don't dislike Croft, don't try to belittle people who disagree with you by inferring that the only reason they do is that they dislike a player, its a pathetic slant.

My point is that I don't think he made that many tackles in that amount of time. Whether he did or didnt he still has not impressed me as the hard working flanker we need.

Yeah how dare he belittle you, the exact same way you beliitled the statistics he used from Opta and Espn.

Some dude was on here earlier.....'croft hasn't made any tackles since he's been on'.....he'd been on a total of 4 minutes! Of course croft tackles.....he's also incredibly fast and athletic.....but hey ho, whatevs you sees what you wanna

Ah well, Farrell played well enough today to ensure that Croft is now getting a bashing for his 15 minutes where he made plenty of tackles and set up Youngs.

Variety (in a limited form admittedly) is the spice of life.

Manu's Boxing Coach wrote:Yeah how dare he belittle you, the exact same way you beliitled the statistics he used from Opta and Espn.

A few other people have been questioning that stat too. If you watched the game, you would most likely not have seen Croft making 6 tackles in the 15 minutes he was on.

maestegmafia wrote:

Manu's Boxing Coach wrote:Yeah how dare he belittle you, the exact same way you beliitled the statistics he used from Opta and Espn.

A few other people have been questioning that stat too. If you watched the game, you would most likely not have seen Croft making 6 tackles in the 15 minutes he was on.

Like who?

Whereas Lydiate makes tackles that you don't even see (because he's doing the invisible stuff).

Not having a go at Lydiate. Cracking player.

I just don't know why stats are sometimes believed and sometimes not. Hmmm. Unless there's an agenda maybe.

It's a funny world.

maestegmafia wrote:

Manu's Boxing Coach wrote:Yeah how dare he belittle you, the exact same way you beliitled the statistics he used from Opta and Espn.

A few other people have been questioning that stat too. If you watched the game, you would most likely not have seen Croft making 6 tackles in the 15 minutes he was on.

Because we all know you would of been watching closely with your notepad at the ready....

Farrell, t. Young and now croft.... anyone guess what they all have in common?

nathan wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Manu's Boxing Coach wrote:Yeah how dare he belittle you, the exact same way you beliitled the statistics he used from Opta and Espn.

A few other people have been questioning that stat too. If you watched the game, you would most likely not have seen Croft making 6 tackles in the 15 minutes he was on.

Because we all know you would of been watching closely with your notepad at the ready....

Farrell, t. Young and now croft.... anyone guess what they all have in common?

All massively over-rated by all coaches that work with them?

I thought Faletau had another good game but played the whole 80 mins so I suspect he won't even get on the bench, he must have fallen out with Gatland unless Rowntree is calling the shots with the forwards.

I can't see the side changing from the first test, as many have posted the bench is the only positions up for grabs and any injury replacements. Maitland was also on the whole match so Bowe will replace him. Good to see Farrell having a solid game, he will keep his bench position. I prefer Tipuric over Warburton but he will miss out. I assume SOB will be on the bench and replace Lydiate as SOB was taken off early. Lydiate may replace Croft which I think is a good move nut unlikely. Hibbard will keep his bench spot but the hard one for me is the second row replacement. I am a big Evans fan but I suspect Gray may have done just enough. The other big question is the LH prop and replacement I think Grant may start! Overall the starting team will be weaker for the second test but the bench will be stronger if that makes sense.