Six Nations / Lions

[George Costanza]

The amount of people on twitter who are now sharing this viewpoint is very disappointing

 

Totally agree.

 

One aspect which makes the Lions so special is rival fans/players joining together for a sporting cause.

 

I don't really like Gatland or agree with this team selection but they are all Lions players as far as I'm concerned not English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish.

 

Taking both first two tests into consideration there are very few players who you could say cemented their spot for the final test & one of them as well is now injured.

 

Every single player in the Lions squad is a top class player. We are talking small margins between all of them. Roberts was always going to come back in if fit. The choice was between Davies & BOD. Neither have covered themselves in much glory in the first two tests for various reasons. Lack of quality ball probably being the main one. I'd have picked BOD for his experience and defensive qualities but Davies has had a better tour as a whole + has a familiar relationship with Roberts so I can see why he's been chosen.

 

I'm not a fan of Faletau and with O'Brien also playing it means we may lack a specialist at the breakdown. Two good ball carriers but Warburton showed last week the Aussies are vulnerable to turnover ball. Also Croft can consider himself unlucky as he's our best lineout man with O'Connell injured.

[lifetime fan]

Agree with that George. I really dislike Gatland but the Lions is all about selflessness, unity and joint effort.

[George Costanza]

Back row picks are tough call. Lydiate is a tackle monster at 6, O'Brien is a fantastic ball carrier at 6 or 7, Tipuric is a specialist ball winner at 7, Croft is pacey and a lineout monster at 6 or 8, Heaslip is a top player but has been below par but is experienced at 8, Faletau is a good ball carrier at 8 but isn't as good at the breakdown.

 

I think Warburton will be a huge miss. He was awesome last week.

 

I hope to god Hibbert gets his line out throws sorted, O'Brien repeats his performance against the Aussies from the WC and Phillips produces his Semi WC display. & Davies scores the winning try so the controversy is proven unjust and Lions fans can celebrate a series victory for a change.

[moof]

Gatland confuses me tbh, I reckon this is close to the team he wanted to pick at the start but politics/injuries have prevented it.

 

I have no problem with the team selection, Wales are the best team in the n/h by some distance so it's only right that its represented in the test side. O'Driscoll has been poor, there's no denying it, he's living off his reputation. Davies has been one of the best players on tour.

 

Dunno why everyone is kicking off about it all really.

[Rapey Hugh]

Gatland confuses me tbh, I reckon this is close to the team he wanted to pick at the start but politics/injuries have prevented it.

 

I have no problem with the team selection, Wales are the best team in the n/h by some distance so it's only right that its represented in the test side. O'Driscoll has been poor, there's no denying it, he's living off his reputation. Davies has been one of the best players on tour.

 

Dunno why everyone is kicking off about it all really.

 

In two tests he's made 23 tackles, a number more in line with a back row foreward than a 2nd centre, for none missed the highest ratio in the squad. Meanwhile Davies missed 3 in the second test alone including a monumental brainfart for the winning try. As for his attacking play he touched the ball 9 times in the entire 80 of the 2nd test thanks to WG's shit box kick heavy defensive tactics and when he did get it it came after slow stodgy ball thanks to a lack of carriers in the pack. All in all I'd say he has been pretty good bar a few uncharacteristic handling errors in the last game. Also it's not really Davies fault playing out of position and all but his timing and reading at 12 was terrible. Murray Kinsella(apologies for the accent in advance!!) did a great little vid on this on his blog here:

 

Davies and O’Driscoll: Centre Combination | The Touchline

 

Also as always, the boys at Whiff of Cordite and Demented Mole have been delivering big time in their analysis. I strongly recommend investing your time in these lads, although they cover mainly Irish stuff, it's truly excellent.

 

Anyone else know of any other good blogs?

[moof]

Yeah, he's made a lot of tackles. He's also given away a lot of penalties. I can remember 2 massive mistakes in the last 20 of the second test alone from BOD. Throwing the ball to Aussie hands when in a good attacking position and booting it straight down their throat so they can run back at us and score a try. He's done nothing in an attacking sense and he had a shite 6N.

 

Roberts and Davies is a tried and tested centre combo that has yielded pretty good results.

 

The attitude I've seen from some of the Irish guys is laughable. I know you lot have a hard on over Gatland but all this 'hope we get beat' shite is fucking pathetic.

 

There are only 2 English players in the 15 and do see any of us whining and complaining?

[moof]

Totally agree.

 

One aspect which makes the Lions so special is rival fans/players joining together for a sporting cause.

 

I don't really like Gatland or agree with this team selection but they are all Lions players as far as I'm concerned not English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish.

 

Taking both first two tests into consideration there are very few players who you could say cemented their spot for the final test & one of them as well is now injured.

 

Every single player in the Lions squad is a top class player. We are talking small margins between all of them. Roberts was always going to come back in if fit. The choice was between Davies & BOD. Neither have covered themselves in much glory in the first two tests for various reasons. Lack of quality ball probably being the main one. I'd have picked BOD for his experience and defensive qualities but Davies has had a better tour as a whole + has a familiar relationship with Roberts so I can see why he's been chosen.

 

I'm not a fan of Faletau and with O'Brien also playing it means we may lack a specialist at the breakdown. Two good ball carriers but Warburton showed last week the Aussies are vulnerable to turnover ball. Also Croft can consider himself unlucky as he's our best lineout man with O'Connell injured.

 

Agree with every word of this.

[Rapey Hugh]

The two penalties he gave away in the first test were legitimate turnovers and bullshit calls by the ref as was agreed by the vast majority who watched the match. His pen for not rolling away was legit though in the 2nd and as for the pass to Folau there's no doubt he made a handling error but was hardly helped by the nothing run Davies made right flat with him.

 

As for the 6n I don't see how it can be said he was shit considering the extent of the injury list we had, which I have posted here during, he wasn't exactly part of a functioning or settled backline yet still did his role well in all games and put in very good performances against Wales and France.

 

Look I'm not going against the lions at all on Saturday I'm still a big fan it's just the lack of ambition and expansiveness from this side under WG is really for me totally against the lions style. And removing BOD is just sending us further down this route. If we win playing this style ill celebrate, just not nearly as much as I'd like to. It really makes me appreciate having Joe Schmidt as national coach

 

EDIT: just want to add that I actually quite like Davies even though it sounds like I don't! He's much improved from last year.

[George Costanza]

surprised the Aussies have brought Smith back in ahead of Hooper. The latter was outstanding last week

[aws]

Like him or not, Gatland is desperate to win this game - it will define his career. Any suggestion that he's picking favourites is a bit daft.

 

As I said above, I'd have picked BOD - but only for his leadership qualities as he's nowhere near the player he was. Gatland's picked what he thinks is the best 15 and then he's picked his captain.

[mrw74]

Totally agree.

 

One aspect which makes the Lions so special is rival fans/players joining together for a sporting cause.

 

I don't really like Gatland or agree with this team selection but they are all Lions players as far as I'm concerned not English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish.

 

Taking both first two tests into consideration there are very few players who you could say cemented their spot for the final test & one of them as well is now injured.

 

Every single player in the Lions squad is a top class player. We are talking small margins between all of them. Roberts was always going to come back in if fit. The choice was between Davies & BOD. Neither have covered themselves in much glory in the first two tests for various reasons. Lack of quality ball probably being the main one. I'd have picked BOD for his experience and defensive qualities but Davies has had a better tour as a whole + has a familiar relationship with Roberts so I can see why he's been chosen.

 

I'm not a fan of Faletau and with O'Brien also playing it means we may lack a specialist at the breakdown. Two good ball carriers but Warburton showed last week the Aussies are vulnerable to turnover ball. Also Croft can consider himself unlucky as he's our best lineout man with O'Connell injured.

 

Good stuff that George. Its going to be one hell of a game and I just hope that the Lions come out on top.

[Major Tom]

Like him or not, Gatland is desperate to win this game - it will define his career. Any suggestion that he's picking favourites is a bit daft.

 

 

I am not sure about that first bit, because if he eventually gets the NZ gig, what he does there will define his career. Definitely agree with the second, though.

 

The Lions is a brilliant concept. Best thing in world rugby for me.

 

Lions by 5

[The Tott]

Havent read this thread through but Gatland is a massive cunt.

[George Costanza]

I am not sure about that first bit, because if he eventually gets the NZ gig, what he does there will define his career. Definitely agree with the second, though.

 

The Lions is a brilliant concept. Best thing in world rugby for me.

 

Lions by 5

 

I hope if the Lions are in the lead with 20 minutes to go we don't go all defensive and negative. We played very unsmart rugby in the 2nd half last week. We tried to run from deep to often and our kicking game was extremely poor. I don't know the stats but it seemed as if we were camped in our own half for the last 30 minutes and the Aussies are too good not to score points when they have such a territorial advantage despite heroic efforts from a few individuals.

 

If we are leading going into the latter stages we need to keep on pushing and get above a one score margin. Don't force it, do the basics right (win our own scrums & lineouts) and force the Aussies into mistakes not the other way around.

 

We also have to backup these big runners we've brought into the team. There's no point in having a O'Brien, Falteau or Roberts in the side if we let them become isolated. Yep they may take 2 or 3 men out but if the support isn't there no doubt a 3rd or 4th Aussie will be ready to pounce & steal the ball or get the penalty. The support has to be there for either a good clearout or quick recycle. If we get it right,the Aussies will buckle under several good phases of powerful rugby. As a whole their backline in quite small and there are a couple of questionable tacklers there.

 

After earlier in the I was a bit down about the last result and performance I cannot wait for Saturday. Bring it on.

[aws]

Need a big game from Sexton - he's been a bit quiet so far.

 

I think the Lions will win but they'll have to cut out the sloppy mistakes.

[mrw74]

I'll be in the pub at 10.30am tomorrow morning, with a few chaps who know nothing about the game, but who just fancy watching it. I'm nervous just thinking about it now.

 

The selection has been made, we've all shared our views, so now its time to unite and cheer them on.

[lifetime fan]

Here we go...

[lifetime fan]

I'm not really a fan of chest pumping motivational speeches, all this who wants it most will win it bullshit. The side with the best players will win a match more times than most.

 

But.

 

Jim Telfer could make you run at brick walls knowing you couldn't go through them.

 

I could listen to him talk all day.

[lifetime fan]

Knock them back first scrum.

[lifetime fan]

Get in!!!

[Lee909]

What a start

 

Get in

[lifetime fan]

7-0

[lifetime fan]

Smith has got to be concussed.

 

 

EDIT: He's off.

[TheBitch]

BOOM. That hit was massive.

[Rico1304]

That's why I don't play rugby!