1st test - Australia v British & Irish Lions

[General Melchett]

 

[General Melchett]

Surprised at some of ROG's calls here.

Not sure about finishing with Sheehan. He loves an early try and I would rather have a fast start and put them under pressure early on. Aki & Jones looks like an unnecessary risk when you already have an established centre partnership. Ryan played 80 yesterday and surely won't be involved given other locks have performed better. Beirne and VDF over Chessum and Morgan?

Sam Warburton, Anthony Watson, John Barclay all in agreement | Ronan O'Gara selects his first Test squad

All of the Sky Sports pundits were in agreement as former British and Irish Lions fly-half Ronan OGara selected his 23 man squad to face Australia in the first Test in Brisbane.

www.skysports.com

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Yeh on the YT video a lot of comments were in disbelief at ROG’s picks. I’m saving myself for the test series so just dipped into the warm up games, so not up to speed with who has been in form, so relying on reading comments here.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Hope the Ozzies absolutely smash these pricks.

Unless Morgan starts.

 

[Saintjay]

Independent going with a Curry, Conan, Chessum starting back row. Scottish centres.

Wildcards of Hanson instead of Lowe and Aki and Faz to the bench. With F.Smith dropping out the 23.

 

[big ginger 8]

No one in the squad except maybe Osborne cam replicate Lowe's boot, even if he didn't fit what Farrell wants perfectly outside of that id say he's pretty nailed on.

I'd say 23 will be a centre. Has been Farrell's go to for a while. Feels you get more impact.

 

[General Melchett]

Independent going with a Curry, Conan, Chessum starting back row. Scottish centres.

Wildcards of Hanson instead of Lowe and Aki and Faz to the bench. With F.Smith dropping out the 23.

Assuming Mitchell is also on the bench. I don't get why Faz and Aki are both picked as replacements when one covers 10/12 and the other only really covers 12. Feels like bench places should be better used to maximise versatility. Mitchell, Faz and Kinghorn (if fit) makes more sense to me.

 

[Scotty]

Mine would be:
Genge Sheehan Furlong
Itoje Mccathy
Chessum Conan Morgan
JGP Russell
Tuipolotu Jones
Lowe Keenan Freeman
Kellerher(LCD)
Porter
Bealham
Beirne
Earl
Mitchell
FSmith
Hansen(looked lively and is a great player, Freeman covers 13, Jones covers FB. 12 is the only issue and I'd not have Faz at 23)

That would be my 23 for the first test.

 

[ChicagoKid]

12/13 wins this game for me. With Ringrose out, I’m going Scottish centers.

 

[Rugby100]

Surprised at some of ROG's calls here.

Not sure about finishing with Sheehan. He loves an early try and I would rather have a fast start and put them under pressure early on. Aki & Jones looks like an unnecessary risk when you already have an established centre partnership. Ryan played 80 yesterday and surely won't be involved given other locks have performed better. Beirne and VDF over Chessum and Morgan?

Sam Warburton, Anthony Watson, John Barclay all in agreement | Ronan O'Gara selects his first Test squad

All of the Sky Sports pundits were in agreement as former British and Irish Lions fly-half Ronan OGara selected his 23 man squad to face Australia in the first Test in Brisbane.

www.skysports.com

No Dan Sheehan ? Morgan doesn't even make ROG's 23 ? Is ROG trolling here ? I used to have respect for ROG as a rugby analyst. He might as well throw in Roy Keane, he can still run a bit. How about Boyzone for his wingers and Westlife for his front row ? Never seen such a biased clueless ex Lions Irish man. In fact, I still think he's concussed from 09 when Jaque Fourie ran over him in the 2nd lions test

My starting test 15 would be

Front Row

Genge Sheehan and Furlong

Locks

Itoje and McCarthy

Loosie's

Earl, Morgan and Pollock

Half Backs

JGP and Russell

Centers

Tuipolotu and Jones

Wingers

Lowe and Freeman

FullBack

Keenan (only if kinghorn is unfit)

I just simply can't ignore what the Lions did on Saturday, where they not only shut out AUS/NZ but put on the Lions best performance and I can't ignore the average performance of the Lions on Weds against the Brumbies

That's why I'd pick the same back row as Saturday, Chessum and Conan and Curry can punch holes and run into break walls, but I prefer a faster, more dynamic, nastier, more scavenge like back row. That back row on Saturday pretty much silenced the criticism the Lions have had of being been slow to the breakdown

But

As usual, the Lions will put reputation before form, I can't stand all that "test match animals" talk ....Lions test matches they didn't win !!!

Going for reputation over form is one of the reasons why the Lions often come on the wrong side of a lot tight Lions series. Honestly, if Curry gets the nod over Morgan, that would be simply outrageous

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

I’m hoping for a Morgan - VDF - Conan combo with bulk in the second row to balance it. Reminds me of the Warburton - Tipuric - Falateu combo from when Wales knew how to play rugby

 

[xenosys]

If Kinghorn isn't fit, my XV would be :

Genge
Sheehan
Furlong
Itoje
Chessum
Curry
Morgan
Conan
JGP
Russell
Lowe
Tuipulotu
Jones
Freeman
Keenan.

Bench is Porter, George, Bealham, Beirne, Earl, Pollock, Farrell and M Smith.

I think Farrell will end up picking :

Genge
Sheehan
Furlong
Itoje
McCarthy
Chessum
Van der Flier
Conan
JGP
Russell
Lowe
Aki
Jones
Freeman
Keenan

Bench is Porter, Kelleher, Bealham, Beirne, Curry, Earl, Farrell, M Smith

Don't be surprised to see this guy pack his team with familiar Irish internationals.

 

[petetherhooker]

ROG’s suggestion struck me as deliberately provocatively iconoclastic with definitely emerald tinted glasses.

First up, start with your best players, then

Front row: Genge Sheehan Furlong
2nd row Itoje Chessum (McCarthy & Chessum incredibly close)
Back row VDF Earl Morgan. (Chessum brilliant but lets start with real back rows. Earl has earned selection)
Half Backs JGP Russell (White breathing down JGPs neck
Centres Tuipolutu Jones (after all the combination, why would ROG pick the untested one?)
Back 3. Freeman Kinghorn/Keenan Lowe

16 Porter
17 Kelleher (love to see JG for 2nd or 3rd)
18 Stuat
19 McCarthy
20 Pollock (in a team of competent players, pick a couple of mavericks)
21 White (Mitchell too ponderous)
22 M Smith (see 20)
23 Hansen

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

If Kinghorn isn't fit, my XV would be :

Genge
Sheehan
Furlong
Itoje
Chessum
Curry
Morgan
Conan
JGP
Russell
Lowe
Tuipulotu
Jones
Freeman
Keenan.

Bench is Porter, George, Bealham, Beirne, Earl, Pollock, Farrell and M Smith.

I think Farrell will end up picking :

Genge
Sheehan
Furlong
Itoje
McCarthy
Chessum
Van der Flier
Conan
JGP
Russell
Lowe
Aki
Jones
Freeman
Keenan

Bench is Porter, Kelleher, Bealham, Beirne, Curry, Earl, Farrell, M Smith

Don't be surprised to see this guy pack his team with familiar Irish internationals.

The irony of that last line when you have three English back rowers ahead of Josh Van der Flier is brilliantly funny.

 

[Rugby100]

If Kinghorn isn't fit, my XV would be :

Genge
Sheehan
Furlong
Itoje
Chessum
Curry
Morgan
Conan
JGP
Russell
Lowe
Tuipulotu
Jones
Freeman
Keenan.

Bench is Porter, George, Bealham, Beirne, Earl, Pollock, Farrell and M Smith.

I think Farrell will end up picking :

Genge
Sheehan
Furlong
Itoje
McCarthy
Chessum
Van der Flier
Conan
JGP
Russell
Lowe
Aki
Jones
Freeman
Keenan

Bench is Porter, Kelleher, Bealham, Beirne, Curry, Earl, Farrell, M Smith

Don't be surprised to see this guy pack his team with familiar Irish internationals.

So Farrell is gonna pick the same team that stunk the place out against the Brummies. They're lucky that they're playing Australia, coz as average as they were against the Brumbies, if Farrell picks the team you say he'll pick, that team may be good enough to get the job done but that's more due to the standard of opposition the Lions are gonna come up against. That team would start underdogs against NZ/SA or even a full strength French team.

It's a very safe team, he's picked reputation over form, which is the norm for the Lions.

I actually don't think he'll pick the side you say, I think Farrell being the Lions historian he is, will want all 4 nations represented in his first test match. That's why he'll pick Morgan, not just that but Morgan has been the best back row, I personally would have went with the same back row as Saturday. That result and performance on Saturday can't be ignored.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Brummies

Leave us out of this

 

[petetherhooker]

Leave us out of this

Moseley will rise again ower kid

 

[ricottl]

View attachment 24087

I am unable to travel to Australia as I've done my knee in - meniscus tear - and can't travel . I will have a ticket for the 1st test in Brisbane to sell, if anyone is interested?

 

[Groundhog]

'Form' mfers on their way to suggest Curry should start a test match over VdF

 

[Derpus]

So Farrell is gonna pick the same team that stunk the place out against the Brummies. They're lucky that they're playing Australia, coz as average as they were against the Brumbies, if Farrell picks the team you say he'll pick, that team may be good enough to get the job done but that's more due to the standard of opposition the Lions are gonna come up against. That team would start underdogs against NZ/SA or even a full strength French team.

It's a very safe team, he's picked reputation over form, which is the norm for the Lions.

I actually don't think he'll pick the side you say, I think Farrell being the Lions historian he is, will want all 4 nations represented in his first test match. That's why he'll pick Morgan, not just that but Morgan has been the best back row, I personally would have went with the same back row as Saturday. That result and performance on Saturday can't be ignored.

So dramatic.

Even on the precipice of a whitewash you northerners can't help but be miserable *****.