Barbarian FC v British & Irish Lions

[Tony Manx]

Anyone else think the Baa Baas might be done for? These games are essentially becoming romps for the opposition, I know they are taking on Fiji at some point so maybe playing lower quality opposition is the answer, also the ticket prices for this game were absurdly high...hence the 11,000 empty seats.

I am not sure that they are done for but do think that the time for them to be playing international teams is over.....they should revert to their original ideal of playing against clubs sides or for charitable reasons albeit that they will not attract the top players that they do now who are paid 15k a time!!

 

[psychic duck]

Anyone else think the Baa Baas might be done for? These games are essentially becoming romps for the opposition, I know they are taking on Fiji at some point so maybe playing lower quality opposition is the answer, also the ticket prices for this game were absurdly high...hence the 11,000 empty seats.

Clive Woodward was scathing of their performance against England.

When the Barbarians lined up against England last weekend they were clearly dishevelled and uninterested - it was a waste of a fixture for an England side about to tour Argentina and a match that the RFU should seriously reconsider if it is approached in such ridiculous fashion.

http://www.espn.co.uk/lions-tour-2013/rugby/story/184009.html

 

[Saintjay]

Tipiuric is going to make Warburton fight for his shirt back, again.

I missed the game but heard he played a good match.

I can't see Gats not selecting his captain unless injury makes the decision for him.

It is early days but calling Warbs as Captain may become an issue for Gats I think.

 

[nickdnz]

Am I the only one who thought Joe Rokocoko looked like the Baabaa's best player. I'm a ludicrous fanboy of Rokocoko so I accept if that got in the way - but I genuinely though he looked very good this match.

 

[Thingimubob]

Farrell was the only player on the pitch that I was thoroughly unimpressed with, out of interest, lets say he doesn't pick his form up (which hopefully isn't the case - I'm not writing him off just yet), would they look at bringing in a third fly half at some point?

Wasn't too impressed with Maitland at times, he ran well, showed his pace a few times, but made quite a few mistakes with ball in hand, plus can't help but feel that he should have finished off that try early on.

I actually thought the centres were quite creative, of course not in the same way that your Hensons and McCalisters of the world are, but between them they created a fair few chances. Jon Davies used his boot to very good effect a few times, especially the one almost creating a try for Maitland, and also put it a number of good passes in under pressure - again the stand out one being the lovely flick on to put Maitland in a bit of space.
Roberts did what he does best and made a hell of a lot of hard yards with his angled crash balls, but he also showed a little bit of his passing game when he created that try for Cuthbert. However despite all this, there is the argument that they had a fair bit more time and space here than they will get in the test series. Either way, I can't see Davies starting over Roberts or Tuilagi to parter BOD in the midfield, although I think he put a good shout in for a possible place in the test 23.

Also in response to the couple of anti-Phillips posts - I don't think the Lions are planning to base their game around Phillips as j'nuh is worried - this Lions squad offers far more than a game plan based around one position. Yes they attacked the fringes a lot, and I believe that the Aussies will know to tighten that up to stop Phillips tearing through (which does mean he'll draw more players in making space out wide), but the BaaBaas aren't Australia, and the Lions can only play what's in front of them! You can't really expect Phillips to not go tearing through the many huge holes in front of him, just because there won't be as many in an intense test match.
However, Phillips has proved time and time again that's he's a big match performer in the most intense of Test situations - 2009 Lions Test series, RWC 2011 knock out stages and most recently Wales vs England championship decider this year, are all examples of Phillips stepping up and having great games under pressure! Yes his passing leaves much to be desired (a very well known fact to the fans and the coaches), and the other two no.9s in the squad have faster passes from the base, but Phillips offers something different, and he certainly stepped up and showed he's up for this tour in the game today! He's definitely the front runner to start at the moment.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Am I the only one who thought Joe Rokocoko looked like the Baabaa's best player. I'm a ludicrous fanboy of Rokocoko so I accept if that got in the way - but I genuinely though he looked very good this match.

No, I thought he had a great game, brilliant defensively and that step on Faletau was class, he also attempted to get the backline moving from the 10 position more than Evans did!

 

[Tony Manx]

Am I the only one who thought Joe Rokocoko looked like the Baabaa's best player. I'm a ludicrous fanboy of Rokocoko so I accept if that got in the way - but I genuinely though he looked very good this match.

Hurray....I agree with you!!

Actually, I feel he has been playimg really well for Bayonne all season but has not had the "team" around him!

I admire Toulon for the way in which they have brought fine individuals together and formed them into a united team and, were Bayonne ever to be able to do that, they would be top 6 class and would bring out the best in Joe who is a fine person and player!

 

[racingmetrofan]

Farrell cracked under the pressure, as he has done often in the past, and showed how poor he can be when this happens. Generally, his out of hand kicking was poor, his passing average, breaks non existent and he blew a certain try!!. He was hanging on to Brits's arm at the break down and, despite being requested not to, so Brits was actually retaliating with his over the top reaction, which missed, and Farrel then swung a punch at Brits that ended as a grip on his face before he pulled Brits back over his leg. Sorry do think he should have been at given a yellow and Walsh chickened out on the red card for Brits "for the good of today's game" in his own words.....and that cannot be right or equitable to others dismissed for attempted punches! Finally, the petulant little yob greeted the yellow card to Brits with ironic applause which showed not only his low level of intellect but also of his class!



I agree and have thought that he has been so far ahead of Goode for some time that I cannot understand Lancaster's love affair with the Sarries player!

I don't think it was anything like a punch by Farrell tbh. I wouldn't say what he did to Brits was cracking at all either. Neither Walsh nor the TMO mentioned Farrell as well. Nothing wrong with applauding a player getting sent off when you've just got punched in the face - honestly so many people on this board seems to imagine that a 16-17 stone person punching you in the head doesn't hurt! (based on some of the comments on the English Prem final as well).

Any other game and Brits would have got a red and Farrell would have got nothing. Brits was lucky not to get a red, and probably the right decision by Walsh.

 

[Amiga500]

Am I the only one who thought Joe Rokocoko looked like the Baabaa's best player. I'm a ludicrous fanboy of Rokocoko so I accept if that got in the way - but I genuinely though he looked very good this match.

He was head-and-shoulders better than any other Barbarian today.

 

[Amiga500]

Nothing wrong with applauding a player getting sent off when you've just got punched in the face

:mellow: Farrell instigated the whole thing by holding onto Brits's jersey at the ruck... then clapped his club team-mate off...


To be honest, I have no problem with Brits punch - I'm happy to see people get a bit of punishment for cynical play... particularly if the ref is doing nothing about it.

 

[Thingimubob]

I don't think it was anything like a punch by Farrell tbh. I wouldn't say what he did to Brits was cracking at all either. Neither Walsh nor the TMO mentioned Farrell as well. Nothing wrong with applauding a player getting sent off when you've just got punched in the face - honestly so many people on this board seems to imagine that a 16-17 stone person punching you in the head doesn't hurt! (based on some of the comments on the English Prem final as well).

Any other game and Brits would have got a red and Farrell would have got nothing. Brits was lucky not to get a red, and probably the right decision by Walsh.

Because this isn't football, it's not nice seeing people being straight up tossers like Farrell was. Honestly I dunno if I'd have given a red to Brits, and definitely not a yellow to Farrell.

 

[Amiga500]

Honestly I dunno if I'd have given a red to Brits, and definitely not a yellow to Farrell.

I'd have kept the baa-baas penalty and told Farrell, "if you don't want to be punched again, don't grab a pillar defender at the ruck".

 

[j'nuh]

I think the Baa Baas need to ditch the older players who are just playing for the occasion/money, and put together a squad of younger players that are trying to win over the coaches from their country. I think players need a reason to put in the extra effort to learn defensive patterns and such for "just an invitation squad". Baa Baas have been atrocious defensively, and given the players they've had available to them, I can only think that it's for a lack of effort.

So guys like Fickou, Sharples, Fearns, Denton, Tuohy, Madigan, King, (Ken) Owens etc. Throw in a couple of "overlooked leaders" like players such as (David) Seymour, and I think that such a squad could put up a decent fight.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I agree that their last 3 games weren't that good but I really like watching a Baa Baas game. They just need some good selections and they're good.

 

[Tony Manx]

Nothing wrong with applauding a player getting sent off when you've just got punched in the face.

....that you have just provoked him into!!

Or tapping the head of the opposing front row when you win a dubious penalty or laughiing at a slower player than you as you breeze in for a try or running at a player and falling over when you have just kicked and up and under too far in an attempt to gain a penalty, or falling over five seconds after the slightest coontact to your face in the hope that some one could be seen as punching you........those are just some of the ways that professional rugby, which is followed eagerly and are copied by kids, has gone over the last few years to accomodate the yobs who are now beginning to grow in number in what was, as a game, comparative to golf in its gentlemanly conduct and respect to other players!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Or tapping the head of the opposing front row when you win a dubious penalty

Better ban every front rower ever, then. I can't think of a single one that I've not seen do that at least once.


On the one hand I could imagine Farrell sarcastically applauding the referee when he reverses the penalty/gives a card, as Evans was just about the level the scored - on the other it didn't really look like he was doing that. Impossible to know if he was being a douche towards Brits or towards Walsh, but he was being a douche towards someone.

 

[TRF_heineken]

In regard with the Brits/Farrel incident. I was under the impression, the retaliating player will get it worse than the person striking first? In this case Farrel retaliated. And then once again, Walsh was a douche. If it was just because of this type of game, he didn't have to give Schalk a yellow. Just a penalty. There are things like an off field yellow/red. So how did he really mitigate the situation? Farrel provoked Brits, Brits took matters into his own hands which really didn't look that terrible (unless you're racingmetrofan). Then Farrel retaliated. Which on picture looked much worse than Brits' strike.

 

[lynam1104]

So I'm pretty happy with that form a Lions point of view. A number of players showed some good stuff in particular Phillips, Roberts, Tuparic and Gray was good to but maybe with the lack of bite showen from the Ba Ba's pack that could be something to look at.

We really can't be to harsh on them saying after one game they don't have the Wallabies shaking in their boots it's a bit ludicrous. In fact I doubt that will ever happen as Aus is a very confident (dare I say cocky) sporting nation.

Farrel didn't look to good today and clapping Britz off was a bit low, even worse he looked like a special ed kid doing it. Sexton wasn't setting the world on fire when he came on but the game was over and very broken up so I'm looking forward to see him on Wednesday.

Haven't sat down and watched it closely was with a bunch of mates who distracted my so maybe my vewing is a bit off considering what people have said on here.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Farrell was a dick and I've never liked him but to say that a punch to the face was deserved simply for holding on at a time that wasn't even particularly crucial or game changing is ****ing pathetic. People go on about how horrible it is to clap your own club team mate off, how about how horrible it is to throw a punch at the head of your club team mate for something relatively minor. Seriously, some people need to get some perspective here. This is not a tap on the arm or to the stomach, this is a full on blow to the head.

Farrells retaliation also wasn't as harsh, he pushed Brits and tripped him causing him to fall over. Neither incident is justified but to claim that Farrell was somehow the one more out of order in this situation is laughable. It was Brits who made a minor infringement into a major thing, Brits who completely over-reacted against a club mate and Brits who got punished. Having said that Farrell shouldn't be in the Lions or England because he is useless and he does have a bad attitude. No doubt the Aussies will try to wind him up and I'm certain they will succeed.

 

[Big Ewis]

England MUST keep Farrell, I don't care that he's a diarrhea-holding stuck up little blondie pretty dancing queen (with an attitude)
He makes......THA face when he kicks a penalty, and I'm sorry but it's one of the rare entertaining moments in English rugby