First Test: Australia vs. British and Irish Lions (22/06/13)

[UlsterRugby2012]

Aus by 2

 

[psychic duck]

Relatively pleased with this team, although the ommission of Tipuric is a massive mistake. Imo he's been the most consistent Welsh player all season and is a fantastic dynamic link between the forwards and backs. I know Croft's abilities in open play are similar, so that makes up for his absence in certain open-field situations, but in terms of work rate at the breakdown Tips is by far the best in the Northern hemisphere atm imo. I think the coaches may regret not playing him, and not even having him on the bench. Warburton can consider himself extremely lucky.

At the start of the tour I would have been shocked to have seen Croft's name on the team-sheet, but after seeing his recent form I think he thoroughly deserves his place and brings a good bit of balance to that back row. With Warbs and Heaslip both being quite bulky, ball-carrying types in the loose you need somebody with a bit more pace for when play breaks up a bit. Also, if he isn't playing well on the day, they've got Lydiate on the bench who puts in the same amount of tackles as Croft and has a great workrate.

I have been a big supporter of Vunipola, but fair play to Corbisiero for pushing his way into the starting lineup. He gives some stability to the scrum.

Lydiate in general makes normally will make more tackles than Croft.

Also Heaslip has plenty of pace and is effective when the game breaks up, probably more.

 

[Draggs]

It is evident that Warren wants a wider gameplan from the Lions than with Wales. He is a huge fan of Lydiate from what I can tell, so not starting him means something. I'd still have gone with Toby at 8.

 

[mstar]

i am still not seeing gatlands obsession with lydiate? sure he is a great player but SOB he has impressed more in the games and offers cover for 6.7 and 8.
Lydiate offers nothing going forward like croft and doesn't have the go-forward that SOB has.

 

[Draggs]

Really? Obrien hasn't impressed me lately. Might give away a few too many penalties for Gatlands liking. I still wouldn't call SOB an openside or eight, at least not test level. What Dan will do is come on an tackle the ockers into the ground. They have a bit more of a lively backline that might fancy their chances later on in the game.

 

[Peat]

O'Brien has done a lot of very obvious things well and a lot of easily forgotten things badly.

 

[jcahill1]

O'Brien has done a lot of very obvious things well and a lot of easily forgotten things badly.

Your point about the penalties is a valid one, but I'd certainly say he's done more good than bad on tour.

 

[mstar]

i hope the balance is good, gatland is really banking on the back row dominating the aussie backrow.

 

[munstermuffin]

The point is Lydiate is a super defender but if we need a backrow to come on if we are chasing the game then he's the least impact of backrow. If we are ahead and defending then he's an asset. However if Warbs or Heaslip get injured early we also will be in trouble

 

[Veal]

Wallabies leaves great players out of the team as Matt Giteau and Quade Cooper, James O'Connor is a great player but not played many games as first five in Wallabies. I would like to see this new Wallabies Team, last year they missed James Horwill and Will Genia, while Michael Hooper was the revelation of the team.

Lions should attack Folau's side, he isn't good on defense and has little time in Rugby Union, they should test the defense of this player.

Regards

Folau not good on defence ??? How did you come to that finding ???

Folau played 90 top level rugby league games for two of the best sides - Melbourne Storm and then the Brisbane Bronos. He then went on to play 7 internationals for the Kangaroos. Leaguies can tackle, the backs do a lot on 1:1 work. He has been playing fullback for the Waratahs and after the first few games, slotted in well in his positional play. I don't think he is weak defensive link at all - and he will have Barnes alongside him at fullback ( another ex-Bronco and fellow Waratah) to direct the positional play.

I hope they do attack down Folaus side - he is just as solid as Ioane in 1:1 and one of the best under high ball

 

[lucky number 7]

Where the **** is Sean.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Where the **** is Sean.

He's on the bench silly.

 

[Draggs]

He's on the bench silly.

Wrong.

 

[jcahill1]

Maitland Draggs

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Wrong.

Wrong.

Lions v Australia: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Alex Cuthbert (Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland), Jonathan Davies (Wales), George North (Wales), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales); Alex Corbisiero (England), Tom Youngs (England), Adam Jones (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), Paul O'Connell (Ireland), Tom Croft (England), Sam Warburton (Wales, capt), Jamie Heaslip (Ireland).Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Wales), Mako Vunipola (England), Dan Cole (England), Geoff Parling (England), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Ben Youngs (England), Owen Farrell (England), Sean Maitland (Scotland)

Edit: Fail picture, don't know how to work this ****.

 

[Draggs]

Well, sh*t.

 

[Zed]

Folau not good on defence ??? How did you come to that finding ???

Folau played 90 top level rugby league games for two of the best sides - Melbourne Storm and then the Brisbane Bronos. He then went on to play 7 internationals for the Kangaroos. Leaguies can tackle, the backs do a lot on 1:1 work. He has been playing fullback for the Waratahs and after the first few games, slotted in well in his positional play. I don't think he is weak defensive link at all - and he will have Barnes alongside him at fullback ( another ex-Bronco and fellow Waratah) to direct the positional play.

I hope they do attack down Folaus side - he is just as solid as Ioane in 1:1 and one of the best under high ball

Yup. He's just got better with each game he's played for the Tahs. Excellent under the high ball. Considering he played footy for 2 years, his kicking isn't as good as it should be. But other than that, he has few weaknesses.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Yup. He's just got better with each game he's played for the Tahs. Excellent under the high ball. Considering he played footy for 2 years, his kicking isn't as good as it should be. But other than that, he has few weaknesses.

The only weakness I can see is his option taking. Same goes for Ioane. Both are run-first wingers which is perhaps why they balanced it with Barnes at 15, who has a nice punt. One on one I'd expect North and Cuthbert to have far more problems dealing with Folau and Ioane than the other way around.

 

[Veal]

Pack Weights

The SMH has published the two squads with height/ weights.

A surprise to me is that the run-on Wallaby pack has a 19kg weight advantage. Consider the bench forwards and it whittles down to 4kg but for all the hype about the monsterous Lions pack ""slabs of red meat".....they are a very formidable pack ...but they are not a bigger pack.....

The smallest forward on the park is the Qld Reds flanker Liam Gill, but he is proably the fastest as well. May come in late to plunder some loose ruck ball.

The Wallabies also have a slight height advantage but not significant. Both sides have excellent third jumper options with Croft and Mowen. Maybe the set piece will not be so one sided as many predict....

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[TD="class: xl63, bgcolor: transparent"]Run on pack weight
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Bench
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[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Veal - not really sure who you've been hearing talk about the monsterous Lions pack... I certainly haven't heard talk of that at all - maybe your confusing the pack with the backs, who are pretty monsterous .

The thing is that gatland clearly isn't trying to overwhelm oz up front - he's gone for the lightest hooker in the squad. He's left out the two biggest locks, the meatiest number 8, and Sean o brien