Third Test: Australia v British and Irish Lions (06/07/13)

[munstermuffin]

Which is still incorrect. Gatland is still better marginally. Eddie O'Sullivan better than both, but also crashed at 2 RWC's and never won a 6N ***le.

According to each IRFU in terms of Win/Loss/Draw.
DK is 27/22/2 and WG is 28/27/1.
Just to add McBryde (09&13) and Howleys wins losses are excluded

 

[Johnny Boy]

In a, probably futile, attempt to change the mood

:lol:

 

[Peat]

And do we know for s fact Tuilagi is 100% ?

Probably is. Didn't hear anyone expressing doubts about this after the Rebels game. Roberts is the guy who's come straight back in without a run-out elsewhere first, if there's any doubts about fitness they'd be correctly placed on him.

 

[icr9214]

Why are people saying Tuilagi should of got picked ahead of Roberts ? Isn't Tuilagi an Outside Centre ? I would of liked to have seen a Roberts and Tuilagi partnership but injuries too both prevented us from seeing it !

I really don't see what the fuss is about :

1. Hibbard starts - BOTH hookers are going to play on Sat ( Gats has just swopped the order around )

2. Faletau Starts - should of started in first two tests

3. Phillips starts - best 9 on tour and can act like another back rower if need be

4. Center partnership - Playing two outside centres didn't work and BOD got dropped ! J Davies has had a very good tour and got the nod over Tuilagi ( do we KNOW if he's 100% fit ? ) and Tuilagi is one hell of an impact player ! And Roberts is by far the best option at 12 !

The reason is simple... He is the form player.
To suggest that Davies has had a very good tour? are you talking about the pre test games, I would hope so as he certainly has done very little to stand out in the tests. Look through the test stats and then see if you still have the same opinion. You could say the same about almost all the players if all your doing is looking at the likes of Lions v the force, Melbourne, Combined etc.
And to think that you do not see the fuss about which hooker starts? Of course it makes a difference but that is not the main point. Youngs is by far the form Hooker.
But best of all is your opinion on Phillips..? You must be the only person I have heard say that. Did you not see the first test?

 

[Raskolnikov]

Some guy call Dan Carter said he thought Tuilagi was the most dangerous player on tour, but what does he know...

 

[mstar]

Henry, think of it this way. Us Welsh have had to deal with Gatland's one dimensional tactics for 6 years, now the rest of you get to know how we feel. In the end though, success sure does help matters, so if we win I'm sure you'll be celebrating with the rest of us.

We all knew what sort of game plan we were going to get with Gatland as head coach. Maybe we need to blame the Lions hierarchy for selecting Gatland in the first place. I would have been much happier as a Welsh fan if Gatland hadn't have been selected.

If we lose with the warrenball tactic i think you might be right. I am not sure who actually picks the backgroud staff is it the head coach exclusively? or does gatland need approval? I suspect he wanted YES men and Farrell (new to international game after sarries) fell into that, and Wiggy also (MJ puppet agreed with all of MJ's decisions playing england team which was past it sell by date in the RWC) Howley is another yes man so Gatland is in heaven. We play the warrenball and shut up all other coaches. Hence, why i think Schmidt was not chosen as he would of had conflits with gatlands approach

 

[mstar]

Some guy call Dan Carter said he thought Tuilagi was the most dangerous player on tour, but what does he know...

ermm yes he meant when he was given the ball in space. Do you actually think Aussie defence allow him that? he doesn't have the clever running lines of BOD/JD/Roberts either to create the space but maybe i am wrong i dont watch enough of him at club level.

For me he goes through a lot of phases in matches where you have to check he is still on the pitch.

 

[munstermuffin]

The Head Coach is allowed select his staff has always been the case and I've no problem if its done right

 

[dullonien]

If we lose with the warrenball tactic i think you might be right. I am not sure who actually picks the backgroud staff is it the head coach exclusively? or does gatland need approval? I suspect he wanted YES men and Farrell (new to international game after sarries) fell into that, and Wiggy also (MJ puppet agreed with all of MJ's decisions playing england team which was past it sell by date in the RWC) Howley is another yes man so Gatland is in heaven. We play the warrenball and shut up all other coaches. Hence, why i think Schmidt was not chosen as he would of had conflits with gatlands approach

Not quite sure Farrell can be described as a yes man. Not who I would have had, but certainly not a yes man.

But ultimately decisions about selection and playing styles lay at the feet of the head coach, and that's Gatland. If the Lions loose, then he will have to face up to the backlash that will inevitably come.

Regarding BOD, the easiest decision for Gatland really would have been to start him. The furore around dropping him was obviously going to come. He's put his head on the chopping block and if it goes wrong everyone will question that decision.

 

[Rhondda Rudie]

"Well done WG,bold and brave selection that was required to beat this improving Aussie team.Lets not start whinging about who is in and who is out,get behind the Lions.Those left out will be,that's the way of the Lions".-Jeremy Guscott.

"Powerful and bold selections from Gatland".-Lawrence Dallaglio.

 

[icr9214]

Well that is the problem with Lions Tours ! Fans and "experts" are going to be slightly biased towards their own nations players and I understand that but its going to get to a point where you pick a coaching staff with no ties or you politically have to even out the 22 with the four nations players ???? I think it's already too political hence no Shaun Edwards ?

Everyone has opinions which is great for example I think Phillips is the best 9 and others think he's not same goes for Robshaw I don't rate him and u seen what happened when he didn't get picked ? If there was an English/Irish or Scottish man in charge and he picked the same team Gats has do u think there would be so much controversy ????

I don't buy into any of this Gatland has picked on what he's comfortable with either cause as I said he's far to good and experienced for that ?

The only time I have ever thought a Lions coach was picking on past form or favouritism was Clive Woodward's 2005 first test ! Apart from that I think the coaching staff have picked what they believe to be the best side ? Don't forget Gats hasn't coached Wales for a while cause he's been scouting for the Lions and he's seen all the players in training for a while now so..... And do we know for s fact Tuilagi is 100% ?

Do we know for a fact that Tuilagi is 100% ???? Please, please look at what you are writing...Tuilagi has been match tested after his injury and came through fine. Roberts has done nothing (other than some light training of course). That is such a gamble and for what reason?

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

"Well done WG,bold and brave selection that was required to beat this improving Aussie team.Lets not start whinging about who is in and who is out,get behind the Lions.Those left out will be,that's the way of the Lions".-Jeremy Guscott.

"Powerful and bold selections from Gatland".-Lawrence Dallaglio.

Jeremy Guscott is a computer generated cock; hearing what he has to say on the matter is likely to turn me against the lions altogether

 

[Peat]

Not quite sure Farrell can be described as a yes man. Not who I would have had, but certainly not a yes man.

But ultimately decisions about selection and playing styles lay at the feet of the head coach, and that's Gatland. If the Lions loose, then he will have to face up to the backlash that will inevitably come.

Regarding BOD, the easiest decision for Gatland really would have been to start him. The furore around dropping him was obviously going to come. He's put his head on the chopping block and if it goes wrong everyone will question that decision.

None of them are yes men. All of them are men Gatland feels would have the same philosophies as him. That is the right call. The issue is whether we had the right man making the call. Increasingly I think it wasn't, but most is forgiven should we win!

 

[Rhondda Rudie]

Jeremy Guscott is a computer generated cock; hearing what he has to say on the matter is likely to turn me against the lions altogether

:lol:Bloody good player though and double Lions series winner.

 

[Swansea Osprey]

The reason is simple... He is the form player.
To suggest that Davies has had a very good tour? are you talking about the pre test games, I would hope so as he certainly has done very little to stand out in the tests. Look through the test stats and then see if you still have the same opinion. You could say the same about almost all the players if all your doing is looking at the likes of Lions v the force, Melbourne, Combined etc.
And to think that you do not see the fuss about which hooker starts? Of course it makes a difference but that is not the main point. Youngs is by far the form Hooker.
But best of all is your opinion on Phillips..? You must be the only person I have heard say that. Did you not see the first test?

Davies is NOT a 12 ! So yes I am talking about b4 the tests ! I think Hibbard starts for his scrummaging ? And Yes I know Phillips had a stinker in the first test but do you think Youngs/Murray had a good second test ???? Phillips is the best 9 available IMO

 

[Rhondda Rudie]

Never thought I'd end up defending an English player against an Englishman.:lol:

 

[Swansea Osprey]

Do we know for a fact that Tuilagi is 100% ???? Please, please look at what you are writing...Tuilagi has been match tested after his injury and came through fine. Roberts has done nothing (other than some light training of course). That is such a gamble and for what reason?

YES and has he picked up any ****les or anything in training ? I'm not saying he is injured I'm just saying it COULD be a possibility ?

 

[Swansea Osprey]

Please open your other eye... I'm sick of hearing this talk of 'maybe eventually he'll be better than Roberts...' as if Tuilagi is still a child and Roberts has maintained the form of four years ago. It's true that England don't get the best out of Tuilagi, and if you think all he serves up in a white shirt is all he's capable of, it's clear you don't watch much aviva. But even just taking England, he's dragged a boring and uninspiring England backline kicking and screaming to a couple of good wins in the last few years against some strong opposition, and hehas an excellent strikerate... people don't credit it enough, but Tuilagi is also a very intelligent player with a great understanding of the game. Naturally people don't see that because, to be fair, in interviews he he appears as thick as two short planks.

I've already said I don't watch GP ? IMO I think Roberts is the better TEST player

 

[Peat]

"Well done WG,bold and brave selection that was required to beat this improving Aussie team.Lets not start whinging about who is in and who is out,get behind the Lions.Those left out will be,that's the way of the Lions".-Jeremy Guscott.

"Powerful and bold selections from Gatland".-Lawrence Dallaglio.

The day Dally and Guscott are agreeing with you, you know you've got it wrong!

 

[Largejanner]

"Powerful and bold selections from Gatland".-Lawrence Dallaglio.

Wasps Mafia.
No surprise with WG`s selections, the only option he had left was to engender a Wales against the rest of the rugby world siege mentality in the hope of sneaking a win. An inherently flawed choice as Lions coach has been compounded by Gatland`s inherently flawed choice of touring party.....shame.