Tommy Bowe is fit and could replace Cuthbert and Mike Phillips will be very lucky if he retains his place, Tom Youngs played much better than he did when he cam on as sub. At least if Phillips retains his place he can't play as poorly as he did on Saturday.
Tommy Bowe is fit and could replace Cuthbert and Mike Phillips will be very lucky if he retains his place, Tom Youngs played much better than he did when he cam on as sub. At least if Phillips retains his place he can't play as poorly as he did on Saturday.
Agreed on most points .. but Youngs (Ben) still looks to me to be a little callow & lightweight and is better used as a sub against tiring/slowing down opponents. His brother @ hooker has been a revelation and (off topic) his ability and Webber's success in Argentina should put a permanent end to that useless unit Hartley's England career. Saturday's match in Melbourne will be a humdinger
Agree about Parling being a good replacement. O'Connell has looked decent since his return from injury and seemed a bit more mobile than he had before that. Also played his part in keeping the lineouts intact.
Cuthbert would be unlucky to miss out after that superb try, but Tommy Bowe is definitely ahead of him at this stage. Agree about Phillips too. I expected a lot more from him on Saturday. Roll on Melbourne.
Real shame about O'Connell, but really glad to see Tommy Bowe back despite Cuthbert's best performance of the tour so far. Think 2nd test will be another stormer! Am with Lincs on Phillips; aussies played him perfectly in first test but he deserves the chance to bounce back. Youngs is definitely better placed as an impact sub unless the gameplan shifts.
How Horwill got away with that stamp I'll never know!
Just been chatting with lad I work with who is a recent ex-pro. He too can't see how Horwill got away with it...the law is very clear and that explanation shouldn't have stood up. The IRB need to sort out their double-standards.
Reckon you'd have got a more objective view out of a panel made up of Dame Edna, Rolph Harris and that rugby officionado....skippy the bush kangaroo!!!!!
So, five changes three of them forced with Phillips, O'Connor and Corbisiero injured while Bowe and Lydiate come in for Cuthbert and Croft. A tad harsh on Croft who caught everything chucked his way in the lineout, but Lydiate should strengthen the Lions at the ruck and maul stage of the game and offer a bit more defensive cover.
Australia: Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Christian Leali'ifano, Joe Tomane, James O'Connor, Will Genia, Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Ben Mowen, James Horwill (capt), Kane Douglas, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.
Replacements: Saia Fainga'a, James Slipper, Sekope Kepu, Rob Simmons, Liam Gill, Nick Phipps, Rob Horne, Jesse Mogg.
So, five changes three of them forced with Phillips, O'Connor and Corbisiero injured while Bowe and Lydiate come in for Cuthbert and Croft. A tad harsh on Croft who caught everything chucked his way in the lineout, but Lydiate should strengthen the Lions at the ruck and maul stage of the game and offer a bit more defensive cover.
So, five changes three of them forced with Phillips, O'Connor and Corbisiero injured while Bowe and Lydiate come in for Cuthbert and Croft. A tad harsh on Croft who caught everything chucked his way in the lineout, but Lydiate should strengthen the Lions at the ruck and maul stage of the game and offer a bit more defensive cover.
agreed .. Parling strengthens the middle line out and Lydiate brings a more hard nosed approach to the back row but weakens the attack. I hope that Ben Youngs gets good protection early on. If he settles, he will offer more attacking flair than Phillips, perhaps to compensate for Croft's absence. Bowe for Cuthbert ? .. robbing Peter and paying back Paul. Vunipola weakens the set scrum and greatly enhances the ball carrying/loose play potential of the front row
Outrageous that Croft has been dropped, Cuthbert is unlucky but Bowe offers too much to leave him on the bench. IRB have appealed the Horwill stamping decision
Would've loved to have seen Croft retained as also a big fan of his. He keeps the opposition on the back-foot with attacking threat and covers a lot of ground in the game, often one of the first to the breakdown.
Felt Cuthbert had guile but not the lethal pace of Bowe, hope he comes in all guns blazing.
Good call on Phillips and like Lincs says, Youngs will flourish if protected, and if not, distributes quicker than Phillips so Sexton will be brought into the decision-making more which is no bad thing.
I think Croft was dropped to the bench because Morwen kept scragging Phillips - Lydiate offers a bit more defensively than he does and they couldn't drop Warburton (captain) and Heaslip had a good game.
Croft I presume will cover not just the flanker positions but also the second row. For that reason as well it makes sense to keep him on the bench.
I initially thought that barring injury, the same side as was selected for the 1st test would be retained. Whilst feeling 'sorry' for Croft, on reflection, this selection is a mite stronger
Think we are expecting an even more physical game at the breakdown this time around hence Lydiate's inclusion as he offers more of a bruising ball carrying threat and is huge at the breakdown. Croft coming off the bench is no bad thing. Personally think it's a very strong team. Delighted for Ben Youngs as well.
Tommy Bowe is fit and could replace Cuthbert and Mike Phillips will be very lucky if he retains his place, Tom Youngs played much better than he did when he cam on as sub. At least if Phillips retains his place he can't play as poorly as he did on Saturday.
Tom is the hooker and played from the start BEN is the scrum half who came on in the second half
Comments
Agreed on most points .. but Youngs (Ben) still looks to me to be a little callow & lightweight and is better used as a sub against tiring/slowing down opponents. His brother @ hooker has been a revelation and (off topic) his ability and Webber's success in Argentina should put a permanent end to that useless unit Hartley's England career.
Saturday's match in Melbourne will be a humdinger
Cuthbert would be unlucky to miss out after that superb try, but Tommy Bowe is definitely ahead of him at this stage. Agree about Phillips too. I expected a lot more from him on Saturday. Roll on Melbourne.
How Horwill got away with that stamp I'll never know!
Halfpenny; Bowe, O'Driscoll, Davies, North; Sexton, B Youngs; Vunipola, T Youngs, A Jones, AW Jones, Parling, Lydiate, Warburton (capt), Heaslip.
Replacements: Hibbard, Grant, Cole, Croft, O'Brien; Murray, Farrell, Cuthbert.
Replacements: Saia Fainga'a, James Slipper, Sekope Kepu, Rob Simmons, Liam Gill, Nick Phipps, Rob Horne, Jesse Mogg.
Cuthbert can consider himself unlucky. At least Gatland can't be accused of favouring the Welsh.
I think the Australians worked Phillips out so probably a good idea to give them something else to think about with a nippy little sniper like Youngs.
Felt Cuthbert had guile but not the lethal pace of Bowe, hope he comes in all guns blazing.
Good call on Phillips and like Lincs says, Youngs will flourish if protected, and if not, distributes quicker than Phillips so Sexton will be brought into the decision-making more which is no bad thing.
Croft I presume will cover not just the flanker positions but also the second row. For that reason as well it makes sense to keep him on the bench.