Cannot belief Croft isn't even in the 23. Absolutely ridiculous decision. Huge call on BOD too, hasn't had his best tour but he's a leader and a big game player.
Last week there was no adequate second row reserve on the bench, Croft covered the back row and second row - this week the Lions have gone for Tipuric as spare flanker (and fair enough he's a good player) and Gray as specialist lock. Plus they have cover for the entire front row.
I presume that Farrell covers at FB if anything happens to Halfpenny?
Harsh on BOD - I can't think that Ireland are going to select him again, they've started looking to the next gen players and this could be his last game of international rugby.
Cannot belief Croft isn't even in the 23. Absolutely ridiculous decision. Huge call on BOD too, hasn't had his best tour but he's a leader and a big game player.
Last week there was no adequate second row reserve on the bench, Croft covered the back row and second row - this week the Lions have gone for Tipuric as spare flanker (and fair enough he's a good player) and Gray as specialist lock. Plus they have cover for the entire front row.
I presume that Farrell covers at FB if anything happens to Halfpenny?
Harsh on BOD - I can't think that Ireland are going to select him again, they've started looking to the next gen players and this could be his last game of international rugby.
But I wouldn't just have Croft there to cover second row and flanker. He's a better bet off the bench than Tipuric, not only because of his skill set but also his big game experience.
Don't think we will be seeing BOD on the international stage again unfortunately. Just heard he hasn't missed one tackle all tour either, which slightly goes against all those saying he was poor defensively last week.
Also, love that Manu is on the bench. What an impact that will be, but do think it leaves us short of back 3 cover. Assume Faz will cover FB, but he's not exactly great there!
BOD gave away a few penalties for not staying on his feet at rucks and one last week for handling the ball in a ruck- contentious decisions I grant you but perhaps they have counted against him.
Raymond Poite referees this match - being a NH referee hopefully he'll allow a bit more leeway at the breakdowns.
Bold move but presume Gatland has the confidence in the his Welsh guys to get the job done and BOD wasn't in the best of form but maybe warranted a place on the bench.
The problem I find with this team is just the pure amount of Welsh in it. Don't get me wrong they are all fantastic players, and all deserve to be there in their own right. But the problem is the Welsh just do not have a good record against the Aussies, and that has to count for something. What then makes this into a bigger problem is players like Sexton, Bowe etc are being forced to just play the 'welsh way' which they arn't used to. If Gatland was using a gameplan that fully integrated all players, and it just so happened that the Welsh players were then picked as they were the best in each position then fine, but what he has done is just use a Welsh template and slotted some of the better players from the other nations in, which is not how you go about winning a Lions tour.
BOD threw away a couple of passes last week, which was out of character, but his defensive work has been superb. I get the issue with the way he goes into the ruck, but it's an interpretation and we have a NH ref this week which you would think would be in his favour.
Class is permanent. I fully expected him to step up this week and very harsh to miss the squad completely. Is Gatland being strong, stubborn or naive?
Bold move but presume Gatland has the confidence in the his Welsh guys to get the job done and BOD wasn't in the best of form but maybe warranted a place on the bench.
More like a panic move, IMHO. I think it's a mistake not to have the experience of BOD even on the bench
BOD was a great player but is not what he was, has never looked like making a line break in the series.
Tough call from Gatland but its now or never and Roberts will be nice and fresh, I would personally have played Tuilagi and Roberts at 12/13 to really give the Aussies something new to think about.
BOD threw away a couple of passes last week, which was out of character, but his defensive work has been superb. I get the issue with the way he goes into the ruck, but it's an interpretation and we have a NH ref this week which you would think would be in his favour.
Class is permanent. I fully expected him to step up this week and very harsh to miss the squad completely. Is Gatland being strong, stubborn or naive?
you can't pick a 13 on the basis of his defensive work though. shurely he has to offer something in attack and BOD no longer does that
BOD threw away a couple of passes last week, which was out of character, but his defensive work has been superb. I get the issue with the way he goes into the ruck, but it's an interpretation and we have a NH ref this week which you would think would be in his favour.
Class is permanent. I fully expected him to step up this week and very harsh to miss the squad completely. Is Gatland being strong, stubborn or naive?
you can't pick a 13 on the basis of his defensive work though. shurely he has to offer something in attack and BOD no longer does that
Exactly, the Aussies are actually able to spread their defence - denying space to North/Bowe - because they know that BOD cannot break the line, unless he is within 10 metres or so of line.
We need to give them something to worry about, can't rely on penalties and hanging on for a win.
Not our strongest line up imo. I don't rate Hibbard in the lineout and that will be crucial on Saturday. Faletau is one of the most over rated players on that tour, offers nothing to deserve a place over Heaslip. Davies and Roberts in the centre will result in limited ball to our wingers, which means we're going to have to score through crash ball because that is all that pairing are good for. Leaving Croft out is criminal.
BOD should have been there for leadership, AWJ has only captained one test team. Hardly fills you with confidence leading a team into a game of this magnitude.
I don't rate Hibbard in the lineout and that will be crucial on Saturday.
You can get around that by throwing short, although that limits the options with first phase possession and means you are playing defensively more often than not. Hibbards though is better in the scrum than Youngs and the Lions scrum looked stronger when he came on.
BOD threw away a couple of passes last week, which was out of character, but his defensive work has been superb. I get the issue with the way he goes into the ruck, but it's an interpretation and we have a NH ref this week which you would think would be in his favour.
Class is permanent. I fully expected him to step up this week and very harsh to miss the squad completely. Is Gatland being strong, stubborn or naive?
you can't pick a 13 on the basis of his defensive work though. shurely he has to offer something in attack and BOD no longer does that
Exactly, the Aussies are actually able to spread their defence - denying space to North/Bowe - because they know that BOD cannot break the line, unless he is within 10 metres or so of line.
We need to give them something to worry about, can't rely on penalties and hanging on for a win.
But still one of the fastest brains and set of hands in the game and his off-loading has been good in these games, setting others up. As Tewkes says, none of the Lions have offered much in an attacking sense and I just think that BOD's game offers options still that can bemuse the Aussies. It might need others to finish off, but I can't see that level of game-sense and ability to execute it in many others.
It's a bit like Pearce not picking Beckham for the Olympic team - an insecure coach having to prove his power over the players. Sad end to a brilliant career for BOD and, even leaving aside the tactical stuff, not a good move for the morale of the team/ squad/ supporters by Gatland. Don't forget the guy was a failure as coach of Ireland...
Gatland would not have been my choice for coach/manager of the Lions, but he is, the tour selection has been made and he has to go with what he's got and not make any allowances for national sensibilities .. no Scots? .. how many scots are realistically first team material from this squad ?. Only three Irish and two English? .. all recent Lions teams have been loaded with one nationality, usually English or Welsh. I don't have a problem with the nationality thing, I have a problem with the side as a whole. Bish, bash, bosh and biff .. Plan A is to charge up the middle , plan B is to charge up the middle, plan C ..... you get the picture. I have said that I expect Australia to win fairly 'comfortably' on Saturday. If they get their tackles in and move the ball wide as much as possible, that will be the result. All in all this tour has shown that the Lions concept might be reaching breaking point. Too many vested national interests, too much politicking and not enough time for the preparation which is so vital for success in contemporary Rugby Union. If the idea is make the Lions a social, money making, touristy thing, fair enough, on the other hand if the idea is to consistently win test matches, the concept needs a serious review and wholesale remodelling. Over hyped, over paid and over here as I am sure the Aussies are saying
Picture of my three oldest friends all sat in a bar in Sydney has gone on Facebook. Sick as a pig right now. Although the wallies arent going to the game, just the husbands. Weirdos.
What a collision. Hibbard must be made of rock to jump up like that and leave Smith in a heap!! Brilliant start to the test from both sides. Sad to see Smith going off like that. Great player.
Comments
I presume that Farrell covers at FB if anything happens to Halfpenny?
Harsh on BOD - I can't think that Ireland are going to select him again, they've started looking to the next gen players and this could be his last game of international rugby.
But I wouldn't just have Croft there to cover second row and flanker. He's a better bet off the bench than Tipuric, not only because of his skill set but also his big game experience.
Don't think we will be seeing BOD on the international stage again unfortunately. Just heard he hasn't missed one tackle all tour either, which slightly goes against all those saying he was poor defensively last week.
Also, love that Manu is on the bench. What an impact that will be, but do think it leaves us short of back 3 cover. Assume Faz will cover FB, but he's not exactly great there!
Raymond Poite referees this match - being a NH referee hopefully he'll allow a bit more leeway at the breakdowns.
Hope i'm proved wrong!
Class is permanent. I fully expected him to step up this week and very harsh to miss the squad completely. Is Gatland being strong, stubborn or naive?
Tough call from Gatland but its now or never and Roberts will be nice and fresh, I would personally have played Tuilagi and Roberts at 12/13 to really give the Aussies something new to think about.
Come on boys!
We need to give them something to worry about, can't rely on penalties and hanging on for a win.
BOD should have been there for leadership, AWJ has only captained one test team. Hardly fills you with confidence leading a team into a game of this magnitude.
You can get around that by throwing short, although that limits the options with first phase possession and means you are playing defensively more often than not. Hibbards though is better in the scrum than Youngs and the Lions scrum looked stronger when he came on.
But still one of the fastest brains and set of hands in the game and his off-loading has been good in these games, setting others up. As Tewkes says, none of the Lions have offered much in an attacking sense and I just think that BOD's game offers options still that can bemuse the Aussies. It might need others to finish off, but I can't see that level of game-sense and ability to execute it in many others.
Warren Gatland's selection of 10 Welshmen in starting XV a brazen insult to very concept of British and Irish Lions
I have said that I expect Australia to win fairly 'comfortably' on Saturday. If they get their tackles in and move the ball wide as much as possible, that will be the result.
All in all this tour has shown that the Lions concept might be reaching breaking point. Too many vested national interests, too much politicking and not enough time for the preparation which is so vital for success in contemporary Rugby Union. If the idea is make the Lions a social, money making, touristy thing, fair enough, on the other hand if the idea is to consistently win test matches, the concept needs a serious review and wholesale remodelling. Over hyped, over paid and over here as I am sure the Aussies are saying
Heart says Lions. Head & heart say Gatland's dropped a clanger following George Osborne. No plan B!! Come on you Lions!