The not606 British Lions tour thread

Also with a NH ref for this match, I'm expecting a few penalties to come our way at the ruck area, so let's hope that Halfpenny can continue his superb kicking form.

 

Very much with you there Dan.

Listen, there are a lot of emotions involved in the omission of Brian O'Driscoll today, and he is my favourite ever player, but if we can just think through the team and the balance for a second, I think things become quite clear.

When we look at the two test matches, I think there has been an actual clash of styles. The backlines especially are very similar. When the two 9s, Genia (who has been magnificent) and Phillips (who was really well targeted 1st time out), you have two players capable of running the show. In Sexton and O'Connor, you have talented footballers who are lightweight and not necessarily the best tactical kickers, though both subtle playmakers if allowed time. The centres- neither had the crash ball option, and both sides have some outstanding finishers on the wing and at full back. That is where O'Driscoll became unstuck. It is not like the S.Africa tour where he is against big bruisers who we could move around and skip past- we are against bloody good athletes, and therefore on this tour, at the age of 34, O'Driscoll's impact has been negated. That isn't his fault, but it is what it is.

When you look at sides who cause Australia problems, it is usually those who can play a really direct but efficient approach. England have a really decent record in recent seasons, despite regularly falling short in the 6 Nations.

With their backs so mobile, what we haven't had is a go to man in midfield who can make the yards. They all think Roberts is that man on Saturday but that is the genius- he is simply going to be the decoy all day long, but one who can set platforms when we need to narrow things and set phases in motion. I am predicting that with Roberts fixing his man and actually straightening up the backline, George North, Tommy Bowe, and Jon Davies are going to have a field day running the angles off his straighter line and I can see the Aussies really struggling. The Lions, for the first time this tour, have a backline absolutely capable of making yards and punching holes. It doesn't look pretty on paper, but it is a rock solid backline.

The strong midfield that makes yards is what complements the selection of the pack so well. Some people think the pack looks physical and not the supportive/breakdown specialist pack you need. However, the ball carriers are there in force and Faletau is the genius selection at 8. Lydiate tackled superbly last week and that frees O'Brien up to get stuck in and cause havoc. He IS the form back row forward and I have no qualms with him at 7 for the first 60 minutes. He will be loving hitting rucks off the back of Roberts, Davies, North and Bowes strong running in the midfield and so well Faletau too. He is the unknown man and the Aussies will have a hard time preparing for him.

The set piece is the only way I see the Lions losing. The front row looks solid to me and I think at scrum time we will do well. Tom Youngs is the best hooker but it is a stroke of genius with us having him there for the last 25 minutes after we have worn the Aussies down and tackled them silly. Parling and Wyn-Jones are the key. If the lineout stays pretty solid for 60 minutes, it will improve with Youngs on later and I think Parling looked very good for a debutant Lion last week- he is a player worth following. AWJ must help him out though along with Faletau as the jumpers. Hibbard is better to start and get into the game early as he struggled to get upto speed as an impact player.

It will be physical, I can see the Lions having momentum through their stronger, direct midfield and that will either result in great support lines from Bowe and North to create try scoring opportunities, or it will present penalties with the Aussies on the back foot. The Aussies think this will be a one dimensional assault and it is far from it. Davies, Bowe, North, Faletau have more more subtlety than they get credit for and you have Tipuric, Tuilagi, Gray, and Murray all on the bench- all incredibly FAST players to come on after 60 intense minutes.

This will be the best possession the Lions will have enjoyed in the series, and barring injuries I can see them winning this handsomely, despite the critics.

Old heroes pass, and new ones are created. That's what makes this a Lions tour, so I wonder who can rise to the challenge. Never has Ian McGeechan's poignant speech from 4 years ago been so relevant, given todays selection:

"Today will determine what we are. It will say everything about us. The biggest thing about what you earn is this jersey is a respect, and a reputation- and to any person, that is the biggest thing you can have. For what you do, and what you stand for. We can leave a legacy in this last game, in THIS jersey, for the players to pick up in 4 years time. And for 4 years, we can leave something that makes sure that when people think about the Lions, they think good. They will think about you, they will think about this performance and be able to live with it for 4 years. And some of you might be there to pick up the next jersey in 4 years time. Some of us won't be. Please, please, give them something to play for, and something to understand. Good luck, but play for everything we want that jersey to be. All the best boys."

 

Cracking post, dare I say it "Top Class"


Have some rep for getting my mouth watering for this weekend!

 

Yes, it's a little harsh on BOD, who has basically not played that badly. However, Roberts if fit, was always going to start. I think it's interesting that Tuilagi has been picked for the bench. Seems to show a bit of a rethink by Gatland.

I'm also not at all surprised to see Phillips back. With Roberts fit to play, hopefully we'll see a bit more of the established link between them, than Phillips' awful box kicks. Not sure about dropping Youngs altogether, though.

With a French referee, and probably a different interpretation of the breakdown, I would have seriously thought about starting Tipuric too.

 

What a player Halfpenny is!. If The Lions do go on to win this, a lot of it will be down to him. Man of the series.

 

Gatland's selections were spot on today.

 

A fantastic test match.

P.S. Wales have finally beaten the Aussies

 

. Great performance. Haven't seen such dominance in the scrum for a long time and thank God we had a northern hemisphere ref to make sure we got the advantage we deserved. 15 heroes on that pitch today but Halfpenny defied every superlative in the book - a truly colossal performance.

Thanks to all the posters on here fror the interesting and lively debate and, of course, to Swimaway for starting the thread. It's been great - cheers lads!

 

Cheers Dan. I think "one or two beers" may be in order this evening!...

 

We beat them in the first game too (scored every point)!

In fairness, every member of the squad from all the 4 nations played a massive part. Gatland made a tough call and was totally vindicated. Many ex-players and keyboard warriors have egg on their faces after that performance. How much was that due to oneyed anti Welsh bias, who knows? BOD is a winning touring Lion full stop. Well done to them all.

Get your money on Gatland for Coach Of The Year at the Sports Personality Awards.

 

My pleasure...catch you again in 4 years time!

 

We won that test because an Englishman and Irishman scored the first 2 crucial tries . Only joking! To be honest I was annoyed by some of the chopping and changing and selection of players coming back from injury which was a massive risk (a successful one in fairness and a massive tribute to the medics) but my irritation was more towards Gatland than the players themseleves and of course Wales. I was every bit as pissed off at Woodward in 2005 when he selected too many players that were possibly over the hill. Right on one and ridiculously wrong on another....

That is, of course, why Warren Gatland is now getting completely blasted in Sydney with a winning squad and all the kudos he'll ever want and working out what to wear to the palace when he gets his knighthood and I'm sat in a back room in the North London suburbs telling an annonymous internet forum about how i know more about rugby than he does!

 

To be fair, there has not been any issue on the thread. All points of view were well made and had a point. I was more referring to the trolls I have seen on media article comments (BBC is shocking) and ex-players who pick up a pen because they couldn't coach

 

You're absolutely right - one of the best things about this thread has been the lack of abuse despite the very passionate views that so many had. Some of the comments emanating from ex players have been really OTT - and many of them are currently sat in back rooms in Britain eating their words whilst others who have been more measured in their comments are in Sydney getting blasted with the team and the soon to be knighted Mr Gatland!

 

Pretty happy with that.

 

The Lions deservedly won. They won because Gatland, at last, had the balls to go at them - not sit back and try to defend narrow leads. Today, even after they badly wobbled either side of half time, they kept up the positive play. In my view, this is not a great Aussie side, far from it, and The Lions would have won all 3 tests quite comfortably had they played as positively as they did today.

 

I look forward gentlemen to crossing swords during the 2014 6Nations

 

Likewise

 

A cracking article from NewZealand that just shows the power of the Lions. They are looking forward to our visit already. It will get your mouth watering for 4 years time... start saving now!

http://m.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=10895220

 

They are looking forward to pissing all over the lions like they usually do.