The not606 British Lions tour thread

The majoritory of us Welsh feel the same way, along with Gatlands love for Phillips & Roberts. If it wasnt for Tipuric we would be nowhere near 6 nation Champions this year. Its frustrating, but get used to it, WG will not budge if they are available...hence my selection, he lurves them

 

I did notice that actually. To be fair i like Warburton - he's a good player and i've always thought he comes across realy well on the TV and seems a down to earth kind of bloke. I just donlt think he should be an automatic selection in one of the most compettive back row squads we've ever had.

WG worries me a bit - he seems far too ready to tinker with things when they don't necessarily need to be changed and when he does change it's not always for the better. I'm not going to single anyone out for Saturday but the drop in performance in the last 20 minutes really was alraming. If we fall off like that in melbourne it's curtains.

All of that said, we're 1-0 up in the series. People can say we were lucky but I'm sure if the shoe had been on the other foot we'd have been crucifying the kicker rather than syaing the other team were lucky. If you don't score those penalties you don't win - simple. They know they've got 2 shots at it now so hopefully they'll come out flying on Saturday - the aussies have a formidable back line but then so do we and we've got some who haven't had a go in the tests yet. I wouldn't start Tuilagi or Sebo but they and others are not bad to have in reserve in the last 20 minutes if needed!

 

It's all about opinions so cheers for your constructive feedback.

We were watching the same game but I was watching it with a Lions shirt on. You, maybe a Welsh one.

 

The british and IRISH Lions got very, very lucky in the first game and really should have got smashed by the worst Australian team ever.

 

Come on the LIONS

Make us proud - For Britain and Ireland

 

Vainupola and Parling ain't strong enough, hence the Aussies dominating the scrum today

 

Vunipola is plenty strong enough, he is just a relative novice scrummager at this level - The Aussies naturally took advantage of that.

Who's idea was that last line- out?? Another piss-poor decision! Retain possession, try and work it to the middle for a drop. Or go for the maul - You might even get a penalty along the way. Instead, they give it straight back to The Aussies

 

The lineout has been a disaster all tour regardless of who is hooker and second row. Doesn't look like they are working on the problems.
The worse thing that can happen to a Gatland side is that they are winning with 15minutes to go, as his tactics are to defend, defend defend rather than go for the kill and finish the game off. Aussies were worthy winners today, they played like they wanted the victory more than the BIL.

 

I wouldn't say it's been a disaster. Last week it was conservative, and that limited attacking options. This week, they tried to be more adventurous by going to the tail - fair enough - I can understand that. BUT...there's a time and place to be adventurous. When you're behind with two minutes to go, in a great field position, and you need to score..ANY score..ain't it!..there were better options that could well have been made available by ensuring possession - The Lions failed to do that.

 

Again not exactly on the money. All about opinions. Your mate Hibbard was sensational when he came on wasn't he?

 

Ha ha ha

Gatland is a joke.

This team on Saturday is a joke.

 

Very out of character for Ian Robertson to be very critical but here's what he has to say about it:

""You just wonder if they got a lucky bag and picked some names out. The Lions won the first Test and made eight changes to their squad. The Wallabies won the second and probably won't make any changes. The Lions lose by one point and there are six changes in the team and three guys on the bench who were nowhere near the team for the second Test. I was convinced Brian O'Driscoll should have been named as captain. It's catastrophic leaving him out. He's still one of the top centres in world rugby. He's a fantastic guy and has been on four tours and knows it all inside out. It's a massive mistake."

 

Tipuric in for O'Brien and Gray/Evans for Parling and this would have been my Test team for the weekend. AWJ will make a great captain, I would have had him as captain before SW so his leadership will be there for all to see this weekend. The pan on Stuart Bellend oops I mean Barnes face is priceless
I'm sure that clown wouldn't be happy unless the Lions lost 3-0

 

No room for sentiment. We need to pick players on form. Will be interesting to see how match fit JR is after his groin injury.

 

I guess he was indeed

 

Is this the same Gatland who has coached Wales to 2 Grandslams and 'helped' Wales win the 6N title this year. And haven't the majority of these players dominated international rugby in the northern hemisphere for the past 5 year, winning the 6nations 3 times

 

And lost to Australia the last 12 times they've met

We get it VG. You're Welsh and love your Welsh lads being in the team but you said yourself players should be picked on form. Roberts is still almost certainly carrying an injury and hasn't played for most of the tour and Davies has been extremely underwhelming in both tests so far so what exactly are you referring to when you say you want the form players in the team?

 

And Hibbard's been poor all tour.

And Phillips 'form' was so bad in the first test that he couldn't even get a bench spot in the second meeting.

 

The trouble with this squads is there are no James Hook type of players on tour who can fill a number of positions (not saying he should have been picked) so there is a lack of creative spark on the bench. As for JD, you have to remember he has played both tests out of position (baffling why Gatland only took 1 out and out 12,) and because of how the breakdown has gone, we haven't seen any quick ball being fed to the backs.
Agree that JR shouldnt start (could argue he has been poor since the 09 Lions) but who would you put at 12 instead as Tuilagi Sexton and JD haven't played together (I think) thus it would be one hell of a gamble playing them together. I think it's a case of tried and tested combos and hoping that Roberts, Falatau and O'Brien will smash their way over the gainline and allow quick ball for the backs.
As for Hibbard, I think that makes sense in terms of trying to destroy the Aussies pack and then allow a fresh Tom Youngs come on after 50mins to be used as a ball carrying weapon, although he, of all the dropped players, can feel the most pi $$ ed off at being dropped.

 

That's a really decent post It's clear that he is seeking to use what he believes to be tried and tested combinations. In general terms you'd say that was ok but the worry with that is there are too many either not really firing or coming back from injuries. Ah well - it is what it is so let's see what saturday brings. If we can't get the crash balls out quickly for the backs then it's cutrtains