[Closed] summer rugby

Bless you still angry at Captain Robshaw being overlooked!!
Its thoughts like yours that caused a piss weak front row being handed their arseholes in the first test last time round. Vickery and that midget hooker whose name I forget looked so good v some crap teams.

Didn't have you down as someone who'd forget a midget hookers name a-a

Its thoughts like yours that caused a piss weak front row being handed their arseholes in the first test last time round.

Thoughts like what?
As an argument, that's as pathetic as any.

AA - why do you dismiss other peoples points of discussion in such a childlike manner?

Spite. It's always easier to just attack a person rather than discuss. He also has a hatred of the English, which is worrying considering he chooses to live here and is allowed to teach English children.

Glad to see Twelvetrees in, he could make the test team (2nd or 3rd) I think he's been unlucky not to feature more for England and a good Lions tour should make Lancaster take note.

Even if warbs was fully fit he probebly only missed out on one game anyway - the tour opener in hong kong. Meanwhile we have an England captain who with loss of form wanted to go on a lions tour but is actually so shagged he is skipping an England tour to rest even though he only has a handful of caps and needs the experience.

Hey people lets keep this thread calm and away from getting personal.

I agree scamper; robshaw is ****ed. It's right that he's rested. I still question the selection of an out of form, unfit player short of games as a lion, let alone lions capt. Actually I don't question it, I think it's bollocks.

Didn't have you down as someone who'd forget a midget hookers name a-a

😀

Its thoughts like yours that caused a piss weak front row being handed their arseholes in the first test last time round.

is it that hard to understand? Looking good against shite opposition is of very little relevance to who will step up come a big test. Mears and Vickery looked great against poor opposition and then were cruelly exposed in the first test. Obviously these concepts are beyond you so you just keep throwing insults and slandering me.

Spite. It's always easier to just attack a person rather than discuss. He also has a hatred of the English, which is worrying considering he chooses to live here and is allowed to teach English children.

Iirc, that pack performed well against some OK SA club sides. What would you have done had they not? Played them in the tests anyway?

I don't know you in real life, but you come across on here as spiteful and anti English. It's quite evident that I'm not the only one to notice this......

and you come across as such a lovely person 😆 and haven't been banging the same drum about Warburton for months. You'll have to point out my anti English spite because I thought we were discussing two welsh players. It would appear you cant handle some friendly banter and start throwing your toys out of the pram with insults aimed at my job. I hope your world is a happy place for you because it seems very different from mine.

that pack performed well against some OK SA club sides. What would you have done had they not? Played them in the tests anyway?

no, I'd have played the best players available, which were not Mears and Vickery, despite them having dominated poor teams the coaches mended the error at half time but it was too late.

It's not quite that simple wrecker - there are a fair few other players who would fail your form/fitness test leading up to the Tour who have been picked, and for a few Other welsh players that England match was a big barometer of form available before the lions. It's not as if warbs earned a 4 out of 10 in his first appearance either. Its not the first and won't be the last time a lions captains form is put under the microscope - look at Paul O'Connell last time.

Turns out I was right about warbutton months ago! I should go into coaching. We were discussing welsh players, until you bought up 3 English players. So the accusation is very valid by your own standards. My world is pretty bloody good at present thanks. If one of us has the shitty end of the stick then I can confirm that my end is clean 😀
The definition of "Best" changes though doesn't it? Tipuric, at present is the best open side available. By a considerable distance. That reds team were not in any way comparable to the aus national side and neither were the country side. Tips did very well, warbs certainly did not. Unless he gets a few games in before the tests, he's going to fare even worse vs aus. What would you do?

For a_a and wrecker, I'll make you wear this 😮

[IMG] [/IMG]

Worked for me and Piggie. In fact whenever we see one another we stick it back on for a few hours.

until you bought up 3 English players

at which point you spat the dummy

Anyhow a 'secret' package has arrived addressed to my wife, but I think a present for me. It has a Gloucester post mark on it from a sports shop. Is it a lions top or glaws new strip to replace my 7 yr old stained top?!

In fact whenever we see one another we stick it back in for a few hours

😯

Oh darcy I hope to have a good email for you friday 🙂

Kula. 😀

<mod>
Gentle warning to keep it civil, you two.

If there's one thing guaranteed to make me more vexed than having to pick the bones out of a he-said-she-said playground argument to work out who's at fault and whether warnings / bans are in order, it's having to read through a bloody sports thread in order to do it. If I have to start wading back through twelve pages of team selection arguing and post-match post-mortems in order to do so I'll have sense of humour failure in short order. So knock it off.
</mod>

Big sports fan then, cougar? 😛

Let me count the ways.

With the greatest respect could anyone point out where i havent been civil?

With the greatest respect could anyone point out where i havent been civil?

I'd just advise you to work on your tone a_a. You might be laughing as you write it, but bit doesn't always come across that way. I'm not having a dig.

Fair point but it is a light hearted rugby bullshitting thread not somewhere to make comments questining someones professional abilities ( Owen Farrel excepted of course).

**** off then.

EDIT: Oops, 🙂

Anyway back to the Tips v Warbs point as any stdent of welsh rugby will tell you when not sure Gatland always just picks the biggest player so if Warbs doesnt start SOB will.

Lions team: Leigh Halfpenny; Sean Maitland, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Simon Zebo; Jonathan Sexton, Mike Phillips; Mako Vunipola, Tom Youngs, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell , Tom Croft, Sam Warburton (capt), Jamie Heaslip.
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Alex Corbisiero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell, Rob Kearney.

mut be close to the test team minus North and BOD.

Hope it's not too early a run-out for Zebo.

Or sexton. We really don't want him broken.

Or sexton. We really don't want him broken.

Agreed.

I meant career-wise for Zebo really though. Last thing he needs is a nightmare in an early Lions appearance having been called up as a replacement.

Exciting player though - fast, unpredictable and any excuse to show this:

[img] [/img]

Great bit of skill that 😀 if his defence is better than Cuthberts he could be in.

Interesting mod comments. I like discussing rugby, but the attitude on these threads keeps me away. Doesn't come across as light-hearted, but more know-it-all-my-opinion-is-right-disagree-and-you-know-nothing.
Ho-hum. Enjoy.

I agree DezB. I used to contribute as much as I could to these threads but lately they've become more juvenile, angry and extremely repetitive.

I replied to loum's point yesterday and then couldn't be bothered to add more because I'd have to trawl through pages of a_a vs the world. (So apologies to loum, I'm not ignoring you specifically!)

Anyway, sort it out children. These threads used to be fun. These days they are a chore to keep up with.

DezB + IdleJon = nail on head

sputnik - Member

DezB + IdleJon = nail on head

Yep + 1 here too, I enjoy a bit of banter and hearing from people with more rugby knowledge than me but the squabbling here can be a bit much at times, so I don't bother contributing, although that said, there are plenty of great opinions and good knowledge on here.

Much like the rest of STW, then? You can simply pick and choose what you need/want to pay attention to!

🙂

Time for the thread to be closed then.

*Thread reported*

That close to test team contained more weak links than North and BOD would replace. I don't think AWJ or Parling will play before Gray and I think Mr Amazing hair will start at 2. And Zebo? Does he have pictures of Gatland in a paddling pool with a ladyboy hooker and a 30 gallon drum of baby oil?

Aaaaaannnnyway....interesting to see the Croft Warburton Heaslips trio in the back row. Very exciting going forwards, Croft and Warbs are good lineout options...will there be enough in defence from them though?

I agree with Duckman i think AWJ and O’Connell are pretty similar and would have Grey in place of AWJ. Always like watching Croft play think he offers something a bit different to the other back rowers on tour. Zebo I imagine is in for a game since he is out there and North is out as a precaution. I rate Zebo above Cuthbert certainly defensively but think Maitland may start the Test with North. Hogg to get a run at 10 in the following match for a chance to secure a test bench place instead of Farrell and allow more options off the bench.

Re arguments: I blame the smiley, winky face icons. I hate them but they appear necessary to convey “light hearted” etc. take Flashy’s post a few above for example completely different without the pesky little thing at the end.

If you enjoy rugby contribute your thoughts/opinions and as Flashy said respond to what you want, it would be pretty dull if everyone agreed.
😀

I agree with Duckman i think AWJ and O’Connell are pretty similar and would have Grey in place of AWJ. Always like watching Croft play think he offers something a bit different to the other back rowers on tour. Zebo I imagine is in for a game since he is out there and North is out as a precaution. I rate Zebo above Cuthbert certainly defensively but think Maitland may start the Test with North. Hogg to get a run at 10 in the following match for a chance to secure a test bench place instead of Farrell and allow more options off the bench.

would agree with all that, but Farrell must be on the bench as 10 cover. But in the pack, if Heaslip and Croft are in the backrow, both of whom like to attack wide areas having Grey do the same might unbalance the pack, AWJ and POC, with Vunipola and Youngs/Hibbard to bang it up close.

Struggle to see who would be the dog in that back row as well,I have always felt Warburton is not as good a fetcher as the Aussies have. Even allowing for how quick he is. Our back row may be a wee bit too tall. It was suggested in the Times that the fact Gray was taken off early last Sat was becuase he was being placed in cotton wool.

Few pundits have also suggested the lineouts are poor as they are keeping the Test calls under warps until the event. Two sets would certainly explain some of the foul ups.

If Croft and Heaslip play Tips cant as he again likes to play wider. If Croft plays I think Faletau might be more suitable as he is a workaholic, played poorly last time though. Shame Lydiate is still not at his best as him, Heaslip and either Warbs and Tips would look balanced.

Hmm interesting, maybe awj and poc would work if croft warbs heaslip are the back 3. Youngs for all his scrumming frailties is a tackling machine so could be a good player in that pack....having Adam next to him should help him in the scrums I'd imagine.

Farrell has to be on the bench if Sexton is the 10.... Hogg as cover at 10 is asking for trouble, Farrell would do a good job coming on at 12 too.

Hope it's not too early a run-out for Zebo.

Think he's fit again, and played against the US.
I like this decision by Gatland. It gives him a fair crack at putting his case for inclusion.
Tuesday would be too late - if he went all out then and did something to really earn a test start then he might be too knackered to make it worthwhile 4 days later. Like this, it means he can give it his best and still have the week to recover, like most of the other starters, if it proves good enough. Think it makes more difference when it's your only real shot at it. Fair play to Gatland, he did say everyone would get a chance.
For the same reason, would have liked 36 to get a run but guess the jet-lag's still too close.

No apologies needed Idlejohn, the pages move on and the discussion get's lost. I like your comments, even if I [s]don't always agree[/s] usually argue a bit too much.

Idle John I always though it was me who offended you somehow. 😆

Big challenge for a young Scotland team 😯

South Africa : W Le Roux; B Habana, JJ Engelbrecht, J De Villiers (capt), B Basson; M Steyn, R Pienaar; T Mtawarira, A Strauss, J Du Plessis, E Estebeth, J Kruger, M Coetzee, A Botha, P Spies. Replacements : B Du Plessis, T Nyakane, C Oosthuizen, F van der Merwe, S Kolisi, P van Zyl, P Lambie, J Serfontein.

Scotland : Peter Murchie, Tommy Seymour, Alex Dunbar, Matt Scott, Sean Lamont, Ruaridh Jackson, Greig Laidlaw (capt), Alasdair Dickinson, Scott Lawson, Euan Murray, Tim Swinson, Jim Hamilton, Alasdair Strokosch, Ryan Wilson, Johnnie Beattie. Replacements : Stevie Lawrie, Jon Welsh, Moray Low, Alastair Kellock, David Denton, Henry Pyrgos, Peter Horne, Duncan Taylor.

Fingers crossed wales dont lose to the mighty Japan this week!!

wales 22-20 up in the youth world cup.a few mins left.

Nevermind that shit heres some big news

Bath head coach Gary Gold said: "Gavin is still a very ambitious man and the prospect of him playing at The Rec is an exciting one."
He added: "We know Gavin's qualities and have seen him work extremely hard for his team and perform at a consistently high level last season."

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/22895240

Whats the point in Henson,so much talent wasted,yes he's won some g slams but think how good he could have been.Waster.

Yeah its a shame he's made of glass and keeps getting injured.

And doesn't play [i]Summer Rugby[/i].

Oh sorry thread police are transfer stories not allowed?

I wonder who will be first choice at 10 between Ford and the orange one?

[b]anagallis_arvensis[/b] - Member
Yeah its a shame he's made of glass and keeps getting injured.

I do agree that looks like the first test team, it will be interesting to see how they go, the Wallabies have released a number of players to bolster the home side.

[b]Tom B[/b] - Member
I wonder who will be first choice at 10 between Ford and the orange one?

He was fit enough to go on Strictly. You need to understand we are giving him the credit for being a wonderfully talented player. He has sadly wasted that talent. FWIW I'm not surprised you've attracted the attention of the moderators, I'm sure they have better things to do than police non biking threads

yeah dancing on strictly is right up there with playing pro rugby as far as fitness is concerned. So what have I said that attracted the attention of the mods? Care to point it out?

If Bath have got any sense he'll be on a pay as you play contract.

AA you little minx Gav IS the most shocking waste of talent I have ever seen, and you know I does love him loads. He should of gone to the Dragons, the green welly denizens of Bath will have the knives out for him already. He will find no love at the Rec

Iirc B see him as a 12. Interestingly, another b player (eastmond) is at 12 for England this weekend. I find it interesting that "alternative to a shower" want him enough to sign him and I want to see what they can do with him where quite a few others haven't been able to. Gold is no fool.

Go on Wrecker type the word Bath, I dare you 😉

He hasnt played 12 for a couple of seasons!! 😉

AA you little minx Gav IS the most shocking waste of talent I have ever seen, and you know I does love him loads. He should of gone to the Dragons, the green welly denizens of Bath will have the knives out for him already. He will find no love at the Rec

true how long before the witch gets dunked at bath. My guess is he'll sink.

Exchanged messages with a Bath fan and great student of the game ... He's happy to have him, knows he's cost very little, feels he can offer a lot on training field to the young bath backs and is capable of being a game changer off the bench or if his head is right in the starting 15

Can't do it pigface. It's a swear word around here. 😀
It's fair to say that he's had his problems, but he's still playing at a high standard so people more knowledgable than I think he still has something to offer. We'll see. Don't think we'll see him in a Wales shirt again though. I'd have been happy to have him at brizzle.

He was mostly very good for Welsh last season on the few occasions he played. He was a class apart in the game v sale. Lyn Jones had nothing but praise for the attitude he showed in training too. I wonder how much the injuries are in his head though. He played through injuries during the 2009 season and changed his game from a kicking 12 to a much heavier bosh 12 who couldnt actually kick cause his groin had gone. It would appear that after that he must have mentally thrown in the towel and now if he's not 100% he wont play.

I'll type the word Bath only as its so Hilarious they have signed Henson.

1. Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University, vice captain) 
2. John Ulugia (Eastern Suburbs)
3. Paddy Ryan (Sydney University) 
4. Will Skelton (Sydney University) 
5. Ollie Atkins (Sydney University)
6. Jed Holloway (Southern Districts) 
7. Pat McCutcheon (Sydney University) 
8. Dave Dennis (Sydney University, captain)
9. Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs) 
10. Bernard Foley (Sydney University, vice captain) 
11. Peter Betham (Sydney University)
12. Tom Carter (Sydney University)
13. Rob Horne (Southern Districts)
14. Cam Crawford (Northern Suburbs)
15. Drew Mitchell (Randwick) 

Replacements
16. Luke Holmes (Warringah)
17. Richard Aho (Randwick)*
18. Sam Talakai (Sydney University)**
19. Lopeti Timani (Southern Districts) 
20. AJ Gilbert (Northern Suburbs)*
21. Matt Lucas (Manly)
22. Ben Volavola (Southern Districts)
23. Tom Kingston (Sydney University) 

On the Bath front, Kyle Eastmond is a local lad (ish, from Oldham) and a good friend of a young chap at work. From what he's hearing Eastmond is doing great things at Bath, He has been moved from the wing where he played League into the centres as he is looking good in that role.
As he is English and Bath will be getting RFU money for that then i see Henson as cover really. Henson, whilst still talented, is getting on and Bath will be looking to the future.
Eastmond is a really interesting one for the future as regards England.

Muddy,
Eastmond was mainly a half-back in league , mostly scrum-half (7), sometimes standoff (6), and ocasional full-back (1). Always a decent playmaker and kicker. It's at Bath were he's been playing wing - he is quick enough with a good step.
I guess he's been kept a bit further from the decision making while he adjusts to the new code and learns the game a bit more.
Personally, reckon inside centre could be tough for him long term. Defence wouldn't be easy being 5'7 and 12andahalf stone with some of the modern 12s like Roberts bashing lines all day. Don't get me wrong, he can tackle like a goodun, but that's asking for injuries later on.
I reckon fly half, wing or FB personally. But if you call a young player a future international 10 the pressure seems to build massively. So probably not the thing to say just yet.
He still uses the tag - kyleeastmond7

Tom B - Member
I wonder who will be first choice at 10 between Ford and the orange one?

Tom Heathcote? Ford wasn't good for Leicester when he played this season.

Agreed, he was pap in the final!

Pigface - Member
Idle John I always though it was me who offended you somehow.

Always! 😆

Anyway, is anybody else thinking that tomorrow's back row - Croft, Heaslip, Warbs, with Lydiate on the bench - looks unbalanced, and ready to be taken to pieces by a quick opposition back row?

Yep.....in defence certainly....should be exciting going forwards. If Warbs doesn't play too wide I think that it could work though-very interesting!

wings wil be crowded with Heaslip and Croft playing there. hopefully zebo and maitland will hit some rucks!!!

Agree with IJ that the back row looks a bit weird at the least.

Heaslip's done ok so far , but about the same as faletau tbh. Both have played alright, with not a lot between them. Either or, really.
Croft hasn't done badly, but hasn't really done a lot yet. Hasn't he only played the Force game last Sat, and didn't finish that either?
If he is a test likely, then it's as if Gatland's holding him back as a "secret weapon". Seem's very strange for a fella on his second Lions tour.
But all three of them (heaslip, croft, & toby) seem to prefer to do their carrying a bit too wide though (outside the 12 chanel). I reckon if Croft has got "chosen one" status at 6; and 7 will be Welsh*; then it might be worth giving SOB a pop at 8 to bring a bit more close-in grunt to the balance. But most likely he's battling faletau for the test bench spot as the're the two most versatile.
But it's Warburton that most owes them a decent game. He was entitled to his "first game back" performance last time, only fair after injury. Now needs to show he's worth a spot. He can play better. But it's not just been about the injury. He's not been firing consistently all year. It's as much about form as fitness.
At the moment Tipuric and SOB have put stronger cases for the 7 spot. And Lydiate, Croft and SOB have all put stronger cases for the 6 spot. And he can't play 8. By that reckoning he's last choice of the back rowers on form, not even a bench place to be honest.
Hope he does something really special tomorrow or there really will be a test of Gatland's

"I have been 100% consistent from day one. It is about picking the best players,"

For what it's worth, I'd like to see 4,5,6,7 as POC, Gray, SOB, Tipuric, - reckon that's got a nice balance.

* Anyway back to the Tips v Warbs point as any student of [s]welsh[/s] Lions rugby will tell you when not sure Gatland always just picks the [s]biggest[/s] Welshist player - so if Warbs doesnt start [s]SOB[/s] Tipuric will.

Getting away from the back row debate, nice article from Adam updating his blog:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22888155
And the Dr is doing a similar thing in the Indy. After all our BOD+1 debates, he makes an interesting point that this will be his first run-out with (future team-mate) Johnny Sexton.
Think Johnny +2 is a more nailed on selection policy, so will be good to see this work out well tomorrow.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/news-comment/jamie-roberts-why-im-looking-forward-to-teaming-up-with-perfect-10-jonny-sexton-8658332.html