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Only just caught up with the England Junior World Cup result (v USA).
109 - 0!! ❗
And he can't play 8
Played 8 a lot as a junior asfaik.
Guess that puts him ahead of Heaslip and Faletau for the test spot then. 🙄
could play there mid week if needed, much like Hogg playing 10. Lydiate not hitting form is a big loss. SOB often seems to have poor handling so might not be much of an 8. Faletau hits more rucks and tackles more and carries closer to rucks than Heaslip but I don't think he's been playing that well. Heaslip,SOB and Warbs/Tips for me. I don't rate Croft. Need more graft and ruck hitting which means AWJ may get the nod over Grey if Croft starts, Croft would balance the loss of lineout work.
North and Tuilagi are apparently major doubts for the first test.
Given the state of the lineout then Croft is needed. In that case Heaslip is the wrong option. Warbs will start, but Tiperic is playing better. Second row is more interesting, any of the four could start, although at the moment only PoC seems to be nailed in.
Tips/Heaslip/Croft for me ATM.
Fetcher/Bosher/Mover. POC + 1 in the 'orrible row. If pushed, I'd be tempted to say Evans right now. Adam, Mako and either Hibbs or Youngs at hooker.
i agree with your front row wrecker but tbe backrow is far too lightweight with three players who all enjoy attacking wide channals. a fit on form lydiate with heaslip and tips would be good but doesnt look likely. who knows. sadmadalen if the hookers are the issue croft jumping at the back could just make it worse.... i really couldnt pick a side atm. who'd a coach!!
SOB often seems to have poor handling
You need to watch more games.
With his passing he'd be ahead of Roberts or Davies for a centre spot in Wales. Probably fly half too after his kicking the other day. 😉
Sort of agree about the "one of Croft or Gray argument". My choice would be Gray and SOB, over Croft and AWJ. Looks like it going the other way for the first test though.
Pretty sure Gatland's keeping some surprises up his sleave.
Ideally, we'll all watch the replays after the tests and realise Hibbard was throwing left-handed in the warm up games. He's actually a national javelin and darts champ. All our line-outs will go perfectly straight to Croft, leaping like a salmon in the centre of the pitch, and offloading to a fully fit North to touch down under the posts.
Either that , or the non starter from Tips, Lydiate, and SOB on Tuesday is our secret test weapon.
I agree it's not ideal, but two of the first choices are seemingly a bit off form/short of games. One is playing and one on the bench so it could be all change after saturday. Who knows, Croft/Heaslip/Tips might have stinkers.
Croft isn't a small back row any more (16st7) but he's still not a bosher, I agree. Too early to call.
anagallis_arvensis - Member
Lydiate not hitting form is a big loss.
He shouldn't have been taken in the first place. To do the job he does as well as he does needs immense fitness, which a few half-baked games with the Dragons or against 2nd choice provincial teams wasn't going to provide. (As always I hope to be proven wrong because I really rate him.)
anagallis_arvensis - Member
SOB often seems to have poor handling so might not be much of an 8.
Can't say I've noticed that?
"The game's changed a bit," Dennis said. "I want to beat those blokes and we won't beat them with 13 or 14 men. We need to be smart about that. There's good ways of hurting them but you need to do that legally."
Hopefully not as punchy as last time.
I seem to remember SOB playing eight for ireland once and having hands like feet was a few years ago. He also doesnt seem to be the brightest rugby player which is no problem in a flanker but an eight needs to use his head a bit more.
Probably why mongo never conviced people that he was a proper 8!
AWJ, POC, Croft, Warbs and Heaslip for me with Warbs warned that he needs to be not shit 🙂
doesnt seem to be the brightest rugby player which is no problem in a flanker
Oi! I resemble that comment! 🙂
Gray broken it would appear, taken off early last week,injections and not trained since.
Bugger improves the case for Croft in the backrow.
And then you'll owe me a pint!
Double bugger
moment of the tour so far!!
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this ones quite good too!
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and here's one for wrecker 😉
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Looks like the 12 did most of the work there 😛
Got one of matt Stevens turnover?
turnover or roll over? 😀 sorry no.
This ones good though
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6- 3 at half time..FFS!
Wales look like they might well have cracked this losing to japan business this week.
Its on s4c isnt it. You can watch that live on their website. I cannot be botheredd.
Yes it is on s4c although not pretty viewing if your welsh. Japan worth the lead at present.
Yep, Japan very good today, Wales mediocre at best.
Congrats to Japan. Tonga next on the wales must lose to list.
That was pretty crap 🙁 oh well can't have the ups without the downs.
You chaps know of somewhere I can watch the Lions this morning? Cheers.
Oh dear. 😯
Try not to be too upset wrecker us wales fan always know the team are only a few steps away from being utter shite its what makes the ups so good!!
jaunting try here:
http://www.wiziwig.tv/broadcast.php?matchid=207646&part=sports
just remember turn on a pop up blocker and don't download anything, if ads get in the way go to full screen.
The British and Irish Lions would sooner "cheat" the best than "play" the best rugby, and it's no surprise given their coach is a New Zealander, according to former Australia coach Bob Dwyer.
Dwyer, who guided Australia to their maiden World Cup triumph in 1991, told The Australian newspaper the Lions were cheating at the scrum, the breakdown and in loose play.The comments are certain to ignite tensions between the Warren Gatland-coached Lions and the Wallabies ahead of their three-match series starting with the first test in Brisbane on June 22.
"We have a great game and there is massive scope for playing attractive rugby," Dwyer said in comments published on Saturday, hours before the Lions play the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney.
"It's not supposed to be a contest to see who can cheat the best. It's who can play the best.
"One comment I'd like to make after having seen the Lions in action on tour is that it doesn't come as any surprise they're coached by a New Zealander because they play outside the laws of the game as every New Zealand side does."
Dwyer, 72, has long accused New Zealand teams of cheating, and in recent years has criticised captain Richie McCaw and the All Blacks forwards for using negative tactics and duping a succession of referees.
On Saturday, however, he failed to mention the Wallabies are also coached by a New Zealander, Robbie Deans, who was a long-term coach of McCaw at the Canterbury Crusaders before he took the Australia job in 2008.
Dwyer added the Lions forwards were illegally pushing upwards in the scrum to dislodge the opposing teams' hookers and win penalties and their props were binding illegally and putting their hand on the ground for extra stability.
"When they put the delayed shove on, they scrummage upwards so there is nowhere for the opposing hooker to go but up," he said.
"The thinking seems to be that if you can get a penalty so easily, why not do it?"
Lions players were also infringing at the breakdown, by going to ground to hold up the ball, while impeding opposing players arriving at the tackle area.
"They power past the ball by a metre and a half and then they hold on to defenders' jerseys," Dwyer added.
Further Dwyer complaints included the tourists screening their team mates going to receive kicks, and their decoy runners illegally making contact with opposing defenders to impede them.
"When they run decoy plays, the decoy runner invariably makes contact with the defender. He doesn't smash him out of the way or anything so blatant, but it has the effect of impeding the defence," Dwyer said.
"You don't have to be smart to cheat," he said.
"You just have to be a cheat."
Reuters
😀 😆 😆
Classic Oz. About time the mind games started properly.
any update on NZ v France?
juanking - Member
You chaps know of somewhere I can watch the Lions this morning? Cheers.
Sydney? 😉
NZ hammered France. 30-0
Couple of cracking tries, especially the length of the field breakout finished off under the posts by Barrett.
Now on with the main event....
Brilliant start!
If only we could get rid of Miles Harrison and Fatty Barnes.
A poorer commentary duo I can't imagine.
Cooked breakfast: check. Good Coffee: check. AB whitewash of French with two outstanding length of pitch tries: Check. Cracking Lions start: check. = happy sofa bound kiwifiz!
Zebo looking up for this. Philips could do with being a bit sharper.
Awful lot going on after the ball has been played away from the rucks in particular.
Zebo on fire, playing himself at least into test squad, admit his defence not fully tested yet. Heaslip should have done much better at the last scrum
Mm Zebo great in attack but worrying in defence, bit too lightweight in the tackle. 1/2p is the nailed on full back on this display.
I have to say I really like this novelty of cheering, rather than cringing, every time 1/2p gets the ball 😀
Personally I think it is the defensive system that can leave the wingers a bit exposed, in two minds who to take and making them look worse than they are. Except cuthbert he is poop in defence....and in saying the above and although scrambling maitland should not have missed that tackle.
Think j davies playing very well also
How is the back row working as s unit?
Backrow ok as a unit, heaslip not his very best I would say. Think they are benefitting from the tackle work of poc, awj and tom youngs.
Lions cutting loose now. 1/2p outstanding 😀 making himself a legend.
JD looking exceptional would be man of match if not for 1/2p, looking bad for doctor
JD superb I would have him at12 and bod at 13 irrespective of roberts being fit. Tom youngs prob best performance by hooker on tour so far. Poc and awj very good took a lot of work off backrow as did t youngs.
But warbs still with the highest tackle count i believe as you'd expect. Played solidly, nothing flashy, first to the breakdown, good captaincy.
Not able to see the game but I hear the lineout was good, was this the case?
Agree scamper.
A_a lineout was good but youngs only threw front and middle, hibbard threw one long and it missed target. Plenty of options with croft, poc and awj
Any good middle ball tapped off the top or was it slow?
Are the wallabies playing a warm up match?
Don't think they are.
Test team:
1. Mako
2. Youngs
3. Adam
4. AWJ
5. POC
6. Croft
7. Hovis
8. Heaslip
9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. North
12. Davies
13. BOD
14. Zebo
15. 1/2p
???
If Roberts is broken I think Gatland will want Cuthbert in to help punch holes, not sure Zebo is any better a defender than Cuthbert.
bench
Corbisero
Hibbard
Cole
Grey/Parling
SOB
Youngs
Coaches kid
Tuilagi or maybe Zebo or Maitland
Line out ball was pretty quick for the most part, breakdown could have been quicker and I think philips was cruising a bit.
Tom_b pretty much how I see it but faletau at 8 and corbisero to start purely for his scrumaging mako as impact sub.
Would like to see zebo or maitland start but not sure gatland wont go with Cuthbert.
Edit: they need to look at the defensive setup in the backs, against reds and waraths the wingers have been exposed/outnumbered at times...unless what we have seen is all a decoy
Double edit: Farrell sat too deep when he came on and kicked a bit too much and aimlessly, hogg as 10 cover and manu for me
woohoo
Mainland wasn't very good at all today. It was ok, but I feel they lacked aggression. The waratahs were missing 6 first team players and still had dominance at the breakdown for a lot of the game. I'm starting to feel less confident about the tests........
Wouldn't let Hogg anywhere near the tests.
Watched first half, Warbs working hard, Croft playing well, Heaslip completely awol. Warbs talked to the ref more in first ten mins than the entire of last weeks game.
Cheers for the link a_a watched most of it. My thoughts.....1-7 were all very good Youngs AWJ and Croft really put their names in the mix for a start. Warns very good too. Heaslip was pretty quiet....maybe Toby will start at 8. Half backs are nailed on starters as is 1/2p. Centres are the biggest call for me. I thought that the Roberts Davies partnership was excellent today but surely BOD starts? Zebo and North on the wings for me if fit.
Wade been caled up
The scots are having a bloody good go at the boks!
Glad laidlaw isn't on the lions tour though.
Gahh is Wade not playing today for England then? Edit...no he isn't. Hopefully this must spell the end of Gashton's England career. Jonny May set to replace Wade tonight.
Kvesic didn't impress last week. Not sure he's an international standard 7, we'll see how he gets on tonight. Surprised no spot for Burrell with 36 called to aus. Looking forward to seeing eastmond and may.
So could be without north and roberts for first test!?
Losing North would be a big blow. There's plenty of talent available in the centre.
If Roberts, North and Tuilagi are all broken Gatland Ball is ****ed!
If Wade is being called up they must want to not play Cuthbert on Tuesday and dont want maitland and zebo to double up.
How bad is Manu? Davies and 36 are available. Still not bad options!
Shame for Scotland today. So close but came down with a case of stupid rugby syndrome in the 2nd half. Pity as they were the better team in the first. Strokosh was immense!
Barritt on his way as well, can we say scrapping the barrel?
Barrit will be fine for mid week cannon fodder but in a test! God no. How many mid week games are left?
anyway have watched the second half, good job that Skelton fella is good at rugby because if he tried show jumping like his brother he'd need a ****ing big horse!
Aussies are horrible niggly ****s aren't they
Heaslip only came into the game when Croft went off, I don't think they work together
Did anyone replace Roberts or did they play the last 5-10 with 14 men