2nd test team:
Lions: 15. Stuart Hogg, 14. Anthony Watson, 13. Chris Harris, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. Duhan van der Merwe, 10. Dan Biggar, 9. Conor Murray, 1. Mako Vunipola, 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie, 3. Tadhg Furlong, 4. Maro Itoje, 5. Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 6. Courtney Lawes, 7. Tom Curry, 8. Jack Conan.
Replacements: 16. Ken Owens, 17. Rory Sutherland, 18. Kyle Sinckler, 19. Tadhg Beirne, 20. Taulupe Faletau, 21. Ali Price, 22. Owen Farrell, 23. Elliot Daly.
Very tactical bench,bet Faletau will be used out wide in the second half when there is more space. Price as well depending on how Murray goes and a whole new front row at 50 mins as well.
As an aside I have never understood that; a prop at that level has 1.3 tonnes going through them every scrum, so you give then 10 mins at half time to stiffen up then send them out for another couple of scrums...
Quite excited by the bench.
Good that Price is still there, watching back I still think he was effective.
Daly will replace Hogg as soon as he goes wrong?
Also would like to see Faletau hand out some lessons.
Glad Sutherland is still in there too, reading Mako's interview on guradian just now he mentions how he improved by a few tweaks, I am sure Sutherland has all the goods, just needs arranging too, also assuming WJ still bad.
Team announcements on tuesday? At this rate we will have the 3rd test team on friday.
Side note, GB 7's through to Semis. Was a great game.
Will be a problem if curry gets broken, think Liam is a bit unlucky too. Daly at 15 is a worry.
Cant Beirne replace Curry?
I was expecting loopy liam too. However Daly is a decent 15, good catch, maybe not as thrilling as Hogg when he is on form but he is safe.
Cant Beirne replace Curry?
Well he could but he's a 5/6 not a 7, nor is Talupe.
However Daly is a decent 15, good catch, maybe not as thrilling as Hogg when he is on form but he is safe.
Daly, fifteen, safe...not words that should used together!
From his wiki page, it has colour pics so must be accurate:
He primarily plays as a lock, but can also play in the back-row.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadhg_Beirne
Daly, fifteen, safe…not words that should used together!
He played there for england and was safe, if a bit pedestrian. But he caught, kicked, and defended well, counter attack was dull..
And if you want to talk about his game vs Ireland in the 6N : Everyone has a bad day, we can find days like that for Hogg and Williams, plus Hugo Keenan was better.
He primarily plays as a lock, but can also play in the back-row.
Yes we know that, the point is neither Conan, Faletau or Bierne are are any good as a 7.
Daly is a pretty poor international 15, even England fans think this.
even England fans think this.
I concur 😉
Back up 7 , Lawes it is then. Current form, why not?
Would actually do the smash a fly half bit quite nicely.
Beirne can do the jackally poachy bit.
Actually think Faletau is better bench BR cover than an out and out 7 overall. Could do a decent enough job anywhere. Would like a proper lock though.
If only Johnny may was in the squad.
Back up 7 , Lawes it is then. Current form, why not?
Because he is also a lock playing blindside, I expect Talupe will cover all 3, but he isn't much cop as a 7.
I suspect the Daly over Liam could be due to them being worried about 10, if Faz moves to 10 Daly covers centre which Liam doesn't. As a purely back 3 sub Liam is better imo.
In a case of poor planning, story of my life, this weekend I am bike pacing the King Alfred's Way...maybe we'll find a pub
Ah-ha! 13mins 30s on that vid. I was right! huh
Rassie has lost the plot!! ( Maybe, probably, I ain't actually watched more than 2mins, he's no squidge)
Rassie’s Rant was in no way, in any shape or form, official in his capacity has SA Director of Rugby. It was his own thoughts and not those of SAR. At all, whatsoever.
Pants on fire!
How long until someone send him a short video of 26 SA illegalities?
Australia rugby not impressed.
I'd say that's him pretty much sending in his resignation.
He had some good points, the reffing was terrible - a lot of the problem (like with the disallowed try for the previous knock-on by. colby) is the ref missing clear calls and having to go back to the TMO. Can really understand the Boks frustration with that first test, cos those sort of things don’t usually go our way! but ffs to drone on for over an hour on a video, that’s just pathetic.
Oof
Painfully tight innit!
Goddam video replays to make every decision is making it drag. Although due to the tension, it’s absorbing stuff.
Not quite that bad, but almost.
Good try from SA
I used to enjoy playing in games like this. Lots of tackling - not too much running!!
Failure of tactics today. got drawn into a really slow game. Need to move the Boks about more.
All the TMO stuff slowing the game down helps the Boks as I think the Lions are fitter, but Boks playing in comfort zone both tactically and physically.
Need to do some serious practice taking high ball under pressure.
Going to be tasty next week
Should've started Daly.
Not sure Hogg should start next week to be honest. I would bring in Josh Adam’s for VdM as well.
Sets it up nicely for next week. The calls def went with SA this week but far too many easy penalties given away.
What happened to Liam? I thought he was starting? Is he injured?
That's what razzle was looking for. Put doubt in refs mind of fairness so check everything slows game down.
You could see it at first lineout 1:40 played and twice that to play the lineout.kolbe lucky.
Schinkler the only player cited; what the actual??? De Klerk is the luckiest man alive to avoid his tackle reviewed and apparently landing on your head is OK if you are called Murray.
Erasmus hasn't done the game any favours with the pre-match shenanigans. The Boks would probably have won anyway as the Lions offered so little in attack, but he definitely bought them the overly cautious refereeing and the disruption to the flow of the game their big units need.
Kolbe's offence was more red than yellow, even more so when it looked like a bit of retribution on his part.
De Klerk was very lucky too. You can see him looking around thinking "oh shit" in the immediate aftermath of his head on head 'tackle' of Murray.
It doesn't help that Gatland is also a big fan of referee 'influencing'. See also Steve Hansen. Rugby is less easy to cock up as a spectacle - I.e. the interruptions etc - than football. But it is still very possible.
No one covered themselves in glory in this match. On the field and in the build-up.
If the Lions adopt the same tactics next week - ie, anywhere near the 22, the 10 gets the ball and hoofs it in the air - I really couldn't give a shit if they lose.
dezb, agreed.
Faf had at least two more questionable hits both into ruck both shoulder led. Interesting that early in the Am try deliberations there was an angle that would have really made it doubtful but that wasn't shown again.
Dezb +1
Nah boot it at the water carriers they com on and force a stoppage. It needs to be stopped.
Yeah, you know player safety is paramount - and 2 players going for the high ball, one jumping, the other not jumping, but not seeing the jumping one cos he's trying to judge the high ball and ends up with *surprise!* a player's feet in his hands instead of the ball he's expecting!? And then everyone screams he's dangerous and should get BANNED for the rest of the game?! Well BAN the stupid bloody high ball! Like in the under 13s! Then we might get a decent game of rugby to watch! Stupid, I know. (But true.)
Would love to know what Gregor Townsend is thinking and what if any input he has had into the attacking game plan. Or is it that nothing would work against this Boks defense / pack?
I'd be happy with 12 changes for the next game, at least it would be interesting. I'd keep Furlong, Itoge and Henshaw and even then you could talk me out of Furlong and Henshaw.
Team is out now. 6 changes for the squad.
Williams is a good call at fullback and TJ gets his wish with Russell on the bench over Farrell. Got a few creative players to chase the game if they can keep it close in the first 60. Quite like the centre partnership - will see how it goes.
Not sure Aki offers much, but we'll see. Good to see Adams has got a start at last.
Ali is there to stop de allende but he has suspect tackle technique at times.
I know faf looked like he tweaked a hammie but I can't help but feel that razzle is concerned about him not managing another game without a card. Last two he could have been carded on a few occasions.
I would rather he was playing, that ex saints player Rienach(sp) is frighteningly quick.
Sinckler allegation dismissed.
There's too much messing about from SA now, even if they won next week they've lost my respect for attempting to manipulate their way through to the wins, which to be fair isn't necessary.
Really like reinach and yes he is fast. Hopefully the 9s will have been briefed to pressure to opposition 9/8 too much stepping back to the offside line to fall back into the defensive line.
Was.surprised Hogg got in last game not surprised he's out, Suzz though is pretty solid.
There’s too much messing about from SA now, even if they won next week they’ve lost my respect for attempting to manipulate their way through to the wins, which to be fair isn’t necessary.
I’ve totally gone off the idea of SA joining the 6 Nations.
To be honest I've gone off the lions tour a bit. Should be a glorious spectacle of rugby but it's turned into a win at all costs bore.
There's only one thing worse than a bad loser, a bad winner.
Although I think I may be getting old but when I'm surprised that players aren't warned more about their interactions with the ref. Biggar and Farrell are obvious but the SA winner who scored and la Roux should have had the captain being asked to have a word with them.
