could we build a competitive lions team of NH qualified players who could have played for NZ ( or SH sides)
Not really no.
15 ?
14 Maitland
13 a fit Tuilagi
12 That **** with the armguard
11 ?
10 Anscombe
9 ?
8 Vunipola
7 Faletau ( bound to be a Scots poach but they are not great options)
6 Hughes
5 Jake Ball
4 ?
3 Nel
2 Hartley
1 Vunipola
What the hell channel was Ireland v NZ on? Can't find repeats or On Demand! 🙁
BT Sport, Dez. Not sure if they have a repeat service.
Ah, bugger, thought it had to be. Cheers.
Dez whole game is on YouTube I watched highlights - will get you a link (fwiw another benefit of having a method of sending YT etc to TV)
Ah, thanks for that! Hopefully it'll still be up on Thurs and I can watch it! 😀
Roberts,Cuthbert,Lee and Lydiate dropped.
Davies, Loopy Liam,Fat Sais and Captain Sam back in.
England team up. Amazingly strong bench, poachtastic though!
Don't understand why Sam Davies isn't even on the bench...when has Anscombe ever played well for Wales at 10?
Anscome has only played 10 for wales for about 20mins. He's very average but better than Davies is currently
Scotland team
1 Dell
2 Ford
3 Fagerson
4 Gray
5 Gray
6 Barclay
7 Watson
8 Wilson
9 Laidlaw
10 Russell
11 Visser
12 Dunbar
13 Jones
14 Maitland
15 Hogg
Subs - Brown, Reid, Low, Gilchrist, Hardie, Price, Horne, Hughes
Well thats a bit "out there" 100 caps in the front row. ONly issue is 99 of them belong to Ford. A back row to spoil and steal with a start for Watson. NO Seymour or Pyrgos ! 5/3 bench split.
Thats a team to play fast and loose and thru the hands. A good number of players who would normally start are unavailable. Cotter seems to have gone with form over reputation and experience.
Gonna be fun to watch in a "behind the sofa peeking thru the hands" sort of style. I predict an awful lot of tires and Scotland to loose 40 - 25 ish
Does Ben T'eo's magic arm guard get its own cap?
So today. Cant see Wales winning, Scotland will struggle too, Ireland should beat Canada and England look too strong for SA.
So today. Cant see Wales winning, Scotland will struggle too, Ireland should beat Canada and England look too strong for SA.
It'll be tough for Wales to pick themselves up after such an abject performance last week and Argentina aren't mugs any more. They took Ireland apart in the WC last year.
If Australia play like they did last week, I can't see Scotland beating them. However there's a risk of complaincency after beating Wales so easily last week. A few too many offloads in tight situations and Scotland could capitalise.
Ireland should have a win in the bag.
I'm worried about the Boks today. If they drag us into an arm wrestle, they'll beat us. That back row they've picked is bloody massive. If we play with pace and accuracy I think we can sneak it, I just really hope that we're right enough not to get dragged into a forward battle.
tjagain - Member
copule of thoughts to ponder
1) could we build a competitive lions team of NH qualified players who could have played for NZ ( or SH sides)
ie Hartley at hooker, Hardie in the back row, Maitland on the wing
Good to have you back tj.
This thread's poorer without you.
anyway, aiming for kiwis but with a few other southerners in the gaps:
15 Jared Payne
14 Manu Tuilagi
13 Bundee Aki
12 Ben Teo
11 Maitland
10 Joey Carberry
9 Connor Murray *
8 Faletaeu
7 Hardie
6 CJ Stander
5 Nathan Hughes
4 Billy Vunipola
3 Finlay Bealham
2 Hartley
1 Vunipola
* Murray's the one widcard exception allowed as a "project player" 'cos he's peerless at the 'mo
Granted, they'll need a crane to get the lock's airborn at lineout but NZ don't kick it out much anyway, and there's a bit of bulk for the scrum towards you're onetonpack idea. It's worked before with players like Manu Samoa as an 8/5
And the dates will have to go back a few weeks for Bundee's qualification but it would be worth the wait.
Can't believe someone above missed out players who've actually beaten NZ and then put Jake Ball in a "competitive" Lions team,
that was proper funny. and Anscombe
Argentina team looks very second string. Don't know if they've got big injuries or player release probs but there's loads missing . Wales should have a point to prove after last week's embarrassment, and should really have enough to them at home. Lions places up for grabs and all that 😉
Oz looked good last week and should be a good test for Scotland. Can see England SA being brutal.
Canada shouldn't trouble Ireland too much but they do like to chuck it about and have some good finishers so it d be entertaining. and it's great to see so many youngsters getting international experience, second string back row look like they've got a bit of potential 😉
Can't believe someone above missed out players who've actually beaten NZ
Sorry didnt realise how many poaches Ireland had. My point was the team was shit hence Ball and Anscombe. I thought Carbary was a jockey and who is Finlay Belheam, Nel a better bet surely? Tuilagi on the wing? V NZ's pace? Brave.
Meanwhile at Murrayfeild 😯
Scotland 7 up at the break
TJ, remain SILENT. At least until the fat [s]man in a skirt[/s] lady starts singing!
A long way to go still.
Come on scotland!!
England are clear now. Can Scotland finish it off ?
Du troit must really really hate Ben youngs right now.
****ing hell!
Robshaw has been absolutely fantastic today. I have a feeling youngs will get motm though. Shame really.
Normal service resumed. Cracking game tho for the neutral.
good win for England, lots to improve on though. Penalty count was far to high.
Launchbury excellent, Lawes effective, Daly a threat amd a strong bench. All this with first choice players injured. It looking good for England.
I just wish lawes could catch and retain the ball. He's a liability.
Ford improved as the game went on, still some questionable kicking decisions from him. Farrell brilliant as seems usual for him at present. Billy excellent, Brown very good. Would have loved to see Roko get some game time today. Hughes looked pretty good, not sure where he can fit in though; 8 and 6 are sewn up.
What was the piece of music played on the closing highlights for the Scotland game?
a strong bench
This is where Wales and Scotland really struggle. Gutted for Scotland. Not sure I have the stomach to seek out the England game. Might not bother watching Wales Argentina...cant see Wales winning.
Jonny Gray - another immense performance. A try, 19 tackles none missed. 14 carries for 7 yards, 10 passes beat a defender and made an offload' wound up an ausie into gettng a yellow card. thats the performance of a lion.
Don't be like that mate! It's on the BBC, at least it won't cost you anything. Put a tenner on arg, that way it'll soften the blow if wales do lose.
Well we arent losing yet. Not sure what Arg need to do to get a yellow
Oh look he's found it!
Went out with family earlier and missed watching Eng and Sco games. Sounds like the latter was a humdinger.
I have to say that Wales continue to go materially backwards in their management of the game and decision-making at key moments.
All those penalties and all that was "won" was a yellow card. And that backfired massively.
Not holding out much hope for the second half. They need to spend less time whining to the TEF and more time trying to find some semblance of a team performance.
I have to say that Wales continue to go materially backwards in their management of the game
They might be playing shit but they are much better than last week!!
England are clear now. Can Scotland finish it off ?
Yes. No, bench irrelevant if 15 can't beat 14 ?
Gray was always going on the tour, no ?
I still wonder what happens when England have a full choice of backs re Ford and Farrell at 10. My preference is well known we just play miles better with Ford at 10
They might be playing shit but they are much better than last week!!
I chose not to watch last week expecting the worst. I'd hoped this would be better.
Looks like not.
Crap game but they have dragged themselves over the line despite being punch drunk from last week!
Dreadful match by both teams.
Right, my national allegiances can switch to England for the 4 Nations match vs Aus tomorrow. Sincerely hope that's a better match.
Capt. Flashheart - you're not "Capt F" on the BBC rugby comments are you?
I still wonder what happens when England have a full choice of backs re Ford and Farrell at 10. My preference is well known we just play miles better with Ford at 10
Depends on who the centres are I suppose. Farrell is the first name on the teamsheet at present, well in the backs anyway.
What is it with Scotland playing for 70 minutes then going to shit?? Obviously the lack of depth/bench is an issue but really.. again? I was ready to start crowing about a great win too
I'll take that win against the Boks although I'm disappointed that we didn't score 40 plus against them. Youngs had a good game although I doubt anyone will buy two dummies that easily again! Yarde was poor butvthats no surprise because he's been poo for Quins. Hopefully Roko will get a shot next week bring the form winger and all.
Not watched the Scottish or Welsh games yet.
