Hines cited for foul play:

http://www.planetrugby.com/lions-09/story/0,25883,3819_5398188,00.html

oops

was that the half spear tackle that he did but the ref already blowed the whistle and wasnt paying attention?!

I reckon Powell looks like Justin Lee Collins – similar too, fat and useless. The most overhyped player on tour?

I think all 3 Scots may figure on the bench this w/e.

Blair is different from Phillips / Ellis and offers a much faster service.

Ford & Hines would both shore up the scrummage (though Shaw would also)

On the flip side it is perfectly possible that no Scots will appear

Not sure anyone strongly stated their case last night. Still would love Hook to feature at some point

so Hines got a week and will miss the 2nd test

Pity as I think he is just the man to ‘noise the S African’s up’.

anagallis_arvensis – Member

so Hines got a week and will miss the 2nd test

That ridiculous. If it was a dangerous tackle then the ban should be months.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8118816.stm

The team for saturday – pretty much as expected I think!

Yep

Wonder if Hines would have got the nod in front of Shaw? Moot point now but I reckon it would have been a close call

I am on a flight at the time of the match 🙁

Hope I get to see a re-run later in the day

Bench seems odd, neither halfback replacement would change anything. O’Gara is pointless on the bench as he has the attacking instincts of a snail and if the team are winning might as well stick with Jones. Hook might not be a steady player but if they have 20 mins left and are loosing he’s the man to shake it up. Also what is the point of Sheridan on the bench? Gethin will be made to look a numpty trying to play tighthead and the scrum will go backwards if he switches negating any use of bringing on Sheridan.

Replacements: R Ford (Edinburgh and Scotland), A Sheridan (Sale Sharks and England), A-W Jones (Ospreys and Wales), M Williams (Cardiff Blues and Wales), H Ellis (Leicester and England), R O’Gara (Munster and Ireland), S Williams (Ospreys and Wales).

I think the bench it wrong on two accounts

Hook missing – for exactly the same reasona as AA has highlighted.

Ellis instead of Blair??? Ellis was poor on Tuesday and again offers little to change the game.

Not sure what to do about the front row cover. Unless you bench 2 props.

Maybe Ford can tight head? That seems pretty risky!

Do they seriously think that Harry Ellis is a better scrum have than Blair or are they just convinced he has the potential if they give him enough chances? Surely having blair on the bench would have given them a quick ball option rather than the pick-pause-step-pause-pass action of philips and ellis.
I think Ford deserves his place on the bench as he’s played himself into a bit of form. And we can all get back to the Shane debate now as he should get on for the last 20 and get some decent service from BOD.

Blair has been useless this tour, and Ellis not much better, but overall, on this tour Ellis just about edges it.

I’d still rather have Care for impact though.

Blair has suffered from the “Shane effect” he’s trying too hard playing with the midweek team that aren’t securing good ball or protecting it on the ground for him. I’d love to have seen Blair and Hook on the bench to come on and push the level up for the last 20. maybe next week?

Hugo – you echo my sentiments exactly

I hope I’m wrong, but I think we’re going to get a right thrashing.
I just think that the boks (among others) have far far more talent in their team than the we(Lions) have.
What on earth did fitzgerald do to get picked? aside from lose the ball a lot.
It is an odd bench, no real centre or full back cover. Hook, Kearney or earls would offer more versatility than S williams or o gara.

backhander – Member
I hope I’m wrong, but I think we’re going to get a right thrashing.
I just think that the boks (among others) have far far more talent in their team than the we(Lions) have.

Personally I think that the Boks are pretty one dimensional – good at what they do but not a huge amount of footballing talent, and I think that’s where the Lions shine. How many of the Boks backs would you swap for the equivalent Lion?

But it depends on being able to bludgeon the Boks forwards into submission…….

If Ellis get on the pitch I give him 5 minutes before he’s yellow carded the bocks will target him knowing hes a hot head

I think our backs have huge potential. However Phillips’ service does not look to maximise that.

I think and hope we will beat them at the w/e. Maybe that is blind optimism though as on Saturday i reckoned it was definietly 3 – 0 to them

Bowe has played centre a lot for Ospreys and Roberts was a fullback until this season. Vickery for all his faults should be on the bench as he can cover both sides of the scrum. Gethin will be destroyed at tighthead.

How many of the Boks backs would you swap for the equivalent Lion?

How many of the lions backs do you thin would get a look in the boks team?
BOD, Roberts and maybe Bowe. That’s it. None of our forwards would (OK possibly Jenkins).

Come on then, lets hope Shaw is better than I think, cant help but wonder like Worsley how come sure can now be good enough but wasnt in his prime……

Gethin will be destroyed at tighthead.

I hope you’re not right, but it’s a worry for sure. I dread the first scrum and line-out

Aye it will be a nervous time until we see how the scrum and lineout hold out.

I’m also worried that the Boks will have worked out the centre pairing of BOD and Roberts and the penetration that they got in the last test will be strangled at birth.

Still come on you Lions.

[rugby cliche] The front five win the game and the backs will decide by how much [/rugby cliche]

I still think that if the front five can match the boks, or even run them close, then we’re there with the backs.

Going well! Phillips and Carny playing a blinder. Can they up it in the 2nd half?
Loved O’Driscoll fronting up Matfield : “Bring it!”

Even more nervous now! Anybody got Sky and seen the gouging incident? Really sounds like should be the Lions game for Burger’s foul play should have seen him sent off for the whole game by the sound of it.

Go Kearney, sounds like he is having a great game.

Gouging was pretty bad, but yellow was enough. We coulda walked it with Berger off though

O’gara you **** pillock

Idiot ref

Who put Ronan O’Gara in the Lions squad??

ffs

****, found a P2P feed and watched second 1/2 but the Lions lost too many players to contol the game as well as the did in the 1st.

What the hell happened there we bloody well blew that. Fitzgerald forgot to tackle on the line the rush defence turned into a mess with more dogs legs than a golf course we fell off tackles. You could say the ref was a bit harsh with some of the high tackle calls I mean its not wendyball but why were so many of our tackles above the chest did our lads forget how to tackle. I hate to say it but Paul O’Connel was a bad pick as skipper and Ronan O’Gara we know hes a pillock when the pressure is on why oh why did he garryowen with seconds on the clock and then make a complete ar*e of it. Kick for position you stupid potato head your facing 2 guys who hit 50 metre drops for fun go long go long AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH I am going to get pished

o’gara got run over twice in lead up to the try and then gives away a mind blowingly soft pen…. cock.

Burger should have had a red no question, ref shit out in a massive way

Oh and fair play I was wrong about Shaw, he played well. Who would have thought that the scrums going uncontested would favour a SA team against anyone.

Gouging was pretty bad, but yellow was enough

Explain that to me then. Gouging deserves bans measured in months rather 10 mins rest.

Never mind lads…

There will always be a next time.. 😉

anagallis_arvensis – Member

Gouging was pretty bad, but yellow was enough

Explain that to me then. Gouging deserves bans measured in months rather 10 mins rest.

How soon you forget, last week you had Hines getting off lightly for a somewhat dubious tackle..

Meh, its only a game.

Highlights on S4C now.

Just seen the 1st half, gouging was deliberate and he knew he was walking as soon as the ref called him over. Had a huge S**t eating grin when he realised the ref had bottled it by opting for a yellow card only.

Touch judge states ‘at least a yellow’ he should have said straight red too!

We looked great in the 1st half, shame the 2nd half was so poor.