summer rugby

a_a thanks for the link, will,watch that after England game. No I think they played with 14 according to match write-up I saw.

Eastmond wonderful try
Is he the new Billy the whizz

Eastmond is going to create some selection headaches!
Yarde was very good, chuffed for him. Joseph not so good.

Eastmond !

Pack was impressive
Centres and wings some issues for the world cup

So glad Eastmond scored, will be a talking point at work on Monday for sure. He and Yarde had fantastic debuts and the pack were pretty good. Some nice prospects for the future there i think.

Eastmond and Yarde were excellent. Marler must have been man of the match though-absolute machine.

**** me Barritt called up 😯

Wonder how bad that argentine lad’s knee is?

Shane Williams is named in squad to face Brumbies!! Holy ****

North and Cuthbert must still be buggered and Gatland obviously doesn’t want to have to play Zebo and Maitland in case they have to play in the 1st test.

Some work for the Lions I think, too many turnovers at the breakdown and they leaked a bit in defense – the Wallabies will be far better and the Lions need to improve.

Ickle Shane 😯 I didn’t see that coming.

Lions team: Rob Kearney, Christian Wade, Brad Barritt, Billy Twelvetrees, Shane Williams, Stuart Hogg, Ben Youngs; Ryan Grant, Rory Best (capt), Matt Stevens, Ian Evans, Richie Gray, Sean O’Brien, Justin Tipuric, Toby Faletau
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Alex Corbisiero, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Conor Murray, Owen Farrell, Simon Zebo

Ickle!!!! Christ thats a new low!

Could that be the test bench too?
Test 15 must be

1/2p
Cuthbert
Bod/Davies
Tuilagi
North
Sexton
Phillips
Heaslip
Croft
Warbs
POC
AW Jones (Thats AlunWyn Jones not **** Wyn-Jones Barnes you **** oh and its Davies Not Daviiiieeees too)
Adam
Youngs
Vunipola

looks ok would prefer a harder working back row and more defensive nous at 15.

Why have you got broken people in that side AA?

Because thats the most likely team. I expect Tuilagi, Bod and North to recover and so does Gatland otherwise more cover would be called up. Barritt, 12trees wont play in the first trst barring a disaster. Maitland and Zebo may. Anyone starting tuesday wont start Sat. The bench is likely to be the test bench.

I think one of those three isn’t going to make it. If I was pushed I think North wont be ready.

I suppose that is likely which is why Maitland and Zebo are available. And hopefully one of Roberts Bod and Tuilagi will be fit to partner Davies if not two of the three.
Hope Shane doesnt make an arse of himself.

Shane 😯 …..I wonder how far down the pecking order Ashton is? 😀

Swap Cuthbert for Zebo and that would be my team a_a.

Shane is in because he’s in the same timezone and will be happy to bring his boots, play, have a few beers and head home again. Others wouldnt want to do that.

Zebo for all his attacking threat defends worse than Cuthbert at least Cuthbert will tackle players who run at him. Zebo leaving that kick off to bounce was unforgiveable too imo. Bloody ace to watch though him wade and eli walker show some real hope that Shane type players will still be around in the future

A 3/4 line against the Brumbies of Wade, Barritt, Twelvetrees and Shane Williams?

Who could have predicted that at the start of the tour? 😯

Should just put Farrell on at 10 rather than playing Hogg. Then at least the mostly English back line will have some understanding of each other. Worried after an easy ride against CC that Hogg will have a mare against more quality opposition in a position he doesn’t play regularly.

If the wings are that thin on the ground I would have put him or 1/2p on the wing/ full back interchange. Still think we could see North as a centre too.

Back row is rough for Tips who I still think is playing better than Hovis.

Bruk. Repear after me “thou shall not play two games in a week” why risk 1/2p or the only ten back up? If yhe centres werent all broken 12trees might have played ten. N

Sorry meant for the 1st test re 1/2p and Hogg on the wing. Re the 10 it does highlight the daftness of only taking 2.

Don’t think youngs will start the first test and looking at injuries bod and Davies at centre.

For all his first half exuberance, Zebo really should have put that try away.

Regardless of wether Shane is the best available, I’m completely chuffed for him. What a brilliant swansong to an extraordinary career. I hope he has a great game.
It’s now clear why barrit has been called up, just to protect the test options. I expect to see BOD and Davies to start the test with Manu coming off the bench.

Treat yourselves by looking at the last All Black try from yesterday, a thing a true beauty. Just sublime one of the best of all time I would say.

this is lovely

The second try is good but the third one exceptional

not as good as this though:

Zebo for all his attacking threat defends worse than Cuthbert at least Cuthbert will tackle players who run at him

You might want to watch Zebos first try against Wales in the 6N this year again!

I think the Lions could struggle against the Brumbies on Tues. they would also need to improve a lot before sat to stand a chance against Aus. The breakdown last night was terrible. Pluses were Youngs and the 2nd rows outstanding work rate and line outs. Youngs absolutely deserves the 2 shirt and I wonder if Gats is wishing POC was his captain?

Zebo played patticake with runners several times in yesterdays game and failed to catch a kick off, he also failed to take his try chance, good player like watching him play but he’s not lions test material although neither is Cuthbert. Zebo’s try v wales hardly disproves my assertion that Cuthbert will tackle people who run into him. No one was stupid enough to do that in that case. After Bowe and North the wing quality really drops off.

The breakdown last night was terrible.

would help if Heaslip and Croft spent less time fannying around on the wing and hit a few rucks. Warburton did a good job on Lions ball but really did lack support.

That’s not what happened though is it? Heaslip stood off too much, warbs was simply outplayed.

At least Bowe should be back for the second test. I don’t think any if the back row were that great last night. AWJ and POC on the other hand were magnificent.

How was Warburton outplayed? I really don’t see it.

He was a lot better than his previous game, but the waratahs had done their homework and largely nullified him IMHO. Croft worked his bollocks off and POC was simply immense. Only 1 tackle less than warbs! That’s some going for a man of that size. I’m very pleased that AWJ came good. He has to be the starter alongside POC. Wavering about heaslip now, perhaps Toby is the answer.

He was a lot better than his previous game, but the waratahs had done their homework and largely nullified him IMHO.

nullified what exactly?

Croft seemed to be doing a decent amount of work to me? I really didn’t think that the pack looked too bad though! Turned over a few too many times I agree, but thought that it was good other than that.

Well, they beat him to the breakdown and turned ball over. If they didnt beat him there on their attacking ball, he was taken off his feet pretty sharpish so that he couldn’t do much damage.

would help if Heaslip and Croft spent less time fannying around on the wing and hit a few rucks. Warburton did a good job on Lions ball but really did lack support.

That’s not really the case. Croft and Heaslip both made more runs, made more metres, offloaded more and hit more rucks than Warbs.

But that’s not possible, they’re not welsh!

Actually AA, joking aside, you really like your 6/7/8 to be on the floor with everything trying to wrestle the ball back, biting a gouging perfectly fine as long as you’re undernearh… so any player in that position who runs with the ball is going to cop some flack from you.

I like them a but more rounded, although I think Croft is too much of a back, his talent means you just have to put him in somewhere. There aren’t many forwards who can turn a game on its head, but he’s one of them.