The Rugby Thread

[arcadianagain]

Was Hogg put in to protect Sexton and Farrel from injury? Whilst I don`t believe it to be true it seemed the management wern`t bothered about winning.

[PET]

Brumbies 14 - 12 Lions


Disappointing and slightly bizarre performance by the Lions. The starting XV looked like a team of complete strangers who had never played together before. Which is probably largely true. Not so much dire as incompetent.
Hogg has no business playing fly half (not his fault) and is an average kicker at best.
Williams might as well have stayed in Japan (again, not his fault).
O'Brien was verging on crap.
Etc.
But in addition to all that, there was no great urgency, no apparent will to give their all to get that ball and do something with it.

Things perked up when the subs came on, but with 20 minutes to go it was too late.

Oh, and the French referee had a worse game than any of the Lions players - he was ABYSMAL! Not that it favoured one side or the other, but in a game won by 2 points, who knows? He seemed to be totally unwilling to make a decision, and when he did, it was usually the wrong one.

But in the scheme of things, the fact that this team lost is not particularly relevant, apart from the fact that a 40-year-old record has been broken.

Roll on Saturday!


COYL!!

I AGREE - woeful at best, but with no practice it can be explained but I cannot accept it - as for Hogg enough said and Kearney too !

[pharvey]

Was Hogg put in to protect Sexton and Farrel from injury? Whilst I don`t believe it to be true it seemed the management wern`t bothered about winning.

No doubt "Test Players" were being protected - I would certainly not say the management were not bothered about winning though.... they brought on the"Bigger Guns" to get themselves out of trouble, unfortunately as I said.... too little too late to save the game.

The 2013 Lions will be remembered however for what happens in the coming weeks and the 3 Test series.....

[JimmyGreaves]

Wouldn't be losing too much sleep over this. A poor display and result but you can't expect too much from a team full of non-test starters, half of who were on the other side of the world a few days ago and the other half probably not motivated knowing that it was probably there last game. Zipped up a bit when the subs came on, before that it was dismal. Bring on the Real Lions on Saturday...

[arcadianagain]

I just asked my son (a Brit)who lives in Sydney what the Aussies are expecting on Saturday. They will wipe the floor with the Lions, they say, based on on the Brumbies result.

[JimmyGreaves]

Well George North is fit which is a bonus. We'll wait and see what the Wallabies have in store for us!

What do you think:

Given North's form in his outings against the Western Force, Queensland Reds - when he replaced Tuilagi for the last hour - and the Country XV, his availability leaves Alex Cuthbert, Sean Maitland and Simon Zebo effectively fighting for the one remaining wing berth.

Me thinks Cuthbert will get the nod.

[dtaai-maai]

I just asked my son (a Brit)who lives in Sydney what the Aussies are expecting on Saturday. They will wipe the floor with the Lions, they say, based on on the Brumbies result.

That must surely be no more than ignorant bar talk. You couldn't base anything on that result, particularly as most of that Lions side will be in suits and ties on Saturday.

On the other hand, ignorant bar talk and Aussie rugby journalists might not be such strangers...

[arcadianagain]

I just asked my son (a Brit)who lives in Sydney what the Aussies are expecting on Saturday. They will wipe the floor with the Lions, they say, based on on the Brumbies result.

That must surely be no more than ignorant bar talk. You couldn't base anything on that result, particularly as most of that Lions side will be in suits and ties on Saturday.

On the other hand, ignorant bar talk and Aussie rugby journalists might not be such strangers...

That was the point my son made, many of the side inexperienced and jet-lagged. National pride and the crowd may make the game closer but I still think the Lions will edge it.
Speaking of ignorant bar talk, sorry to mix sports and all that, but didn`t many Spurs fans predict big things for their club last season?

[pharvey]

As DM says, basing anything on the last game is basically stupidity.... or Australian
Our Matilda loving cousins will have taken great (but sadly misplaced) hope from the Brumbies game, but the Lions are good by a score or 2 for the 1st test.......

Hopefully the Lions can sort out their lineout woes, and the inclusion of Croft gives them some additional options there. Bringing Corbisiero in at prop ahead of Vunipola certainly indicates Gatland's intention to put it to Australia in the tight.....

My gypsy-like prediction for the game..... Halfpenny to kill Matilda's sprogs with the boot, Jon Davies to have a blinder at center, North to bang in a try or 2!! For those in the HHF pool, don't forget to make your picks

Australia: 15 Berrick Barnes, 14 Israel Folau, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Christian Leali'ifano, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 James O'Connor, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Ben Mowen, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 James Slipper, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Pat McCabe, 23 Kurtley Beale.

British & Irish Lions: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Alex Cuthbert, 13 Brian O'Driscoll, 12 Jonathan Davies, 11 George North, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Mike Phillips, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Sam Warburton (c), 6 Tom Croft, 5 Paul O'Connell, 4 Alun Wyn Jones, 3 Adam Jones, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Alex Corbisiero.
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Makovina Vunipola, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Geoff Parling, 20 Dan Lydiate, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Sean Maitland.

All I need to do now, is persuade the Japanese contractor to let me off site early tomorrow so I can attempt to watch/listen to the game!!

[dtaai-maai]

^^If you'd like me to send them a note, just say the word.

[pharvey]

^^If you'd like me to send them a note, just say the word.

Believe it or not, my dear hosts have looked on this as a great excuse for everybody to finish early tomorrow, and have organised transport 2 hours early....... bless them

[dtaai-maai]

First half and we're 1 point ahead.
I was disappointed that they went for the kick instead of the scrum in that last second penalty.
Getting no help at all from the ref - I think O'Driscoll has had 3 penalties given against him. All questionable, to say the least.

The first Aussie try came from another questionable penalty after several minutes of Lions pressure in the Aussie 22. Good try, but lucky to get the chance.

The 2nd Aussie try came after Phillips gave away possession with a box kick. They're not necessary - our forwards our so dominant we don't need to kick the bugger away.

Fantastic try by North, great strength and speed. Unlucky not to get a 2nd.

Keep it up, use the forwards when necessary and we've got this in the bag. Kick away possession and we could lose it, as Falah looks pretty shit hot.

We should be at least 10 points ahead, but we aren't. Am I just getting more biased as I get older?

[caller]

Bizarre ending as we oh so nearly threw it away. Should have been more comfortable. Need to get the interpretation at the breakdown right to stop giving the aussies an unfair advantage.

[richard]

I'd got the Aussies down for a win. Oh so close. Screwed me up on Superbru

[dtaai-maai]

Nice to know you were supporting the right team, richard. So sorry they lost!

At the end of the day, we almost lost it by not having the lead we should have had at half time. But we didn't, and that was a huge win for the Lions, even though it was only by 2 points.
Just as well they missed so many kicks, but most of them should never have been given in the first place.

Sorry, pharvey, but Phillips had a poor game. On balance, I still think he's the no. 1 scrum half, but only just. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the mid-week side to prove that today was an aberration.