Lions tour to Oz

I didn't say lydiate isn't good I said he's a limited sub, which is true. As a player he is good if surrounded by players of a certain mould, like ones you have mentioned. My point still stands he's a limited sub. As I said in the chat box earlier this week you either start him or leave him out entirely. For me Croft had to start to Lydiate shouldn't be in the match day squad.

That Lydiate not having played went on tour ahead of Brown and Robshaw tells a story.  I'm really only surprised Lydiate isn't starting.  I'm also surprised that given Croft has forced his way in that Faletau isn't starting and we have Croft paired with Heaslip.  Tells its own story of how much they believe BOD will influence the breakdown.

Croft's lineout work and work in the loose must have made it impossible for him to be ignored. Also means they can throw to the front, middle or back with confidence.

I did like the level of tactical analysis they went into explaining the selection of Corbs over Mako.  That the Aussies will have seen video, which is stating the obvious even for Gats, and that it's likely to rain.   Apart from that it was commented Mako deserves the spot and was unlucky to miss out

Yes, that was a nice touch. If the next test is a dry day maku could well start

they have no one on the bench that if were losing with 20 mins to go we have no to change that. apart from mako with is ball carrying. i have to admit that parling has really surprised me taught he may have sneaked a start reckon by third test hell be starting. 

i dont get this thing about croft starting with heaslip and lydiate on the bench. the backrow is Love Making horrible the more i think of it.

I would have liked to have seen Croft, Tipuric, O Brien as the back row, but i forgot that the sun shines out of Warburton's Bottom so...

Back row would look much better for me with Faletua in for Heaslip, or Lydiate for Croft, I don't get pairing Heaslip and Croft. Mind it is against the Aussies, not SA or NZ.

would of loved to see o'brien, tupuric and faletau but croft and heaslip has been playing well, but there two similar to play together warburton has his work cut out for him

I said somewhere earlier they likely feel better about having Warbs backed up by BOD. Without BOD that back row would surely have to be different.  And if it doesn't work there's Cole to bring on to bolster the breakdown work.

Doesn't seem the best selection though. You can't always cover injuries, but being screwed at both 7 and 8 in the even of an injury just seems odd.  There is a reason specialist blindsides don't make many benches when there's no starting players who cover other roles

Okay, so after all that today, what would we all go for next week?

for me:

Corbisiero
Youngs
Cole

AW Jones
PO'C

O Brien
Warburton
Heaslip

Youngs
Sexton

Davies
O'Driscoll

North
Zebo
Halfpenny


Hibbard
Vunipola
Jones
Parling
Croft
Phillips
Farrell
Tuilagi (if fit)


I think Cole helps us much more at the breakdown, Jones is basically absent apart from scrums.

Croft was okay, but I think SOB would give us some more impetus. To balance this Heaslip has to stay so we have the one roaming backrow. I think Warburton was okay; I'd prefer tipuric but Gatland is the coach

Phillips was dire and is lucky even to make the bench

Tuilagi on the bench if he's fit gives us the option to really change the backline

I'd keep Croft, bring in Youngs and start Manu at 12. Not sure about Cole starting tbh, Jones still shading it atmo. I wasn't impressed with Cole's scrummaging.

Scrums we lsot i felt it was wheeled on mako's side, cole held.

Manu/Davies is either way

croft is my favourite backrower out there, along with SOB... just don't know if he justified his XV place with that performance

I think the way we played didn't allow croft to shine

quick wrote:I think the way we played didn't allow croft to shine

agreed, but i can hardly see gatland suddenly playing differently....

later on Croft came tighter and looked better. I don't know how many times he needs to show he's a nice player to find out wide, but you don't have to force that.  slow start to the game could well see Lydiate and Croft swap.

thought Mowen did a cracking job of tying up Phillips.  but can't see other than Phillips staying as the starting 9

Can't see Youngs starting 9 unless Farrell starts 10, which seems unlikely.  Mowen did have Philips' number today, so it's an interesting one for gatland.  Centres have so much potential but haven't played enough together to properly unleash their attacking skills as a pair, that said I can't really see past the two of them, so long as there's at least one big winger to help out.

Having said that, North's defence was woeful, but you can't leave an attacking threat like that out of the equation.  Would love to see Manu get some game time with BOD because thats what theyve been working on. 

My preferred XV:

Corbs, Youngs, Cole
AWJ, POC
Croft, Warburton, Faletau
Phillips, Sexton (Would say maybe Murray but I think Mowen would destroy him on todays evidence)
Davies, BOD
North, Zebo, Halfpenny

Mako, Hibbard, Jones, Parling, Lydiate, Youngs, Farrell, Manu

There's obviously a plan with the bench, don't see a need to change it really.

Would like to see Sexton take the ball on the move a bit more, and more faith in the long ball at the lineout.  If Ashley-cooper and McCabe are still injured, then get some moves going in the centre and really stretch whoever the aussies bring in there.  Also attack with Halfpenny more. He's the kicker - I know - but he's a great runner and that shouldn't be wasted by wrapping him in cotton wool...

For the most part though, stuff seems to be working, so well done Mr Gatland and the Lions on a first test win for a while!

O'Connell's tour is over. Fractured arm.

Aussie injury list lengthens too though

Tommy Bowe to start

Watched that match back 4 times now. Lions got taken apart tactically, but the Aussies shanked far too many kicks to make it count.

Still a win is a win is a win, move on, next.

So, when your team and system aren't working, what do you do?

You get more of the players who know the immensely successful system into the side.


British and Irish Lions: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Tommy Bowe (Ireland), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Jamie Roberts (Wales), George North (Wales), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales); Alex Corbisiero (England), Richard Hibbard (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (captain, Wales), Geoff Parling (England), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Toby Faletau (Wales)

Replacements: Tom Youngs (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Dan Cole (England), Richie Gray (Scotland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Conor Murray (Ireland), Owen Farrell (England), Manu Tuilagi (England)

If Warburton wasn't injured you have to assume it would have been 11 Welshmen.

Gatball does work against a side stupid enough, or limited by talent available (or both) to kick the ball back. Any side that has a decent back three and is willing to use them should likely beat Gatball

As ever the inclusion of Manu on the bench strikes me as significantly retarded, much like having Croft as the lock last week. You need injuries not to go against you, else you've a huge problem of your own making.

In this Lions team they start Roberts and Davies in the centres, which is fine, and also starting are Bowe and North who've both played in the centres, and now we have Manu in addition to Farrell on the bench. So we're covered at centre, but truly in a smelly creek in a canoe with no paddle if we lose a winger or worse fullback.

I guess for a side playing badly they have at least added ball carriers, which does give you somewhere to go. And if it can gain momentum ascendancy then Gatball can win games. I'm not convinced though in many years of watching Aussie teams that I'd pin my hopes on the notion they'll miss tackles

I do think it was a good decision by the Lions' coaches to do very little training this week, but just send the players to the beach. Their bodies must be in bits by now.

ah sure who wanted to win anyway

Tipuric must be gutted - even with Gatland going for as many Welsh as possible in the starting lineup he still doesn't make it

No BOD - that is a disgrace. Davies was the reason we lost the last test match and he keeps his place.

The one positive is that they will probably be taking Welsh people off when they do the subs so at least we won't have as many Welsh on at the end to choke if the game is tight

We have definitely lost!