Australia v British & Irish Lions, 3rd Test (Sydney)

[barbarian]

Payten kind of retracted that though. What he meant to say was there is no chance of Smith AND Gill being on the bench together. So if Smith comes in it will be at the expense of Hooper or Gill.

 

[Braveheart81]

Lots of changes in the Lions team.

1. Corbisiero
2. Hibbard
3. Jones
4. A W Jones (c)
5. Parling
6. Lydiate
7. O'Brien
8. Faletau
9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. North
12. Roberts
13. Davies
14. Bowe
15. Halfpenny

16. T Youngs
17 Cole
18. Vunipola
19. Gray
20. Tipuric
21. Murray
22. Farrel
23. Tuilagi

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

1. Corbisiero
2. Hibbard
3. Jones
4. A W Jones (c)
5. Parling
6. Lydiate
7. O'Brien
8. Faletau
9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. North
12. Roberts
13. Davies
14. Bowe
15. Halfpenny

16. T Youngs
17 Cole
18. Vunipola
19. Gray
20. Tipuric
21. Murray
22. Farrel
23. Tuilagi

This official?

 

[barbarian]

Official.

Seems very strange to me that Warren Gatland has had a whole year, PLUS plenty of warm-up games, and still can't work out what his best XV is.

I like this side, but you have to wonder if the chopping and changing will have an impact, even though many of these are established (Wales) combinations.
.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

A lot more ball carrying options in that forward pack with O'Brien, Faletau & Hibbard. Maybe they intend on playing more football this week?

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

Thinking about it, the Lions may give away the assendancy at the breakdown they enjoyed last week with BOD, Warburton and Vunipola in the run on side. I would start Smith to tip the ground war scales in our favour....

 

[JSRF10]

Gatland has panicked and gone back to what he knows best, wrong decision IMO the Wallabies will have a field day down Davies and Roberts channel. One bloke who is infamous for not being able to get into form quickly and another who has been shocking this test series whilst defending the 13 channel as well I might add.

This is going to a mirror match of every Wales Australia match in recent times, Lions are going to try and defend and defend and defend a little bit more, kick ball away and attack the Wallabies set piece. When are the Lions going to realize that this isn't the Wallabies of 2007 THEY HAVE A CAPABLE SET PIECE WE ARE UNABLE TO BULLY THEM THERE, SHOW SOME BLOODY INVENTION. Warren has obviously erased the last 4 years of his reign from his memory, and probably any chance of the All Blacks job he so covets. The fears about this coaching group I had pre tour are coming to pass, they'll regret not including a proper backs coach (and advocate of attacking rugby) like McGeechan or Schmidt.

If the Bens can hold up the Wallaby scrum, this could get ugly quickly for the Lions. No invention, just bosh from the Lions if we're going to win it is going to be in multiples of 3 from scrum penalties.

 

[biggameplayer]

I have been informed by a friend who watched the Wallabies train yesterday, that Smith was training in what appeared to be the starting side with Hooper on the bench. Mowen did not take part in the session and Rob Simmons took his spot in the lineout. It appears the starting forward pack will be:
1. Robinson
2. Moore
3. Alexander
4. Horwill
5. Douglas
6. Mowen
7. Smith
8. Palu
He also told me that in a kick chase drill/team run that Jesse Mogg was exceptional with his left boot; plugging the corners with ease. He said Kurtley played a fair bit of first receiver which makes me think that we could very well at some stage see Mogg at 15 and KB (Kurtley Beale) at 10.

 

[JSRF10]

Thinking about it, the Lions may give away the assendancy at the breakdown they enjoyed last week with BOD, Warburton and Vunipola in the run on side. I would start Smith to tip the ground war scales in our favour..

I agree with this selection the Lions are effectively sacrificing the line out and the breakdown and putting all their eggs in the scrum basket. As I said if the Wallabies can hold up their scrum I can't see many other threats given how the Lions have played so far.

 

[Blue]

Official.

Seems very strange to me that Warren Gatland has had a whole year, PLUS plenty of warm-up games, and still can't work out what his best XV is.

I like this side, but you have to wonder if the chopping and changing will have an impact, even though many of these are established (Wales) combinations.
.

Let's look at it:

Heaslip - anonymous last week. Flat track bully.
BOD - looked totally ineffective in attack and struggled in the last 20 to keep up
Youngs - SH - 50/50 call hardly played a role
Youngs - Hooker - paid the price for some crook throws and someone was going to take a fall for the scrums

Roberts was always going to come back in so the decision to play Davies is purely on combination and in my opinion he was the form center leading into the tests. He is bloody good. Better than BOD right now.

Sacrificing the lineout my arse. They will be competitive enough.

I look forward to seeing SOB in action.

I think this is a better team than last week.

 

[JSRF10]

Roberts was always going to come back in so the decision to play Davies is purely on combination and in my opinion he was the form center leading into the tests. He is bloody good. Better than BOD right now.

Sacrificing the lineout my arse. They will be competitive enough.

Roberts and Davies are the same player good straight line runners with zero creativity. BODs presence alone attracts players in defense, added to the fact he can pass and is a far better defender than Davies makes that decision baffling. People can mention the warm up games all they want but at the end of the day anyone would look good outside the forward dominance the Lions had. If you want an accurate description of Davies ability at the top level look at the November internationals and the 6 nations, mediocre would be being kind to JD.

The Roberts one is even worse not only has he looked out of form for a year now he hasn't played in 3 weeks and like many Welsh players is notorious for feeling his way back in after injury. Gatland has shit himself at the wrong time and gone back to what he knows best, probably mindful of the fact that he has to coach the Welsh again in November.

As for the lineout you have seen Hibbard throw before right?

I should add I agree with the other changes, except Phillips that one is probably the worst of all Gatlands decisions but I'll just assume that everyone here saw the first test and leave it at that

 

[BDA]

No BOD is a surprise. Otherwise pretty much as expected from the Lions. 10 Welsh players in the starting line-up.

I think the Lions will try to hang their hat on the scrum battle. That is a strong scrum they've chosen. Not sure where else they hope to get an edge. We should be able to best them at the breakdown and in the backs. The Line-out should be pretty even. I get a sneaking suspicion they will be relying on dominance at scrum time in the hope that they can milk a yellow card. Classic NH tactics against Aus.

I agree with JSRF10. If we can hold our own at scrum time, all signs point to a Wallabies Series win! Although I'm a bit concerned that Deans is going to get his selections wrong.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

Strong forward pack there, you would expect them to go for the scrum at every opportunity but there some baffling selections in the backs. When was the last time Phillips, Roberts or Davies had a good game vs the Wobs?

Davies over BOD is in particular odd, even if he isn't setting the world on fire he's farm more solid in defense and his experience is a huge asset.

AWJ as captain is interesting too, what's his ref management like? Surely not as good as Warbs or POC?

 

[JSRF10]

AWJ as captain is interesting too, what's his ref management like? Surely not as good as Warbs or POC?

Roman Poite doesn't take kindly to any questioning of his decisions from the captain, POC has learnt this the hard way in the Heineken Cup. Horwill and AWJ would just be advised to leave him to it on Saturday you don't want to get on his bad side or else he is liable to blow you off the park.

 

[Try-ranosaurus Rex]

Western Force back-rower Ben McCalman is the surprise inclusion in the Wallabies' 23-man squad for the third Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.

McCalman faced the press this morning and team officials confirmed that Brumbies fullback Jesse Mogg had also made the cut.

McCalman has not played for the Wallabies since the Test against Wales at the end of 2011, and did not make the Wallabies' original 25-man squad, but has forced his way into the match day 23 after a strong run of form for the Force.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/mccalman-forces-his-way-into-wallabies-squad-20130703-2pb84.html#ixzz2XwyTLy5z

This straight from SMH

I think the two scenarios are:

A) 6:2 bench with JOC (James O'Connor) to cover centres
B) Using dual opensides with Hooper & Smith

I think scenario A is most likely..... and hope to god AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't get crooked!! (touching wood now)[/

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

That is a bizarre team from Gatland. O'Brien in at openside makes all the sense in the world, as does bringing Corbisero straight back in, but Phillips, Faletau and Roberts? No BOD? WTF?

 

[Blue]

Roberts and Davies are the same player good straight line runners with zero creativity. BODs presence alone attracts players in defense, added to the fact he can pass and is a far better defender than Davies makes that decision baffling.

Roberts and Davies the same? You are joking right? Davies is a far more effective 13 than 12. There is only one 13 in the world right now who is better at recognising space and the right line to run and that's Conrad Smith. Davies does this incredibly well.

BOD is a legend, but to suggest he still commands the same attention at test level is just not true. He is not the threat he once was. I fully understand Gatland's logic. I think you are living in the past with BOD but I can understand that coming from an Oirish.

The Lions don't have a straight throwing hooker. So he exchanges one for another who can scrum.

Connor Murray should have started. Agree on that.

 

[Deputy Van Halen]

Roman Poite doesn't take kindly to any questioning of his decisions from the captain, POC has learnt this the hard way in the Heineken Cup. Horwill and AWJ would just be advised to leave him to it on Saturday you don't want to get on his bad side or else he is liable to blow you off the park.

Maybe going with the strong silent type is a canny move by Gatland then. Still baffled by the back line though and it's not too late for Dingo to make his own odd selections either.

 

[Blue]

This straight from SMH

I think the two scenarios are:

A) 6:2 bench with JOC (James O'Connor) to cover centres
B) Using dual opensides with Hooper & Smith

I think scenario A is most likely... and hope to god AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't get crooked!! (touching wood now)[/

Jesus wept. McCalman.

 

[Intruder]

Although his line out throwing hasn't been very effective. The addition of Hibbard at hooker is one that the Australian forwards will be worried about especially at the scrum.