Lions Tour 2013

[Cardiffblue]

Any thoughts as to how Quade Cooper would have gone at fly half tonight? My back line for next game - 9 Genia, 10 Cooper, 12 Lealiifano, 13 Fainga'a, 11 O'Connor, 15 Beale and 14 Folau. Thoughts?

Looks strong but I wouldn't bother with JOC (James O'Connor). Stupid decision tonight to play him at 10. His distribution isn't good enough to play there. Genia who was brilliant played best when he forgot the man outside him. I'd be more worried about the forwards

 

[Cardiffblue]

Thought Heaslip was below his best. When Adam is on the field the scrum works amazing. wit a couple of orc props, we made aussie scrum look good! PoC and AWJ outstanding.

 

[the plastic paddy]

Thought Heaslip was below his best. When Adam is on the field the scrum works amazing. wit a couple of orc props, we made aussie scrum look good! PoC and AWJ outstanding.

Jones will not be subbed again unless he is injured, It should have cost the Lions the game.

 

[Dai bando]

Thought Heaslip did OK lions didn't play well but won, sez much about the aussie side, I thought warburton did well too no balance in th e back row tho How the fug did the aussies beat our scrum once the subs came on, few changes me thinks for the second yest

 

[USARugger]

They beat the scrum because the Aussie scrum really isn't bad (size considered some of the front-rowers in Australia are actually very technically good) and we replaced Alexander with a genuine tighthead prop.

 

[Cardiffblue]

If I were cementhead I would play Murray at 9 at least on the bench. Drop croft for L'idiot and Faletau for Heaslip and at least have SoB or Tips on the bench. Sexton had shakey start in defence but in attack was brilliant especially when compared with JOC (James O'Connor). rest of the backs the same. Oh and I would have Best/Hibbard as the hookers

 

[Cardiffblue]

And if I were RD, given that the pack is not going to dominate anything, I would go for the most inventive backs hat can score from anywhere in broken play, which means choosing Cooper

 

[WESTCOMBE RANGER]

RD will have a bit more to think about than QC (Quade Cooper) if his captain gets the ban I expect him to after seeing him scraping AWJ's face with his boot. Certainly didn't look accidental to me and the call came from the citing officer not some whingeing POM
Ranger

 

[RoffsChoice]

Wallabies forward pack will be unchanged, everyone did what was expected of them and parity was the worst they got. (Unless of course Horwill gets suspended, which he may well).
Backline will see a major reshuffle. Expecting AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Barnes and McCabe to be out next week. May well be Genia Beale Ioane Lealiifano Horne Cummins Folau.

 

[Dai bando]

They beat the scrum because the Aussie scrum really isn't bad (size considered some of the front-rowers in Australia are actually very technically good) and we replaced Alexander with a genuine tighthead prop.

I was being facetious USA Rugger Cole has long been suspected in my part of the woods as second rate, showed in the test, I personally have never considered the Aussie front row that bad, though they were out done by Corbisero and Jones who I feel will have to stay on the field longer for the second test. Unfortunate you lost so many backs hope they are all OK, you seem to have found a real star in that winger, didn't know him before yesterday they do now wont get the space next time I'm thinking, (hoping) Lions defence was poor, Perhaps because Roberts wasn't there as he marshals the defensive line, Croft went missing for quite long periods, cant see him in the next test.

 

[Craig Riddington]

If I were cementhead I would play Murray at 9 at least on the bench. Drop croft for L'idiot and Faletau for Heaslip and at least have SoB or Tips on the bench. Sexton had shakey start in defence but in attack was brilliant especially when compared with JOC (James O'Connor). rest of the backs the same. Oh and I would have Best/Hibbard as the hookers

Because Best and Hibbard are in such blinding form??? Did you miss the Brumbies game?

 

[Craig Riddington]

I thought Croft was okay and the numbers back that up but I think there needs to be a change in the back row and SOB must start in the next test. We need someone to put pressure on Genia and SOB will do that and more. Croft to the bench. I would also use the Rebels game to let Murray and Youngs battle it out for the starting spot. Phillips looks like he's playing himself out of form to me. I would have had Zebo in over Cuthbert in the first place but if Bowe is back, better still. Davies is the only other question mark for me and that's more to do with him developing an understanding with BOD.

 

[vidiot]

Twitter talk of O'Connell being out of the tour with a fracture.

 

[Dai bando]

Yep and they called up tom court for corbisero

 

[Cardiffblue]

Because Best and Hibbard are in such blinding form??? Did you miss the Brumbies game?

Went to that one. At the moment none of the lions hookers look that crash hot

 

[JSRF10]

Jayus that is a strange one, although the fact that he is in Brisbane helps. Just confirmed on ESPN http://www.espnscrum.com/lions-tour-2013/rugby/story/187289.html If Vunipola starts the test on Saturday thats a massive advantage to the Aussies.

Also we are f***** if POC is out of the tour, he is the real on field leader of the team. The chief ruck inspector seems happy to take the back seat on the pitch which I have found strange.

 

[Cardiffblue]

I thought Croft was okay and the numbers back that up but I think there needs to be a change in the back row and SOB must start in the next test. We need someone to put pressure on Genia and SOB will do that and more. Croft to the bench. I would also use the Rebels game to let Murray and Youngs battle it out for the starting spot. Phillips looks like he's playing himself out of form to me. I would have had Zebo in over Cuthbert in the first place but if Bowe is back, better still. Davies is the only other question mark for me and that's more to do with him developing an understanding with BOD.

thought Foxy played exceptionally well with BoD. Wings likely to be unchanged, though they will be practicing all week cos Australia will be lobbing high balls to Folau all night

 

[Cardiffblue]

I thought Croft was okay and the numbers back that up but I think there needs to be a change in the back row and SOB must start in the next test. We need someone to put pressure on Genia and SOB will do that and more. Croft to the bench. I would also use the Rebels game to let Murray and Youngs battle it out for the starting spot. Phillips looks like he's playing himself out of form to me. I would have had Zebo in over Cuthbert in the first place but if Bowe is back, better still. Davies is the only other question mark for me and that's more to do with him developing an understanding with BOD.

they will stick with spikey at 9. Youngs was awful. I would take Philips off after first half and put murray so that we have him and Sexton on together

 

[Cardiffblue]

RD will have a bit more to think about than QC (Quade Cooper) if his captain gets the ban I expect him to after seeing him scraping AWJ's face with his boot. Certainly didn't look accidental to me and the call came from the citing officer not some whingeing POM
Ranger

Missed that! Horwill was best on field for the Aussie pack. I'd be changing the second rows if I were RD. Both went AWOL

 

[Craig Riddington]

they will stick with spikey at 9. Youngs was awful. I would take Philips off after first half and put murray so that we have him and Sexton on together

B Youngs wasn't on long enough to be awful, however, Phillips was. Mowen had a field day. The combination of Murray and Sexton is a good point though.
The only hooker with a 100% line out record is T Youngs. He was also solid in the scrum, tackled well and carried well. He wouldn't have stood a chance of getting near the test team if any of the others had showed form. They haven't, he has and now he's taken his chance well.
Davies is in fine form. He just didn't quite click with BOD though. Maybe another week will improve things.
More worried about Corbs and POC - missing those two would be a disaster.