Waratahs v. B&I Lions - Saturday 15 June 2013

[Athilnaur]

Love Chiekas attitude and should be a very telling game.

 

[Hell West & Crooked]

So what's the feeling for the Tahs chances here? Better than the Reds? Worse?

For mine, Reds fielded a better team even with Horne and Dennis back, but this Tahs team won't be too far behind. The big difference will be in the pack.

Overall I agree, I think the Reds fielded a stronger team - and the first 20 minutes or so of the Reds Game? My Tahs couldn't produce Rugby like that at the moment, if you fitted each one with a cattle prod!... So they will have to go another way...

The one difference that I believe will be a big difference to the Reds; The Tahs look ahead to the next month or so, and this is it - no distractions, this is the only game they have to look forward to, for the remainder of this year...

I don't expect them to win, but I do think they will run the Lions deep into the 2nd half.

 

[Intruder]

The biggest problem the Tahs have is the same as the Reds had. The tight five for the Lions are going to be a real handful for the Reserve tight five, especially the second row. Set piece will be very tough, with POC, AWJ, Croft and Parling jumping and Jones and Vunipola in the scrum.

Agree, Waratahs will give the Lions much better opposition at the set piece however the bench will be very inexperienced. Personally it's been enjoyable watching these warm up matches seeing the underdog have a red hot go. The Reds did it and have no doubt Cheika will get these inexperienced players to follow come kick off.

Bring on the Lions !

 

[Hell West & Crooked]

I not so sure about that.
Seems that the ARU have decided to start taking these tour matches a bit more seriously. If the Lions players can play on Saturday against the Tah's and then again next Saturday against the Wallabies, I can'r see why the same can't be said for Dennis and Horne.

No change of policy from ARU - just a case of Deans having match day squad picked, and these boys are not in it for test no 1... I think the reasons for the Wallabies being held back so dilligently is twofold... 1. they need intensive training to get the combinations/tactics running smooth... and 2. We cannot affors any more injurues! Pocock, Smith, Ione, Higgers, TPN not sure who i have missed - but how much stronger would we be with them?

The Lions can ill afford too many injuries either, but they NEED these games in order to test their own combinations and form, so - no choice. The Lions do not use the traditional Tour Format of Test Squad + Dirt Trackers - every game for them is basically a trial. After all, the Lions are basically similar to a SANZAR Team going away on tour - and those players jockeying for position...

 

[Hell West & Crooked]

That's a big call, though you did say "could".

Elle McPherson could come into the house in the next five minutes and ravish me while the missus is down at the shops, but I doubt it.

The only thing I can say for sure is that Will is doing much better than I ever thought he would a couple of years ago and that I hope he keeps surprising me.

Another thing: he will learn a lot playing against POC.
.

By the way, that Elle Mc Pherson thing did happen to me once, but I told her never again - I didn't think we connected, mentally...

 

[Richo]

No change of policy from ARU - just a case of Deans having match day squad picked, and these boys are not in it for test no 1. I think the reasons for the Wallabies being held back so dilligently is twofold. 1. they need intensive training to get the combinations/tactics running smooth. and 2. We cannot affors any more injurues! Pocock, Smith, Ione, Higgers, TPN not sure who i have missed - but how much stronger would we be with them?

News reports did, in fact, suggest that it was an ARU response to criticism.

 

[Scotty]

News reports did, in fact, suggest that it was an ARU response to criticism.

Otherwise surely some Reds players could have been released for their game. Although there is a real possibility that all the Reds players in the initial 31 man squad will be involved in the match day 23.

 

[JSRF10]

The biggest problem the Tahs have is the same as the Reds had. The tight five for the Lions are going to be a real handful for the Reserve tight five, especially the second row. Set piece will be very tough, with POC, AWJ, Croft and Parling jumping and Jones and Vunipola in the scrum.

Don't be fooled by the Lions performance in the scrums so far. Adam Jones aside it is a front 5 that has 4 weak scrummagers, they've just been up against either disinterested (BaaBaas) or not very good (Reds, Force, Country). Vunipola has struggled against every decent scrum he has faced this year both for Saracens and England, the Lions haven't been tested yet in this department. I don't think the Tahs will be strong enough to either, however they should get parity there, but I think its an area Australia could potentially target.

 

[fatprop]

Love Chiekas attitude and should be a very telling game.

Yep, it will be a great test of some fringes players attitude and ability, as they will be under the pump

 

[fatprop]

Don't be fooled by the Lions performance in the scrums so far. Adam Jones aside it is a front 5 that has 4 weak scrummagers, they've just been up against either disinterested (BaaBaas) or not very good (Reds, Force, Country). Vunipola has struggled against every decent scrum he has faced this year both for Saracens and England, the Lions haven't been tested yet in this department. I don't think the Tahs will be strong enough to either, however they should get parity there, but I think its an area Australia could potentially target.

Hopefully they have been doing some solid work this week, they were all over the shop last weekend, with a backrow full of meerkats

 

[BDA]

Don't be fooled by the Lions performance in the scrums so far. Adam Jones aside it is a front 5 that has 4 weak scrummagers, they've just been up against either disinterested (BaaBaas) or not very good (Reds, Force, Country). Vunipola has struggled against every decent scrum he has faced this year both for Saracens and England, the Lions haven't been tested yet in this department. I don't think the Tahs will be strong enough to either, however they should get parity there, but I think its an area Australia could potentially target.

From what I saw the Force front row handled the Lions quite well at scrum time (but I only watched the first half). As for the Tahs gaining parity, the Force got the better of them last week. From memory the bloke playing LH (?) had a poor game. Patty Ryan wasn't all that much better. It'll be interesting to see how they go.

 

[JSRF10]

From what I saw the Force front row handled the Lions quite well at scrum time (but I only watched the first half).

They did but they never really attacked the Lions there, my point was that the Lions are yet to face a test match standard scrum therefore some players weaknesses haven't been exposed on tour as they were throughout the season

 

[Brumby Runner]

Don't be fooled by the Lions performance in the scrums so far. Adam Jones aside it is a front 5 that has 4 weak scrummagers, they've just been up against either disinterested (BaaBaas) or not very good (Reds, Force, Country). Vunipola has struggled against every decent scrum he has faced this year both for Saracens and England, the Lions haven't been tested yet in this department. I don't think the Tahs will be strong enough to either, however they should get parity there, but I think its an area Australia could potentially target.

This flies in the face of the accepted wisdom concerning the efficiency of the Lions' set piece. But I did get the impression that the Force scrum held its own and the Lions' pack certainly did not demolish the Reds although they were superior. From my observations, I don't think the Lions' scrum set piece is as strong as their line out. I expect the Wallabies' scrum to at least achieve parity. The Wallabies will do better to have 4 jumpers in the line out to match the Lions there.

 

[BDA]

They did but they never really attacked the Lions there, my point was that the Lions are yet to face a test match standard scrum therefore some players weaknesses haven't been exposed on tour as they were throughout the season

I agree. It'll be interesting to see how they match up against the Brumbies front row of Palmer & Sio. That will be the best front row they will face before the tests.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

while the lions have great lineout jumpers, they haven't yet got their coordination right. They have lost a lot of their own lineout ball in the warmup games, even when uncontested

 

[Braveheart81]

Tahs team to take on the Lions

1. Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University, vice captain)
2. John Ulugia (Eastern Suburbs)
3. Paddy Ryan (Sydney University)
4. Will Skelton (Sydney University)
5. Ollie Atkins (Sydney University)
6. Jed Holloway (Southern Districts)
7. Pat McCutcheon (Sydney University)
8. Dave Dennis (Sydney University, captain)
9. Brendan McKibbin (Eastern Suburbs)
10. Bernard Foley (Sydney University, vice captain)
11. Peter Betham (Sydney University)
12. Tom Carter (Sydney University)
13. Rob Horne (Southern Districts)
14. Cam Crawford (Northern Suburbs)
15. Drew Mitchell (Randwick)

Replacements
16. Luke Holmes (Warringah)
17. Richard Aho (Randwick)*
18. Sam Talakai (Sydney University)**
19. Lopeti Timani (Southern Districts)
20. AJ Gilbert (Northern Suburbs)*
21. Matt Lucas (Manly)
22. Ben Volavola (Southern Districts)
23. Tom Kingston (Sydney University)

* Indicates players from outside the 35-man squad
** Indicates uncapped players

Standby players:
24. Liam Winton (Sydney University)*
25. Terrence Hepetema (Randwick)*

 

[Snort]

I've supported Sydney University for 30 years, but I never thought I'd get to see them play the Lions! Looks like our thirds will be facing Manly on Saturday...

 

[Hawko]

I've supported Sydney University for 30 years, but I never thought I'd get to see them play the Lions! Looks like our thirds will be facing Manly on Saturday.

Bit frightening to think that the Uni team for the grand final could be virtually a Lions-experienced one.

 

[Blue]

Don't be fooled by the Lions performance in the scrums so far. Adam Jones aside it is a front 5 that has 4 weak scrummagers, they've just been up against either disinterested (BaaBaas) or not very good (Reds, Force, Country). Vunipola has struggled against every decent scrum he has faced this year both for Saracens and England, the Lions haven't been tested yet in this department. I don't think the Tahs will be strong enough to either, however they should get parity there, but I think its an area Australia could potentially target.

Yes but their T5 is way better that the Tahs reserve T5. Jones on his own makes it very hard.

And to suggest that POC is not one of the best scrummaging locks in the world is surely a joke? The man is a beast.

Mako has improved with every game this year. He's still a pup. His work in the loose is bloody amazing. My favorite Lions player so far.

The Lions lineout should run riot this weekend.

 

[Blue]

That is really not a bad Tahs side.

They are as much a chance of an upset as the Reds were I reckon.