Australia vs British and Irish Lions - 1st Test (Brisbane)

[Cassius88]

To his credit, Deans has given it a go picking JOC (James O'Connor) and Lilo.

However, I think it should remembered neither have ever played together, and neither have played a test match of this intensity in their respective positions, ever. To start them in this state in a Lions test is a risk.
Saying that, it doesn't seem there are any better options.

JOC (James O'Connor) has played one test at 5/8 and 6 Super 15 games. Essentially, whoever you picked at inside centre was going to be a new combination. As for their individual inexperience, JOC (James O'Connor) is the only real option right now and people hate McCabe. I don't see that there was any other option really.

Edit: Just read the last line of your post, haha. Carry on.

 

[biggsy]

I reserve the right to criticise if JOC (James O'Connor) at 10 doesn't succeed though!

2nd that

 

[Scoey]

Guys all this talk about flyhalves and 'combinations' and back rows etc it great and all but there is a bigger issue for tomorrow's game. The beer available at Suncorp!

A mate of mine was just telling me that he read in today's Courier Mail that as Hahn Super Dry is the Beer sponsor of the Wallabies, we'll be able to get it at the game. Fantastic! A decent beer at the footy! He was also saying that there is a 'smart phone app' that allows punters to order and pay for their beers from their seats to reduce queuing times so you miss less of the action. Part of their pioneering beering thing.

I can't find the article anywhere. Does anyone know anything about this? I don't care that much about the app but I would be stoked to be able to buy a Super Dry at the game instead of XXXX Gold!

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I will not criticise Deans if the Lilo or Folau experiments go wrong. They are attacking and non-conservative selections.

I reserve the right to criticise if JOC (James O'Connor) at 10 doesn't succeed though!

I'll post humble pie if the JOC (James O'Connor) experiment does come off.

I've had to do a bit of that lately on the back of some of my tips, and fear that I am acquiring a bit of a taste for said pie.

I'll gladly have an entire humble pie if it means that the Men in Gold see off the invaders in Red.

 

[Cassius88]

Was just gonna say. Super Dry could only ever be considered a "decent beer" when the alternative is XXXX Gold. I suppose you can only get mid strength at ANZ, one of the many reasons I hate going there.

 

[JSRF10]

Guys all this talk about flyhalves and 'combinations' and back rows etc it great and all but there is a bigger issue for tomorrow's game. The beer available at Suncorp!

At the Tahs on Saturday night they were only serving Hahn Super Dry where I was, normally its VB so your mate is correct I think

 

[rugbysmartarse]

At the Tahs on Saturday night they were only serving Hahn Super Dry where I was, normally its VB so your mate is correct I think

congratulations on getting far enough advanced through the bar line to see which beer was being served. You outlasted most in that respect

 

[rugbysmartarse]

on a related note, my "former captain" level has clicked over to Arch Winning. That's gotta be a sign, right?

 

[Scoey]

Was just gonna say. Super Dry could only ever be considered a "decent beer" when the alternative is XXXX Gold. I suppose you can only get mid strength at ANZ, one of the many reasons I hate going there.

Haha! Of the mainstream beers I quite like Super Dry but each to their own. XXXX Gold is a fairly universally barely tolerated beer though!

 

[fatprop]

At the Tahs on Saturday night they were only serving Hahn Super Dry where I was, normally its VB so your mate is correct I think

the SFS was at it's best when Hahn PET bottles were sold, speed to beer was exceptional

 

[JSRF10]

congratulations on getting far enough advanced through the bar line to see which beer was being served. You outlasted most in that respect

Gave a spare ticket to a bloke from work, as payment he was the "beer bitch" for me and the missus. Didn't miss a second of rugby but had a good supply of drinks the whole game. His fate was sealed when he asked me in the pub pre game who the Lions captain was, and why was Wilko wasn't in the team.

 

[BDA]

Re the decision not to play warm up games, it’s a gamble either way in my book. The Wallabies are notoriously slow starters to the test season and there is every chance we will be underdone. Although to be fair we generally look underdone due to having less than a week to prepare and work on combinations. I don’t think physicality or fitness will be a problem given that the guys have comes from playing 3 months of top flight provincial rugby. It’s the combinations that are the question mark. But they have been doing nothing else but running set plays and patterns over the last three weeks so in that respect it doesn’t really compare to other pre-season games over the last few years.

I think you’ll find that when the Super season resumes, some teams will look rusty, whilst others will hit the ground running, looking reinvigorated. Hopefully the Wallabies will be the latter. After what has been a fairly taxing super season, this break is really a great opportunity to recharge the battery. No doubt the super season takes its toll; one only has to look at the waxing and waning fortunes of some of the teams to see that the form of certain players take a dive after too many consecutive weeks of rugby.

The real reason behind the decision is surely to protect (as best possible) against pre-series’ injuries to our squad. One only has to remember 2010 when we lost Alexander (against Fiji) in the week leading up to the England Series, after having already lost Robbo during the super season. It was an injury that the Wallabies couldn’t cover for and resulted in 2 penalty tries the next week. In all honestly the Wallabies are precariously placed in terms of squad depth. We can perhaps cope with the early losses of pocock, smith, TPN, Timani and Higgers. However the loss of a Genia, Moore, Horwill, Robinson, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Palu, etc so close to the first test would have been a disaster of biblical proportions. We may very well lose one or two anyway during the test series, but it is important that we have a full arsenal for the first test.

 

[gold heart]

We have four american mates, a frog and their wives coming over tomorrow afternoon for surf and turf, crownes and they are all wallaby supporters for this match - guess we are not the only country that love to see the poms, boyos, skirt wearers and spud chompers getting beaten. GO GOLD.

I am tremendously excited for this game and my stomach has been churning all week. What can be better the men in gold running out at the best rugby venue in australia.

I am nervous as a half baked school boy about JOC (James O'Connor) and also worried that digby might be coming back too soon from the knee operation. I am also worried about alexander - if he packs low he will be fine, if not he may get rimmed a new one. Mowen, all i can say is its about time. I would also start gill over hooper as we need to set the tone at the breakdown from the beginning. I am not sure if Simmons is the right selection on the bench as he can only fill one position and it depends which personality turns up, but I am thinking that he will be bought on if the lineouts do not go our way. We need Genia and big red to get into things quickly from kickoff. All in all a fairly good team given the injuries with some exciting debutants. I am praying the lack of game time will not hurt us in this match.

The next 24 hours can not come quick enough, stand up boys, stand proud, your australian!

 

[scaraby]

Gave a spare ticket to a bloke from work, as payment he was the "beer bitch" for me and the missus. Didn't miss a second of rugby but had a good supply of drinks the whole game. His fate was sealed when he asked me in the pub pre game who the Lions captain was, and why was Wilko wasn't in the team.

Lucky you ................I gave 3 away and all I got from my 16 year old was "get it yourself"..my 14 year old couldn't hear because his ear phones were in and my 11 year old said they wouldnt serve him because he'd had too many .....sigh..............

 

[scaraby]

Its alright though...taking the Missus to Suncorp......(don't tell her I said that.............)

 

[Cassius88]

Haha! Of the mainstream beers I quite like Super Dry but each to their own. XXXX Gold is a fairly universally barely tolerated beer though!

To be honest, the fact that you can get full strength beer at all is a good thing. I was watching a game in the member's stand at ANZ last year, knocking back a few. I went in to the regular stands at half time to meet up with a couple of mates. I bought a round from one of the bars and nearly spat my gulp out in surprise at finding that the masses were only allowed mid strength. Needless to say I was back in member's in minutes.

I'll be watching the game from home tomorrow night with a 6-pack of these.

 

[Mr Doug]

Given that the 'comments' under the match preview on this morning's GAGR Top Rugby News email contained confident predictions for either team to win, it is my "considered opinion" that the match will finish in a draw! (The first ever involving these two teams, I believe).

 

[BDA]

A draw is paying about 26/1

...yes it's me, Tom Waterhouse

 

[maxdacat]

speed to beer

i detect a new KPI

 

[Scoey]

To be honest, the fact that you can get full strength beer at all is a good thing. I was watching a game in the member's stand at ANZ last year, knocking back a few. I went in to the regular stands at half time to meet up with a couple of mates. I bought a round from one of the bars and nearly spat my gulp out in surprise at finding that the masses were only allowed mid strength. Needless to say I was back in member's in minutes.

I'll be watching the game from home tomorrow night with a 6-pack of these.

Yep the RWC2003 all you could get was Heineken and I was stoked. Full strength beer! Ahhhhhh........

Enjoy those mate - haven't tried them but they look like a delightful drop!