Lions Predictions 2013
- Thread starter Jiggs'Hamstring
- Start date
That was incredible, loved it.
The boy is an absolute gem. And he's only twenty-one!
Amazing gif. I missed the game too. Grrrrr.
O'Driscoll dropped from the squad entirely for the final test, despite the fact that the Lions need a captain and some experience. Instead Alun Wyn-Jones comes in to captain. Bizarre, bizarre decision. What the feck is Gatland playing at? Why is he insisting on making seven or eight changes between each test?
Basically it is now Australia v Wales in Australia.
Australia to win.
Australia to win.
Yeh, we all know how Wales v Australia matches pan out. I seriously don't get this, does Gatland honestly believe that the best players in Britain and Ireland are all Welsh? Or is it just lazy management, because that's what he's used to? I can't believe this squad selection. Appalling.
I'm absolutely fuming with the squad selection. I'm a Welsh rugby supporter, but this is ludicrous. Gatland has bottled the decision and just gone with the players he knows. What the feck are Davies, Hibbard and Phillips doing there over O'Driscoll, Youngs and Murray?
Even leaving aside my natural pro-Irish bias, this seems like a bizzare decision. This Lions side lacks serious leadership without Warburton and O' Connell, why make it worse by dropping O'Driscoll? It's not like Davies has played so well that he demands a place either, I'd say O'Driscoll had been the better performer during the two tests so far. Granted we didn't see enough of his creative side but I'd lay the blame for that failing squarely on Gatland. His tactics have been too conservative and he's now compounded that with a conservative team selection. I assume nobody thinks he'd have made this call if he wasn't the Welsh coach? He has reverted to the players he knows the best as he has run out of ideas. I'm sure Australia will be pleased.
Looking at the team properly, the plan is obviously to smash Australia. In that case picking so many players from Wales makes sense, they're obviously the most suited to this game plan. The problem is, these tactics are one dimensional and depend too much on Roberts playing well. If he doesn't play well is there any alternative plan? I don't see it. I don't see much imagination either. So, we lack imagination, leadership and a plan b. We could be much better than this.
Could be much better than this if they played half as many Welsh players. It's obscene. My father (being Welsh) is delighted; "that's almost the best team they could have picked, except he should have Cuthbert in for Bowe". But any non-Wales fan (and even the sensible Wales fans, like myself) can see it's a terrible selection. All brute force and no subtlety hasn't worked at all on the tour so far, so to rectify it Gatland picks a team with... even more brute force and even less subtlety.
I think this is less about the players he has picked and more about the regressive tactics he is employing. If we are going to play this way then all these Welsh players make sense, it's just a terribly one dimensional plan. We're depending so much on Roberts to smash through the Australians, if that doesn't work we have more of the same on the bench in Tualagi. If the Australians stop Roberts then they'll win, we have nothing else to offer.
The problem last week was the front row - so why has Vunipola survived? Ryan Grant deserves his chance! Gray or Ian Evans should have been in alongside AWJ as well.
Don't get me started on dropping BOD - absolutely crazy decision.
Outrageous call. BOD made 23 tackles, missed none. While his parter Davies in 2nd test made 7 and missed 3. It's disrespectful to one one the greats of the game, who deserves his place. Also don't understand Robert ahead of Tuilagi. Man Utd was very impressive mid week against the Rebels yet Robert who hasn't played for a month starts. Vunipola was poor, don't understand his selection. I think Tom Young is unlucky to be dropped especially when Hibbard was pretty bad. Could go on to be honest.
Is this the Welsh Lions or British and Irish Lions?
Nah, Roberts is twice the player Tuilagi is, that's one of the Welsh changes that makes sense.
Roberts is in because he's essential for Gatland's gameplan to work. The fact that our gameplan depends on a player who hasn't played is stupid, but then our gameplan itself is pretty stupid. I'm sure the Australians will be happy to target Roberts to see just how ready he is. This selection somehow manages to be both too risky and too conservative.
I hold nothing against the Welsh lads because to be fair to them they are the strongest of the involved nations, but that shouldn't mean exceptional individuals from the other nations should be excluded. Gatland is a dickhead and has been for years and it's almost got to the point with me that I'm not bothered anymore. Of course when the game is on I'll be roaring for the lions but he's left a bitter taste with some of his bizarre decisions.
I'd disagree with that. For me Tuilagi looked quality when last played he destroyed the Rebels, while Roberts has been injured for a month. Doesn't make much sense to me. BOD and Tuilaga looked good in the warm ups. But Gatland has is plan and going to stick to it. Still going to support them.
Can't be arsed going into it all, so many bad decisions made for the wrong reasons.
Tuliagi hasn't shown enough quality with the ball in his career as yet
But as a battering ram to get over the gain line, Tuilagi is much better. I've never seen anyone stop Tuilagi in the international games I have seen, but have seen Roberts stopped by Joe Worsley, just man-marking him down the line and cutting him down every time
Plus, Tuilagi has pretty much only been a 13, obviously, he wants his muscle at 12
This is bang on. Roberts was a no brainer pick, but I've no idea why Hibbard keeps his place. Gatland going with what he knows and presumably, trusts. Leaving BOD out of the squad altogether is staggering. Also Phillips back in, but neither him nor Youngs have exactly tore it up.
Lions to win and Gatland to be vindicated. Just my gut feeling.
Yeh, I don't know why people are complaining about Roberts' inclusion. He's a great player, and him playing if he was fit is a no-brainer. The problem is dropping O'Driscoll for Davies, who -- whilst he's been good this tour -- is not Drisco. Roberts and Drisco were brilliant on the last Lions tour, why is Gatland so sure they won't be again? And Hibbard keeping his place is stupid, as is Phillips coming back in. Youngs hasn't been great either, in fairness, but I thought Connor Murray made a very good case for his selection when he came on last week.
Also, I'm not entirely sure what the hype is with North? Yeh, he picked up a lad and ran ten metres, but other than a try that was as much about poor Australian play than anything staggeringly brilliant on his own part, he's contributed very little. He's too caught up in his little "duel" with Israel Folou; a duel which, it has to be said, the Wallaby is winning hands down.
Also, I'm not entirely sure what the hype is with North? Yeh, he picked up a lad and ran ten metres, but other than a try that was as much about poor Australian play than anything staggeringly brilliant on his own part, he's contributed very little. He's too caught up in his little "duel" with Israel Folou; a duel which, it has to be said, the Wallaby is winning hands down.
Dunno, perhaps I've been turned against him because all I hear from my father is the mental ravings of a Wales (and thus George North) fanatic. You'd think he had the capacity to beat Australia entirely on his own, and had in fact already done so.
Have Wales ever beat the Wallabies?
North is fearless and a potential match winner, he has to be in the side. If an opportunity arises he will take it but how they get quick enough ball to him is another matter. That's hopefully where Roberts is going to affect the game. My worry is what if Roberts gets injured again, what's the plan then?
Tuilagi. He strolled past the all blacks and can do it again.
Don't get me wrong, I do rate North, hugely so (see my post further up this page), it's just from the way some people are talking about him (not on here, mind you) it's as if he's the best player in the team and can beat the Aussies on his own.
He's brilliant, but he's not Jonah Lomu.
He's brilliant, but he's not Jonah Lomu.
I can't understand dropping O'Driscoll, especially considering he is the only one consistently winning his tackles. He made a few mistakes in the last game, but not as many as his partner who ended up making the costly mistake.
This could really backfire on Gatland. He is changing the Lions way of playing into the Welsh way of playing. Wales are easily the best of the 4 nations in terms of quality, but they have lost numerous times to Australia in the last couple of years and haven't beat them once. I don't see how changing to a Welsh style of play will suit the Lions at all.
I think Sexton will struggle with Drico also.
I think Australia will win by ten points or so. Hopefully the Lions can do it. I think Gatland has made a huge mistake though.
This could really backfire on Gatland. He is changing the Lions way of playing into the Welsh way of playing. Wales are easily the best of the 4 nations in terms of quality, but they have lost numerous times to Australia in the last couple of years and haven't beat them once. I don't see how changing to a Welsh style of play will suit the Lions at all.
I think Sexton will struggle with Drico also.
I think Australia will win by ten points or so. Hopefully the Lions can do it. I think Gatland has made a huge mistake though.
Was out at the Zoo today and there were Lions EVERYWHERE. Hopefully they get a good support tonight. Will be a good game.
edit: I just realised the really bad pun lol, but I meant lots of people in lions gear.
edit: I just realised the really bad pun lol, but I meant lots of people in lions gear.
Incredibly pumped for this game! I think Gatland has made a tactical and selection mistake, but that doesn't mean I won't be behind them 100%. Let's get our first series win in sixteen years, boys!
What a start.
Coughed up straight away ffs 
What a start for the Lions. Class.
Sigh ffs, Smith. Poor bastard.
Great start
Holy shit, Smith coming back out 
Looked like a pen
Looked like a pen
Scrum absolutely belted.