Rugby 2017 Discussion

Peter O'Mahoney on for James Haskell, Joe Marler comes on to replace Jack McGrath.
 
So, we expecting that loane to be starting come the tests? And more importantly.....is this the end for Savea? NZ show no sympathy for record chasers, and all I've been hearing about Savea is that he's more or less out of form and only in due to injuries(Milner-Skudder also returning).
 
Zen said:
So, we expecting that loane to be starting come the tests? And more importantly.....is this the end for Savea? NZ show no sympathy for record chasers, and all I've been hearing about Savea is that he's more or less out of form and only in due to injuries(Milner-Skudder also returning).
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He will play for the maori unless the injuries continue piling up. NZ has insane depth right now. Not the end for Savea, the Hurricanes centres aren't that great at moving the ball wide when Proctor is out and their wings end up passengers quite often.
 
Tonight's loss for the Lions will be compounded by a loss to the Crusaders. I'm just hoping the series is 1-1 after two tests but 3-0 is more likely.
 
I didn't see today's game, I did see Saturday's, but it sounds like Sexton was poor again. He looked like he was struggling physically again in the Pro 12 semi final and his form (and I would guess fitness issues) are a big concern as I always saw him at 10 and Farrell at 12 being the Lions best approach for the tests.
 
RORY65 said:
I didn't see today's game, I did see Saturday's, but it sounds like Sexton was poor again. He looked like he was struggling physically again in the Pro 12 semi final and his form (and I would guess fitness issues) are a big concern as I always saw him at 10 and Farrell at 12 being the Lions best approach for the tests.
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People laughed when I suggested it but I honestly think having Cipriani in the squad as something a bit different was still the call to make. He has the moments of magic the others don't and would be a bright spark from the bench.
 
Good - McGrath, Marler, Owens, Lawes, Itoje, Haskell, Tipuric and Stander.

Average - Cole, Webb (good play - terrible kicking), Biggar, Henshaw, Daly and Halfpenny.

Poor - Best, Sexton, Nowell and Williams.
 
Was at the game, thought the Lions improved considerably from their first game. Tough next game but hopefully they keep improving.
 
JoaquinJoaquin said:
People laughed when I suggested it but I honestly think having Cipriani in the squad as something a bit different was still the call to make. He has the moments of magic the others don't and would be a bright spark from the bench.
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:lol: come on mate, be reasonable!

If you were going to bring a less abrasive, more creative or risky 10 as something different, I'd say Russell, Ford and Jackson were all well ahead of Cips on the list.

He's capable of occasional brilliance but by and large, he's a total liability.
 
Silly penalties cost the lions, but that's fixable. Lions will improve from here for sure. So far Mako, George, Furlong, O'Brien , Murray, Davies, North haven't played yet I'd expect them to start against Crusaders, maybe 1st test starter.

I think team will be Mako, George, Furlong, AWJ, Kruis, SOB, Warburton, Faletau, Murray, Farrell, North, Henshaw, Davies, Watson and Hogg.
 
I think from his post, he knows Cipriani was well down, well more precisely not even on a list....he was just throwing a curveball suggestion. He does bring something radically different, and I never really got the Biggar call anyway, and would oddly agree with him for Cipriani over him....but not over yeah, any of those three, especially Ford.

But let's be real, if these first two games have done anything, it's simply raised Farrell's stock, substantially.
 
Zen said:
I think from his post, he knows Cipriani was well down, well more precisely not even on a list....he was just throwing a curveball suggestion. He does bring something radically different, and I never really got the Biggar call anyway, and would oddly agree with him for Cipriani over him....but not over yeah, any of those three, especially Ford.

But let's be real, if these first two games have done anything, it's simply raised Farrell's stock, substantially.
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Yeah Farrell is now the single most important player in the squad. Anything happens him and it'll get ugly fast.

I think they bought Biggar as he won't be bullied in the warm-up/midweek games. He's tough and abrasive and gives as good as he gets. Gatland probably thought the other 3 were a little lightweight.

Thought today was the first day I really got to see why the hype around Itoje was fully warranted. He was superb, especially in that first half.

Also very impressed with Marler when he came on. We have some real impact players in this squad and the balance of the test 23 will be fascinating.

Our kicking will need to improve tenfold if we're going to play rugby like we did today. Webb added so much more pace in play to what Laidlaw offered but his box kicking was horrendous. Sexton and Biggar didn't kick we'll either and we never gave ourselves a chance to compete - just handed ball after ball back to them.
 
K2K said:
I think this tour could turn out to be as bad as the 2005 one.

This New Zealand are simply a cut above the rest, and Gatland doesnt inspire confidence as a coach.
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Gatland was the worry i had about this Lions team and their chances. Great series win four years back but it was against a Wallabies team that wasn't in great shape. Personnel wise, i think the Lions can give the All Blacks a run for their money. I'm not sold on Gatland either and wonder if they would have been better off with either Aussie Eddie in charge or Joe Schmidt.
 
K2K said:
I think this tour could turn out to be as bad as the 2005 one.

This New Zealand are simply a cut above the rest, and Gatland doesnt inspire confidence as a coach.
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We'll but but most of us had game reaction when Gats was announced and then the squad. Not great. Bringing Rob Howley is biggest concern 29 points against the 2 weakest teams. I just don't get what they are trying to achieve going forward.

Biggar did failed a head injury assessment which means he has to stand down for a mandatory fortnight. Be interested if they call anyone up.
 
RORY65 said:
I didn't see today's game, I did see Saturday's, but it sounds like Sexton was poor again. He looked like he was struggling physically again in the Pro 12 semi final and his form (and I would guess fitness issues) are a big concern as I always saw him at 10 and Farrell at 12 being the Lions best approach for the tests.
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He shipped a big hit in the second half, but I didn't think he was that bad. It was a bad team performance, very one-paced bar the opening ten mins.
 
diarm said:
Also very impressed with Marler when he came on. We have some real impact players in this squad and the balance of the test 23 will be fascinating.
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The only problem was he blew any goodwill he may have built up by giving away that stupid penalty when trying to crawl towards the Blues line. So dumb.
 
I think that's kind of what I expected, off the pace but decent whenever we got around the set piece and had much more ball.

Fast becoming evident that Farrell will be key. Is Sexton carrying a knock or something, he seemed well off the pace?
 
New Zealand coach Steve Hansen has named a formidable squad for the three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions in late June and early July.

Kieran Read has been named as captain of the side despite his lingering injury cloud, while two uncapped players – Ngani Laumape and Jordie Barrett – have been included in the side and will be eyeing off making their debuts in the historic tour.

“Obviously, it’s a very special occasion for the Barrett and Laumape families, with Jordie and Ngani being selected for the first time,” Hansen said.

“Jordie has been in outstanding form, he has a skillset which is complete and has a great running and kicking game. Ngani too has been impressive throughout the Super season and has forced his way in through commanding performances.”

Jordie Barrett’s inclusion alongside brothers Beauden and Scott means that, for the first time in their history, the All Blacks have picked three brothers in the one squad.

Hansen indicated all players picked in the squad are in line to play Test rugby this year, although some may have to wait to pull on the black jersey.

“This has been by far the toughest team that we’ve had to select for some time and some players who are in very good form missed out, and we always feel for them,” Hansen said.

“But as is the nature of Test rugby I’m sure a number of them will get an opportunity, if not in this series, then throughout the season.”

The All Blacks will play a match against Samoa next Friday, June 16, before the first Test against the Lions the following weekend on Saturday, June 24, at Auckland’s Eden Park.

All Blacks squad for British and Irish Lions tour
Forwards
Hookers
Dane Coles
Codie Taylor
Nathan Harris

Props
Wyatt Crockett
Charlie Faumuina
Owen Franks
Joe Moody
Ofa Tu’ungafasi

Locks
Scott Barrett
Brodie Retallick
Luke Romano
Samuel Whitelock

Loose Forwards
Sam Cane
Jerome Kaino
Kieran Read (C)
Ardie Savea
Liam Squire

Backs
Halfbacks
Tawera Kerr-Barlow
TJ Perenara
Aaron Smith

Five-eighths
Beauden Barrett
Aaron Cruden
Lima Sopoaga

Centres
Ryan Crotty
Ngani Laumape
Anton Leinert-Brown
Sonny Bill Williams

Outside backs
Jordie Barrett
Israel Dagg
Rieko Ioane
Waisake Naholo
Julian Savea
Ben Smith (VC)
 
Wallabies starting 15 to play Fiji on Saturday. Bench players TBC, * = test debut

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Is that the 3rd time in a row that we've (Munster) drawn Racing and Leicester?
 
Teams announced for South Africa vs France at Loftus Versfeld.

Springboks (15-1): Andries Coetzee, Raymond Rhule, Jesse Kriel, Jan Serfontein, Courtnall Skosan, Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje, Warren Whiteley (c), Oupa Mohoje, Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Tendai Mtawarira

Reserves: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Coenie Oosthuizen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Francois Hougaard, Francois Steyn, Dillyn Leyds

France (15-1): Brice Dulin, Yoann Huget, Henry Chavancy, Gael Fickou, Virimi Vakatawa, Jules Plisson, Maxime Machenaud, Louis Picamoles, Loann Goujon, Yacouba Camara, Yoann Maestri (c), Julien le Devedec, Uini Atonio, Clement Maynadier, Jefferson Poirot

Reserves: Camille Chat, Eddy Ben Arous, Mohamed Boughanmi, Bernard le Roux, Kevin Gourdon, Baptiste Serin, Jean-Marc Doussain, Vincent Rattez

Thoughts on this French team @JPRouve?
 
It's an experimental team with a handful of starters, I think that the back line will be a mess with little team play and a lot of running in South African walls. The back row is athletic and pretty good, the locks are very good in lineouts and the front row is mobile with good hands.
 
Australia beat Fiji 37-14 in Melbourne scoring 5 tries to 2. Wallabies were ok but there is most certainly room for improvement.
 
Matchday 3: Lions vs Crusaders
Team for tour match between the Crusaders and the Lions.

CRUSADERS (15-1): Israel Dagg, Seta Tamanivalu, Jack Goodhue, David Havili, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Bryn Hall, Jordan Taufua, Matt Todd, Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Sam Whitelock (c), Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody

Reserves: Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett, Michael Ala’alatoa, Quinten Strange, Jed Brown, Mitchell Drummond, Mitchell Hunt, Tim Bateman

LIONS (15-1): Stuart Hogg, George North, Jonathan Davies, Ben Te’o, Liam Williams, Owen Farrell, Conor Murray; Taulupe Faletau, Sean O’Brien, Peter O’Mahony, George Kruis, Alun Wyn Jones (c), Tadgh Furlong, Jamie George, Mako Vunipola

Reserves: Ken Owens, Jack McGrath, Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, CJ Stander, Rhys Webb, Johnny Sexton, Anthony Watson

Prediction: Crusaders by 5
 
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