The Rugby Thread

E17yid · Jun 20, 2017

mpickard2087 said:
Te'o would be on the bench, again going back to impact options.

Oh yeah it won't be the team selected, just going with what I would choose.

Who would you go with at 13, then?

You can't pussy out and say all 3 although I think we stand a better chance if we play with 4 centres.

talkshowhost86 · Jun 20, 2017

Is everyone going to wait and see the teams before putting in their predictions?

I think whatever team we put out it'll be NZ by 10 or more, but I'm more hopeful now than I was at the start of the tour.

E17yid · Jun 20, 2017

Told you we'd get better as the tour goes on

Think you're right though. My heart says a 3 point win to the lions 23-20 something like that.

Head says 32-17 to NZ or something like that.

They could easily put 20/30 points on us but I don't think they will. First test is the most important and other than that 1 Somoa game they might be a bit cold (optimistic I know) they've got a few injuries as well, don't forget.

Arnoldtoo · Jun 20, 2017

I'm gonna wait for the teams to be announced.

There's obviously a lot riding on the inclusion or otherwise of Ha'penny.

talkshowhost86 · Jun 20, 2017

E17yid said:
Told you we'd get better as the tour goes on

Think you're right though. My heart says a 3 point win to the lions 23-20 something like that.

Head says 32-17 to NZ or something like that.

They could easily put 20/30 points on us but I don't think they will. First test is the most important and other than that 1 Somoa game they might be a bit cold (optimistic I know) they've got a few injuries as well, don't forget.

The one thing that hasn't improved as the tour has gone on has been our ability to score tries (well I suppose the Maori was a bit better but they were both forwards tries). Yes the midweek team scored a load today, but as they won't be playing I'm not sure how important that is.

I just can't see NZ scoring fewer than 3 tries, and once that happens, we have to score tries ourselves and that just hasn't looked that likely on this tour.

We shall see though. Maybe it will all magically click in the test match!

E17yid · Jun 20, 2017

talkshowhost86 said:
The one thing that hasn't improved as the tour has gone on has been our ability to score tries (well I suppose the Maori was a bit better but they were both forwards tries). Yes the midweek team scored a load today, but as they won't be playing I'm not sure how important that is.

I just can't see NZ scoring fewer than 3 tries, and once that happens, we have to score tries ourselves and that just hasn't looked that likely on this tour.

We shall see though. Maybe it will all magically click in the test match!

I'd bite your hand off for 3 NZ tries. We've got a try or 2 in us and we have the best goal kicker in the world. Keeping them to 3 tries is very doable considering how good our defence has been. As always, discipline and the refs interpretation of the rules will be crucial.

Caveat- they could easily score 7 or 8 tries.

mpickard2087 · Jun 20, 2017

E17yid said:
Who would you go with at 13, then?

You can't pussy out and say all 3 although I think we stand a better chance if we play with 4 centres.

Joseph, just, over Henshaw.

talkshowhost86 · Jun 20, 2017

Just seen the extended highlights of today's game. If North starts over Daly it certainly isn't on form, but Daly has to be the 23 at least.

E17yid · Jun 21, 2017

Watched the Wales v NZ games from last year. Forgot how competitive we were for 60-70mins in the first 2 tests.

First test we were 4 points behind with 12 mins left and second test it was 10-10 with 55min on the clock we then conceeded 3 or 4 tries in 10mins and ended up losing the game by 14 points.

We gave away silly lineouts at crucial times and had some injuries as well (North got injured in first test and Lydiate was ruled out before the tour) whereas they had some players that aren't going to be available for them this weekend.

With the strength in depth the lions have and the fact our set piece is going to be twice as good as Wales' plus we have better players on the whole, I'm more optimistic than I was.

Jon Davies was excellent in both tests. Amazing hand off for his try in the 2nd test and great couple of breaks in the first. Williams was also excellent which makes it even more annoying he's not been on form as he was crossing the gain line for fun in those first 2 tests. Warburton intercepted a pass with a 50m run as well.

Other than the Jon Davies Handoff there was a good handoff by North on Savea in the first test but Gethin Jenkins hit on Coles was savage. We'll bring more intensity this weekend with the likes of Itoje and others.

I'll wait for the team to be announced this evening but we should be keeping any loss within 10 points. We've had some good warmups and the signs are there that we should be competitive.

talkshowhost86 · Jun 21, 2017

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/40358581

Holy fuckballs they've got a good team.

SBW and Crotty is a ludicrous centre partnership and they weren't even necessarily guaranteed a start.

E17yid · Jun 21, 2017

Ioane or whatever his name is was good for the blues but not so good for the Maori.

Would rather him than Savea to be honest.

mpickard2087 · Jun 21, 2017

Looks weak. Lions by 20.

E17yid · Jun 21, 2017

J.Savea isn't even on the bench. Must be injured?

Arnoldtoo · Jun 21, 2017

Lions team

Hmm. No Itoje

No1/2p either

Backs: 15 Liam Williams (Wales); 14 Anthony Watson (England), 13 Jonathan Davies (Wales), 12 Ben Te'o (England), 11 Elliot Daly (England); 10 Owen Farrell (England), 9 Conor Murray (Ireland);

Forwards: 1 Mako Vunipola (England), 2 Jamie George (England), 3 Tadhg Furlong (Ireland); 4 Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), 5 George Kruis (England); 6 Peter O'Mahony - captain (Ireland), 7 Sean O'Brien (Ireland), 8 Taulupe Faletau (Wales).

Replacements: 16 Ken Owens (Wales), 17 Jack McGrath (Ireland), 18 Kyle Sinckler (England), 19 Maro Itoje (England), 20 Sam Warburton (Wales), 21 Rhys Webb (Wales), 22 Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 23 Leigh Halfpenny (Wales).

E17yid · Jun 21, 2017

No North either.

Arnoldtoo · Jun 21, 2017

E17yid said:
No North either.

Not even on the bench!

E17yid · Jun 21, 2017

Arnoldtoo said:
Not even on the bench!

Fair play, Daly has been better. Big call.

Would much rather Itoje was in for Kruis but maybe they're thinking impact off the bench. Gats said there were disagreements amongst the coaches about selection.

Arnoldtoo · Jun 21, 2017

E17yid said:
Fair play, Daly has been better. Big call.

Would much rather Itoje was in for Kruis but maybe they're thinking impact off the bench. Gats said there were disagreements amongst the coaches about selection.

Not entirely sure what impact 1/2p gives off the bench. I'd have started him.

I'm going for NZ to win by 15

E17yid · Jun 21, 2017

Arnoldtoo said:
Not entirely sure what impact 1/2p gives off the bench. I'd have started him.

I'm going for NZ to win by 15

Yeah, specialist kicker like it's American football, perhaps? Seems odd, surely North, Nowell or Joseph would've made more sense.

15-20 sounds about right. You never know, though, if we can stay in the game then the likes of Itoje and Webb coming on could make the difference.

gushayes11 · Jun 21, 2017

Totally unexpected team, but I like it. Big calls, I'm a huge fan of Daly. Big strong centres, big pace from the back three. Really hope this team does a good job.

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