Lions for second test

[Old Hack]

It should be another cracking game. And Corbisiero should be back, or Grant. Poor old Vunipola got done early on today.

Much better referee than last week.

The media are immediately making the headline that Halfpenny's kick at the end lost the game when it dropped short. What rubbish. Anyone who had been watching knew he was very unlikely to have the legs from that distance, we were hoping for a miracle. He was only told to take it because the touch, lineout, drop/drive-over option looked even less likely by that stage.

I didn't thinnk he'd make the kick, so thought a quick touch would have been better, for another 10 metres and a penalty would have been very interesting.

[Doggy Styles]

Indeed. 3rd test will be exciting though. Lions! Lions!

It should be another cracking game. And Corbisiero should be back, or Grant. Poor old Vunipola got done early on today.

Much better referee than last week.

The media are immediately making the headline that Halfpenny's kick at the end lost the game when it dropped short. What rubbish. Anyone who had been watching knew he was very unlikely to have the legs from that distance, we were hoping for a miracle. He was only told to take it because the touch, lineout, drop/drive-over option looked even less likely by that stage.

[Mich the Tester]

Feck

Indeed. 3rd test will be exciting though. Lions! Lions!

[Doggy Styles]

Feck

[Doggy Styles]

Come on you Lions! 14 minutes to go...

[Mich the Tester]

Re the team, has Gatland picked Lydiate (and possibly Youngs) to sort out that scrum-half?

Lydiate plays well close to the set piece and is quite capable of dealing out some damage, so perhaps that's the plan, then bring in Croft's speed when things open up.

[Mich the Tester]

Well they have at least appealed this one. Have they ever done that before?

Don't think so; it's obviously an IRB committee decision to make it look like they're taking the matter seriously! Unless they really are taking it seriously, in which case I might need to glue my arse to the chair to avoid falling off.

[Doggy Styles]

Yep, looked rather grotty to me too. There was of course a time when the players would have sorted this out in the second test; in the days of Moore, Ackford, Calder and so on Mr Horwill would have been very sensible to just pull out with an 'injury'. It seems to me the Aussie union are acting like stupid ***** on this one as they could have given him a month's ban and the whole thing would be quietened down by now. I just don't know if we should expect much action from the International Rugby Blazers.

Well they have at least appealed this one. Have they ever done that before?

Re the team, has Gatland picked Lydiate (and possibly Youngs) to sort out that scrum-half?

[Mich the Tester]

It seems like it.

On another note, the IRB have appealed the decision to find the Aussie captain not guilty of deliberate stamping on Wyn-Jones's head. It did look a ridiculous decision.

Yep, looked rather grotty to me too. There was of course a time when the players would have sorted this out in the second test; in the days of Moore, Ackford, Calder and so on Mr Horwill would have been very sensible to just pull out with an 'injury'. It seems to me the Aussie union are acting like stupid ***** on this one as they could have given him a month's ban and the whole thing would be quietened down by now. I just don't know if we should expect much action from the International Rugby Blazers.

[Doggy Styles]

You can compete for the ball as long as you're on your feet and not leaning on an opposition player. Some refs seem to have difficulties understanding that...

It seems like it.

On another note, the IRB have appealed the decision to find the Aussie captain not guilty of deliberate stamping on Wyn-Jones's head. It did look a ridiculous decision.

[malvolio]

I don't understand much of what refs are doing at the breakdown either. It looks a bit like in the Northern hemisphere you can compete for the ball, even on the ground and in the south you can't.

You can compete for the ball as long as you're on your feet and not leaning on an opposition player. Some refs seem to have difficulties understanding that...

[Mich the Tester]

That looks a good team, I just hope they are allowed to play.

Joubert is better than Pollock who just looked incompetent, but I bet he still gives iffy calls at the breakdown.

After Pollock I'm not sure of the current rucking rules. O'Driscoll seemed to stay on his feet perfectly and still got penalised twice early doors - for not staying on his feet. So he had to stop competing for the ball, which affects the whole team performance.

I don't understand much of what refs are doing at the breakdown either. It looks a bit like in the Northern hemisphere you can compete for the ball, even on the ground and in the south you can't.

[Doggy Styles]

That looks a good team, I just hope they are allowed to play.

Joubert is better than Pollock who just looked incompetent, but I bet he still gives iffy calls at the breakdown.

After Pollock I'm not sure of the current rucking rules. O'Driscoll seemed to stay on his feet perfectly and still got penalised twice early doors - for not staying on his feet. So he had to stop competing for the ball, which affects the whole team performance.

[Mich the Tester]

Lions team: Leigh Halfpenny, Tommy Bowe, Brian O'Driscoll, Jonathan Davies, George North, Jonathan Sexton, Ben Youngs; Mako Vunipola, Tom Youngs, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (c), Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Ryan Grant, Dan Cole, Tom Croft, Sean O'Brien, Conor Murray, Owen Farrell, Alex Cuthbert.


Seems OK, big opportunity for Geoff Parling to step into O'Connell's shoes, but a big ask for slimline 2nd row. he's performed well up to now and that's a good sign for England.

I don't quite understand what Richie Gray has done wrong to not be there at all. He paired up very well with Parling in a couple of midweek games, combining to ruin opposition line outs. Croft on the bench is obviously tactical and I'm sure he'll be a second half weapon. Front row looks solid, and if Hibbard comes on it will be truly huge. Back row again; Faletau's unfortunate not to be in I think, but there's so much back row talent to choose from.

Dunno what the rest from 9 to 15 do, but apparently George North does a good Forrest Gump impersonation. Can we have our ball back please?