Rugby - The Game They Play In Heaven II

[kittenOFchaos]

Looks like the Western Farce will be resting their better players against the Lions.

The Lions look to be fielding a very strong team on Wednesday...it should be a complete rout.

If Kearney is injured, they should call up Wilkinson. We've enough cover at full-back, we need more options at 10...it was a daft choice all along not taking 3 no. 10s.

[Havak]

I tend to agree. On the 10s and the rout. Crofty to score a try methinks. And Northy of course?

I don't understand that logic by Mr Foley Finbar - the Lions are a once in a career chance for players and as a coach if you cannot make the S15 finals why on earth would you rest players for the Lions fixture. Play your best side and go for the big scalp surely? Or is it all part of the wider ARU psych-out game?

And the RFU have grown a pair it seems Finbar - your wish is their command

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill is to appear before a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel over his conduct in the Premiership final win against Northampton.

He is alleged to have used obscene, inappropriate and/or unprofessional language and behaviour towards fourth official Stuart Terheege.

[Havak]

I knew Michael Foley rang a bell - he was the cunning little hooker who puts Woods off and let plank steal a vital ball back in 2001.

*edit* Oh yes that's it - he helmed the godawful Bath too for a while.

I still don't understand the decision to rest players for Tahs when there is nothing but pride at stake there - the ARU invited the Lions to tour after all so one would hope sides would field their best players unless the chance of silverware beckoned elsewhere?

[finbar]

I salute the RFU for finally acting on Cockerill.

Resting players against touring teams isn't anything new. The Boks aren't the Lions, but didn't Leicester play an A- team against the Boks and beat them? I remember Munster starting a B+ team against the ABs a year or so ago, too. And almost beating them.

[Havak]

Absolutely - but a big difference in both cases was Tigers and Munster were still competing for domestic honours. And certainly with Tigers and the Boks it was very much a B- Bok side and very early in the domestic season.

From what I have read the Farce players all stuck their hands up. Foley is the villain of the piece here, resting players for an entirely meaningless S15 rubber.

And with respect the Lions are a little different to a national touring side - the only other thing like them in world rugger is the Barbarians. Maybe Woodward is right and they should take Australia off their list?

(playing Devil's advocate in case you were wondering Finbar - Sir Clive's rant in the Mail was not exactly helpful in building a Lions-Oz detente)

[Havak]

The Aussies of course would like nothing more than to make Clive eat crow. And he might have to - Lions execution in the first 30 mins has been utterly abysmal.

*edit* And of course as I write that BOD scores a try. Still been a poor half though.

*added post full time*

Farce showed some grit to register two tries. Deans will analyse that with interest? Wyn-Jones seems to have played his way out of selection - a very stupid card to receive. And Healy the biggest concern - though Vunipola looks a decent replacement?

Good job I didn't share my tips as I must have been tired (that's my excuse!) - I had meant to back Crofty to score a try but forgot (!) and nearly backed Vuniploa too (11/1). North and Tuilagi both failed me and I had Manu for a brace - Manu was punching holes but BOD was the beneficiary.

Bod gave me small fillup (had to bet on BOD, my old Waltzing O'Driscoll mate from 2001, but wish I had gone the brace) but my bacon was saved, and a profit turned, by Parling scoring. I just had a feeling that he would and at 15/2 it was worth a punt.

These little flutters are added some welcome spice and interest to the games for me, but I stress again it is trivial money and I won't chase it if my initial stake gets wiped out. As it stands I have tripled my money since the Premiership final though - good job I don't have an addictive personality...oh hold on a minute.....

[kittenOFchaos]

These little flutters are added some welcome spice and interest to the games for me, but I stress again it is trivial money and I won't chase it if my initial stake gets wiped out. As it stands I have tripled my money since the Premiership final though - good job I don't have an addictive personality...oh hold on a minute.....

If I had bet £100,000, I'd now have £167,000. It is really a shame that I don't have £100,000.

I have £10 and made £6.67 profit with a very conservative bet. Like you say Havak, it adds some spice

Will get a chance to watch the game at 8 pm.

[kittenOFchaos]

What a dick that Nathan Sharp appears to be...Duncan McRae should have been banned from the sport. It was a disgrace that non of the the Lions came to O'Gara's aid.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/britishandirishlionsrugby/10099857/Nathan-Sharpe-warns-the-Lions-that-the-Western-Force-will-want-to-take-a-nibble-out-of-them.html

Gatland doesn't want the Lions reacting to stuff, but there are times where you need to.

[finbar]

Didn't get to see the game unfortunately. Sounds like the Farce tried hard. They're good at that. The Reds will be tougher, depending who lines up.

[Havak]

Silly nonsense from Sharpe - particularly praising McCrae who basically committed assault on a rugby field and Harrison whose brain deserted him in the ACT fixture - such a shame as Sharpe was a great servant of OZ rugby and not a particularly 'biff' prone one for a suppsoed 'enforcer' lock.

[finbar]

Very silly nonsense from Sharpie. Not his style at all. Looks like someone is orchestrating the aggro stuff. Enough already.

Strong Reds team to face the Lions. Everyone bar the Wallaby players who are in camp and Ioane who is injured. The same backline, Genia aside, who started last weekend. Link McKenzie is taking the match seriously and there are a number of starters with serious Wallaby claims who will be desperate to impress Dingo. Not least Quade.

Healy cited for biting? Stomping, now biting? What's wrong with him? There was no initial citing suggesting there wasn't sufficient video evidence. It probably won't go any further but Healy is becoming a problem player.

[Havak]

And there is definitely no place in the sport for biting - if guilty a nice long lay off is the order of the day. Of course he is a Leinster man so maybe the new coach can help address these problems?

The Lions forwards were not very cohesive against Farce. It's quite possible that a strong Reds line up could actually get the win. Although it will be a different team yet again so we can get a sight of the remaining squad members. Youngs should start for example.

*edit* Sorry chaps, didn't realise the team had in fact already been named!

Full team: Stuart Hogg; Alex Cuthbert, Manu Tuilagi, Jonathan Davies, Tommy Bowe; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Gethin Jenkins, Tom Youngs, Matt Stevens, Richie Gray, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton, Toby Faletau.

Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Mako Vunipola, Alun Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell, Justin Tipuric, Conor Murray, Jonathan Sexton, George North.


Interesting back line. Fascinated to see how Davies and Manu link up. Also interesting isn't it that I think Roberts is currently a rank outsider for a test berth. The Lions have extensive options in the Centres.

[finbar]

Davies and Manu? Davies' fondness for passing into touch matched only by Manu's lack of quality passing skills. I'd bet Civ gold that Roberts will start the first Test anyway inside BOD. Plenty of Lions options in the centres, yes, but very little variety.

[Havak]

The fascinating thing there Finbar is that Manu actually showed quite good hands against Farce delivering some quality balls to BOD and the taffy winger (who showed a considerable willingness to come down the centre channel). Roberts is not nailed on yet although BOD would thrive outside him too. Fatland may have red blinkers but he is capable of being pragmatic. Personally I think Manu's physicality should ask the Wallabies defence more profound questions than Roberts can - but then I said the same in this thread before the autumn fixture! Still cannot figure how we lost that one.

I tell you who does seem to be in shaky form - Cole. He failed to really assert himself against the Farce pack.

*edit* So no video evidence at all and no physical evidence on the alleged victim? Starting to sound a very strange citing decision?

Mr Sharpe was bemoaning the lack of a national effort (a la 2001) to disrupt the Lions, perhaps he was in error?

You will note I have not followed the Lions to Oz this time - it's not a country I have any desire to revisit for sports reasons though I would be happy to return outside of sport. The fascist nature (and I do not use that word lightly) of the more extreme Australian fans has left a life-long impression on me. The only place I have ever felt less welcome as a rugby fan was the old national stadium in Cardiff (a place Mobius may remember fondly).

[finbar]

I don't blame you for not wanting to hurry back.

And now Gethin out of the tour. Props falling like - well, pigs.

Looks like Leu Bleus have turned up to play at Eden Park.