British & Irish Lions v Barbarians, 1 June (Both teams named)

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British & Irish Lions v Barbarians
Saturday 1 June, 19.30 local (11.30 GMT)
So Kon Po Stadium (a.k.a. the Hong Kong Stadium), Central, Hong Kong

Match officials:
Referee: Steve Walsh (Australia)
Assistant referees: Lourens van der Merwe (South Africa), Angus Gardner (Australia)
Television match official: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Assessor: Scott Young/Andrew Cole (Australia)

1. TEAMS

Barbarians:

15 Jared Payne
14 Joe Rokocoko
13 Elliot Daly
12 Casey Laulala
11 Taku Ngwenya
10 Nick Evans
9 Dimitri Yachvili

8 Sergio Parisse
7 Sam Jones
6 Samu Manoa
5 Dean Mumm
4 Marco Wentzel
3 Martin Castrogiovanni
2 Schalk Brits
1 Paul James

Replacements:
16 Leonardo Ghiraldini
17 Duncan Jones
18 Jim Hamilton
19 Imanol Harinordoquy
20 Andrea Lo Cicero
21 Kahn Fotuali'i
22 James Hook
23 Mike Tindall / [Rowan Varty if Tindall's injury prevents him playing]

British & Irish Lions

15. Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)

14. Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/Wales)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)

10. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
9. Mike Phillips (Bayonne/Wales)

1. Mako Vunipola (Saracens/England)
2. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
4. Richie Gray (Scotland)
5. Paul O'Connell (Munster/Ireland, captain)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
7. Justin Tuperic (Ospreys/Wales)
8. Toby Faletau (Dragons/Wales)

Replacements
16. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
17. Cian Healy (Leinster/Ireland)
18. Matt Stevens (Saracens/England)
19. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/wales)
20. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
22. Johnny Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
23. George North (Scarlets/Wales)


2. BARBARIANS SQUAD

Backs:

Jared Payne (Ulster),
Rowan Varty (DeA Tigers & Hong Kong),
Takudzwa Ngwenya (Biarritz Olympique & USA),
Timoci Nagusa (Montpellier & Fiji),
Joe Rokocoko (Bayonne & New Zealand),
Elliot Daly (London Wasps),
James Hook (Perpignan & Wales),
Nick Evans (Harlequins & New Zealand),
Kahn Fotuali'i (Ospreys & Samoa),
Dwayne Peel (Sale Sharks & Wales),
Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz Olympique & France)

Forwards:

Duncan Jones (Ospreys & Wales),
BJ Botha (Munster & South Africa),
Paul James (Bath Rugby & Wales),
Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester & Italy),
Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro 92 & Italy),
Matthew Rees (Scarlets & Wales),
Leonardo Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso & Italy),
Schalk Brits (Saracens & South Africa),
Marco Wentzel (London Wasps & South Africa),
Jim Hamilton (Gloucester Rugby & Scotland),
Dean Mumm (Exeter Chiefs & Australia),
Samu Manoa (Northampton & USA),
Francois Louw (Bath Rugby & South Africa),
Sam Jones (London Wasps),
Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso & Italy),
Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais & Italy),
Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz Olympique & France)

3. LIONS SQUAD

Fullbacks:
Leigh Halfpenny (Wales, Cardiff Blues),
Stuart Hogg (Scotland, Glasgow Warriors),
Rob Kearney (Ireland, Leinster)

Wings:
Tommy Bowe (Ireland, Ulster),
Alex Cuthbert (Wales, Cardiff Blues),
Sean Maitland (Scotland, Glasgow Warriors),
George North (Wales, Scarlets)

Centres:
Jonathan Davies (Wales, Scarlets),
Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland, Leinster),
Jamie Roberts (Wales, Cardiff Blues),
Manusamoa Tuilagi (England, Leicester Tigers)

Fly-halves:
Owen Farrell (England, Saracens),
Jonathan Sexton (Ireland, Leinster)

Scrum-halves:
Conor Murray (Ireland, Munster),
Mike Phillips (Wales, Bayonne),
Ben Youngs (England, Leicester Tigers)

Props:
Dan Cole (England, Leicester Tigers),
Cian Healy (Ireland, Leinster),
Gethin Jenkins (Wales, Toulon),
Adam Jones (Wales, Ospreys),
Matt Stevens (England, Saracens),
Mako Vunipola (England, Saracens)

Hookers:
Dylan Hartley (England, Northampton Saints),
Richard Hibbard (Wales, Ospreys),
Tom Youngs (England, Leicester Tigers)

Second rows:
Ian Evans (Wales, Ospreys),
Richie Gray (Scotland, Sale Sharks),
Alun Wyn Jones (Wales, Ospreys),
Paul O'Connell (Ireland, Munster),
Geoff Parling (England, Leicester Tigers)

Back rows:
Tom Croft (England, Leicester Tigers),
Toby Faletau (Wales, Newport Gwent Dragons),
Jamie Heaslip (Ireland, Leinster),
Dan Lydiate (Wales, Newport Gwent Dragons),
Sean O'Brien (Ireland, Leinster),
Justin Tipuric (Wales, Ospreys),
Sam Warburton (Wales, Cardiff Blues)

Presumably the Leinster 6 will be occupied with the Rabo final?

The Rabo Final (Leinster v Ulster) and the Aviva Final (Leicester v Northants) will be on the 25th May which is the day the Baa Baas play England. The Lions match is the week after on the 1st June.

Hence I will think BOD/Healy will not start but Sexton will (as he will be the pivot of the side)

flyhalffactory

Do you not think it might be best to start with a mixed-nationality back row? It's such a competitive area and with so little preparation time I think they'll need to get looking at combinations straight away. Appreciate that Croft, O'Brien and Heaslip all have finals the previous weekend, but that's also true of Tuilagi and Hartley who you have selected.

Players who will be involved in the two finals the week before

Fullbacks:
Rob Kearney (Ireland, Leinster)

Wings:
Tommy Bowe (Ireland, Ulster),

Centres:
Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland, Leinster),
Manusamoa Tuilagi (England, Leicester Tigers)

Fly-halves:
Jonathan Sexton (Ireland, Leinster)

Scrum-halves:
Ben Youngs (England, Leicester Tigers)

Props:
Dan Cole (England, Leicester Tigers),
Cian Healy (Ireland, Leinster),

Hookers:
Dylan Hartley (England, Northampton Saints),
Tom Youngs (England, Leicester Tigers)

Second rows:
Geoff Parling (England, Leicester Tigers)

Back rows:
Tom Croft (England, Leicester Tigers),
Jamie Heaslip (Ireland, Leinster),
Sean O'Brien (Ireland, Leinster),

thomh wrote:flyhalffactory

Do you not think it might be best to start with a mixed-nationality back row? It's such a competitive area and with so little preparation time I think they'll need to get looking at combinations straight away. Appreciate that Croft, O'Brien and Heaslip all have finals the previous weekend, but that's also true of Tuilagi and Hartley who you have selected.

Agree with you thomh

That's probably not the team I would select for the test but what I think Mr Gatland will select....... saying that if he goes by what he has said then he won't select any of the players who were parading in the finals the week before. So that means Roberts in midfield, Farrell to start, Hibbard hooking (naughty naughty!) etc.

And the added problem is Croft, Heaslip, Bowe, Hartley, all had awesome games last week. Personally I would start Heaslip ahead of Faletau if both on form, and Croft was hugely impressive in the semi final. I can see............

8 Heaslip
7 SOB
6 Croft

........ being just as dangerous as the all Welsh back row

Ouch very difficult to select

By the way is Jenkins being released for the French semi-final as well, or just the final? I know that Gatland's main concern was with everyone being together for the flight over, in which case he might be in the same category as the players who have finals on the weekend of the 25th.

http://www.rugbyworld.com/news/blogs/lions-2013-the-squad-meet-for-the-first-time/

Gives an insight to what is going on and the problem of the 14-15 players involved in the finals, I am assuming Jenkins will be released for the first training session.

Dependant on how Hogg performs in training and how Gatland & Co view the "freshness" of the Lions finalists. If Mr G is serious on his view of the finalists I have a feeling we might see Maitland and Farrell sandwiched between an entire welsh backs division Halfpenny will start 15, 14 Maitland, North at 11 but I think they will view him as a possible emergency centre (ala 2009 Mike Phillips) Roberts at 13, Davies at 12 (reverse of their Welsh positions) Farrell/Phillips will be given the halfbacks slot with Hogg covering 15, 13 and 10 on the bench along with Cuthbert covering wing

Guess the Lions team will be

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Richard Hibbard
3. Adam Jones
4. Alun Wyn Jones
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Dan Lydiate
7. Sam Warburton (c)
8. Toby Faletau
9. Mike Phillips
10. Owen Farrell
11. George North
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Jonathan Davies
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Leigh Halfpenny

16. ??? (Young and Hartley both in the Premiership final)
17. Maku Vunipola
18. Matt Stevens
19. Ian Evans/Ritchie Gray
20. Justin Tipuric
21. Connor Murray
22. Stuart Hogg
23. Sean Maitland

I don't think Gatland will pick 13 Welshmen to start - he will want to mix it up more than that.

I would go for

Vunipola
Hibbard
Jones
Gray
O'Connell
Lydiate
Warburton
Faletau
Phillips
Farrell
North
Roberts
Davies
Maitland
Hogg

wandering,

Thats a very well balanced side, personally I would give Evans a run alongside POC as think they would be a very good pairing and would go with Cuthbert over North who has been very poor of late.

If we're facing off against Manoa and Big Jim at lock, then I would definitely go for POC and Evans. Need a couple of big, brutal enforcers for those two.

bedfordwelsh wrote:wandering,

Thats a very well balanced side, personally I would give Evans a run alongside POC as think they would be a very good pairing and would go with Cuthbert over North who has been very poor of late.

Neither have been in great form...!

George Carlin wrote:If we're facing off against Manoa and Big Jim at lock, then I would definitely go for POC and Evans. Need a couple of big, brutal enforcers for those two.

I like the look of that pairing to face off against Samoa and Big Jim.

I would love to see how POC and Parling got on as a starting lock pairing too at some point. I think they'd compliment each other really well.

maestegmafia wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:wandering,

Thats a very well balanced side, personally I would give Evans a run alongside POC as think they would be a very good pairing and would go with Cuthbert over North who has been very poor of late.

Neither have been in great form...!

How is Cuthbert in poor form? In his last game he scored 2 tries against England!

If all were available I would start with Bowe and Maitland but Bowe is unavailable so its 2 from 3.

I will admit Cuthberts defence worries me but he is (or has been) in way better form than North so for me it would be Cuthbert and Maitland.

i like cuthbet and considering hes a late starter to rugby the lad not done to bad from blues contract Welsh international now now lions player in two years . Im going to say if he a test starter he ll be lions highest try scorer .

jimmyinthewell68 wrote:i like cuthbet and considering hes a late starter to rugby the lad not done to bad from blues contract Welsh international now now lions player in two years . Im going to say if he a test starter he ll be lions highest try scorer .

He has been the highest scorer in every team he has played for so far.

He has been the Blues top try scorer 2 years in a row from debut (the first player get it back to back at the Blues)

He was the 6Ns top try scorer this year

He was joint top in the HC until the QFs despite playing for a team that won 2 games!

bedfordwelsh wrote:If all were available I would start with Bowe and Maitland but Bowe is unavailable so its 2 from 3.

I will admit Cuthberts defence worries me but he is (or has been) in way better form than North so for me it would be Cuthbert and Maitland.

Norths form has been patchy this year so I can see how he might not start. For me it would be Bowe and Cuthbert two guys who can make something out of nothing.

I really don't get the Maitland thing. I have seen nothing from him to suggest he offers as much as Bowe and Cuthbert

dragonbreath wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:If all were available I would start with Bowe and Maitland but Bowe is unavailable so its 2 from 3.

I will admit Cuthberts defence worries me but he is (or has been) in way better form than North so for me it would be Cuthbert and Maitland.

Norths form has been patchy this year so I can see how he might not start. For me it would be Bowe and Cuthbert two guys who can make something out of nothing.

I really don't get the Maitland thing. I have seen nothing from him to suggest he offers as much as Bowe and Cuthbert

Spend a couple of minutes watching any of these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTaSPeRLdiY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MecgR94jEcA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn9sxzIODwA

Just some of his previous stuff. If you become the top try scorer in a Super rugby season, you have to be something pretty special. Hopefully some of those dragon scales will fall from your eyes in Australia.

maitland is my bolter for a test spot

100%beefy wrote:maitland is my bolter for a test spot

Can't argue with that Beefy, very much along the lines of dafydd James in 01. Most (includingt us Welsh) were surprised by his selection but when mixing with with the other class players in the party he ended up starting all 3 tests.

Yes, he was a classic style winger. Great to watch him finish off that try from BOD's off-load in the 1st Test.

OP updated to reflect the Barbarians' team announcement.

Looks likely that lot will deliver much more than the pile of old scrote served up against a young and hungry England side last week.

The Lions front row is going to get a work out from that three.

George Carlin wrote:

dragonbreath wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:If all were available I would start with Bowe and Maitland but Bowe is unavailable so its 2 from 3.

I will admit Cuthberts defence worries me but he is (or has been) in way better form than North so for me it would be Cuthbert and Maitland.

Norths form has been patchy this year so I can see how he might not start. For me it would be Bowe and Cuthbert two guys who can make something out of nothing.

I really don't get the Maitland thing. I have seen nothing from him to suggest he offers as much as Bowe and Cuthbert

Spend a couple of minutes watching any of these:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTaSPeRLdiY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MecgR94jEcA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn9sxzIODwA

Just some of his previous stuff. If you become the top try scorer in a Super rugby season, you have to be something pretty special. Hopefully some of those dragon scales will fall from your eyes in Australia.

Its not the same and you know it. This is the same Super Star who managed to score 4 tries in the Rabo in a very good attacking Glasgow side.

You pick your stats and I will pick mine.

Cuthbert is a proven finisher at this level, Maitland is not. This is not a suck it and see exercise, you can take all the risks you like on paper, but this is a test series

I can see Halfpenny ending up on a wing with Hogg at fullback.

I wouldn't have a problem with that. Halfpenny was considered good enough on the wing to have toured as a winger last time out. I can't wait to see Hogg in a Lions shirt.

Rowan Varty has been added to the Ba-as squad as cover for Tindall who has a groin strain. Quite right - Varty deserves to play in front of his home crowd.

Gray and Lydiate need serious game time - neither has played test rugby in quite a while.

red_stag wrote:I can see Halfpenny ending up on a wing with Hogg at fullback.

Doubt it while Cuthbert, Maitland and North are all available for this match.

Hogg will probably end up on the bench IMO, unless they decide to rest Halfpenny for this match (as Halfpenny is the frontrunner at the moment)

Much better Baabaas team, will still lose though. Only surprise is no Louw

wales606 wrote:

red_stag wrote:I can see Halfpenny ending up on a wing with Hogg at fullback.

Doubt it while Cuthbert, Maitland and North are all available for this match.

Hogg will probably end up on the bench IMO, unless they decide to rest Halfpenny for this match (as Halfpenny is the frontrunner at the moment)

Im talking about first test.

For this match I would have no problem with any combination from Hogg, Halfpenny, North, Cuthbert and Maitland.

That's the way I see it too, wales. I can imagine Hogg starting at FB for the state matches and if he does well in those... putting some pressure on Halfpenny. But Halfpenny is still the frontrunner as you say. He was the most composed player out here last year for Wales.

red_stag wrote:

wales606 wrote:

red_stag wrote:I can see Halfpenny ending up on a wing with Hogg at fullback.

Doubt it while Cuthbert, Maitland and North are all available for this match.

Hogg will probably end up on the bench IMO, unless they decide to rest Halfpenny for this match (as Halfpenny is the frontrunner at the moment)

Im talking about first test.

For this match I would have no problem with any combination from Hogg, Halfpenny, North, Cuthbert and Maitland.

Bowe has one wing in my book

Halfpenny has a starting place somewhere

and then it is very difficult to leave out North AND Cuthbert

So Halfpenny will start at FB if you ask me, with Bowe and at the moment, Cuthbert on the wings

If Brits and Castro can hold there own expect James to give Jones both barrells and really go for him, he knows what Jones likes to do in the scrum and will counter it and attack through him when Jones tries to go in, for me James is probably the best scrummaging LH in the NH about now.

Back row will be interesting, Parrisse and Manoa are big physical dynamic powerfull guys, they'll carry and tackle like beasts for an hour.

Backline is interesting too, not a massive amount of defencive quality there, some solid individuals though, but one weakness is the 10/12 channell and the back row will have to cover defencively, Evans Laulala and Daly will however be livewires (really like the look of Daly in recent weeks), and the back 3 have tries in them from everywhere.

Not only is this a much stronger squad indiviually it is far better balanced, has much more attacking threat, pace and power and will be a far better test than last weekends, would like to have seen Ghiraldini, Zanni and Hamilton in there instead of Brits, Jones and Wentzel though, really making the combos pop a bit more.

So what's your tip, Blues?

I put mine in too early again.
After last week's match I wanted to add another 20 points (I went mid-teens) but now think I might be +/- 10.

thebluesmancometh wrote:If Brits and Castro can hold there own expect James to give Jones both barrells and really go for him, he knows what Jones likes to do in the scrum and will counter it and attack through him when Jones tries to go in, for me James is probably the best scrummaging LH in the NH about now.

Back row will be interesting, Parrisse and Manoa are big physical dynamic powerfull guys, they'll carry and tackle like beasts for an hour.

Backline is interesting too, not a massive amount of defencive quality there, some solid individuals though, but one weakness is the 10/12 channell and the back row will have to cover defencively, Evans Laulala and Daly will however be livewires (really like the look of Daly in recent weeks), and the back 3 have tries in them from everywhere.

Not only is this a much stronger squad indiviually it is far better balanced, has much more attacking threat, pace and power and will be a far better test than last weekends, would like to have seen Ghiraldini, Zanni and Hamilton in there instead of Brits, Jones and Wentzel though, really making the combos pop a bit more.

Good summary Blues. You also bet your arse that Jim Hamilton is gunning to try and steal lineout ball from his mate Richie Gray. You'll be able to hear the sledging from your armchair.

Aye, Hamilton and James are very near selection and both want to hammer the guy opposite as a matter of principal, even if they are close mates (sometimes that even helps the smashing from my experience)

After watching last weeks highlights only I was impressed with Englands passion, invention and ability to take risks, I don't think the lions players will be that unrestrcted knowing Gatland, and how he likes to play. The lions won't go throwing blind behind the back passes out wide, they won't be playing the high risk long passes.

Gatland will want to control the game, he'll want to get units and individuals reactions to touring gameplans, if they go out and play Ba Baa's style rugby he'll learn nothing, and more importantly it'll be a hinderance to the gameplan come test 1.

That said he wants to win, win well and be clinical, he'll want to see the wide men brought in at the right times, not just beating their players who are in a bad defencive pattern easily and scoring from everywhere (although if the players can do that I expect them to).

What Gatland therefore wants in an ideal world is 3/4 tries, and to nil the Ba Baa's, and I mean nill, not no tries full on nill them!

Without seeing the lions team it's hard to tell, but at this point I probably see the lions winning, scoring between 20 and 30 points, but with the Ba Baa's going over once or twice. That said I could also see a lions domination performance based on posession and defence and see a 15 - 3, or 21 - 6 slow and steady squeezing the life out of the ba baa's.

If the back row cut Evans' space and harry Yachvili, the Baabaas will struggle, the Saracens' approach to counter Evans has been very effective. Don't let him play any football, because if he fires he is one of the best 10s in the World

OP updated to reflect the official team selection.

Come on yoooooooooooooooooooooooou Lions.

Lovely looking Baabaa's team, not so sure on the Lions team but would love to be proved wrong.

Lions by 10

ChequeredJersey wrote:If the back row cut Evans' space and harry Yachvili, the Baabaas will struggle, the Saracens' approach to counter Evans has been very effective. Don't let him play any football, because if he fires he is one of the best 10s in the World

Fully agree on this. Give Evans any time or space, and he will eventually construct a way of breaking through the defence. Limit his time on the ball, and he will struggle. Yachvili is similar I think. He's an excellent player, but can easily crumble under the pressure. Lions have selected a pretty mobile and quick backrow, so I would like to see Tips really pressuring them both off the scrums.

Is that all the Scottish Lions in the starting 15?

Can't argue too much with the Lions team given that Gatland has, as far as possible, not selected those players who were still with their clubs last week (T Youngs, Sexton, Heaslip and Healy on the bench out of necessity).

I like the selection of Hogg for the Baa Baas game - should give him a real chance to shine as a counter-attacker. He will though need to be outstanding to overtake 1/2p for the test jersey.

Much stronger looking Baa Baas side than played England, but will have the same issues of being a scratch team, so the Lions should be too well organised for them.

ChequeredJersey wrote:Is that all the Scottish Lions in the starting 15?

A beautiful sight, Chequered....

It’s unfortunate the Ba Bas got a wake up call last week having been so crap against England – it would have been nice to get a confidence boosting 40 point win to start off the tour! Then again a real hard game is probably best…

ChequeredJersey wrote:Is that all the Scottish Lions in the starting 15?

How many times will that happen again...





...ever?

The Great Aukster wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:Is that all the Scottish Lions in the starting 15?

How many times will that happen again...





...ever?

Well if Ross Ford finds himself going solo again...

wanderingdragon wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

Biltong wrote:Why is this game played in Hong Kong?

££££££££££££££££

HSBC are the Lions sponsors - definitely the money!

But since I live in Singapore and it is the first decent (hopefully) rugby I will have seen live in a year and a half - game on!

And it's great for us expats in this part of the world Cant express how cool it is seeing my team (DeA Tigers) on the squad list for a lions game!