Lions v Barbarians (Official Match Thread)

[mrzimmerman]

First topic message reminder :

The team has been named. What do you think? Predictions for the match?

British & Irish Lions:
S Hogg (Scotland); A Cuthbert (Wales), J Davies (Wales), J Roberts (Wales), S Maitland (Scotland); O Farrell (England), M Phillips (Wales); M Vunipola (England), R Hibbard (Wales), A Jones (Wales), R Gray (Scotland), P O’Connell (Ireland, capt), D Lydiate (Wales), J Tipuric (Wales), T Faletau (Wales).

Replacements: T Youngs (England), C Healy (Ireland), M Stevens (England), A W Jones (Wales), J Heaslip (Ireland), C Murray (Ireland), J Sexton (Ireland), G North (Wales).


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.

[Scrumpy]

Poc try

[Cari]

Good Baas defence...come on Lions!!! Phillips try held up. POC in possibly...TMO...did POC knock on???

[Pal Joey]

POC in.

[George Carlin]

Thanks for PMs - not working though.

Will need to find a pub sharpish. How long till half time?

[Cari]

TRY!!! Nice one POC.

[BamBam]

Nice bit of play building up to that try!

[Sgt_Pooly]

George

Cool sport

[Cari]

Thanks for PMs - not working though.

Will need to find a pub sharpish. How long till half time?

13 minutes by me, but I may be a minute or two behind.

[GLove39]

The odds on POC getting first try of the tour would have been pretty decent I'd have thought!?

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Well deserved try for the best Lions player so far. Tipuric beginning to come into the match. The Welsh centres having good games too. Phillips has been good round the fringes but otherwise dreadful. Lydiate utterly anonymous and same for Hibbard.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Phillips is an awful SH

[Cari]

POC off now with a blood injury.

13-3 at 29:39

[Rugby Fan]

Thanks for PMs - not working though.

You have more mail

[JimmySarries]

Hi all, new poster here (though frequent follower of topics!).

Would anyone be kind enough to send me a link to watch the game please? Recently canceled sky sports so can't watch on tv!!

[Cari]

Phillips try!!! WOOOOP!

[BamBam]

Is Lydiate on the field? Tipuric and Faletau both playing well!

[Guest]

Get in Phillips! Can't pass but can take them on and run!

[BamBam]

Nice Phillips!

[Gibson]

Georgie, sent you a decent link mate...

[Breadvan]

I've always rated Phillips lol..

[Pal Joey]

Phillips is an awful SH

Showed some initiative there for his try. He's a very Australian style of player when he runs with it like that.

[Cari]

Great run from Phillips...I did for a second think he should've passed too.

20-3 at 32:21. The lads will be glad of some water whilst Farrell converts.

[Hound of Harrow]

Nice try from Phillips; good awareness.

[GLove39]

Georgie, sent you a decent link mate...

any chance you could drop me a line?

[Guest]

oops

[cakeordeath]

At the risk of upsetting some of our Welsh brethren. Lydiate has been awful, circling the ruck like a yappy dog and contributing little. Hogg has done more clearing out than him.

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Been quite impressed with Vuniploa so far.

[Steffan]

Good first half for Wales sorry I mean the Lions

[trebellbobaggins]

Nice lock combo. POC doing the graft, Gray the showy stuff

Both looking fantastic. POC's workrate is immene. I think he's showing why he's been picked before the English locks like Parling and Launchbury.

Launchbury will be outstanding but he hasn't the experience of poc yet.

[thebluesmancometh]

Phillips fringe threat is excellent, but his distribution has been very poor so far!!!

Lydiate just trying to get through the game it looks like, not involved much at all!!

Hibbard not quite at the race either, looks slow and groggy.

Falatau just lacking a little muscle in the tight, but thats what Heaslip is for!

I wouldn't read much into the centres performance so far, it's a bit open and sloppy and they are looking good because of so.

Big positive so far is the lock combo, and the front row looking solid at the set peice.

[Cari]

Is this the hairiest front rows we've ever seen? Imagine the stink in that heat.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Good finish from Phillips...still a dross SH though. Just hinders so much attacking pl;ay by taking it on himself.

[Gibson]

Georgie, sent you a decent link mate...

any chance you could drop me a line?

Coming up Glove.

[GLove39]

Georgie, sent you a decent link mate...

any chance you could drop me a line?

Coming up Glove.

[thebluesmancometh]

James fancies this against Jones, I know they are giving away pens but James has Jones number, not allowing him to get inside him and I think it's Jones dropping!!!

[flyhalffactory]

Good afternoon everyone ROOOOAAARRRRRRR

I have said it before and I will say it again....... anyone who says Jon Davies is a poor distributor is talking through their derriere. I would pencil this guy first and foremost and preferably at 12. Awesome performance so far.

Hogg already looking dangerous

Got to give credit to our new forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys there could be four current or ex Ospreys contesting the front row in this match.

Hello and welcome JimmySarries

[kingelderfield]

First game up and everything, and i suppose the conditions may not be helping, but there's a real lack of pace being shown......especially when you compare to the young english backs last out against the barbarians at twickenham.

[thebluesmancometh]

Just to all criticising Phillips distribution, look at that last phase, rubbish Phillips to Faz, rubbish Faz to Maitland and rubbish Maitland to Davies!!

All passig is safe, rugby league style and into the gut, noones distribution is good!

[Cari]

Wowsers! The boys look like they're playing in pouring rain, but it's just sweat!. They must be boiling. I bet they're dreaming of a cold pool and some drinkies afterwards.

[thebluesmancometh]

First game up and everything, and i suppose the conditions may not be helping, but there's a real lack of pace being shown......especially when you compare to the young english backs last out against the barbarians at twickenham.

[GLove39]

Ohhh, wee disagreement between Hogg & Farrell as to who should take the long range penalty.

[Cari]

HT 23-3

[Pal Joey]

blues, the ball is slippery... they're holding it back and playing it safe.

Farrell nails another. 23-3 HT.

[maestegmafia]

Vunipola is playing really well in set piece and open.

[George Carlin]

Georgie, sent you a decent link mate...

[Rory_Gallagher]

Richie Gray is having a great game I think. Making lots of carries around the field.

[jimmyinthewell68]

it must be like playing in a sauna . few mistakes but overall lions doing what's ask of them .

[cakeordeath]

Richie Gray is having a great game I think. Making lots of carries around the field.

POC and Gray look as if they are going to be a good partnership.

[Hookisms and Hyperbole]

Blues you can't defend Phillips distribution. As a 9 it is his bread and butter but it has been dreadful. Physicality and eye for a gap as good as their is but his basics are just flat poor.

Welsh centres have been pretty good, Davies in particular. Tipuric coming into the game more. O'Connell outstanding. Gray very good. Vuniploa playing well.

Lydiate anonymous. Hibbard poor. Farrell rattled. Falateau quiet. Cuthbert is cold on the wing at 30 degrees.

[Knowsit17]

Any chance of a link being thrown my way?

[Sponsored content]