Lions team for Combined Country announced - Stuart Hogg at 10!

First topic message reminder :

Right team announced for Tuesdays game...

15. Maitland
14. Cuthbert
13.BOD
12. Roberts
11. North
10. Hogg
9. Murray

1. Corbisiero
2. Hibbard
3. Cole
4. Gray
5. Evans
6. O'Brien
7. Tipuric
8. Heaslip

Bench

Best, Grant, Stevens, AW Jones, Faletau, Phillips, Davies, Halfpenny

Big call putting Hogg at 10, apart from a half against Connacht don't think I've ever seen him play there, plus he was knackered after today's game. Also looking at the team he'll be goal kicking I take it. Lots of pressure on his shoulders. Lets hope he responds well.

Great to see Grant on the bench, it'll be very fitting when he comes off the bench, making his Lions debut at the same stadium he made his Scotland one.

offload wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

offload wrote:If Hogg get's hurt and with Kearney looking doubtful this decision may backfire.

If that happens won't they just call up another flyhalf/fullback and fullback?

Probably Maesteg, but it would have been a lot easier to have taken one to start with !

True...! Luckily there is a few good players to call on if needed.

Gatland has been very impressed by Farrell and considered him one of the stand out players against the Reds. Most write-ups in the press gave him 7/10 too. Maybe they know what they're talking about and don't just have a stance that they can't climb down from now?

maestegmafia wrote:

Ozzy3213 wrote:Mate, I'm not on any high horse, I just think it's nonsense to say that he's not good enough to win a Lions test series.

Winning a test series away from home is about the team, not 1 man. Just because ROG, Humphreys and Wilko couldn't do it when given their opportunities, does not mean that Farrell can't do it now, even if you consider that they are better players than him.

I completely accept that his form dipped from early March, and that is a concern, but he showed some mental toughness against the Reds yesterday, which is a good sign for me. He started the game poorly, and was visibly frustrated, but he grew into it and got better through the game. That is a good sign.

Look, this is the Wallablies we are playing. They are a very good side, but not an unbeatable one. The Lions will be perfectly capable of beating them, whether Sexton or Farrell is the 10.

Oozy interesting to read your opinions.

I was just wondering if you have time to write, could you tell us what Farrell does well?

At first I thought it was goal kicking, but when he feels pressured his accuracy disappears, unlike the greats, Wilko, Jenkins etc etc.

He isn't creative, tactically astute, skillfull beyond other alternatives.

He is young, but he just doesn't seem very good, he also regularly falls short of a decent performance when it's called upon him, as demonstrated in the Six Nations, HEC and Premiership playoffs this year.

Why don't you go and ask Gatland, Lancaster & McCall? Either they are idiots or...well lets just say it's probably not the first time an internet warrior has disagreed with three experienced rugby men.

Of all the matches to try Hogg at 10 I'm glad it is this one.

I think he is a gifted young player but I'm relieved he has experienced guys like Roberts, BOD and to an extent Murray at Scrum half to settle him a little bit.

North and Cuthbert should also position themselves on his shoulders to offer some hard and direct running again to keep the pressure off.

With the pack we have in this match I would expect the backs to be supplied with good quick ball, this could be a devestating Lions team if they can click.

Hogg has never kicked in test matches though, I hope he can keep his composure. He is still a young player and I hope the occasion doesn't get the better of him. Make no mistake this is probably the most pressure he will ever be under. Playing in a position he won't be 100% comfortable with and taking on the kicking duties. I rate him highly but I am a wee bit apprehensive of how he'll do tomorrow.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
Hogg has never kicked in test matches though, I hope he can keep his composure.

He's kicked once! Not remember his long range attempt on the stroke of half time against Ireland?

GLove39 wrote:

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
Hogg has never kicked in test matches though, I hope he can keep his composure.

He's kicked once! Not remember his long range attempt on the stroke of half time against Ireland?

I remember it but he wasn't primary kicker. This is a whole new kettle of fish where as a Forward myself if your kicker keeps making a hash of every 3 point oppertunity you create the pressure can start to mount.

I hope this isn't leading to O'Brien/Tipuric/Heaslip as the midweek back row, I'd have that as my test back row.

BlueNote wrote:I hope this isn't leading to O'Brien/Tipuric/Heaslip as the midweek back row, I'd have that as my test back row.

+1

Likewise the centre combination

Must say I am with the lads who are not that impressed with Farrell,

I don't think him being nominated for player of the year or beating the AB's makes up for the fact that:

1) he is not very creative from 10 (he runs good lines at centre)
2) his decision making is very poor for a 10
3) his passing is suspect (for a 10)
4) his temperament (place kicking aside) is very suspect
5) while he tackles hard, he can find himself slightly flat footed defensively particularly off multi-option offensive patterns

He is however a very good place kicker and very hard tackler

Likewise the centre combination.

+1!

pete (buachaill on eirne) wrote:

BlueNote wrote:I hope this isn't leading to O'Brien/Tipuric/Heaslip as the midweek back row, I'd have that as my test back row.

+1

Likewise the centre combination

If it is it would be a mistake. Warbs and Lydiate haven't convinced me yet.

Warburton has to be dropped for Tipuric!

Tour Capt or not, he simply is not on the same form as Tipuric.

SOB would be 6 I would think

The No8 spot is kinda up for grabs really. No one has really stood out at 8 so far!

tigertattie wrote:Warburton has to be dropped for Tipuric!

Tour Capt or not, he simply is not on the same form as Tipuric.

SOB would be 6 I would think

The No8 spot is kinda up for grabs really. No one has really stood out at 8 so far!

I think in terms of lineout options you need Heaslip there at 8 unless you have Croft at 6. Faleteau is good but none of the flankers other than Croft are good lineout options so you kinda need Heaslip in there. We won't really get really tested in the lineout until the tests IMO.

Heaslip is also playing some outstanding stuff, great carrying and is very underrated at the breakdown

Tattie - can't agree with you on the 8 issue - I think that Heaslip has been absolutely outstanding. The Aussie Fox commentators were in raptures about him during the Force game and I think quite rightly. I never seem to see Toby carrying anywhere near as often or as strongly.

Notch wrote:Based on his tour so far Farrell is kicking poorly from hand, has a poor range of passing and is making poor decisions when he is on the ball. If we are to rely on him we need him to improve in a big, big way. Better to hope we don't have to.

What will win us this series is Robbie Deans. I would give my left nut to have Quade Cooper in the lions!

Reckon Quade will be playing against us in T2

T1 for me at the moment will be -
Vauipola, Hibbard, Jones
POC, Parling
Croft, SOB, Heaslip
Phillips
Sexton
North
Tuilagi (if fit)
BOD
Bowe (if fit)
Halfpenny

If SOB, heaslip and croft start test 1, the aus 7s will be all over the breakdown.

Tip, Warbs or both have to start the first

tigertattie wrote:Warburton has to be dropped for Tipuric!

Tour Capt or not, he simply is not on the same form as Tipuric.

There's no way Gats is going to do that. He had the opportunity before selection to make someone else captain (BOD or POC) and still take Warbs on tour (as a back-up player) but he decided not to. Fair enough. It's his choice.

It's not like anything much has changed (except for Warbs getting a minor injury that has set him back a bit). Warbs isn't playing badly it's just that Tips has been playing better for a while. Gats has played his hand now and can't really change it now.

I know Gats isn't averse to a bit of controversy but can you imagine the fall-out if he dropped his captain, not to mention what it would do to Warbs (and the Welsh camp when Gats returns)?

Injuries permitting Warbs will start all three tests.

Combined Country team is up:

	Payer	Team	Current Club	Regional Club/Born
1	Haydn HIRSIMAKI	QLD Country	Sunshine Coast Stingrays	Sunshine Coast
2	Josh MANN-RAE	Brumbies - Super Rugby	Gungahlin, ACT	Narromine
3	Tim METCHER	Premier Rugby - Southern Districts	Southern Districts, Sydney	Coffs Harbour
4	Phoenix BATTYE	Force - Super Rugby	Wanneroo, WA	Cooma
5	Blake ENEVER	Reds - Super Rugby	Easts, Brisbane	Sunshine Coast
6	Richard STANFORD	Premier Rugby - Eastern Suburbs	Eastern Suburbs, Sydney	Wellington
7	Jarrad BUTLER	Reds - Super Rugby	Easts, Brisbane	Gold Coast Breakers
8	Tim DAVIDSON (Capt)	Rebels - Super Rugby	Sydney University, Sydney	Young
9	Michael SNOWDEN	Force - Super Rugby	Eastwood, Sydney	Tamworth
10	Angus ROBERTS	Rebels - Super Rugby	Sydney University, Sydney	Gunnedah
11	Tom COX	Brumbies - Super Rugby	Uni-Norths, ACT	Sunshine Coast
12	Tareta-Junior SIAKISINI	QLD Country	Gold Coast Breakers	Gold Coast
13	Lewie CATT	NSW Country	Wanderers, Newcastle	Wanderers, Newcastle
14	Alex GIBBON	Premier Rugby - Southern Districts	Southern Districts, Sydney	Far North Coast NSW
15	Nathan TRIST	Premier Rugby - Sydney University	Sydney University, Sydney	Kiama
16	Tom KEARNEY	QLD Country	Noosa Dolphins	Sunshine Coast
17	Dylan EVANS	NSW Country	Wanderers, Newcastle	Singleton
18	Rikki ABRAHAM	QLD Country	Teachers West, Townsville	Townsville
19	Rory ARNOLD	QLD Country	Gold Coast Breakers	Gold Coast
20	Trent DYER	Rebels - Super Rugby	Sydney University, Sydney	Avoca Beach/Gosford
21	Adam McCORMACK	NSW Country	Hastings Valley, NSW	Hastings Valley, NSW
22	Shaun McCARTHY	QLD Country	Burdekin RUC, QLD	Townsville
23	Dale AHWANG	QLD Country	Barron-Trinity Bulls, Cairns	Far North Queensland

I must confess that the only Super Rugby bloke I've heard of is Jarrad Butler, who's a big meaty chap that gets the back end of a few games for the Reds.

Can Fa and the other Aussies lads help me?

Jarred Butler?

I thought he was excellent in Olympus Has Fallen.

tigertattie wrote:Warburton has to be dropped for Tipuric!

Tour Capt or not, he simply is not on the same form as Tipuric.

SOB would be 6 I would think

The No8 spot is kinda up for grabs really. No one has really stood out at 8 so far!

The choice of Warburton as captain does not make sense to the vast majority including Welsh poster's like myself especially after the last 6N, he was captain for Wales what should have been the easiest game and they lost and the following games he either did not play or was not captain. The game against England he was correctly displaced by Tipuric to play 6. So, why is Warburton captain is it:

1. Warburton was told he was captain a year ago when Gatland was made coach for the Lions and he kept his word?

2. Warburton was made captain as a condition that Gatland was released by the WRU?

3. Warburton is the best captain despite being second best

4. Warburton is the greatest player since sliced bread

5 ANOther

IanBru wrote:Jarred Butler?

I thought he was excellent in Olympus Has Fallen.

Quite apt as the scoreline is likely to be close to 300