Australia vs British and Irish Lions - 22nd June : TEST 1 BUILDUP

First topic message reminder :

So, it's only a week to go before the first Lions test for 4 years.

Gatland has a host of injuries and a game against the Brumbies to manoeuvre while deciding the 23 players who will take to the pitch next Saturday.

Christian Wade and Brad Barritt have both been called up to cover for injury concerns over Jamie Roberts, Manu Tuilagi, Tommy Bowe and George North


My team for Saturday

1. Maku Vunipola
2. Tom Youngs
3. Adam Jones
4. Alun Wyn Jones
5. Paul O'Connell
6. Tom Croft
7. Sam Warburton
8. Toby Faletau
9. Mike Phillips
10. Jonathan Sexton
11. George North (Simon Zebo)
12. Jonathan Davies
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Leigh Halfpenny

16. Richard Hibbard
17. Alex Corbisiero
18. Dan Cole
19. Richie Gray
20. Justin Tipuric
21. Ben Youngs
22. Owen Farrell
23. Manu Tuilagi/Stuart Hogg


Thoughts?

Great try by North, less of the noxious finger wagging though please, particularly at Genia, we don't need him even more ramped up.

So close, blimey

ooops, no try.

Great defence on that to get an arm under

Is that SOB on the bench? Lydiate injured?

Warburton was having words with Pollock there,did anyone hear what was said?

Ball in wrong arm. Basic stuff. 

Lions though back in ascendancy and half time can't come soon enough for Oz.

Oh, cripe.  Take the scrum, drive them over.  Kick 'em whilst they are down. 
Assert dominance.

The Saint wrote:Warburton was having words with Pollock there,did anyone hear what was said?

Querying a pen try due to maul being pulled down, ref didn't see it like that

The Saint wrote:Warburton was having words with Pollock there,did anyone hear what was said?

He asked for a penalty try because the maul would've gone over

Theres an example of Folau climbing up over Halfpenny...

Pathetic defending

Poor tackle from Sexton there!

What a try!!!!!

Great wingers try..

And Folau's in...a star is reborn?

What a game! Neutral's dream.

Great form Folau - what a prospect this match is.

All that from Phillips poor box kicking again!

Folau looking a real find. One year or two before he takes the big money in France?

Awful, awful from Sexton and Corbs. Dreadful

Folau is just pure natural talent.

Lions defence set up is poor - Shaun Edwards will be crying at home

Where's the Sexton abuse then? I did wonder if it would come back to Phillips...

A few posters thought Folau was shaky and inexperienced. Huge score for Australia as they go into the halftime with belief. JOC is leaving valuable points out on the field. 

Great game though!!!

Barns needs to take the kicks.

formerly known as Sam wrote:Folau looking a real find. One year or two before he takes the big money in France?

The rumour is that he's going back to league next year to play for the Bulldogs

Looks like the battle of the wingers and the battle of the kickers

Lions should have taken the scrum after North was forced out.  Bad decision. 
Wallabies will be challenging on the wing.  Lions must maul.  A lot.

I missed it, what did Corbs, Phillips and Sexton do wrong>

Barnes should be kicking for Aus, the guy is deadly accurate.

offload wrote:Barns needs to take the kicks.

Dont tell the Aus management!

Terrible tracking and tackling from Croft and Corbisiero.

Australia's injury curse continues. It's been going on for what,2 years now?

That's a different type of impact from Folau. Will Beale come on now? JOC will have to continue kicking then and Lions will be happy about that.

Had to go pick my sister so i am missing the game.

what's the game like, who's playing well/bad for us?

Barnes should have been kicking

Aus have lost their two other kicking options, and JOC is having a mare

Bele has the worst haircut since the hospital for 'special' patients.
Scrum.  NOw. Score.

jeepers... beale will be on after oddly, the two fringe selections in the backline have both been stretchered off.
So much backline talent on the oz side now as a result.
And the Lions rush back in... whew...

No YC?!

Beale can goal kick as well so he could be a better option. Barnes off might actually help Australia as he seems an expert in aimless kicking.

That was brilliant from BOD

How is that not a yellow? I'd settle for a warning really but cmom Pollock at least try to look impartial!

Great play. Lol at AWJ look of ' u lucky sods' after no yellow...

Must be a yellow

Croft? He was about the only defender coming across and the ball was past him before Croft was due to make the tackle. The try was because there is little organisation in defence and because there was no kick chase on the dire box kick.

Nathan, North and Halfpenny are immense. Phillips is playing Poopie. Everyone else alright though Tom Youngs is doing a cracking job on a Tigers point of view.

nathan wrote:Had to go pick my sister so i am missing the game.

what's the game like, who's playing well/bad for us?

Judging by the comments here, Phillips has cost us everything so far

Tom Youngs having one hell of a game,really justifying his selection and the Lions best player imo.

What a mental half.

Should have been yellow there.