What will the 23-man squad for Saturday look like?

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Tue 25 Jun 2013, 8:40 pm

First topic message reminder :

Pinching from our esteemed fellow poster and reigning Mr Know-it-all, for the second test:

LT wrote:OK guys name the 23 man squad you believe will be selected for Saturday. You do not have to differentiate between starters and bench, just name the players. Whoever gets the most right will be known for one week at least as:

Mr (or Ms) Know-it-all.

With two wrong last week, I'm going for the following with a couple of changes:

Lions: Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Brian O'Driscoll, Jonathan Davies, George North, Jonathan Sexton, Mike Phillips; Ryan Grant, Tom Youngs, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton (capt), Jamie Heaslip.

Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Mako Vunipola, Dan Cole, Richie Gray (token Scot), Tom Croft, Ben Youngs, Owen Farrell, Tommy Bowe.

Not saying I agree with that selection, but I think that's what FatMan and his cronies will go for

by Pete C (Kiwireddevil) Wed 26 Jun 2013, 11:25 am

propdavid_london wrote:
Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:
VictorU3 wrote:Guys aren't we allowed to criticise certain Lions anymore?

It's getting a little tiresome when people (and some posters from all 4 Lions nations are doing it) are letting national bias get in the way of common sense.
Hi Pete C - I was just making an observation from the first Test - has nothing to do with nationality of the players.

Mine was a general observation mate, not aimed at you Smile

by reallybored Wed 26 Jun 2013, 11:28 am

I just don't get the criticism of Gray for being a show pony?

Was 2nd top tackler, good in the line-out, part of an effective scrum, hit plenty of rucks and had a few carries. What exactly do people want him to do?

by RuggerRadge2611 Wed 26 Jun 2013, 12:04 pm

reallybored wrote:I just don't get the criticism of Gray for being a show pony?

Was 2nd top tackler, good in the line-out, part of an effective scrum, hit plenty of rucks and had a few carries. What exactly do people want him to do?

Be Welsh.

by Glas a du Wed 26 Jun 2013, 12:06 pm

Rhisiart Llwyd.

by Glas a du Wed 26 Jun 2013, 12:07 pm

Perhaps he should start calling himself Dai Lloyd...

by Portnoy's Complaint Wed 26 Jun 2013, 12:09 pm

Glas a du wrote:Rhisiart Llwyd.

Isn't that Richard Grey?

There's no such player according to the Lions' webbythingymejig.

by Glas a du Wed 26 Jun 2013, 12:11 pm

I was suggesting the Cymricisation of his name might help Richie Gray's chances...

by **George Carlin** Wed 26 Jun 2013, 12:16 pm

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
reallybored wrote:I just don't get the criticism of Gray for being a show pony?

Was 2nd top tackler, good in the line-out, part of an effective scrum, hit plenty of rucks and had a few carries. What exactly do people want him to do?

Be Welsh.

What will the 23-man squad for Saturday look like? - Page 2 112

by Portnoy's Complaint Wed 26 Jun 2013, 12:21 pm

Glas a du wrote:I was suggesting the Cymricisation of his name might help Richie Gray's chances...

Does he have a death wish?
Any Welshman with an opportunity of crossing the English dyke (and I mean that in the most non-sexist way (honestly)) seems to come over despite the increased difficulty in gaining national representation.

And oh yes! Oh yes! I'm mimicking Cameron whilst PMQs are on. Wink

by doctor_grey Wed 26 Jun 2013, 1:45 pm

Double parens, mate?!
You are sodomising the English language with that gross violation of linguistic propriety.

by Jhamer25 Wed 26 Jun 2013, 6:36 pm

1. Grant (i'm hoping)
2. Youngs
3.Adam
4. Alyn Wyn
5. Geoff Parling
6. Tom Croft
7. Sam Warbs
8. Toby Falateu (personally I would keep Heaslip but I think Gatland will change him)
9.Mike
10. Sexton
11. North
12. John
13. O'Driscoll
14. Bowe
15. Halfpenny

16. Hibbard, 17. Mako, 18. Cole, 19. Ian Evans, 20. O'Brian, 21. Ben, 22. Farell, 23. Manu

by Jhamer25 Wed 26 Jun 2013, 6:39 pm

Glas a du wrote:I don't get the hype for Parling I really don't. To misquote Paul McCartney, he'd not the best lock in England's second row.

I think he is, world class in the line out and has a good tackling work rate. What more do you want form him.

by wales606 Wed 26 Jun 2013, 6:55 pm

Parling, Vunipola and Bowe are the 3 changes apparently.

by funnyExiledScot Wed 26 Jun 2013, 7:01 pm

As long as Stevens isn't on the bench, as suggested in the Times yesterday, nothing is likely to threaten my sanity as regards this team selection.

From a Scots perspective both Ryan Grant and Richie Gray have a good shot at the bench in my view.

by alive555 Wed 26 Jun 2013, 7:08 pm

if vunipola starts the aussies are going to dominate the scrum .

by glamorganalun Wed 26 Jun 2013, 7:10 pm

Wih POC and Corbs out I suspect the scrum will lose a fair amount of power in the scrum so I suspect the Lions may go backwards in the scrum or at best have parity. The Lions will have a very good line out, I hope they challenge the Aus throw ins.

If the Lions want to compete at scrum time maybe they should make changes e.g., Hibbard in place of Youngs but I would keep Hibbard on the bench for impact or to compensate for the potentially weaker props coming on with 20mins to go (Gatland alarm clock is set to go on 60mins, went early last week)!

by sickofwendy Wed 26 Jun 2013, 7:47 pm

Hp
Tb
Bod
Jd
Gn
Js
Mp
Mv
Ty
Aj
Awj
Gp
Sob
Sw
Jh
Reps
Rh
Rg
Dc
Tc
Tf
By
Of
Mt

by Cyril Wed 26 Jun 2013, 7:49 pm

Ah, the Lions Periodic Table Wink

by glamorganalun Wed 26 Jun 2013, 8:02 pm

Cyril wrote:Ah, the Lions Periodic Table

Very good, it is a bit like a quiz.

by Guest Wed 26 Jun 2013, 8:12 pm

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
reallybored wrote:I just don't get the criticism of Gray for being a show pony?

Was 2nd top tackler, good in the line-out, part of an effective scrum, hit plenty of rucks and had a few carries. What exactly do people want him to do?

Be Welsh.

I think you're joking a bit now, but you are offering this kind of talk a fair bit about fifty fifty decisions etc. I'm confused really which ones you feel hard done by, as AWJ proved his worth on Saturday, as did the Welsh back three over Hogg and Maitland and there's no Welsh guy to compete with Grant.

Pre tour selections, well it's unfair to criticise when we're currently one nil up.

by Gibson Wed 26 Jun 2013, 8:13 pm

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:My greatest hope is for Ben Youngs to start, he has the skill set to give Genia problems.

My 2nd greatest hope is that Scottish tourists are involved in this test. Our guys have done pretty well on tour and have merited a chance, even if coming from the bench.

My 3rd greatest hope is that an unfit and match cold Bowe is thrown into the test cauldron. The Aussie wingers are electric and caused massive problems on Saturday. Throwing Bowe in there cold would be a grave error.

Id drink to all that Radge. guinness

by Guest Wed 26 Jun 2013, 8:13 pm

For what it's worth, I think Gray will be on the bench anyway.

by Gibson Wed 26 Jun 2013, 8:14 pm

Cyril wrote:Ah, the Lions Periodic Table

by Glas a du Wed 26 Jun 2013, 8:48 pm

Aren't all periods about 4 weeks?

by Gibson Wed 26 Jun 2013, 9:09 pm

Make that 40 years.

by ChequeredJersey Wed 26 Jun 2013, 9:11 pm

The official definition of PMS in one of our textbook includes the 10 days before a period and the 2 weeks after, and an average period lasts 4 days. Do the maths, there...

by Cyril Wed 26 Jun 2013, 9:14 pm

There was plenty of Pre Test Tension after losing to the Brumbies.

by sickofwendy Wed 26 Jun 2013, 9:19 pm

Just being very lazy

by Cyril Wed 26 Jun 2013, 9:21 pm

sickofwendy wrote:
Just being very lazy

Nah, I like it. Let's just hope the Aussies can't crack your code.

by sickofwendy Wed 26 Jun 2013, 9:22 pm

by sickofwendy Wed 26 Jun 2013, 9:25 pm

Tc, tf and mt more dynamic from the bench.i wouldnt have rg or ie involved. Wink

by Jhamer25 Wed 26 Jun 2013, 10:24 pm

Surly Gethin will be ok now, they said 2-3 weeks and it's been that long.
Call him back up Gatland we need a world Class prop, as good as Vunipolo is he is nowhere near an established scrummager at an international level.
What are the odds Gethin, Cian and now Corbs are injured, it unbelievable.

by Glas a du Wed 26 Jun 2013, 10:46 pm

And the better scrummager than any of them, Paul James, not even touring.

by RubyGuby Wed 26 Jun 2013, 10:52 pm

Glas a du wrote:And the better scrummager than any of them, Paul James, not even touring.

It's the quota thing Glas

by doctor_grey Thu 27 Jun 2013, 1:56 am

I'd still be pulling for Sheridan. But I think he is sleeping on a beach in the south of France right about now.

by Glas a du Thu 27 Jun 2013, 6:20 am

Youngs? Guby, I thought you were joking about quotas, but there is clearly a Leicester quota.

(P.S. LT, this is a joke. I'm actually chuffed for their family, that's a massive honour)

by Glas a du Thu 27 Jun 2013, 6:33 am

By my calculations Chequered Jersey has it with 4 wrong.

by Glas a du Thu 27 Jun 2013, 6:35 am

But then I've not given credit for getting bench/starters the wrong way round...ASBO!

by Glas a du Thu 27 Jun 2013, 6:43 am

Argh! There's any amount on 2 wrong, BigTrevsBigMac is on one, but probably disqualified. Not for only selecting 22, but for not amending it when told of his blydi mistake! As nobody has got the 6 front rowers wrong though...or, you could count it as his second mistake? ASBO!

by **LondonTiger** Thu 27 Jun 2013, 6:48 am

Glas a du wrote:Youngs? Guby, I thought you were joking about quotas, but there is clearly a Leicester quota.

(P.S. LT, this is a joke. I'm actually chuffed for their family, that's a massive honour)

HOW DARE YOU BE SO....

Oh, sorry.

Actually with Mako coming in alongside YoungsT I worry a little come scrum time, and would probably have brought Hibbard in as well to help Adam shore things up. It could get really ugly.

by Glas a du Thu 27 Jun 2013, 6:52 am

I think he's trying to "shoot the Australian's fox" to use a political term by not trying to use the scrum to win the match as the Aussies must have expected and trained for. Problem is, the scrum is a huge part of Gatlandball.

by **LondonTiger** Thu 27 Jun 2013, 6:55 am

Glas a du wrote:I think he's trying to "shoot the Australian's fox" to use a political term by not trying to use the scrum to win the match as the Aussies must have expected and trained for. Problem is, the scrum is a huge part of Gatlandball.

Gatlandball may have been compromised by the lack of Phillips and Roberts as well. Perhaps we will see something that surprises and delights?

by Glas a du Thu 27 Jun 2013, 6:59 am

Big call to rest Phillips. I suspect the third test will be Wales+ on that basis and pure Gatlandball. He will tell Rowndtree firmly where to go about Monday time I reckon.

by AsLongAsBut100ofUs Thu 27 Jun 2013, 7:04 am

LondonTiger wrote:
Glas a du wrote:I think he's trying to "shoot the Australian's fox" to use a political term by not trying to use the scrum to win the match as the Aussies must have expected and trained for. Problem is, the scrum is a huge part of Gatlandball.

Gatlandball may have been compromised by the lack of Phillips and Roberts as well. Perhaps we will see something that surprises and delights?

Loving your optimism, LT!

by doctor_grey Thu 27 Jun 2013, 7:07 am

Doesn't Gatlandball seem a bit like the old style England 10 man up the jumper style of Rugby which was castigated from sea to shining sea?

by jelly Thu 27 Jun 2013, 7:24 am

I think playing Phillips again after last week would have been a huge gamble so glad they have gone for the safe option and picked Youngs.

by Glas a du Thu 27 Jun 2013, 8:14 am

If Youngs is safe, I'd hate to see the petulant option...

by beshocked Thu 27 Jun 2013, 8:37 am

Nice to see Gatland show faith in Vunipola at last. Good to see he has dropped Phillips too.

Still baffled by this backrow selections.

If you are going to pick pretty just Welsh backrowers surely the one in best form should be picked (Faletau).

Why is Cuthbert dropped for Bowe? I know Gatland seems to have a fascination with players not match fit but still.......

Gray is unlucky to miss out too - no proper 2nd row cover on the bench.

by nathan Thu 27 Jun 2013, 8:48 am

Glas a du wrote:If Youngs is safe, I'd hate to see the petulant option...

There's such a thing as a non petulant scrum half?

by RuggerRadge2611 Thu 27 Jun 2013, 8:59 am

Youngs in is good, Vunipola starting is the right call but Bowe I feel is going to have to hit the ground running or he will have a tough night.

No lock cover is one of the most risky and foolish choices of the tour so far.

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