Dream Team for 3rd Test

Adam
Hibbard
Corbs
AWJ
Ianto
Tips
Toby
SoB
Murray
Sexton
Tommy
BoD
Doc
George
Leigh

Sh*t or bust time.
Stop kicking the ball away and try the odd pass.Not advocating BaaBaas Rugby but intelligent play that poses one or two questions.We must bring our wings and Leigh into play.
Will Warren go for it?I hope so but I have my doubts!

That looks right to me, whether its good enough to win to beat the improving Aussies I doubt however

dragonbreath wrote:That looks right to me, whether its good enough to win to beat the improving Aussies I doubt however

Looks almost completely right to me.
Except I'd have Grant in for Mako.

15- Halfpenny, 14- Wade, 13- Bowe, 12- Kearney, 11- Zebo, 10- Hogg, 9- Youngs, 8- Phillips, 7- Tipuric, 6- Croft, 5- North, 4- Cuthbert, 3- Tuilagi, 2- Youngs, 1- O'Brien, screw the set piece, defence, or positions and just tap and go everything and offload out of every tackle. Can't fail

15. Halfpenny
14. Cuthers
13. Davies
12. Roberts/Tuilagi
11. North star
10. Sexton
9. Youngs
8. Faletau
7. Tipuric
6. SOB
5. Gray
4. AWJ
3. Jones
2. Hibbard
1. Corbs

16. Youngs
17. Cole
18. Vunipola
19. Parling
20. Croft
21. Hogg
22. Farrell
23. Phillips

Not sure what Hibbard has achieved over Youngs and if all were gonna do is kick chase then croft has to start!

I'd like to see:

Corbisero
Youngs
Jones
Gray
AWJ
SOB
Warburton
Faletau
Murray
Sexton
North
Roberts/Tuilagi (whoever is fit)
BOD
Bowe
Halfpenny

Tiger/Chief wrote:Not sure what Hibbard has achieved over Youngs and if all were gonna do is kick chase then croft has to start!

If all we are going to do is a kick chase, I'll spend 80 minutes weeping

Buy some tissues.

First question, will Warburton be fit for next week? or will their be a call up for some one else?

2 How is Sexton? He seemed to be carrying a arm or shoulder injury?

3 How many more injurys do we have for next week's "FINAL GAME OF THE SERIES?

Time to go for it.

1. Corbs
2. Hibbard
3. Cole
4. Evans
5. Gray
6. SOB
7. Warbs / Croft
8. Faleteu

9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. North
12. Roberts
13. JD2
14. Zebo
15. Halfpenny

16. Grant
17. Youngs
18. Jones
19. AWJ
20. Phillips
21. Hogg
22. Tuilagi
23. Bowe

get out there and have a go.

Given that Gatland likes to play a certain way (Gatlandball) I would select the personnel in the squad best suited to effecting that gameplan...

15. Haflpenny
14. Cuthbert
13. Tuilagi
12. Roberts
11. North
10. Sexton
9. Youngs

1. Corbisero
2. Youngs
3. A. Jones
4. AW. Jones
5. Gray
6. Lydiate
7. O'Brien
8. Heaslip

If we win the collisions on the gainline we will win the game, and this is a team that can do that.

If I was Gatland I would send a first class ticket to kings ford airport to Paul James right now.

We need him.

maestegmafia wrote:If I was Gatland I would send a first class ticket to kings ford airport to Paul James right now.

We need him.

 he hasn't given grant a chance yet!

We can beat this Aussie team. Four years ago we were playing the best team in the world. We were really excellent but came off marginally second best. But I was proud of them for playing so well. This Aussie team isn't the best in the world. Ireland, England and Scotland have beaten them. And they're not even playing that well by their own standards. It'll be a massive disappointment if we lose this series.

1.Corbs
2.Youngs
3.Jones
4.Wyn-Jones
5.Gray
6.O'Brien - Harsh on Lydiate, he's done well coming back from injury and has offered big defence but SOB offers some dynamic carrying
7.Warbs/Tipuric - Good to see Warbs excelling at what he does best today. He doesn't offer the link play that Tipuric does but he's so strong in defence at his best.
8.Heaslip

9.Youngs
10.Sexton

11.North
12.Roberts/Tuilagi - whoever is fit
13.O'Driscoll
14.Bowe
15.Halfpenny

Feckless Rogue wrote:We can beat this Aussie team. Four years ago we were playing the best team in the world. We were really excellent but came off marginally second best. But I was proud of them for playing so well. This Aussie team isn't the best in the world. Ireland, England and Scotland have beaten them. And they're not even playing that well by their own standards. It'll be a massive disappointment if we lose this series.

if we don't win its all down to selection. We have enough skill and ability to beat this lot.

Feckless Rogue wrote:We can beat this Aussie team. Four years ago we were playing the best team in the world. We were really excellent but came off marginally second best. But I was proud of them for playing so well. This Aussie team isn't the best in the world. Ireland, England and Scotland have beaten them. And they're not even playing that well by their own standards. It'll be a massive disappointment if we lose this series.

Scotland best a second team on a rainy night in Newcastle, England and Ireland beat them more than two years ago.

Aussies are top three in the rankings. They are a good team. This series means a hell of a lot to them, this was never going to be easy.

At least we are still in with a shout of a series win...

a second team that contained Folou, Genia, Pocock and others.

certainly the Scottish pack didn't get mullered in the scrum

Retain the same front row that played in the first test. Should get at least parity at scrum-time and Youngs' throwing is more solid than Hibbard.

1. Corbisiero
2. Youngs
3. Jones

AWJ starts. Ian Evans is a decent call but could be too much of a risk at this stage in the tour, as his form hasn't been brilliant. Parling did not work today IMO. Gray is an excellent jumper and will add more power than Parling in the scrum and loose but he is not a proven line-out caller. This shirt is very much up for grabs but I will go for:

4. AWJ
5. Gray

Backrow I thought did exceptionally well at the breakdown today but definitely lacked a ball carrier. Lydiate performed well but I would prefer a player with more variety at their disposal. One of Heaslip or Croft has to be in there for the line-out. I think it is the time to give SOB and possibly Tips their chance.

6. SOB
7. Tipuric/Warburton
8. Heaslip

Youngs has no excuses for a disappointing display and although Sexton kicked well, he isn't igniting the backline and is sitting too deep and kicking too often. If this is Gatland's doing, this is a very poor tactic. Sexton could still be very much the Lions' key player in the decider if he can find his usual form. Murray did well enough from the bench but I would give Youngs and Sexton another chance.

9. Youngs
10. Sexton

The centres were poor as a partnership today and it is a combination that is just not working. Davies was below par if not terrible and whilst BOD defended very well he has much more to give in attack. On a sidenote I have found that it has been mainly been BOD lining up in the 12 channel and Davies at 13 both in defence and attack. I would bring in Tuilagi at 12 as he has the potential to connect with BOD despite being harsh on Davies and somewhat of a gamble. The power of Manu and guile of BOD should at least give the Aussie defence something to think about before they look how to combat Bowe/North.

12. Tuilagi 12 and 13 are just numbers, this is very much interchangeable
13. BOD (C)*
*Assuming Warburton injured

Bowe and North had very little to work with today so I wouldn't direct much blame at either at them and they are clearly the best wingers we have.

11. North
14. Bowe
15. Halfpenny

The bench really needs impact.

16. Hibbard
17. Vunipola
18. Cole
19. Evans
20. Croft
21. Murray
22. Farrell
23. Davies

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:a second team that contained Folou, Genia, Pocock and others.

certainly the Scottish pack didn't get mullered in the scrum

Well, that one at least is clearly not true

1 Corbs
2 Hibbard
3 Jones
4 AWJ
5 Grey
6 SOB
7 Warburton
8 Heaslip

9 Youngs
10 Sexton
11 North
12 Roberts
13 BOD
14 Bowe
15 Halfpenny

16 Youngs
17 Grant
18 Cole
19 Parling
20 Croft
21 Murray
22 Farrell
23 Zebo/Kearney.

Australian teams vs Wales and Scotland

FB 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper - Morahan
RW 14 Cooper Vuna - Tomane
OC 13 Rob Horne - A Faingaa
IC 12 Pat McCabe - Harris
LW 11 Digby Ioane - Ioane
FH 10 Berrick Barnes - Barnes
SH 9 Will Genia - Genia
N8 8 Wycliff Palu - Dennis
OF 7 David Pocock (c) - Pocock
BF 6 Scott Higginbotham - Higginbotham
RL 5 Nathan Sharpe - Sharpe
LL 4 Rob Simmons - Timane
TP 3 Sekope Kepu - Palmer
HK 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau - Moore
LP 1 Benn Robinson - Slipper
Replacements:
HK 16 Stephen Moore - S Faingaa
PR 17 Ben Alexander - Alexander
FL 18 Dave Dennis - Simmons
FL 19 Michael Hooper - Hooper
SH 20 Nic White - Phipps
OC 21 Anthony Fainga'a - McCabe
IC 22 Mike Harris - Ashley-Cooper

Quite a bit of commonality between those two 23s, whichever way you want to measure it!

Can we put this to bed now, pls?

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Australian teams vs Wales and Scotland

FB 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper - Morahan
RW 14 Cooper Vuna - Tomane
OC 13 Rob Horne - A Faingaa
IC 12 Pat McCabe - Harris
LW 11 Digby Ioane - Ioane
FH 10 Berrick Barnes - Barnes
SH 9 Will Genia - Genia
N8 8 Wycliff Palu - Dennis
OF 7 David Pocock (c) - Pocock
BF 6 Scott Higginbotham - Higginbotham
RL 5 Nathan Sharpe - Sharpe
LL 4 Rob Simmons - Timane
TP 3 Sekope Kepu - Palmer
HK 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau - Moore
LP 1 Benn Robinson - Slipper
Replacements:
HK 16 Stephen Moore  - S Faingaa
PR 17 Ben Alexander - Alexander
FL 18 Dave Dennis - Simmons
FL 19 Michael Hooper - Hooper
SH 20 Nic White - Phipps
OC 21 Anthony Fainga'a - McCabe
IC 22 Mike Harris - Ashley-Cooper

Quite a bit of commonality between those two 23s, whichever way you want to measure it!

Can we put this to bed now, pls?

 ^what he said. I'm not suggesting you send the Scotland team out.

what I'm suggesting is Gatland needs to look at that performance, the Ireland one from the RWC and how NZ, France and South Africa beat them and hit them in their weak spots.

Today we never seemed to give them any trouble.

Front row
Corbisiero
Youngs
Jones

Corbisiero to come back in for his scrummaging. He looked good in the loose in the first test too. Youngs and Jones to keep their spots.

Second row
AW Jones
Gray

Parling didn't add anything today. Hopefully with AWJ calling the lineouts and Gray's extra height they can get the set piece sorted. Gray brings much more to open play than Parling as well.

Backrow
SOB
Warburton/Tipuric
Heaslip

Lydiate had a standard Lydiate game but at some point you have to stop being conservative and go for the win, and O'Brien is the right man to do it. If Warburton is injured then Tipuric comes straight in to the 7 jersey.

Halfbacks
Youngs
Sexton

Both to retain their shirts but Farrell will come on sooner rather than later if Sexton doesn't improve.

Centres
Tuilagi
BOD

Tuilagi is the game breaker the Lions need and he formed a good partnership with O'Driscoll earlier in the tour.

Back three
Bowe
North
Halfpenny

They didn't put a foot wrong today and were the only threats the Lions had, all 3 should start again.

Bench: Hibbard, Vunipola, Cole, Parling, Lydiate, Murray, Farrell, Cuthbert

The omissions of Tipuric and Faletau beggar belief.

JmD,

I agree with your 23 really. The only thing I wonder is how good will Sam play without Lydiate by his side again. Part of me would love to see O'Brien at 8, as I do want him in the side to hav another player to take the game to them. The trouble is, whether he would be able to do a job there or not. But seeing as we are chasing a win again and not defending one, I think Lydiate is going to be sacrificed for Croft or SOB.

I would maybe favour Jamie Roberts, but then I guess Tuilagi is probably going to be the fittest out of the two.

t1000, Tips was in my team, I just thought Phillips fitted my game plan a bit better at 8, could swap him for Faletau I suppose

Tiger/Chief wrote:Not sure what Hibbard has achieved over Youngs and if all were gonna do is kick chase then croft has to start!

In the 6 nations the Wales scrum struggled until Hibbard came into the frame. He will do the same for the Lions. He offers everything that Youngs does + he will give us the go forward in the scrum

dragonbreath wrote:

Tiger/Chief wrote:Not sure what Hibbard has achieved over Youngs and if all were gonna do is kick chase then croft has to start!

In the 6 nations the Wales scrum struggled until Hibbard came into the frame. He will do the same for the Lions. He offers everything that Youngs does + he will give us the go forward in the scrum

Hibbard's line out throwing is far worst than Youngs IMHO.

1. Grant
2. Hibbard
3. Jones
4. Gray
5. AW Jones
6. O'Brien
7. Tipuric
8. Faletau
9. Murray
10. Farrell
11. North
12. Roberts
13. O'Driscoll
14. Hogg
15. Halfpenny

The Lions need to win the scrum contest first and foremost, therefore they need the best 3 scrummagers in the front row and Grant-Hibbard-Jones provides that. AWJ and Gray and more mobile, skilful and powerful than Parling who resembled a friendly Labrador today and is just not good enough his selection above Launchbury is a mystery. The back row is powerful and competitive at the breakdown, Heaslip has been virtually anonymous so far and Warburton looks injured.

Murray has looked the best of the three scrum halves so far in the tests and deserves a chance to start and Farrell provides a better defence and kicking game. Roberts' power and proven combination with BOD could be lethal, despite his poor game BOD is a must for me due to his leadership and his sheer passion bearing in mind he'll most likely be captain and it will be his last Lions test and last chance of victory. North and Halfpenny are a must as far as I'm concerned and provide a fantastic attack and defence. Hogg is a gamebreaker and that's what the Lions lacked today although his defence may be called into question and his lack of experience on the wing but his step, speed and finishing ability may compensate for that.

Some people may think I'm deliberately picking three Scots but really I've moved on from my disappointment now of the misrepresentation of Scottish players in the squad and couldn't care less if Gatland picked 15 New Zealand born English players of Samoan heritage as long as they win.

For me

Corbs - Young - Jones

Did perfectly well in the first test and Youngs was really good again today.

Parling - Jones

Although Jones gave away a couple of cheap penalties today I think they worked fine today and neither Gray nor Evans have done enough to make their inclusion a necessity.

O'Brien - Tipuric - Falatau

Warburton should be in if he's fit but if not, I would go with the above trio. Heaslip has disappointed so far and I think O'Brien will offer us more than Lydiate.

Youngs - Sexton

But let them play

Tuilagi - BOD

We need a linebreaker and think BOD just edges Davies. Think Roberts would be too big a risk given his previous form on tour and his time out with injury.

North - Halfpenny - Bowe

But, again, let them play

Bench

Cole - Hibbard - Vunipola - Croft - Lydiate - Murray - Farrell - Hogg

jelly wrote:For me

Corbs - Young - Jones

Did perfectly well in the first test and Youngs was really good again today.

Parling - Jones

Although Jones gave away a couple of cheap penalties today I think they worked fine today and neither Gray nor Evans have done enough to make their inclusion a necessity.

O'Brien - Tipuric - Falatau

Warburton should be in if he's fit but if not, I would go with the above trio. Heaslip has disappointed so far and I think O'Brien will offer us more than Lydiate.

Youngs - Sexton

But let them play

Tuilagi - BOD

We need a linebreaker and think BOD just edges Davies. Think Roberts would be too big a risk given his previous form on tour and his time out with injury.

North - Halfpenny - Bowe

But, again, let them play

Bench

Cole - Hibbard - Vunipola - Croft - Lydiate - Murray - Farrell - Hogg

That is the side I would have started the series with bar Bowe for Cuthbert and injuries.
Tips, Faletau and Tuilagi should always have been in this side and Gatland backed himself into a corner making Sam caption.
I did prefer Phillips but hes injured and didnt front anyway.

If Warburton makes it I would be tempted to go with Tipuric on the bench. If O'Brien starts at 6 then he can cover 8 as well, and in the event that Warburton does have to go off there is a world class 7 ready to come on.

Really surprised people are picking Ben Youngs. Really poor no impact or threat, simply shipping the ball on is not good enough at this level. Replaced after 53 says it all. Mike was replaced at about the same time and he was crucified by his haters.

Murray as been the most consistent performer and deserves his start

My prediction:

Corbs, Hibbard, Jones
AWJ, Evans
Lydiate, Faletau, Warbs
Mikey
Sexton
Doc, JDII
North, 1/2p, Cuthbert

Not completely beyond the bounds of possibility?

dragonbreath wrote:Really surprised people are picking Ben Youngs. Really poor no impact or threat, simply shipping the ball on is not good enough at this level. Replaced after 53 says it all. Mike was replaced at about the same time and he was crucified by his haters.

Murray as been the most consistent performer and deserves his start

good point...he played well in one of the tour matches...you do have to wonder about the form of the top two for the tour though...one position the NH are usually strong in.

Assumings corbs and Roberts are fit and warbs is injured...

Corbs
Youngs (corbs and Gray to sure up scrum, hibs still can't throw!!)
Jones
Gray
Awj
Croft (need the lineout presence, need attacking ball off the top)
Sob (has impressed me more than tips, real ball carrier)
Faletau (heaslip has been invisible, tobe will carry all day)
Murray (really impressed me today and forms ireland unit with sexton)
Sexton
North
Roberts (please be fit Davies looks lost at 12)
Tuilagi ( its a shame but bod has been quiet, Manu to punch holes for the wingers)
Bowe
Halfpenny

I'm Irish and I am usually biased towards my countrymen but Conor Murray, although I have felt he was slightly underrated before this tour, should not be selected on the basis of 25 minutes. Youngs had a poor game today and Sexton was surely tied to Gats' gameplan but all the same people jump ship far too quickly.

On another note, I understand what people are saying in that we should "go for it" in the third test but hypothetically a defensive gameplan has an equal chance of winning a game as an attacking one, if you dismiss the negligible probability of a draw. What we need is one or two ball carriers (SOB in the pack, Tuilagi in the backs for me) but it does not need to be changed any more than that.

The third test is still very winnable for the Lions but it is now clear that Gatland got his tactics wrong for the first two tests.

Not sure if I'm on my own on this one, but of the three scrum halves, Murray is the one who has played the best in the tests so far, and was pretty lively in his tour matches.   I think he'd be a better starter than Youngs or Phillips.

For me a backline with Murray, Sexton, Bowe, Tuilagi, O'Driscoll, Zebo and Halfpenny might have a lot more zip and guile to it with familiarity but still have the power punch through MT.  If Roberts is recovered well enough, then partnering him with BOD may make sense, but he hasn't had a match in a while.

Up front, Corbisiero, Youngs and Jones to line out with Parling and Gray, with Warburton, O'Brien and Faletau - each a natural in their position.  (O'Brien switch to 7 if Warby is crocked, and Lydiate at 6.)

On the bench, Hibbard, Cole, Grant and Vunipola along with Croft, Farrell, Youngs and North.  

Zebo can cover off wing and FB.  Bowe - wing and centre, 1/2p - wing and FB, Sexton 10 and 12' Farrell - 10 and 12.  Tuilagi centre and wing.

Front row: Corbs had a very good showing in the first test and if fit comes back into the frame for me. Youngs has looked solid in his two starts, although his darts weren't the best today. Adam Jones worked tremendously hard and although Cole looked good when he came on Jones did enough to justify keeping his place.

Second row: Tough selection here, as I'm not going to select Croft I'd be tempted to stick with Parling to ensure strength in this area. Alun Wyn Jones continues to impress, and I'd probably stick with these two.

Back row: I thought Warburton had a good game and if he's fit he starts again. I'd change the other two though. I'd lose a defensive player at 6 for an attacking player with Lydiate coming out for O'Brien and I'd balance that with the more defence-minded option of Faletau at 8.

Half backs: A lot here depends on game plan. There's no point picking Youngs and Sexton and telling them not to play rugby. Murray and Farrell would suit the current gamplan better. If you are asking me what I'd do though, I'd pick Youngs and Sexton again and try and play more expansively.

Centres: Probably down to the game plan as much as anything, but I thought for the second week running the centres failed to offer with ball in hand. As mentioned, Roberts would be a risk even if deemed fit enough to play. I'd bring Tuilagi in at 12 to increase our attacking threat. O'Driscoll to stay at 13 to Marshall the defence and possibly provide a moment of magic to win it.

Back three: I'd stick with the three that played today, but I'd try to get them in the game more.

Robbos XXIII:
Corbisiero*, Youngs, Jones, Jones, Parling, O'Brien, Warburton**(C), Faletau
Youngs, Sexton, North, Tuilagi, O'Driscoll, Bowe, Halfpenny
Hibbard, Vunipola, Cole, Croft, Tipuric, Murray, Farrell, Hogg

*if Corbs isn't fit I'd start Mako and put Grant onto the bench
**if Warburton isn't fit I'd start Tipuric and put Heaslip onto the bench

There has been a record replacements on the 2013 tour, so may as well bring some more over who are the best in their field. Best attacking form experienced FB (Byrne), most accurate place kicker in the 6Ns (Laidlaw), most complete i.e. defensive/offensive 8 (Morgan), best lock (Charteris)

15 Byrne
14 Bowe
11 North

13 Davies
12 Roberts

10 Sexton
9 Laidlaw

8 Morgan
7 Warburton
6 Lydiate

5 Charteris
4 Gray

3 Jones
2 Owens
1 Grant

Bench: Corbs, Hibbs, Cole, AWJ, Brown, Phillips, Farrell, BOD, Halfpenny

Dreaming........

Seriously though folks

15 Halfpenny
14 Bowe
11 North

13 Davies
12 Roberts

10 Sexton
9 Phillips

8 Faletau
7 Warburton
6 Lydiate

5 Gray
4 AWJ

3 Jones
2 Hibbard
1 Grant

Bench: Corbs, Young, Cole, Evans, SOB, Murray, Farrell, Tualagi

If Corbs is fit he must play

Stevens, youngs, grant,
gray, parling,
sob, heaslip, croft,
youngs, Farrell,
tuilagi, bod,
Bowe, maitland
Hogg

Then nobody can blame the welsh if we lose!

dragonbreath wrote:Really surprised people are picking Ben Youngs. Really poor no impact or threat, simply shipping the ball on is not good enough at this level. Replaced after 53 says it all. Mike was replaced at about the same time and he was crucified by his haters.

Murray as been the most consistent performer and deserves his start

I like Phillips, his spark and fight should be just what we need in this series. However, he was awful in the 1st Test and maybe that was down to him not being fully fit. His box kicks were awful, he kept running into dead ends and his attempt to get anywhere near Genia for their first try was abysmal.

Youngs was playing with far less ball, behind a pack that was struggling for much of the game and yet still he managed to give good ball to Sexton, his box kicks were much more useful. It was far from his best performance and I think the main difference was that he didn't detract from the Lions' performance in the way Phillips did a week earlier.

Murray did well when he came on, not the perfect performance some seem to be trying to attribute to him, but did well and I wouldn't have a problem with him starting next week. But don't think that anyone who criticised Phillips' performance last week is a hater, even Gatland dropped him which was something we kept getting told would never happen.

doddieman wrote:Stevens, youngs, grant,
gray, parling,
sob, heaslip, croft,
youngs, Farrell,
tuilagi, bod,  
Bowe, maitland
Hogg

Then nobody can blame the welsh if we lose!

Sadly thers is still Howler sitting on the coaching bench to aim abuse at.

Grant
Hibbard
Cole
Grey
AWJ
Croft
Tipuric
Faletau

Phillips (not sure he was even injured)
Sexton
North
Tuilagi
Davies
Bowe
Halfpenny

Bench- Mako, Adam, Youngs, Evans, Sob, Murray, Hogg, Maitland

Both Youngs boys looked woeful today so neither should start. I don't believe Phillips is injured, I think it is at worst a niggle but a good reason for him not to have featured as opposed to being dropped.

Corbisiero
Hibbard
Jones
AWJ
Gray
Lydiate
Warburton
Faletau
Phillips
Sexton
North
Davies
O'Driscoll
Bowe
Halfpenny

Youngs
Grant
Cole
Evans
O'Brien
Murray
Farrell
Tuilagi

Everyone wants the lions to play a more attacking style of rugby but yet don't have SOB starting???

Am I missing something?

ScarletSpiderman wrote:Grant
Hibbard
Cole
Grey
AWJ
Croft
Tipuric
Faletau

Phillips (not sure he was even injured)
Sexton
North
Tuilagi
Davies
Bowe
Halfpenny

Bench- Mako, Adam, Youngs, Evans, Sob, Murray, Hogg, Maitland

Both Youngs boys looked woeful today so neither should start.  I don't believe Phillips is injured, I think it is at worst a niggle but a good reason for him not to have featured as opposed to being dropped.  

Phillips has been injured since the Baa Baa's game apparently. There was a rumour he was heading home but apparently he might make the test next week. I hear North is thought to be OK but Warburton is a big concern.

Warburton was our best player on Saturday. He was superb. We need him on that form. Lets hope all respond well to treatment and further scans tomorrow don't deliver bad news...