Who should be the Locks for the 3rd Test

by alive555 Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:02 pm

discuss

by jimbopip Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:06 pm

It doesn't really matter who SHOULD play as much as "Which of his favourites will the blinkered one stick with?"

by majesticimperialman Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:22 pm

AWJ + PARLING To start. Grey on the bench.

by RuggerRadge2611 Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:26 pm

Evans and Gray AWJ on bench.

not sure what AWJ has bought to the last 2 tests.

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:31 pm

Where's the option for Evans/Gray or even Evans/Parling?

by Norfolklass Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:37 pm

AWJ and Evans. Gray on bench. Parling doesn't bring enough physicality, (and is he that good anyway?). Evans and Gray do. Evans and AWJ with a front row of Corbs, Hibbard and Jones is our best available front five. Youngs to come on in the Ken Owens role.

by Taffineastbourne Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:41 pm

AWJ and Ianto.We must go with our best pairing.AWJ very close to the Player of the Series for the Lions.He has been immense.

by RuggerRadge2611 Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:45 pm

Taffineastbourne wrote:AWJ and Ianto.We must go with our best pairing.AWJ very close to the Player of the Series for the Lions.He has been immense.

...in one game.

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:47 pm

Taffineastbourne wrote:AWJ and Ianto.We must go with our best pairing.AWJ very close to the Player of the Series for the Lions.He has been immense.

Out of interest Mr Eastbourne (somewhere in bleeding Eastbourne innit guv'ner).................

What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then? Of course ditto to "Ianto"

by Taffineastbourne Tue 02 Jul 2013, 6:55 pm

flyhalffactory wrote:
Taffineastbourne wrote:AWJ and Ianto.We must go with our best pairing.AWJ very close to the Player of the Series for the Lions.He has been immense.

Out of interest Mr Eastbourne (somewhere in bleeding Eastbourne innit guv'ner).................

What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then? Of course ditto to "Ianto"

I would say that he has constantly put in 8/10 performances.When a kicker like Halfpenny is in the side I would be surprised for a member of the engine room to get the nod for MOTM award.

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 7:00 pm

Taffineastbourne wrote:
flyhalffactory wrote:
Taffineastbourne wrote:AWJ and Ianto.We must go with our best pairing.AWJ very close to the Player of the Series for the Lions.He has been immense.

Out of interest Mr Eastbourne (somewhere in bleeding Eastbourne innit guv'ner).................

What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then? Of course ditto to "Ianto"
I would say that he has constantly put in 8/10 performances.When a kicker like Halfpenny is in the side I would be surprised for a member of the engine room to get the nod for MOTM award.

SAME QUESTION
What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then?
Of course ditto to "Ianto

Come on Mr Eastbourne Guv'ner................ surely you don't have to do a bit of research to know the games that your own players have been MOTM or even 8 out of 10s, or are you just having a bit of a "bish bosh" "loads of money" windup

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 7:01 pm

[quote="flyhalffactory"]

Taffineastbourne wrote:
flyhalffactory wrote:
Taffineastbourne wrote:AWJ and Ianto.We must go with our best pairing.AWJ very close to the Player of the Series for the Lions.He has been immense.

Out of interest Mr Eastbourne (somewhere in bleeding Eastbourne innit guv'ner).................

What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then? Of course ditto to "Ianto"
I would say that he has constantly put in 8/10 performances.When a kicker like Halfpenny is in the side I would be surprised for a member of the engine room to get the nod for MOTM award.

SAME QUESTION
What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then?
Of course ditto to "Ianto

Come on Mr Eastbourne Guv'ner................ are you seriously stating that 1/2p will be MOTM every time he plays because he is a kicker. Surely you don't have to do a bit of research to know the games that your own players have been MOTM or even 8 out of 10s, or are you just having a bit of a "bish bosh" "loads of money" windup

by RubyGuby Tue 02 Jul 2013, 7:04 pm

AWJ/Ianto - Grey on bench

by 2ndtimeround Tue 02 Jul 2013, 7:07 pm

It has to be AWJ and Ianto for me purely for the experience they have playing together, by far the bigger issue though must be the game plan, only 1 side looked like they wanted to play rugby in the second test and if the game plan is just to defend and steal penalties again then we could have 2 of POC at lock and it would not make the slightest difference.

by doctor_grey Tue 02 Jul 2013, 7:08 pm

Willie John McBride and Martin Johnson.
Even now.
No one would be close.

by RuggerRadge2611 Tue 02 Jul 2013, 7:18 pm

2ndtimeround wrote:It has to be AWJ and Ianto for me purely for the experience they have playing together, by far the bigger issue though must be the game plan, only 1 side looked like they wanted to play rugby in the second test and if the game plan is just to defend and steal penalties again then we could have 2 of POC at lock and it would not make the slightest difference.

yeah the shared experience of losing to Australia.

by glamorganalun Tue 02 Jul 2013, 7:38 pm

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
2ndtimeround wrote:It has to be AWJ and Ianto for me purely for the experience they have playing together, by far the bigger issue though must be the game plan, only 1 side looked like they wanted to play rugby in the second test and if the game plan is just to defend and steal penalties again then we could have 2 of POC at lock and it would not make the slightest difference.
yeah the shared experience of losing to Australia.

Grow up, AWJ and Evans or Gray as long as Parling is not in the squad, too lightweight which is odd for an English second row.

by Guest Tue 02 Jul 2013, 7:53 pm

Flyhalffactory in aggressive posting shocker Shocked

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 8:05 pm

Griff wrote:Flyhalffactory in aggressive posting shocker

Well its like the Scots shouting Hogg for FB because he is the best attacking player on tour............. it hasn't been the case and neither is the case of AWJ or Ianto for man of the series

Just asked the "Guv'ner" just to name one game where AWJ has been immense........... sniff the air Griff, the cows after grazing all day are coming home.

I mean why not say

"I would pick AWJ and Ianto as they know each others game inside out as they play together for the Os and Wales, and that could well work to the Lions advantage on Saturday"

then that's a fair argument, and one that wouldn't raise the airs on ones neck or pollute the air with inaccuracies such AWJ has been "immense" and is in line for "Man Of The Series"

MOOOOOO!

by The Saint Tue 02 Jul 2013, 8:08 pm

AWJ and Gray for me.

by The Saint Tue 02 Jul 2013, 8:12 pm

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
2ndtimeround wrote:It has to be AWJ and Ianto for me purely for the experience they have playing together, by far the bigger issue though must be the game plan, only 1 side looked like they wanted to play rugby in the second test and if the game plan is just to defend and steal penalties again then we could have 2 of POC at lock and it would not make the slightest difference.
yeah the shared experience of losing to Australia.

Along with winning back to back 6 Nations championships, beating all of their 2nd row rivals team's don't forget Smile

.

by 2ndtimeround Tue 02 Jul 2013, 8:20 pm

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
2ndtimeround wrote:It has to be AWJ and Ianto for me purely for the experience they have playing together, by far the bigger issue though must be the game plan, only 1 side looked like they wanted to play rugby in the second test and if the game plan is just to defend and steal penalties again then we could have 2 of POC at lock and it would not make the slightest difference.
yeah the shared experience of losing to Australia.

Ah so by your logic we should not use any of the Welsh players as they lost to Australia.
Intresting team with none of the 6 nations winners then.

by ultra Tue 02 Jul 2013, 8:29 pm

Not convinced that we have any locks of 'physicality' available........One's gone home and the others were never selected. Grey's a long streak of a ball handling, side stepping back. Sorry but he's really not an abrasive, man-handling lock. Parling wouldn't intimidate my missus and Evans just ain't shown any form at all this tour....it will be AWJ, fair enough....he's been ok but I bet not many scots would pick him for scotland and if I was picking the england side he'd not be there. He's been ok.....tho

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 8:32 pm

Call up some replacements and we could wack out this

15 Hogg / Kearney
14 Maitland / Wade
13 O'Driscoll
12 Bowe / Scott
11 Wade /Bowe
10 Sexton / Farrell
9 Youngs / Murray / Laidlaw
8 SOB / Morgan
7 Barclay / Robshaw
6 Croft / SOB
5 Gray
4 Parling
3 Cole
2 Youngs
1 Grant / Mako

Dispense with GatlandBall Style, wack in the obligatory welsh coach Nigel Davies expansive style: Lions 2-1 and the whole rugby world is breathless

by Totalflanker Tue 02 Jul 2013, 8:50 pm

Evans and Gray for me - Waratahs game aside, where I think AWJ was great and rightly played himself into the first test, I don't think he's added that much (certainly not the man of the series) Evans and Gray are the heavy weight pairing needed. Gray has been consistently high on tackle counts and hitting rucks, and while Evans has not had the best of tours I think given the poor Parling and AWJ performance in the last match (lineout and scrum in particular) its time to give the heavy weight pairing a go.........

Gatland will of course go with AWJ and let Rowntree retain his pal Parling - too bloody minded to change what has proven not to work.

by 2ndtimeround Tue 02 Jul 2013, 8:55 pm

FHF. I assume thats a tongue in cheek effort at a bite rather than a remotely genuine opinion.
The only thing that needs a major change to have a hope of a win on Saturday is Gatlands game plan. Negative tactics are never going to cut it against a team with real attacking flair.

by doctornickolas Tue 02 Jul 2013, 9:01 pm

If anyone selects Parling they want their head sorting. he is maybe agood enought to play club rugby but not international rugby and not at this level. I amfed up of hearing how we need him for the lineout, what a load of horse. The lineout is no better but very possibly worse with him there. My Nan would offer more physicality at scrum and ruck time and she's 86, and a lot more aggressive than Parling.

It's 2 from 3 of AWJ, Evans and Gray. 2 Start and 1 on the bench. Gray has been cac all year. If he was Welsh he wouldn't get a start in an international. So thats's that decision taken care of.

by 2ndtimeround Tue 02 Jul 2013, 9:16 pm

How about.
1 Corbisiero
2 Hibbard
3 Cole
4 AWJ
5 Ianto
6 Croft (c)
7 Tipuric
8 Faletau
9 Youngs
10 Sexton
11 Bowe
12 Davies
13 Tuilagi
14 North
15 Halfpenny

16 Youngs
17 Jones
18 Grant
19 Gray
20 Heaslip
21 Murray
22 Farrell
23 Hog

Keep the power up in the front 5 for the full 80. Short lineouts targeting Croft to release a quick back line.

by RubyGuby Tue 02 Jul 2013, 9:36 pm

That's a good side - Jamie for Mannu on the bench and we're there

by maestegmafia Tue 02 Jul 2013, 9:38 pm

doctor_grey wrote:Willie John McBride and Martin Johnson.
Even now.
No one would be close.

Your too young to remember Delme Thomas Doc...???

by Totalflanker Tue 02 Jul 2013, 9:40 pm

doctornickolas wrote:If anyone selects Parling they want their head sorting. he is maybe agood enought to play club rugby but not international rugby and not at this level. I amfed up of hearing how we need him for the lineout, what a load of horse. The lineout is no better but very possibly worse with him there. My Nan would offer more physicality at scrum and ruck time and she's 86, and a lot more aggressive than Parling.

It's 2 from 3 of AWJ, Evans and Gray. 2 Start and 1 on the bench. Gray has been cac all year. If he was Welsh he wouldn't get a start in an international. So thats's that decision taken care of.

Not sure what stock Gatland will put on form (media messages suggest he will all other evidence point to not that much notice), but if he does he has the form of Evans in the six nations - he was great, but has been poor on tour versus Gray, not up to much during the six nations but has out performed Evans on tour.

As for the other two - AWJ six nations injury, one great game against Tahs but not much else and Parling a good six nations but zip I'm matches on tour. To date can only presume AWJ and Parling are the ones showing form in training.

by dragonbreath Tue 02 Jul 2013, 9:51 pm

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
2ndtimeround wrote:It has to be AWJ and Ianto for me purely for the experience they have playing together, by far the bigger issue though must be the game plan, only 1 side looked like they wanted to play rugby in the second test and if the game plan is just to defend and steal penalties again then we could have 2 of POC at lock and it would not make the slightest difference.
yeah the shared experience of losing to Australia.

and of kicking English arse

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 9:53 pm

2ndtimeround wrote:FHF. I assume thats a tongue in cheek effort at a bite rather than a remotely genuine opinion.
The only thing that needs a major change to have a hope of a win on Saturday is Gatlands game plan. Negative tactics are never going to cut it against a team with real attacking flair.

It is tongue in cheek somewhat at this stage in the tour (but then again a respected coach selecting players who have given up international rugby for what 24 months or a winger who is playing for the dosh in a lower Japanese league to represent the lions in 2013 well my selection as a joke pales in comparison).

Personally I would have taken

Greg Laidlaw - If we are going to take a player primarily because of his kicking, then take most accurate kicker in the 6Ns.
We could therefore have seen what Hogg could have really done at FB and taken the pressure off 1/2p or even have considered the form FB Leigh Byrne. Only one game I have really seen 1/2p threaten in a game, and that's a crying shame because we know what he can do as a destructive runner.
Ben Morgan - The best offensive ball carrying 8 and bang on form just before selection. How have we have needed an 8 that can actually puncture holes in the Aussie defence.

But you are correct the Lions have had the best choice of players ever (those that have gone on the plane and those that didn't go), unfortunately they are now morphed into Wales or GatlandBall Style. The biggest and bitterest argument on this site pre-lions selection was the seriously talented Welsh squad and how they can win NH rugby but constantly lose (albeit narrowly) SH rugby. Specifically to the Aussies. A very good Wales squad hasn't had a plan B or C so that when they play other style teams they might be able to convert narrow loses to wins...... in my mind its not the players its the inability of the coach to acknowledge he needed more than one style of play. Fast Forward to June 2013 and the Lions for a repeat performance.

We should have learnt by this experience but IMHO Mr Stubborn hasn't...... chosing to bury his head in the sand and by "tweaking" GatlandBall (Heavy) to GatlandBall (lite) with a few changes in personnel (POC BOD etc) we would get a change in fortunes. It really hadn't happened with the Aussies missing 12-14 points in the first test otherwise we would all be a bit more despondent now.

I seriously cant see how we are now going to change tactics or the mind-set of the players that has been force fed into them over the what nearly three months in seven days.

Personally I wouldn't have played Bowe with a bad hand, I wouldn't have started Mako, and I wouldn't have started Parling. But to be honest I also wasn't that concerned with them in the starting 15. It wasn't the players it was the tactics

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 10:13 pm

2ndtimeround wrote:How about.
1 Corbisiero
2 Hibbard
3 ~~Cole~~ Jones
4 AWJ (C)
5 ~~Ianto~~ Gray
6 ~~Croft (c)~~ Lydiate
7 ~~Tipuric~~ SOB
8 Faletau
9 ~~Youngs~~ Phillips
10 Sexton
11 Bowe
12 ~~Davies~~ Roberts
13 ~~Tuilagi~~ Davies
14 North
15 Halfpenny

That's a seriously good side (really like Foxy/Manu combo) and one that could have been excellent in the first test, unfortunately now its too late for a risk based play. I would change the above

16 Youngs
17 Jones
18 Grant
19 Gray
20 Heaslip
21 Murray
22 Farrell
23 Hog

Keep the power up in the front 5 for the full 80. Short lineouts targeting Croft to release a quick back line.
Again a great bench and can see where you are coming from fancy taking over from Mr Stubborn

by Guest Tue 02 Jul 2013, 10:16 pm

I can't work you out FlyHalf - you recently post a half tongue in cheek post saying you'd call up new players rather than pick one welsh player in the team, then you disagree with another poster and put in a load more welsh players than ever! 10 - 15!

by flyhalffactory Tue 02 Jul 2013, 10:22 pm

Griff wrote:I can't work you out FlyHalf - you recently post a half tongue in cheek post saying you'd call up new players rather than pick one welsh player in the team, then you disagree with another poster and put in a load more welsh players than ever! 10 - 15!

Griff it was just a reply to 2ndtimeround saying it would look a rather silly without the 6Ns champions players in the side. Nothing more than that and certainly not my personal selection at this stage in the game. My team has just gone up have a ganders

by **profitius** Tue 02 Jul 2013, 10:55 pm

Parling and Grey for me. Parling had the most tackles and runs the lineout. Grey will be fresh and offers a ball carrying option. AWJ done nothing wrong but Gatland has to roll the dice a bit.

by RubyGuby Tue 02 Jul 2013, 10:58 pm

Yale and Chubb for me

by **Pal Joey** Wed 03 Jul 2013, 2:47 am

RubyGuby wrote: Yale and Chubb for me

Fair play... although personally I'd go for Chubb and Lockwood. Locky's a more secure lineout option, imo.

by BigTrevsbigmac Wed 03 Jul 2013, 7:22 am

majesticimperialman wrote:AWJ + PARLING To start. Grey on the bench.

good shout!

by Taffineastbourne Wed 03 Jul 2013, 7:56 am

flyhalffactory wrote:
flyhalffactory wrote:
Taffineastbourne wrote:
flyhalffactory wrote:
Taffineastbourne wrote:AWJ and Ianto.We must go with our best pairing.AWJ very close to the Player of the Series for the Lions.He has been immense.

Out of interest Mr Eastbourne (somewhere in bleeding Eastbourne innit guv'ner).................

What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then? Of course ditto to "Ianto"
I would say that he has constantly put in 8/10 performances.When a kicker like Halfpenny is in the side I would be surprised for a member of the engine room to get the nod for MOTM award.

SAME QUESTION
What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then?
Of course ditto to "Ianto

Come on Mr Eastbourne Guv'ner................ are you seriously stating that 1/2p will be MOTM every time he plays because he is a kicker. Surely you don't have to do a bit of research to know the games that your own players have been MOTM or even 8 out of 10s, or are you just having a bit of a "bish bosh" "loads of money" windup

Sorry,I left this thread because it had nowhere to go.I missed your hissy fit which I find rather disturbing.Welshman holds differing view from Scot shocker.
MOTM are what they are.Even an unbalanced person should be able to grasp that a consistently high performer has more value than an occasional flash in the pan.
The phrase "Calm down,dear". Sprang to mind when I came across your spittle spattered meltdown:laughing:

by Taffineastbourne Wed 03 Jul 2013, 8:00 am

flyhalffactory wrote:
flyhalffactory wrote:
Taffineastbourne wrote:
flyhalffactory wrote:
Taffineastbourne wrote:AWJ and Ianto.We must go with our best pairing.AWJ very close to the Player of the Series for the Lions.He has been immense.

Out of interest Mr Eastbourne (somewhere in bleeding Eastbourne innit guv'ner).................

What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then? Of course ditto to "Ianto"
I would say that he has constantly put in 8/10 performances.When a kicker like Halfpenny is in the side I would be surprised for a member of the engine room to get the nod for MOTM award.

SAME QUESTION
What games has AWJ been MOTM as if he is close to being MOTS then he must have been MOTM in quite a few games then?
Of course ditto to "Ianto

Come on Mr Eastbourne Guv'ner................ are you seriously stating that 1/2p will be MOTM every time he plays because he is a kicker. Surely you don't have to do a bit of research to know the games that your own players have been MOTM or even 8 out of 10s, or are you just having a bit of a "bish bosh" "loads of money" windup

Sorry,I left this thread because it had nowhere to go.I missed your hissy fit which I find rather disturbing.Welshman holds differing view from Scot shocker.
MOTM are what they are.Even an unbalanced person should be able to grasp that a consistently high performer has more value than an occasional flash in the pan.
The phrase "Calm down,dear". Sprang to mind when I came across your spittle spattered meltdown:laughing:

by flyhalffactory Wed 03 Jul 2013, 9:29 am

So Guv'ner you cannae what you are saying (in a smokeily screeningly kinda way) is
"ok I said something without any basis just to promote two Welshies yet again".

Hissy fit.......... my foot.
I only asked you quite clearly, quite calmly, quite specifically to back up your statements, it was just a simple question. I asked the simple question again because you attempted to reply by meandering and stating even more guff.

Actually more than justified as even on this thread so many posters (including some welsh) have said that AWJ hasn't had that good a series and they wouldn't pick him.

Fair dues to you "Somewhere in Eastbourne" you are consistent though.

Anyway back on topic

AWJ for me and make him captain. Just drive home to him that he doesn't give pens away under pressure. Gray to start alongside him. Parling or Evans on bench

by Taffineastbourne Wed 03 Jul 2013, 9:37 am

What is with the Guvnor malarkey?
I rate AWJ very highly,so does Gatland.Others don't.Not all Welsh agree on everything surprisingly enough.
You appeared to be obsessed with MOTM awards and I pointed out the weakness in basing MOTS award on this basis(unless the same person had been awarded thebMOTM awards).
Keep calm.

by nathan Wed 03 Jul 2013, 9:41 am

The Saint wrote:
RuggerRadge2611 wrote:
2ndtimeround wrote:It has to be AWJ and Ianto for me purely for the experience they have playing together, by far the bigger issue though must be the game plan, only 1 side looked like they wanted to play rugby in the second test and if the game plan is just to defend and steal penalties again then we could have 2 of POC at lock and it would not make the slightest difference.
yeah the shared experience of losing to Australia.

Along with winning back to back 6 Nations championships, beating all of their 2nd row rivals team's don't forget .

there not playing 6 nation teams though, there playing australia.

by RuggerRadge2611 Wed 03 Jul 2013, 9:43 am

A team that don't get rattled by the excessive Welsh physicality.

by Guest Wed 03 Jul 2013, 9:44 am

I'm confused by this Guv'ner bit too! Where is the cockney connection???

Surely FHF is not mistaking Eastbourne for being in London?

by Taffineastbourne Wed 03 Jul 2013, 9:57 am

His posts usually ooze self importance.This latest series of posts indicate that the LionsTour has taken its toll on some of our Scottish brethren or is Musselburgh in Landan too!

by flyhalffactory Wed 03 Jul 2013, 9:57 am

Griff

A parody loosely based on the 60s Ealing Films spouted in that decade. A "head of the household or office or crime organisation" who would spout statements with no basis" everybody would look confused at but daren't challenge.

Characters usually based in the south coast of England.

Always happy to enlighten on a day..... Education Education Education particularly on the day the Lions test side have been announced

by flyhalffactory Wed 03 Jul 2013, 10:07 am

Taffineastbourne wrote:His posts usually ooze self importance.This latest series of posts indicate that the LionsTour has taken its toll on some of our Scottish brethren or is Musselburgh in Landan too!

Its pretty lame when a simple question like "justify your statement that AWJs performances have warranted your claim of "Man Of The Series". A simple question can cause some much vitriol.

Ahem I wonder why............ Guv'ner

by Sponsored content