Blues v British & Irish Lions, 7 June

First topic message reminder :

Blues v British & Irish Lions
7 June 2017
KO: 19:35 NZST (8.35am BST)
Eden Park, Auckland

Live on Sky Sports, Sky Sports HD and SkyGo

Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
Touch judges: [tbc]
TMO: [tbc]

A. FORM:

19 June 1993: Auckland 23 - 18 British & Irish Lions

18 May 1983: Auckland 13 - 12 British & Irish Lions

23 June 1977: Auckland 15 - 34 British & Irish Lions

B. TEAMS:

Blues 
15 Michael Collins
14 Matt Duffie
13 George Moala
12 Sonny Bill Williams
11 Rieko Ioane
10 Stephen Perofeta
09 Augustine Pulu

08 Steven Luatua
07 Blake Gibson
06 Akira Ioane
05 Scott Scrafton
04 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti
03 Charlie Faumuina
02 James Parson
01 Ofa Tu'ungafasi

16 Hame Faiva
17 Alex Hodgman
18 Sione Mafileo
19 Patrick Tuipulotu
20 Kara Pryor
21 Sam Nock
22 Ihaia West
23 TJ Faiane/Melani Nanai

British & Irish Lions

Halfpenny; Nowell, Payne, Henshaw, Daly; Biggar, Webb; McGrath, Owens (captain), Cole, Itoje, Lawes, Haskell, Tipuric, Stander

Replacements: Best, Marler, Sinckler, Henderson, O'Mahony, Laidlaw, Sexton, L Williams

C. PREVIEW

Potential side for Crusaders:

1.Vunipola 2.George 3.Furlong 4.AWJ 5.Kruis 6.O'Mahony 7.O'Brien 8.Faletau
9.Murray 10.Farrell 11.North 12.Te'o 13.Davies 14.Williams 15.Hogg

16.Best 17.McGrath 18.Sinckler/Cole 19.Itoje/Lawes 20.Warburton 21.Webb 22.Sexton 23.Daly

If Gatland is looking to give the remaining guys who haven't started a chance on Saturday then that's a potential side. Sexton and Te'o have both started a game already so potential for seeing Sexton at 10 and Farrell at 12 too.

All the back three players other than North and Williams will have started a game after tomorrow so who makes up the back three with those two will be interesting. The 23 shirt is up for grabs too with all centres but JD2 having had a start after tomorrow.

It will be interesting to see whether Gats sticks with getting everyone a start of re-jigs his flankers to get Warburton another start. His skipper's in need of match fitness so it could be prioritised. He could shift O'Mahony to 8, bench Faletau and all his back row will still have had a start.

Saders will be the biggest challenge other than the tests so you'd guess the coaches will look for a strong side.

majesticimperialman wrote:The players who were in the first game and are involved again now in the second game are at a massive disadvantage to the rest of the squad so: Webb, Tipuric, Best, Marler, Sinckler, Henderson, Laidlaw and Sexton are almost excluded now from Test starting selection.




So every one else who played in the first game is a "TEST" starter? Including AWJ. Oh well  .

Interesting non sequitur.

geoff999rugby wrote:Aukster don't often say this but I believe your conclusion is nonsense

You don't think that the players who have had longer to train in the conditions with their new colleagues before having to impress the coach have an advantage? Care to elaborate?

king_carlos wrote:Potential side for Crusaders:

1.Vunipola 2.George 3.Furlong 4.AWJ 5.Kruis 6.O'Mahony 7.O'Brien 8.Faletau
9.Murray 10.Farrell 11.North 12.Te'o 13.Davies 14.Williams 15.Hogg

16.Best 17.McGrath 18.Sinckler/Cole 19.Itoje/Lawes 20.Warburton 21.Webb 22.Sexton 23.Daly

If Gatland is looking to give the remaining guys who haven't started a chance on Saturday then that's a potential side. Sexton and Te'o have both started a game already so potential for seeing Sexton at 10 and Farrell at 12 too.

All the back three players other than North and Williams will have started a game after tomorrow so who makes up the back three with those two will be interesting. The 23 shirt is up for grabs too with all centres but JD2 having had a start after tomorrow.

It will be interesting to see whether Gats sticks with getting everyone a start of re-jigs his flankers to get Warburton another start. His skipper's in need of match fitness so it could be prioritised. He could shift O'Mahony to 8, bench Faletau and all his back row will still have had a start.

Saders will be the biggest challenge other than the tests so you'd guess the coaches will look for a strong side.

Has the look of an 80% test side, and Warburton will start as captain.

Why are you bothered auk? You watching?

Aukster

But Gatland will have had an idea before they came out to tour who he was going to pick. He's given everyone a chance and he has enough time to reward tour form.

He probably picked his first 3 teams before they went out near enough. With 41 different players needing 45 starting shirts, he doesnt have that much flexibility. But then after that he has plenty of flexibility. He can pick his Maori side after the Crusaders game when he's had a good look at everyone, then pick his second midweek side from the residual.

Everyone he's impressed with gets one more look before he picks his test side after the Maori game, again filling players in the midweek team after.

The Maori game is 1 week before the test, reckon he will pick what is essentially his test side - probables- for that game, with possibles on the bench.

robbo277 wrote:Aukster

But Gatland will have had an idea before they came out to tour who he was going to pick. He's given everyone a chance and he has enough time to reward tour form.

He probably picked his first 3 teams before they went out near enough. With 41 different players needing 45  starting shirts, he doesnt have that much flexibility. But then after that he has plenty of flexibility. He can pick his Maori side after the Crusaders game when he's had a good look at everyone, then pick his second midweek side from the residual.

Everyone he's impressed with gets one more look before he picks his test side after the Maori game, again filling players in the midweek team after.

100% agree robbo (with the first bit anyway). Gatland had already pencilled in his teams based on his research over months. So the players who play in games 1&2 rather than 2&3 are pre-selected by him and therefore are disadvantaged in their attempts to impress because:
1. they have less time to gel and acclimatise
2. Gatland has already preconceived notions of his Test team so someone will have to be stellar to overcome those
3. the players who had decent games against the weakest first side will not have the same kudos as those playing the Crusaders
4. Gatland knows that a flash in the pan performance against a SR side should only colour his selection in a limited capacity otherwise most of his plans would be shredded

The 'warm up games' are not to find his Test selection but rather be a platform to give his preselected combinations practice. He may tweak one or two positions but to think it would be any more than that is naive.

I think it was probably more to do with not picking players who has just played for their clubs than trying to give others a duff hand.

Scottrf wrote:I think it was probably more to do with not picking players who has just played for their clubs than trying to give others a duff hand.

Agreed. A good few of us were able to pick the entire first team before it was announced based on who went into Lions camp first.

It will therefore be interesting to see who hasn't played until the Crusaders game that wasn't involved in finals.
Whatever the reason - it's a disadvantage.

Anyone got a work suitable way of watching this??

RDW_Scotland wrote:Anyone got a work suitable way of watching this??

Depends how suitable your work is

Im using my mate's sky account to watch on my mobile. Are you able to use certain 'sites' in work ?

Not the sites I usually use to watch these games!

RDW_Scotland wrote:Not the sites I usually use to watch these games!

Speaking of which, anybody got any links they could PM me - my go to site isn't great these days.

*Edit* not working RDW?

eirebilly wrote:*Edit* not working RDW?

Sorry had to remove the reference there. I'm sure they will be but even with ad block you get dodgy pop ups and the potential for viruses and it's not worth getting fired over!

RDW_Scotland wrote:

eirebilly wrote:*Edit* not working RDW?

Sorry had to remove the reference there. I'm sure they will be but even with ad block you get dodgy pop ups and the potential for viruses and it's not worth getting fired over!

Yeah, but only just!

I'm listening on TalkSport if anyone needs to settle for radio commentary. Think they have the exclusive right of radio broadcast in the UK.

RDW_Scotland wrote:

eirebilly wrote:*Edit* not working RDW?

Sorry had to remove the reference there. I'm sure they will be but even with ad block you get dodgy pop ups and the potential for viruses and it's not worth getting fired over!

Then I do not know, sorry bud.

I can post regular updates here if ye like?

robbo277 wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:

eirebilly wrote:*Edit* not working RDW?

Sorry had to remove the reference there. I'm sure they will be but even with ad block you get dodgy pop ups and the potential for viruses and it's not worth getting fired over!

Yeah, but only just!

I'm listening on TalkSport if anyone needs to settle for radio commentary. Think they have the exclusive right of radio broadcast in the UK.

Thanks Robbo. Was about to ask for a good radio commentary link.

Good start this until the penalty conceded.

Payne nearly in there after a mess up in the Blues caused by his aggressive defence.

Payne knocked it on missed by ref

SBW with a turnover and a strip on CJ already in the match, he is looking in fine form.

I'll listen on the radio but detailed updates would be helpful!

ebop wrote:Payne knocked it on missed by ref

No it wasn't...

Try to Reiko, nice try

Score for the Blues, bad midfield defence drew Nowell in and Ioane had too much pace on the outside and goes in.

Missed conversion

5-0 Blues 9 mins gone

wow! Nowell got smoked!

That pass for the try!

Literally none of our Lions could pass like that.

Poor defense all round from the Lions - from Daly and 1/2p at the cross kick and Haskell/Nowell on that big pass.

Dan Cole and Biggar linking there...

Payne looks to be in, in the corner.

Foot on the line by the looks

LondonTiger wrote:Poor defense all round from the Lions - from Daly and 1/2p at the cross kick and Haskell/Nowell on that big pass.

Got to give credit as well to the Blues. It's rare that the ball gets to the wing like that usually.

No try
Nice play by the Lions though

Nowell doing a Cuthbert.

Lions blew that. They all seemed to pass too early without committing anybody.

Unfortunately an excellent cover tackle see's Payne's foot go into touch.

yappysnap wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:Poor defense all round from the Lions - from Daly and 1/2p at the cross kick and Haskell/Nowell on that big pass.

Got to give credit as well to the Blues. It's rare that the ball gets to the wing like that usually.

Harsh on 1/2 penny he made a good tackle

RiscaGame wrote:Nowell doing a Cuthbert.

Lions blew that. They all seemed to pass too early without committing anybody.

How do you figure that? Haskell went in for the tackle and exposed Nowell who had to come in and as such was out of position. Not sure how Nowell was in the wrong there, more Haskell.

Payne playing excellently leading the defensive and attacking lines.

Two try chances for Lions/Payne not easy but we have to make them - then dumb offside at the lineout from midfield.

I will add this, Webb and Biggar are playing well so far. Very quick ball from them.

Tuperic is playing a blinder here.

LordDowlais wrote:Tuperic is playing a blinder here.

He is everywhere, brilliant match from him so far.

CJ Stander is in

Sensational rolling maul try from the Lions

So that's the game plan now, get the pen, kick to touch and work the maul.

Almost 20 mins in and sick of the Sky commentary though!

eirebilly wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:Nowell doing a Cuthbert.

Lions blew that. They all seemed to pass too early without committing anybody.

How do you figure that? Haskell went in for the tackle and exposed Nowell who had to come in and as such was out of position. Not sure how Nowell was in the wrong there, more Haskell.

Payne playing excellently leading the defensive and attacking lines.

Pretty similar to Wales v England I thought.

Plus as Greenwood said, Nowell had turned in.