Don’t forget Tonga v Wales tomorrow a.m. Comments to ‘Rugby’ thread please!
Guess who Wales will lose to!!
Tonight at 9.30 pm, is a program which will let me wallow in memories!
“Llewod '71”!
featuring Gareth, JPR, Delme and Derek (Quinnell) Oh bliss!
Does anyone agree with me that Kruiz was not good and Henderson deserves the position more?
Do you mean Te’o? I think he was hit and miss. His breaks were very good, but the Lions don’t have enough support runners. Only O’Brien on his left. Should be at least 3 support runners to give an option. Defensively the Maori had very little wiggle room. I think Te’o linked well with an very very good pack today. Henderson’s in with a sniff. I don’t think Te’o was bad though.
I felt Biggar’s passing game on Tuesday was better than Sexton’s today. Murray wasn’t his best, but still very good.
Kruis was brilliant today, both locks were. Stiff competition for AWJ.
He got the ball and the move died with him. At least twice! When Henderson came on the difference was palpable!! I do not rate Kruis! (But I apologise for spelling his name wrongly!) OK, I am hopeless at rating what goes on actually in the scrum/ruck/maul… I’ll go with Gat’s judgement - clearly he knows a lot more than either of us!
I honestly think he was in contention for man of the match. The ruck, scrum, line-out, maul etc. That’s where you want your second row performing. He was great in all those situations.
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My predictions for Tuesday
- Tom Francis
- Rory Best
- Dan Cole
- Ian Henderson
- Courtney Lawes (if fit) if not Cory Hill
- James Haskell
- Justin Tipuric
- C. J. Stander
- Greig Laidlaw
- Finn Russell
- George North
- Robbie Heysham
- Jonathan Joseph
- Tommy Seymour
- Jared Payne
I’m going to make my Saturday squad prediction early:
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Mako Vunipola
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Jamie George
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Tadgh Furlong
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Alun Wyn Jones (c.) (although I think this should be Itoje, Jones’s experience will win him the position)
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George Kruis
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Peter O’Mahoney
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Sean O’Brien
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Talupe Faleutau
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Conor Murray
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Dan Biggar
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Liam Williams
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Ben Te’o
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Jon Davies
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Anthony Watson
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Leigh Halfpenny
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Jack McGrath
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Ken Owens
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Joe Marler
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Maro Itoje (he will be England captain when Hartley retires/by 2022)
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Sam Warburton
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Rhys Webb
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Owen Farell (I’m not convinced he’s fit)
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Eliot Daly
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Gatland won’t drop North for one fumble - he knows North is a Test match animal.
I can’t see Biggar starting - Sexton took his chance well. Biggar would have done too, but it just hasn’t played out like that. Doesn’t look as though Biggar will start a test unless there’s an injury.
Itoje is a big player, and I wouldn’t worry if he started - but Alun Wyn is more than just a ‘safe hands’ option. He’s this squad’s Paul O’Connell - he’ll pull the pack around him through the fires.
It’s looking like that for the back row, and deservedly so. But Gatland is a big, big Warburton fan… it’s going to be interesting…
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Interestingly he’s started Williams on Tuesday, so I think you’re right about North. I wasn’t dropping him for his fumble, I just felt Gatland’s soft spot for Williams might win through, doesn’t look that way though 
If AWJ starts I’ll be a happy man. Itoje is also a great impact player, so bringing him on for either of the starters is also a great option.
Warbs will start a test. I suspect it’ll be the second two.
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Does he have one? I don’t think Williams has played well enough in the series so far. All rush and no thought! I believe Galand is a realist!
Yeah, I think that’s probably the likeliest result. But lots will depend on stuff we don’t see - on the training ground and within the squad. Gatland has a track record of chucking Warburton in on the back of not much rugby if Warburton says he’s feeling ready.
I’m kind of nervous for AWJ too, must admit. I’d like him to go out on a high note, since he won’t tour again. Barring injury, Itoje has got two tours ahead of him. But if Gatland thinks Itoje will do a better job, he’ll drop AWJ in a blink.
I was about to say “potentially 3 tours, AWJ must be 35”…looked it up, he’ll be 32 in September…I’m genuinely very surprised! Feel like he’s been around for ages!
I think he’ll start a game too. He’s so formidable. I can’t remember such a competitive fight for second row!
Doesn’t it just?
I’m sad that Ian Evans has had so much bad luck with injury. When they were playing u21s together, there were already people saying they’d be the locks for the 2011 World Cup. They were a breath-takingly good partnership, and it’s a real shame we didn’t see them become the long term Wales pairing.
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Da iawn Llewod! It was good to see the mid- week Lions winning! Especially in Gatland’s stomping ground!
Backs: Liam Williams (Wales); Anthony Watson (England), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Ben Te’o (England), Elliot Daly (England); Owen Farrell (England), Conor Murray (Ireland).
Forwards: Maka Vunipola (England), Jamie George (England), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland); Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), George Kruis (England); Peter O’Mahony (capt, Ireland), Sean O’Brien (Ireland), Taulupe Faletau (Wales)
Replacements: Ken Owens (Wales), Jack McGrath (Ireland), Kyle Sinckler (England), Maro Itoje (England), Sam Warburton (Wales), Rhys Webb (Wales), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales).
I’m surprised by Halfpenny and North - particularly North not even being on the bench, big call - gutsy call from Gatland, but he’s never shied away from big calls…
I’d say Biggar is the unluckiest player on tour so far - that one knock seems to have robbed him of the chance to show that he’s every bit as good as Farrell (and a far better kicker)…
Yeah, Halfpenny is interesting, I’ve not seen much wrong with his game I’m very challenging conditions against the better sides. I wonder if he’ll get Daly to kick?
I agree about Biggar. I think he’s played on the gain line. His passing has been more dangerous and his territorial kicking has been very sharp.
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I am very disappointed that Leigh is benched and Liam Williams is picked. I think he lacks discipline. Time will tell! And I’ll be very pleased indeed if I have misjudged Kruis.