Blues v BI Lions
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Lions team to play Blues has already been posted, but here it is again
L Halfpenny; J Nowell, J Payne, R Henshaw, E Daly; D Biggar, R Webb; J McGrath, K Owens (capt), D Cole, C Lawes, M Itoje, J Haskell, J Tipuric, C J Stander.
Replacements: R Best, J Marler, K Sinckler, Henderson, O’Mahony, Laidlaw, J Sexton, L Williams.
Nowell and Daly
Henshaw and Payne
Webb and Biggar
Lawes and ItojeMurray, North, Davies and O'Brien to get their jerseys against Crusaders.
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@Pot-Hale Try to keep up old chap.
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@Pot-Hale said in Blues v BI Lions:
Lions team to play Blues has already been posted, but here it is again
L Halfpenny; J Nowell, J Payne, R Henshaw, E Daly; D Biggar, R Webb; J McGrath, K Owens (capt), D Cole, C Lawes, M Itoje, J Haskell, J Tipuric, C J Stander.
Replacements: R Best, J Marler, K Sinckler, Henderson, O’Mahony, Laidlaw, J Sexton, L Williams.
Nowell and Daly
Henshaw and Payne
Webb and Biggar
Lawes and ItojeMurray, North, Davies and O'Brien to get their jerseys against Crusaders.
Not a bad side, but it certainly feels a bit 'mid-week'. Not many likely Test combinations in there. Blues in with a real shot of the upset.
It also means that the following players won't have had a start, and are likely to line up against the Crusaders on Saturday:
- Vunipola
- George
- Furlong
- Kruis
- O'Mahoney
- O'Brien
- Murray
- Farrell
- Williams
- Davies
- North
Looks a bit more like a shadow Test side.
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Yep, I think we can all see some of Gatland's thinking already. Murray at 9, Vunipola and Furlong 1 & 3, Davies at OC and North on one wing. To be honest I don't have much to argue with in those selections, the only concern being that if Davies is at 13, who will be 12? We've seen that a bish-bosh 12 and then Davies at 13 is unlikely to worry NZ too much.
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@Catogrande said in Blues v BI Lions:
Yep, I think we can all see some of Gatland's thinking already. Murray at 9, Vunipola and Furlong 1 & 3, Davies at OC and North on one wing. To be honest I don't have much to argue with in those selections, the only concern being that if Davies is at 13, who will be 12? We've seen that a bish-bosh 12 and then Davies at 13 is unlikely to worry NZ too much.
Yep. I'd add that Kruis-AWJ looks like Gatland's preference at lock at this stage.
There are likely to be a couple of changes (Warburton will obviously come in for one of the Irish flankers) and I'm just hoping Davies is one of them.
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@SimonAdd_2 said in Blues v BI Lions:
@Catogrande said in Blues v BI Lions:
Yep, I think we can all see some of Gatland's thinking already. Murray at 9, Vunipola and Furlong 1 & 3, Davies at OC and North on one wing. To be honest I don't have much to argue with in those selections, the only concern being that if Davies is at 13, who will be 12? We've seen that a bish-bosh 12 and then Davies at 13 is unlikely to worry NZ too much.
Yep. I'd add that Kruis-AWJ looks like Gatland's preference at lock at this stage.
There are likely to be a couple of changes (Warburton will obviously come in for one of the Irish flankers) and I'm just hoping Davies is one of them.
I'd hope not. AWJ has not looked anywhere near his peak, but it wouldn't altogether surprise me.
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@Catogrande Yeah, I would have had Launchbury in the squad ahead of him and I thought he was one of the worst performers against the Baabaas.
Gatland loves him though, he played 80 minutes on Saturday and has been left out of the squad v the Blues, so you have to assume he's in the driving seat. Another performance like the last one though, and even Warren may have to re-assess.
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@SimonAdd_2 I'd have had Launchbury in the squad ahead of Lawes, Kruis and Henderson too!
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@Catogrande said in Blues v BI Lions:
@Crucial No doubting that mate. I just don't think he is anywhere near the player he was and that this may be a tour too far for him.
Yeah agreed. I guess it's too early to write him off because the other candidates need to step up first, but at this stage Kruis + Itoje look like the obvious pairing.
The players really need to start grabbing test jersies though. Faletau is the sole Lion with his name inked in so far.
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@Frye said in Blues v BI Lions:
@Catogrande said in Blues v BI Lions:
@Crucial No doubting that mate. I just don't think he is anywhere near the player he was and that this may be a tour too far for him.
Yeah agreed. I guess it's too early to write him off because the other candidates need to step up first, but at this stage Kruis + Itoje look like the obvious pairing.
The players really need to start grabbing test jersies though. Faletau is the sole Lion with his name inked in so far.
I think Owen Farrell is utterly nailed on. He has been in fantastic form lately, while Biggar and Sexton have fairly spluttered. I'd say the same for Liam Williams, and Jonathan Davies finished the season with a bang for Scarlets. Kruis has been playing very well, and made a difference off the bench too.
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@Billy-Tell said in Blues v BI Lions:
@Frye said in Blues v BI Lions:
@Catogrande said in Blues v BI Lions:
@Crucial No doubting that mate. I just don't think he is anywhere near the player he was and that this may be a tour too far for him.
Yeah agreed. I guess it's too early to write him off because the other candidates need to step up first, but at this stage Kruis + Itoje look like the obvious pairing.
The players really need to start grabbing test jersies though. Faletau is the sole Lion with his name inked in so far.
I think Owen Farrell is utterly nailed on. He has been in fantastic form lately, while Biggar and Sexton have fairly spluttered. I'd say the same for Liam Williams, and Jonathan Davies finished the season with a bang for Scarlets. Kruis has been playing very well, and made a difference off the bench too.
Farrell ought to be nailed on but I doubt he is. Sexton is held in very high regard, rightly so on rep but not so much on current form. I think there's a good chance he will be given every opportunity to show what he can do. Davies has played well recently and is in tune with Gatland's game plan. He would be a worthy contender but to me doesn't have that little bit extra, be it pace, spatial awareness or the feet to make his own space. Williams is a good call and can cover full back very well. Wing is a position where we have some depth though, North, Nowell, Watson. Seymour is no slouch either whilst Daly has done well there for England. I'd say the only one nailed on for a wing spot is North.
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Sexton was awful on Saturday, poor options and generally poor at executing the basics...certainly opened the door for someone else to stake a claim.
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There is just no way Sexton will start the first test unless he comes on in the second half in the Blues game and turns around a losing score. And then perform out of his socks against Crusaders assuming he even gets the bench.
The pressure is on Biggar as much if not more to get the bench spot. He has to deliver on Wednesday or I think his goose is cooked.
The Saturday possible lineup is looking interesting. The remaining players have to start so that means Murray, Davies, North, O'Brien. Warburton will get the 7 shirt, so that means 9, 6, 13 and a wing spot are filled.
It's Vunipola or McGrath for LooseHead - Mako to start on Sat.
Best on the bench for Wed means he won't be featuring for a third match in a row, so it's likely George and Owens, in that order.
Furlong and Cole for TH
Itoje starting on Wed - bench for Sat? AWJ to start with Kruis.
O'Brien, Warburton and Faletau for the backrow, unless Gatland pulls a surprise here.*Murray and Farrell at 9/10.
With Henshaw starting Wed, then Te'o gets the 12 shirt alongside Davies.
Williams, North and Watson/Hogg in the back three.*If O'Mahony only get two starts from the bench, he would look odd one out, so does Warburton move to bench?
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