BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?)
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@MiketheSnow said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
Many saying the backrow will be Stander, O'Brien, Faletau
Faletau is a certainty.
O'Brien will be in unless Warburton lets his heart rule his head and says he is Test-ready. (Although O'Brien has not had much game-time, Gatland praised him in post-match comments)6 is the uncertainty:
Stander has not impressed me (an Irish fan) for the last few months - he was not as effective in the 6N or for Munster in the end-season games as he was through 2016. Not sure if he is wrecked by too many heroic performances or has been worked-out by opposition - or a bit of both.
O'Mahoney offers some variety to big lumps - good lineout-stealer, good jackal, expert spoiler of quick ball, very mobile, good hands in open play, very experienced and a definite leader and a real mongrel mindset (offset Zinny's gripes about Faletau). BUT he does not conform to Gatland's preference for big lumps in the back row (e.g. the unfortunate Moriarity). If Gatland really rated a player with the technique-aspects of those characteristics, then Tipuric would have started for Wales far more often.
So I suspect that Gatland will go for Itoje at 6, but may regret the 1-2 penalties that his inexperience/hot-headness will probably concede. -
@Megweya said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@MiketheSnow said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
Many saying the backrow will be Stander, O'Brien, Faletau
Faletau is a certainty.
O'Brien will be in unless Warburton lets his heart rule his head and says he is Test-ready. (Although O'Brien has not had much game-time, Gatland praised him in post-match comments)6 is the uncertainty:
Stander has not impressed me (an Irish fan) for the last few months - he was not as effective in the 6N or for Munster in the end-season games as he was through 2016. Not sure if he is wrecked by too many heroic performances or has been worked-out by opposition - or a bit of both.
O'Mahoney offers some variety to big lumps - good lineout-stealer, good jackal, expert spoiler of quick ball, very mobile, good hands in open play, very experienced and a definite leader and a real mongrel mindset (offset Zinny's gripes about Faletau). BUT he does not conform to Gatland's preference for big lumps in the back row (e.g. the unfortunate Moriarity). If Gatland really rated a player with the technique-aspects of those characteristics, then Tipuric would have started for Wales far more often.
So I suspect that Gatland will go for Itoje at 6, but may regret the 1-2 penalties that his inexperience/hot-headness will probably concede.I hope not re Itoje. Although he can move to second row if needed.
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@Megweya said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@MiketheSnow said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
Many saying the backrow will be Stander, O'Brien, Faletau
Faletau is a certainty.
O'Brien will be in unless Warburton lets his heart rule his head and says he is Test-ready. (Although O'Brien has not had much game-time, Gatland praised him in post-match comments)6 is the uncertainty:
Stander has not impressed me (an Irish fan) for the last few months - he was not as effective in the 6N or for Munster in the end-season games as he was through 2016. Not sure if he is wrecked by too many heroic performances or has been worked-out by opposition - or a bit of both.
O'Mahoney offers some variety to big lumps - good lineout-stealer, good jackal, expert spoiler of quick ball, very mobile, good hands in open play, very experienced and a definite leader and a real mongrel mindset (offset Zinny's gripes about Faletau). BUT he does not conform to Gatland's preference for big lumps in the back row (e.g. the unfortunate Moriarity). If Gatland really rated a player with the technique-aspects of those characteristics, then Tipuric would have started for Wales far more often.
So I suspect that Gatland will go for Itoje at 6, but may regret the 1-2 penalties that his inexperience/hot-headness will probably concede.Agree re Falletau. On form O'Brien would just get the nod from me but it is likely Gatland will go with Warburton and to be fair it would be a close call in any case. 6 Is the one though. Moriarty was looking good, O'Mahoney has improved considerably on his first outing and I feel Stander has gone backwards just s little. However he is being given game time so this makes me think he is still in the mix.
In this company Itoje should be nowhere near the back row.
It's almost as if the bench is easier to call than the run on side. I could easily see a bench of any tow props, Owens or George and then Itoje and Tipuric, no matter who gets the nod to start, though if O'Brien starts Warburton will be there instead of Tipuric but shouldn't be.
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@Catogrande it's hard to go past O'Brien. Hard nosed defender, quick and seems to be in the play a lot.
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I'd definitely go with Itoje as bench lock, who might cover 6. POM is a true loosie and a real nuisance at lineout, so for me he and TF are must starts. If one wants an impact sub then SOB or Stander (much better in H2 when Clan had tired a bit) both appeal. Stander adds 8 cover and SOB 7. The power option is SOB to start and Stander bench. Pace option Warburton with SOB bench. Depends on which style Gats wishes to go with.
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@ACT-Crusader said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@Catogrande it's hard to go past O'Brien. Hard nosed defender, quick and seems to be in the play a lot.
Says you. Says me. I reckon Gatland will say something else.
Virtual pint on this?
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@Catogrande said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@ACT-Crusader said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@Catogrande it's hard to go past O'Brien. Hard nosed defender, quick and seems to be in the play a lot.
Says you. Says me. I reckon Gatland will say something else.
Virtual pint on this?
Make it two
If fit, O'Mahoney, Warburton (Capt.), Faletau for me.
If not, O'Mahoney, O'Brien, Faletau. AWJ capt.
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I vaguely remember a quote from a few months back from a Kiwi about Sean O'Brien:
"Sean O'Brien? Even if he was dead you would have him on the bench, just in case in came back to life and you could put him on for 10 minutes!"I can't find who said it, but I love the sentiment (even if as an Irish fan I think it applies more to the Seanie of 2010-2012 when he was a overwhelming force of nature for Leinster and Ireland).
The definition of cleaning up shit-ball going backwards: clear out 3 players at the ruck (even the exemplary Dusatoir recognised when it was time to take a step back and fight another battle).
0:13 - 0:15 and replayed 0:22 - 0:26
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@KiwiMurph then he needs to be tested under the concussion protocol
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@KiwiMurph Yalden said on this week's Out Of The Box rugby podcast that he puts O'Brien on the same level as McCaw
I regard that as excess praise of Seanie.
I hope by the end of the series he proves me wrong.Richie is an all-time great.
I'm not sure that Sean is even the best-ever Irish 7.
(My personal favourite is Fergus Slattery: "he's not flirting with offside, he's in love with it")I was lucky to get to see Richie live a few times.
I went to 2014-Nov Eng v NZ with 4 friends (1 Kiwi).
3 of us had T-shirts (to antagonise the Kiwi) that read:-
(The Aussie classic)
I'm not an alcoholic: I only drink when McCaw's offside -
Only two things are infinite:
. . 1: the universe and
. . 2: the times when McCaw's offside
(and I'm not sure about the first). -
Offside is a rule that only applies to 29 other players. #mccawesome
I'm glad that Richie played long enough for me to slowly learn that he knew the laws better than almost all players and better than many refs.
He also knew better than all back-rows when contravening the laws would make a difference in a game-winning way.
Like most greats, he also had amazing resilience of character to resist retaliating when he was targeted by the opposition.In my opinion (probably contentious on a Kiwi site), if I had to bracket two back-rows as operating at the same level, I'd say McCaw and Pocock.
My criteria are: Who are the players from the opposition that you most want to be on your side or missing from theirs?
But which, if they were missing when you had a ticket, you would be disappointed not to see a master of their craft.Back rows in that class for me would be:
McCaw, Pocock, Dusatoir, Parisse, ...
#set-the-bar-highAs I said before, I hope to be proved wrong by the end of the third Test.
But I fear that Warren may feel that Sam is worth including in at least one Test.
Feel free to suggest one time in sport when a coach decided to give trusted players 1 more chance for glory.
(Excluding most of the 2005 English Lions) -
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@Megweya said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@KiwiMurph Yalden said on this week's Out Of The Box rugby podcast that he puts O'Brien on the same level as McCaw
In my opinion (probably contentious on a Kiwi site), if I had to bracket two back-rows as operating at the same level, I'd say McCaw and Pocock.
My criteria are: Who are the players from the opposition that you most want to be on your side or missing from theirs?
But which, if they were missing when you had a ticket, you would be disappointed not to see a master of their craft.Back rows in that class for me would be:
McCaw, Pocock, Dusatoir, Parisse, ...
#set-the-bar-highPersonally Pocock is not on the same level as Richie - the guy is way too one dimensional and has been neutralised in way too many big tests to be on that level. I'd definitely have George Smith higher on my list of best Aussie 7s and for me much more deserving of inclusion alongside Richie.
As for the Lions - their loose forwards group is looking very strong - especially up against ABs who are short of a gallop (Read, Kaino and Squire). The Maori ABs side this weekend should also be able to put out a decent loose forward group (Akira, Elliot Dixon, Kara Pryor, Liam Messam).
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Mentions of McCaw reminded me of recently seeing this old video clip of Richie scoring in 1998 Schools final between Rotorua & Otago
Skip to 3:25 for a50m multiple-offloading side-stepping try5m lineout drive
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@Megweya said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
Found the quote:
Nigel Yalden
RadioSportNZ / NewstalkZB Sports team.Picking Sean O'Brien is a no-brainer. Even if dead, I'd put him on bench just in case he came back to life
I rate Yalden as analyst. So yeah
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@Megweya said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
@KiwiMurph Yalden said on this week's Out Of The Box rugby podcast that he puts O'Brien on the same level as McCaw
I regard that as excess praise of Seanie.
I hope by the end of the series he proves me wrong.Richie is an all-time great.
I'm not sure that Sean is even the best-ever Irish 7.
(My personal favourite is Fergus Slattery: "he's not flirting with offside, he's in love with it")I was lucky to get to see Richie live a few times.
I went to 2014-Nov Eng v NZ with 4 friends (1 Kiwi).
3 of us had T-shirts (to antagonise the Kiwi) that read:-
(The Aussie classic)
I'm not an alcoholic: I only drink when McCaw's offside -
Only two things are infinite:
. . 1: the universe and
. . 2: the times when McCaw's offside
(and I'm not sure about the first). -
Offside is a rule that only applies to 29 other players. #mccawesome
I'm glad that Richie played long enough for me to slowly learn that he knew the laws better than almost all players and better than many refs.
He also knew better than all back-rows when contravening the laws would make a difference in a game-winning way.
Like most greats, he also had amazing resilience of character to resist retaliating when he was targeted by the opposition.In my opinion (probably contentious on a Kiwi site), if I had to bracket two back-rows as operating at the same level, I'd say McCaw and Pocock.
My criteria are: Who are the players from the opposition that you most want to be on your side or missing from theirs?
But which, if they were missing when you had a ticket, you would be disappointed not to see a master of their craft.Back rows in that class for me would be:
McCaw, Pocock, Dusatoir, Parisse, ...
#set-the-bar-highAs I said before, I hope to be proved wrong by the end of the third Test.
But I fear that Warren may feel that Sam is worth including in at least one Test.
Feel free to suggest one time in sport when a coach decided to give trusted players 1 more chance for glory.
(Excluding most of the 2005 English Lions)McCaw v Pocock is a no contest. Seriously wishful thinking from the NZ/McCaw haters.
McCaw v George Smith however... there was a year or two when Smith was actually better than McCaw. Didn't last. But it did happen.
Pocock? Nup.
And still not as good as the 3 best NZ 7s
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Hansen was well informed:http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/19650619/british-irish-lions-call-reinforcements-midweek-games Finn Russell, Scott Williams, Hamish Watson could be handy.
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@pakman said in BIL & AB teams for Test #1 (AKA - who's impressing you at the moment?):
Hansen was well informed:http://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/19650619/british-irish-lions-call-reinforcements-midweek-games Finn Russell, Scott Williams, Hamish Watson could be handy.
He must have picked up some useful hotel bugging tricks from somewhere
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From a mate
Gatland's making it clear that any British person with a pulse or recently deceased in New Zealand will be a Lion before Mike Brown and Dylan Hartley. Magic.
