Springboks v British & Irish Lions I

[Bovidae]

Kolbe vs van der Merwe. Quite the contrast in size and strengths.

[Bones]

@bovidae said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

strengths

Not so sure on that one!

[MiketheSnow]

Both the SA and Lions teams are stronger all round than the SA 'A' side which beat the Lions last week.

I think the result will go the same way.

[OomPB]

Looking forward to this test. Its raining all week, hope we get a clear day on Saturday.

To see the Bokke back in action is good enough.

Lions look strong and battle ready.

[Catogrande]

@stargazer said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

15 Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland) #783
14 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) #816
13 Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822
12 Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #824
11 Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #841
10 Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821
9 Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) #843

1 Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) #842
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England) #851
3 Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #818
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825
5 Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales) #761
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) #826
7 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) #853
8 Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839

Replacements:
16 Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829
17 Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #840
18 Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814
19 Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #838
20 Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) #847
21 Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790
22 Owen Farrell (Saracens, England) #780
23 Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) #833

https://www.lionsrugby.com/2021/07/21/lions-team-to-face-springboks-for-first-test/

You can make an argument for each selection individually but equally or more so for some of the guys left out. What I don’t like is the balance over the back 5 forwards over the squad. You have Itoje, Lawes and Beirne who can all play lock or 6 but no cover at 8? Sure, Curry has played 8 for England and played well but really just played his usual game.

Not convinced.

Oh and memo to Josh Adams: must try harder. A few tries might help.

[MiketheSnow]

@catogrande said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@stargazer said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

15 Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland) #783
14 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) #816
13 Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822
12 Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #824
11 Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #841
10 Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821
9 Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) #843

1 Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) #842
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England) #851
3 Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #818
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825
5 Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales) #761
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) #826
7 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) #853
8 Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839

Replacements:
16 Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829
17 Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #840
18 Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814
19 Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #838
20 Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) #847
21 Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790
22 Owen Farrell (Saracens, England) #780
23 Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) #833

https://www.lionsrugby.com/2021/07/21/lions-team-to-face-springboks-for-first-test/

Oh and memo to Josh Adams: must try harder. A few tries might help.

That's the problem with the youth these days, in their rooms online instead of being outside playing.

[sparky]

Surprised at that Lions Back Row and Price at Half Back. Might have found a place for Aki. The rest looks spot on. Lions Props all very strong.

My prediction is the Boks by less than 7.

[sparky]

@bones said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

This feels like a Lions team with the best "spread" across all countries for quite a while - would that be right?

Can't remember a spread across the four nations like that since 1997 Lions.

[Bovidae]

@bones I mean that Kolbe is a stepper and lightning fast while van der Merwe takes a while to get going and has the turning circle of a tanker.

[Machpants]

@bovidae said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@bones I mean that Kolbe is a stepper and lightning fast while van der Merwe takes a while to get going and has the turning circle of a tanker.

Yeah I was about to say that, lookng forward to VDM been shown up for the oil tanker he is!

[MiketheSnow]

Go Gryffindor

[booboo]

@bones said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@booboo said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

Looking at the teams gut feel is Bokke will take this.

What time is kick off?

Imagine what an in form Australia England would do to them though.

FIFY

[booboo]

@stargazer said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@booboo said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

What time is kick off?

Sat 24 July 2021, 6.00pm local time
Sun 25 July 2021, 4.00am NZT

Thanks Gazer. Will watch "on demand". But gee a 2am ko

[GibbonRib]

@sparky said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

Surprised at that Lions Back Row and Price at Half Back. Might have found a place for Aki. The rest looks spot on. Lions Props all very strong.

My prediction is the Boks by less than 7.

You like that back 3?

[Bones]

@booboo said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@bones said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@booboo said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

Looking at the teams gut feel is Bokke will take this.

What time is kick off?

Imagine what an in form Australia England would do to them though.

FIFY

But Australia beat France!

[sparky]

@gibbonrib Would have gone with Hogg and Watson for sure. Might have had Adams or Williams ahead of VDM but there is no denying that he has some gas for a big man.

[booboo]

@bones said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@booboo said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@bones said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@booboo said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

Looking at the teams gut feel is Bokke will take this.

What time is kick off?

Imagine what an in form Australia England would do to them though.

FIFY

But Australia beat France!

France B C

[MN5]

@machpants said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@bovidae said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@bones I mean that Kolbe is a stepper and lightning fast while van der Merwe takes a while to get going and has the turning circle of a tanker.

Yeah I was about to say that, lookng forward to VDM been shown up for the oil tanker he is!

Pasty Scots and bleached hair are an uneasy mix

[OomPB]

@sparky That's my big worry. Our proven fatties sits on the bench. Ox will be fine but Trevor is a big worry. Daan Human our scrum guru coached him at the Bulls, so hopefully it's a Rassie trick. If we survive no scrum penalty in the 1st half, the test will be done.

[ACT Crusader]

@catogrande said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

@stargazer said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions 1:

THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

15 Stuart Hogg (Exeter Chiefs, Scotland) #783
14 Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) #816
13 Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822
12 Robbie Henshaw (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #824
11 Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #841
10 Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821
9 Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland) #843

1 Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) #842
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England) #851
3 Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #818
4 Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825
5 Alun Wyn Jones – captain (Ospreys, Wales) #761
6 Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) #826
7 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) #853
8 Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839

Replacements:
16 Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829
17 Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #840
18 Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814
19 Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #838
20 Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) #847
21 Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790
22 Owen Farrell (Saracens, England) #780
23 Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) #833

https://www.lionsrugby.com/2021/07/21/lions-team-to-face-springboks-for-first-test/

You can make an argument for each selection individually but equally or more so for some of the guys left out. What I don’t like is the balance over the back 5 forwards over the squad. You have Itoje, Lawes and Beirne who can all play lock or 6 but no cover at 8? Sure, Curry has played 8 for England and played well but really just played his usual game.

Not convinced.

Oh and memo to Josh Adams: must try harder. A few tries might help.

I actually like the BIL starting pack. The loose forward trio has a bit of steel to them. The biggest thing will be Itoje not getting penalised off the park by the infamous Nic Berry