The Rugby Thread

[Paddingtonwolf]

Kruis on the bench suggests he is taking the fall. That would make AWJ a very lucky boy.

 

[Dinowolf]

Kruis on the bench suggests he is taking the fall. That would make AWJ a very lucky boy.

Think he was a very lucky boy to be on the tour. Should have been Launchbury. AWJ will always give 100%, but he really struggled in the first Test.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

AWJ is better than Kruis.

He should always have been on the tour

 

[Tredman]

Bonkers decision. After Saturday AWJ should be behind itoje, kruis, lawes and Henderson. He's too slow and doesn't have the energy he had. Gatland needs to get over it and just play the best players.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Sorry I disagree

AWJ is a better player than you are giving credit for.

 

[Tredman]

He might be, but he definitely isn't *now* based on form / age. We were out fought against a very active and mobile team. As good as AWJ might be he isn't the type of player you want against the ABs, the Welsh record against them would back that up too.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Sorry but he is better than Kruis

Not every decision on this tour has to be "pro-Welsh" or "anti-Welsh". Seems to me that is what the English fans want it to be.

 

[Tredman]

Sorry but he is better than Kruis

Not every decision on this tour has to be "pro-Welsh" or "anti-Welsh". Seems to me that is what the English fans want it to be.

He might be, but he's not right now - plus itoje and kruis are an awesome partnership. I don't think it's an anti-welsh thing, it's just strikingly obvious to almost all non-welsh supporters that AWJ should not have started on Saturday.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Neither should Kruis.

It should have been Itoje and Lawes

 

[Tredman]

I'd go for that, but that does mean mahony has to start for the lineouts - then we are back to the same slightly too slow and too lightweight back row, albeit wirh a much more mobile 2nd row.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

I would agree looking at what the All Blacks produced that Ijote and Lawes would be a better partnership, with Henderson on the bench.

As for the back row Tiperic or Stander (or both) need to come in will up the speed and power.

 

[Dinowolf]

We need more possession. There were three areas of concern in the 1st Test.

First was their runners off the Scrum-half from rucks,
Second was the lack of aggression and physicality by the Lions at the breakdown
Third, too many box-kicks giving the ball away

The lineout was well contested by the Lions and must be of concern to the ABs,
The scrum was just about even, which must have been a disappointment to the Lions, and I think the inexperience in the front row esp. at tighthead didn't help.

Gatland may not make many changes in personnel, but he must make system changes in the 2nd Test.

 

[Tredman]

Geech and Graham Henry were very clear on this too, we gave the ball away far too much via box kicks or the breakdown, worth a listen here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/rugby-un...ull-contact-rob-andrew-listen-episode-21-6pm/

We'd be much better off with Farrell kicking for territory, rather than Murray with box kicks - unless Farrell's thigh wasn't up to it.

 

[Stan Hullis]

Great from Laidlaw and Seymour

Great tracking

 

[Tredman]

Much better today, faster in the breakdown & better handling.

Lawes, Henderson, Stander, Tipuric, Best & North pushing their chance for Saturday.

 

[jd1981]

Who was the asshole who just slapped Biggar on the head when he was on the ground.

 

[Dinowolf]

The turning point was our yellow card. Shame really as Henderson had been really good up till then.

Laidlaw showed how slow he is and some of his passing was poor. Even Lawes had to reach over his head for a couple, and he's a tall bloke.
Finn Russell demonstrated that he just isn't good enough for this level.

Considering the lead we built up, we should have won that, but Henderson's loss for 10 minutes proved too much and in the end we were lucky to get the draw.

 

[Tredman]

AWJ keeps his place and Te'o dropped - laughable.

Midfield of sexton - Farrell - Davies. Sonny Bill must be rolling on the floor laughing.

British and Irish Lions: L Williams, A Watson, J Davies, O Farrell, E Daly, J Sexton, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, AW Jones, S Warburton (c), S O'Brien, T Faletau.

Replacements: K Owens, J McGrath, K Sinckler, C Lawes, CJ Stander, R Webb, B Te'o, J Nowell.

 

[Donegal Wolf]

AWJ keeps his place and Te'o dropped - laughable.

Midfield of sexton - Farrell - Davies. Sonny Bill must be rolling on the floor laughing.

British and Irish Lions: L Williams, A Watson, J Davies, O Farrell, E Daly, J Sexton, C Murray; M Vunipola, J George, T Furlong, M Itoje, AW Jones, S Warburton (c), S O'Brien, T Faletau.

Replacements: K Owens, J McGrath, K Sinckler, C Lawes, CJ Stander, R Webb, B Te'o, J Nowell.

I suppose if England were playing it would be Farrell 12 and Teo sub and nobody would comment on it. AWJ must have some dodgy pictures of Gatland as I cant think of any other reason why he keeps his place, biggest downfall on saturday was lack of pace by our forwards and with the other options available baffling why he still keeps him in.

One positive is subs bench is full of impact players as last week bar Sinckler they were poor.

 

[Tredman]

I suppose if England were playing it would be Farrell 12 and Teo sub and nobody would comment on it. AWJ must have some dodgy pictures of Gatland as I cant think of any other reason why he keeps his place, biggest downfall on saturday was lack of pace by our forwards and with the other options available baffling why he still keeps him in.

One positive is subs bench is full of impact players as last week bar Sinckler they were poor.

Not from me - Te'o was excellent last week, once he went off we were far too open and lacked the ball carrier. After Tuesday I thought Henderson was a definite for the squad - I would have had him starting ahead of Lawes, its shocking he's not even on the bench.

If anything I think we have made it worse at 6,7,8,9,10,12,13 we only have Faletau who can bish his way through players and even then its not his number one skill. We will be box kicking the ball away all game again, sigh.