Warm Up Match 6: Waikato Chiefs v British & Irish Lions (Hamilton)

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Chiefs team was just announced... the only Maori players are Messam and Elliot, and they're both on the bench. The Beaver to captain!
Lions should take this IMO, the Chiefs are very under-strength. It would take a massive effort from the Chiefs boys and a poor Lions performance for it to go the Chiefs way.
Then again, you can never underestimate the Chiefs... They did dismantle Wales with a very under-strength side last year...

Here is the side...
1. Fisiihoi
2. Polwart
3. Laulala
4. Bird
5. Allardice
6. Brown
7. Boshier
8. Sanders
9. Christie
10. Donald
11. Alaimalo
12. Faauli
13. Nanai-Williams
14. Pulu
15. Stevenson

16. Elliot
17. Ross
18. Moli
19. Messam
20. Karpick
21. Taumateini
22. Laulala
23. Tiatia

 

[TRF_Olyy]

It would take a massive effort from the Chiefs boys and a poor Lions performance for it to go the Chiefs way.
Then again, you can never underestimate the Chiefs... They did dismantle Wales with a very under-strength side last year...

Luckily this is a collection of the best players in the British and Irish isles and not a bunch Wales B players


........

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Luckily this is a collection of the best players in the British and Irish isles and not a bunch Wales B players


........

haha

Even Gats' Welsh B boys should take this though... of the Chiefs starting 15, only 3 (Laulala, Bird and Pulu) are regular starters.

Here's a better look at the side btw

 

[Nubiwan]

No ones going to be swapping for them gallagher jerseys. Just plain nasty...

 

[Big_Grumper]

@Caitlyn Jenner - That looks like a big front row. They're not regulars?

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

@Caitlyn Jenner - That looks like a big front row. They're not regulars?

Laulala is. The other 2 definitely are not. Fisiihoi has only started 2 games this year, Polwart has only played 2 games total - both from the bench.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

British & Irish Lions (v Chiefs, Tuesday June 20, FMG Stadium, Waikato, 7.35pm NZST/8.35am BST):
15. Liam Williams – Scarlets, Wales, #833
14. Jack Nowell – Exeter Chiefs, England, #828
13. Jared Payne – Ulster, Ireland, #830
12. Robbie Henshaw – Leinster, Ireland, #824
11. Elliot Daly – Wasps, England, #822
10. Dan Biggar – Ospreys, Wales, #821
9. Greig Laidlaw – Gloucester Rugby, Scotland, #810

1. Joe Marler – Harlequins, England, #811
2. Rory Best (c) – Ulster, Ireland, #793
3. Dan Cole – Leicester Tigers, England, #794
4. Iain Henderson – Ulster, Ireland, #808
5. Courtney Lawes – Northampton Saints, England, #826
6. James Haskell – Wasps, England, #823
7. Justin Tipuric – Ospreys, Wales, #786
8. CJ Stander – Munster, Ireland, #831

Replacements:
16. Kristian Dacey – Cardiff Blues, Wales
17. Allan Dell – Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland
18. Tomas Francis – Exeter Chiefs, Wales
19. Cory Hill – Newport Gwent Dragons, Wales
20. Alun Wyn Jones – Ospreys, Wales, #761
21. Gareth Davies – Scarlets, Wales
22. Finn Russell – Glasgow Warriors, Scotland
23. Tommy Seymour – Glasgow Warriors, Scotland, #813

 

[Bada-Bing!]

AWJ on the bench. Does that mean Krutoje start v ABs?

 

[MikeTheNative]

Hopefully so, disappointed that Lawes, Tipruic and Williams don't get a crack at a start. I'm not surprised about Stander he's not been looking right for a while now and Faleteau is a better option at 8 and O'Mahony at 6.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Wonder if it is between AWJ and Lawes for the bench spot now?

Williams, Seymour and Daly all prob fighting for that 23 shirt.

 

[MikeTheNative]

If it's out of them 3 for the bench I would take Daly, covers more positions and can kick if things go really wrong.

 

[HenryChinaski]

Wow....that's a pretty terrible lions 23.

 

[MarkyH]

Err, Joseph? Do you think he might be in the 23 shirt on Sat?

 

[Nubiwan]

If your a lion with test aspirations, then nomination for the Waikato affair is basically condeming you to a bench spot, in the first test, at very best.

I would be fairly confident on a wager which sees warburton and AWJ skipping the ignominy of having to start this match. We shall see.

I am also fairly sure, based on the Maori result, that we will now see sexton at 10 and 1/2 pint at full back in the tests.

Yet again, results will have eased what otherwise might be questionable decisions in the Lions camp. The Maori game, while our most comprehensive win, came against possibly the poorest performance we faced. Well, not even possibly. The Maori were cr@p, in all fairness, The lions pack imposed themselves for 90 minutes and we still looked reasonably average out wide in the backs.

My point is that it was a game that would be difficult to look poor in and therefore should carry little weight on test selection. I am of the opinion that it will have gone a long way to cementing some players shout at a jersey for the first test, and that's just plain wrong.

Perhaps the lions line up will prove me wrong, but I reckon we will see a pretty average side thrown out in Hamilton.

 

[Nubiwan]

If your a lion with test aspirations, then nomination for the Waikato affair is basically condeming you to a bench spot, at best.

I would be fairly confident on a wager which sees warburton and AWJ skipping the ignominy of having to start this match. We shall see.

I am also fairly sure, based on the Maori result, that we will now see sexton at 10 and 1/2 pint at full back in the tests.

Yet again, results will have eased what otherwise might be questionable decisions in the Lions camp. The Maori game, while our most comprehensive win, came against possibly the poorest performance we faced. Well, not even possibly. The Maori were *****, in all fairness, The pack imposed themselves for 90 minutes and we still looked reasonably average out wide in the backs.

My point is that it was a game that would be difficult to look poor in and therefore should carry little weight on test selection. I am of the opinion that it will have gone a long way to cementing some players shout at a jersey for the first test, and that's just plain wrong.

Perhaps the lions line up will prove me wrong, but I reckon we will see a pretty average side thrown out in Hamilton.

Lol - I just read back a few posts to see the line up for the next match and confirms my suspicions no end.

 

[Nubiwan]

Was Finn Russell just called up from Australian tour? He gave a pretty decent account of himself in that Ozzie test if it was who I am thinking I saw. Nowt wrong seeing a 10 with a few scrapes on his face. Ozzie rugby sure is regressing all the same. Scotland looked decent in what I watched. Still smarting over being ignored for lions selection, and so they should.

 

[Nubiwan]

AWJ on the bench. Does that mean Krutoje start v ABs?

With Henderson and Lawes starting, it means Gatland hoping AWJ can sit on his arse most of the night in reserve for the test. At worst as a sub. Maybe it means he's not part of the 23, but I severely doubt it. Kruis and Itoje, indeed the starting pack from that Maori game, should probably start the test. Warburton is cotton balled I see. Based on what? He needs to show up. Good chance he will walk on the test side for the sake of a captains arm band, if not making any sort of statement in matches he's appeared in. Just wrong. Hope I am wrong.

Having watched southern hem rugby for the most part of the last 20 years, and very little welsh rugby, outside the relevant tests, I am at pains to understand the hype over warburton. An unfair stance perhaps, I admit, but going by this series, I am yet to see his impact as the man with the arm band. An out of form player, by many accounts, selected as tour captain. I am hoping he can prove me wrong. Going to be tough in a test against the ABs.

Going to have to excuse the partisan nature of many of my posts on here, but it doesn't seem to bother Lions selection, so why should I care voicing an opinion? At least I admit it.

 

[General Melchett]

Was Finn Russell just called up from Australian tour? He gave a pretty decent account of himself in that Ozzie test if it was who I am thinking I saw. Nowt wrong seeing a 10 with a few scrapes on his face. Ozzie rugby sure is regressing all the same.

Yes that is he. Just watch the back line come to life when Russell and Davies come on for Biggar and Laidlaw (hopefully).

 

[HenryChinaski]

Err, Joseph? Do you think he might be in the 23 shirt on Sat?

That's a good spot. Perhaps Joseph is in contention for the 23rd bench spot.

 

[Chief Pete]

Yes that is he. Just watch the back line come to life when Russell and Davies come on for Biggar and Laidlaw (hopefully).

Should of started Russell and Davis, give them both an hour IMO....