ACT Brumbies v British and Irish Lions (18/06/13)

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

I didn't mean any of them are poor in these areas but in comparison to Murray and Phillips, Youngs is not as effective running with the ball or running support lines which both Phillips and Murray are very good at. I think that quality and speed of the service from the scrum half is the most important skill, followed by the box kick and then running. None of the three players have excellent service but Murray's is bad so that rules him out of a test spot in my opinion. Youngs is probably the most skilled of the three players but Phillips is the best.

I see what you're saying, but it just feels like we're talking about a different player. When Youngs was in an extended period of patchy form last year, the criticisms we'd make of him were that his basics were very poor; his passing was very erratic, service not quick enough, his box kicking too long with not enough height, and his decision making very poor. The reason he was continually picked was because of his running game, his ability to cut asides open by his broken field running - the sort of thing demonstrated by the video above - I agree that Philips and Murray are better at running support lines, but against organised defences, those two are never going to be picked for their ability to dance around defenders - they're slow as f***! In terms of physicality I can certainly see what you're saying - it allows them to make yards more directly than youngs can.

 

[Zed]

Philips doesn't do scrum half 101 - fast accurate passes off the deck. His passing is slow. He picks the ball up, looks, runs towards the first receiver and then passes. There are times it is beneficial for the half to run across field and then pass, sucking in defenders etc but he does it all the time, which cuts down the amount of time & space the first receiver has to work with. He looked good against the babas, but they were all over the place, the defence was completely disorganised. Youngs hasn't been playing brilliantly, but he does the basics better than Philips.

 

[Zed]

Don't you love it when the camera man buys the dummy pass...

Another reason why I reckon Drew Mitchell is overrated.

 

[dullonien]

Poor defence by Wade and Kearney there.

Best also having a poor start. I thought the first lineout was a little underthrown, allowing the Brumbies to get in ahead of Gray. Second is not straight.

 

[Joseph14]

Hogg, Wade and Kearney won't want to see that again

 

[munstermuffin]

Brumbies 13 impressing me

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

To be fair Kearney couldn't do much when Wade was swinging out f his man and knocked Kearney over. Anyway he made up for it there with that defence.

36 needs to take up a bit of a 10 role, Hogg is struggling.

 

[dullonien]

The lineout is an absolute mess!

 

[Peat]

Crap call though - no movement allowed the Brumbies to get up ahead of Gray very easily. The O'Brien one to the front should have got higher too. Best isn't doing great, but the whole lineout is an unholy mess here. But then what isn't? Scrum is in trouble. No attacking momentum. Losing the collisions. Kicking is poor. Youngs should have cleared up that lineout steal. Its all crap.

 

[dullonien]

I can understand the backs being a bit rusty, but the forwards are also struggling. Tipuric has made himself known at the breakdown, but otherwise they've all be poor.

 

[munstermuffin]

Youngs and Best really playing themselves out of chances for 23

 

[bloody butterfly]

Youngs and Best really playing themselves out of chances for 23

Best's chances were slim to begin with but only a nightmare game for Youngs would see him fall behind Murray.

 

[dullonien]

Where's the clearing out at the rucks?Lions are allowing the Brumbies to make a bit of a mess of our ruck.

Best's chances were slim to begin with but only a nightmare game for Youngs would see him fall behind Murray.

Really? To be fair to Murray, he's done nothing wrong, and done a lot right. His biggest problem is being a little too similar to Phillips, which to be fair isn't his fault.

Youngs' has been poor in this first half. Box kicking has been poor, passing erratic, and he's been a little ponderous at the back of rucks again. The platform set by the forwards has also been poor, so I'll put the ponderousness at the ruck more down to them than Youngs.

 

[Aristodemus]

Very disappointing half so far, Best is having a nightmare too...... again.

 

[Aristodemus]

To be fair to Youngs, this is the poorest Lions performance of the tour. Although I agree he hasn't had a great half.

 

[Peat]

Where's the clearing out at the rucks?Lions are allowing the Brumbies to make a bit of a mess of our ruck.

This - we're lucky to have one guy in support most of the time - but where's everything? Nothing's working, and I'm amazed we're only 5 down. It should be more, we're very lucky its not. With the exception of Faletau (maybe), everyone here is ******* their chance of involvement a million miles up the wall. There is no discernible plan or intelligence.

I would like to see the Lions start the next half by simply flooding the fringe with forwards for a good few phases until the Brumbies are really creaking. I believe if O'Brien and Faletau each take up one ball with forwards behind to speed it up we'll gain five metres and create genuine space to play.

p.s. Youngs is often slowing up the ball, but when he's got no one sensible to pass it to, that's not such a bad call.

 

[coonor]

Scoreline flattering the Lions to be honest. Best has been very poor. You know you have a problem at hooker when in reality Dylan Hartley would be a really asset. Youngs and Hogg have both been poor, to an extent that Youngs is playing himself out of the tests. His kicking has been awful and it really does not suit Gatlands style. I can seen Murray coming and making a real move, despite Youngs being in my opinion a better player.

The most disappointing aspect is the lack of leadership and control. It's strange to see SOB having taken a more proactive senior role in this team as shown by his speech before kick of. The combinations also seem to be disjointed. The second row looks well out of sync particularly in the lineout, the half back pairing lacks communication and execution, the back three seems rather nervous.

Overall everyone is playing like individuals rather than a team!

 

[munstermuffin]

Murray been similar to Phillips might be a good thing or bad nobody knows but these little things do help thought process and Youngs is having nightmare. I agree Best chances were slim but still he's destroying them. I can forgive wingers been poor and think Hogg is having poor day but when your out of position in make shift back line. Lets hope 2nd half is better

 

[big ginger 8]

O'Brien's hands have improved so much since he came onto the scene.

Very slow lineout that.

 

[munstermuffin]

I think this is possibly Bests worst game in years. I feel for him as he always has worked hard at his darts and its letting him down in a big way at worst time