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First Test: Australia vs. British and Irish Lions (22/06/13)

Yup spot on. JOC is not a natural 10, he can play there, but in a tight test match, you need someone who's been playing there most of his career. I've been going on about sticking JOC in at 12 for years! If he can play wing, FB and 10, then he can play 12. He's not big, but for his size he is very powerful and he is very adept at making little half breaks in congested areas. Depending on injuries, I'd start with the following backline:

9.Ginea
10. Cooper
12. Joc
13.AAC
14.Ionae
15.Folau
11. Beale

I've got Folau at FB & Beale on the wing, because I think Folau is a little bit more dangerous at fullback. Plus he is solid under the high ball. Beale is easily quick enough to play wing.

I agree with you and I like your idea. For me maybe:

9 Genia
10 Cooper
12 Giteau
13 AAC
14 Folau
15 JOC
11 Ioane

I think that JOC can do a great job as last man. He has a good kick, is fast, strong and has good defense.

But as it's impossible that Cooper and Giteau are part of the team the best would be the team that you propose but with a small chance: Tomane as wing and Beale as first five. Regardless injuries.

Regards
 
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Whilst I think Croft did much more than he's being credited for, if O 'connell is out and Parling brought in, there's arguably less need for crofts line out beasting, and he might make way for Lydiate. Croft could then be brought on to pick up the pace later on. If gatland was disappointed with the breakdown area he may be tempted by this or by bringing tipuric in to help Warburton in that area of the game. I feel at this point that Sean o' brien will need an absolutely storming and clinical performance to force himself into the picture.

Maybe youngs will come on earlier if Philips is as bad as he was on Saturday. On other forums people are talking about Roberts coming straight back in - he'd count himself very lucky imo as he really has done little when on thefeld. I don't see how Tuilagi has the time to force his way in either - as he's starting, he'd need to have a storming 40 or 50 minutes so that he can be taken off and rested. I think if he puts in a good shift, he could boot maitland out of the 23 without much trouble - but there's still the issue of leaving out one of Bowe and Cuthbert.
 
I hate taunting of opposition players. What George North did was goad Will Genia and reminded me of Delon Armitage being a dick in the Heineken Cup final.

By all means celebrate a try in as extravagant a manner as possible but don't do it at the expense of an opponent. North is a terrific player and actions like that are unbecoming of him.

When you say "taunting" it makes Genia sound like a tragic victim of bullying :p

OK, for a start none of us have any idea what North was shouting to begin with. Personally, I like to believe he was singing, at the top of his lungs, MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This".

Basically, it's not often in one's rugby career that one will have the opportunity to whizz past Will Bloody Genia of all players to score a magnificent solo try in such a huge game. I'm sure Genia didn't suffer too much emotional trauma from the incident. In fact he probably hasn't once thought about it since, what with the loss of an important game for his country on his mind an' all.

What I'm trying to say is, cut the guy some slack. It was a great try, he was pumped, Genia is still the world's best scrum-half, the world will keep turning.
 
I'd say it'd be different though had a player like Heaslip done it. I don't like celebrating before a try anyway and pointing at a player certainly wouldn't be my style but I'm not too bothered considering it put the Lions ahead on the scoreboard.
 
When you say "taunting" it makes Genia sound like a tragic victim of bullying :p

OK, for a start none of us have any idea what North was shouting to begin with. Personally, I like to believe he was singing, at the top of his lungs, MC Hammer's "Can't Touch This".

Basically, it's not often in one's rugby career that one will have the opportunity to whizz past Will Bloody Genia of all players to score a magnificent solo try in such a huge game. I'm sure Genia didn't suffer too much emotional trauma from the incident. In fact he probably hasn't once thought about it since, what with the loss of an important game for his country on his mind an' all.

What I'm trying to say is, cut the guy some slack. It was a great try, he was pumped, Genia is still the world's best scrum-half, the world will keep turning.

Agreed, this is a non issue.

He pointed to someone as he scored? What a travesty! Do me a favour.
 
What I'm trying to say is, cut the guy some slack. It was a great try, he was pumped, Genia is still the world's best scrum-half, the world will keep turning.
I did cut him slack - I called him a terrific player! No sleep will be lost over it since Lions games are just meaningless exhibitions.

These are proper celebrations:
 
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I did cut him slack - I called him a terrific player! No sleep will be lost over it since Lions games are just meaningless exhibitions.

These are proper celebrations:


All I saw were a bunch of guys dressed up as the Michelin Man, filling the space between commercials.......


(love NFL, but had to give my usual response to the fans :p)
 
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Lads not confirmed and while I've been boozing ye know when it comes to Munster I give accuracy but POC I hearing has a slight fracture to forearm and the delay is because if it is possible to play depending on which way it is so my strongest guess is he will miss test 2 and play test 3
 
Great game. Gripping stuff. Plenty of running. Did not get bogged down in scrums. 4 great tries.

As predicted Foloua was a sensation but Ioane was a bit quiet - he is most damaging in broken play. North a sensation - they'll try not to kick to him again....

Aussie pack aimed up and got across the gain line all night. Lions pack held em out but seemed to be spooked by the ref's breakdown interpretation. Aussies know this ref's approach from Super Rugby so maybe that was an advantage.


Disappointed but pleased with the performance - given we had three backs carried off...and still could have won.

Well done Lions ! See ya in Melbourne
 
The British & Irish Lions team to play the RaboDirect Melbourne Rebels at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Tuesday has been announced.
Team
15. Rob Kearney (Leinster/Ireland)
14. Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
13. Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers/England)
12. Brad Barritt (Saracens/England)
11. Simon Zebo (Munster/Ireland)
10. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
9. Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
1. Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
2. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
3. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers/England)
4. Richie Gray (Scotland)
5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers/England, capt)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
7. Sean O'Brien (Leinster/Ireland)
8. Tangaki Taulupe Faletau (Dragons/Wales)
Replacements
16. Rory Best (Ulster/Ireland)
17. Makovina Vunipola (Saracens/England)
18. Matt Stevens (Saracens/England)
19. Ian Evans (Ospreys/Wales)
20. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys/Wales)
21. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
22. Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby/England)
23. Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
 
Tom Court is in for Vunipolo Tuesday and can we just stick with Toby Fatelau it's easier :D
 
I just took the post from the Lions FB page just announced (or so I thought :p)
 
I don't really see a problem with North's pointing. It was probably a reaction to something Ginea had said or done. No big deal.
 
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I remember you saying the same about Armitage too.....*ahem*

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2

I thought I wouldve said the same, if you can find conflicting quote than please do feel free to prove me wrong
 

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