Warm Up Match 1: New Zealand Barbarians v British & Irish Lions (Whangarei)

[TRF Mr Fish]

I'll tidy this up at a later date (unless someone gets in before me).

First match of the tour!

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

NZ Barbarians squad:

Forwards: Aidan Ross (Bay of Plenty), Tolu Fahamokioa (Wellington), Sam Anderson-Heather (Otago), Andrew Makalio (Tasman), Marcel Renata (Auckland), Oliver Jager (Canterbury), Keepa Mewett (Bay of Plenty), Joshua Goodhue (Northland), James Tucker (Waikato), Mitchell Dunshea (Canterbury), Lachlan Boshier (Taranaki), Matthew Matich (Northland), Peter Rowe (Wanganui)

Backs: Jack Stratton (Canterbury), Richard Judd (Bay of Plenty), Bryn Gatland (North Harbour), Dwayne Sweeney (Waikato), Kaveinga Finau (Inga) (Canterbury), Jonah Lowe (Hawke's Bay), Sevu Reece (Waikato), Sam Vaka (Counties Manukau), Luteru Laulala (Counties Manukau), Junior Ngaluafe (Southland)

Not a strong squad by any stretch of the imagination. This will certainly be the easiest match of the tour for the Lions, expecting a win by 40 odd points (though could be close for the first half). A bit of rain could certainly limit the score and the Lions will be a bit tired having flown in only three days earlier.

Expecting a team resembling:

1 Ross
2 Anderson-Heather
3 Renata
4 Goodhue
5 Tucker
6 Boshier
7 Rowe
8 Dunshea
9 Stratton
10 Gatland
11 Lowe
12 Sweeney
13 Vaka
14 Reece
15 Ngaluafe
16 Makalio
17 Fohamokioa
18 Mewett
19 Jager
20 Matich
21 Judd
22 Laulala
23 Finau

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

That backline has some ability, but yea this really is a low level squad. The Lions should put 50 on them. It will be the only comfortable game of the tour for them though.

 

[Goodey]

FTR - Saturday 3rd June; Kick off time 19:35 local / 08:35 BST.

I'm guessing Bryn Gatland has been picked just for fun?

 

[The Jones Boy]

You gotta give the Lions a bit of an easy run for the first game.
It's a long old trip from blighty to the Boneyard.
It's a great occasion for these lads and an opprtunity they may never otherwise get if the Lions didn't come to visit.
Nice to see two Northland boys in the line up, considering the game is being played in the winterless north, Whangarei.
Thanks for putting the team up Mr Fish.

 

[TobyTeague2015]

Will the players that were in finals be available for this? Would love to see the Lions go with an out and out attacking for this game and really run the score up. Something like:

1. Vunipola
2. George
3. Sinckler
4. Henderson
5. Lawes (Kruis if Lawes unavaible)
6. Moriarty
7. Tipuric
8. Stander (Moriarty to 8, O'Brien to 6)
9. Webb
10. Sexton
11. North
12. Te'o
13. Daly (Joseph if Daly unavailable)
14. Seymour
15. Hogg

16. Owens
17. McGrath
18. Furlong
19. Kruis (Itoje if Lawes unavailable)
20. O'Brien (Faletau if Stander unavailable)
21. Murray
22. Farrell
23. Liam Williams (Watson if Williams unavailable)

 

[Goodey]

Unlikely to see the players from the finals, the group that are out there at the moment will probably be putting a plan together without them rather then get them to play a few days after the long haul flights. They'll want to do assessments etc. Still doubts over Owens, Murray and Warburton fitness. I'd probably be saving most of my questions with selection to the franchise games, anyone here will look good.

Guessing we will see something close to the midweek team plus a few people who are there to prove fitness before being taken off.

Marler
Best
Cole
Henderson
Kruis
Moriarty
Warburton
Stander

Webb
Sexton
Watson
Henshaw
Payne
Seymour
Hogg

I'd like to see Sexton-Farrell at 10-12 given a go early to see how it might work, but I think Gatland's probably already dismissed it.

 

[Groundhog]

Not a chance Stander will be playing. No one who had a final over the weekend should be. Also Stander has clearly been battling an injury for some time now and I think there's actually a decent chance he'll have to pull out if he's not managed really well. I wouldn't even risk someone like Sexton in a dirt tracker either. Otherwise fair enough team.

 

[Goodey]

Yeah I was swapping out finalists and left him in. Probably Faletau instead

 

[General Melchett]

Have most the squad flown out to NZ already? I can't recall seeing any coverage of them leaving on the news or online. Normally there's some footage of them boarding the plane.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Have most the squad flown out to NZ already? I can't recall seeing any coverage of them leaving on the news or online. Normally there's some footage of them boarding the plane.

I think they've touched down in New Zealand in the last hour or so.

 

[General Melchett]

I think they've touched down in New Zealand in the last hour or so.

Just read that they're flying from Heathrow on Monday at 1:30pm so they must have just taken off. Wonder if anyone will be doing a Tindell on the way back.

 

[Flashdean]

I can't see Sexton playing a lot in the warm up games as i dont think his body will take the punishment tat he will receive so i can see him being picked in this game (easiest of the lot)..
Id like to see Laidlaw partnered with him and Ben Teo'o on his outside..Laidlaw will really calm down the nerves early doors!

Anyone know much about the opposition before i do a littlle research??

 

[valley commando]

FTR - Saturday 3rd June; Kick off time 19:35 local / 08:35 BST.

I'm guessing Bryn Gatland has been picked just for fun?

yep

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I can't see Sexton playing a lot in the warm up games as i dont think his body will take the punishment tat he will receive so i can see him being picked in this game (easiest of the lot)..
Id like to see Laidlaw partnered with him and Ben Teo'o on his outside..Laidlaw will really calm down the nerves early doors!

Anyone know much about the opposition before i do a littlle research??

Honestly, there's not much to say about the Barbarians team - it's been picked to represent as many provinces as possible but they don't have access to any Super Rugby players (bar a few back ups). There are some exciting backs on the pitch but they are very unproven and while they are capable of scoring I'd wager that their defence and organisation won't be up to scratch. That being said, they've had more time to prepare than the Lions, I think.

I'd say the two players to watch are Sevu Reece on the wing, who's quite exciting, and Peter Rowe in the loose forward. Rowe represents Wanganui, a second division team (a la Manawatu from the 2005 tour), so it will be a massive event for him!

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Anyone know much about the opposition before i do a littlle research??

There's really not a lot to write home about. If I'm being honest I haven't even heard of about half the players, and I'm an avid follower of NZ rugby.
IMO, Boshier and Reece are the 2 best players in the side. Boshier is a workhorse loose forward. He's had a fair bit of time with the Chiefs and has always looked pretty good. Reece is just an exciting fijian winger - Good with ball in hand, electric feet. Another to look out for is young Jonah Lowe, he's quite promising. Warren's son can play a bit too.
But like I said, the quality of this team isn't great. Most of them have no super rugby experience and are only semi-professional. Whatever team the Lions put out should comfortably dispatch them.

 

[General Melchett]

Do we know when the Lions team will be announced? Is it usually two or three days before the match?

Update...Team announced at 8pm tonight.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Didn't you say last night 8pm Oggmonster? WHERE IS MY TEAM

 

[General Melchett]

Didn't you say last night 8pm Oggmonster? WHERE IS MY TEAM

Check the 'last edited' date and time. My OP was submitted yesterday.

Sorry for the emotional rollercoaster

 

[Groundhog]

01) Joe Marler
02) Rory Best
03) Kyle SInckler
04) Alun Wyn Jones
05) Iain Henderson
06) Ross Moriarty
07) Sam Warburton
08) Toby Faletau

09) Greig Laidlaw
10) Johnny Sexton
11) Tommy Seymour
12) Ben Te'o
13) Jonathan Joseph
14) Anthony Watson
15) Stuart Hogg

Substitutes

16) Jamie George
17) Mako Vunipola
18) Tadhg Furlong
19) George Kruis
20) Justin Tipuric
21) Rhys Webb
22) Owen Farrell
23) Jared Payne