Reds v British and Irish Lions (08/06/13)

[TommyVercetti]

Don't quite understand why Tom Youngs and Stevens are in the lions squad at all tbh. Would have taken either one of Ross Ford (before he got calf injury) or Ken Owens over Youngs. Ken Owens has been an absolute beast for the Scarlets lately, but I guess the whole bias thing was playing on Gatland's mind perhaps.

As opposed to Tom Youngs poor form for Leicester that only went and won him Premiership Player Of The Year of course.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Youngs voted prem player of the season - Best couldn't hit a 3mile wide barn at the lineout.

 

[Aristodemus]

Did you watch the game the other day Osprey or the 6N

Pretty underwhelmed by that side to be honest, weak props and Gray in the forwards, I don't mind the backs apart from Farrell and Davies. I just hope Youngs (Ben) has a good game because I really don't want Phillips in the test team.

 

[j'nuh]

Stopped caring about "X of the season" when Farrell was nominated as one of the best players in the world. For me, Youngs wasn't even player of his own club for the season (Salvi was).

Although I do think he has better form than Best.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Also a big day for Parling. He gets to have a crack at proving his worth against a decent opposition. Being up against POC, AWJ, and Evans for the starting spots is going to be tough for him.

Parling's already outplayed Ian Evans...

 

[Ospreylian]

Did you watch the game the other day Osprey or the 6N

Pretty underwhelmed by that side to be honest, weak props and Gray in the forwards, I don't mind the backs apart from Farrell and Davies. I just hope Youngs (Ben) has a good game because I really don't want Phillips in the test team.

Actually yeah, tbf my previous comment was a bit ill-informed now I've looked back at it. Thinking about it, I have rated Youngs as a hooker when I've seen him in good form, I just wasn't over-the-moon about him during the six nations. Also, I acknowledge the fact Best had some poor line-out throws against Western Force, and I actually didn't get to see the game (stupid Virgin Media broadband failure!) so I can't really comment much on anything other than the 15 min highlights lol.

It's just I really rate Best when he is on form, and he should have been in the squad ahead of Hartley from the beginning. And Hibbard has been outstanding all season imo. So ideally I'd like to see those two starting and bench. But that's not to rule out Youngs, if he can show a good run of form at international level (which is difficult against weak opposition leading up to the tests) he could push for a spot if Best remains in poor form.

And I also don't read too much into the Prem Player of the Year award either. Counts for nothing now those players are in a completely different environment and playing/training alongside others from different leagues.

 

[Ospreylian]

Parling's already outplayed Ian Evans...

Yeah I'm a big Parling fan don't get me wrong. But I'm not ruling Evans out either, he can be a class act when he's on form. I'm actually really excited to see how the second row battle pans out over the course of the next few weeks. Mouth-watering stuff, methinks.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

Ospreylian, what makes you think youngs is only an outside bet for a match day place - gatland actively chose the guy over best in his squad and gatland picks the team, even if you don't rate youngs yourself!

 

[coonor]

This is the worse team selected so far, but that doesn't mean it's bad selection. It's a competetive selection with a lot of fringe players being given a chance to impress against what is unarguably the strongest opposition the Lions have faced so far.

Personally I'd have liked to have seen Sexton start, with Philips on the bench. The 9 and 10 jerseys are now theirs to lose and I think that combination needs some practise together. The back row will be really interesting, especially since the previous two backrows had absolute stormers. The pressure is on Warburton desptite his captaincy, he needs to reach the level of both Tipuric and SOB.

I know Gatland likes his tried and tested combinations but I seriously cannot wait to see a back row of SOB, Tipuric and Faletau/Heaslip.

 

[Tony Manx]

Healy cleared!

 

[big ginger 8]

Get in!

 

[lynam1104]

Good news on being cleared any update on the injury though?

 

[big ginger 8]

Apparently he walked into the hearing without crutches.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I hope they don't rush him back to play. Leinster and Ieland need him more than the Lions!

 

[Joseph14]

Healy's tour is over, on his way home. Feel sorry for the bloke.

Jenkins pulls out of the reds game with calf injury. Is that all three games he has missed through injury now?

 

[nealn]

Grant called up as cover for Jenkins. Vunipola starts tomorrow now...

 

[lynam1104]

Christ, from having incredibly strong competition for the LH to calling up two players in one week. Fortunately strong contenders just not what was expected.

 

[Peat]

While I am sorry for Jenkins, obviously - and for Healy - I am really delighted for Ryan Grant. Really really delighted. I think he's been excellent, I think he was unlucky to be in the main squad and he must have been cursing god when Corbs got the call. We're very lucky to have this standard of loosehead available to us at the moment, if Jenkins doesn't make it, then I don't think we've lost much at all. If this had been Jones and Cole it would be very different.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Vunipola is getting an awful lot of game time...

 

[Joseph14]

Vunipola is getting an awful lot of game time...

I did predict he would be a starter come test time but given how the lheads are dropping like flies he might be too tired by then!

Wonder what odds you could get on Marler starting the first test:lol: