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Second Test: Australia vs. British and Irish Lions (29/06/13)

TRF_Olyy

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29th June, 20:00 (Local) and 11:00 (BST)
Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, Australia
 
Lions Team

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ulster/Ireland)
13. Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland)
12. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/Wales)
11. George North (Scarlets/Wales)
10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
1. Makovina Vunipola (Saracens/England)
2. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
4. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers/England)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
7. Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues/Wales) Captain
8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland)

Replacements
16. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
17. Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors/Scotland)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England)
20. Sean O'Brien (Leinster/Ireland)
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
23. Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues/Wales)


Pretty much as expected, by me anyway.

Surprised that Lydiate is in and that Croft is seen as 2nd row cover, I think that we'll see SOB in for Dan at some point and Croft left on bench baring injury because I don't think the scrum would go well with him in.

Ben Youngs in and Murray indicates Phillips is injured, I think Young's has been better on tour but hes flaky at times which worries me. Bowe I always expected to start hes everything Cutberth is and more I just don't see what Cutberth dose that he can't.
 
No issues with the starting 15 given the injury situation but that bench baffles me. No specialist cover at full back or second row. Why Cuthbert instead of Hogg, Maitland or Kearney who offer more flexible options? Seems a bit short sighted to me, but hey ho we live in hope
 
Wallabies Team released:

Australia: Kurtley Beale; Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Christian Leali'ifano, Joe Tomane; James O'Connor, Will Genia; Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Ben Mowen, James Horwill (c), Kane Douglas, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Saia Fainga'a, James Slipper, Sekope Kepu, Rob Simmons, Liam Gill, Nick Phipps, Rob Horne, Jesse Mogg.


Incredibly Ashley-Cooper and Leali'ifano deemed fit to start. Thats a boost. Deans retains O'Conner at 10 which some may think is even more incredible....

Beale in at fullback - increases the attacking potential - we now have three playmakers to feed the runners.

Tomane for Ioane - Quality player - can catch and kick, something Ioane struggles with. Solid performer for the Brumbies and great finisher. Does not rampage through broken play like Ioane but is a fantastic support player.

No changes to forwards - Fair enough. Reward the efforts of game 1. Leaving George Smith out of the squad is a big call.

Horne on bench - can be great but also hot/cold. Has played well this year for Waratahs. Deans obviously rates him.

Mogg on bench - well deserved selection. He's quick and has x-factor in attack. Good positional kicker. Good defender but he is slight in build when you consider whats going to be running at him....


Prediction - For me I wonder if the Walalbies can match the intensity of their defence, line gains and ruck work of the first test. That kept the Lion's from getting into their rythm. If this Wallaby backline gets enough quality ball they should score tries. However in the end I suspect we will score tries but the Lions will kick more goals and tough out a win again.
 
Lydiate coming in does make sense and I am pleased SOB has made the bench at least

Crofts played 2nd row loads of times in some big games for tigers so im not worried about him covering but I am a little surprised to be honest Grey and Evans must be a bit hurt this morning.

agree with Potemkin about the back 3 cover, I know he scored a try in the first test but I have not been overly impressed with Cuthbert this tour and would have preferred either Maitland or Hogg on the bench.

Loose head is the weak link hope Mako and sort out his scrummage or we are doomed!
 
No issues with the starting 15 given the injury situation but that bench baffles me. No specialist cover at full back or second row. Why Cuthbert instead of Hogg, Maitland or Kearney who offer more flexible options? Seems a bit short sighted to me, but hey ho we live in hope
Bowe can cover 15. The bench actually is fine and Hogg and Maitland have done nothing special to make bench. Zebo could've covered 15 too but hasn't done enough.
 
Australia to square the series to 1 - 1. That said I like the team. No Philips surprised me until I read that he's been rested as a precaution for next week. Youngs can be exceptional when his tail is up... Let's hope it's that.

It would have been harsh maybe to drop Cuthbert altogether, but an impact player he ain't and I do wonder what he's doing on the bench. Pick someone who can change a tight game from nowhere. Tuilagi?
 
Australia to square the series to 1 - 1. That said I like the team. No Philips surprised me until I read that he's been rested as a precaution for next week. Youngs can be exceptional when his tail is up... Let's hope it's that.

It would have been harsh maybe to drop Cuthbert altogether, but an impact player he ain't and I do wonder what he's doing on the bench. Pick someone who can change a tight game from nowhere. Tuilagi?

tuilagi could probably cover wing at a push too . Can't see the scrum being as strong this time round vunipola just isn't a clever enough scrummager for me . Aussies by 10 points . We will have to wait to see though ! Can't wait .
 
The Scrum will not be as strong but as long as they win ball its ok, I rather fancy our chances to be honest, the thing that worried me last week was the way the aussies seem to break the gainline easily. With Lydiate in that wont be such a problem. With Bowe in we now have 2 world class wings instead of just North and my fingers are crossed for Youngs to have one of "those" games at Scrum half.

Last test I was concerned because we didnt know what to expect from the aussies now we do and to be honest I think we can cope.
 
I don't belive the Scrum will be as bad as people are suggesting. Remember that for the final twenty minutes last week o' connell was scrumagging with a fractured arm and there was no alun wyn.
 
Wellp, looks like I was wrong on what to expect... not really convinced by that to be honest. The set-piece is weaker and the issue of go-forwards ball has not been solved. Hope I'm wrong again.
 
Wellp, looks like I was wrong on what to expect... not really convinced by that to be honest. The set-piece is weaker and the issue of go-forwards ball has not been solved. Hope I'm wrong again.

Same issues I have . Maybe MV is a better ball carrier than corbs but other than that meh :(
 
Philips been dropped because Australia have worked him out. Presume a combination of things over the week have meant that he wasn't selected. Happy with what's been put out considering everything.
 
The scrum will be fine.
Grant is a better scrummager than Vunipola so that'll help when the front row is changed, as Cole can't carry a loosie in the way Jones can.
And the starting front row...look who's at 3.
Me and cyRil could pack down next to Adam and still get parity with most scrums.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2
 
Bowe can cover 15. The bench actually is fine and Hogg and Maitland have done nothing special to make bench. Zebo could've covered 15 too but hasn't done enough.

Huge Tommy Bowe fan and glad he is back. My point is around the fact that his hand cannot be 100% if he is wearing a glove as is reported and therefore maybe not best choice of cover for full back. The Cuthbert bench is baffling in these circumstances and looks like they were not prepared to make the hard decision to drop him in favour of one of the full backs.

Anyway hope the full back cover isn't required.
 
If Bowe is deemed fit, he's fit. Cuthbert offers big impact from the bench imo. Who better to come on and change a game than the most lethal finisher in NH rugby over the past couple of seasons?

I'm happy with the side. I think the backrow is better balanced because of Lydiate being there. Warburton can do less tackling, and compete for the ball more. I'm still disappointed for Faletau, imo one of the stand-out players on tour and he's still not involved in the 23. I hope he get's an opportunity next week.

Phillips must be injured, he would make the 23 otherwise.
 
If Bowe is deemed fit, he's fit. Cuthbert offers big impact from the bench imo. Who better to come on and change a game than the most lethal finisher in NH rugby over the past couple of seasons?

I'm happy with the side. I think the backrow is better balanced because of Lydiate being there. Warburton can do less tackling, and compete for the ball more. I'm still disappointed for Faletau, imo one of the stand-out players on tour and he's still not involved in the 23. I hope he get's an opportunity next week.

Phillips must be injured, he would make the 23 otherwise.

Gats said Phillips isn't injured :/ not surprised he's been dropped but out the 22 all together is a bit drastic tbh
 
I read a quote that he's beign rested because he has had a knee thing:

Gatland said Phillips was "fit and available", although the Welshman - who started all three Tests in South Africa - has not been able to take a full part in training with a knee injury that also hindered him in the first Test.
"The decision was to rest him this week," Gatland explained. "He is potentially an important component for next week. Given the quality of the nines we have got, all of them have done a great job for us. We felt it was prudent to make sure he was 100% fit for next week."

Obviously, that could be code for 'Oz have worked him out' as Cymro suggested, but then again, I'd put a lot of money on philips being included next week if it's a series decider... I think its more likely he's being kept safe until 100% fit.
 

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