South Africa A vs British and Irish Lions

[TRF_Olyy]

I thought the Stormers will be playing them on Wednesday and sa a on Saturday. John Dobson confirmed as much.

Apparently SARU want to bin off the Stormers game and have two Lions vs SA 'A' games - say it's safer as the Boks are now in a bubble

 

[Welsh Exile]

Looks like Sam called it right. More or less full strength. Can't blame them either. It's the right thing to do. Good for Lions as well.

 

[MikeTheNative]

Getting a test game in now before the actual 3 are cancelled......

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Getting a test game now before the actual 3 are cancelled......

Bit of a crap "Tour", at this rate

Lions
Sharks
Sharks
Boks
Boks
Boks
Boks
Boks

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Can Staden and Wiese nice preview for tigers fans

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

Guess it's actually a four test series, not three!

View attachment 11569

If that's their A team I dread to think what the full team is like…..

To borrow from Peugeot. The Lions go from farce to farce.

 

[Welsh Exile]

You lot love a whinge. I don't get the problem. Yeah, it's a bit of a **** show but it always was going to be. We now get to get properly tested before the test and it's really important for SA too. If they didn't do this I would've worried for SA in that first test but now it's created a bit more of a level playing field.

 

[MikeTheNative]

SA and SA A are clearly the same bubble, now the lions are playing a bubble that has had 14 positive cases....................................... sounds like that might be a bit risky.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

That's no way near our starting pack. The best 8 so far would be
Sutherland
LCD
Furlong
Henderson
Itoje
Bearnie
Watson
Conan

 

[Welsh Exile]

That's no way near our starting pack. The best 8 so far would be
Sutherland
LCD
Furlong
Henderson
Itoje
Bearnie
Watson
Conan

I would agree with that form wise. Maybe Wyn Jones in for Sutherland but not a whole lot in it.

 

[MikeTheNative]

I quite like the pack, it's pretty dynamic, question mark I suppose is it a bit too light weight for SA?

 

[WaterboySA]

Guess it's actually a four test series, not three!

View attachment 11569

Would love to see Rassie give Oosthuizen, Willemse, Smith and Elton triple spinning back kicks into space and choose real reserves....I think we have about 50 props better than Oosthuizen, Willemse is only a dream in someone's mind, Smith will always be a club player and Elton is...well, Elton.....

 

[unrated]

Nyakane and Dweba is third choices behind Marx, mbonabmbi and Malherbe.

Wiese won't start in our test team.
Van Rensburg won't start in our test team

Morne Steyn won't start in our test team (Pollard then Jantjies)

Mapimpi will probably replace Nkosi in the test team.

The rest are pretty much guarenteed starters barring maybe Mostert at Lock.

 

[General Melchett]

I would agree with that form wise. Maybe Wyn Jones in for Sutherland but not a whole lot in it.

All about opinions but I think Sutherland has been the standout LH so far and think he will get the nod to start the tests. Even SA commentators were praising his scrummaging and ability in the loose on Saturday apparently. Either way he and Wyn Jones will be in the 23 as there is no way Mako is forcing his way in.

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

I feel for the XV. It's a test match audition against the test match team. Screw this up and their chances disappear (unless you're AWJ and you can get parachuted in no matter what)

 

[General Melchett]

I feel for the XV. It's a test match audition against the test match team. Screw this up and their chances disappear (unless you're AWJ and you can get parachuted in no matter what)

Well the good thing is that we will see first hand if players with credit in the bank like Murray, Biggar and Faletau are ready to play in the tests. For me Price has been the best 9 and Conan the best 8 but I don't think either will start.

I'm v concerned about 8, 9 and 10 TBH.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Don't think Biggar is credit in the bank - he's comfortably the best 10 on tour atm (obv that'll change once Smith is in the bubble )
I'm hoping for a big game from Faletau - he'll definitely be the starter but his form hasn't been great recently (for Bath as well his cameos for Lions)
He always turns it on for Wales, though, so hopefully he rises to the occasion

I think we have about 50 props better than Oosthuizen

He's down as loosehead replacement, so you can probably add a zero to that
He was genuinely awful there for us

 

[General Melchett]

Don't think Biggar is credit in the bank - he's comfortably the best 10 on tour atm (obv that'll change once Smith is in the bubble )


He's down as loosehead replacement, so you can probably add a zero to that
He was genuinely awful there for us

I was of that opinion until Saturday - not his finest game TBH although everyone can have an off day and he did admittedly play well v Japan. Crazily the best 10 performance in SA so far IMO was probably Farrell v Sharks last Weds. Gulp.

 

[ChicagoKid]

Warren thinking short when he should be aiming long. Play two warm-up SA A games to blood the players and get some real juice in this Lions tour.

Playing a Bulls team that got crushed in Italy or the Sharks under-21 for the 3rd time isn't going to get it done.

 

[unrated]

Rassie Erasmus calls for Stormers v British Lions to be scrapped, replaced by 2nd SA 'A' fixture https://www.news24.com/sport/rugby/...crapped-replaced-by-2nd-sa-a-fixture-20210712