Test Match 1: All Blacks v British & Irish Lions (Auckland)

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I personally wouldn't have picked Aaron, Dagg, Crotty or Ioane myself. Quite a conservative selection for me (barring Ioane).

 

[BobbyM]

duplicate post

 

[BobbyM]

Ioane instead of Savea. I think that'll please a lot of AB fans who have been moaning about Savea's lack of form.

Hope Gats follows suit and drops North for Daly. Put Williams on bench to cover 23.

SBW-Crotty midfield combo looks perfectly balanced. Crotty is the midfield organiser of the two, so makes sense.

Delighted Ioane has been picked, and although I'd have liked ALB to play with SBW, Crotty will do a job and be a good counter to the crash ball of the lions.

My big concern is cover for the back 3. In terms of the backs, the biggest drop-off between first choice and second is at 10. However, we've go no cover other than BB for the back 3. So if any of the back 3 go down at any time I struggle to see past moving BB to full back and bringing on another first 5/8.

 

[BobbyM]

I personally wouldn't have picked Aaron, Dagg, Crotty or Ioane myself. Quite a conservative selection for me (barring Ioane).

Agreed. It's a team set up to counter the lions strengths (sizeable centres, good coverage under the high ball in the back 3) rather than maybe playing to the ABs own strengths.

 

[Every Time Ref]

The Ultimate Rugby app has Perenara/Cruden/Sopoaga/ALB as the backs subs, I assume that's a mistake?

 

[Bluemoon]

8 minutes. Tonight we will really say how Wales-centric Gats and the team are. There are some big calls to be made!

 

[Bada-Bing!]

The Ultimate Rugby app has Perenara/Cruden/Sopoaga/ALB as the backs subs, I assume that's a mistake?

Cruden or Sopoaga. Looks like they will give Cruden every chance to prove his fitness, otherwise it's Sopoaga to cover 10.

7minutes to go for the Lions team.....

 

[General Melchett]

Last minute teaser. How many Welsh will make the 23?

I'm going with 7

 

[The Jones Boy]

I feel for Naholo. He's been in great form and done everything he can to win a position.
He's now a danger for going overseas.

 

[Chief Pete]

Happy with that lions team, can't accuse Gatland of bias, Daly starts , North out of the 23...

 

[valley commando]

I'm getting excited now, I don't expect the Lions to win but I would like them to at least give NZ a game.

Speechless

 

[Goodey]

Farrell, Williams AND Daly. No North.

SOB over Warbs.

Blimey.

AWJ over Itoje for some reason, but you can't have everything.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

A few surprise selections:
1. Vunipola
2. George
3. Furlong
4. Jones
5. Kruis
6. POM (c)
7. SOB
8. Faletau
9. Murray
10. Farrell
11. Daly
12. Te'o
13. Davies
14. Watson
15. Williams

16. Owens
17. McGrath
18. Sinckler
19. Itoje
20. Warburton
21. Webb
22. Sexton
23. Halfpenny

Only real problem with that is Jones

 

[General Melchett]

I feel for Naholo. He's been in great form and done everything he can to win a position.
He's now a danger for going overseas.

Agreed Jonesy. Thought he was the best winger we have faced so far and he would walk into the Lions team. An absolute unit who was a real handful.

 

[Reiser99]

Overall I'm happy and far more ambitious than I expected from Gatland. Don't agree with AWJ, but as above you can't have everything. My only concern is Williams, who struggled when put under pressure, which he wasn't really put under against the Chiefs. However if he plays at his best then he'll be fine.

Amazed at no North...guess he hasn't done enough when he had the chance.

 

[Bluemoon]

Some really big calls there, but it's brave.

Don't agree with AWJ but then you look at that bench and think there is some serious impact players there. I'd have had Halfpenny start and Itoje start.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Well well well that is interesting! No Warbs, no Halfpenny! Daly in in the wing! I'm actually bloody excited about that team!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

That 10 - 12 - 13 axis won't create nothin'. Good back row and back 3, Wyn Jones is stupid, apart from that there's nothing outrageous but I wouldn't call it right.

NZ by 14+

 

[valley commando]

Speechless, Big Mistake not having Tipuric in the 23

 

[Reiser99]

Tbh the backs on the bench actually do cover the whole backline, because Sexton can come on at FH and Farrell move inside. Halfpenny can come in at FB and Williams moving to the wing with possibly even Daly moving further into centre.