Third Test: Australia v British and Irish Lions (06/07/13)

[Draggs]

6th July, 20:00 (Local) and 11:00 (BST)
Allianz Stadium, Sydney
​

 

[Draggs]

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ulster/Ireland)
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/Wales)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. George North (Scarlets/Wales)
10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
9. Mike Phillips (Bayonne/Wales)
1. Alex Corbisiero (London Irish/England)
2. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
4. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales) (Captain)
5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers/England)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
7. Sean O'Brien (Leinster/Ireland)
8. Tangaki Taulupe Faletau (Dragons/Wales)
Replacements
16. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
17. Makovina Vunipola (Saracens/England)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. Richie Gray (Scotland)
20. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys/Wales)
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
23. Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers/England)

Lions Official

 

[dullonien]

Cue the sh*t storm............

 

[Draggs]

Yeah, might be worth just locking every thread ever until this all to blow over.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Apparently for Australia Ben McCalman is a certainty for the bench which is a very interesting selection. Who will be 7? who will cover 7 on the bench?

unless he plays MMM at 6 and Mowen at 8. Douglas at 4. Hooper/Gill at 7, Smith/Gill/Hooper and McCalman on the bench.

We are going to win this game at the breakdown if we are going to win it at all and hooper isn't renowned for his ball pilfering ability. I hope deans actually has a backup 7 on the bench otherwise this reeks of playing Ireland at the last world cup, O'Brien will have a day out.

I'm tipping our backline wont change, although AAC would be a better matchup against Roberts and Christian lilo against davies.

'superbrand' O'Connor better play the game of his life!!

if it's true mccalman is on the bench, i'm predicting the following. MMM to cover a lock replacement and mccalman to cover 6/8.

1.robinson 2. moore 3.alexander 4.douglas/simmons 5.horwill 6. MMM 7.hooper 8.mowen 9.genia 10.joc 11.tomane 12.lilo 13.aac 14.izzy 15.beale
16.faingaa 17. kepu 18. slipper 19.mccalman 20.gill/smith 21.phipps 22.horne 23. mogg

 

[j'nuh]

Cue the sh*t storm............

Damn right cue it! I'll get the ball rolling. I think the Lions selectors have just made three pretty terrible blunders: dropping BO'D, Roberts ahead of Tuilagi and to omit Tipuric from the XV.

Are these really the appropriate selections to overturn the staggering lack of possession and territory of the second test?

Well, at least Corbs and (I guess) Phillips are back.

 

[lynam1104]

Well...

Davis should've been dropped for ****ing up, BOD was the one who was doing what he could with guy who hadn't a ****ing clue what to do, this is favoritism of the highest order (and IMO the only example all tour)

 

[Zed]

That isn't a team that strikes fear into any Wallabies supporters. Why is Gatland sticking with Davis? He's been pretty average and Philips not much better. Davis & Roberts are going to offer very little in attack against Australia, they've not troubled us in the past and that's been against much weaker Australian sides. Gatland was right to drop BOD, but should have also dropped Davis & brought in Tuilagi & Roberts. Tuilagi hasn't been anything more than solid, but he hasn't had that many opportunities. Davis has had plenty and has not exactly set the world on fire, very few line breaks, he tackles well and passing has been ok, but really the Lions need more than that if they hope to win. The only way the Lions are going to win this one is through the boot of halfpenny and I think Gatlands gameplan will revolve around that, keep the ball in the Wallabies half and wait for penalties. I'm expecting a lot of kicking from them!

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Will the welsh fans get a surprise when they turn up to ANZ stadium in their Lions jerseys to find themselves in a sea of gold?

 

[Peat]

Don't see how anyone can be happy with that really. Everyone who's ever espoused the cause of specialist opensides should be up in arms for one.

 

[InsaneAsylum]

Apparently George Smith is named at 7!! 6-2 split bench


1. Benn Robinson.
2. Stephen Moore
3. Ben Alexander
4. James Horwill ©
5. Kane Douglas
6. Ben Mowen
7. George Smith
8. Wycliff Palu
9. Will Genia
10. James O'Connor
11. Joe Tomane
12. Christian Lealiifano
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Israel Folau
15. Kurtley Beale
Reserves
16. Saia Faingaa
17. James Slippper
18. Sekope Kepu
19. Rob Simmons
20. Ben McCalman
21. Michael Hooper
22. Nick Phipps
23. Jesse Mogg

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm not feeling particularly optimistic.
Think dropping BOD is a big mistake. Would've started Youngs, Tuilagi and Murray.
I'd put money on Roberts hamstring going again, but then I'm guessing that's why they've got Manu on the bench.

It's like Gatland and Howley are using the match to say "Nah, look I told you our tactics could beat the aussies" when it never has in the past (bar one lucky break in the first test).


Heck.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2

 

[munstermuffin]

Now Welsh bias just shined through big time. Hibbard done nothing to deserve ousting Youngs. Tipuric on bench isn't form pick. Heaslip I've been a critic of but he's actually been 1 who's playing well. Mike Phillips is a lucky guy. Davies at 13???? Worst form centre and if BOD is dropped then Tuilagi is surely the form man. No back 3 cover on the field or the bench. (Tuilagi is no winger) and Rooberts straight in after being poor in games to date is big call. I bet Aus are ******* themselves laughing. Really hoped lads like BOD and POC could say they won a Lion series before their career comes to end but guess it not meant to be

 

[munstermuffin]

I'm not feeling particularly optimistic.
Think dropping BOD is a big mistake. Would've started Youngs, Tuilagi and Murray.
I'd put money on Roberts hamstring going again, but then I'm guessing that's why they've got Manu on the bench.

It's like Gatland and Howley are using the match to say "Nah, look I told you our tactics could beat the aussies" when it never has in the past (bar one lucky break in the first test).


Heck.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 2

Thing is if his hammer is still dodgy then don't play him as Roberts hasn't been inform. Tuilagi has been in super form so how is he behind Davies.
Also surprised noones mentioned how desperate our lineout will be

 

[mochyn]

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
14. Tommy Bowe (Ulster/Ireland)
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets/Wales)
12. Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales)
11. George North (Scarlets/Wales)
10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/Ireland)
9. Mike Phillips (Bayonne/Wales)
1. Alex Corbisiero (London Irish/England)
2. Richard Hibbard (Ospreys/Wales)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales)
4. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales) (Captain)
5. Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers/England)
6. Dan Lydiate (Dragons/Wales)
7. Sean O'Brien (Leinster/Ireland)
8. Tangaki Taulupe Faletau (Dragons/Wales)
Replacements
16. Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers/England)
17. Makovina Vunipola (Saracens/England)
18. Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers/England)
19. Richie Gray (Scotland)
20. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys/Wales)
21. Conor Murray (Munster/Ireland)
22. Owen Farrell (Saracens/England)
23. Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers/England)

Lions Official

I don't understand Parling at 5, he is too lightweight, Ian Evans would have been the better choice as he has a great partnership with AWJ.Ritchie Gray would also be a better choice. Tipuric would be my first choice at 7 also

 

[Groundhog]

What a ****ing **** team. We'll get dicked on and I really couldn't care less.

 

[lynam1104]

I can only imagine BOD had a disagreement with Gats thats really the only thing is can see causing this.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I'm thinking the Welsh Lions will lose this match...

 

[Joseph14]

I don't understand Parling at 5, he is too lightweight, Ian Evans would have been the better choice as he has a great partnership with AWJ.Ritchie Gray would also be a better choice. Tipuric would be my first choice at 7 also

Dont leave out Biggar and James. Surely Gatland could have flown them out after the second test ended? The *******

 

[Joseph14]

Eight changes from the first test, now six from the second test.

Interesting!

Its not actually. Been the least interesting Lions tour in memory.