Warm Up Match 4: Highlanders v British & Irish Lions (Dunedin)

[Ground We Won]

Highlanders named team to take on the British & Irish Lions on the 13th of June at Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin;

 

[Ground We Won]

Really looking forward to this match, it's a great occasion to have the Lions in Dunedin and I've got my tickets and can't wait to meet some of the tourists.

This team has some tries in I think, but there's a few issues I have with it;

I'm concerned Buckman is not playing at 12, I think we will really need him there with his tackling ability and Marty Banks could've played at fullback. Team selections have been odd and frustrating at times this season.

Lima Sopoaga's form has been beyond questionable this season and he can probably count himself as the luckiest All Black call up ever. Here's an opportunity to find some form, but I'm skeptical because of the Lions rush line defense. Sopoaga is a similar player to Mo'Unga and I can see the same struggles occurring, especially since an inexperienced Walden will be at 12. Good luck to Walden though, massive occasion for him. He must be wrapped.

Picking Fekitoa to have a big match, he's got an axe to grind with the AB selectors.

Hammington has been good this season, we might get some stability from him, Aaron Smith has been erratic and inconsistent with his decision making.

Tom Franklin off with the Maori's is a big loss at lock and Joe Wheeler.

No Matt Faddes out with injury is a huge loss, full of energy and capable of coming off the bench and blowing games open, same goes for Thompson.

Evans, Hunt and Whitelock is great though. Congratulations to Luke Whitelock getting the band, much deserved.

Expecting the Lions to have an edge in the set peices, the Highlanders front row has been excellent this season though, it will be a good contest.

Interested in seeing Gats team selection. Very unlikely he will put out a similar team that played the Crusaders. If it's a weak mid-week team I think the Highlanders have a chance at winning, but if he puts out a strong side I can't see the Highlanders winning at all.

This is a fairly patched up Highlanders team, it's going to be very difficult to come away with a victory here. The Lions should feel pretty confident of winning this one.

 

[bazwaz]

A severely depleted Highlanders team ...without their ABs , without their Maori players, then add further injuries to that....

...it will take some real magic from guys like Naholo, Sopoaga and Tevita Li to pull this one off...

British & Irish Lions Highlanders v B&I Lions
TAB
Highlanders $2.55 Lions $1.47

 

[Ground We Won]

What's more perplexing is it's well known the type of rugby Gats plays. All the more reason to play Buckman at 12. Incredibly frustrating. It's really harsh to have Marty on the Bank as well, considering the season he's had. He also has a really great tactical kicking game and a long distance punt on him, which works well with our kicking tactics.

 

[The Jones Boy]

So Marty Banks is a Highlander?
Ok...

Wow, one tryless win from the Lions against the Crusaders and how the rhetoric has changed from over confidence to one of definite caution.
Nice.
Its good to see the tourists commanding respect in the regions.
It's clear we have a genuine threat roaming the provinces of NZ.
The tour is alive.
Hard news for the Highlanders to have a depleted team but thats part of the deal.
Auckland were without the mighty Colossus Kaino and we had a 20 year old kid at first five.
Sopoaga is an excellent player and a game like this could be his wake up call to return to top form.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

15 Jared Payne – Ulster, Ireland, #830
14 Jack Nowell – Exeter Chiefs, England, #828
13 Jonathan Joseph – Bath Rugby, England, #809
12 Robbie Henshaw – Leinster, Ireland, #824
11 Tommy Seymour – Glasgow Warriors, Scotland, #813
10 Dan Biggar – Ospreys, Wales, #821
9 Rhys Webb – Ospreys, Wales, #820

1 Joe Marler – Harlequins, England, #811
2 Rory Best – Ulster, Ireland, #793
3 Kyle Sinckler – Harlequins, England, #814
4 Courtney Lawes – Northampton Saints, England, #826
5 Iain Henderson – Ulster, Ireland, #808
6 James Haskell – Wasps, England, #823
7 Sam Warburton (capt) – Cardiff Blues, Wales, #800
8 CJ Stander – Munster, Ireland, #831

Replacements:
16 Ken Owens – Scarlets, Wales, #829
17 Jack McGrath – Leinster, Ireland, #827
18 Dan Cole – Leicester Tigers, England, #794
19 Alun Wyn Jones – Ospreys, Wales, #761
20 Justin Tipuric – Ospreys, Wales, #786
21 Greig Laidlaw – Gloucester Rugby, Scotland, #810
22 Owen Farrell – Saracens, England, #780
23 Elliot Daly – Wasps, England, #822

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Looking forward to how Henshaw and JJ centre partnership goes.

 

[Ground We Won]

Walden who's barely touched a ball all season vs Henshaw. Not sure what's up with that when that is completely avoidable.

 

[Big_Grumper]

Looking forward to how Henshaw and JJ centre partnership goes.

+1.

 

[HenryChinaski]

I don't rate this lions team, not sure why but I think we could struggle again.
Best, Nowell, Seymour, Bigger, Haskell, Henderson and Lawes are all at the back of the queue in their respective positions imo.

 

[General Melchett]

I don't rate this lions team, not sure why but I think we could struggle again.
Best, Lawes, Nowell, Seymour, Bigger, Haskell, Henderson and Lawes are all at the back of the queue in their respective positions imo.

Is Lawes twin brother also in the squad? I think he'd be unlucky to miss out on the test 23 but the competition is fierce and it seems that Kruis, AWJ with Itoje off the bench seems to be the preferred option.

Hope Daly gets some game time on Tuesday.

 

[Ground We Won]

I think this Highlanders team has some tries in them. The Lions attacking game doesn't overly scare me (2 tries in 3 games). If we can get a few tries on the board I think the Lions will find it difficult to score. The Highlanders have good discipline too.

 

[ncurd]

Looking forward to how Henshaw and JJ centre partnership goes.

I would be too if they were playing outside Murray and Sexton/Farrell. Outside Webb and Biggar far less so.

Hopefully it'll work really well but my worry is using the pairing in a mid-week game means the prospect of being a test reality is slim.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

So Marty Banks is a Highlander?
Ok...

Yeah, has been for a few years, whys that?

 

[Ground We Won]

Yeah, has been for a few years, whys that?

What's your thoughts on the team?

 

[McTallshort]

I don't rate this lions team, not sure why but I think we could struggle again.
Best, Nowell, Seymour, Bigger, Haskell, Henderson and Lawes are all at the back of the queue in their respective positions imo.

Yes it's got the feel of the midweek side now

 

[mosfeldt]

Yes it's got the feel of the midweek side now

Yeah I don't think any of those guys will feature in the tests, except Warbs and CJ, who've got a lot of competition.

Not a bad squad in the grand scheme of things, some very good players in there, but against the calibre of NZ SR teams it might be pushing it. Though that said the playing field is a bit more even with the Highlanders missing some key players. Anyway, I would love to see Seymour make the step up. I've always had time for him as a winger. TBH I hope everyone makes the step up. Apart from Laidlaw and the solid but average Biggar, it really isn't that bad of a squad. Some potential there alright. JJ + Henshaw will be very interesting.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

What's your thoughts on the team?

Don't like buckman at fullback, I would rather have given someone like fletcher smith a shot

 

[MarkyH]

Gats knows the team he wants for the first test. I'd normally be ecstatic to see JJ and Henshaw in midfield, however they won't shine outside Biggar. It takes options away from Gatland. He won't put our attacking backs out together.

 

[Groundhog]

Definitely not our best team. Some glaring weaknesses in the form of the boil players there. Could be another scalping to be honest.