Rugby A Game For Gentlemen

The Blues are seen as having weak forwards, god only knows what will happen when they meet a side with good forwards.

Poor poor backs selection in taking a number of players who are good players, but out of form. Warrenball is not working, people have worked him out and the non-Welsh players don’t seem to be playing for him.

This is the tour where Itoje will be found out, as he has been protected at Saffas and England. B&IL should have taken Launchbury, he is the sort of player that will get traction in NZ and make them think. The second rows should be Launch and Kruis.

My starting Lions would be;

Vinopola
George
Furlong
Launchbury
Kruis
Stander
Tipuric
Faletau
Murray
Farrell
Watson
Payne
Daly
North
Hogg

I would have taken Wade on tour mind, as he is an unknown in the southern hemi.

They’ll get hammered by the All Blacks

I think the selections made are the antithesis of the type of rugby played down south.
Ok, you can’t easily beat NZ at their own game, as they are years ahead in fast offload rugby…

But we needed some guile and a few more mavericks in the team. I see some steady players but not enough spark and potential game changers.

We will bully them a bit and then they will run round us.

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I agree, they have some flair players, but why play Daly as a winger, when he’s a far better 13? Watson & Hogg would be classed as a flair player, but not many other backs.

There is a real issue with the second rows without Launchbury, as they lack sheer grunt. Normally you would have an inforcer and a lineout specialist, we have a shit load of lineout specialists or past it players. When we meet NZ, they do have an great inforcer and he will destroy the likes of Itoje, Kruis, Jones. We might have got away with it with Billy V in the team, as he acts as Englands inforcer when Launchbury is not there.

We lack sheer speed in the wingers, if we play Daly at 13. Nowell has been absolutely found out and was destroyed. North is not the player he was.

I fear a 30 point drubbing by the ABs.

Crusaders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Seta Tamanivalu, 13 Jack Goodhue, 12 David Havili, 11 George Bridge, 10 Richie Mo’Unga, 9 Bryn Hall, 1 Joe Moody, 2 Codie Taylor, 3 Owen Franks, 4 Luke Romano, 5 Sam Whitelock ©, 6 Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, 7 Matt Todd, 8 Jordan Taufua.

Replacements: 16 Ben Funnell, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Michael Alaalatoa, 19 Quinten Strange, 20 Jed Brown, 21 Mitchell Drummond, 22 Mitchell Hunt, 23 Tim Bateman.

British and Irish Lions: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 George North, 13 Jonathan Davies, 12 Ben Te’o, 11 Liam Williams, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Conor Murray, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Jamie George, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 4 Alun Wyn Jones ©, 5 George Kruis, 6 Peter O’Mahony, 7 Sean O’Brien, 8 Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: 16 Ken Owens, 17 Jack McGrath, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Maro Itoje, 20 CJ Stander, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Johnny Sexton, 23 Anthony Watson.

I love the Lions concept but fear that this tour could be the one that kills it. I think the ridiculously difficult schedule against a nation who are so far ahead of the rest of the world will highlight the relatively scratch, thrown together nature that is a Lions squad. Against Aus and SA it is just about achievable but against NZ I really fear a drubbing. Hope I am wrong.

It used to be a royal piss up back in the days when touring was a social event as much as sport.

I’m not saying the players didn’t want to win…

But now it’s become a media driven reputation issue.

What an astonishing game!

Argentina v England better than a baba’s game

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Fantastic game, really enjoyed it. Lots of trys (tries?) and great free flowing, end to end rugby. Makes a refreshing change from every point coming from Farrells boot, awesome as that boot is…

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Best international game I have watched for a long while

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Hard and quick pitches make for fast and furious football.

Some epic gain line breaks and stunning to see an 18 year old at 7. No idea how he got strong enough at such a younge age to be a forward.

Probably been a gym bunny since puberty!

I suspect foul play, but wouldn’t dare say so.

Chilled monkey blood?
Human Growth Hormone?
Bitten by a radioactive hedgehog?

Parcel from Sky

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Could be just genetics. Look at Rooney at 17 and Carling captain of England at 21, both looked at least 15 years older.

Even at 21 you are more developed than 18. Plus Will was a back. They are all a a bit soft.

Rooney just had a massive head and hair loss.

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Argentina v England, round 2, just started on BBC2.

Good start for England