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The All Purpose Rugby Union Thread (P2)
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Sideburns57
03-07-2013
Originally Posted by Marmite Baby:
“Pleased that BOD has been dropped - he's a shadow of the player he once was as an attacking force. I'd put him with Phillipe Sella & Danie Gerber as the 3 greatest centres I've ever seen. I remember when he burst onto the scene with the hat-trick of tries against France. With that low centre of gravity & blistering pace with body swerve, it was like a knife through butter.
Surprised Parling has kept his place - I think he's too lightweight. Pity Courtney Lawes didn't regain form & fitness until the end of the season as I think he would have been a relevation on this tour not that I'm biased.
Also disappointed that Tipuric's not starting. Whilst the Lions should now have the ascendancy in the tight, Australia may edge it in the loose. Just hope Will Genia has an off-day.”

I think Lawes needs to learn how to tackle. The amount of times I have seen him launching himself with his hands down and pickng up head injurues!
vaughan6477
03-07-2013
Could I remind posters that the last home nations side to beat Australia were Scotland.By the logic of some of the media, that means Andy Robinson should be Lions coach and there should be 10 of that Scotland team in Saturday's line up

I'm reminded of Gatland's selection for his first game in charge of Wales back in the 2008 Six nations opener. He selected 13 Ospreys for a daunting trip to Twickenham, where we hadn't won for 20 years and England had just been in the WC final.

If the result is the same for a Gatland coached side on Saturday then I'll be delighted. I already feel the media are trying to create friction in the camp over this selection.
Despite our national blinkers on, there's hardly been any utter stand out displays from the Lions and all places were under threat for the decider.
Finny Skeleta
03-07-2013
It looks to me as if Gatland was way out of his comfort zone playing two footballers in the centre and has now reverted to type with a lump in midfield and another one on the bench just in case the first one breaks.

While BOD hasn't had two great tests (as a back, I've been impressed with some of his spare flanker work) I think that most of the Lions backs woes have started at 9 and 10. Phillips and Youngs have both had a stinker each and Sexton seems to be dropping deeper and deeper each time he gets the ball. I can't quite tell if this is because of the play at 9; a gradual erosion of confidence or part of the gameplan. None of them would particularly surprise me but every time the camera pans over to Rob Howley I tend to suspect the latter. The fact that in the last game 9 to 14 played exactly the same way as Wales do when they are playing badly despite only having two Welsh players in there also suggests the same.

The front row is a monster scrummaging unit but I'm wondering if maybe the Lions have put all their eggs in one basket. We'll get Corbisiero-Hibbard-Jones for the first 50 minutes but then we'll have Vunipola-Youngs-Cole for the crucial last 30 and we're back to where we were last week in the scrum. Vunipola-Youngs last week was a disaster but Vunipola-Hibbard did pretty well. I'd start with Youngs between the two scrum specialists and then bring MV and RH on as a pair. Unless of course the plan is to mash the Aussies into a pulpy mess early on and win a shedload of penalties. If so then the howls from the southern hemisphere will reverberate around the world for years.
Kierenj
03-07-2013
Originally Posted by Finny Skeleta:
“
The front row is a monster scrummaging unit but I'm wondering if maybe the Lions have put all their eggs in one basket. We'll get Corbisiero-Hibbard-Jones for the first 50 minutes but then we'll have Vunipola-Youngs-Cole for the crucial last 30 and we're back to where we were last week in the scrum. Vunipola-Youngs last week was a disaster but Vunipola-Hibbard did pretty well. I'd start with Youngs between the two scrum specialists and then bring MV and RH on as a pair. Unless of course the plan is to mash the Aussies into a pulpy mess early on and win a shedload of penalties. If so then the howls from the southern hemisphere will reverberate around the world for years.”

You going to need to clarify disaster... 2 penalties against and 2 penalties for them... plus a free kick against and a free kick for... then 3 push over scrums... not really a disaster, just what Stuart f'ing Barnes said over and over...

Bear in mind Maku played the full 80 last week and the scrums in the last 15 minutes were the only positive to our game.

I am not worried about the scrum, more was made of it last week than was necessary and it seems that the refs have decided before the game what they are going to do... It's dificult nowadays to get just a good normal scrum in a match without an infringement.

I really don't care what nationalities of the players are... they are all Lions... my concern is Gatland's lack of game plan... most Welsh fans I know consistently bemoan the lack of game plan and how it's essentially give it to Roberts, let him bosh it up and see what works. Wales beat England as man for man they are better over the park.. nothing to do with Howley's coaching (as voiced and confirmed by quite a few players). Gatland has a terrible record against the southern hemisphere and I'm more annoyed he's not looked at the players available and thought to play with them rather than make the players fit his system. How Tipuric isn't playing is beyond me and Manu has played better than Roberts all tour...

Having said all that, please prove me wrong Warren and come on you Lions!
sensoria
03-07-2013
Originally Posted by Finny Skeleta:
“It looks to me as if Gatland was way out of his comfort zone playing two footballers in the centre and has now reverted to type with a lump in midfield and another one on the bench just in case the first one breaks.

While BOD hasn't had two great tests (as a back, I've been impressed with some of his spare flanker work) I think that most of the Lions backs woes have started at 9 and 10. Phillips and Youngs have both had a stinker each and Sexton seems to be dropping deeper and deeper each time he gets the ball. I can't quite tell if this is because of the play at 9; a gradual erosion of confidence or part of the gameplan. None of them would particularly surprise me but every time the camera pans over to Rob Howley I tend to suspect the latter. The fact that in the last game 9 to 14 played exactly the same way as Wales do when they are playing badly despite only having two Welsh players in there also suggests the same.

The front row is a monster scrummaging unit but I'm wondering if maybe the Lions have put all their eggs in one basket. We'll get Corbisiero-Hibbard-Jones for the first 50 minutes but then we'll have Vunipola-Youngs-Cole for the crucial last 30 and we're back to where we were last week in the scrum. Vunipola-Youngs last week was a disaster but Vunipola-Hibbard did pretty well. I'd start with Youngs between the two scrum specialists and then bring MV and RH on as a pair. Unless of course the plan is to mash the Aussies into a pulpy mess early on and win a shedload of penalties. If so then the howls from the southern hemisphere will reverberate around the world for years.”


This is the plan, the problem with that plan is that you waste so much good ball. England do it and Wales do it. You have a great scrum moving forward and they hold the ball at 8s feet and all look at the ref while driving the oposition backwards.

Front foot ball like that is what gets you into the scoring zones and behind the tackle line.

I want to smash the Aussies upfront as thats how you beat them, but we have to score trys tomorrow. We wont win on penalites and we look hopeless in attack.

Jamie Roberts career will be over very soon as the game plan basicly works on him getting smashed for 80 mins.

This is going to be Gatlands finest hour or his biggest mess. If the Welsh guys can pretend they are playing England it might help.

One thing is certain, there is no hope of a home nation lifting the World cup in 2015. unless things change dramiticaly and we learn some basic skills.
Finny Skeleta
03-07-2013
Originally Posted by vaughan6477:
“Could I remind posters that the last home nations side to beat Australia were Scotland.By the logic of some of the media, that means Andy Robinson should be Lions coach and there should be 10 of that Scotland team in Saturday's line up

I'm reminded of Gatland's selection for his first game in charge of Wales back in the 2008 Six nations opener. He selected 13 Ospreys for a daunting trip to Twickenham, where we hadn't won for 20 years and England had just been in the WC final.

If the result is the same for a Gatland coached side on Saturday then I'll be delighted. I already feel the media are trying to create friction in the camp over this selection.
Despite our national blinkers on, there's hardly been any utter stand out displays from the Lions and all places were under threat for the decider.”

I don't know why the nationality thing has reared its head so much on this tour. I've cheered on Lions teams in the past comprised of 9-10-11 English players and only two Welsh and I've sat in the pub with a Scotsman for at least one test on each of the last two tours and he has been cheering for them despite the fact that Scotland have only had one Test starter on the last four tours and that was Tom Smith

It's the Lions and that's all that matters. We've got another four years to go back to the squabbling among ourselves.

Anyone who ascribes either victory or defeat to Wales on Saturday (and there will be a lot of them either way) is a bit of a tit really. Just as England didn't lose the 93 and 01 series and they didn't win the 97 series, the Lions did. It's all Lions.
vaughan6477
03-07-2013
There's so much riding on this game now, that it'll probably all come down to a poor call from the referee!!
sensoria
03-07-2013
Originally Posted by vaughan6477:
“There's so much riding on this game now, that it'll probably all come down to a poor call from the referee!!”

I have never blamed a referee for any result, I have called them into question on a few things.

When you watch a game and the loosing team blow 3 on 2's or 2 on 1s or knock on in the final play and then blame the ref for losing by a point for a dubious call I think its ridiculous.

If the Lions lose it won't be a refs fault.

Its a weak excuse.
sensoria
03-07-2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Deg1bQt1rzQ

The old Hitler video, love the last bit about the Aussie clubs.
vaughan6477
04-07-2013
Jamie Roberts has had a good couple of days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yl5pUfrCb8

Pendragon579
04-07-2013
Gatland's Guns or Gatland's Goons? Guess we will find out on Saturday. Will the Lions actually play running rugby though, or just Garryowen the game to death as in the second Test? ['Gatlandball']... Yes please to the former rather than the latter, which hasn't had much success in the last few Wales-Australia games
Sideburns57
04-07-2013
George Smith - 111th cap and returning after what 4 and a bit years ouT? How many caps would he have won if he has not retired? Ithink Deans would like him to stick around like Nathan Sharpe did - who seemed desperate to reture but Deans would no let him!
vaughan6477
04-07-2013
Rumours on the twitter and elsewhere that Tuilagi is a doubt and St Brian O'Driscoll of Hard done by shire might get a resurrection
Finny Skeleta
04-07-2013
Originally Posted by vaughan6477:
“Rumours on the twitter and elsewhere that Tuilagi is a doubt and St Brian O'Driscoll of Hard done by shire might get a resurrection”

I heard that too. Imagine the shitstorm if Cuthbert gets the nod instead.
Pendragon579
04-07-2013
Originally Posted by vaughan6477:
“Rumours on the twitter and elsewhere that Tuilagi is a doubt and St Brian O'Driscoll of Hard done by shire might get a resurrection”

Blimey...
gemmaovwales03
04-07-2013
Originally Posted by Finny Skeleta:
“I heard that too. Imagine the shitstorm if Cuthbert gets the nod instead.”

My dad would be well happy with that he's convinced Cuthbert has been injured or gone missing after not even getting on the bench.
afx237vi
04-07-2013
Originally Posted by vaughan6477:
“Rumours on the twitter and elsewhere that Tuilagi is a doubt and St Brian O'Driscoll of Hard done by shire might get a resurrection”

Maybe it was a cunning ruse all along to distract the Aussies
sensoria
05-07-2013
Originally Posted by Sideburns57:
“George Smith - 111th cap and returning after what 4 and a bit years ouT? How many caps would he have won if he has not retired? Ithink Deans would like him to stick around like Nathan Sharpe did - who seemed desperate to reture but Deans would no let him!”

This man is a threat, he has been on fire in the Super 15. Our back row is going to have to sit on top of him and at the breakdown he will kill quick ball.

This is why Tipuric should have been in with Lydiate on the bench. Bring Lydiate on once the game is safe.

I say it over and over and over. we will not win this game if we do not score trys.
Mike Teevee
05-07-2013
The Tuilagi injury rumours were a wind up from a rugby message board

Unfortunately it seems like Twitter users fell for it
Pendragon579
05-07-2013
Originally Posted by sensoria:
“This man is a threat, he has been on fire in the Super 15. Our back row is going to have to sit on top of him and at the breakdown he will kill quick ball.

This is why Tipuric should have been in with Lydiate on the bench. Bring Lydiate on once the game is safe.

I say it over and over and over. we will not win this game if we do not score trys.”

Gatlandball is infallible, it has led Wales to many victories over Australia, oh, no wait
Jack1
05-07-2013
Originally Posted by sensoria:
“
I say it over and over and over. we will not win this game if we do not score trys.”

Thats why Northern Hemisphere continue losing to Southern Hemisphere Countries, Southern Hemisphere countries are confident in holding possession and have the confidence to score tries.
Mike Teevee
05-07-2013
build your own Adam Jones

I can't decide if this is inspired or just silly
Pendragon579
05-07-2013
Originally Posted by Jack1:
“Thats why Northern Hemisphere continue losing to Southern Hemisphere Countries, Southern Hemisphere countries are confident in holding possession and have the confidence to score tries.”

And they don't have an "endless Garryowen" gameplan either...
Pendragon579
05-07-2013
Originally Posted by Mike Teevee:
“build your own Adam Jones

I can't decide if this is inspired or just silly ”

Probably both

PS does the cardboard one drop the scrum at all?
Dai13371
05-07-2013
Originally Posted by Pendragon579:
“Gatlandball is infallible, it has led Wales to many victories over Australia, oh, no wait ”

Yes you are right, Cementball has won us many victories over the Australians, well one in 2008 if I recall correctly. Got us close though, average of about 4 points.

Still, Gatland has to his name about 10 titles including two six nations titles (three if he had his hands in the 2013 titel) and a Heineken cup and a semi final in the world cup (Wales are fourth in the world you know, just one behind Australia). Not too shabby for a so called one dimensional coach in my view.

I do wonder reading online on different forums how many people actually want the Lions to fail because 1. 10 Welshmen starting and 2. its Gatland, the man who dropped Lord Drico of Leinster and who is a foreigner to boot.

I really do not remember any furore in 2005 when Lord Bald himself fielded 10 Englishmen against New Zealand, maybe its my memory. I dont know.
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