Lions Test Side

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barney
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Lions Test Side

Post by barney »

Jason Robinson; Josh Lewsey, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Jonny Wilkinson, Gareth Thomas; Stephen Jones, Dwayne Peel; Gethin Jenkins, Shane Byrne, Julian White, Paul O'Connell, Ben Kay, Richard Hill, Neil Back, Martin Corry (vice-captain).

Replacements: Steve Thompson, Graham Rowntree, Danny Grewcock, Ryan Jones, Matt Dawson, Will Greenwood, Shane Horgan.

Congratulations to Byrne, O'Connell, O'Driscoll and Horgan. All well deserved and especially pleased for Byrne.

As I feared, Johnny at inside centre. And WTF with Robinson at FB?

Genius or madness...?
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Post by cjp »

Tana must be rubbing his hands.

No mind games from SCW unfortunately and I can see us losing by up to 20 points on Saturday. If he does make changes for the 2nd test it could be too late, winning the first test is vital.
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cyril
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Re: Lions Test Side

Post by cyril »

barney wrote:Jason Robinson; Josh Lewsey, Brian O'Driscoll (captain), Jonny Wilkinson, Gareth Thomas; Stephen Jones, Dwayne Peel; Gethin Jenkins, Shane Byrne, Julian White, Paul O'Connell, Ben Kay, Richard Hill, Neil Back, Martin Corry (vice-captain).

Replacements: Steve Thompson, Graham Rowntree, Danny Grewcock, Ryan Jones, Matt Dawson, Will Greenwood, Shane Horgan.

Congratulations to Byrne, O'Connell, O'Driscoll and Horgan. All well deserved and especially pleased for Byrne.

As I feared, Johnny at inside centre. And WTF with Robinson at FB?

Genius or madness...?
c'mon now barny Robinson;s the best FB in britain LMFFO!!!!!!!!!
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Post by cjp »

Least he realised Lewsey isn't a full back but neither of those back three can kick and I would expect Carter to gain alot of ground by kicking to the corners and let them kick it about ten metres in return. Where as the AB's back three only have one able kicker in McDonald, the other 2 will simply beat men to bring it back unless we have a very good chase.
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Post by ding dong2u »

Let's just hope Woodworm has a cunning plan or I can see that team getting stuffed on Saturday.
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Freddie Benson
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Post by Freddie Benson »

Well if Lewsey is not a FB, why was he selected there on all his games on tour so far? None of the back line have played in the positions selected for the Test except O'Driscoll - apart from 20 mins for Wilko at centre when Jones came on at the end of the Otago game. Hardly proper preparation for the hardest Test series these players will ever face.

Lewsey has actually shown much more capability as a FB than Robinson. OK the back 3 are interchangeable but I would have Robinson on the wing and either Thomas or Lewsey at FB.

If the Lions win this Test series it will be inspite of, not because of, SCW and his bizare tactics and ramblings. I hope to hell McGeechan has been working some magic with the backline behind closed doors.

I agree that the selection of both Jones and Wilkinson basically opens the door and invites the AB backrow and midfield to rampage all over the place. JW can't tackle like he used to pre RWC when he was the best defensive OH in the game. We needed somebody solid in the midfield - Shanklin.

ABs have called Holah up as cover for McCaw who has a back strain - would weaken their side but not much!! Holah would walk into the Lions side.
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Post by Rooster »

With this team I am starting to feel more confident that my prediction of All Blacks winning tour will happen :roll:
Robinson as fullback, he should not even be on the pitch :roll:
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ding dong2u
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Post by ding dong2u »

Can't really argue too much with his front five but have my doubts about his bench.....Grewcock is a liability and worth at least 6 points a game to the opposition. Rowntree is well past his sell by date and has been part of the font rows which have realy suffered on this tour spending nearly as much time in the air as Thompson (not even gonna netion his throwing). Dawson has experience but I would have gone for Cussiter on form as back-up scrum-half as Dawson has been tom kite. Johnny at inside centre is surely only there to provide the left foot of the kicking game Woodworm is going to play. The backrow has no pace at all and Jones should be starting. As for Jason Robinson he hasn't played a decent game since last year and surely is there because of Woodworm's bias towards players (English) he knows. Doesn't auger well :roll:
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Post by colinh »

I feel the selection of Wilkinson in the centre is more a reflection of the lack of options there via an off form Darcy and Henson who the dogs in the street can tell you is not a centre. Maybe Henson at full back would have been a better option?

Colin :twisted:
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Post by pwrmoore »

Shaggy or Shanklin at centre would have been the option (Maybe OC with BOD at IC). This smacks of SCW wanting to have his pet on the field but unable to ignore the fact that Jones' form makes him the preferred OH.

Lewsey or Murphy at FB with Robinson sitting it out would have been a good option too.

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Post by cjp »

Shanklin at IC with BOD at OC, BOD should not be near IC. I would be very worried about him as well he hasn't played well yet on this tour either.
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Post by Freddie Benson »

courtesy of some guys on the irish fans yahoo site



http://www.geocities.com/michaelsrugby/ ... _crest.bmp
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Post by pwrmoore »

FB - Planet rugby were using this lions crest this morning on their team announcement piece :lol:
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Post by Jackie Brown »

makes me sick. I expected this bias but it really is disgraceful. Robinson!!!! At fullback??? Why the hell did he continue to play Lewsey at fullback in the warm up matches, then stick him on the ring and bring Billy (was a) Whizz in at full back. He really has been crap since his try in the world cup final. So Lewsy is now on the wing, with Thomas (agree with Thomas). Murphy isn't there cause he ain't English, enough said, if he was English he would have started fullback without a doubt.

Wilkinson at 12 very very scary, plus a bunch of injured geriatrics in the back row, the All balcks are just gonna waltz through. The front five are sound, i agree with that, but the rest of the team smacks of his unbelievable bias.

He showed he was a crap coach when after the world cup, when things got tough and his players were getting old he decided to run away. He has no idea on the Lions so he just brings back his old boys. God it makes me fupping mad!!! For once i hope they get thumped, so he looks the idiot he is.
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barney
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Post by barney »

Can't wish them anything other than success as long as there is at least one Irishman, Welshman or Scot amongst them.

This is the Lions we're talking about and they will still be around long after Sir Clive has sailed serenely on to his next venture without a backward glance.
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