The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

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switchskier
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by switchskier »

Maybe someone can explain to me but I don't see it with Lowe. For me he's just a slightly above average finisher who benefits disproportionately from playing for very good teams. Poleople say that he's got a big boot but every time he kicks it I'm reminded of Hugo Soithwell (about whom people said similar), slightly moshit and end over end down the middle on a fairly low trajectory.

Basically there's a host of wings that id have picked ahead of him, but coaches seem to love him.

I also think that loose head looks like a weakness that the Australians can exploit.
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Donny osmond
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Donny osmond »

Agree about Lowe but that might be because I also find him to be one of the most annoying people ever to be shat into life.

Also, being Scottish I'm gutted for Graham who would've been pushing for a test starting place if I was choosing.

Do the Wallabies have a front row that can exploit weaknesses in others? That wouldn't be a traditional strength of theirs but I haven't seen any Aussie rugby for years so it's a genuine question.
It was so much easier to blame Them. It was bleakly depressing to think They were Us. I've certainly never thought of myself as one of Them. No one ever thinks of themselves as one of Them. We're always one of Us. It's Them that do the bad things.
paddy no 11
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by paddy no 11 »

Lowe is a flat track bully, absolutely useless in defence

Good finisher that's it
Cameo
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Cameo »

I don't know. His kicking game is good and he's got a knack for creating something from nothing, whether it is a 50-22, a handoff, or an offload. Wouldn't have him above Graham but he's got something about him.
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Spiffy
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Spiffy »

paddy no 11 wrote: Sat May 10, 2025 5:45 pm Lowe is a flat track bully, absolutely useless in defence

Good finisher that's it
You could say that Van derMerwe falls into the same category. I'd have Graham ahead of both, and a test starter with Freeman, though one would have to play on the "wrong" wing.
paddy no 11
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by paddy no 11 »

Spiffy wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 3:46 pm
paddy no 11 wrote: Sat May 10, 2025 5:45 pm Lowe is a flat track bully, absolutely useless in defence

Good finisher that's it
You could say that Van derMerwe falls into the same category. I'd have Graham ahead of both, and a test starter with Freeman, though one would have to play on the "wrong" wing.
Duhan is less skillful and zero kicking game
Mikey Brown
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Mikey Brown »

paddy no 11 wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 4:12 pm
Spiffy wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 3:46 pm
paddy no 11 wrote: Sat May 10, 2025 5:45 pm Lowe is a flat track bully, absolutely useless in defence

Good finisher that's it
You could say that Van derMerwe falls into the same category. I'd have Graham ahead of both, and a test starter with Freeman, though one would have to play on the "wrong" wing.
Duhan is less skillful and zero kicking game
And I would say is much more a big game player than a flat track bully. His best performances tend to come against the big boys.

Lowe is hard to assess because he’s so untypical of a winger, especially in comparison to Graham who is in the Kolbe/Arendse mould, but begrudgingly have to accept he is a very useful player/option to have.
paddy no 11
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by paddy no 11 »

Mikey Brown wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 5:14 pm
paddy no 11 wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 4:12 pm
Spiffy wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 3:46 pm
You could say that Van derMerwe falls into the same category. I'd have Graham ahead of both, and a test starter with Freeman, though one would have to play on the "wrong" wing.
Duhan is less skillful and zero kicking game
And I would say is much more a big game player than a flat track bully. His best performances tend to come against the big boys.

Lowe is hard to assess because he’s so untypical of a winger, especially in comparison to Graham who is in the Kolbe/Arendse mould, but begrudgingly have to accept he is a very useful player/option to have.
It's a while since duhan has turned in a match winning performance
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Mikey Brown »

paddy no 11 wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 5:44 pm
Mikey Brown wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 5:14 pm
paddy no 11 wrote: Sun May 11, 2025 4:12 pm

Duhan is less skillful and zero kicking game
And I would say is much more a big game player than a flat track bully. His best performances tend to come against the big boys.

Lowe is hard to assess because he’s so untypical of a winger, especially in comparison to Graham who is in the Kolbe/Arendse mould, but begrudgingly have to accept he is a very useful player/option to have.
It's a while since duhan has turned in a match winning performance
I guess so, but the bar for Duhan is different to a lot of players. Virtually nobody is doing what he has done vs England (for example) in recent years.

He had a quiet-ish 6 nations on the attacking front, but I was very impressed with how he’s rounding out his game. Occasionally even executing a good pass or looking convincing under a high ball.

This isn’t in any way suggesting he’s a perfect or undroppable player.
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Tuco Ramirez
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Tuco Ramirez »

Not really British or Oirish though?
Mikey Brown
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Mikey Brown »

Tuco Ramirez wrote: Mon May 12, 2025 8:12 am Not really British or Oirish though?
Do you feel like there’s anything left in that debate that’s worth redoing?

Those are the eligible players that Farrell has chosen, not sure what else there is to say really.
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Tuco Ramirez
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Tuco Ramirez »

i still think it stinks, if that is any help?
Danno
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Danno »

pompey-zebra
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by pompey-zebra »

Danno wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 12:31 am What a great dad and husband

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 50yl5nq7ro
Can't imagine there are too many Armani or Andronicus Aki's in Connacht.
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Puja
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Puja »

pompey-zebra wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 8:50 am
Danno wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 12:31 am What a great dad and husband

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 50yl5nq7ro
Can't imagine there are too many Armani or Andronicus Aki's in Connacht.
Not to mention that Andronicus isn't exactly the most auspicious of Shakespearean names...

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pompey-zebra
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by pompey-zebra »

Puja wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 10:54 am
pompey-zebra wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 8:50 am
Danno wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 12:31 am What a great dad and husband

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 50yl5nq7ro
Can't imagine there are too many Armani or Andronicus Aki's in Connacht.
Not to mention that Andronicus isn't exactly the most auspicious of Shakespearean names...

Puja
Armani's quite fashionable, though.
septic 9
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by septic 9 »

Danno wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 12:31 am What a great dad and husband

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 50yl5nq7ro
probably explains why Aki was only on the bench for the first test but started the next two. His mind was on other things (very understandably) but Farrell never at an time intended to play the backs who could best beat the Aussies - Russell, Tuipolotu, Jones. And remember Farrell jnr was brought in because Farrell Snr said the were short at centre. He would have started his son before Sione
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by BaldiePete »

septic 9 wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 8:21 pm
Danno wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 12:31 am What a great dad and husband

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 50yl5nq7ro
probably explains why Aki was only on the bench for the first test but started the next two. His mind was on other things (very understandably) but Farrell never at an time intended to play the backs who could best beat the Aussies - Russell, Tuipolotu, Jones. And remember Farrell jnr was brought in because Farrell Snr said the were short at centre. He would have started his son before Sione
Agree about Russell, Tuipolotu and Jones. That trio played for the Scotland team that comfortably beat Australia last November and were plainly the best combination of 10/12/13 on this tour.
Danno
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by Danno »

BaldiePete wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 10:07 pm
septic 9 wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 8:21 pm
Danno wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 12:31 am What a great dad and husband

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union ... 50yl5nq7ro
probably explains why Aki was only on the bench for the first test but started the next two. His mind was on other things (very understandably) but Farrell never at an time intended to play the backs who could best beat the Aussies - Russell, Tuipolotu, Jones. And remember Farrell jnr was brought in because Farrell Snr said the were short at centre. He would have started his son before Sione
Agree about Russell, Tuipolotu and Jones. That trio played for the Scotland team that comfortably beat Australia last November and were plainly the best combination of 10/12/13 on this tour.
It was weird to have a mix n' match midfield after Ringrose went down and Aki was having a stinker. With still no word on whether Tuipolotou was actually injured or not one has to assume it's a selection balls up. Might as well have played Farrell-Aki-Jones if you want players on different wavelengths
septic 9
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Re: The British and Irish Lions tour of Australia 2025

Post by septic 9 »

Danno wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 10:20 pm
BaldiePete wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 10:07 pm
septic 9 wrote: Mon Aug 04, 2025 8:21 pm

probably explains why Aki was only on the bench for the first test but started the next two. His mind was on other things (very understandably) but Farrell never at an time intended to play the backs who could best beat the Aussies - Russell, Tuipolotu, Jones. And remember Farrell jnr was brought in because Farrell Snr said the were short at centre. He would have started his son before Sione
Agree about Russell, Tuipolotu and Jones. That trio played for the Scotland team that comfortably beat Australia last November and were plainly the best combination of 10/12/13 on this tour.
It was weird to have a mix n' match midfield after Ringrose went down and Aki was having a stinker. With still no word on whether Tuipolotou was actually injured or not one has to assume it's a selection balls up. Might as well have played Farrell-Aki-Jones if you want players on different wavelengths
he did, but 12/13/14 rather than 10/11/12
Amazing how much lauded coach could pick a squad, lose a 15//11/13/11, then say he was short of centres but bring in one who could only play at 12 to accompany another who could only play at 12
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