Ch-ch-changes? Your team for the 2nd Test

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Which deck chairs are you shuffling?

1. We kicked away so much ball we didn't run Mako at them. keep him.
2. George didn't do much wrong but didn't do much right either. Where was he at the breakdown or loose? I've long thought we need Rory Best's breakdown work. If it were not for the 2 missed throws against the Chiefs I'd start him but RB to the bench and George continues.
3. Furlong stays. Sincler is a useful impact sub but will get eaten alive at scrum.
4 and 5. They should be changed. Neither covered themselves in glory. AWJ couldn't live with the pace of the game and Kruis made a couple of errors and failed to get near imposing himself. Problem is that changing them brings marginal benefits and makes it more difficult to achieve coherence. I'll keep them with no enthusiasm whatsoever.
Back row. Didn't do much wrong. Exceptional work by SOB to keep up for his try. However our breakdown work was mediocre. The ABs got much quicker and cleaner ball than we managed, which may have been a contributory factor to our decision to kick so much of it back to them. But what do we do? Drop our captain who's been the best performing 6 on tour? Drop Faletau, who's clearly our best 8? I can' see a change which makes it clearly better.
9. keep Murray obvs.
10. We kicked away too much ball and created little from 10. Whether that was Farrell's fault or not was hard to know. He's played pretty well on tour and probably deserved his start but this looked like reversion to the mean. I'd start Sexton. Farrell to bench.
Centres. I'm no fan of JD2 but he made good breaks today. Of course his problem has never been his ability to make breaks but in ensuring that something comes of them. As tempting as it is to lob in Daly or Payne at 13 it would be churlish to do so when JD2 managed to show attacking ability. I remain of the view that he's an accident waiting to happen but I'm not sure a sensible argument can be made to replace him. Same goes for Te'o. I'd have started Henshaw in preference at 12 and might have considered Te'o at 13 but Te'o actually seemed to challenge the gain line and there's little point in changing him now.
Back 3. Daly was seriously at fault for their first try. Williams seriously at fault for the 3rd. Arguably you could change both. But for who? If we still had Hogg I'd find space for him somewhere but no one provides equal attacking threat to those selected plus greater defensive solidity and we're definitely going to need to score tries. If Seymour had been better on tour (I expected him to be starting the Tests) then I might have picked him but he's been poor to average.

Bench.
As said I'd swap Owens for Best.
Props same.
lock same.
Back row same.
21. Same
22. Farrell as discussed.
23. Obviously not Halfpenny because that's just bloody stupid. Seymour. I'd say he's better than north at the moment and I'd be looking to move Daly into the centre at some point in the game. I'd toyed with payne but he seems to be on one leg.

[skidger]

Just three changes for me and a polite reminder to play better.

Itoje for AWJ. Lawes for Itoje and Joseph for Halfpenny on the bench.

[Timbo]

Just three changes for me and a polite reminder to play better.

Itoje for AWJ. Lawes for Itoje and Joseph for Halfpenny on the bench.

Same 3 changes I'd make too. Tempted to get Warburton in the team cos we have to find a way of slowing their ball down, but I don't know which flanker I'd drop...

[Eugene Wrayburn]

If Daly can't defend well enough at 13 he really shouldn't be playing 11 either.

[skidger]

I can't think of one Lion who did not make a mistake today,including most of the subs. If we dropped a player every time they made a mistake we may as well just all change our name to Lee,buy the Sun every day and follow chavball.

[Banquo]

If Daly can't defend well enough at 13 he really shouldn't be playing 11 either.

Its pretty different and I think you know it; mind, I'm not entirely disagreeing that he shouldnt be at 11 either, but the other options aren't attractive from that pov. Reading deleted posts pfft

[Eugene Wrayburn]

If Daly can't defend well enough at 13 he really shouldn't be playing 11 either.

Its pretty different and I think you know it; mind, I'm not entirely disagreeing that he shouldnt be at 11 either, but the other options aren't attractive from that pov. Reading deleted posts pfft

It wasn't deleted when I posted. Defending at 13 is different but he at least has more experience there so is less likely to make rookie errors.

[switchskier]

Sexton, Ijote and Lawes to move up from the bench to start and I'd think seriously about dropping AWJ for Henderson anyways as the later could be a proper impact player. Seymour for Halfpenny on the bench as I want at least one Scot there and again he has more impact potential.

I'm also not convinced by Davies at 13 but I seem to be the only one. I'd still bring in Joseph to 13 however.

Also it will never happen but how about Russell to the bench? If the lions lose the next game the series is gone. If they're down at half-time and chasing the game then whatever tactics or game plan they were trying probably wasn't working. He's one of the few there that could really change it up and spark something different. By that point you've pretty much nothing to lose whereas subbing on a Farrell for instance won't make much difference to the way the team plays.

[cashead]

1. McGrath
2. Owens or Best
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. Lawes
6. O'Mahony
7. O'Brien or Tipuric
8. Faletau
9. Murray (if fit)/Webb
10. Russell
11. Daly
12. Te'o
13. Davies
14. Watson
15. Williams or Payne

16. Best, George or Owens
17. Vunipola
18. Sinckler
19. Kruis
20. Tupuric or Stander
21. Webb/Laidlaw, I guess
22. Farrell
23. Seymour or Payne

[Adder]

Sexton, Ijote and Lawes to move up from the bench to start and I'd think seriously about dropping AWJ for Henderson anyways as the later could be a proper impact player. Seymour for Halfpenny on the bench as I want at least one Scot there and again he has more impact potential.

I'm also not convinced by Davies at 13 but I seem to be the only one. I'd still bring in Joseph to 13 however.

Also it will never happen but how about Russell to the bench? If the lions lose the next game the series is gone. If they're down at half-time and chasing the game then whatever tactics or game plan they were trying probably wasn't working. He's one of the few there that could really change it up and spark something different. By that point you've pretty much nothing to lose whereas subbing on a Farrell for instance won't make much difference to the way the team plays.

[/

[Mellsblue]

Itoje to start with Lawes to the bench. Tipuric for Warburton. Sexton for Farrell. Joseph for Halfpenny, maybe even North if he starts looking like he's back to his best in training.

[cashead]

North shouldn't have even been on the tour, let alone be considered for any of the tests.

[Mellsblue]

I'm suprised at people wanting to change George and/or Kruis. The lineout was the only facet of the game in which we had the upper hand. Risking that would be suicide in my opinion. I can see why people want to replace Kruis as the rip and the knock-on were rank awful but he's played well all tour and otherwise had a pretty good game. George was good, one of our better players. That he didn't make any barnstorming runs or any turnovers looks to me as though people are expecting too much, as other than SOB I can't really think of any who did.

[Mellsblue]

North shouldn't have even been on the tour, let alone be considered for any of the tests.

We need pace and game changers from the bench. He and Joseph are the only backs you could bring in to the squad who bring those attributes.
I can't think who you'd replace North with in the touring party. Wing is a pretty weak position for the home nations. If I had to, I'd make an argument for Zebo but he has major flaws.

[Sandydragon]

AWJ out, Itoje in and we'll see if that makes a huge difference or not, but I'd put Henderson on the bench not Lawes. Lawes has been pretty good, but medically I don't think he is quite right.

The back row needs to be shuffled, we struggled at the breakdown. For me, Warburton needs to be included. When he was playing you suddenly became aware of a lions player slowing up their ball and Faletau became more effective at carrying as he wasn't doing donkey work. I'd also move Tipuric to the bench, h offers something genuinely different and if people don't want to die wondering then we need something different available in the squad. Tips has also been one of the best players on tour.

Replace Farrell with Sexton. Russel to the bench? It's high risk but could be high reward. I'd keep Webb on the bench, Laidlaw offers little as an impact sub and at least Webb keeps the back row honest.

Centres no change. We looked less dangerous when Teo went off and JD2 is playing very well.

I'd be tempted to keep the back three the same. Yes they made mistakes but so did all of the players at some point. They also provided a lot of threat and whilst Halfpenny in any position would be far more solid, we would lose that threat. I'm struggling a bit with the final sub as I don't think JJ on the bench is a valid option. Few of the backs have covered themselves with any real glory on this tour, those who have are the starters. I'd suggest that whichever back three or centre player is going best on Tuesday is taken off at half time and is the final sub, although a sub needs to offer some impact.

[Sandydragon]

North shouldn't have even been on the tour, let alone be considered for any of the tests.

He's not had a great tour, but he was one of the better performing wingers in the six nations.

[Banquo]

If Daly can't defend well enough at 13 he really shouldn't be playing 11 either.

Its pretty different and I think you know it; mind, I'm not entirely disagreeing that he shouldnt be at 11 either, but the other options aren't attractive from that pov. Reading deleted posts pfft

It wasn't deleted when I posted. Defending at 13 is different but he at least has more experience there so is less likely to make rookie errors.

Fair enough and fair enough

[Son of Mathonwy]

The team for the Hurricanes shows Gatland's not going to make any major changes.

Nevertheless I would....

Start Itoje, bench AWJ
Start Warburton and Tipuric (I know this isn't going to happen...)
Start Sexton and Webb
Start Halfpenny on the wing instead of Daly
Murray, Farrell, Joseph on bench

The problem is the Lions are NOT outmuscling the ABs like they did to the Maoris and Crusaders. They are not containing them, they just look like Wales on a good day (which is not remotely a surprise). So they need to score more points.

No doubt Gatland will continue with the same tactics and (pretty much) the same team for the next test.

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Furlong wasn't very good, he looked like he was blowing out of his arse after 25 minutes on the verge of a heart attack. Not sure he's as good as some have claimed him to be.

[Digby]

If Daly can't defend well enough at 13 he really shouldn't be playing 11 either.

Its pretty different and I think you know it; mind, I'm not entirely disagreeing that he shouldnt be at 11 either, but the other options aren't attractive from that pov. Reading deleted posts pfft

It wasn't deleted when I posted. Defending at 13 is different but he at least has more experience there so is less likely to make rookie errors.

What then is JD's excuse for his defending? Or is he simply doing as Farrell told him no matter it looks odd?

[Adam_P]

Furlong wasn't very good, he looked like he was blowing out of his arse after 25 minutes on the verge of a heart attack. Not sure he's as good as some have claimed him to be.

Thought the same, couldn't believe how long it took to bring Sinckler on who looked better all round

[fivepointer]

Furlong has been a bit of a disappointment. Big step to start Kyle, but he was rock solid in the scrums and is obviously on another level in the loose*. It would be a bold move to start him, though.

*Apparently the ONLY Lions forward to make a break yesterday.

[Matt Ha]

I'd bring Russel onto the bench. He has far-more attacking dash and sense of daring-do than the other Lions' 10s. If the team is chasing the game and the tour on the line, what have you go to lose.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Its pretty different and I think you know it; mind, I'm not entirely disagreeing that he shouldnt be at 11 either, but the other options aren't attractive from that pov. Reading deleted posts pfft

It wasn't deleted when I posted. Defending at 13 is different but he at least has more experience there so is less likely to make rookie errors.

What then is JD's excuse for his defending? Or is he simply doing as Farrell told him no matter it looks odd?

I was glossing over his defending as it's normally pretty good and I hadn't re-watched to see to what extent he was at fault. I suspect he was doing what he was told. he seems that sort of player and it would explain why he's so beloved of gatland.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

I'm not surprised Sinckler was fresher given he managed to make a single tackle in the time he was on the pitch. Anyone who thinks he is a superior or even comparable scrummager to Furlong should maybe go back and watch him having trouble with a bunch of part timers in the first match.