RugbyRebels

POM skipper.Warbs on bench.SOB gets a start.

Backs: Liam Williams (Wales); Anthony Watson (England), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Ben Te'o (England), Elliot Daly (England); Owen Farrell (England), Conor Murray (Ireland).

Forwards:  Maka Vunipola (England), Jamie George (England), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland); Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), George Kruis (England); Peter O'Mahony (capt, Ireland), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Taulupe Faletau (Wales)

Good selections...gone on what he has seen on tour.

Replacements:
16. Ken Owens (W) 17.Jack McGrath (I) 18.Kyle Sinckler (E)
19.Maro Itoje (E) 20. Sam Warburton (W)
21.Rhys Webb (W) 22. Jonathan Sexton (I)
23. Leigh Halfpenny (W)

Itoje gave a few penalties away which probably counted against. Not sure ½p makes sense as a 'closer'. Still, pretty strong looking side.

Liam Williams over Halfpenny, I did not see that coming.

Very happy with that...although would've preferred to see JJ start ahead of Foxy. Not the team I expected Gats to go with...but it's a good one.

Sandydragon wrote:Liam Williams over Halfpenny, I did not see that coming.

Neither did I ..but he deserves his chance..Gatland said he wanted more attack from 1/2p .and Liam produced the goods on Tuesday
Dropping North was right ..Daly and Watson have been a step better.
I am however trying to work out why select Halfpenny on the bench ... surely Watson or Daly could cover 15 and sexton the kicking if Farrell is out. Better to have put Nowell or Joseph on the bench ..must be some logic I can't yet fathom.

Just don't like the midfield. Neither is much of a passer. My only real complaint. Hard to see an alternative mind, but it's not creative at all.

AB's by 18+

That's a decent team I think. Has picked backs more on form than I thought he would

Epaminondas Pules wrote:Just don't like the midfield. Neither is much of a passer. My only real complaint. Hard to see an alternative mind, but it's not creative at all.

Agreed. Faz had better have his best kicking boots on.

Perhaps the thought is to protect a slim lead with 15-20 mins to go by bringing on defensive players. Bold move it pays off I s'pose.

ALunpg wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:Liam Williams over Halfpenny, I did not see that coming.

Neither did I ..but he deserves his chance..Gatland said he wanted more attack from 1/2p .and Liam produced the goods on Tuesday
Dropping North was right ..Daly and Watson have been a step better.
I am however trying to work out why select Halfpenny on the bench ... surely Watson or Daly could cover 15 and sexton the kicking if Farrell is out. Better to have put Nowell or Joseph on the bench ..must be some logic I can't yet fathom.

Williams at FB is a great shout. Looks every bit an FB and a bloody good one at that.

Common sense prevailed over North

Alun Wyn Jones is baffling, especially considering that the rest of the team appears to be picked on form. Not a clue how he's ahead of Itoje, Lawes or Henderson, although you could probably make a case for him being ahead of Cory Hill.

Aside from that, it looks like a good team. Well done Gatland.

Puja

Puja wrote:Alun Wyn Jones is baffling, especially considering that the rest of the team appears to be picked on form. Not a clue how he's ahead of Itoje, Lawes or Henderson, although you could probably make a case for him being ahead of Cory Hill.

Aside from that, it looks like a good team. Well done Gatland.

Puja

Experience. I can see why he has done it is as the front five have very little Lions experience and a few not much test experience. So he has chosen a wily old veteran for this game with Itoje to come on with 30 mins to go. I was just hoping North would not be included so will happily take the rest.

Epaminondas Pules wrote:Just don't like the midfield. Neither is much of a passer. My only real complaint. Hard to see an alternative mind, but it's not creative at all.

I'd have played JJ, or at least benched him. Don't see the point of 1/2p on the bench, with three players starting who can play 15.

ALunpg wrote:

Sandydragon wrote:Liam Williams over Halfpenny, I did not see that coming.

Neither did I ..but he deserves his chance..Gatland said he wanted more attack from 1/2p .and Liam produced the goods on Tuesday
Dropping North was right ..Daly and Watson have been a step better.
I am however trying to work out why select Halfpenny on the bench ... surely Watson or Daly could cover 15 and sexton the kicking if Farrell is out. Better to have put Nowell or Joseph on the bench ..must be some logic I can't yet fathom.

exactly this

Perhaps Gats is planning a rearguard defensive stand to protect a 2 point lead for the last 20 mins. ½p is a good tackler.

Buggaluggs wrote:Perhaps Gats is planning a rearguard defensive stand to protect a 2 point lead for the last 20 mins. ½p is a good tackler.

its a theory! Think its more loyalty tho.

skidger wrote:

Puja wrote:Alun Wyn Jones is baffling, especially considering that the rest of the team appears to be picked on form. Not a clue how he's ahead of Itoje, Lawes or Henderson, although you could probably make a case for him being ahead of Cory Hill.

Aside from that, it looks like a good team. Well done Gatland.

Puja

Experience. I can see why he has done it is as the front five have very little Lions experience and a few not much test experience. So he has chosen a wily old veteran for this game with Itoje to come on with 30 mins to go. I was just hoping North would not be included so will happily take the rest.

Which begs the question why he isn't captain.......not that it matters a jot 'cause Owen will be gobbing off to the ref following kicking out on the full, getting penalised for a swinging arm and mocking JD2 over his headgear

All Blacks:

1. Joe Moody (25)
2. Codie Taylor (16)
3. Owen Franks (91)
4. Brodie Retallick (61)
5. Samuel Whitelock (85)
6. Jerome Kaino (78)
7. Sam Cane (41)
8. Kieran Read (97)
9. Aaron Smith (59)
10. Beauden Barrett (50)
11. Rieko Ioane (2)
12. Sonny Bill Williams (34)
13. Ryan Crotty (26)
14. Israel Dagg (62)
15. Ben Smith (61)

Reserves: 16. Nathan Harris (5) 17. Wyatt Crockett (59) 18. Charlie Faumuina (47) 19. Scott Barrett (5) 20. Ardie Savea (13) 21. TJ Perenara (30) 22. Aaron Cruden (47) / Lima Sopoaga (7) 23. Anton Lienert-Brown (10)


Ioane a bit of a bolter over J Savea and Naholo. Otherwise, pretty orthodox stuff. ALB can feel a bit hard done by, perhaps.

p/d wrote:

skidger wrote:

Puja wrote:Alun Wyn Jones is baffling, especially considering that the rest of the team appears to be picked on form. Not a clue how he's ahead of Itoje, Lawes or Henderson, although you could probably make a case for him being ahead of Cory Hill.

Aside from that, it looks like a good team. Well done Gatland.

Puja

Experience. I can see why he has done it is as the front five have very little Lions experience and a few not much test experience. So he has chosen a wily old veteran for this game with Itoje to come on with 30 mins to go. I was just hoping North would not be included so will happily take the rest.

Which begs the question why he isn't captain.......not that it matters a jot 'cause Owen will be gobbing off to the ref following kicking out on the full, getting penalised for a swinging arm and mocking JD2 over his headgear

If he had more hair then i believe he would have been made captain.

Lizard wrote:All Blacks:

1. Joe Moody (25)
2. Codie Taylor (16)
3. Owen Franks (91)
4. Brodie Retallick (61)
5. Samuel Whitelock (85)
6. Jerome Kaino (78)
7. Sam Cane (41)
8. Kieran Read (97)
9. Aaron Smith (59)
10. Beauden Barrett (50)
11. Rieko Ioane (2)
12. Sonny Bill Williams (34)
13. Ryan Crotty (26)
14. Israel Dagg (62)
15. Ben Smith (61)

Reserves: 16. Nathan Harris (5) 17. Wyatt Crockett (59) 18. Charlie Faumuina (47) 19. Scott Barrett (5) 20. Ardie Savea (13) 21. TJ Perenara (30) 22. Aaron Cruden (47) / Lima Sopoaga (7) 23. Anton Lienert-Brown (10)


Ioane a bit of a bolter over J Savea and Naholo. Otherwise, pretty orthodox stuff. ALB can feel a bit hard done by, perhaps.

I like ALB too, i guess they wanted Crotty's more direct running, to run off SBW.

I think it's Hansen's usual loyalty in giving a former incumbent first shot once he's fit and back in the squad. Given the likely approach of the Lions' midfield, defensive considerations probably played a part,too.

Either way, not a bad problem to have.


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Lizard wrote:I think it's Hansen's usual loyalty in giving a former incumbent first shot once he's fit and back in the squad. Given the likely approach of the Lions' midfield, defensive considerations probably played a part,too.

Either way, not a bad problem to have.


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I guess, but ALB is no defensive slouch. I guess he and SBW are both kind of playmakers, though very different. Wasn't ALB incumbing before SBW?