No Brian O'Driscoll for the Lions vs Australia 3rd Test!...

[sten_super]

Now in retrospect it looks like he has royally screwed the tour up because not only are the team not playing well but also no-one has really had a good individual game.

So what has gone wrong?

This is the heart of it for me. The Aussies should be (more or less) there for the taking; yet the Lions have been outplayed for much of the two Tests and have never really looked convincing. Gatland has struggled to put together a cohesive team and a coherent game plan and that is why he's being so reactionary in his choices; because no-one has been able to rise above the mediocrity so he's just fixing the most obvious problem and hoping that's enough.

 

[BLOCK F]

Complete generalisation on my part, clearly should have said 'some welsh fans'.

I'd have no issue with there being 15 welsh in the team (apart from the implication that the England was really bad), if they were the players that could produce the best rugby, but I don't think that's the case even with the ten.... As others have mentioned, the baffling thing is that he clearly hasn't got a clue what his best team is. It's also not the Lions way, the Lions aren't just about winning.....

Have to disagree.The Lions is all about winning,isn't it?

 

[nwgull]

I though that BOD played poorly last week. Although it's still a brave call to have 10 taffs in the starting 15; the press will slaughter him if it doesn't come off.

 

[nwgull]

Have to disagree.The Lions is all about winning,isn't it?

Yes. It's the highest level of rugby, and a win on Saturday will have the same prestige as a World Cup final.

 

[mikeyjh]

Have to disagree.The Lions is all about winning,isn't it?

Not for me, I hate the fact that there's no sweaties in the team (when did they last have a player in the team??), I don't know, but I can imagine that the Lions are much less talked about in Scotland these days because they have so little representation. For me, the Lions is the 1 time every 4 years when we stop hating each other and support the same team and without some semblance of a balance between the nations than I think this is eroded somewhat, even if that makes the team slightly weaker. I think alot of people have a more romantic notion of the Lions against a normal international team, winning being (if only a little bit) less important. The way they play is also important, and that's another reason why I don't like this selection.....

 

[One Love]

Not for me, I hate the fact that there's no sweaties in the team (when did they last have a player in the team??), I don't know, but I can imagine that the Lions are much less talked about in Scotland these days because they have so little representation. For me, the Lions is the 1 time every 4 years when we stop hating each other and support the same team and without some semblance of a balance between the nations than I think this is eroded somewhat, even if that makes the team slightly weaker. I think alot of people have a more romantic notion of the Lions against a normal international team, winning being (if only a little bit) less important. The way they play is also important, and that's another reason why I don't like this selection.....

I agree with this completely.

I believe the first names on the team sheet should be the best player from each home nation and then build the team around it. Win lose or draw.

What I can see happening on Saturday is what Wales seem to do against Australia every time they play them. Bottle it in the last 5 minutes and lose by a few points which barring Beale slipping when taking a penalty the Lions would have done twice now.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

What I can see happening on Saturday is what Wales seem to do against Australia every time they play them. Bottle it in the last 5 minutes and lose by a few points which barring Beale slipping when taking a penalty the Lions would have done twice now.

If Halfpenny had connected properly with HIS last minute penalty, the Lions would have won the series already. Swings and roundabouts.

 

[LamieRobertson]

He's got Tipuric on the bench looool

o shhh..i missed that..fek

 

[Brovion]

I agree with this completely.

I believe the first names on the team sheet should be the best player from each home nation and then build the team around it. Win lose or draw.

.

No, I disagree, you'll end up with quotas or tokens. I think the current system, for all its flaws, is best. The Lions do suffer from being a scratch team and this squad is by no means a vintage Lions squad; consequently I think Gatland's approach of picking a core that know each other (the ten Welshmen) is quite sensible in the circumstances. Certainly as a patriotic Englishman I shall be cheering on the Lions, we need to win, the SH nations are insufferable enough as it is without giving them more to brag about.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Complete generalisation on my part, clearly should have said 'some welsh fans'.

I'd have no issue with there being 15 welsh in the team (apart from the implication that the England was really bad), if they were the players that could produce the best rugby, but I don't think that's the case even with the ten.... As others have mentioned, the baffling thing is that he clearly hasn't got a clue what his best team is. It's also not the Lions way, the Lions aren't just about winning.....

agree..we havent seemed to produce the 'rugby' that you would identify with the lions...even the midweek team seemed to lose its way in the last couple of games

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

No, I disagree, you'll end up with quotas or tokens. I think the current system, for all its flaws, is best. The Lions do suffer from being a scratch team and this squad is by no means a vintage Lions squad; consequently I think Gatland's approach of picking a core that know each other (the ten Welshmen) is quite sensible in the circumstances. Certainly as a patriotic Englishman I shall be cheering on the Lions, we need to win, the SH nations are insufferable enough as it is without giving them more to brag about.

Then just pick the Wales team if you want players that know each other. That has worked so well against the Aussies in the past.

I am not sure who I want to win. I will certainly see the amusing side if the Aussies win.

 

[Simster]

O'Driscoll wasn't that great in the second Test, was he? Isn't it at least 50-50 that Roberts/Tuilagi would be better? Seems the fuss is more about reputation rather than the last match.

It's a big call that has triggered a massive media reaction, but there seems a decent case for the decision on playing grounds.

It was his fault we lost the last test. Lions had the ball with 7 minutes to play and he kicked it! Why? Just give the ball to the forwards FFS.

 

[Canonman]

A combined population of around 60million against a nation of 20 millon and we still have difficulties. Anyone know why? Joke if you ask me.

 

[Brovion]

Then just pick the Wales team if you want players that know each other. That has worked so well against the Aussies in the past.

I am not sure who I want to win. I will certainly see the amusing side if the Aussies win.

But that's the great thing. You've got your core, but you've also got it bolstered by players like Corbisiero and Sexton who are probably better than their Welsh equivalents (out of the uninjured ones that is).

 

[Simster]

If Halfpenny had connected properly with HIS last minute penalty, the Lions would have won the series already. Swings and roundabouts.

And that was another poor decision altough I guess that's with hindsight. Halfpenny was 55m from goal, he was always highly unlikely to kick it from there (Beale's miss had been from 41m). I realise they couldn't boot it into touch and take the lineout but perhaps they should have run it and set up a presentable drop goal from say 30m?

 

[dragonred]

can't help but feel Gatland just hasn't got this tour right - he's played it in a dogmatic way as if he is aiming solely for territory and to kick and win by an odd point or two with minimal risks taken - fair enough may get the series win doing that but this approach is based solely on the belief that we can tackle the Aussies to a standstill and negate the flair of their backs - for me that's negative rugby and not in the spirit of the Lions who are meant to leave a legacy to justify their existence. If the Aussies get parity or more up front and their backs have a 'golden' day I can see a loss by 15-20 + points Saturday as the Lions have not been trained to take sufficient risks and give it a proper go. I know some will say a Lions series win is the be all and end all but among my rugby friends this, despite the close scores, is not one of the truly great or exciting tours so far and had we played this way against the Boks or all blacks, would have lost 3-0.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

No, I disagree, you'll end up with quotas or tokens. I think the current system, for all its flaws, is best. The Lions do suffer from being a scratch team and this squad is by no means a vintage Lions squad; consequently I think Gatland's approach of picking a core that know each other (the ten Welshmen) is quite sensible in the circumstances. Certainly as a patriotic Englishman I shall be cheering on the Lions, we need to win, the SH nations are insufferable enough as it is without giving them more to brag about.

I too, am on this side of this particular debate. Not neccesarily saying the team he's picked is the right one, but absolutely agree that he should pick the best available 15, regardless of nationalities.

Taking 'One Loves's suggestion above to extremes - what happens if the 'best players from each of the home nations' are ALL fly halfs?

 

[keaton]

I think the Lions would have easily won the series already if any of the half-backs had shown up. Phillips was apparently injured and not given a lot of protection but Youngs was awful and Sexton has looked very ordinary. For all of stuff about Wales and Gatland kicking the ball a lot, they do it far less than the Lions have in the two tests. We might have been better off playing a less talented 10 who was happy just to give the ball to the backs and see what they can do rather than trying something smart every time. As it is we've a fantastic back three and two very good centre who've been starved of the ball. Every time North gets the ball who looks like a world beater, he's probably only been passed the ball 2-3 times in two matches

 

[keaton]

A combined population of around 60million against a nation of 20 millon and we still have difficulties. Anyone know why? Joke if you ask me.

That's why China are the best football team in the world and my money's on India in the rugby in two years

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

But that's the great thing. You've got your core, but you've also got it bolstered by players like Corbisiero and Sexton who are probably better than their Welsh equivalents (out of the uninjured ones that is).

A core ? Of 10 players ?

Feels less like the British Lions, and more like the Welsh Lions.

Not for me.