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British and Irish Lions

Phew, that was close. Not a a good time for Byrne to make his first real mistake of the tour either.

A wins a win tho. Three from three :cool:
 
Phew, that was close. Not a a good time for Byrne to make his first real mistake of the tour either.

A wins a win tho. Three from three :cool:

He played really well all game, and then drops it at the worst time. Shane Williams looks unlikely to make the starting 15, taking that interception aside he didn't play all that well. Hook did well, I'm thinking Stepehn Jones starting no. 10 with Hook on bench, he provides another option, whereas O'Gara is too similar to S Jones.
 
He played really well all game, and then drops it at the worst time. Shane Williams looks unlikely to make the starting 15, taking that interception aside he didn't play all that well. Hook did well, I'm thinking Stepehn Jones starting no. 10 with Hook on bench, he provides another option, whereas O'Gara is too similar to S Jones.

Yeh, Williams has really not had a good tour so far. Thought Worsley played well until he was replaced.

I'd go with Jones at 10 on what we've seen so far aswell. Don't think it's a done deal though.
 
Cheetahs played out of their skins, that was snatching a defeat from the jaws of victory. Heinrich Brussow was outstanding, lets hope Pieter de Villiers gets over his love affair with Earl Rose and actually picks a player who single handedly kept the Cheetahs in the match. That was a masterclass in fetching. Great match to watch.
 
Brilliant win for England against the 5th best team in the world today.

Banahan MOTM, and deserved it too, really glad to see him in the team. Some great footballing skills from Cueto too, D Armitage gets better and better. Lions loss is Englands gain :D

37 - 15 :cool:
 
I still think that there are doubts about POC. Two games he's played, two close shaves, and I didnt see any signs of captaincy on the field. I wonder what the odds are for BOD to captain the test team, I can see it happening!

Powell is a one trick pony, take ball and charge straight, although there was a suggestion of a side step today!!:D

Hooker position still wide open, I dont think there is a good hooker in the British Isles at the moment.
 
I still think that there are doubts about POC. Two games he's played, two close shaves, and I didnt see any signs of captaincy on the field. I wonder what the odds are for BOD to captain the test team, I can see it happening!

Powell is a one trick pony, take ball and charge straight, although there was a suggestion of a side step today!!:D

Hooker position still wide open, I dont think there is a good hooker in the British Isles at the moment.

Hartley played well for England today ;)

I reckon Mears has stood out for me out of all the hookers. Agree with you on Powell, sorry I just don't really rate him. Not to be a test starter anyway.

Don't think POC played badly, but as a captain he's just not vocal enough. Needs to give the same kind of encouragement that he shows for Ireland. Straight away against the golden lions, BOD was chirping away, slapping backs and really trying to lift the team. Precisely what we'll need against SA.
 
]Shane Williams looks unlikely to make the starting 15, taking that interception aside he didn't play all that well

Trying too hard with not enough form/confidence behind him. If he doesn't make the XV he's very unlikely to make the XXII, IMO. Bloody shame, as Shane on song would have been a superb prospect on this tour:(

Hook did well, I'm thinking Stepehn Jones starting no. 10 with Hook on bench, he provides another option

Almost positive that Hook will bench in the tests just for the number of positions he can comfortably cover, and for his goal kicking.

whereas O'Gara is too similar to S Jones

Yup. A more unreliable and shitter Jones, mind.
 
Powell is a one trick pony, take ball and charge straight, although there was a suggestion of a side step today!!:D

Aye. That's why he's most effective when brought on in the last quarter. Could be in with a chance of a bench spot for the tests because of that, but unlikely.
 
Shane looks a busted flush I'm afraid. He's a flair player out of form, without the compensations of blazing pace and power to fall back on. I'd be surprised if he gets anywhere near the XV for the moment, which is a gutter for a player who caused so many problems for the Saffas some time ago.
 
O Rly? :hmm:

The man may as well have 'dirt tracker' tattooed across his forehead

Yep, you know what your getting with Worsley. Today he got over the gainline a few times aswell, showing he can carry too.

Bet you a pint he makes a test bench at least :p


E2a - Thought Ferris was really good too (other than the yellow card)
 
Yep, you know what your getting with Worsley. Today he got over the gainline a few times aswell, showing he can carry too.

Bet you a pint he makes a test bench at least :p

Absolutely no chance. You think he'd make the bench over Williams/Wallace or Ferris/Croft? No, thought not:p
E2a - Thought Ferris was really good too (other than the yellow card)

Great running - very athletic player. Didn't really show up at the breakdown or in support of Powell though, did he? (Neither did Worzel, for balance)
 
Great running - very athletic player. Didn't really show up at the breakdown or in support of Powell though, did he? (Neither did Worzel, for balance)
That's because Powell charged into contact when ever he had the ball no matter if there were players to back him up or not, what was the point of bringing him on this tour?

Also, weren't the rules changed on the breakdown or something, what's that about/
 
That's because Powell charged into contact when ever he had the ball no matter if there were players to back him up or not, what was the point of bringing him on this tour?

Also, weren't the rules changed on the breakdown or something, what's that about/

Maybe he'll come good. He is just fucking headless most of the time though.

Yeh, I think that now the tackler can contest the 'tackled' player at the breakdown rather than having to automatically roll away... summet like that anyway. :hmm:
 
That's because Powell charged into contact when ever he had the ball no matter if there were players to back him up or not, what was the point of bringing him on this tour?

Deafening silence from you when POC did the self same thing against the Royal XV last week. He, too, suffered from a lack of support at the breakdown. We know that Worsley, Sheridan, Ford and Murray are so slow as to be glacial, hence Powell being consistently isolated, just as O'Connell was when playing amongst a cumbersome pack a few days ago. What was the racehorse Ferris' excuse, again?

(as a vaguely trolling aside: POC is the third best lock on tour so far. Discuss.)

Also, weren't the rules changed on the breakdown or something, what's that about/

Not sure. Which bit of the breakdown are you referring to?
 
Maybe he'll come good. He is just fucking headless most of the time though.

He'll never come 'good'. He'll always be headless 'cos he's thick as shit. That's why until the ELVs he was nothing more or less than a powerful journeyman. He can be used effectively, however. Evidence seems to dictate that Gatland and Edwards don't know how to do this, though.

Yeh, I think that now the tackler can contest the 'tackled' player at the breakdown rather than having to automatically roll away... summet like that anyway. :hmm:

Didn't know that. Any linkage possible?
 
He'll never come 'good'. He'll always be headless 'cos he's thick as shit. That's why until the ELVs he was nothing more or less than a powerful journeyman. He can be used effectively, however. Evidence seems to dictate that Gatland and Edwards don't know how to do this, though.

Didn't know that. Any linkage possible?

Yeh, I was just trying to be er..'diplomatic' maybe. IMO he's not much cop at all, but he could be useful. He's on the tour now so we can but hope he has a blinder when next he plays.

Cant find anything atm on the rules change, something was mentioned in one of the games commentary though.
 
Only because of injuries. He won't start through talent or athleticism alone.

Or cause Geech knows exactly what he's about and what he'll get from him. If SA are running through us at will, he might do an MJ and put him in there to up the tackle count.

That... or injuries ;)
 
Too early to say, I'm not counting the match against the Golden Lions.

FWIW, I think an in-form POC is key to our winning or losing the tour. Was just trying to point out that even the best players get isolated and turned over as a result of a lack of decent backup, and a failure of support players to read what the ball carrier is going to do. Powell was pretty shit today, but some of the blame for that must rest at 6 & 7. Ferris, for all his go forward, was one of those two numbers.

There seemed to be lots of playing on the wrong side etc. Maybe the ref was a bit gash.

Think he was a bit gash, TBH.
 
Or cause Geech knows exactly what he's about and what he'll get from him. If SA are running through us at will, he might do an MJ and put him in there to up the tackle count.

That... or injuries ;)

OK. If Worzel is picked for the test XXII as a straight choice, I'll donate the price of a pint in your local to the server fund. If he comes in as an injury, no payment. If he isn't picked, you pay the thruppence ha'penn'orth of a Welsh pint - also to the server fund. How's that?:)
 
OK. If Worzel is picked for the test XXII as a straight choice, I'll donate the price of a pint in your local to the server fund. If he comes in as an injury, no payment. If he isn't picked, you pay the thruppence ha'penn'orth of a Welsh pint - also to the server fund. How's that?:)

Oooh. Injury stipulation ay? That was part of my bet, that by hook or by crook'ed players he'd get in as someone Geech can trust to do a job.

Should be a straight 'he's in or not' no matter how he gets there, but whatever :)

Price of a Cornish pint to the server fund it is my man :D

POC - I would have agreed that his performance is integral to the tours success, but after the Golden lions game, the evidence shows otherwise. Still, SA test is another matter entirely and as the cliche goes, we'll need all our big guns...etc etc. Perhaps the pressure of captaincy is getting to him, and the debate over whether it should have been his National captain and not him.

E2a - Yeh, the ref was bollocks, no attempt to break any squabbles up was just the tip of it.
 
FWIW, I think an in-form POC is key to our winning or losing the tour. Was just trying to point out that even the best players get isolated and turned over as a result of a lack of decent backup, and a failure of support players to read what the ball carrier is going to do. Powell was pretty shit today, but some of the blame for that must rest at 6 & 7. Ferris, for all his go forward, was one of those two numbers.

tbh, I was worried when I saw the team for today, a back three of ferris, worsley and powell is a bit one-dimensional - it was never going to gel, and luke fitzgerald making his debut alongside keith earls in the center was a bit too much, they're a bit green to cope with that, although they did ok.
 
Oooh. Injury stipulation ay? That was part of my bet, that by hook or by crook'ed players he'd get in as someone Geech can trust to do a job.

Should be a straight 'he's in or not' no matter how he gets there, but whatever :)

Price of a Cornish pint to the server fund it is my man :D

POC - I would have agreed that his performance is integral to the tours success, but after the Golden lions game, the evidence shows otherwise. Still, SA test is another matter entirely and as the cliche goes, we'll need all our big guns...etc etc. Perhaps the pressure of captaincy is getting to him, and the debate over whether it should have been his National captain and not him.

E2a - Yeh, the ref was bollocks, no attempt to break any squabbles up was just the tip of it.

Tell you what, if he comes in as a result of an injury I'll buy you a lime soda.

Can't say fairer than that:cool:
 
tbh, I was worried when I saw the team for today, a back three of ferris, worsley and powell is a bit one-dimensional - it was never going to gel, and luke fitzgerald making his debut alongside keith earls in the center was a bit too much, they're a bit green to cope with that, although they did ok.

Good to see Earls going some way to making amends for his unfortunate debut. A try was just what he needed. Still, I reckon that bar 4 or so players, the side that turned out today was the dirt tracker XXII. The likes of Earls, Fitzgerald, Powell, et al, are going midweektastic.
 
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