British Lions Squad

[jannerboyuk]

Well the Argentines deserved at least a draw but the Lions looked very disjointed both in the backs and the forwards with little continuity and no one player came out with a reputation enhanced. Good crowd of about 69,000 for a pretty poor game, some of the tickets were £60 apparently.
Cheers
Jeff

 

[slaar]

Gareth Cooper - Appalling

Shane Williams - A dummy would have given a better performance defensively and in the tackle.

Hmm.

 

[1927]

Gareth Cooper - Appalling

Shane Williams - A dummy would have given a better performance defensively and in the tackle.

Hmm.

Which game were u watching? Cooper showed some bright moments and Williams was jinking as always! If u wanna slag players off without being totally anti Welsh which u obviuosly are i suggest there are a few players who have shown thenselve salready to be out of their depth.The front row was woeful,as was the back row,Michael owen included. Wilkinson couldnt find touch if he had a map and compass and has positioned himself well behind Jones in the ratings,Murphy was crap at full back and Hickey may as not get on the plane on wednesday.The All Blacks are prob laughing their cotton socks off,and personally I think it was one of the biggest disgraces ever seen in sport that so much undeservd injury time was played to enable the British and Irish Pussycats to get a draw!!

 

[jannerboyuk]

Gareth Cooper - Appalling

Shane Williams - A dummy would have given a better performance defensively and in the tackle.

Hmm.

You complain about the whinging from Welsh fans yet when you decide to criticise some Lions players after this game you can only pick two - who happen to be Welsh. Did you see any other players who deserved criticism or did you struggle to see them being one-eyed as you are so clearly are.

 

[jannerboyuk]

I think it was one of the biggest disgraces ever seen in sport that so much undeservd injury time was played to enable the British and Irish Pussycats to get a draw!!

I have to agree with that it was a nonsense and the Argentines have every right to claim a moral victory playing thousands of miles away from home, missing some of their key players and pushing the Lions so close.

 

[slaar]

Just raising a few heckles. I'm not anti-welsh at all, I loved the way they played in the Six Nations, but that doesn't mean I want every player in the squad to be Welsh.

Fully behind the Argies, they deserved to win in fact. No stand out players at all, Wilkinson was as solid behind his place kicks as we have come to expect but his touch kicking was awful, Smith picked some good lines, I thought Murphy played alright, the pack as a wholem make at best half their first-up tackles and were dominated in the scrum. Lineout was one alright spot, but not much variation, and the handling left a lot to be desired.

Much to think about for the squad. Can't see many of that team being in the test side.

I also hear that Rokocoko and Howlett are looking unlikely to claim the wings for the test side, Rokocoko in particular having been relegated to the sevens side. Lewsey, Thomas and Robinson had better be on form.

 

[1927]

I didnt see anything in that Lions team to suggest they would win a mid week/provincial game let alone a test match! the pack was not upto it,Cooper imho was one of the few bright spots,Wilkinson did little apart from his penalty kicks and the rest of the backs apart from a couple of breaks by Williams and Smith were ordinary. I bet thos eLions not selected were pleased as puch.I thought this game may have been an extra chance for certain players to push for a Lions test place ,but in the event nayone associated with this debacle has to take a step backwards.Argentina were without 36 players still required in France and had called up amateurs ffs. hats off to the Argies and it progresses their claim to a place in the six nations!!!!

 

[1927]

I have to agree with that it was a nonsense and the Argentines have every right to claim a moral victory playing thousands of miles away from home, missing some of their key players and pushing the Lions so close.

I think it was pretty evident from the body language at the end of the game that both teams realised that the argies won it!

 

[slaar]

Banter aside, I diasgree about Cooper. I thought once Cusiter came on passes stopped going to ground around the fringes, his first few in particular were poor and he struggled to settle. By far the worst part of the game was the turnover area and ball retention from the tackle, worrying with Richie Macall lining up. I agree those not involved would be pleased. I can't see anyone from that side being likely to get a test place, not one.

 

[Mr Retro]

This is how I saw it :

Backs:
Cooper is far too slow getting the ball away. He was the cause of a lot of problems last night.

Shane Williams did fuck all. He can jink and duck and dive but if it comes to nothing then what’s the use? His lack of size and strength was exposed in the first few minutes when he tried to counter, ran into the Argies and turned the ball over.

D’Arcy was awful too. I was disappointed in him.

Wilkinson improved as the game went on, Smith played well as did Murphy.

Forwards

Not at the races at all. Michael Owen is not a captain and did nothing to lead by on field decisions or by example. Hayes is out of his depth for Munster, he’s not a lion. Got screwed in the scrum. When White came on he steadied things up a bit. O’Callaghan was the other good played I felt.

All in all though I don’t think too much can be read into it. I thought there were sparks there that said if the team gels and gets it’s scrum in order they will be a team capable of winning the series.

 

[Juice Terry]

I've just been looking through the All Black trial teams, Probables and Possibles just announced and the Maori squad and it is frightening how much talent they have on show and thats even without most of the Crusaders who play in the S12 final instead. Rokocoko can't even get in and has indeed been banished to the sevens squad. Any one of those three sides would have put 60 points on that Lions team last night, very worrying just how far off the pace they were. God knows what a seasoned S12 outfit like the Chiefs would do to them.

What frightens me more than anything is that it was a performance very similar to the last England games of the Woodward era. Not enough forwards at the breakdown, props and locks crowding the midfield, and when the ball did get out to the backs they were too flat and taking the ball standing still.
and he's too arrogant and pig headed to admit its a useless way to play rugby.

The only positives I could see last night were that Cussiter looked very sharp, White glued the front row together when he came on and Jonny can still kick penalties.

Somebody needs to kick some arses very hard and very fast, but is there anyone on the tour capable of doing that?

 

[Cosmo Topper]

IMNVHO:

I thought the positives to come from last night were Wilkinson and Moody. Johnnys touch kicking was suspect, but going forward he was excellent, looking very quick off the mark, and in defence he was back to his old self. and that was some pressure kick at the end...

Moody was just his usual self, everywhere without a thought for his own personal safety.

I thought Cooper was poor, but then he was getting no back-up at the break down, and seemed to be first or second there himself, so perhaps he can't be blamed too much, though Cussiter did very well when he came on.

As did White, who completally disrupted the Argie front row when he came on. I think him and sheridan could cause some real problems.

Finally, I'm really undecided about Williams. Going forward he's the closest thing I've seen to Jason Robinson, but his lack of size and strength have the potential to really cost you, as he showed last night, making a 50 yard run in the second half, then turning it over miles from his support.

 

[slaar]

Agree completely with the last three posters. Cooper did get bad service from his forwards, but insists on taking a step before passing which slows things down and gave the rampagind Argentine forwards a chance to dive over and disrupt, which happened a few times. D'Arcy did nothing, White was excellent and Murphy held his own, with some good touches.

There is indeed an astonishing amount of talent in New Zealand for such a small country. It is genuinely going to be one of the toughest tours of all time I think, given that even the weakest of the sides they will face would have won last night.

Edited to add: incidentally the assessment of the guy on the BBC website is similar over Cooper's performance, and only Grewcock of those starting yesterday is in the "most likely" team according to him, although I think Jones is going to have to be on spectacular form to keep Wilkinson out if he keeps improving (bearing in mind he's had three games since pretty much an 18 month lay off he looked extremely sharp)...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4529711.stm

 

[starfish]

Hats off most definitely to the Argies. Any front row with 3 guys in their 30s who can destroy a pack to that degree is due respect but then Mendoza & Reggiardo are 2 of the best props in the world over the last 15 years or so, so the Lions new who they were up against. Slight slip up when they took it against the head then lost the reset scrum.
Of course i was glad to see Cussiter come on & play so well. He must have done, even Barnesy said so. Not many other positives though. JWs goal kicking was fine but he seemed off the pace a couple of times although it was a beautiful slip pass for the try but then he has been out for ...... As they say better to find out the faults now than when they play Bay of Plenty.


what the fuck was that song all about. Cant see it inspiring anyone.

 

[jannerboyuk]

what the fuck was that song all about. Cant see it inspiring anyone.

It was a classic committee song approved by people who think eurovision is the measure of quality music. Truly awful.

 

[slaar]

It is awful. Not all songs like that have to be (I was quite getting into "World in Union" by the end), but this one's just plain bad.

 

[Juice Terry]

They can have any bloody song they like if they get that Katherine Jenkins to sing it before the game. Is she going on tour with the players or will we have some old Kiwi slapper instead. Could be a bit of a three way love cheat scandal for the tabloids if Sir Gavin of Henson takes a fancy, after all he does seem to have a thing for welsh singers.

 

[slaar]

Team to face Bay of Plenty this Saturday:

Lewsey, Shanklin, O'Driscoll, Henson, Cueto, O'Gara, Peel, Stephens, Bulloch, Jenkins, O'Connell, Kay, Williams, Hill, Dallaglio.

That's more like it eh?

 

[JenkinsEars]

This whole tour is a fucking joke. To be honest, I hope the Oldie Trinity get picked for the first test and get annihilated.

Back is a referee assaulting cheating thug who should have been banned for life after that cup final. I cannot for the life of me figure out what he is doing on tour, along with jokers like Greenwood, Smith, Moody and John "Can't Scrum Won't Scrum" Hayes. Then there's the Pop-Up Pirate who can't get through a game without standing up in the scrum at least twice. He is the most fucking useless hooker I've seen, after Gareth Williams. All that hookers should do is scrum, throw-in and clear out. Anything else is a bonus. Pop-up does none of that, instead preferring to hang around in the backline like a ponce.

Cooper played poorly, but had zero protection at the rucks. Probably because Moody can't do anything apart from restarts.

The Holy Son was crap. Hint: kicking the ball straight down the middle of the field to the fullback is not a good tactic. Not is missing touch all the fecking time.

Don't even mention Andrew Sheridan. I don't care how strong he is, we're not playing the All Blacks at fucking weightlifting. Hope he gets picked against Wales next year, Adam'll take him to pieces.

 

[Cosmo Topper]

This whole tour is a fucking joke. To be honest, I hope the Oldie Trinity get picked for the first test and get annihilated.

Back is a referee assaulting cheating thug who should have been banned for life after that cup final. I cannot for the life of me figure out what he is doing on tour, along with jokers like Greenwood, Smith, Moody and John "Can't Scrum Won't Scrum" Hayes. Then there's the Pop-Up Pirate who can't get through a game without standing up in the scrum at least twice. He is the most fucking useless hooker I've seen, after Gareth Williams. All that hookers should do is scrum, throw-in and clear out. Anything else is a bonus. Pop-up does none of that, instead preferring to hang around in the backline like a ponce.

Cooper played poorly, but had zero protection at the rucks. Probably because Moody can't do anything apart from restarts.

The Holy Son was crap. Hint: kicking the ball straight down the middle of the field to the fullback is not a good tactic. Not is missing touch all the fecking time.

Don't even mention Andrew Sheridan. I don't care how strong he is, we're not playing the All Blacks at fucking weightlifting. Hope he gets picked against Wales next year, Adam'll take him to pieces.

Absolute bollocks for the most part (with a grain of truth)

Cooper was shite and was outclassed by Cussiter (who had just as little protection.) Cooper seemed incapable of shipping the ball without taking a time wasting step towards the fly half, something that'll cause him an awful lot of pain in NZ

Sheridan has been taking apart Premiership front rows all season (with Titterall for much of that). But Julian White will destroy anyone put in front of him.

Bombing the posts is a reasonable (if *very* last resort) tactic especially if he's missing touch/ oppo covering wings well, (or even just getting shite service from the forwards...) Full back needs to kick 40 yards just to make any ground.

As for the back row, Michael Owen hardly covered himself in glory against Argentina, he seemed to visably shrink. I thought Moody played well, he was one of the few (him and Shane Byrne oddly) who seemed to get around the park. Hill will potentially win us the Series (in the same way McCaw will lose it us), while no-one else offers Dallaglios presence on the park, at the break down, or in attack and defence. Back offers a lot for his defensive organisation, on and off the pitch, but I don't think he should start the Tests (nor do I think will he)

Do agree about Greenwood and Hayes, though I doubt either of them will be troubling the Test side.

 

[slaar]

Not a single one of those players is in the starting XV for Saturday. I don't think Greenwood or Hayes will be troubling any side.

 

[starfish]

That Sivivatu looks pretty nippy on the wing. Great couple of tries so far this morning.

 

[1927]

I am no longer interested in what has become an English tour by any other fucking name.FFS another injury and another bastard Englishman gets the call!!! I hope the Welsh boys play well in all the games Sir Bald Fucker honours them with,but I hope the English lions get royally stuffed in all three test matches,and that is a common feeling with a lot of people I have spoken to today!

 

[Cosmo Topper]

I am no longer interested in what has become an English tour by any other fucking name.FFS another injury and another bastard Englishman gets the call!!! I hope the Welsh boys play well in all the games Sir Bald Fucker honours them with,but I hope the English lions get royally stuffed in all three test matches,and that is a common feeling with a lot of people I have spoken to today!

Simon Easterby

 

[1927]

Simon Easterby

Simon Shaw.

 

[Cosmo Topper]

Simon Shaw.

No, Simon Easterby, called up for Dallaglio.

 

[1927]

No, Simon Easterby, called up for Dallaglio.

Yeh but you quoted me,I was referring to Shaw's call up!

 

[Juice Terry]

I am no longer interested in what has become an English tour by any other fucking name. FFS another injury and another bastard englishman gets the call!!! I hope the Welsh boys play well in all the games Sir Bald Fucker honours them with,but I hope the English lions get royally stuffed in all three test matches,and that is a common feeling with a lot of people I have spoken to today!

Good, fuck off back to the valleys and wait another 50 years for a victory over the All Blacks along with the rest of your sad, bitter, ignorant, insular, jealous mates and leave the Lions tour to those of us who actually know something about rugby.

 

[Nigel Irritable]

sad, bitter, ignorant, insular, jealous

I don't think it's any of of those things to wonder why the third best team in Britain and Ireland is supplying such a wildly disproportionate number of players to the joint squad.

 

[tarannau]

I don't think it's any of of those things to wonder why the third best team in Britain and Ireland is supplying such a wildly disproportionate number of players to the joint squad.

Doesn't one of the home nations have a much better and more consistent record of playing (and beating) the Southern Hemisphere teams of late than the others. In fact they've got a record of beating these teams in their own backyard recently...