Lions 2009 thread

[Aghdavoyle]

I was shoked to hear that anyone thought POC's form was not great. i think he's been going well.

what am i missing in Croft that everyone else sees?

[tyroneboi]

I think with Croft if you take away the hype that has been built up by the English media particularly Stuart Barnes on Sky, he is actually a decent player. It is really a toss of the coin between Ferris and Croft at this stage. I would say if Croft had scored the tries that Ferris scored in the last 2 games, Sky would be going mental about it. Both very good players though. If Shane Williams doesnt have a good game tomorrow night then theres no way he can be picked for the 1st test. Surprised Rob Kearney hasnt been given a go on the wing yet and I see he isnt even selected on the bench for the next game even though Halfpenny has been ruled out. Big game for O'Gara and Wallace as well. Will make or break their selection for the 1st test.

Team for tomorrow night incidentally is this:

Lee Byrne (Ospreys/Wales);
Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales),
Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland),
Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales),
Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland);
Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland),
Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales);
Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales),
Lee Mears (Bath/England),
Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales),
Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales),
Paul O'Connell (Munster/Ireland, capt),
Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England),
David Wallace (Munster/Ireland),
Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland).

Replacements: Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales), Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England), Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England), Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England), Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland), Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England), James Hook (Ospreys/Wales).

[screenexile]

Would say that POC's form isn't great at the minute from the Munster Leinster game and the 2 Lions game's he has played in. I think it will be interesting to see him tomorrow with a stronger pack and with Wyn Jones along with him. If he steps up and has a big game then he will cement his Test position which is slightly under threat. Oh and Stephen Jones is a complete knob. . . O'Connell has been one of the best Lineout operators in the world for a long time now!

[Donnellys Hollow]

Tom Croft is a poor man's Ferris. He'll look good playing for the dirt-trackers but throw him into a full blown test environment against a huge Springbok pack and he'd struggle to make anywhere near the same kind of impact.

[bcarrier]

Even by SJ standards that is some crap.

The single biggest problem is at the breakdown - a sluggish front row was selected on Saturday and a shocking display from back row ...Worsley and Powell were brutal on Saturday.Worsley has some defence in that he was out of position . He is just an honest plodder. Powell was a disgrace ... In dying minutes - penultimate play probably - D'arcy made a decent break and got a bit isolated but did well to position himself and the ball - Powell sauntered up inspects the ruck and leaves Ellis to try and recover it. They need to get more players hitting rucks  not looking at them.

[muppet]

Here is a tale of two lifting units, the South African and the Irish. When Ireland lift Paul O'Connell in the lineout, it is a fairly statuesque affair. It is a deep, long and rather slow hoist, which usually puts O'Connell up successfully for the lineout catch, sometimes after a little bit of interchanging in the Irish line.

The South African operation is completely different. There is no subterfuge, no trickery. The ball is thrown high and rapidly above Victor Matfield and the lifting unit has him up there with breathtaking speed, almost as if a rocket is taking off. Matfield himself firmly believes that this pace of lift, if everyone does their job properly, is all you ever need for a successful lineout.

And the difference in these two operations is precisely why O'Connell is paired with Alun-Wyn Jones for the Lions' match against the Sharks in Durban on Wednesday.

The Lions can harp all they want about trying different combinations, but if they are to thrive on their own throw, and especially if they are to menace the dominating South African lineout, they have to find someone they can lift rapidly and high against Matfield. On this tour so far, Alun-Wyn is the only contender and, if the Lions are going to play O'Connell in the middle, they will sacrifice challenging the South African lineout and, instead, will have to pile into the first breakdown to stop the Springbok flow.

I have never read such nonsense.

His argument is that Alun-Wyn is more liftable than O'Connell and therefore O'Connell should be dropped. Is Alun-Wyn lighter? Well according to lionsrugby.com Jones is 8 kilos heavier. Both same height so if anything it should be easier to lift O'Connell.

It could be 6 Nations form, head to head but this is what rugby365 had to say about their Cardiff clash: 5 Alun-Wyn Jones:
The second row star would have been disappointed with the lineout stats. The home side were harassed all day by Paul O'Connell. Determined effort around the park but the set piece was disappointing. 6/10


Did it occur to him that if there was a problem with the speed of the lift as he describes, then maybe the lifters should be looked at?

Or is the agenda more important than the argument?

[muppet]

Ferris out injured.

Ryan Jones already called in.

[FermPundit]

Ferris out injured.

Ryan Jones already called in.

The injury curse of Irish players on this tour continues. Awful news, especially given his good form so far.

Jones called up after Ferris blow

Wales's Ryan Jones has been called up by the British and Irish Lions after Stephen Ferris was ruled out of their tour of South Africa by a knee injury.

The Ireland flanker tore the his medial collateral ligament in his right knee in training on Tuesday.

"Ryan is on the standby reserve list and has been playing over the last few weeks for Wales in the USA and Canada," said head coach Ian McGeechan.

"He will fit right in as he knows a lot of the players."

[Main Street]

Is it just me, or is the Lions hoohaa gone well past its sell by date?
Or can you guys not get enough of stuff like this?

[FermPundit]

Is it just me, or is the Lions hoohaa gone well past its sell by date?
Or can you guys not get enough of stuff like this?

Sure things are only starting MS. The three tests are still to come!

[Donnellys Hollow]

Ferris will be a big loss come the tests. He brings a level of physicality to the table that no one else in the Lions touring party can match.

Denis Leamy is a bit unlucky to miss out in my view. He outplayed Ryan Jones when he came on in the grand slam game in Cardiff. That said, Jones was probably one of the Lions best players in NZ in 2005.

Is it just me, or is the Lions hoohaa gone well past its sell by date?
Or can you guys not get enough of stuff like this?

Definitely not past its sell by date as far as I'm concerned. Its a unique concept as far as professional sport is concerned nowadays. Sky do hype the balls off it but a Lions test is still one of the great sporting occasions.

[muppet]

Great concept. Maybe the Gaa should look at it.

Leinster could field a football team to tour the culchie strongholds of Tyrone, Kerry and Mayo every four years.

They could be called The Calves?

[Donnellys Hollow]

Don't be giving Mickey Harte ideas for his next column! 

[Declan]

Halpenny now gone home injured

[the Deel Rover]

did any of ye watch "the invincibles" on rte last night twas about the 1974 Lions