British and Irish Lions Tour 2013

Count 10 · July 03, 2013, 04:37:40 AM

O'Driscoll not even on the bench

British and Irish Lions team to play Australia

15-Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), 14-Tommy Bowe (Ireland), 13-Jonathan Davies (Wales), 12-Jamie Roberts (Wales), 11-George North (Wales), 10-Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), 9-Mike Phillips (Wales), 8-Toby Faletau (Wales), 7-Sean O'Brien (Ireland), 6-Dan Lydiate (Wales), 5-Geoff Parling (England), 4-Alun Wyn Jones (captain, Wales), 3-Adam Jones (Wales), 2-Richard Hibbard (Wales), 1-Alex Corbisiero (England)

Replacements - 16-Tom Youngs (England), Mako Vunipola (England), 18-Dan Cole (England), 19-Richie Gray (Scotland), 20-
Justin Tipuric (Wales), 21-Conor Murray (Ireland), 22-Owen Farrell (England), 23-Manu Tuilagi (England)

muppet · July 03, 2013, 05:34:04 AM

10 Welshmen, including Phillips.

What an insult to the others.

seafoid · July 03, 2013, 05:53:46 AM

Quote from: muppet on July 03, 2013, 05:34:04 AM
10 Welshmen, including Phillips.

What an insult to the others.

Bit of a shocker. Bad way for BOD to leave the stage.

bridgegael · July 03, 2013, 06:43:12 AM

Hope they are hammered

Walter Cronc · July 03, 2013, 06:57:50 AM

Shocking decision. How he can justify starting Davies at 13 is beyond me. The Aussies limited a poor functioning Lions line out to throwing to the front, hence no ball coming off the top giving the centres go forward ball. As usual it's all about Gatland and his ego, thought Australia would win regardless, now even more so.

Count 10 · July 03, 2013, 08:07:24 AM

Luckily Tom Jones isn't touring in Australia or he would have got the call up too! No Heaslip either...strange decisions...Gatland will be a big hero or a complete clown around lunch time Saturday!

AZOffaly · July 03, 2013, 08:11:44 AM

Can we all agree to hate the lions now? Looks like Gatty just doesn't rate our lads as highly as we do. In one way it's understandable that when push comes to shove, he'll lean on the lads who have won stuff for him in Wales. If Warburton was fit, he'd be playing as well.

As I said, it's a glorified All Stars tour. Ireland beat Australia in the world cup. Now we can't get more than 2 people on an All Star team that will probably lose to Australia.

Count 10 · July 03, 2013, 08:15:54 AM

This really sums it up.....

Ian Robertson
BBC rugby union correspondent
"You just wonder if they got a lucky bag and picked some names out. The Lions won the first Test and made eight changes to their squad. The Wallabies won the second and probably won't make any changes. The Lions lose by one point and there are six changes in the team and three guys on the bench who were nowhere near the team for the second Test. I was convinced Brian O'Driscoll should have been named as captain. It's catastrophic leaving him out. He's still one of the top centres in world rugby. He's a fantastic guy and has been on four tours and knows it all inside out. It's a massive mistake."

NAG1 · July 03, 2013, 08:20:15 AM

#seaofred ?? ?? ?? ?? ?

OakleafCounty · July 03, 2013, 08:22:52 AM

I always found it hard to like the Lions but now I hate them. Hope they get stuffed!

thewobbler · July 03, 2013, 08:28:20 AM

I reckon the Lions will win this one. It's a strong team.

Leaving emotion aside. BOD is the greatest sportsman our country has ever produced, but he's over the hill now.

NAG1 · July 03, 2013, 08:31:30 AM

Quote from: thewobbler on July 03, 2013, 08:28:20 AM
I reckon the Lions will win this one. It's a strong team.

Leaving emotion aside. BOD is the greatest sportsman our country has ever produced, but he's over the hill now.

Very big statement there, think may emotions are getting the better of some on this one.

mouview · July 03, 2013, 08:34:20 AM

A courageous and proactive decision by Gatland to drop a great player long into the twilight of his career. No doubt George Hook will be delighted but Sean Og O'Halpin will probably be in the weekend press accusing Gatland of picking players from small countries he's never heard of.

HiMucker · July 03, 2013, 08:37:16 AM

The way BODhas reacted to the news speaks volumes for his character, not that it was ever questioned. Great leader, superb player and a selfless individual

nrico2006 · July 03, 2013, 08:49:49 AM

Not a big Rugby fan but read somewhere that the number of tackles that O'Driscoll had to make in the two tests for the position he plays suggests that there is something wrong with the structure of the team. Also, find it hard to believe that O'Driscoll was any worse than the majority of the 15 on the pitch from the last test, surely with his pedigree he would be one you would take a risk with with regards to coming up with something special. Warburton was brutal in any game he played before the second test yet didn't lose his place. Hope the Lions get hammered.