LIONS, LIONS, LIONS

[Spellczech]

1 minute ago, The Mighty Thor said:

Penalty count hurting the lions already 

English players giving away too many pens except Itoje ironically who is winning them!

[The Mighty Thor]

1 minute ago, Spellczech said:

English players giving away too many pens except Itoje ironically who is winning them!

Curry's cheap shot was pointless. 

Daly doing what he does for England and not getting away with it. 

[Mikey1874]

Strange TMO decision. Don't think I've seen them chose a better penalty to disadvantage the affected side.

[Diadora Van Basten]

Itoje is the only player who has played well. Daly and Currie have been poor.

Edited July 24, 2021 by Diadora Van Basten

[Malinga the Swinga]

AWJ and Lawes are doing nothing, which is no surprise as they are way over-rated. Daly is like rabbit in headlights while Henshaw has only been seen once and he ****ed that up looking for glory offload.

[Malinga the Swinga]

Good start to second half

[Mikey1874]

Much better. Good policy to kick to corner. Lesson learned. 

[Malinga the Swinga]

Huge break for Lions

[Malinga the Swinga]

And they **** it up. Watson got nowhere near ball Where was Daly? He is liability.

[Mikey1874]

Shambles. 

 

TMO correct though. 

[Roxy Hearts]

Lions beating themselves! Dreadful mistakes.

[Mikey1874]

Fitness? 

[Malinga the Swinga]

Lack of gametime showing from SA (he says hopefully).

[Malinga the Swinga]

WTF

[Malinga the Swinga]

Expect SA to be fitter next week but good start. All Scots did themselves proud.

[Mikey1874]

Man of the Match - South African TMO. 

[John Findlay]

Lions rode their luck. Itoje was my MOTM. The Lions will have to up their game next week. The Boks sure has hell will.

[Mikey1874]

3 minutes ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Expect SA to be fitter next week but good start. All Scots did themselves proud.

 

They did. 

[Mikey1874]

Given the Lions have only won 1 series after losing the first game (1989 Australia) it's a very good outcome. 

[Mikey1874]

Nice to be watching South African tv.

[132goals1958]

Courtney Laws was immense 

[Malinga the Swinga]

7 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

Lions rode their luck. Itoje was my MOTM. The Lions will have to up their game next week. The Boks sure has hell will.

Itoje was a beast. He plays better for Lions than England.

[The Mighty Thor]

That's a big result but they will need to sharpen it all up for next week as the bokke will come out all guns.

[Roxy Hearts]

Lawes to my surprise was very good but Itoje MOM for me. Subs on at the right times made a difference too.

[Spellczech]

Some good performances in that second half. Players who might not start in the next test? Biggar due to head knock; Daly; Perhaps Curry; VDM may also be injured but will start if fit; Watson was a bit anonymous but did ok when he was involved...

[Mikey1874]

6 minutes ago, Roxy Hearts said:

Lawes to my surprise was very good but Itoje MOM for me. Subs on at the right times made a difference too.

 

The South Africans on tv are also praising Ally Price for his kicking accuracy. 

[Roxy Hearts]

1 minute ago, Mikey1874 said:

 

The South Africans on tv are also praising Ally Price for his kicking accuracy. 

Thought Ali played well. Couple of times I thought his box kicks were going to get charged down! He also stood off a bit at the scrum which was unusual but probably been told to do that.

[Hesh]

32 minutes ago, 132goals1958 said:

Courtney Laws was immense 

Not a fan but fully agree 

[Malinga the Swinga]

Think the strength of Lions bench is major advantage. All the players who come on are probably good enough to start, whereas SA bench players not nearly as good.

[I P Knightley]

3 hours ago, Barack said:

Lawes & Itoje: Very good.

 

Daly: Bad.

 

Murray: kicking good.

 

Watson: Stupid. Lucky not to be carded.

 

VdM: Solid, if not spectacular.

 

Changes won the game. 

He was putting in his normal good tackle when du Toit managed to get involved and take his team mate's head to the ground. A card would have been remarkably unfair.

 

 

[Roxy Hearts]

13 hours ago, Barack said:

I don't agree that it had a material impact on Watson's tackle. And I doubt we will agree on it. So, we'll leave that there and take the all round 2nd half performance on its merits instead.

 

English lads(Curry & Daly aside) were the top performers for me. Even Farrell brought his experience to the party. Welsh folk I know back in their boxes tonight, after the outrage that Conan was picked over Faletau & Lawes over Navidi. 

 

Conan was excellent. Price will find himself unfortunate if he's on the bench in the 2nd Test. But I'll not be surprised.

 

 

Faletau and Navidi are lucky to be there! Incidently, Warburton talks some mince at times when it comes to Welsh players. 

[I P Knightley]

I tell you what I won't do again; that's watch the 'highlights' on Channel 4. Absolute Tom Kite!

 

No coverage of the scene-setting early hit on Daly; nothing on Mish's controversial tackle; nothing to analyse the cause of the penalties or the swing in fortune towards the Lions.

 

Think I'll stick to JKB!

[CMc]

Second test will be very interesting. 
 

Whilst we were in increasing control in the second half, the game could have gone by then. The margins of victory were quite tight. 
 

Our midfield is the big question for the next game. I wonder if Akee or Harris might come in for Daly? Saturday is going to be a war and Daly’s channel will certainly be targeted. 
 

Our back 3 look really dangerous and we have some excellent ball carriers in the forwards. 
 

Assuming Biggar is out and Finn doesn’t recover in time, Farrell, Henshaw and Harris could be the way forward. 
 

May also see a tweak in the front row. 

[I P Knightley]

2 hours ago, CMc said:

Second test will be very interesting. 
 

Whilst we were in increasing control in the second half, the game could have gone by then. The margins of victory were quite tight. 
 

Our midfield is the big question for the next game. I wonder if Akee or Harris might come in for Daly? Saturday is going to be a war and Daly’s channel will certainly be targeted. 
 

Our back 3 look really dangerous and we have some excellent ball carriers in the forwards. 
 

Assuming Biggar is out and Finn doesn’t recover in time, Farrell, Henshaw and Harris could be the way forward. 
 

May also see a tweak in the front row. 

Gatland won't want to change a winning combination but has to realise there are a couple of positions that can be improved. Injuries notwithstanding, I think there will be very few changes to the 23.

 

Not only did Daly give up more penalties than we'd have liked, his lack of bulk was obvious in collision. So Harris or Aki in?

 

On the subject of giving up penalties, you'd have to have a look at Curry v Watson again. I'd swap them round - not just for the penalties also to give the Boks something slightly different to cope with. I'd be tempted to do the same with Beirne/Lawes but Lawes was a demon on Saturday and he'd still be my choice to move to lock if A-WJ needed a breather after 60 minutes.

 

Sutherland was only in because Wyn Jones was injured. If Jones recovers, I'd expect a switch back, even though Sutherland had a decent game after the first scrum. If Jones is in, I expect Gatland to stick with Vunipola on the bench.

 

Will he look at LC-D's lineouts and consider a change? I suspect Gatland will see past that and stick with him.

 

Fly half depends on the extent of Biggar's injury. If forced to sit it out, I expect Gatland to replace him with Farrell, anticipating more penalty kicks. Hogg can try the long ones in Daly's absence.

 

1. W Jones

2. LC-D

3. Furlong

4. A-WJ

5. Itoje

6. Lawes

7. Mish

8. Conan

9. Price

10. Biggar (Farrell if HIA says so)

11. Duhan

12. Henshaw

13. Harris

14. Watson

15. Hogg

 

subs:

Owens

Vunipola

Sinckler

Beirne

Curry

Murray

Farrell (Aki if Biggar's out)

Williams

 

 

[I P Knightley]

p.s. That pitch was cutting up badly. I saw both Hogg and VdM lose their footing under no pressure and the scrums were churning it up massively. It's going to be like a farm for the third test.

[Malinga the Swinga]

Finn Russell back training again. If he's passed fit and Biggar is out with concussion, then Farrell to start and Russell on bench.

[Seymour M Hersh]

19 minutes ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Finn Russell back training again. If he's passed fit and Biggar is out with concussion, then Farrell to start and Russell on bench.

 

Don't forget he now has Smith the wonder boy available to choose at fly-half.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Seymour M Hersh

[Malinga the Swinga]

2 minutes ago, Seymour M Hersh said:

 

Don't forget he now has Smith the wonder boy available to choose at fly-half.

Smith looked good but Gatland won't take chance by putting him in. 

[CMc]

22 minutes ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Finn Russell back training again. If he's passed fit and Biggar is out with concussion, then Farrell to start and Russell on bench.

That’s good news. I’d happily swap the creativity of Daly for a bit more solidity in midfield if Finn is there to distribute. 
 

The back 3 and Henshaw would be plenty for him to work with. 

[CMc]

1 minute ago, Malinga the Swinga said:

Smith looked good but Gatland won't take chance by putting him in. 

Might make the bench for the third if 2-0 up. 

[I P Knightley]

Erasmus has been caught out being a dick on social media. He used a 'dormant' account to Tweet complaints about refereeing decisions and then retweeted them as himself saying, "it's rugby - we don't complain about referees."

 

He's then tweeted under his own account with a mega whinge about Cheslin Kolbe being 'taken out' in the air (50:50 for a high ball with Price); that it wasn't straight into touch and then how he got picked up by Vunipola despite being "injured".

 

Very, very salty.

[CMc]

3 hours ago, I P Knightley said:

Erasmus has been caught out being a dick on social media. He used a 'dormant' account to Tweet complaints about refereeing decisions and then retweeted them as himself saying, "it's rugby - we don't complain about referees."

 

He's then tweeted under his own account with a mega whinge about Cheslin Kolbe being 'taken out' in the air (50:50 for a high ball with Price); that it wasn't straight into touch and then how he got picked up by Vunipola despite being "injured".

 

Very, very salty.

Not very bright to use the same graphics on both accounts. 
 

Between this and bending the rules about coaches on the pitch, he’s got to flying close to some sort of disrepute charge. 

[I P Knightley]

4 hours ago, CMc said:

Not very bright to use the same graphics on both accounts. 
 

Between this and bending the rules about coaches on the pitch, he’s got to flying close to some sort of disrepute charge. 

And footage that wasn't broadcast but distributed to the coaches. 

[Kiwidoug]

Very impressed.  Love the Lions.  Very pleased Scotland is back in the fold.  Wouldn't be if prick Matt Dawson had his way.

 

Itoje one of my all time favourites.

[The Mighty Thor]

Has Biggar been confirmed as a head injury? I can't see anything from the usual news outlets.

[Malinga the Swinga]

28 minutes ago, The Mighty Thor said:

Has Biggar been confirmed as a head injury? I can't see anything from the usual news outlets.

Believe he was cleared to start training from Thursday

[I P Knightley]

29 minutes ago, The Mighty Thor said:

Has Biggar been confirmed as a head injury? I can't see anything from the usual news outlets.

They confirmed it during the match - hence Daly staying on to the end of the match having already been taken off.

 

There's been nothing to indicate the severity, though. I didn't see the collision during the coverage so have no idea whether or not it was, in medical terms, a "Sair Yin".

[Malinga the Swinga]

Harris in but Watson dropped from squad. Also Vunipola in from start. Don't get Watson unless he's being punished for the tackle he put in on last game.

Very disappointing to see Price dumped for Murray. Back to slow ponderess rugby.

How Tom Curry has kept place is remarkable as he was awful last week.

Edited July 27, 2021 by Malinga the Swinga

[I P Knightley]

5 minutes ago, Barack said:

Oohh-Kaayyy!

 

I guessed minimal changes, but... not that one! Price had a blinder on Saturday; Murray steadied the ship once the lead had been established but I wouldn't have had him starting.

 

No place for 'Mish on the bench??? I thought it was Bigger had the head injury, not Gatland!

 

Pleased for Chris Harris, though. He's a fine player.

[Malinga the Swinga]

1 minute ago, I P Knightley said:

Oohh-Kaayyy!

 

I guessed minimal changes, but... not that one! Price had a blinder on Saturday; Murray steadied the ship once the lead had been established but I wouldn't have had him starting.

 

No place for 'Mish on the bench??? I thought it was Bigger had the head injury, not Gatland!

 

Pleased for Chris Harris, though. He's a fine player.

Watson dropped after pressure from his tackle last week. The media have gone overboard on it and the clamour to bring in Falletu was starting to appear.

A Watson and Curry are golden boys of media and can do no wrong. Very lucky to be picked but they will know that they will be praised, regardless of what they do.