Lions Team for 1st Test
By tigersimon
June 18 2017
My squad for 1st Test (those in bold I think are certainties). Finally watched my 1st live game yesterday morning!
15 Halfpenny - With Hogg out and Leigh' kicking not much debate
14 Daly - North and Nowell have not shown test form so a little bit of a gamble.
13 Davies - 75% certain Gatland will go with the Welshman but outside chance for JJ as he offers something different
12 Te'o - has played himself into the inside centre test berth
11 Watson - not seen a lot of ball but playing better than others. Gatland will no doubt pick North as he is Welsh.
10 Farrell - if fit enough to train by Wednesday otherwise Sexton and get Owen fit for last 2 tests.
9 Murray - best 9 in the tour party
1 Mako - The only thing that could change this is he too good a finisher when teams tire that you start someone else and put him on the bench as an impact player.
2 George - Not got the experience of Best or Owens but in better form.
3 Furlong - Head says Furlong, heart Cole!
4 Itoje - Argument about whether Maro or AWJ starts but would go with the Saracens combo.
5 Kruis - best lock in the touring party.
6 O'Mahony (c) - best flanker in squad.
7 O'Brian - now match fit as proved today and in form.
8 Stander - Needs a big game on Tuesday but IMO better than Faletau and gives an all Irish back row combination.
Bench
McGraph
Owens
Cole/Sinckler - Depends on what style Gatland wants on his bench
AWJ
Warburton
Webb
Sexton/Russell - Finn will never get past Biggar in Gatland's eyes but should have been part of the original squad IMO and is test match fit!
Henshaw?
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:06:29:13:32:56 by Tiggs.
Toby will start at 8.
Really hope JJ starts at 13 (but he won't).
AWJ should be no where near the starting 15 but he will be.
Halfpenny
North
Davies
Tao
Watson
Farrell
Murray
Vunipola
George
Furlong
Itoje
Kruis
O'mahony
Warburton
Faletau
McGrath
Owens
Sinckler
Jones
O'Brien
Webb
Sexton
Daly
Halfpenny
Daly
Joseph
Farrell
Watson
Sexton
Murray
Vunipola
Owens
Furlong
Jones
Kruis
O'mahony
O'Brien
Faletau
McGrath
George
Cole
Itoje
Warburton
Webb
Davies
Williams
Replacements: 16-Ken Owens, 17-Jack McGrath, 18-Kyle Sinckler, 19-Courtney Lawes, 20-CJ Stander, 21-Rhys Webb, 22-Ben Te'o, 23-Jack Nowell
Hmm. I suspect Gatland watched a different first test to the one I watched. AWJ looked off the pace from the start and that 10/12 combo did nothing but give NZ space to play. Frankly, I will be surprised by a loss of less than 20.
Ahhhhhhhhh!!!
...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017:06:29:08:35:33 by Rich W.
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Jones must have some seriously risque pictures of Gatland, otherwise how is he still holding onto his test place.
Rugby Marvel called the Sexton/Farrell axis, but lets see if it now works...
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RM
Quote:And that, I guess, is why I was overlooked when the Lions were appointing a Head Coach :-)Elder
Hmm. I suspect Gatland watched a different first test to the one I watched. AWJ looked off the pace from the start and that 10/12 combo did nothing but give NZ space to play. Frankly, I will be surprised by a loss of less than 20.