Warren Gatland has named the Lions team to take on New Zealand in the 3rd Test.
British & Irish Lions (v New Zealand, 3rd Test, Saturday, July 8, 7.35pm NZST, 8.35am BST)
15. Liam Williams – Scarlets, Wales, #833
14. Anthony Watson – Bath Rugby, England, #816
13. Jonathan Davies – Scarlets, Wales, #778
12. Owen Farrell – Saracens, England, #780
11. Elliot Daly – Wasps, England, #822
10. Johnny Sexton – Leinster, Ireland, #791
9. Conor Murray – Munster, Ireland, #790
1. Mako Vunipola – Saracens, England, #787
2. Jamie George – Saracens, England, #819
3. Tadhg Furlong – Leinster, Ireland, #818
4. Maro Itoje – Saracens, England, #825
5. Alun Wyn Jones – Ospreys, Wales, #761
6. Sam Warburton (capt) – Cardiff Blues, Wales, #800
7. Sean O’Brien – Leinster, Ireland, #796
8. Taulupe Faletau – Bath Rugby, Wales, #779
Replacements
16. Ken Owens – Scarlets, Wales, #829
17. Jack McGrath – Leinster, Ireland, #827
18. Kyle Sinckler – Harlequins, England, #814
19. Courtney Lawes – Northampton Saints, England, #826
20. CJ Stander – Munster, Ireland, #831
21. Rhys Webb – Ospreys, Wales, #820
22. Ben Te’o – Worcester Warriors, England, #815
23. Jack Nowell – Exeter Chiefs, England, #828
What do you make of this lineup?
Assume all of those defending AWJ selection last week will also be defending Mako selection this week. Personally not convinced either should be starting. However Gatland was proved right last week, so fingers crossed again for this week.
Was he proved right? AWJ played well but expectations were pretty low. He hardly set the world alight and still wasn’t the best lock in the team, bench included
Agreed. An improvement on some poor displays but a level below Lawes, Kruis and Henderson IMO. Really felt, in the circumstances, a role as impact player would have been better for Mako.
Ah – may I explain further. Didn’t agree with AWJ selection last week and don’t this week, but they won, and therefore Gatland justified in his selections. To a reasonable degree and in this respect was proved right.
Pablito, that’s a pretty ignorant comment. I know everyone and his dog ‘notices’ Itoje – and why not, he’s a superb player – but a huge amount of what AWJ does – like two monumental hits in the first 10 mins of Test 2 – sometimes goes unseen because it happens at close quarters, and people without a real feel for the game simply miss it. Great player of our times, most Lions caps of any player in the professional era. Congrats to him, ignore the moaners.
Staggy
How was he ‘proved right’? Just because his team scraped it @ the death v 14 when 1 Barrett pen would have changed it all around doesn’t prove Gatland was ‘right’.. or wrong. What if he’d played, say Lawes & McGrath & still won , would that have been ‘right’ then too? Might have won by more? Like the dropping of BOD, when the Lions may also have won anyway, yr contention is surely speculative.
Don, all of our contentions are speculation. And don’t go all – well this might have happened or that might have happened. What did happen, happened. SBW got sent off and Barrett missed kicks which is something that he has been prone to do.
I could say something like if England had made all their tackles since 1987 then we would be 8 times world champions. We didn’t and we aren’t. Lions won the game, which they might have done anyway as they were playing better in this test. Has to be in part due to Gatland, so he got something right.
However don’t get me wrong, I’m not a Gatland supporter and I don’t think MV or AWJ should be starting this test. But then that is my contention.
By the way, Don, the Lions ‘might’ have won with BOD. Well they might have, but unlikely. Have you any theories why Gatland ‘might’ have dropped him? He wasn’t concerned about the test series outcome, so just picked a Welsh player instead of a despised Irish one, is that it?
Just seen the ABs team. Looks like Hansen’s going for power with Savea and Laumape bought in. Could almost be a Gatland team…
Haha, with “the bus” and “the minibus” selected, therefore a gameplan based around the Maori sidestep likely, I thought exactly the same. As the saying goes “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” ;)
I hoped for the same 23, I would have switched the 117 shirts.
The starting second row pairing makes sense to me. If Lawes starts then Itoje is the tighthead lock. With AWJ starting then AWJ is packing down on the right hand side of the scrum. So we start with more stability and bring on the impact.
You’re a Lions Fan alright, with yr; “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”. Laumape has scored 14 (I think?) tries in S Rugby this yr & Savea is 3rd top try scorer in AB history. Are you suggesting that all these were from the ‘ Maori sidestep’? Ever watched SH rugby fella? Then get Sky & educate yrself.
Are you suggesting “the bus” and “the minbus” spectacular try scoring records are all from dancing round people with spectacular footwork leaving defenders grasping at air? Maybe these are just ironic nicknames for silky runners that glide through defences?
Both incredible players, both match winners, but if you don’t think power is a key (if not they key) attribute they bring it’s you that needs to, objectively, watch more of your own team.
The selection of “The minibus” over the more experienced and skillful Fekitoa suggests plenty of smashing it up the 10/12 channel.
Oh RELIEF! Someone who actually knows what he’s talking about! Ta Lions Fan.
With Gatland belatedly using The England attack method I fail to understand why he is not using JJ for this particular match.Firstly There is going to be more space for inside runners as defenders will not wish to be exposed to JJ’s extra pace in the outside channel. Secondly JD has scored 13 tries in 64 internationals wheras JJ has 16 in 32 I think that establishes who is the better attacker.Thirdly for this match the Lions are going to need an opportunistic predator- Failure to convert opportunities into tries cost us the first test
JS10 – although English and an England supporter moreso than the other home nations, I don’t think I can agree re: JD and JJ. I do rate JJ highly however, perhaps because of his searing speed, he is more of a flat track bully and he also plays behind a stronger pack in what is a stronger team which I’m sure is why his try scoring return is that much higher than JD
Also agree with Septimus. JD2 has looked better on this tour and deserves his place. He has also played in a very limited game plan with Wales, which I think has hamstrung his attacking game.
The one thing i would say JJ has over JD is he is good poacher pouncing on loose passes and punishing other teams for mistakes made while attacking but JD has been the better player on tour and as Septimus points out is more suited to the opposition so is the right choice. JJ might have made a good bench option thou.
JS 10
Aren’t you assuming that the Lions are going to dominate possession. If, with a FULL, side the AB’s hog possession/territory as in the 1st test , what makes you think that they won’t do so again. A 3 pt win @ the death v 14? In the more likely event that NZ repeat their 1st test performance, then JJ or whoever, will likely be rendered mainly a defender.
Your Analysis may unfortunately turn out to be correct.However the point I wish to stress is this: In the 1st test the All blacks had 3 try scoring opportunities and converted the lot -The Lions had 5 chances and converted 1.At the end of the day the only thing that counts is what the scoreboard says at 80 minutes. I actually have some sympathy for Gatland-Medieval Alchemy is childs play compared to Lions selection-sometimes Lady Luck smiles on you-I think back to Martin Johnson”s side in 97. THrough a mixture of injuries and lack of form they found a winning formula!.
Well Don as I pointed out elsewhere, the ABs had a full contingent for the first 25 mins of the second test. During which time they not only did not dominate the breakdown but were consistently driven backwards in the tackle. SBW’s hit looked born of frustration and a desire to regain that dominance.
What makes you think it will be any different in the last test?
BTW whilst I thoroughly enjoy pointing out Don’s hypocrisy, I do think the ABs will win this. Probably by a try in the last ten.
There’s a lot on the line for them and this is a generation of ABs who have forgotten or never really knew about their time as serial chokers on the world stage.
Savea is class even if he is all about the power and whilst Laumape seems to be a one trick pony, it’s a pretty good trick – especially given AB support lines. Plus I think Kaino will have a point to prove…
Too suspect in defence, JJ. JD doesn’t score as many tries, but a huge number of great/crucial breaks and assists. And, against these big lumps, the better defender.
Not much to say really. I had hoped to see McGrath get a start, but I can see why he’s stuck with Mako. The ABs do what Mako did all the time. Clear out past the ball, not necessarily close to the ball, and get away with it. If he hadn’t hit Barrett in the face with his shoulder it would most likely have only been a penalty. That aggression at the breakdown kept us in the game last week and eventually helped us win it. I’m not sure McGrath brings that same threat at the breakdown?
Other than that the only other changed I would have made would have been Kruis back in for AWJ, but Gats was never going to miss AWJ out of the team, and he’s not an impact player off the bench.
One thing I would like to see is Daly coming off his wing and working in the 13 channel. His pace in that area could cause problems. Have Farrell backing him up for second wave distribution to Watson and Williams. This I feel would pose an attacking threat the ABs would not be expecting, but with Howler at the helm, I don’t think the ABs need to worry about it too much.
Dazza (Dazzle) which is it? As you admit Vunipola shouldered Barrett in the face, he was the 1 who got away with it don’t you agree? How was SBW’s tackle any diff? Might have even had an even game then.
Don P
The Mako yellow for the clear-out was pretty soft (imo)and if every breakdown was scrutinised as much there would be a lot more penalties/sin-binnings.
SBW on the other hand with a classic SBW shoulder charge, not even attempting to wrap. Illegal tackle for one, and making contact with the head; 2 offences.
A lazy flop of a clear-out from Mako, compared to Sonny Bill shoulder charging Watson in the face….they aren’t even close to being comparable.
Have to agree with Jake here. If Mako hadn’t made contact with Barrett’s head I don’t even think a yellow would have been given. It was a clumsy mistimed clear out. Barrett was on the floor so no possible way for Mako to wrap his arms.
On SBW’s shoulder charge, whilst I don’t think it was intended to hit Watson in the head/face there was clearly no attempt to wrap the arms and perform a legal tackle.
The fact that there would be more punishments dished out doesn’t mean that MV shouldn’t have been carded. He made avoidable contact to the head with force, while committing other offences at the same time. That’s a straight red.
Then why wasn’t he cited afterwards? There are plenty of other examples of yellow cards later being deemed worthy of red and a ban.
Given they cited SOB for what was effectively a normal tackle I hardly think they would have failed to cite MV had they thought it realistic.
If I’m being cynical perhaps it might have been because they didn’t want to encourage anyone looking too closely at their clear outs…
It was Dazza until someone didn’t look at their predictive text. Ahem……
As for the broken record of Southern Hemisphere always being hard done by. Sort of gets old whenever one of you loses. The rub goes both ways. Wonder why someone came up with the McCaw cloak of invisibility? Might it have been because he got away with rather too many infringements. Don’t remember any kiwis moaning about that when the boot was on the other foot.
It could easily go the other way in the next test. If it does, it does. Nothing I can do about it, or you. We might not like it but we have to accept it and move on. Least you’ve stopped going on about SoB, since he’s been cleared.
The ABs just have to accept that the camera is out to catch everyone equally nowadays. Its probably ‘Smart Rugby’ in the modern game fo keep all 15 on the pitch. NZ failed to do that! PERIOD! and indeed then it was game over!
Not really a surprise to see the same team named again, i feel sorry for the guys who have not had a chance in the tests but played very well, mainly Cole, Henderson and Tipuric. I think if SOB gets tied in at breakdowns then Laumape might cause some real damage carrying into Farrell/Sexton and we could end up on the back foot quite often. Going to be a long game that i can’t really see going in our favour. AB’s by 13.
‘Will he (Gatland) ACTUALLY change his starting line up? Poss, but unlikely. He’s pretty conservative @ heart & will therefore prob stick to last wk’s team’. And so it proved.
Gatland has picked his team we don,t all agree but I support them
if Dianne Abbott Katie Price Jeremy Corbyn and Boris were playing I would still be down at Olney Rugby Club Lions shirt on drinking beer 830am Saturday morning
Good luck boys
Surely Price at Hooker Seve? Ahh, the old ones are the best ones!
I thought Katuie Price was a pretty good hooker…….
Jeremy Corbyn? Left wing.
Boris would be at Scrum half throw shit passes to May at 10
Not the best selections imo, ..mistake to pick the same 9,10,12,..if Gatland was more decisive i would would have more confidence but if things are going wrong i can see the same hesitancy to make changes when they are needed so, when the lions are 15 down at the interval you DEFINITELY won’t see Tips come on to start opening play up cos hes not even in the 23, he must be the unluckiest player on tour along with Henderson , both should be in IMO, ..as should McGrath, we need try’s =attacking the ABs, Vinipola is being rewarded for being an idiot when we could strengthen the FR with McGrath and allow Tips for either o’brien or Sam,{tips can play anywhere believe me},…i think 9,10,12 will be caught more than we realise, , i hope i’m wrong but i recon a false sense of freedom came from last weeks game and it won’t pay off twice and Gats will leave changes needed too long as always and pobs the first needed will be Webb for Murray, yes he scored a try but imo kicked too much as always ,better to go thru 100 phases than give it to the ABs, hope the changes dont come too late to make a diff .,…C’MON Lions!