1. Corbisiero
2. Hibbard
3. Jones
4. A W Jones (c)
5. Parling
6. Lydiate
7. O'Brien
8. Faletau
9. Phillips
10. Sexton
11. North
12. Roberts
13. Davies
14. Bowe
15. Halfpenny
16. T Youngs
17 Cole
18. Vunipola
19. Gray
20. Tipuric
21. Murray
22. Farrel
23. Tuilagi
Thinking about it, the Lions may give away the assendancy at the breakdown they enjoyed last week with BOD, Warburton and Vunipola in the run on side. I would start Smith to tip the ground war scales in our favour..
Official.
Seems very strange to me that Warren Gatland has had a whole year, PLUS plenty of warm-up games, and still can't work out what his best XV is.
I like this side, but you have to wonder if the chopping and changing will have an impact, even though many of these are established (Wales) combinations.
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Roberts was always going to come back in so the decision to play Davies is purely on combination and in my opinion he was the form center leading into the tests. He is bloody good. Better than BOD right now.
Sacrificing the lineout my arse. They will be competitive enough.
AWJ as captain is interesting too, what's his ref management like? Surely not as good as Warbs or POC?
This straight from SMHWestern Force back-rower Ben McCalman is the surprise inclusion in the Wallabies' 23-man squad for the third Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.
McCalman faced the press this morning and team officials confirmed that Brumbies fullback Jesse Mogg had also made the cut.
McCalman has not played for the Wallabies since the Test against Wales at the end of 2011, and did not make the Wallabies' original 25-man squad, but has forced his way into the match day 23 after a strong run of form for the Force.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/mccalman-forces-his-way-into-wallabies-squad-20130703-2pb84.html#ixzz2XwyTLy5z
Roberts and Davies are the same player good straight line runners with zero creativity. BODs presence alone attracts players in defense, added to the fact he can pass and is a far better defender than Davies makes that decision baffling.
Roman Poite doesn't take kindly to any questioning of his decisions from the captain, POC has learnt this the hard way in the Heineken Cup. Horwill and AWJ would just be advised to leave him to it on Saturday you don't want to get on his bad side or else he is liable to blow you off the park.
This straight from SMH
I think the two scenarios are:
A) 6:2 bench with JOC (James O'Connor) to cover centres
B) Using dual opensides with Hooper & Smith
I think scenario A is most likely... and hope to god AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) doesn't get crooked!! (touching wood now)[/