Australia v British & Irish Lions, 3rd Test (Sydney)

[fatprop]

Roberts is a big game match player, and will step up. I suspect Smith will have less of an impact. But we'll know for sure on Saturday night.

Poite will make a big difference, both the first SH refs, tried to keep the ruck area "clean"

I just don't see Poite being as tough there

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The prospect of George playing one more test has me a little excited I have to say. Hopefully he doesn't blow up in the first minute and get carried off!

 

[Tex]

I've watched this clip a number of times and it never ceases to amaze me. Deans calls it the two best 40 minute rugby displays he's seen, and I tend to agree.

Can't wait.

 

[Boomer]

I fail to see how Donald Rumsfeld's ramblings have any relevance to Saturday's rugby test. Other than indiscriminately bombing London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Dublin.

Sorry, Belfast, you missed out. Being bombed by Septics, that is.

You don't see the connection between Mad Prof Robbie and Mad Rummy's Ramblings?

I've lost the crowd.

McCalman has been tested in Test matches over a three year run. Kimlin, not.

If you wanted big bodies for the tail end of a big Test to truck it up and play tight, McCalman was a fit, in form and safe selection.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Because Palu comes off.

Assuming the plan is the same as the 2nd test (where injuries didn't force substitutions), Hooper will come on for Palu with about 20 minutes to go.

McCalman is on the bench for the period after that in case Smith runs out of steam.

I'm not a big fan of McCalman so I'm not going to argue between him and Kimlin (I wouldn't have picked McCalman either) but I think this is a safety first reserve option knowing that if all goes to plan he won't be needed and if he is, it will likely to be for a short time late in the game where what you're looking for out of him is error free football.

This is my take on things - I don't know what Deans' thinking is. If George is still going at 60 minutes, I expect he will be good for the whole 80, barring late injury. Therefore, I think it is unlikely he will need to be replaced except by Hooper earlier if he runs out of energy before the 60 minute mark. I still think there would be better value from an extra back on the bench than the 6th forward. The bigger risk imo is that a couple or three backs, heaven forbid AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), will succumb to injury before a third back row forward or lock.

 

[JSRF10]

Roberts is a big game match player, and will step up. I suspect Smith will have less of an impact. But we'll know for sure on Saturday night.

Not too sure about that, I'm struggling to think of a game against one of the big 3 that he has truly dominated in the past couple of year maybe South Africa in the World Cup?

He is at his best when his backrow are on top and Phillips is giving him quick ball. If the Wallabies can slow down the Lions ball and get the defensive line up quickly, they've gone most of the way of stopping Roberts, if Lions get the ball recycled in less than 5 seconds they are in business. The 6 nations just passed showed if you slow the ball down Roberts looks pretty average going forward. Thats why pairing him with another bosher, and one more on the bench is a poor decision IMO.

 

[Braveheart81]

This is my take on things - I don't know what Deans' thinking is. If George is still going at 60 minutes, I expect he will be good for the whole 80, barring late injury. Therefore, I think it is unlikely he will need to be replaced except by Hooper earlier if he runs out of energy before the 60 minute mark. I still think there would be better value from an extra back on the bench than the 6th forward. The bigger risk imo is that a couple or three backs, heaven forbid AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), will succumb to injury before a third back row forward or lock.

I think this will have been fairly calculated.

The fact that Smith had no involvement last week and is now starting suggests that the medical staff didn't consider him quite ready a week ago (or more realistically a week and a half ago when they were settling on a team for the 2nd test at training).

I'm guessing they do have some doubts about whether Smith can last 80 minutes and that is why they've added a reserve specifcally to cover him. If he's cooked with 10 minutes to go it could make a big difference having some fresh legs to replace him.

 

[Starch]

I hope we go further with corner kicks for Folau. The leagie's play-book of trucking it up the middle for a bit, then a precision kick to the corner, would be hard to defend against Folau, even if you knew it was coming.
The one we tried was not precise, and Folau had to almost go back, before forward again; and it still nearly worked. If it had gone where it was intended it would have been shut the gate.
We could try our hand, but if getting no-where after multiple phases, go for this play.

 

[jay-c]

you know what id love to see>
us use the high kick to falou as often as the pale skins kick for the posts
id love to see it used to the point they call us boring!
lets face it> hes gunna catch more than not and if they land on the try line its 5 points> like how are the wallabies not seeing this!

 

[JSRF10]

The only problem with the cross field kick is that the Wallabies probably don't have a kicker skilled enough to land it right on the point where Folau can attack it at his aerial peak (if that makes sense!). The ones they have tried seem like speculative lobs so far where they are giving the defender too much of a chance to compete, the bombs need to be slightly longer and maybe a fit flatter too.

 

[jay-c]

The only problem with the cross field kick is that the Wallabies probably don't have a kicker skilled enough to land it right on the point where Folau can attack it at his aerial peak (if that makes sense!). The ones they have tried seem like speculative lobs so far where they are giving the defend too much of a chance to compete, the bombs need to be slightly longer and maybe a fit flatter too.

careful you'll open the red floodgates
but your 100% on the money> i thought beale had a better kick but the one the other night was shocking

 

[GaffaCHinO]

The only problem with the cross field kick is that the Wallabies probably don't have a kicker skilled enough to land it right on the point where Folau can attack it at his aerial peak (if that makes sense!). The ones they have tried seem like speculative lobs so far where they are giving the defender too much of a chance to compete, the bombs need to be slightly longer and maybe a fit flatter too.

Never Fear George Smith is here!

 

[Nathan's]

Not too sure about that, I'm struggling to think of a game against one of the big 3 that he has truly dominated in the past couple of year maybe South Africa in the World Cup?

He is at his best when his backrow are on top and Phillips is giving him quick ball. If the Wallabies can slow down the Lions ball and get the defensive line up quickly, they've gone most of the way of stopping Roberts, if Lions get the ball recycled in less than 5 seconds they are in business. The 6 nations just passed showed if you slow the ball down Roberts looks pretty average going forward. Thats why pairing him with another bosher, and one more on the bench is a poor decision IMO.

I have the feeling that the Lions outside backs will not be getting quick ball. Just like the first test, Mowen will be all over Phillips (unless the Lions have developed a plan to combat that). We know how dangerous Phillips can be, and with him not delivering quick ball to Sexton, it could develop into being a real issue. Phillips didn't play well at all in the first test (perhaps injury played a role in that) but if he's on top of his game, the Lions will be hard to stop. If we stop Phillips, Roberts just won't be as effective.

The Lions will have to be careful they don't become isolated, because i'll tell you who'll be there, George Smith. He'll hover around waiting for his opportunity to strike. YES, he may just have come back from an injury and been out for 6 weeks, but he's a seasoned professional.

 

[AdelaideRugby84]

I'm very surprised the Lions dropped BOD. The backlash out of Ireland has been unbelievable. We may get support from the Irish now.

 

[RoffsChoice]

Welcome to the forums ShireRugby84

Another Blog, Whiff of Cordite, was talking about how a lot of Irish were refusing to support the Lions now and how hard it is already for Ireland and Scotland supporters to get behind the Lions.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I've watched this clip a number of times and it never ceases to amaze me. Deans calls it the two best 40 minute rugby displays he's seen, and I tend to agree.

Can't wait.

That was gold. I agree with Deans that it's one of the finest displays of openside play you'll ever see. The only one I've seen that tops it was McCaw at Suncorp in 2006.

 

[Scotty]

I think this will have been fairly calculated.

The fact that Smith had no involvement last week and is now starting suggests that the medical staff didn't consider him quite ready a week ago (or more realistically a week and a half ago when they were settling on a team for the 2nd test at training).

I'm guessing they do have some doubts about whether Smith can last 80 minutes and that is why they've added a reserve specifcally to cover him. If he's cooked with 10 minutes to go it could make a big difference having some fresh legs to replace him.

It is a big risk to take in the hope that Smith is the game breaker though. They could easily have just had him coming off the bench for the last 30 and they then could have gone a 5/3 split.

I hope it doesn't bite us.

 

[fatprop]

I'm very surprised the Lions dropped BOD. The backlash out of Ireland has been unbelievable. We may get support from the Irish now.

Yep, posted on PR, made I larf

 

[Braveheart81]

I think the reality tomorrow night will be that the stadium will still be chock-a-block full of Lions fans who will all be making a ton of noise.

I think any Irish person who has a ticket to the game will be well and truly over any angst or upset they're feeling about the BOD decision and will be pumped tomorrow night. I think it's pretty much impossible not to be.

I really don't think any Irish Lions supporters will be turning up tomorrow night to cheer for the Wallabies.

 

[Zander]

That match should be put in a rugby time vault, last international played under the old tackler release interpretations.