Brumbies v British & Irish Lions Tuesday 18 June 2013

[Hardtackle]

The Lions take on the Australian conference champions this coming Tuesday ....[/quote

Presumptive awakening of the mockers gods there. Nice.

 

[Paradox]

Not a bad pack for the Brumbies, considering.

Will be dominated in the set piece though

 

[Slim 293]

Presumptive awakening of the mockers gods there. Nice.

I doubt the mocker Gods can deliver the Reds a 120+ points victory over the Tahs in the final round.......... and if they do.........

God help us all.........

 

[Hardtackle]

I wasn't aware that the standings were declared at the end of the home and away rounds.

 

[Slim 293]

Yes. Hence the guaranteed finals spot from finishing "top of the conference".........

 

[Hardtackle]

So what you're saying is if you finish 4th after home and away yet win the competition you're not champions???

 

[Slim 293]

So what you're saying is if you finish 4th after home and away yet win the competition you're not champions???

Of course not........ I never said that.........

But if you finished 4th in the overall ladder of the regular season it obviously means you didn't top your conference going into the finals..........

 

[Brumby Jack]

So anyway, this game has nothing to do with conference standings......

 

[Ruggo]

Curious to see if the Brumbies can go uptempo. Clinical I don't think will get traction against the lions.

 

[Caputo]

Curious to see if the Brumbies can go uptempo. Clinical I don't think will get traction against the lions.

Why do they need to change their game plan? I remember last BIL game here where Brumbies won the Super 12 and all test players out. Frier was in for an early start, Des Tuavii replaced George Smith. Eddie Jones coached well and it took post siren try to beat us.

 

[Pedrolicus]

Pretty good team fielded by the brumbies. Pretty much the same team that played the rebels. Awesome to see Andrew Smith back, he was one of the best brums last year just had a bad run with injuries this season.

Brums will play their usual high percentage rugby, they have the best chance of any province to chalk a win.

 

[Athilnaur]

Something tells me we can be pretty confident Jake White knows how to select the best gameplan.

 

[Paradox]

To'omua + Smith + Kuridrani = Strong midfield defense

 

[Woodenspoon]

Interesting match. Maybe the last chance for an Australian franchise to beat the Lions.
The Brumbies had to name unexperienced players in the first row (22 years old on average if I'm not wrong) that will probabily struggle at scrums. Then we have Leon Power in the starting line-up who didn't play a lot in the Superrugby competition.
Apart this, there are no big changes compared to the standard Brumbies line-up that is doing well in the Super-rugby competition.
On the other side, the Lions seem to have named a weaker side, resting most of their first-string players for the match against the Wallabies on Saturday.
All these ingredients can hopefully contribuite to a Lions upset.

 

[Athilnaur]

Not the last chance, but a good chance if the Brumbies can replicate their Sharks game.

 

[Lee Grant]

It probably is the last chance unless they schedule another game.

I will be very interested to see how Sio scrummages as the THP. He will be directly opposite tour replacement Ryan Grant, a name which may not resonate with Oz fans, but as of the end of 6N I thought he was a good chance to be in the original squad.

Ruan Smith will be directly up against Matt Stevens who is not a great scrummager in my book.

There are a few scrubbers in the Lions' team and none of the starters in Canberra will start in the test match - which must piss off 6. SOB, 7. Tipuric and 8. Faletau who are the starts of this Lions' team.

Ben Youngs won't be jumping with joy either because it probably means that Murray and Phillips will be in the matchday 23 - a surprise, because they are virtually the same player.
.

 

[Rassie]

Makes a mockery of the whole selection process. Retired international playing in japan gets selected, wtf? Bit of an insult to Visser, Brown, Earls, blimey even Ashton

What a mad back line. Hogg’s second match at fly half, Barritt at 13, Wade only just capped by England, Kearney just back from injury and then Shane stopping by for a run out before he goes on to commentate next weekend.

 

[Wales Fan]

Makes a mockery of the whole selection process. Retired international playing in japan gets selected, wtf? Bit of an insult to Visser, Brown, Earls, blimey even Ashton

What a mad back line. Hogg’s second match at fly half, Barritt at 13, Wade only just capped by England, Kearney just back from injury and then Shane stopping by for a run out before he goes on to commentate next weekend.

Think people are reading too much into the Shane call up. I can understand why, but as mentioned earlier I think it purely comes down to he was the only guy close enough to get there have a days training with the squad and play one game. It gets them out of a hole plain & simple.
It doesn't highlight any issue with the selection process just the fact they didn't take a large enough squad in the 1st place. Which many felt at the time.

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

 

[Scotty]

I think the Brumbies will win this one.

 

[JSRF10]

Think people are reading too much into the Shane call up.Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 2

As I said on another thread any of the Welsh national team in Japan would have had the same journey, added that they have been playing at a slightly higher standard than Williams in the semi professional second division of Japanese rugby. Dan Biggar should have been called in, Gatland won't have won any friends with the Welsh backs on tour in Japan all of whom would rate themselves above Williams right now