Blues v BI Lions

booboo

Lions Tour Game 2

Haven't seen a match thread yet.

When is the team named? Seriously.

(I see somebody had made the joke somewhere else that it wouldn't be Thursday.)

Two teams to be named.

Tim

Blues are supposed to be named today.

KiwiMurph

Blues are livestreaming their team naming on their facebook page at 12.30pm nz time. Sounds it will be Ihaia at 10 with Francis joining the England squad in Argie.

Duluth

So, similar to the xv against the Chiefs. Notable changes/selections:

Perofeta starts, West on the bench

SBW bracketed with TJ

Collins starts. Nanai is bracketed with TJ on the bench

Scrafton and GCT start, Tuipulotu on the bench

Pryor and Nock both make the bench

Tim

Team:

Ofa T
Parsons
Faumuina
Cowley-Tuioti
Scrafton
A Ioane
Gibson
Luatua
Pulu
Perofeta
R Ioane
SBW/Faiane
Moala
Duffy
Collins

Reserves:

Faiva
Hodgman
Mafileo
Tuipulotu
Pryor
Nock
West
Faiane/Nanai

akan004

@Duluth Tana strikes again. Bet you big Pat T won't be too impressed. His last chance to stake a claim for the Abs and Tana decides to put him on the bench.

KiwiMurph

Apart from Collins - that's about the best lineup the Blues can put out. All those bench players deserve their spot. Even if SBW starts i'd prefer Nanai on the bench to TJ - I think Faiane is better suited to start.

Still - its clear Blues are going all in to win this one. Should be brilliant.

I don't blame Tana for putting Pat T on the bench - he's shown glimpses this season but certainly has not stamped his mark as the Blues best lock.

Perofeta at 10 is my favourite call - love it.

Tim

Perofeta looked like a rookie last week, but goal kicked well. Hope he gets off to good start so that he builds some confidence ...

ACT Crusader

Great to see Collins back. Really missed his play on the weekend.

Derm McCrum

Is Sonny Bill Williams still playing rugby?

I thought he'd taken up boxing or hang gliding or badge-patching or something...

Tim

@ACT-Crusader Very droll.

mariner4life

Nanai must be the worst trainer in the history of professional rugby. It's fucking criminal he isn't starting, let alone only bracketed on the bench. The fuck Tana?

Stargazer

Glad West is back in time to be in the 23. That ankle injury could have cost him this unique experience. If Perofeta is too green to cope on Wednesday, the Blues have more experience on the bench. Just hope West doesn't re-injure that ankle again (I'm already thinking Mitre 10 Cup).

Dice

I thought SBW and Faiane were going to pair up in the midfield for this game when I heard their names called together, but I didn't pick up that they were bracketed. I was really hoping this was the midfield for this game.

Perofeta's been given a pretty big game to start. I don't mind the selection as I want him to get some experience before next season.

MN5

When are the Lions named?

Dice

@MN5 said in Blues v BI Lions:

When are the Lions named?

Thurs....

Catogrande

Lions team to play Blues

Halfpenny; Nowell, Payne, Henshaw, Daly; Biggar, Webb; McGrath, Owens (captain), Cole, Itoje, Lawes, Haskell, Tipuric, Stander

Replacements: Best, Marler, Sinckler, Henderson, O'Mahony, Laidlaw, Sexton, L Williams

taniwharugby

Tana side stepped a couple of questions about 2005 in the presser as well.

Catogrande

@taniwharugby said in Blues v BI Lions:

Tana side stepped a couple of questions about 2005 in the presser as well.

Good on him. That ship sailed a long time ago.

kiwiinmelb

looking forward to these games ,

really interested to see how the Lions deal with super rugby style play , not because they are inferior , but more because it may be very different to what they are used to,

is it possible that one of these super rugby sides gets a roll on and puts on a big score ? Not so sure they would be good for rugby though

The Silver Fern

Blues v BI Lions