NZ Provincial Barbarians v B&I Lions (Whangarei, 3 June 2017)

[Derm McCrum]

I think it's a fair assumption that players involved in PRO12 and Premiership finals last weekend will not play on Saturday.

So that knocks out Davies, Murray, Stander, O'Mahony, Nowell, Daly, Haskell, Halfpenny, North, L Williams.

I reckon Warburton will lead out the side since it's his first game back and he needs game time. Ditto for Ken Owens. Plus players who haven't played since regular season end on 6 May - including Best, Hogg, Payne, Seymour, Biggar, Te'o, Laidlaw, Marler, Cole, Sinckler, Henderson, Wyn Jones, Moriarty.

[Margin_Walker]

Moriarty and Laidlaw played the week after in the Challenge Cup, but should still be good to go.

[Derm McCrum]

@Margin_Walker

Fair enough - forgot the Challenge Cup. Ignoring trying of combos, the principle of using players with longest rest time first, and to ensure all 41 are used by Match 3 or 4, this would be a good way to go. He wants 90% of the first test side playing against the Maori.

[Margin_Walker]

Certainly makes sense. Squad for the first game more or less picks itself (would expect Warburton to captain). Everyone should have started a game by the third match and be pretty much at a starting test team for Maori, as you say.

Short, sharp tour, so some that aren't obviously inked in as test starters will only have perhaps a game and a sub appearance to press their case

[Derm McCrum]

Ok - so going on that premise, and recognising that he'll have to use some of the semi-finalists at least on the bench, my take on possible Lions side for Saturday might look like the below from this squad:

Back-three: Hogg, Halfpenny, Watson, Williams, Daly, North, Seymour, Nowell
Midfield: Payne, Joseph, Davies, Henshaw, Te'o
Out-halves: Sexton, Farrell, Biggar
Scrum-halves: Murray, Webb, Laidlaw
LH: McGrath, Marler, Vunipola
TH: Furlong, Cole, Sinckler
Hookers: Best, Owens, George
Locks: Itoje, Henderson, Kruis, Jones, Lawes
Backrowers: Haskell, Moriarty, Stander, O'Mahony, Faletau, Warburton, Tipuric, O'Brien

Lions v Provincial Barbarians XV
15 Hogg 14. Watson 13 Joseph 12 Te'o 11 Seymour 10 Biggar 9 Laidlaw
1.Marler 2 Best 3 Sinckler 4 Henderson 5 Jones 6 Tipuric 7 Warburton 8 Faletau
Reps: 16 Owens 17 Vunipola, 18 Cole 19 Kruis 20 Moriarty 21 Webb 22 Farrell 23 Payne

[Crucial]

@Pot-Hale do you not think he will take an opportunity to get some combos going that he may want to use later ie guys that haven't played together alot?

I'm thinking in the loose forwards (instead of trotting out the Wales back three) and maybe the centres.

[Derm McCrum]

@Crucial said in NZ Provincial Barbarians v B&I Lions (Whangarei, 3 June 2017):

@Pot-Hale do you not think he will take an opportunity to get some combos going that he may want to use later ie guys that haven't played together alot?

I'm thinking in the loose forwards (instead of trotting out the Wales back three) and maybe the centres.

Yes - I agree. I was ignoring combos for this match and just working on rest time.
Some of the possible untried midfield combos are:
Sexton/Farrell/Davies (all previous Lions experience)
Sexton/Te'o/Joseph (Sexton & Te'o/Joseph haven't played together)
Farrell/Henshaw/Davies (Farrell & Davies previous Lions experience)
Farrell/Te'o/Henshaw
Biggar/Henshaw/Joseph
Biggar/Farrell/Payne
Biggar/Te'o/Payne

Davies is the only one who played last weekend.

Loose forwards - Stander, O'Mahony and Haskell played last weekend. O'Brien, Faletau, Warburton and Tipuric have previous Lions experience. Moriarty is a newbie.

[booboo]

When is the team named?

[taniwharugby]

@booboo probably naming it right now, apparently due to touch down in Auckland about midday, and no doubt after they have a nap, release it then...:)

[Derm McCrum]

It'll be after the powhiri and the choral response from the Lions - Thursday earliest I reckon

[taniwharugby]

from this morning, the stadium is under 24 hour surveillance with restricted access in the wake of recent attacks around the world

[Margin_Walker]

Lions 23 to be announced 8pm BST.

To lazy to try and figure what time that is in NZ

[Stargazer]

@Margin_Walker said in NZ Provincial Barbarians v B&I Lions (Whangarei, 3 June 2017):

Lions 23 to be announced 8pm BST.

To lazy to try and figure what time that is in NZ

7am

[Crucial]

@Stargazer said in NZ Provincial Barbarians v B&I Lions (Whangarei, 3 June 2017):

@Margin_Walker said in NZ Provincial Barbarians v B&I Lions (Whangarei, 3 June 2017):

Lions 23 to be announced 8pm BST.

To lazy to try and figure what time that is in NZ

7am

Thursday.

[Crucial]

@Pot-Hale said in NZ Provincial Barbarians v B&I Lions (Whangarei, 3 June 2017):

It'll be after the powhiri and the choral response from the Lions - Thursday earliest I reckon

Good to see you are learning Maori time. Next lesson is koha.

[Margin_Walker]

Not far off at all on the prediction Pot Hale

[Gunner]

Pleased to see Jared Payne in the team, I'm sure he'll receive a hearty northland welcome when he takes the field.

Getting fucking excited for this game, seems a lot more real now that the Lions have named their team.

[Derm McCrum]

@Margin_Walker said in NZ Provincial Barbarians v B&I Lions (Whangarei, 3 June 2017):

Not far off at all on the prediction Pot Hale

Pretty damn good! And I claim my Scottish bingo.

[taniwharugby]

pretty strong looking team.

Drove past the stadium earlier, hive of activity, and the field is looking perfect!

Isnt any rain about today (so far) lovely warm winters day!

[ACT Crusader]

That's a pretty strong side for the Lions. Hopefully the conditions are good.