Springboks v British & Irish Lions III
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@arhs said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
Morne Steyn. Sam Simmonds and Finn Russell. All very interesting. Sinckler...why?
Sinkler's a reluctant pick because there's nobody else available.
Overall this is a pretty weak Lions squad, weakest I can remember (the 2005 NZ tour was obviously an utter shambles, but it's hard to compare if it's weaker because that was just so weirdly mismanaged).
Back row is the only area with genuine quality and depth. Which makes it all the more strange that we're sticking with the same not-quite-working combination.
Locks are fairly strong, 4 good options. But everywhere else we've got a rag tag selection of players who are off form, just aren't that good or are too young and unproven for Gatt's liking.
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Supporting the Boks-if Gatland does badly again that could set back the coach-poaching ambitions of Poms and over greedy overseas teams a decade or two!
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@mikethesnow said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
WTF happened at 2.30 , worst nightmare , Ted turns into Fozzie
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@arhs said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
Morne Steyn. Sam Simmonds and Finn Russell. All very interesting. Sinckler...why?
Sinkler's a reluctant pick because there's nobody else available.
Overall this is a pretty weak Lions squad, weakest I can remember (the 2005 NZ tour was obviously an utter shambles, but it's hard to compare if it's weaker because that was just so weirdly mismanaged).
Back row is the only area with genuine quality and depth. Which makes it all the more strange that we're sticking with the same not-quite-working combination.
Locks are fairly strong, 4 good options. But everywhere else we've got a rag tag selection of players who are off form, just aren't that good or are too young and unproven for Gatt's liking.
@gibbonrib I don't know if I agree with your assessment of the lions squad. I feel this one of the deepest Lions squads in recent memory and almost everyone on tour is contender for test place. It does lack a bit of star power and there are positions (9-13) where the options aren't great, but overall this is not weak squad.
I'm not old enough to remember much of 97 tour, but the narrative since was about players building their reputation on that tour. Saturday needs a couple of lions to stand up and do the same.
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@sidbarret said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
@daffy-jaffy said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
Faf and PSDT out injured -
South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marco van Staden, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Morne Steyn, 23 Damian WillemseHappy with the starting 15 (given the injuries).
Reinach v Jantjies is a bit of tough one.
Glad they went with Mostert at blindside, think he will shine there.
Worried about the back five of the scrum in the last 20, Lood is unlikely to last the 80 and we'll be left with very short and light pack.
Might have rotated Marx and Mbonambi - don't think we have seen the best of Marx in this series and swapping them around may have been a way to get more out of Marx.
Morne fucking Steyn - fair dues to the man, he has been fine for the bulls, but really limits what we will be able to do late in the game.Mbonambi is awesome imo. No quotas there, the guy deserves his place.
@billy-tell Mbonambi is great and there is no need to bring up quotas for any player in the squad.
My idea with swapping the hookers is about getting more out of Marx. Marx can be a real difference maker, but he hasn't done that in the two tests so far - starting might just change that.
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@mikethesnow Smith isnt ready for this match. Russell would be good to bring on of chasing the game.
honestly, I think that lots of these conversation that have been had about selection and the teams selected, show that this Lions squad is one of the poorest for some time....
@dagrubster said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
@mikethesnow Smith isnt ready for this match. Russell would be good to bring on of chasing the game.
honestly, I think that lots of these conversation that have been had about selection and the teams selected, show that this Lions squad is one of the poorest for some time....
I think Smith is ready, as is LRZ.
Russell needs to have a massive impact to justify staying on tour.
Outside of a world class inside centre and a fit LH prop we definitely have the personnel to win this series.
I think it’s more about tactics and trying to shoehorn players into that system that’s been the problem.
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@gibbonrib I don't know if I agree with your assessment of the lions squad. I feel this one of the deepest Lions squads in recent memory and almost everyone on tour is contender for test place. It does lack a bit of star power and there are positions (9-13) where the options aren't great, but overall this is not weak squad.
I'm not old enough to remember much of 97 tour, but the narrative since was about players building their reputation on that tour. Saturday needs a couple of lions to stand up and do the same.
@sidbarret said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
@gibbonrib I don't know if I agree with your assessment of the lions squad. I feel this one of the deepest Lions squads in recent memory and almost everyone on tour is contender for test place. It does lack a bit of star power and there are positions (9-13) where the options aren't great, but overall this is not weak squad.
I'm not old enough to remember much of 97 tour, but the narrative since was about players building their reputation on that tour. Saturday needs a couple of lions to stand up and do the same.
Certainly how we remember this squad and the individuals in it will depend on what happens on Saturday. If Russell produces one great bid of skill that results in a series winning score then he'll be a Lions legend. And he does it but then DVDM knocks on and they lose the series then he'll be remembered as having a very disappointing tour. Not fair, but that's sport.
The squad is very even, and almost everyone could have been in contention for a test spot but I don't think that's a reflection of high quality (with the notable exception of the back row). Centres are desperately uninspiring, likewise the options at 9. Williams is the best 15 but not on top form, Hogg well off his best. Wingers - Watson not playing great, VDM looks poor, LRZ could be good but we'll never know, Adams is the only strong option. 10 - Biggar doing Biggar things but again not at his best, Russell is a wild punt, Smith see LRZ.
Font row has done OK but not great, set piece has been bit patchy.
But if they stuff the Bok on the weekend then this is crap and they're all legends.
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@mikethesnow Smith isnt ready for this match. Russell would be good to bring on of chasing the game.
honestly, I think that lots of these conversation that have been had about selection and the teams selected, show that this Lions squad is one of the poorest for some time....
@dagrubster said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
@mikethesnow Smith isnt ready for this match. Russell would be good to bring on of chasing the game.
honestly, I think that lots of these conversation that have been had about selection and the teams selected, show that this Lions squad is one of the poorest for some time....
Smith hasn’t been ready for most matches he’s played in but has come through very well. Tell me which of our 10s is more ready? Biggar? Meh. Farrell? Underperforming for sometime now. Russell? Injured and flakey.
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Box-Kick-a-thon so far.
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Lions reasonably dominant, but giving away penalties at critical moments.
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Lions reasonably dominant, but giving away penalties at critical moments.
@victor-meldrew said in Springboks v British & Irish Lions III:
Lions reasonably dominant, but giving away penalties at critical moments.
Yup, should be further ahead given the dominance. You know the Boks are going to come back hard at some point, feels well balanced
