The Rugby Thread

[dtaai-maai]

"ARZ on the wing...." are we spelling Louis with a silent A, or talking an additional squad member?

Oh come on, Pietro, have you seen how close together the A and the L are on the keyboard?? Easy typo error...

Daly won't be in the starting XV and therefore not in the 23 for me (you have to look at cover).

Hmm, I sense a wager coming on...

[pharvey]

"ARZ on the wing...." are we spelling Louis with a silent A, or talking an additional squad member?

Oh come on, Pietro, have you seen how close together the A and the L are on the keyboard?? Easy typo error...

Well, there's the version you're using - and of course a dozen or so keys away if going clockwise.....

:

Daly won't be in the starting XV and therefore not in the 23 for me (you have to look at cover).

Hmm, I sense a wager coming on...

Daly has been superb, but I see the Centers as being Henshaw and (that English bloke ) Farrell - Wingers being Watson and Adams. Whilst not convinced, I can see Hogg being selected at 15, so Liam Williams will come in on the bench as cover. You'll also have a 10 0n the bench - the other "back" being someone like Davies at 9. The remainder will be forwards..... Long way to go though (hopefully we'll get to see it)!

BET ON!!

[dtaai-maai]

"ARZ on the wing...." are we spelling Louis with a silent A, or talking an additional squad member?

Oh come on, Pietro, have you seen how close together the A and the L are on the keyboard?? Easy typo error...

Well, there's the version you're using - and of course a dozen or so keys away if going clockwise.....

Oh well, if you're going clockwise...

Daly has been superb, but I see the Centers as being Henshaw and (that English bloke ) Farrell - Wingers being Watson and Adams. Wingers being Watson and Adams.

Farrell and Henshaw? Bold call! Much as I'd like to see him in, we haven't seen Watson yet. Oh, hang on, which club does he play for...?

BET ON!!

If the bet is solely about Daley being in the 23, I might be prepared to stake a half of best bitter...

(Mind you, I still owe Bamboo Grove a bottle of claret from a Wendyball wager about 10 years ago... )

[pharvey]

Watching the England vs Canada match - just reported that (England) rugby's answer to the "Wendyballer" - Marcus Smith has just been called up for the British Lions... Zero details yet, but Finn Russell's name was mentioned (Covid)?

More to follow no doubt....

[dtaai-maai]

Watching the England-Canada game, and they've just announced that Marcus Smith has been called up to the Lions squad!! That's a turn up for the books... Not sure why though - has one of the no. 10s been injured? Is it because of covid?

[dtaai-maai]

Snap!

[pharvey]

Farrell and Henshaw? Bold call! Much as I'd like to see him in, we haven't seen Watson yet. Oh, hang on, which club does he play for...?

BET ON!!

If the bet is solely about Daley being in the 23, I might be prepared to stake a half of best bitter...

(Mind you, I still owe Bamboo Grove a bottle of claret from a Wendyball wager about 10 years ago... )

Obviously I shall be long into collecting my pension before you would honour wagers (from the south you say..... ).

I'm obviously prepared to "widen" the bet - how about that 'Quins girly-no-knob NOT starting? Looks a cert IMHO that Biggar is starting - I don't think Gatland would want to leave Farrell out, so he starts at 12 (Damn, I should be on the selection team!! )

[dtaai-maai]

^^Blimey, you don't like Smith much, do you?? And he seems like such a nice boy. Ah, but he's a Quins boy, isn't he! Be happy for the lad. And no, that's a bet I won't be taking!

[dtaai-maai]

What's the record number of Lions captains on a single tour?

[pharvey]

^^Blimey, you don't like Smith much, do you?? And he seems like such a nice boy. Ah, but he's a Quins boy, isn't he! Be happy for the lad. And no, that's a bet I won't be taking!

Oh, delighted for the chap, with all hopes he enjoys his "tour" and gets nowhere near the touchline..... That said, my "Mam" thinks he's cute...

Talented player without a doubt - just a little too full of himself for my liking.... and there is that 'Quins bit

Seriously - fair play for the selection, but this to me (especially after today) means Biggar is the "Test 10". Connor Murray has done himself no favours (again - though Davies wasn't much better), Watson (hmmm..), VDM - great in offense... Doubts in defense. Fullback... well, not impressed so far.

Massive competition in the Backrow, and the only one for me so far is No.7 and Hamish Watson - Lawes was not there in the 2nd row (far and away better in the backrow) and I think the Lions suffered. Faletau will be 8 (?) .... So 6?


The Lions have a lot to do.....

[dtaai-maai]

There's been a lot of raving about VDM's performance, but I didn't think his all-round game was that good. Both Murray and Davies were pretty awful at 9 - the best Lions scrum half on the pitch today was... Elliot Daly!

I didn't think Biggar did himself any favours today either. In fact, I don't think any of the Lions players did so except for, perhaps, George, H. Watson, Beirne, Daly - I think that's about it. Maybe the other Watson? He looked good on the ball, and he definitely has the pedigree.

The sending off didn't help the game, though I think the turnaround would have happened anyway as fitness levels began to tell. There might not have been too much argument if it had been a yellow, but that's not the way the game's going these days. It was a silly, spiteful move and I don't have any sympathy for the bloke.

I think the main result of today is that the Springboks will be encouraged to pursue their 'physical' approach to the game. The Lions need to toughen up!

[pharvey]

I didn't think Biggar did himself any favours today either.

He's walked himself into the Test Side.... Come on DM.

At 9.... Well, all poor at the moment - Daley yes, a good option !! And he played a blinder.

Serious concerns with the front 3/5 and pi$$ed off Ken Owens still hasn't had a start and coming on as Sub is without a decent 3 (sorry 2) around him!!

As for fitness - Joburg is +/- 6,000 ft/1800 meters above sea level. I was brought up there, have worked there for extended periods since in and around and the Gauteng region, and can assure all it's somewhat different to being at sea-level.... Fecking hard.

SA also have their problems.... I'm just hoping the Tests can go ahead and all will be good!!

[arcadianagain]

Does anyone else remember the Willy-John McBride story of when he captained the Lions in SA. They were getting no protection from the local referees against the Springboks fouls play so he devised a plan, at his given signal all the Lions players would sucker punch the nearest Springbok, he said it worked and the Safas played more within the laws.

[dtaai-maai]

Does anyone else remember the Willy-John McBride story of when he captained the Lions in SA. They were getting no protection from the local referees against the Springboks fouls play so he devised a plan, at his given signal all the Lions players would sucker punch the nearest Springbok, he said it worked and the Safas played more within the laws.

Ah yes, the '99' call!
JPR Williams - my hero!

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/s ... es-99-call

[pharvey]

Oh, this has the makings of one hell of a game Huge team picked by SA and hardly a bad B&I Lions 23!!

Great to see Ken starting and Navidi again - he's the Test 6 I feel. Tom Curry needs to prove himself as does LRZ and quite frankly Conor Murray (despite being tour Captain) - up against Faf "The Man" could be interesting!! Did I see that man Barnes mentioned again......


South Africa ‘A’: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Sbu Nkosi, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Replacements (from): 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Jesse Kriel, 23 Damian Willemse, 24 Kwagga Smith, 25 Elton Jantjies

British & Irish Lions: 15 Anthony Watson, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Conor Murray (c), 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Josh Navidi, 5 Iain Henderson, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Wyn Jones
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Zander Fagerson, 19 Adam Beard, 20 Tadhg Beirne, 21 Sam Simmonds, 22 Gareth Davies, 23 Elliot Daly

Date: Wednesday, July 14
Venue: Cape Town Stadium
Kick-off: 20:00 local (19:00 BST, 18:00 GMT)
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant Referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)