Pavilionaire
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 30,557
Not even on the bench. That's one hell of a call from Gatland, arguably the biggest call I can remember in my 35 years watching rugby.
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No Brian O'Driscoll for the Lions vs Australia 3rd Test!...
- Thread starter Pavilionaire
- Start date
We've been very weak at centre with Davies playing out of position at 12 and O'Driscoll being past his best but I never thought he would make that call.
I suppose he thought he'll get slaughtered for playing too many Welsh if we lose anyhow so he might as well go the whole hog!
I suppose he thought he'll get slaughtered for playing too many Welsh if we lose anyhow so he might as well go the whole hog!
mikeyjh
Well-known member
Given up on trying to play rugby, reverted to 'Gatball' as they say, and picked the players (ie Welsh) that understand how to play it. Not sure how I feel about it, not exactly the 'Lions' thing to do, but if they win??
Still, the Welsh won't be happy until there's 23 of them in the squad....
Still, the Welsh won't be happy until there's 23 of them in the squad....
Barrel of Fun
Abort, retry, fail
Manu is the man to win this series for us.
Is BOD retiring after this?
Is BOD retiring after this?
Well I'm a Welsh supporter and I feel uncomfortable about there being so many Welsh in the team.
He's playing one more season for Leinster and Ireland I think.
Relax, its only TEN...
maltaseagull
Well-known member
My biggest worry is that here we are in the 3rd test and end of several weeks together and he doesn't seem to know his best team.
6 changes after 1st test and 8 changes after 2nd ?
6 changes after 1st test and 8 changes after 2nd ?
Dick Knights Mumm
Take me Home Falmer Road
Ten Welshmen ?
Come on the Aussies!
Come on the Aussies!
sten_super
Brain Surgeon
I don't really have any reservations about the number of Welsh players in the team. I think every one of his selection decisions are justified. If he'd started with this team in the first Test then questions would rightly have been asked; but he's dropped players that haven't performed, and bought in the next most obvious candidate. Dropping BOD is obviously a big call, but Davies has outperformed him in the games so far. The only other change I might have made would have been playing Tipuric, probably instead of Sean O'Brien because I think we're missing a scavenger in the back row; having said that given that he's dropped two ball-carrying front row forwards (Vunipola and Youngs) for two scrummagers I can understand wanting good ball carriers in there.
Tooting Gull
Well-known member
- Jul 5, 2003
- 11,033
O'Driscoll wasn't that great in the second Test, was he? Isn't it at least 50-50 that Roberts/Tuilagi would be better? Seems the fuss is more about reputation rather than the last match.
It's a big call that has triggered a massive media reaction, but there seems a decent case for the decision on playing grounds.
It's a big call that has triggered a massive media reaction, but there seems a decent case for the decision on playing grounds.
keaton
Big heart, hot blood and balls. Big balls
- Nov 18, 2004
- 9,648
Davies was the Lions best player before the first test and while he's not been great, O'Driscoll's not been better despite playing in his favoured position and is probably not completely fit enough for a third big game in consecutive weeks ( he probably hasn't played three weekends running for a while). And there's no point having him on the bench, he's not that sort of impact player and can only play one position.
The team itself looks probably the strongest team of the three tests although O'Connely and Warburton will be missed
The team itself looks probably the strongest team of the three tests although O'Connely and Warburton will be missed
mikeyjh
Well-known member
Complete generalisation on my part, clearly should have said 'some welsh fans'.
I'd have no issue with there being 15 welsh in the team (apart from the implication that the England was really bad), if they were the players that could produce the best rugby, but I don't think that's the case even with the ten.... As others have mentioned, the baffling thing is that he clearly hasn't got a clue what his best team is. It's also not the Lions way, the Lions aren't just about winning.....
Fair assesments. I think Warburton missing is massive.
I really hope they can put in one more massive effort, and prove me wrong - despite the first test win, I was unconvinced by the performance, and backed a 2-1 Australia win @ 11/2. Its only a few quid, which I'd happily 'lose'.
LamieRobertson
Not awoke
he's made a big mistake with no welsh on the bench looool
i see even Ian Robertson has called it a 'massive mistake' re O'Driscoll
The problem that Gatland has for me is that in the first test we thought we had a reason for all our problems in the refereeing.
Then we play like a pile of poo in the second test mainly I think because the set piece especially the scrum was so weak.
Now in retrospect it looks like he has royally screwed the tour up because not only are the team not playing well but also no-one has really had a good individual game.
So what has gone wrong?
Definitely doesn't feel like he's got the whole squad behind him.
Then we play like a pile of poo in the second test mainly I think because the set piece especially the scrum was so weak.
Now in retrospect it looks like he has royally screwed the tour up because not only are the team not playing well but also no-one has really had a good individual game.
So what has gone wrong?
Definitely doesn't feel like he's got the whole squad behind him.
Dick Knights Mumm
Take me Home Falmer Road
I am not a big rugby man - but the Welsh have not got a great record against the Aussies. Also I agree with Mikeyjh - it is not just about the winning, and this does not seem to be in the spirit of the Lions.
He's got Tipuric on the bench looool