AWJ will start the tests.
He shouldn’t.
Henderson at his best is a big step up. Its up to Gatland to get the best out of him.
Warburton, of course, will also start all three tests.
It’ll be a welsh dominated team again. 1/2 p, North, Davies, Williams, Toby, Warburton, AWJ and Owens at least.
Henderson nowhere near his best though. AWJ has been a lot better than Henderson on this tour so far and will be a deserving starter. Jamie George is nailed down to start as hooker. Ken Owens will be on the bench.
Henderson was excellent today
I thought he was poor.
Fair enough. I only got to see the last 25 minutes of it. Will watch it all back later. Anyone else put their hand up this morning? There didn’t seem to be too many based on the 25 minutes that I saw.
Wards and henshaw
From an Irish perspective, Henderson was comfortably better than AWJ. Lawes was very good but was knocked out early. Both Lawes and Henderson are athletic and can live with the kiwi locks. I don’t think AWJ can to be honest. Itojo and Kruis can also.
Stander had a poor first 20, but finished strongly.
Best won a turnover and hit his lines. Unlikely to be in the 23.
Henshaw defended well and little else.
Payne was alright. Solid, but that was it.
Warburton and Cole were poor, so adv O’Brien and Furlong.
Gatland is a funny sort. He will pick team that would do a number on a team like Ireland say. Wales have been able to beat Ireland playing that sort of game for a while now. NZ would lap that up though. All the SH teams are generally well able for it.
Conversely, the game Ireland play though is much more of a challenge for NZ. The England game would really put it up to NZ.
Gatland picks the most limited of the 3 approaches though.
Mike Campbell-Lamerton and the Lions of 1966 lost three times in New Zealand before the first test. They lost all four tests and lost another provincial game in New Zealand as well - 8 loses in New Zealand in total. When they stopped off in Canada on the way home, they even managed to lose to British Columbia.
Barring no more injuries, this is the squad I expect to see for the first test.
15 - S.L. Halfpenny (Toulon & Wales)
14 - A.K.C. Watson (Bath & England)
13 - B.J. Te’o (Worcester & England)
12 - O.A. Farrell - (Saracens & England)
11 - G.P. North (Northampton & Wales)
10 - J.J. Sexton (St. Mary’s College, Leinster & Ireland)
9 - G.C. Murray (Garryowen, Munster & Ireland)
1 - M.W.I.W.N.A. Vunipola (Saracens & England)
2 - J.E. George (Saracens & England),
3 - T.P. Furlong (New Ross, Leinster & Ireland)
4 - A.W. Jones (Ospreys & Wales)
5 - G.E.J. Kruis (Saracens & England)
6 - P.J. O’Mahony (Cork Constitution, Munster & Ireland)
7 - S.K Warburton (Cardiff, Blues & Wales) CAPTAIN
8 - T.T. Faletau (Bath & Wales)
Replacements:
16 - K.J. Owens (Llanelli, Scarlets & Wales)
17 - J.C. McGrath (St Mary’s College, UCD & Ireland)
18 - K.N.J.S. Sinckler (Harlequins & England)
19 - O.M. Itoje (Saracens & England)
20 - S.K. O’Brien (UCD, Leinster & Ireland)
21 - R.Webb (Bridgend, Ospreys & Wales)
22 - J.J.V. Davies (Llanelli, Scarlets & Wales)
23 - W.B. Williams (Waunarlwydd, Scarlets & Wales)
Sexton won’t start
Sexton has to start for his defensive work alone - Farrell is severely found wanting in this department.
Can’t see it happening tbh. But I would have to bow to the superior knowledge of @GeoffreyBoycott on this one.
I’d start Sexton but Gatland will probably go -
1.mako/mcgrath
2.owens
3.furlong
4.itoje
5.kruis
6.o Mahoney
7.warburton
8.faletau
9.murray
10.farrell
11.north
12. Te’o
13.davies
14.watson
15.halfpenny
16 . george
17.mako/mcgrath
18. Sinkler
19.awj
20.stander/o brien
21.webb
22. Sexton
23.daly
I wonder was @chocolatemice banned because of the anti rugby agenda of some of the mods? He was just beginning to come of age as the above post shows.
Anyway, I am in continental Europe at the moment so missing what I assume is unbelievable hype and excitement about the upcoming games. I saw there though that NZ had a gentle leg stretch earlier against Samoa (not just the west side) and won 78 nil scoring 12 tries in the process. Meanwhile the Lions were beaten Tuesday and must face an exceptionally strong Maori side in the morning before facing into another game on tuesday.
The all blacks could be 1-10 for the first test if Maori win tomorrow
Limerick is gone mad with excitement
Rightly so. Conor Murray will be starting as test scrum half and CJ Stander could be in the frame in the back row.
Not surprised about that mate. If there was a good novena on them bandwagoners would have the flags up sure.
They’re going to kill poor Peter O Mahoney.
There is a lot of killing in him but they might. As long as he brings one or two with him
Just looking at cost of flights. Its just over a grand return. Very tempted to head over - fly into Wellington the day before the 2nd test, out of Auckland the following Sunday, the day after the 3rd test.