Ah I wouldn’t take any notice of that Barret is the spare full back in the squad he moves back there regularly. I’d say he came off the bench into full back in pretty much every game at last world cup. He’s probably the 2nd best FB in the world
Yes but he’s ar better at 10 than cruden
He is but it’s not like they brought a pleb off the bench. Cruden is excellent player
According to the Indo this morning O’Mahony was taken off because he is a lightweight and the pack was being bullied off the park by the All Blacks.
Who wrote that as a matter of interest?
Some chap called Ruaidhri O Connor
Here it is.
And he was replaced with a man who was certainly no bigger than him. Unusual insight
I’d say Gatty thought POM had got a bang on the head after he declined the 3 points at 13-8.
I’d say the sum thought process in gattys head from kick off was when could he get Warbuton on the pitch. I don’t think anyone could suggest that the situation improved when POM went off when it was 13-8. It was a v strange decision to take Teo off as well. Watched game last night and could see no reason for subbing him. Why not just take off Farrell if he wanted Sexton on that bad
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While Jessica, who describes herself as “partner in life” to the rising rugby star,
The standard of Irish Independent rugby journalism has gone to the dogs since the late Sean Diffley hung up his pen.
Book the flight yet mate ?
If you love rogbee so much and the loins so much I guess you have
Agreed . After Tony Ward’s disgraceful comments on Chris Ashton earlier this year that rag’s credibility as a rugby source is in the gutter.
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I’ll have to get some tips from you as the forums most recent Lions pilgrim in Australia 2013 as to what it all entails now. Australia 2001 and New Zealand 2005 seems like a lifetime ago.
When you were travelling around with the Red Army did you bite the lip and keep quiet about your views on Speargate? - one of your all time sporting highlights which Brian O’Driscoll had coming to him. You’d have had plenty of practice biting your lip
at sporting events - spending so much of your Tottenham Hotspur supporting childhood travelling from Dublin to London to attend Chelsea matches at Stamford Bridge.
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i was living in brisbane brah, took a 10 minute train journey
was actually following oz
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Given that Liam Williams and Elliot Daly played themselves into the test team through their performances in the midweek match last week, I imagine there is still a chance for George North and Courtney Lawes, and less likely but still possibly Iain Henderson, Justin Tipuric and C.J. Stander, to do similar this week.
George Kruis being named on the bench may indicate that he will drop to the bench for the second test, but then again it’s more likely that it’s simply his turn to sit there after Alun Wyn Jones was on the bench for the Chiefs match.
I wonder is Jack Nowell being positioned at full-back with a view to him being included in the squad for the second test as back five cover. I’d say: “no”.
I doubt it. He is a decent full back as well plays there a fair bit for club and played a lot of the premiership final there when starter got injured
There’s not a hope in hell Vunipola will be dropped. He’s more than built up enough credit in the bank over the tour, and McGrath has done nothing of note to pressurise him. Of the starting 15 he’d be one of the last, if not the last I’d expect to be left out
Of the midweek team the two I’ll be particularly looking out for are Nowell and Lawes. I tipped both as dark horses to start the first test when the plane left but they now have a chance to really put themselves in contention for the second one. I can’t see anyone else coming into the reckoning from the starting 15, unless Henderson for the bench
Vunipola and George will be safe but it wouldn’t amaze me at all if Sinckler got the nod at 3. Kruis will probably be okay but it will be pending Lawes’s performance Tuesday I feel. Itoje for AWJ should be a no-brainer and there’s zero point putting AWJ on the bench. I’ve always been a huge fan but these days he’s way off the real top level as shown yesterday. The Back row will likely be as it is, with Warburton again on the bench
The only way you’re likely to drop your out half is if he had a real clanger or his replacement tore it up when he came in. Neither happened so Farrell will be retained, however he may well shift to 12 (which would be a tad harsh on Teo but I do think his performance is being overstated by some, although I’m a fan). Murray has had better days but once again he would have had to have a real shocker to be dropped. Davies was excellent imo (why does he never seem to get any credit this side of the Irish Sea?) and Watson and Williams had their moments. If Nowell goes well again Tuesday I could see him making at least the bench. Either way I think Daly will drop out of the 15.
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