British and Irish Lions Games

[Zaardvark]

A thread with the proper name of the team to discuss the games. (Sorry Admin but the other thread is a small bit objectionable for any green blooded Lions fan (Irish, that is, not Vulcan).

Bizzarly different games from the team so far - have to say Shane Williams look like he is not getting into the test team. Ferris did well when he was on the park but I guess that what was a brand new team would be very badly affected by a binning versus a more settled test side. I half wonder if they are deliberately underplaying/sticking to trying to get their playbook straight rather than winning by the maximum margin as the team and managment certainly did not seem too concerned by the performance in the post match interviews.

Best

Z

[Narnia]

Well done Z! I don't understand why admin didn't find the name of the other thread offensive. Perhaps they can reply? Not too worried by today's performance as it's all a learning curve for the players. I think there are plenty of places up for grabs in the test team but I hope like you Shane Williams isn't picked. He is not on form and doesn't have physical presense. As for wings I think Bowe has to be a cert and I suspect Fitzgerald will get in too.

[Zaardvark]

Yes for me Roberts, Bowe, BOD, Phillips, Ferris, Monye or Fitzgerald, Jones, all welsh front row (but perhaps with Sheridan forcing his way in) look likely. The springboks are not letting any intls play for their prov. teams so I think it very much cat-and-mouse at the moment with these games but it ought to be a very close series by my reckoning.

Z

[Zaardvark]

teams for tonight's game

Sharks: Stefan Terblanche; Chris Jordaan, Andries Strauss, Riaan Swanepoel, Luzuko Vulindlu; Monty Dumond, Rory Kockott; Deon Carstens, Skipper Badenhorst, Jannie du Plessis, Steven Sykes, Johann Muller (capt), Jacques Botes, Jean Deysel, Keegan Daniel.

Replacements: Craig Burden, Patric Cilliers, Albert van den Berg, Michael Rhodes, Charl McLeod, Guy Cronje, Lwazi Mvovo.

British and Irish Lions: Lee Byrne (Ospreys/Wales); Shane Williams (Ospreys/Wales), Brian O'Driscoll (Leinster/Ireland), Jamie Roberts (Cardiff Blues/Wales), Luke Fitzgerald (Leinster/Ireland); Ronan O'Gara (Munster/Ireland), Mike Phillips (Ospreys/Wales); Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues/Wales), Lee Mears (Bath/England), Adam Jones (Ospreys/Wales), Alun-Wyn Jones (Ospreys/Wales), Paul O'Connell (Munster/Ireland, capt), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers/England), David Wallace (Munster/Ireland), Jamie Heaslip (Leinster/Ireland).

Replacements: Matthew Rees (Scarlets/Wales), Phil Vickery (London Wasps/England), Simon Shaw (London Wasps/England), Joe Worsley (London Wasps/England), Mike Blair (Edinburgh/Scotland), Riki Flutey (London Wasps/England), James Hook (Ospreys/Wales).

[matthew123]

Time is running out for Shane Williams to prove he is still worthy of the Lions shirt

[taper]

Ickle won't play. And it won't be an all Welsh front row. Vickery/mears/jenkins I reckon.

[matthew123]

Comprehensive victory but Lions just don't have that magic to break down the Boks. I think they will need to break in James Hook at fly half as brawn will not be enough to make an impression on South Africa.

[Mick Mac]

Matt - good to meet you tonight.

I was thinking that beating SA ia all about brawn. If we can match them in the forwards, then I think our backs are better than theirs, some of the backs' moves in this tour (where the 1st choice back row has been mostly in place) have been amazing and the second half tonight they were superb. I'm really optomistic.

[matthew123]

Good meeting you as well Mick. I think the Boks are going to be too powerful although it would be wonderful to see the Lions win the series I cannot see it happening. The South Africans have too much firepower in my eyes, Bryan Habana, Jean de Villiers and Schalk Burger are world class and seem impossible to stop even by the All Blacks.

[matthew123]

Yesterday's performance against Western Province does not bode well for facing South Africa on Saturday. In fact the Lions seem to be getting worse each time they take to the field.

On Betfair the Boks are 1.44 to win Saturday's First Test, 3.4 for a Lions victory, 25/1 the draw.

[Mick Mac]

I have a mate over from Ireland for Ascot Friday and then we will watch the Lions game Saturday in ED - is there an EDF group already meeting or should we form one - where's best venue?

Anyone hoping to watch it?

We will probably be a little hungover but hopefully we will be weighed down with winnings,,,,,?