The Rugby Thread

[Buzzo]

Farrell getting called up is farcical. Total nepotism.

[Irishnev]

Farrell getting called up is farcical. Total nepotism.

He may simply be there as a wise head, I’d have preferred a specialist 6 tbh, the squad is really missing one

[bacon]

Was at the Waratahs game - one of the worst rugby games I've endured live - so many mistakes when a more considered option would have been a better approach - and maybe I'm getting old but all the stadium razzamatazz during the game is so completely over the top - completely kills off any chance of crowd atmosphere

[Irishnev]

Good win for the Lions, I don’t think I remember such an evenly balanced set of players which makes picking the test team really hard. Happy that Hugo looked back to normal given concerns about Kinghorn. Centre and back row are impossible to call!

There is something very unlikeable with Duhan VDM he reminds me of Cristiano Ronaldo and not due to his three tries….. Jones is much better than I thought and I think it will be both Scottish or both Irish in the centre

Genge, Sheehan, Furlong, Beirne, Itoje, Chessum, Morgan, Conan, JGP, Finn, Lowe, Aki, Ringrose, Freeman, Kinghorn (if fit)

Morgan has been low key brilliant in every game I’ve seen him.

[Irishnev]

Farrell’s post match interview suggests Ringrose won’t play the first test due to concussion

[Buzzo]

Yeah cracking game that.

Thought Ben White was excellent. I’ve met Duhan a couple of times he’s just a bit of a big lump. He is quite a physical specimen to put it mildly! Ben Earl was very good today also - back row is so hard to call. Agree on Morgan - he is class.

I think the team will be close to the one you mentioned but with Tuipolotu and Jones, I also think Keenan will start. Bench tough to call also.

[Buzzo]

Class interview this. Interesting to see how much of a Finn fan ROG clearly is. He makes some good points on Finn - particularly around what a student of the game he is. Famously pours over footage of opposition teams for hours. Cursed (by some!) by having the audacity to play with a smile on his face.

[ame="https://youtu.be/kTK6nsGyypw"]Fascinating Finn Russell post-match chat with Ronan O'Gara & Dan Biggar 🦁 - YouTube[/ame]

[Irishnev]

Yeah cracking game that.

Thought Ben White was excellent. I’ve met Duhan a couple of times he’s just a bit of a big lump. He is quite a physical specimen to put it mildly! Ben Earl was very good today also - back row is so hard to call. Agree on Morgan - he is class.

I think the team will be close to the one you mentioned but with Tuipolotu and Jones, I also think Keenan will start. Bench tough to call also.

Ben White was excellent and Earl makes such dirty yards, Pollack needs to be on the bench as he covers all 3 positions and is a decent line out option.

[Buzzo]

Ben White was excellent and Earl makes such dirty yards, Pollack needs to be on the bench as he covers all 3 positions and is a decent line out option.

One thing you realise - there are no mugs on a Lions tour - though I feel that historically there has perhaps been a more obvious starting 15. The calls are so tight on this tour.

[Irishnev]

Farrell taking the piss a bit - Osborne called up as cover for Kinghorn and he can’t start for Leinster….. I guess he knows the plays. Clarkson called up and he’s our third choice tight head, I can understand fans of other countries bring pissed off

[Buzzo]

Yeah - I think it devalues the jersey a bit.

Some guys who have put in incredible seasons to not get selected and now getting these sort of call ups. His son who has barely played a match of consequence in a year and some other Irish lads

Farrell also said that players would get the call on form regardless of where they are geographically…

[Buzzo]

[ame]https://twitter.com/glove931/status/1944357882578739688[/ame]

[Irishnev]

https://twitter.com/glove931/status/1944357882578739688

I saw as many Leinster lads as English!

[Irishnev]

3 Scottish lads now, I think they must be worried about Kinghorn, Ringrose and others!

[Buzzo]

Yeah - no idea what is going on. I think the midweek game next week is an issue with potential injuries.