The Rugby Thread

[Chazza]

Oi Snoozy!

Fancy watching this in town next week?

[Rigadon]

Managed to get a ticket. ****!

[Chazza]

[RichC]

Brilliant

[Liverpel]

Very good

[Chazza]

Warburton ruled out of the 3rd test.

[Liverpel]

The loss of Sam Warburton is a blow. He is the second Lions captain to have been lost on the tour following the injury to Paul O’Connell.

That level of leadership is not easily replaced. And that is why the Lions should ask Brian O’Driscoll to step in to the breach for the series-deciding Test in Sydney on Saturday.

In the modern era, it’s easy to assume that captaincy amounts to no more than appointing a bloke to toss a coin and decide which end to defend.

Water-carriers are miked up, instructions are taken onto the field and so many plays are choreographed.

However there is no doubt that the heartbeat of this side still resides in the captain.

And for this particular Test, the crucial, nerve-jangling reckoner, the captain will be a key figure. He will set the tone. And he will make the crucial decisions.

There have been question marks raised about O’Driscoll’s form. No one though can question his presence

The outside centre position is one that, of course, could be filled by Jonathan Davies but the Welshman simply does not have the stature of O’Driscoll. Australia would rather face Davies in the centre than O’Driscoll.

O’Driscoll stands alone on merit. However, what has become clear is that the Lions do not have enough real leaders now that O’Connell, and subsequently, Warburton have been ruled out.

Warburton was magnificent on Saturday in Melbourne, as a player foraging in the lose and winning turnovers, and as a leader taking the game to Australia he was exemplary.

The Lions will miss his skills as a breakaway forward but they also need to make sure that they have someone of his reassuring calibre in their ranks. O’Driscoll is that man.

The Lions now have to decide the composition of their back row and the easy pick would be to replace with Justin Tipuric, his Welsh colleague.

But the Lions will be mindful that Sean O’Brien offers a much greater physical presence.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/mick-cleary-bod-must-get-the-armband-29385917.html

[Chazza]

Horwill cleared of stamping for a second time.

**** all point going through that again then.

[RichC]

I've no idea how he's got away with it tbh but he's in and we need to prepare for him.

I thought before the start of this tour it was a risk with Warburton seeing as he was out for so long but worth taking but we should have taken Robshaw as well.

Might regret that decision come FT on Saturday

[Chazza]

I think Sean O'Brien can do a decent job in place of Warburton.

The bigger worry is getting Corbisiero fit, and what to do with the centre partnership as BOD hasn't been great and Roberts looks to be fit.

Would like to see Croft and Falatau in from the start too.

[RichC]

Some big changes made, no BOD in the 23 and the same for Ben Youngs, good to see Manu make it the bench.

Wyn Jones is captain

British and Irish Lions: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Tommy Bowe (Ireland), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Jamie Roberts (Wales), George North (Wales), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales); Alex Corbisiero (England), Richard Hibbard (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (captain, Wales), Geoff Parling (England), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Toby Faletau (Wales)
Replacements: Tom Youngs (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Dan Cole (England), Richie Gray (Scotland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Conor Murray (Ireland), Owen Farrell (England), Manu Tuilagi (England)

[Vermilion]

O'Driscoll out of the squad for this.

So much for breaking his duck in his final game, 4 Lions tours is it and not one series win, sorry 3 so far ?

Sad really considering his career, then again he'll be well happy if they win regardless, and it would still be huge deal for him if they did as he's played his part.

[Liverpel]

I'm outside the Welsh embassy in Dublin. We're just about to storm it. I'll keep you posted.

[Vermilion]

I'm outside the Welsh embassy in Dublin. We're just about to storm it. I'll keep you posted.

[badpiggy]

Irish rugby world up in arms about BOD. It's kinda funny. Part of me enjoys rugby but part of me really enjoys seeing Ireland lose or the lions lose. I think it's because of Leinster rugby and the obnoxious D4 fans.