The Rugby Thread

[Buzzo]

I am always going to be Murray biased and he plays the Gatland game v well as it is similar to the Ireland game. He has a break in him also so maybe it was instruction. Webb did bring pace into it at the end but Murray is a far better player for me.

I think he'll go with Farrell again and maybe Teo'o might be sacrificed - who knows what Warren will do.

Yeah, Murray is good, I definitely wouldnt drop him, and think Webb is a solid option after the hour.

Te'o did play quite well up against Sonny-Bill.

And maybe thats the problem - none of the team were particularly bad (well, AWJ was pretty poor - cant see him even making the bench), they just weren't good enough. Faletau also didnt do much.

It was a comfortable 15 point defeat though so something needs to change?

[Irishnev]

Yeah, Murray is good, I definitely wouldnt drop him, and think Webb is a solid option after the hour.

Te'o did play quite well up against Sonny-Bill.

And maybe thats the problem - none of the team were particularly bad (well, AWJ was pretty poor - cant see him even making the bench), they just weren't good enough. Faletau also didnt do much.

It was a comfortable 15 point defeat though so something needs to change?

It's a hard to team to pick Buzzo and factor in how good the ABs are. Either you play a tight game and kick the leather off the ball and hope for set piece dominance or you play loose.

Gatland doesn't seem to know what to do, his normal one out runners don't make an impact vs NZ as they drive you back in the tackle. If your kicking game is lose they will murder you because they are so skillful at taking high balls and then broken field running.

[Buzzo]

15. Daly - Williams costly dropped ball helped lose the game last week.
14. Watson
13. Joseph
12. Davies - one of the best players last week.
11. Seymour - because I am horribly biased. Tommy is scoring trys though.
10. Sexton - put in the halfbacks that beat the AB's in NY.
9. Murray - see above.
8. CJ Stander - because Faletau didnt perform
7. Warburton
6. O'Mahoney
5. Courtney Lawes
4. Itoje
3. Furlong
2. George
1. Vunipola

7 English, 5 Irishmen, 2 Welsh, 1 Scotsman

16. Owens 17. McGrath 18. Sinckler 19. Kruis 20. Henderson 21. Webb 22. Farrell 23. Williams

[ntto]

Murray plays - no question for me. We lost something on Saturday when he went off. Farrell and Teo'o start too

[RichC]

For me from the starting XV last week the only players that should be under real pressure are the locks, neither man had a good game (esp AWJ) Murray at 9 was good, the backs did well we just couldn't finish our opportunities. Perhaps a slight change in game plan as we seemed to rely on the power up top which the ABs were ready for and dealt with very well.

Also let's take nothing from the ABs the passing in the tackle is phenomenal and the way they quickly move things around is fantastic as is their awareness to teams being half asleep, we switched off twice last week and got punished both times.

[Buzzo]

For me from the starting XV last week the only players that should be under real pressure are the locks, neither man had a good game (esp AWJ) Murray at 9 was good, the backs did well we just couldn't finish our opportunities. Perhaps a slight change in game plan as we seemed to rely on the power up top which the ABs were ready for and dealt with very well.

Also let's take nothing from the ABs the passing in the tackle is phenomenal and the way they quickly move things around is fantastic as is their awareness to teams being half asleep, we switched off twice last week and got punished both times.

Agree really, I think the team played well, it is the size of the challenge that is the issue. I wonder if Williams is under a bit of pressure though, his running was impressive but he made costly errors. Saying that 1/2p has been rank so the 'safe pair of hands' full back option doesn't really exist for Gatland.

AWJ and Kruis will surely drop out for Lawes and Itoji? Murray did play well, but can play better. I also think Gatland needs to use the bench to better effect.

Ultimately, I am not impressed by Gatland at all and his latest statement on the late call ups is embarrassing. I feel for the guys who were called up who would clearly have been better off staying with their national teams. Particularly Finn Russell who was arguably unlucky to not get called into the squad in the first place, to be told he is just there to make up the numbers incase of head injuries is embarrassing to him as a professional.

I hope the guys who this impacted ram it right back up the Welsh in the 6 nations.

[RichC]

I have to agree with the Gatland pov, not impressed either played it too safe with players "he knows" . We weren't a million miles short last Saturday but their ability to finish and a an approach from us that was fairly obvious was always going to be an issue.

How the **** Launchbury isn't on the tour I'll never know

[Cormack74]

Absolutely crucial our front 5 scrummages better on saturday. I've made the point already in the thread but this should mean that Mako starts on the bench, he just isn't a good enough loose head to get us the ascendancy we need from the start but he is an effective ball carrier when introduced late on.

In terms of the second row, I'd be inclined to keep Kruis as hopefully he's got his one bad game out of his system but I'm really not sure who should partner him though.

Itoje has huge amounts of skill in terms of pinching opposition line outs and turning the ball over but in the 6N he packed down at 6 presumably because Lawes is the better scrummager.

Whether Lawes is better than Henderson in this respect I've no idea and they both showed up strongly today so I'm guessing the selection is going to be a tough one with Lawes perhaps shading it in WG's eyes given he was subbed after 50 or so minutes.Whoever they go for let's hope they get it right.

Outside I think North did enough today but again I can't decide whether that should be in place of Daly or Watson. Or on the strength of his performance today play neither and give Seymour a go.

[ntto]

watched yesterdays game last night when I got home from work.

Thought Henderson was immense.

[Buzzo]

He really was, right up until his yellow card...

[Irishnev]

[ame="https://twitter.com/bbcsport/status/880130904752107521"]https://twitter.com/bbcsport/status/880130904752107521[/ame]

[Buzzo]

Robbie Henshaw and George North have been ruled out of the rest of the British and Irish Lions' tour of New Zealand because of injury.

Ireland centre Henshaw (pectoral) and Wales wing North (hamstring) were injured in Tuesday's 31-31 draw against Hurricanes in Wellington.

Neither player was involved in the series-opening 30-15 defeat against the All Blacks.

They will return home after Saturday's second Test at Westpac Stadium.

[Irishnev]

[ame="https://twitter.com/lionsofficial/status/880304835806900224"]https://twitter.com/lionsofficial/status/880304835806900224[/ame]

Some big calls by Warren again - AWJ keeps his spot, POM gone from the 23, Sexton at 10.....

[Buzzo]

Dunno what more Tommy Seymour needs to do to get in the 22?

Renounce his Scottishness?

How has AWj kept his place in the team?

5 Welshmen in the team 8 in the 23 and not a single Scot. **** off Gatland.

[Red_Polo]

I might have had Seymour in but that's a good selection tbf.