The Rugby Thread

[Buzzo]

450 people went to Wembley this morning on coaches from my local to watch Super (spreader event) Saints. Maskless and feckless all.

Wembley is the epicentre of the current wave. It will be written about in history.

[Buzzo]

Jamie Roberts in the centre?

Actually I saw that Jamie Roberts picked a reasonable team.

[Irishnev]

Normally going into the test match you’d have the majority of the side picked in your head but this one has so many tight calls. I don’t know if that is a good thing or bad thing - back 3, centre, scrum half, back row, AWJ conundrum, hooker, one of the props.......

Just saw Matt Dawson’s team and it was all England and no Scots in the team

[Buzzo]

Normally going into the test match you’d have the majority of the side picked in your head but this one has so many tight calls. I don’t know if that is a good thing or bad thing - back 3, centre, scrum half, back row, AWJ conundrum, hooker, one of the props.......

Just saw Matt Dawson’s team and it was all England and no Scots in the team

Yeah saw that too Few pundits manage to stay genuinely neutral in these selections!

I agree it is very tough team to pick and loads of tight calls. It is going to be fascinating. Just hope we’ve got skin in the game!

The only certs for me are Furlong, Maro and Biggar.

[Irishnev]

Yeah saw that too Few pundits manage to stay genuinely neutral in these selections!

I agree it is very tough team to pick and loads of tight calls. It is going to be fascinating. Just hope we’ve got skin in the game!

The only certs for me are Furlong, Maro and Biggar.

And I’d say Itoje is based on reputation rather than form

[RichC]

2nd row is all about AWJ and if he starts. Henderson can feel unlucky if he doesn’t get a starting spot this weekend but I think Itoje will be in one of the spots and then it’ll depend on AWJ and his fitness.

SH is an interesting one as it’ll likely be Murray but not sure he’s actually playing that well at the moment. Biggar is nailed on at FH and rightly so.

[Buzzo]

Yeah, my only worry with AWJ is fitness. Otherwise he is in there also but that’s 4 out of 15! There are some incredibly tough calls

But Gatland does make them - dropping O‘Driscoll etc.

[Buzzo]

Sounds like AWJ will start.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57888115

[Rigadon]

[Big Dave]

15: Williams
14: Adams
13: Harris
12: Farrell
11: Van Der Merwe
10: Biggar
9: Price
8: Faletau
7: Watson
6: Beirne
5: Jones
4: Itoje
3: Furlong
2: George
1: Jones

I've got Farrell in at 12, but I'm not entirely sure he should be there. Harris has been excellent, and I think Henshaw is probably the best centre in the squad but he seems to have missed a lot of the tour so far. I think the centre partnership is the tightest call of the lot.

[Harv]

BIG DAVE!!!! Jesus, were have you been man!?!

[Irishnev]

15: Williams
14: Adams
13: Harris
12: Farrell
11: Van Der Merwe
10: Biggar
9: Price
8: Faletau
7: Watson
6: Beirne
5: Jones
4: Itoje
3: Furlong
2: George
1: Jones

I've got Farrell in at 12, but I'm not entirely sure he should be there. Harris has been excellent, and I think Henshaw is probably the best centre in the squad but he seems to have missed a lot of the tour so far. I think the centre partnership is the tightest call of the lot.

They are all huge calls and I see the back 3 as the hardest one to call, they need someone to stop Kolbie

[Buzzo]

You must have filtered out the Scots in your squad that’s the Irish, Welsh and English Lions.

[Rigadon]

You must have filtered out the Scots in your squad that’s the Irish, Welsh and English Lions.

To be honest, if the following team was selected (appreciate Finn is injured), I wouldn't have any complaints:

[Irishnev]

South Africa: Le Roux; Kolbe, Am, De Allende, Mapimpi; Pollard, De Klerk; Nche, Mbonambi, Nyakane, Etzebeth, Mostert, Kolisi (capt), Du Toit, Smith

Replacements: Marx, Kitshoff, Malherbe, De Jager, Elstadt, H Jantjies, E Jantjies, Willemse

Big lads