Lions Squad to SA..they mean business?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/britishandirishlionsrugby/5167290/British-and-Irish-Lions-squad-to-tour-South-Africa.html
This looks like a very fast and mobile squad to me with a big front row…any Lions fans or 'Boks willing to place any serious comments or predictions
Chariot..that was my first impression, but they're light for a reason, very quick and running/handling forwards..now I know that it basically sends out our tactics straight from day one, but if the Boks go for size to try and dominate, it could work so long as we keep the pace up with fast recycled ball.
Yep, i can see someone "accidently" injuring O'Driscoll before the first South African XV test. Just like he got "accidently" punched by a french man before the world cup.
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to beat SA (world champs) at home takes some doing
i think the lions are perhaps 2 great players shy of having the team to do it
so if we had Parisse and Hernandez i think we would be more than a match for the boks
maybe just maybe 2 of the lions squad can reach the levels of BOD or POC, how great would it be if those 2 were Earls and Halfpenny
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I fear the worst to be honest.
The lions have picked forwards to try and match the Boks physically. The problem is that they'll still come off second best. It's like picking a Landrover instead of a normal car, to go head-on with a bus. you're still going to come second.
Heaslip, Powell, Ferris, Hines and Quinlan are all serious units, but I'd back Burger, Spies, Smith, Botha and Matfield to overpower them over the 3 80s.
The likes of Ryan Jones and Nick Easter aren't feeble by any means and they have far superior rugby brains.
In the backs, I think we're in trouble if Ellis or Jones gets injured, because I think their replacements are seriously ordinary.
If you look at our spine compared to theirs, we lose out in every position other than 15.
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I really think we're win, SA wont expect us to be so good. Theres bags of talent in the squad, young talent aswell, Come on The Lions and come on the IRELAND BOYS!!
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Looks a bit light weight to me. There should be more English players. I know they lost two games in the Six Nations, however that was due to ill discipline. Ireland narrowly squeaked their win, England having played most of the game with 14 players, their fault I know, and England outscored Wales in tries in their other loss.
The biggest problem I see is that there is no towering figure that can pull the players together when the going gets tough. I'm thinking of the likes of Martin Johnson when England beat the All Blacks away, again playing with 14 men and defending a slender lead, most of the time do or die stuff on their own line.
Who would I change? I'm not sure. I don't follow International rugby as closely as I used to. What I do know is that before this tour is many games old there will be players being called up as replacements and the choice of those replacements could well be crucial!
The Boks don't take prisoners and you can bet your bottom dollar that they will already be targetting the players they think will be vital to Lions success, in terms of getting them injured and on a plane home. I'm not being cynical, just realistic. The Boks will want to win at any cost! I just hope that somebody comes to the fore, during the tour, to provide the inspiration and leadership that the Lions will need if they are to prevail.
It is almost impossible for a group of players to come together for a tour, for the first time, in the modern age and win. It was hard enough before. If the Lions manage it, they will deserve every plaudit and honour they get.
Come on you Lions!!!!
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Too old to play anymore, however loved the game since I started playing, eerrrrrrr, 1964/65.
Yep, i can see someone "accidently" injuring O'Driscoll before the first South African XV test. Just like he got "accidently" punched by a french man before the world cup.
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lions to win in great fashion!lol!
well thats what i'm hoping anyway!
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Mine is I cant lose………..South African born …now british subject
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I don't get why they call themselves lions when lions ARE South African. They should call themselves something British instead of nicking other cultures. How about British Bulldogs, after Churchill?
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Im not sure. lions squad looks seriously impressive, but the boks aren't world champions for nothing. I think we can nab it if the likes of williams, O Driscoll and O Connel don't get injured. and if Ronan O gara can kick his best or just on form then the boks have to do some serious work to beat this squad.
expect the bok's to play dirty. but that's part and parcel of rugby union. if you can't take it then you don't belong in this game. sorry, but that's the way it is.
the way I see it, it is likely that this tour will be won on penalties. if O gara gets injured then we have serious trouble. i'm soory, not dissing Jones, but O gara is our best choice at out-half.
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please people stop saying the boks are dirty or are going to play dirty!!! just because o driscal has a habit of getting on the wrong side of foul play doesn't mean its gonna happen again!
the boks are gonna win! simply because the lions squad has been chosen to try and play the boks with their own strength 'the forwards'. this is very very stupid! the lions aren't gonna play a game plan that suits them. its more like the side has been picked to try and halt as much effort as possible of the boks scoring tries etc. it seems as if the squad was selected knowing the lions are going to lose. they haven't given themselves too much of a chance as they did not pick a side to play to their strenghts of even a side that is gonna be the different in bulk to the boks! its retarded! they've picked a game plan that is identical to that of the boks… and the boks being world champions and having played a lot more with each other undoubtably are going to be more clinical in that game plan thus this means the lions are probably going to come off second best
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May 8th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Donecha O'Callahan (or however you spell his name) gets sent off.
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