Second Test

[Raggs]

A risky tap that takes out the fastest player on the pitch from tackle him properly.

[Which Tyler]

They are thick, aren't they. Faz was a disaster as skipper yesterday, thick as mince encapsulated.

I've watched Faz as skipper a few times now (for Sarries, not England). I've yet to show the ref anything other than his petulant, entitled side - he's just not the man you wanting talking to the ref.

He may lead by example and never say die; but he has poor discipline and anterrible attitude with the ref.

[Banquo]

A risky tap that takes out the fastest player on the pitch from tackle him properly.

indeed.....peripheral awareness zero.

[Oakboy]

Both Vunipolas coming home. Mako for family reasons? Billy has re-fractured his arm. I warned about breaking him. It ws ludicrous to take him.

[16th man]

Both Vunipolas coming home. Mako for family reasons? Billy has re-fractured his arm. I warned about breaking him. It ws ludicrous to take him.

Birth of his kid apparently. Leaving them both at home would probably have been wisest.

[badback]

Didn’t Eddie say he was going to give all the Lions a rest

[Mikey Brown]

Didn’t Eddie say he was going to give all the Lions a rest

He later said that some of them had got a good/sufficient rest during the Premiership I think.

[Peej]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b694nc

First 10 minutes focuses on the rugby.

Eddie in spiky form post match but Chris is pretty much bang on with his summing up.

He's properly rattled isn't he? He's gone full Trump with just rejecting criticism and inventing excuses.

[Peat]

Didn’t Eddie say he was going to give all the Lions a rest

Said he was going to rest them in October... yeah.



edit: p.s. Farrell has managed the rare task of making me pine for Hartley. There. I've said it.

[ratsapprentice]

Didn’t Eddie say he was going to give all the Lions a rest

edit: p.s. Farrell has managed the rare task of making me pine for Hartley. There. I've said it.

Let's assume Hartley does retire... where is the captain?

I mean... it's quite a big deal, I can't really see anyone capable of doing it well.

[pandion]

Daly?

[Peat]

Didn’t Eddie say he was going to give all the Lions a rest

edit: p.s. Farrell has managed the rare task of making me pine for Hartley. There. I've said it.

Let's assume Hartley does retire... where is the captain?

I mean... it's quite a big deal, I can't really see anyone capable of doing it well.

I have no answers, only generalised nervousness.

edit: We can blame Farrell until the cows come home (with some justification), but he is only one voice in that room. The problems go wider and deeper than him (as you kinda allude to). It's not like they were a disciplined machine under Hartley either.

[Raggs]

We don't know who the voices in that room are. If it's Farrell, Mako, Maro, Marler, Hartley, Brown and Sinckler (good mean streetfighter types), then would we expect to see an improvement?

[pandion]

Guys who come across as good leaders also aren't getting picked. Is Shields that much better than Slater for example?

[Mellsblue]

I always think Launchbury does a good job for Wasps, in spite of me being biased against all Wasps players other than Bassett and now Le Bourgeois. I know he’s not Eddie’s idea of a leader but he’s a quality player who can lead by example and he knows how to talk to the ref.

[Mellsblue]

Guys who come across as good leaders also aren't getting picked. Is Shields that much better than Slater for example?

Brad Shields, captain of the Hurricanes?

[Mikey Brown]

I wouldn’t be against Launch, even with no idea if he’s really up to it, he’s just a really good player and not a cunt. What a high bar we’ve set.

[Mellsblue]

I wouldn’t be against Launch, even with no idea if he’s really up to it, he’s just a really good player and not a cunt. What a high bar we’ve set.

That made me lol and, sadly, it’s also true.

[pandion]

Guys who come across as good leaders also aren't getting picked. Is Shields that much better than Slater for example?

Brad Shields, captain of the Hurricanes?

I've no idea if he's a good captain but I know Slater is.

[Raggs]

I'd like to see more of this from Launchbury:

Couldn't find the full clip, but can you imagine how busy Launch would have been if he was captain on the last 2 weekends?

[pandion]

I wouldn’t be against Launch, even with no idea if he’s really up to it, he’s just a really good player and not a cunt. What a high bar we’ve set.

That made me lol and, sadly, it’s also true.

He's also unlikely to start once Kruitoje are back in form and that's an issue.

[Mellsblue]

Guys who come across as good leaders also aren't getting picked. Is Shields that much better than Slater for example?

Brad Shields, captain of the Hurricanes?

I've no idea if he's a good captain but I know Slater is.

He captains the best side in New Zealand.....

[Mellsblue]

I wouldn’t be against Launch, even with no idea if he’s really up to it, he’s just a really good player and not a cunt. What a high bar we’ve set.

That made me lol and, sadly, it’s also true.

He's also unlikely to start once Kruitoje are back in form and that's an issue.

That is an issue, but if Hartley can be picked as capt despite being nowhere near good enough then you could make room for Launch. Personally, I’d start him even if all were fit but Jones sees it differently.

[pandion]

Brad Shields, captain of the Hurricanes?

I've no idea if he's a good captain but I know Slater is.

He captains the best side in New Zealand.....

I rarely watch SH rugby so admit ignorance.

[pandion]

That made me lol and, sadly, it’s also true.

He's also unlikely to start once Kruitoje are back in form and that's an issue.

That is an issue, but if Hartley can be picked as capt despite being nowhere near good enough then you could make room for Launch. Personally, I’d start him even if all were fit but Jones sees it differently.

I would agree but Hartley is proving more of a loss on the playing front than I thought he would.