Lions squad named

[Buggaluggs]

I got locals on the Peacock stream. They were pretty good actually.

[Cameo]

It was all over when that meat-head of a scrum half got himself sent off. Lions still much too sloppy and will pay for it against better opposition.

The commentary duo of Greenwood/Warburton hard to take. They seem to be having a head to head competition on who can spew the most turgid verbal bilge over 80 mins.

Greenwood is terrible as a pundit. He must have the lowest words to insight ratio in the game - terrific player, but he's just got nothing to say and he takes forever to say it.

Puja

The Swedish service had no commentary, so we got to listen to Barnes' breathing throughout.

Haha, I heard that underneath the south African commentators. I wasn't sure if it was a cameraman or what.

[Mikey Brown]

Could SA even put together a 15 that aren’t injured, ill, or isolating?

It’s going to be so annoying watching this shit show unfold, knowing we probably could have had a decent tour in ‘22.

[Gloskarlos]

15. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England)
14. Louis Rees-Zammit (Gloucester Rugby, Wales)
13. Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland)
12. Bundee Aki (Connacht Rugby, Ireland)
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby, Wales)
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales)
9. Conor Murray – captain (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales)
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, England)
5. Iain Henderson (Ulster Rugby, Ireland)
6. Josh Navidi (Cardiff Rugby, Wales)
7. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England)
8. Taulupe Faletau (Bath Rugby, Wales)

Replacements:

16. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, England)
17. Mako Vunipola (Saracens, England)
18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors, Scotland)
19. Adam Beard (Ospreys, Wales)
20. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland)
21. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, England)
22. Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales)
23. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England)

[Gloskarlos]

Team V SA 'A'

Oh Look - Watson at 15.

I agree now, Gats is just using this tour as a two fingered salute to Eddie.

[Which Tyler]

Oh Look - Watson at 15.

That's a bit of a risk - A bit like Monye at full back for England - has he ever played there before? More than just shifting across due to injury, I mean.
Especially with an experienced FB like Daly also in the 23 - wouldn't you at least swap them around?

Generally though, it looks like a team put together from "for that position, who's played the fewest minutes at altitude?" rather than being particularly indiciative of anything else.



The big question is whether the SA bubble actualy has 23 players who are neither ill, nor self-isolating.

[Puja]

Oh Look - Watson at 15.

That's a bit of a risk - A bit like Monye at full back for England - has he ever played there before? More than just shifting across due to injury, I mean.
Especially with an experienced FB like Daly also in the 23 - wouldn't you at least swap them around?

Generally though, it looks like a team put together from "for that position, who's played the fewest minutes at altitude?" rather than being particularly indiciative of anything else.



The big question is whether the SA bubble actualy has 23 players who are neither ill, nor self-isolating.

Nice {golf-claps}.

It actually looks relatively close to what I think Gatland will have as the test team. Certainly the 4-11 look like the most likely candidates. Move Watson to 14 and Williams to full-back and I'd buy that as a possible Gatland first test team (albeit not the one I'd pick).

Puja

[Digby]

I agree now, Gats is just using this tour as a two fingered salute to Eddie.

And yet there's a 6:2 bench split, clearly comrades in arms, other than Eddie has a history where at times he has had a useful attack

[Mikey Brown]

Oh Look - Watson at 15.

That's a bit of a risk - A bit like Monye at full back for England - has he ever played there before? More than just shifting across due to injury, I mean.
Especially with an experienced FB like Daly also in the 23 - wouldn't you at least swap them around?

Generally though, it looks like a team put together from "for that position, who's played the fewest minutes at altitude?" rather than being particularly indiciative of anything else.



The big question is whether the SA bubble actualy has 23 players who are neither ill, nor self-isolating.

Nice {golf-claps}.

It actually looks relatively close to what I think Gatland will have as the test team. Certainly the 4-11 look like the most likely candidates. Move Watson to 14 and Williams to full-back and I'd buy that as a possible Gatland first test team (albeit not the one I'd pick).

Puja

Imagine being told a couple of years back we’d be looking at Bundee Aki and Chris Harris as a Lions centre pairing.

[Puja]

That's a bit of a risk - A bit like Monye at full back for England - has he ever played there before? More than just shifting across due to injury, I mean.
Especially with an experienced FB like Daly also in the 23 - wouldn't you at least swap them around?

Generally though, it looks like a team put together from "for that position, who's played the fewest minutes at altitude?" rather than being particularly indiciative of anything else.



The big question is whether the SA bubble actualy has 23 players who are neither ill, nor self-isolating.

Nice {golf-claps}.

It actually looks relatively close to what I think Gatland will have as the test team. Certainly the 4-11 look like the most likely candidates. Move Watson to 14 and Williams to full-back and I'd buy that as a possible Gatland first test team (albeit not the one I'd pick).

Puja

Imagine being told a couple of years back we’d be looking at Bundee Aki and Chris Harris as a Lions centre pairing.

Go back to 2017 before Chris Harris's surprise callup to Scotland and see if anyone believed you back then. I believe I described it back at the time as "Scotland poaching England's 11th best outside centre". Previous to that, his only international recognition was 2013 England Counties while playing for Tynedale in NL1. Fair play to the lad, he's grabbed onto the opportunity with both hands and run with it, which is the setup for a quip which I'll let somebody else finish.

Puja

[Big D]

I agree now, Gats is just using this tour as a two fingered salute to Eddie.

And yet there's a 6:2 bench split, clearly comrades in arms, other than Eddie has a history where at times he has had a useful attack

I am guessing that is in part down to Finns injury, Farrell being wrapped in cotton wool/nursing a knock and Smith just being called up. They have no real other option at 10.

Big audition from some of these guys as the SA A squad may be one of the strongest "A" teams ever named.

[Croft_No.5]

South Africa ‘A’ team to face British & Irish Lions at Cape Town Stadium:
15 – Willie le Roux
14 – Cheslin Kolbe
13 – Lukhanyo Am (captain)
12 – Damian de Allende
11 – Sbu Nkosi
10 – Morné Steyn
9 – Faf de Klerk
8 – Jasper Wiese
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit
6 – Marco van Staden
5 – Franco Mostert
4 – Eben Etzebeth
3 – Trevor Nyakane
2 – Joseph Dweba
1 – Steven Kitshoff

Replacements (from):
16 – Malcolm Marx
17 – Coenie Oosthuizen
18 – Vincent Koch
19 – Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg
20 – Rynhardt Elstadt
21 – Herschel Jantjies
22 – Jesse Kriel
23 – Damian Willemse
24 – Kwagga Smith
25 – Elton Jantjies

[Puja]

South Africa ‘A’ team to face British & Irish Lions at Cape Town Stadium:
15 – Willie le Roux
14 – Cheslin Kolbe
13 – Lukhanyo Am (captain)
12 – Damian de Allende
11 – Sbu Nkosi
10 – Morné Steyn
9 – Faf de Klerk
8 – Jasper Wiese
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit
6 – Marco van Staden
5 – Franco Mostert
4 – Eben Etzebeth
3 – Trevor Nyakane
2 – Joseph Dweba
1 – Steven Kitshoff

Replacements (from):
16 – Malcolm Marx
17 – Coenie Oosthuizen
18 – Vincent Koch
19 – Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg
20 – Rynhardt Elstadt
21 – Herschel Jantjies
22 – Jesse Kriel
23 – Damian Willemse
24 – Kwagga Smith
25 – Elton Jantjies

That's an actual challenge for the Lions!

You'd've said the strength of that side's bad news for the likes of Sutherland, Furlong, Hamish Watson, and Van Der Merwe. Massive audition opportunity for Wyn Jones, Sinckler, Curry, and Rees-Zammit (and Biggar as well, although we all know that all he'll accomplish by being good is shifting Farrell out to 12, not actually making Gatland drop the anointed one ). If they can turn in a big performance, you'd've said that was their first test spot sewn up.

Puja

[Big D]

That's an actual challenge for the Lions!

You'd've said the strength of that side's bad news for the likes of Sutherland, Furlong, Hamish Watson, and Van Der Merwe. Massive audition opportunity for Wyn Jones, Sinckler, Curry, and Rees-Zammit (and Biggar as well, although we all know that all he'll accomplish by being good is shifting Farrell out to 12, not actually making Gatland drop the anointed one ). If they can turn in a big performance, you'd've said that was their first test spot sewn up.

Puja

It could also be a bad thing for some of those mentioned. If the props get munched then those positions start to look a bit shaky as Mako and Fagerson haven't convinced on tour.

Should be a good reality check as to what will come later. It is effectively a 4th test match.

[Puja]

That's an actual challenge for the Lions!

You'd've said the strength of that side's bad news for the likes of Sutherland, Furlong, Hamish Watson, and Van Der Merwe. Massive audition opportunity for Wyn Jones, Sinckler, Curry, and Rees-Zammit (and Biggar as well, although we all know that all he'll accomplish by being good is shifting Farrell out to 12, not actually making Gatland drop the anointed one ). If they can turn in a big performance, you'd've said that was their first test spot sewn up.

Puja

It could also be a bad thing for some of those mentioned. If the props get munched then those positions start to look a bit shaky as Mako and Fagerson haven't convinced on tour.

Should be a good reality check as to what will come later. It is effectively a 4th test match.

Excellent point - could be a very good game to be out of. Plus, I'm not thrilled with the idea of Mako coming on if the scrum's in trouble, given his performances on tour so far!

Puja

[Mikey Brown]

Wow. Seems strange to play a 95% strength "A" side but I guess they're in need of it.

Does seem unfair on those not selected having had several fairly pointless outings so far, but you're right it may be that some play their way out of the team in this game. I wonder if Gatland had any sense of the kind of strength team we were likely to see in this game.

[Numbers]

Well it looks like AWJ could be coming back into the mix if he gets through the training session tomorrow with the Wales squad, a remarkable recovery.

[Big D]

Well it looks like AWJ could be coming back into the mix if he gets through the training session tomorrow with the Wales squad, a remarkable recovery.

I'd want to see him involved in Saturdays game before lining him up for the tests but it is a good sign.

[Mikey Brown]

AWJ playing again on this tour seems a bit absurd to me, then again so does the fact it’s still going on at all.

[Spiffy]

South Africa ‘A’ team to face British & Irish Lions at Cape Town Stadium:
15 – Willie le Roux
14 – Cheslin Kolbe
13 – Lukhanyo Am (captain)
12 – Damian de Allende
11 – Sbu Nkosi
10 – Morné Steyn
9 – Faf de Klerk
8 – Jasper Wiese
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit
6 – Marco van Staden
5 – Franco Mostert
4 – Eben Etzebeth
3 – Trevor Nyakane
2 – Joseph Dweba
1 – Steven Kitshoff

Replacements (from):
16 – Malcolm Marx
17 – Coenie Oosthuizen
18 – Vincent Koch
19 – Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg
20 – Rynhardt Elstadt
21 – Herschel Jantjies
22 – Jesse Kriel
23 – Damian Willemse
24 – Kwagga Smith
25 – Elton Jantjies

Morne Steyn just turned 37. Hard to believe that SA can't come up with a younger, more dynamic FH with some attacking flair. The Lions should be targeting him from the get go.

[Mikey Brown]

Are you presuming that's what they are looking for in a fly-half?

[Spiffy]

Are you presuming that's what they are looking for in a fly-half?

Well I'm sure they are not looking for a Carlos Spenser, but a bloke who could raise the odd gallop and get something out of those dangerous outside backs would be useful to the squad. I'm afraid we are into a dedicated, boring kick fest in the tests, if they ever take place.

[Cameo]

Not really convinced Gatland sees this as his test team. A strong team but I think some positions look more like attempts to give game time to those who haven't had as many chances.

I'd be surprised if Watson isn't in the driving seat at 7 for instance. For all Harris' improvement, he isn't in pole position at 13.

Feel a bit for Fagerson, he didn't have a great game last week but isn't going to convince with his scrummaging if he comes on with Vunipola.

[Mikey Brown]

Any good streams going? I don't know how I'm still so useless at finding them, while so unwilling to give Sky any money.

[jngf]

Is fielding Curry and Navidi together not ceding quite a lot of height in the lineout not to mention ball carrying power and physicality to the boks A side?