Name your Lions team

[TT Boy]

Ferris gone, Ryan Jones in. Big blow. Kid looked good.

[TT Boy]

Another good showing by the Lions against a good Sharks pack (backline Terblanche and Kock aside was Vodacom Cup standard). I know a lot of people who lumped heavily on a 3 zip to the Boks but I fancy the Lions might take a game and who knows maybe win it.

The Boks won't have played for over a month before the first test and if de Villiers plays silly bollocks, they could get some real egg on their face. The real first test for the Lions will come against the Emerging Boks, the rest of the warm-ups are against heavily depleted provinces and a side which has 38 year old, Mike Catt in it.

[Uppercut]

Actually caught this game. Looking pretty good from the Lions, but it was a bit scrappy as 39-3 wins go. They didn't exactly bulldoze the Sharks the way the scoreline would suggest but they defended much better and made less mistakes.

[Samuel_Vimes]

75 % possession, at least. Sharks just had no go-forward (probably related to that appalling backline and no desire to kick whatsoever)

Can't say Terblanche applied for a Test spot either. Maybe de Villiers and TT got that one right.

[BoyBrumby]

Our lack of a cutting edge was disappointing in the first half, as was the way BoD was hunted down after the breakaway. Three years ago that'd have been a try. & Don't wanna whinge, but Kaplan didn't do us any favours at the breakdown either. Sharks offside more or less constantly.

Byrne & Phillips have inked their names in now tho. Dare say the backline is pretty much settled now, save fly-half and (maybe) one of the wings.

9) Phillips
10) S Jones (probably)
11) Monye (probably)
12) Roberts
13) O'Driscoll
14) Bowe
15) Byrne

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

75 % possession, at least. Sharks just had no go-forward (probably related to that appalling backline and no desire to kick whatsoever)

Can't say Terblanche applied for a Test spot either. Maybe de Villiers and TT got that one right.

All the Shark backs were poor. Kock who had a fantastic Super14 was ****. Poor tactical kicking, no breaks, just seemed like he was on a mission to piss off the opposition, that was it.

Deysel was the only player who came out of it with any sort of credit. A beast with ball in hand.

Strong rumour that Burger will miss the first test. Few years back that would have been a huge blow but he hasn't been hot since cutting his hair and the Boks have a plethora of quality flankers.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by TT Boy

Strong rumour that Burger will miss the first test. Few years back that would have been a huge blow but he hasn't been hot since cutting his hair and the Boks have a plethora of quality flankers.

Yup, agreed. Only two people who played flanker in the Super 14 in the squad though...would be Dinosaur with Juan and Kankowski?

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

Yup, agreed. Only two people who played flanker in the Super 14 in the squad though...would be Dinosaur with Juan and Kankowski?

Yeah just those and I’m not sure how many starts Dinosaur has had as flanker for the Bulls. Usually bench warmed and played second fiddle as lock this year. Though, he did play in Burger’s position during the contact session yesterday.

They are given Burger as much time as possible but if he is ruled out, I can’t see them overlooking Brussow given the way he has performed this year. Though, Jean Deysel still has another shot at the Lions and whilst he usually plays 8 he can play 7 as well. And Jean has the advantage over Brussow in having 10kg of more muscle and 10cm. There is a notion in some circles that Brussow is too small to play for the Boks. Former coach, Jake White would never have touched a player as diminutive Heinrich and flatly hated fetchers (Luke Watson). He thought the only thing they were good for is pulling beers out of the fridge.

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by TT Boy

Ferris gone, Ryan Jones in. Big blow. Kid looked good.

& Ryan Jones out. Rumours of the hokey-cokey still to be confirmed.

[BoyBrumby]

Bit of a curate's egg against WP. Scrum functioned pretty decently, wings took their chances, Williams (M) linked the forwards with the backs and Powell carried the ball well, but Jones (S) I think may've played himself out of a test slot. Kicking from the tee and the hand was ordinary, decision making poor and handling worse. He has a physicality that O'Gara lacks, but if the coaches think wee Ronan's too little he shouldn't be there.

I'll hazard a guess at the team, going with who I think will be picked rather than who I would necessarily.

1) G Jenkins (Wal)
2) L Mears (Eng)
3) P Vickery (Eng)
4) P O'Connell (Ire)*
5) AW Jones (Wal)
6) T Croft (Eng)
7) M Williams (Wal)
8) J Heaslip (Ire)

9) M Phillips (Wal)
10 R O'Gara (Ire)
11) U Monye (Eng)
12) J Roberts (Wal)
13) B O'Driscoll (Ire)
14) T Bowe (Ire)
15) L Byrne (Wal)

The positions I struggled with most were second lock, blindside flanker & (as per my previous equivocation) fly-half. I think Martyn Williams did enough to secure openside so, with his relative lack of bulk, I could see Worsley being preferred to his younger, more athletic compatriot at 6. Similarly with Hines maybe partnering O'Connell in the second row; if we go for a cracking heads approach the Australio-Jock might start.

&, as I said, O'Gara should now start, but if his size and/or defence is seen as an issue Jones might get an (underseved, IMHO) reprieve or Hook could come in.

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by TT Boy

They are given Burger as much time as possible but if he is ruled out, I can’t see them overlooking Brussow given the way he has performed this year.

Burger has been ruled out and Brussow does indeed come into the squad and starts.

Bok side

15. Frans Steyn (27 caps)
14. JP Pietersen (24)
13. Adi Jacobs (21)
12. Jean de Villiers (46)
11. Bryan Habana (46)
10. Ruan Pienaar (27)
9. Fourie du Preez (43)
8. Pierre Spies (19)
7. Juan Smith (54)
6. Heinrich Brüssow (1)
5. Victor Matfield (80)
4. Bakkies Botha (55)
3. John Smit (81) – captain
2. Bismarck du Plessis (21)
1. Tendai Mtawarira (10)

Replacements:

16. Gurthrö Steenkamp (20)
17. Deon Carstens (7)
18. Andries Bekker (13)
19. Danie Rossouw (36)
20. Ricky Januarie (34)
21. Jaque Fourie (42)
22. Morné Steyn (uncapped)

Not a bad side. Personally, I would have started Morne instead of Ruan, dropped Adi (from the 22) for Fourie and got Kanko onto the bench.