Lions Predictions

simonhead
simonhead Posts: 1,399
edited July 2013 in The cake stop
Predictions for the lions game - Winner and by how much

Closest can change their avatar to Mystic Meg for a week.


I will go for a Lions Win by 7
Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.

Comments

  • laurentian
    laurentian Posts: 2,372
    Lions by 13
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  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,076
    Should be a hell of a game. I can see the canny aussies sneaking it but hoping the Lions can smash it up. Love to see them do it but it would be good if it went to a decider I guess.
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,076
    I'll say oz by 3 but praying I'm not right.
  • mudsucker
    mudsucker Posts: 730
    Lions win by 5 (I hope!)
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  • fat_cat
    fat_cat Posts: 566
    Lions by 6 if they play much better than last week, because they can't get that lucky twice.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,215
    Oz by 5 to set up a thrilling decider next weekend. Genia to score the winning try.
  • lucan2
    lucan2 Posts: 293
    Aussies by 12.
  • prb007
    prb007 Posts: 703
    and the winner is.....
    I'll say oz by 3 but praying I'm not right.

    Secretly wanted the Convicts to win, to set up the decider next weekend :wink:
    If Wales was flattened out, it'd be bigger than England!
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  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,076
    Woohoo! Hell of a tense match. Poetic that it should come down to the last kick of the match again. I was waiting to start the cycling leg of a triathlon and watching the end of the match on some guys phone so looking forward to sitting down and watching next weeks decider properly. Could go either way still. Going to be another epic battle anyway.

    Next week? Lions by 5!

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  • Alain Quay
    Alain Quay Posts: 534
    It can go either way but for Lions to win they need to re-jig their backline, as on Saturday they had no go forward.
    The should bring in big Manu and have Farrell on the bench.

    I used to think these Lions series favoured the Lions, but now I see when they are into 3rd of 4th phase of
    possession, they seem to run out of ideas because they've not played together before.

    I have followed the Wallabies for long enough to know that they rarely trash opposition teams,
    who ever they are, and they make heavy weather of most matches by combining moments of brilliance with
    moments of clumsiness. They need a new coach, win or lose next saturday.

    My heart says Wallabies by 10, my head says Lions by 3, as with the likes of BOD playing their last big game,
    the Lions will be absolutely desperate. Expect an 8- minute slugfest.
  • Alain Quay
    Alain Quay Posts: 534
    80 minute
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    I predict that annoying Scottish commentator will do that terrible growling shout when someone gets a penalty or something.
  • jawooga
    jawooga Posts: 530
    We need to pick a front row who can do the basics right. That means Corbs or Grant on the loose head and Adam Jones at tight head, and id say Young's edges Hibbard at line out and can scrum fine with props who can prop. Bring in Gray for a bit of ballast in the engine room. Id still play Lydiate at 6 - although he's a defensive player i thought he did it very well last match. TF as a ball carrier. Not sure about 7.

    Then commit the Aussies defence in around the fringes. I've no problem with a prop carrying, but not 20 yards away from support runners. Hopefully Manu or Roberts will be fit to play 12. JD is very good but i don't see he has the bulk to regularly get over the gain line or the vision to play 2nd 5/8. Id rather have Faz play the latter role.

    Maybe consider Kearny at 15? Very harsh on 1/2p but we need start running some clever angles in attack and bring our wingers into the game more. North barely touched the ball on Saturday.

    Heart says Lions. Head says Aussies by 5.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,215
    jawooga wrote:
    Maybe consider Kearny at 15?

    Seriously? Drop probably the most consistent player in the northern hemisphere over the last 18 months? He's more than capable of coming into the line in attack if the game situation dictates but first and foremost you want your full back to stop anyone running at him and deal safely with the high ball and I don't think there is a better 15 in world rugby at those aspects than Halfpenny. There's plenty of decisions to be made with regards to the starting 15 and bench for Saturday but Halfpenny would be one of two certainties for me (the other being Adam Jones). I reckon the Lions are going to take it by 3 points.
  • Alain Quay
    Alain Quay Posts: 534
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I predict that annoying Scottish commentator will do that terrible growling shout when someone gets a penalty or something.

    Ian Robertson. He always sounds like he should be commentating on some burlesque show he's watching.
  • simonhead
    simonhead Posts: 1,399
    British and Irish Lions: Leigh Halfpenny (Wales); Tommy Bowe (Ireland), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Jamie Roberts (Wales), George North (Wales); Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Mike Phillips (Wales); Alex Corbisiero (England), Richard Hibbard (Wales), Adam Jones (Wales), Alun Wyn Jones (captain, Wales), Geoff Parling (England), Dan Lydiate (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Toby Faletau (Wales).

    Replacements: Tom Youngs (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Dan Cole (England), Richie Gray (Scotland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Conor Murray (Ireland), Owen Farrell (England), Manu Tuilagi (England).
    Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.
  • ballysmate
    ballysmate Posts: 15,921
    Looks like the coach falling back onto what he is familiar with.
    Saw it with Sir Clive in 05.
    If Lions are to continue, perhaps not such a good idea to appoint a coach who is or has recently coached a 6N side.
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,076
    Oh dear. I'm not very confident now now. I agree with Keith Woods that it seems conservative and unadventurous . I think I'd have included BoD for his experience. Wales haven't beaten oz in the last few attempts so not sure what Gats is expecting to be different. Don't think he's been very brave with his team choices. He obviously had players pencilled in despite form on tour. Ie Bowe for Cuthbert after his performance in the 1st test.
  • jawooga
    jawooga Posts: 530
    jawooga wrote:
    Maybe consider Kearny at 15?
    Pross wrote:
    Seriously? Drop probably the most consistent player in the northern hemisphere over the last 18 months? He's more than capable of coming into the line in attack if the game situation dictates but first and foremost you want your full back to stop anyone running at him and deal safely with the high ball and I don't think there is a better 15 in world rugby at those aspects than Halfpenny. There's plenty of decisions to be made with regards to the starting 15 and bench for Saturday but Halfpenny would be one of two certainties for me (the other being Adam Jones). I reckon the Lions are going to take it by 3 points.
    You got me. I like to think I was playing Devil's advocate, because I would have picked 1/2p too. IMvHO our problem has been playing too much back foot rugby because Gatland has been more interested in picking front row forwards who can carry rather than scrum, and even on the front foot JD is not a 12, so we've not brought our back three in to the game as much as we should have. That said, I think 1/2p could have counter attacked more when he's found himself in space - not something he does for Wales TBH.

    By the way, I may be English, but I have a lot of time for how Wales have played over the last few years and I don't particularly have a beef with Gatland.

    A bit (very) harsh to leave out BOD, but Roberts and JD are a known centre pairing and Manu deserves his chance on the bench. You have to put an entire front row, scrum half and fly half on the bench, which leaves 3 spots up for grabs - WG has gone for a back row, lock and Manu. Difficult to find too much fault with the logic.
  • lemon63
    lemon63 Posts: 253
    I can't believe all the fuss about BOD not being selected for Saturday, he's long past his best, his performance in this years 6N proved that and also his performances on this tour. JD is by far the better centre on current form so he was always going to play alongside Roberts. I think it was a tough call on Youngs to be dropped for Hibbard, his lineout has been the best of all the hookers. I also think Ian Evans should have been in due to his performances on the tour and Parling's pretty lack lustre games.
  • simonhead
    simonhead Posts: 1,399
    lemon63 wrote:
    I can't believe all the fuss about BOD not being selected for Saturday, he's long past his best, his performance in this years 6N proved that and also his performances on this tour. JD is by far the better centre on current form so he was always going to play alongside Roberts. I think it was a tough call on Youngs to be dropped for Hibbard, his lineout has been the best of all the hookers. I also think Ian Evans should have been in due to his performances on the tour and Parling's pretty lack lustre games.


    Have to agree, would have stayed with Youngs and as much as I like Parling wouldnt have selected him in this game. Biggest concern is lack of a really vocal and experienced leader on the pitch.
    Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,076
    What a result! Don't think many people predicted that. They played out of their skins. The best thing about winning is that all the negativity is forgotten. Who cares about the BOD issue now!? Just going to enjoy a great win and the looks on the faces of all the boys walking around the pitch afterwards. Brilliant. Almost poetic how it was so close in the first two and so emphatic in the last. Not to say it was an easy game. It was only in the last 15 minutes that we could dare to dream.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,215
    I wonder if the likes of Keith Wood, Ian Robertson et al will be man enough to apologise to Gatland and admit they got it wrong? Somehow I doubt it.
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,076
    True, Gatland has said he was pretty upset/annoyed with just how vitriolic the crticism was. Re the above pre match comments... I thought Parling had a good game today. Will certainly help his England career. That massive tap tackle was a big moment for him.
  • lemon63
    lemon63 Posts: 253
    Pross wrote:
    I wonder if the likes of Keith Wood, Ian Robertson et al will be man enough to apologise to Gatland and admit they got it wrong? Somehow I doubt it.
    Apparently Keith Wood has come out & admitted he was wrong, as for Robertson the BBC should have put the so-called rugby expert out to grass years ago. #tosser
  • simonhead
    simonhead Posts: 1,399
    Over the moon, unfortunately saw absolutely none of it as the mrs stopped the recording to record a few other programmes at the same time............royally pi$$ed off.
    Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.
  • daviesee
    daviesee Posts: 6,386
    simonhead wrote:
    Over the moon, unfortunately saw absolutely none of it as the mrs stopped the recording to record a few other programmes at the same time............royally pi$$ed off.
    See.
    That's why I don't have Sky. That way I have to go to the pub. :P
    What would be Sky costs are beer tokens. :wink:
    None of the above should be taken seriously, and certainly not personally.
  • simonhead
    simonhead Posts: 1,399
    daviesee wrote:
    simonhead wrote:
    Over the moon, unfortunately saw absolutely none of it as the mrs stopped the recording to record a few other programmes at the same time............royally pi$$ed off.
    See.
    That's why I don't have Sky. That way I have to go to the pub. :P
    What would be Sky costs are beer tokens. :wink:


    Would have loved to go to the pub but had a long standing commitment that i couldnt get out of so no choice really.
    Life isnt like a box of chocolates, its like a bag of pic n mix.