3rd Test

[Which Tyler]

Farrell snr or junior?

2029
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Attack Coach

2033
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Backs Coach

2037 & 41:
Owen: Head Coach

[switchskier]

Farrell snr or junior?

2029
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Attack Coach

2033
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Backs Coach

2037 & 41:
Owen: Head Coach

I often think that players that go into coaching really value what they couldnt do as players. Townsend demands control from his ten. As undersized hookers both Jones and Garland prize sheer brute force power. Galthie loves a maverick game breaking set of half backs.

Some maybe as a coach young Owen will favour pace, derring do and the ability of pass off a players left hand?

[Banquo]

Farrell snr or junior?

2029
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Attack Coach

2033
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Backs Coach

2037 & 41:
Owen: Head Coach

I often think that players that go into coaching really value what they couldnt do as players. Townsend demands control from his ten. As undersized hookers both Jones and Garland prize sheer brute force power. Galthie loves a maverick game breaking set of half backs.

Some maybe as a coach young Owen will favour pace, derring do and the ability of pass off a players left hand?

[Buggaluggs]

Not really a vintage Lions tour at all. 1st test was a demolition of a poorly prepared team. 2nd test was lucky - not because of the clear out, but more because any time a team goes 18 points behind and comes back to win in the final minute, it has to be considered lucky. Any error or odd decision from the ref and its lost. Lions looked tired and not fired up for the final test, but who knows how they would have played if the series was 1-1.

[Sandydragon]

The chickens come home to roost as the Lions are revealed as a pretty mediocre squad a bit short in the dog department, and lacking real pace/zip/skills in the outside backs.
But wait till you hear the media really talk them up anyway.
Monye is already on about Farrell coaching the next tour.
It's all a bit of a hoot really.

I guess the Lions could only play what was in front of them and despite Farrell Senior’s pre-ordained test match selection policy and that the piss poor performance against Argentina deserve credit for winning the series. In all honesty this really wasn’t a vintage (nor especially talented) Lions squad and I actually enjoyed warm ups more than tests themselves in many respects. Not enough to convince me that Farrell Senior is a Borthwick successor.

If you wanted to be really churlish, you could argue that when the lions met good opposition (Argentina and the last two tests) they struggled.

Without being churlish, this lions tour has felt that it’s not really gone beyond the sum of its parts. Some players are clearly at the end of their careers and ran out of steam.

But I had a feeling somewhat similar last time we toured Australia. I think some of the warm up games are so one sided, it’s difficult to assess where the team is.

[Which Tyler]

I often think that players that go into coaching really value what they couldnt do as players. Townsend demands control from his ten. As undersized hookers both Jones and Garland prize sheer brute force power. Galthie loves a maverick game breaking set of half backs.

Some maybe as a coach young Owen will favour pace, derring do and the ability of pass off a players left hand?

That's quite the copium

[Oakboy]

I suppose one could observe that the effectiveness of the Lions' test performances showed an inverse relationship to the time Owen spent on the pitch.

[paddy no 11]

I suppose one could observe that the effectiveness of the Lions' test performances showed an inverse relationship to the time Owen spent on the pitch.

[wanderingjock]

Screenshot_20250802-164355_Chrome.jpg

Went to look on the BBC HYS for a bit of unreasonable vitriol... this made me laugh!

[francoisfou]

The Lions were oh so lucky to win the series.
The Aussies came within a gnat's cock of winning the second Test and completely wiped the floor with the Lions today which means that they're on their way back up, and if they can only build on this in the Tri-Nations which gets under way in two weeks (Springboks v Australia on August 16th) then Aussie rugby supporters will be smiling.

[Donny osmond]

Farrell snr or junior?

2029
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Attack Coach

2033
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Backs Coach

2037 & 41:
Owen: Head Coach

I often think that players that go into coaching really value what they couldnt do as players. Townsend demands control from his ten. As undersized hookers both Jones and Garland prize sheer brute force power. Galthie loves a maverick game breaking set of half backs.

Some maybe as a coach young Owen will favour pace, derring do and the ability of pass off a players left hand?

This is the post of the tour

[Donny osmond]

The Lions were oh so lucky to win the series.
The Aussies came within a gnat's cock of winning the second Test and completely wiped the floor with the Lions today which means that they're on their way back up, and if they can only build on this in the Tri-Nations which gets under way in two weeks (Springboks v Australia on August 16th) then Aussie rugby supporters will be smiling.

I think Aus might be about to find out the absolute galaxy of difference between a badly selected scratch team and an established cohesive unit. SA will just laugh at Skelton and man shame the rest of them.

[francoisfou]

The Lions were oh so lucky to win the series.
The Aussies came within a gnat's cock of winning the second Test and completely wiped the floor with the Lions today which means that they're on their way back up, and if they can only build on this in the Tri-Nations which gets under way in two weeks (Springboks v Australia on August 16th) then Aussie rugby supporters will be smiling.

I think Aus might be about to find out the absolute galaxy of difference between a badly selected scratch team and an established cohesive unit. SA will just laugh at Skelton and man shame the rest of them.

That’s true, they don’t stand a chance away to the Boks, but they improved significantly over the last two Tests and if they can win one or two Tests at home then it’ll be encouraging.

[Mikey Brown]

Wrong word maybe. Just seemed funny to be arguing any sort of decision in a game that was so far gone, and felt like it should have had about 35 yellows already.

I didn't know I was arguing anything at all.
I typed a dozen words on a decision that was being made in real time - it's... kinda what's done on match threads.

It's not suggesting that it's the only thing that happened in the game, or that Aus weren't well deserved, and comfortable winners, or even arguing that the decision was wrong.

My live comment just seems like a weird thing to focus on

I’m not sure what happened here. I wasn’t trying to suggest anything negative on your end, just that it was such a chaotic game I stopped expecting to make sense of it.

Aus were the big winners today, beyond just the scoreline, but I do feel for those new to the game trying to make any sense of what and when certain actions are allowed.

[Banquo]

2029
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Attack Coach

2033
Andy: Head Coach
Owen: Backs Coach

2037 & 41:
Owen: Head Coach

I often think that players that go into coaching really value what they couldnt do as players. Townsend demands control from his ten. As undersized hookers both Jones and Garland prize sheer brute force power. Galthie loves a maverick game breaking set of half backs.

Some maybe as a coach young Owen will favour pace, derring do and the ability of pass off a players left hand?

This is the post of the tour

No thats Owen only quicker

[Spiffy]

The chickens come home to roost as the Lions are revealed as a pretty mediocre squad a bit short in the dog department, and lacking real pace/zip/skills in the outside backs.
But wait till you hear the media really talk them up anyway.
Monye is already on about Farrell coaching the next tour.
It's all a bit of a hoot really.

Farrell snr or junior?

Senior to coach. (but Jr. will be there on field as a leader, tactician, playmaker, goal kicker, break maker, beast of a defender etc... - after all he will only be 37-38.)

[morepork]

What an appalling lack of judgment to shoehorn OF in. For balance, Nic White is an unmitigated thundercunt.

[Mikey Brown]

What an appalling lack of judgment to shoehorn OF in. For balance, Nic White is an unmitigated thundercunt.

But what an impact it made.

[morepork]

Tom Curry is quite the warhorse. Jeez the Lions ignored some quality players though. Schmidt is a quality coach. Random Pork musings out.

[Mr Mwenda]

Random Pork musings out.

Pork scratchings perhaps?

[wanderingjock]

Tom Curry is quite the warhorse. Jeez the Lions ignored some quality players though. Schmidt is a quality coach. Random Pork musings out.

Yup some players ignored. Would have been interesting to see some different selections.

I think it seemed to go pretty quick and not enough time for the non fancied players to get enough time to properly cement a case for selection.

I wonder how 'unfit' tuipoluto was.

I think the journos and ex players have been nice to Owen farrell because of all the shit he has taken online etc previously...

People like Tom curry did well, but again wonder if the whole 'test match animal' has meant others didn't get the chance to shine.

Hopefully be a good southern hemisphere tournament!

[morepork]

Tom Curry is quite the warhorse. Jeez the Lions ignored some quality players though. Schmidt is a quality coach. Random Pork musings out.

Yup some players ignored. Would have been interesting to see some different selections.

I think it seemed to go pretty quick and not enough time for the non fancied players to get enough time to properly cement a case for selection.

I wonder how 'unfit' tuipoluto was.

I think the journos and ex players have been nice to Owen farrell because of all the shit he has taken online etc previously...

People like Tom curry did well, but again wonder if the whole 'test match animal' has meant others didn't get the chance to shine.

Hopefully be a good southern hemisphere tournament!

Ozzies always think they are cock of the walk. It’s one of things that make them so hard to put down. Have to admire it really. They’ll have a new coach for the RC so they will have to summon the Gods of obstinate belligerence once more.


The test match animal question was rhetorical, right?

[p/d]

What an appalling lack of judgment to shoehorn OF in. For balance, Nic White is an unmitigated thundercunt.

Couldn’t agree more.

[Donny osmond]

The Lions were oh so lucky to win the series.
The Aussies came within a gnat's cock of winning the second Test and completely wiped the floor with the Lions today which means that they're on their way back up, and if they can only build on this in the Tri-Nations which gets under way in two weeks (Springboks v Australia on August 16th) then Aussie rugby supporters will be smiling.

I think Aus might be about to find out the absolute galaxy of difference between a badly selected scratch team and an established cohesive unit. SA will just laugh at Skelton and man shame the rest of them.

That’s true, they don’t stand a chance away to the Boks, but they improved significantly over the last two Tests and if they can win one or two Tests at home then it’ll be encouraging.

The thing with Aus is, you just never know. On form they should be getting humped all day and all night by SA and NZ but also they might just salvage some pride and score points against anyone.

[Puja]

I think Aus might be about to find out the absolute galaxy of difference between a badly selected scratch team and an established cohesive unit. SA will just laugh at Skelton and man shame the rest of them.

That’s true, they don’t stand a chance away to the Boks, but they improved significantly over the last two Tests and if they can win one or two Tests at home then it’ll be encouraging.

The thing with Aus is, you just never know. On form they should be getting humped all day and all night by SA and NZ but also they might just salvage some pride and score points against anyone.

A lot of it will come down to their paper-thin depth. With Skelton, Valetini, and an in-form Tupou, the pack is of decent international quality, but the drop-off if they're injured is massive.

Puja