British and irish lions tour

After 2 easy wins and a good hitout v Queensland Reds, the Lions have another two matches before the first test next weekend in Brisbane. They play the NSW Waratahs tonight and the ACT Brumbies on Tue night with approx 5 test spots still up for grabs. Captain Sam Warburton is struggling to cement his place in the side. should be a cracking series. George North is in doubt with a hammy injury.

 

Never mind George North and his ham are we going to have any rissoles on this thread ?

 

hmmmmmmmmmmmm it will be cold next weekend so a rissole roll with thick gravy will be appreciated before the match and at half time

 

I'm watching these Lions games and all I'm watching out for is a Jack Army flag !!

So when the hell are you going to make an appearance ?

 

British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland says tour captain Sam Warburton will have to earn his place in the Test side for the series against Australia with a good performance against the Waratahs on Saturday.

With all seven of his loose forwards fit and in blistering form, Gatland admits choosing who is going to fill the three back row berths against the Wallabies in Brisbane on June 22 is going to be a bit of a headache.

British Lions sides in the past have been accused of selecting a tour captain who is not worthy of a Test starting spot.

"I think I've been 100 per cent consistent from day one, it's about picking the best players," Gatland said.

"Sam's well aware of that. He had a good blowout last week against the Reds, he had a couple of good turnovers, so let's see what happens on Saturday rather than trying to create some controversy about potentially leaving one or two players out of the team."

Warburton, who missed the first two games of the tour because of a sore knee, made his Lions debut against the Queensland Reds last weekend in an all-Welsh back row with blindside Dan Lydiate and number eight Toby Faletau.

On Saturday, he will again start in the number seven shirt with England's Tom Croft on the other flank and Irishman Jamie Heaslip at the back of the scrum.

His fellow Welshman Justin Tipuric put in a storming display at openside against the Combined Country side in midweek, while Ireland's Sean O'Brien also ably pressed his claim on the blindside of the scrum in the same match.

Irish centre Brian O'Driscoll is just being rested for the Waratahs game after doing the splits late in the match against Combined Country and Gatland was similarly hopeful that Manu Tuliagi would be available for the first Test.

"Manu's shoulder has been improving all the time, he's training today, the medic said he's been making really good progress," he said of the powerful England centre.

Fly halves Jonny Sexton and Owen Farrell were both declared fit to play against the Waratahs after recovering from niggles but Gatland said in retrospect, it might have been better to bring a bigger squad.

"Even from four years ago, in the physicality, there's been a step up and players being able to handle two games in a week, it's tough," he said.

The Waratahs have also been bolstered by the selection of openside flanker Pat McCutcheon, who has recovered from a knee injury.

 

when swimmer makes me one and sends it to me lol

 

Where is swim anyway ? I haven't seen him lately, I do know he likes his rugby though.

Perhaps he's on his way to Oz to watch the Lions and he's got a flag for you Musty

 

Poor excuse Musty, why not make one!!!

 

Come on Neveroff, Musty couldn't make a phone call let alone a flag

 

I made a cracking one when we went to Wembley for the Auto Glass Trophy. My mate asked to borrow it and never so the bloody thing again.

 

an aussie flag with jack army on it will get me killed by both sets of fans lol

 

So who's going to watch today's game then ?

I was told yesterday that a Warratah is a flower, perhaps Musty can confirm. I thought it was some sort of Australian wildman living in a cave in the outback living on a diet of kangaroo testicles and moonshine, or is that just Musty

 

Anybody get up at half 5 this morning to watch that our shower of ****e against Japan? Watching the French v NZ at the moment

 

Musty got kicked out of the cave Dilli. Giving the wildmen a bad reputation

 

Valley I thought you had more sense than that.

 

I sky+ it, I won't bother now seeing some of the comments on here. Watching the all blacks giving France a tuning at the moment

 

The All Blacks look like they are in a training match here with France. Haven't got out of 3rd gear all night.

 

Yes, easy for them. Can't believe France not scoring just after half time, camped on the NZ line and they cock it up. Great try on the break though

 

What a fcuking offload there

 

Another great try.