British & Irish Lions 2025

[big gaz]

The best that can be said about today's game is that the biggest winners are the players that didn't play today

That kid who plays for Scotland the one with the Welsh name did okay ffs ;-)

 

[BlueMoonday]

Warratahs were superb today defensively. Lions were sloppy with the rooks but decent with the scrums. Obvs Farrell is giving players a chance. I thought Mitchell had a faultless game.

 

[supercity88]

Lets not dress it up Young Fazz has had a shit year in France , also not played an International in 2 yr I think. He was not in the first pick of 3 no 10 or first pick for a centres job, so why now Leadership, the squad has 3 nations captains dont need another. All we needed was a centre yes, Like when Tomos got injured we got a scrum half ;-)

I would say they've picked up on a need for more experience or leadership so he is in. Simple as that. Didn't need a like for like change. Don't think it will make much difference any way, but gets everyone talking!

 

[big gaz]

I would say they've picked up on a need for more experience or leadership so he is in. Simple as that. Didn't need a like for like change. Don't think it will make much difference any way, but gets everyone talking!

Oh yes mate 100% got every one talking and Andy is happy that Mrs Farrell is talking to him again ;-)

 

[citeh94]

Think the test team is as folliws
1. Porter
2. Sheehan
3. Stuart
4. Itoje
5. McCarthy
6. Chessum
7. Van der Flier
8. Conan
9. JGP
10. Russell
11. Lowe
12. Tuipotolu
13. Ringrose
14. Freeman
15. Kinghorn

 

[bluemoon32]

Thank God we're playing a poor Aussie side and not touring SA or NZ

 

[city5189]

I know it's only a warm up game but the lions playing really well today.
Can't see other than a 3-0 white wash when playing the Aussies.

 

[Churchlawtonblue]

This team should be called the British, Irish, South African and Kiwi Lions. Or alternatively the Lion Barbarians?

 

[city5189]

This team should be called the British, Irish, South African and Kiwi Lions. Or alternatively the Lion Barbarians?

What do you mean,duhan van Der merwe is as Scottish has they come mate.:)

 

[Churchlawtonblue]

What do you mean,duhan van Der merwe is as Scottish has they come mate.:)

Ummmm, played for the Saffas in his youth, then was able to point to Scotland on a map so then qualified to play for them. The qualifying rules are just basically terrible, they make a mockery out of international Rugby and to a lesser degree Cricket. I dont think football is quite as bad, although it seemed like it 30 years ago with the ROI aka England B.

 

[BlueMoonday]

We are going to smash the aussies

 

[bluemoon32]

We are going to smash the aussies

We should, it's a very poor Aussie side compared to some of their past sides.
That saying, i think it's a fairly weak Lions squad too but we should still have too much for the Aussies

 

[bluemoon32]

Think the test team is as folliws
1. Porter
2. Sheehan
3. Stuart
4. Itoje
5. McCarthy
6. Chessum
7. Van der Flier
8. Conan
9. JGP
10. Russell
11. Lowe
12. Tuipotolu
13. Ringrose
14. Freeman
15. Kinghorn

Ringrose has been ruled out, shame as he's a fine player.
Personally i'd now go with the Scottish midfield & wouldn't have Porter anywhere near the starting side, i'd have Genge instead.
Jac Morgan deserves a place but i think Farrell will go with what he knows and pick VDF, who, let's be honest, is a bloody good player.
Hopefully Farrell doesn't fall for the Pollock hype, he's this generations Jamie Heaslip, a show pony who doesn't do enough grunt work

 

[jimharri]

What's the story with Farrell getting booed by the Aussies? Did he piss on the Aussie flag or something?

 

[MillionMilesAway]

What's the story with Farrell getting booed by the Aussies? Did he piss on the Aussie flag or something?

I wonder whether it goes back to an England-Australia match at Twickenham when Farrell got away with the most blatant shoulder charge on a second row forward a few yards from the line. Nowadays, it would have been a yellow card and a penalty try.

Farrell did it a few times in a relatively short period, if I remember rightly.

 

[jimharri]

I wonder whether it goes back to an England-Australia match at Twickenham when Farrell got away with the most blatant shoulder charge on a second row forward a few yards from the line. Nowadays, it would have been a yellow card and a penalty try.

Farrell did it a few times in a relatively short period, if I remember rightly.

A bit ironic, if that is the case. I remember a Lion (O'Gara?) getting absolutely pummeled by one of the Aussies while laying helpless on the ground.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

A bit ironic, if that is the case. I remember a Lion (O'Gara?) getting absolutely pummeled by one of the Aussies while laying helpless on the ground.

Yeah, that was bad but the Aussie was sent off and banned for a fair while, I think. It was a tour match, I think, rather than a test match.

 

[jimharri]

Yeah, that was bad but the Aussie was sent off and banned for a fair while, I think. It was a tour match, I think, rather than a test match.

Yeah; it was a tour match. The Waratahs vs the Lions. Duncan MacRae.

 

[Ric]

Team named for the first test on Saturday:

Keenan, Freeman, Jones, Tuipulotu, Lowe, Russell, Gibson-Park; Genge, Sheehan, Furlong. Itoje, McCarthy, Beirne, Curry, Conan.

Replacements: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Chessum, Earl, Mitchell, M Smith, Aki

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Team named for the first test on Saturday:

Keenan, Freeman, Jones, Tuipulotu, Lowe, Russell, Gibson-Park; Genge, Sheehan, Furlong. Itoje, McCarthy, Beirne, Curry, Conan.

Replacements: Kelleher, Porter, Stuart, Chessum, Earl, Mitchell, M Smith, Aki

Aki looks curious as a sub. Presumably Jones would move to wing if need be.

Is the Beirne/Chessum selection more that they both cover lock, as opposed to typical loose forward skills at rucks? Australia's 6+7 will presumably hope to prosper there; if the Lions stop that, the main risk is that they'll beat themselves through errors.