Brumbies v Lions

presumably Gatland didn't want to play anyone who might play on Saturday

Several from the bench will be play a part Saturday.

Thought Ben Youngs would have a Saturday role too.

Brumbies: 15 Jesse Mogg, 14 Henry Speight, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Andrew Smith, 11 Clyde Rathbone, 10 Matt Toomua, 9 Ian Prior, 8 Peter Kimlin (c), 7 Colby Faingaa, 6 Scott Fardy, 5 Sam Carter, 4 Leon Power, 3 Scott Sio, 2 Siliva Siliva, 1 Ruan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Josh Mann-Rea, 17 Jean-Pierre Smith, 18 Chris Cocca, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Jordan Smiler, 21 Mark Swanepoel, 22 Robbie Coleman, 23 Zack Holmes.

Plenty of life in that Brumbies backline for sure.  If they can compete up front then the Lions have a real close match on their hands.

Lions forwards look better than their backs.

How much will the Lions want to win ?

surely the emphasis is on Saturday ....... today could be high-scoring.

well if they win all their tour matches the lions get a 12K bonus per man so i imagine they would quite like to win.

bit of a buzz for brumbies on the prediction sites,low scoring maybe,cold wet canberra,give it ten mins with a view to lumping on the lions cap

It's hard to imagine it being that low scoring with Wade and Williams on the wing.  We score one/you score one type of game, especially with the likes of Speight and Mogg coming at them.

Looks a right ramshackle backline for the Lions if you ask me.  This could be exciting in both directions

Hmmm seems like conditions are indeed cold and a bit wet with the curtain raiser called off due to hail.  Lines are dropping but for me it would be a no bet with so many loose players on the pitch.

with these one off games who knows how theyll gel,how wide the gulf will be-if any gulf at all,will williams shine or burn,not funny that trip,how good can his head be too?lay anytime scorer appeal-s williams?

Confucious say 'very brave man who lay Shane Williamsville to score try'.

confucius never played the glasgow empire

lions -12.5,gl all

good to see Willie John leading out the Lions ....... luckily he was out their as a spectator

pathetic

Christian Wade not so good at defending

Brumbies 5-0

5 mins

Lions lose lineout

not

Hogg kicks it out

Square pegs in round holes for the Lions .

This looks like the best side so far against the Lions  , so lets hope its a good buckle .

this is by far the worst Lions side so far as Gatland has decided to protect the first test team

Wade knocks on

Virginia Wade knocks on

this is almost the forwards v the backs for the Lions

Stuart Hogg misses easy pen

19 mins

O'Brien struggling with an injury

Lions look very poor

At what point do we see the flip-flop occurring here?

Lions playing like a team who have never played together, which is exactly what they are.
Outside the tests this looked the hardest game and the team picked is a mish mash of players who are either out of position or are unfamiliar with those around them.

Sean O'Brien gives away a pen but a narrow miss by the Brumbies who are looking no world beaters themselves.

Gatland has alot to answer for here ! putting out a shambolic team against the best team faced so far !
He has given a hospital pass to some who has a chance of a test place......
An outhalf would be nice ,,, not Hogg's fault

easily the worst game of the tour so far

Brumbies 8-0

39 mins

Hook should have been in as a utility player

HT 8-3

What else can Gatland do?  It is the game before the first test. The dirt trackers always play that match as the Test XV is saved for the big one.

The real shame is that the Brumbies came wasn't a Sat match or at least any other game than this as they were always going to be one of the top 2 teams faced.

Rory Best throwing more like George Best. Youngs passing leaving a lot to be desired. 

Spirit required in 2nd half to turn this around.

desperataley dull game

Biscar Two from a mile back

18 Jun 13 11:19

Lions playing like a team who have never played together, which is exactly what they are.
Outside the tests this looked the hardest game and the team picked is a mish mash of players who are either out of position or are unfamiliar with those around them.

the priority is the first test - presumably the Lions would have picked an easier side to play against the Tuesday before

Lions far from out of this  , Gatland selection issues mean a defeat would be meaningless to the test series   however a win would be a real boost

Farrel to convert Zebo try in 79th minute to win game   !!!!!

I wouldn't be laying the draw in the high teens here in an 11 point ball game.  The 3rd man very much has to be respected today.

Lions definitely not out of this . Studio analysts have touched on the lack of intensity which has been glaringly obvious . Halftime definitely came at the right time. Only 8-3 down wind assisted 15 minutes in the dressing room to rev them up, a strong bench. I expect to see the Lions sort it out and win by 7+

Have to change thrower .  Rory needs his glasses changed .

You know the way the water goes down the plughole different in the southern hemisphere ?  --Rory has not had time to acclimatise ....

Some of the problem might also be the jumpers , but Rory would not be still on the pitch if he had not got the captains armband on .

I agree with those questioning the schedule, this should have been a saturday game,too much of a test just with just 3 days rest before the Oz game.
I think a bigger squad should have been selected as well, should be no need to call up players who have had no time with colleagues.

14-3

53 mins

Brumbies matched at 1.35

14-6

55 mins

front row gone

here comes the cavalry

subs to win the day here

Hogg hits the post again

Farrell comes on

14-9

62 mins

Farrell

Intensity levels have increased since the substitutions. Certainly those substituted might be feeling a little disappointed in their displays

What has happened Rob Kearney?

Great kick and catch by RK . Poor clear out RK penalised for holding on

Richie Gray steals lineout

Zebo for Williams

Williams pulled off by WG

not for the first time

Another Gray lineout steal . Pen to Lions

Farewell kicks pen

14-12 72mins

14-12

71 mins

Lions crank it up

Murray isolated

Was Mogg having some sort of seizure there?!?

A shambles. WG must take blame.

BRUMBIES!

OH DEAR LIONS

don't be ridiculous

Played Brumbies well deserved win.

Faletau best Lion in defeat.

worth it if the Lions win the 1st test.

Now on to the big one.

This result was as meaningless as putting 100 on the contryside parks XV a week or so ago.

Brumbies played as a team , Lions made too many mistakes , and looked like 15 individuals .

Lions never looked like scoring a try outside of the first 5 minutes attack .

And with 2 lightweight wingers starting out , vulnerable in defence .

agreed - looked a dodgy Lions team before the off in the backline if nothing else and well done Brumbies in bringing the odds home

I think the Lions should be 1.9 / 2.0 for the 1st test

The one thing I would say about this match is that it has zero influence on The Test Series.

Having said that one aspect that would worry me is how what some would have considered a potential test back row was effectively destroyed at the breakdown

What price were The Lions today?

I don't buy the fact that today has zero influence on the Test series.  It effects morale, confidence, selection etc etc etc.

Today was humiliating and puts the management,organisation and selection of the tour party firmly in focus.

* This was not the fixture to play in the week of a Test. 

* The lunacy of bringing 2 outhalves was cruelly exposed

* as was the inadequate size of the initial touring party.  Its a charming notion that everyone gets a fair crack at the test side in the build up to the first test, in practice it has become debilitating.  The players these days are Pros, brig more of them at the start and have them accept the reality that not all will necessarily get a fair crack of the whip. (I realise this did not work for Sir Clive Woodward's Lions but much, if clearly not all of his thinking was correct imo) It's a nonsense in this day and age calling up a retired international who is performing at a lower grade of rugby.

Lions unlikely to dominate at set piece at the weekend.  Likely to be second best at the breakdown.  Likely to be missing key ball carriers in the backline.  Thank heavens Halfpenny is kicking like a God, he is going to need to continue, if the Lions are going to have any chance of winning.

Lions were about 1.30 at the off Biffo.

AGREED re the selection of only 2 out halves and hopefully tonight will put to bed any suggestion that Hogg could be the replacement fly half

AGREED re the size of tour party.Back in the the day tour parties consisted of 30 players but generally replacements were only allowed when players were deemed medically unfit to continue. Nowadays generally 23 players actually play each match day and there is an argument that tour parties should be increased to 46

DISAGREE that tonight's result will affect the morale and confidence of the test squad. Certainly it will affect the morale and confidence of tonight's starting 15 ( Falateau apart) . Some of that 15 certainly won't see test action on that performance with the front row particularly poor Richie Gray barely featured until the last 20 minutes and both SOB  and Tipuric had poor ineffective outings. Youngs was terrible , Hogg isn't an outhalf , Twelvetrees was off the pace and continually smashed. The wingers looked and played like small boys . Kearney had a poor first half with some poor defending and aimless kicking but in fairness to him he turned it around in the second half.

I have confidence in the Lions test squad to put the Wallabies away. Plenty of leaders throughout the team ( lacking tonight) I think they will dominate scrum time and shade lineouts. Kickoffs look good (terrible tonight with no chasers) . If the Lions get parity at the breakdown I still say they will win the first 2 tests.

Spot on Yummy on most of what you posted .  Not sure about morale though , a few  more cracks in management strategy surfaced today for me . Roll on Saturday anyway !