Diom wrote:

swift4prez wrote: Cian Healy was cleared of biting but is <strong>ruled out</strong> by injury. Ryan Grant comes in!

Have heard this on a couple of forums (forii?) but not seen a source yet. Any links?
Ryan Grant? I thought that Corbisiero was already in Oz?

lions twitter account

British&Irish Lions ‏@lionsofficial 30m
Squad Update - @ryangrant85 called up into @lionsofficial squad to replace @ProperChurch due to ankle ligament damage #LionsTour #REDvLIO

yes Corbisiero added earlier this week. maybe gatland wants to have look at both!

swift4prez wrote: Cian Healy was cleared of biting but is <strong>ruled out</strong> by injury. Ryan Grant comes in!

Have heard this on a couple of forums (forii?) but not seen a source yet. Any links?
Ryan Grant? I thought that Corbisiero was already in Oz?

Cian Healy was cleared of biting but is ruled out by injury. Ryan Grant comes in!

For me if you are going to select Halfpenny than he must be taking the kicks. Otherwise he's far from the clear choice over Hogg and a case could even then be made for Kearney.

theCulk wrote: Halfpenny is nailed on 15 and kicker for me. Always was. You're kind of disproving your on point there sea_point with those stats IMO

How prey tell? If you looked at the stats Sexton's avge keeps up as makes no difference from double the attempts of Halfpenny. If you have one kick in front of the posts and get it you have 100% accuracy...

Place kicking is a fundamental part of the role that Sextons fills week in week out, 10's are notoriously confidence players and by giving the kicking duties to Halfpenny; Gatland's basically saying he doesn't back him...

Personally with two very good place kicking 10's I'd have Hogg at 15 every day, in a million years I wouldn't compromise on Halfpenny's defensive weakness just to get the extra 3% kicking advantage.

Halfpenny is nailed on 15 and kicker for me. Always was. You're kind of disproving your on point there sea_point with those stats IMO

I'm sure Sexton is mature enough to take it on the chin and you really can't argue with Halfpenny's stats or form. Thought it was a shame that Farrell didn't let Hogg take a kick against the BaaBaa's when he asked for one but I understand someone like Farrel who wasn't having the best game wanting to show what he could do.

P.S. Western Force have made two allegations against the Lions team. Healy for biting and Murray for Stamping. Citing commission tomorrow. Healy looks to be in the clear (according to Gatland) but no news on Murray.

RonanL wrote:

connachtexile wrote: P.S. Mad props to Leigh Halfpenny for 11 kicks in a row!

Big time! And many of them from the touchlines. I'm sure Sexton would prefer to be taking the kicks, but I wonder would it help his general play if that task was handed to Halfpenny for the test matches too (assuming they both start).

Remember kicking is only one part (big part, I agree) of a No 10 job. IMO JS is a better playmaker and without the kicking duties he can focus on that part of the game.

Do not think the Aussie's will be too happy to have two world class kickers (and players 10 & 15) on the pitch at same time.

Calling him gatlands pet is ott. Imo he wud be starting fb and kicker no matter who picked the team such is his form esp wit wilko not there. It wud be hard to keep him out of a world xv fb jersey no to mind lions. I agree jonnie must be pissed though.

RonanL wrote:

connachtexile wrote: P.S. Mad props to Leigh Halfpenny for 11 kicks in a row!

Big time! And many of them from the touchlines. I'm sure Sexton would prefer to be taking the kicks, but I wonder would it help his general play if that task was handed to Halfpenny for the test matches too (assuming they both start).

Have to say if I was Johnny Sexton, (no slouch at the old kicking himself for club and country), as aspiring Test Flyhalf I'd be absolutely bulling with Gatland's pet getting the kicking duties today...


BEST RaboDirect PRO12 KICKERS 2012/13

Rank	Name	Team	Good	Att	Kick%
1	Leigh Halfpenny	Cardiff Blues	20	23	86.96%
2	Ian Madigan	Leinster	59	68	86.76%
3	Matthew Morgan	Ospreys	32	37	86.49%
4	Jonathan Sexton	Leinster	35	42	83.33%

connachtexile wrote: P.S. Mad props to Leigh Halfpenny for 11 kicks in a row!

Big time! And many of them from the touchlines. I'm sure Sexton would prefer to be taking the kicks, but I wonder would it help his general play if that task was handed to Halfpenny for the test matches too (assuming they both start).

Good game and was happy for Best and his throwing I think only one went awry. Hope it's not to bad for Healy but Vunipolo when he came on was fantastic. Think all the Lions had a good game with maybe Ian Evans under-performing that said he could have done a lot of unseen work but Parling was a lot more noticeable around the pitch when he came on. Think the Lions will be happy but not getting ahead of themselves.

P.S. Mad props to Leigh Halfpenny for 11 kicks in a row!

Healy looked bad, wonder why the final prognosis will be.

Another walkover game. Was a bit worried by lapses of concentration in defence, but can't be helped if 40 points up. Irish lads had a cracker of a game, I thought. But far more positives than negatives.

Can't wait for the Tests to get going.

Magpie wrote:
I don't like to see that crap from players like Armitage, Ashton and Philips. I am sure lots of guys are itching to nail them after shit like that. But there is no doubting Philips as a player, he is fantastic

to be fair, Phillips in his post match, man of the match interview, HE BROUGHT IT UP HIMSELF, and that he didnt mean bad to joe, said that it was banter between the two as they both play for the same club, bayonne. id believe him, dont think it was anything bad.

11am tomorrow 5/6/12

British and Irish Lions:
15 Leigh Halfpenny,
14 Tommy Bowe,
13 Brian O'Driscoll (captain),
12 Manu Tuilagi,
11 George North,
10 Jonathan Sexton,
9 Conor Murray,
8 Jamie Heaslip,
7 Sean O'Brien,
6 Tom Croft,
5 Ian Evans,
4 Alun Wyn Jones,
3 Dan Cole,
2 Rory Best,
1 Cian Healy.

Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Matt Stevens, 19 Geoff Parling, 20 Toby Faletau, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Sean Maitland.


Western Force:
15 Sam Christie,
14 Dane Haylett-Petty,
13 Ed Stubbs,
12 Chris Tuatara-Morrison,
11 Corey Brown,
10 Sam Norton-Knight,
9 Brett Sheehan,
8 Richard Brown,
7 Matt Hodgson (captain),
6 Angus Cottrell,
5 Phoenix Battye,
4 Toby Lynn,
3 Salesi Ma'afu,
2 James Hilterbrand,
1 Salesi Manu.

Replacements:
16 Hugh Roach, 17 Sione Kolo, 18 Tim Metcher, 19 Ben Matwijow, 20 Lachlan McCaffrey, 21 Alby Mathewson, 22 Nick Haining, 23 Junior Rasolea.

Overall I am very happy. The Lions are way ahead of where I thought they would be. Some great performances, and some bad ones!

Farrell has been poor for a while. He seems to have lost his head, and I sure that clout get got from Brits did not help.

I don't like to see that crap from players like Armitage, Ashton and Philips. I am sure lots of guys are itching to nail them after shit like that. But there is no doubting Philips as a player, he is fantastic

The BaBas could not handle the physical side of The Lions, the ozzies will provide s bigger challenge.