Murray Kinsella reports from Dunedin
THE LIONS TEAM Warren Gatland names on Thursday morning in New Zealand will tell us plenty about his Test plans, but it won’t tell us everything.
Gatland is sure to hold a combination or two back for the first Test against the All Blacks, both to bring an element of surprise and to safeguard his team against the possible negative effects of losing to the Maoris.
The Lions boss has excellent options in almost every department, even if some contenders played themselves completely out of the equation in Tuesday’s defeat to the Highlanders.
While the front row, second row, back row, halfbacks and midfield positions are very competitive, the back three is now a major concern for Gatland.
So far, none of the back three players on this tour have truly shone.
Tommy Seymour was poor against the Highlanders, while Jack Nowell was very quiet. The Scot was solid in his other outing against the Provincial Barbarians, while Nowell struggled against the Blues.
Liam Williams got a yellow card in Auckland then looked a little hesitant against the Crusaders, while George North was also too timid in that game in Christchurch, totally failing to dominate the aerial game.
Elliot Daly has looked sharp in his brief appearances and may feature in the Tests, while Anthony Watson’s pace and evasion were exciting for the Lions against the Crusaders, albeit at fullback.
Leigh Halfpenny, meanwhile, was solid against the Blues and Stuart Hogg’s tour is already over.
Any prospect of Jared Payne emerging as the Lions’ Test fullback appeared to be severely damaged with his costly handling errors against the Highlanders in Dunedin.
Gatland and the Lions say they are not calling up a replacement player for Hogg just yet, but one of Simon Zebo or Keith Earls, both in Japan with Ireland, must be tempting right now.
While the make-up of the back three is a worry, Gatland has far more welcome headaches elsewhere.
Mako Vunipola was strong against the Crusaders and has the most rounded game of the three looseheads, while Jack McGrath and Joe Marler have tended to offer more scrum stability in recent seasons.
At hooker, Jamie George’s dynamism makes him a strong Test contender, but Rory Best’s turnover skills and Ken Owen’s robust leadership cannot be discounted.
While Kyle Sinckler has been superb on this tour, offering power and aggression as well as fine skills, Tadhg Furlong remains the first-choice tighthead prop ahead of the Tests, Dan Cole having underperformed off the bench against the Highlanders.
Lineout specialist George Kruis and Welshman Alun Wyn Jones were superb in the second row against the Crusaders, while Maro Itoje is a potentially explosive replacement, but Iain Henderson is now back in the mix and Courtney Lawes was having a good tour until a nasty concussion against the Highlanders.
The back row of Peter O’Mahony, Taulupe Faletau and Sean O’Brien was superb last Saturday, and captain Sam Warburton is under huge pressure to be involved in the first Test in any capacity.
Conor Murray seems certain to start in the nine shirt, but the make-up of the midfield is a key issue.
Owen Farrell is many people’s favourite to start at out-half, though his combination with Johnny Sexton last weekend was fascinating. The Lions are insisting they have not trained as a 10-12 combo but they looked extremely slick working together.
Ben Te’o has had impressive moments at 12, and Gatland has talked him up regularly, while Robbie Henshaw is not out of the race yet either. But Farrell and Sexton are class acts at their best and their creative skills could be vital to unlocking the All Blacks.
Nonetheless, it would be a surprise if they were both named to start against the Maoris this weekend, and it may be that Gatland is holding them back for the first Test.
Jonathan Davies was unfortunately sidelined by concussion in the first half of that Crusaders game, but his form is sensational and he should get another shot to copper-fasten the 13 shirt this coming weekend.
When considering his Test side, Gatland will need to ensure that his place-kicker is in form and in that regard, Halfpenny offers the greatest reliability.
Nonetheless, it is around the back three that Gatland is likely to be worrying over the next week.
Murray Kinsella’s Lions squad for first Test:
15. Leigh Halfpenny
14. Anthony Watson
13. Jonathan Davies
12. Owen Farrell
11. George North
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Conor Murray
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Alun Wyn Jones (captain)
5. George Kruis
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Sean O’Brien
8. Taulupe Faletau
Replacements:
16. Rory Best
17. Jack McGrath
18. Kyle Sinckler
19. Maro Itoje
20. CJ Stander
21. Rhys Webb
22. Ben Te’o
23. Elliot Daly
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I feel if you have two solid boots in Sexton and Farrell then it’s difficult to make an argument for halfpenny who offers little else really. Watson at fullback and Williams on the wing or vice-versa would make for a very exciting back-line.
@Michael Fielding: Yep. Backline should be Williams at fullback (he was sensational there against the ABs last summer), North & Watson on the wings, Murray & Sexton the half-backs and Farrell & Davies in the middle.
@Michael Fielding: them 3 missed kicks by the lions in second half will mean halfpenny starts even though watson is the form fullback
@Michael Fielding: I’m completely for that, If any of the other fullbacks had played well he wouldn’t be in there though which is the really worrying thing. Is Anthony Watson really the best fullback out of all the nations?
@Nathan Mawhinney: The best one has been ruled out unfortunately.
Couldn’t argue too much with that team but Gatland will disrupt everything by putting Warburton in even though he’s not deserving of his place
Keith earls was on fire at the weekend.. All be it against a weak team..
@ColmD: It was a weak team but he’s been excellent this year in general. I’ve no doubt that if he was called up, he’d perform well. Ain’t gonna happen though.
@Camroc: I don’t think he is a gatland type player.. that is a wrecking ball..
@ColmD:
A very week team !!
@ColmD: If it’s going to happen it will be Denny Solomona.
@ColmD: WEAKEND TEAM , he only performs against weakend teams , always left wanting on the bigger stage
@Paul K Murphy: We’ll on that logic O’Halloran should be the Lions fullback as he clearly is the form player?
Ken Owens starting and Jamie George on the bench
Itoje has to start. If not in the second row he will be 6 with o Mahoney on the bench I’d say
@jerry:sorry o mahony and not o mo ho knee!!
I feel like sexton is in there cause he is Irish…if he was from any where else we would be saying he shouldn’t be any where near the team, cause he has not done anything to stand out..
@Martin Redington: i kinda agree with you. Its hard to admit but Farrell is probably the best ten in Europe at the moment. And its hard to deny both Jonathan Davies and Ben Te’o their starting places. I think there will be one ten in the starting 15. But if we were to follow the logic of playing in form players then north or halfpenny should not be in the 23. Williams, Watson and Daly offer so much more more. All three of them can pass, and none of them are actively seeking concussions.
Williams North Watson should be the back 3. Thought Henderson was good against the highlanders and might sneak onto the bench. Don’t think stander will even make the test bench.
1. Vuniopla
2. Owens
3. Furlong
4. Wyn Jones
5. Kruis
6. Stander
7. O’Brien
8. Faletau
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Williams
12. Farrell
13. Te’o / Payne
14. North / Watson
15. Halfpenny
Subs
16. George
17. McGrath
18. Sinckler
19. Lawes
20. O’Mahony
21. Webb
22. Biggar
23. Payne / Te’o
@John Carey:
I dont think C J will get on the bench> but he deserved to be on.
@John Carey: Payne was shocking against the Highlanders
1. Mako Vuinipola, 2. Jamie George, 3. Tadgh Furlong, 4. Wyn Jones, 5. George Kruis, 6. Sam Warburton, 7. Sean O’ Brien, 8. Toby Faletau, 9. Conor Murray, 10. Johnny Sexton, 11. Liam William’s, 12. Eoin Farrell, 13. Ben Te’o, 14. Elliot Daly, 15. Anthony Watson.
16. Joe Marler, 17. Ken Owens, 18. Kyle Synkler, 19. Maro Itoje, 20. CJ Stander, 21. Rhys Webb, 22. Robbie Henshaw, 23. George North.
I apologise for the spelling mistakes. I will be very suprised if this is the test 23, just the one id like to see. If zebo or earls got called up id put them in for North. Though id actually prefer to see Rokodunguini or maybe even Alex Goode called up.
There is something about Davies that just doesn’t excite me. However almost every other 13 in the squad has played themselves out of a starting position so he is going to start. Same with Halfpenny at 15
Quite simply JD hasn’t earned the centre spot but then others have seemed to take themselves out of the equation. Pack is spot on I reckon. I’d have Liam Williams somewhere in the squad
Anthony Watson/North at 11/14 Henshaw at 13 with Farrell and Sexton 12 and 10 Liam Williams at 15 Would start with Owens and bring on George otherwise pack against Crusaders
Looks good if had be picky would be Davies @ 13 & SOB @ 7
Farrell at 13 and henshaw or teo at 12