Lions team ready to face Queensland Reds
The Lions have announced their starting XV to face the Queensland Reds this Saturday in Brisbane.
This third test will allow each player within the 37 man squad to have had a chance to start in the legendary red shirt of the British and Irish Lions (except for Rob Kearney who is recovering from a hamstring tear). It will be one of the last times player will have their chance to impress Gatland before he, along with his coaching staff, begin to think of potential starting XV combinations to face the Wallabies at the end of the month.
Stuart Hogg will get his second start in the 15 shirt as he runs on to the pitch on Saturday. The Scottish fullback will have a lot to prove during the match against the Reds after Halfpenny's magnificent performance on Wednesday. The Welshman successfully kicked 11 out of 11 attempts against Western Force. Hogg needs to perform at his absolute best in order to be in contention of becoming a starting Lions fullback.
Inside of Cuthbert who sits on the wing, Jonathan Davies and Manu Tuilagi will be the centre combination to face the provincial side. Jamie Roberts and Davies worked very well together during the game against the Barbarians almost a week ago. O'Driscoll and Tuilagi also had a very good game on Wednesday. Therefore it will be very interesting to see how the English/Welsh partnership will work out in the midst of battle. Another successful partnership from the 2009 squad that has yet to be revisited is the famous Roberts & O'Driscoll combination. Maybe we will see Gatland calling this for next Tuesday's match against Combined NSW-QLD Country.
Farrell joins first starter Ben Youngs at half back. Farrell has a lot to prove to, not only the coaching staff, but also to supporters that he is able to control his frustration and improve his attitude on the field. If he is not able to do so then Sexton is more than capable of being in control of that number ten shirt. Youngs, having watched the last two games, will also have to play some of the best rugby of his life. Mike Phillips showed his immense strength as a player against the Barbarians and Connor Murray almost replicated these characteristics when he came off the bench in the same match. Youngs will have to prove that he is equally as invaluable to the team as his fellow player.
Lions veteran and all round rugby legend Gethin Jenkins was initially named as a member of the starting XV of Saturday's match against the reds, however, due to his recurring calf problem that kept him out of the first two Lions games he has had to be replaced by Mako Vunipola. The lose head prop who is on his third Lions tour (2005, 2009, 2013) will be bitterly dissapointment with this news. Like his fellow team mate, Sam Warburton, Gatland decided to rest the prop in order to prevent any further damage. The powerful and surprisingly fast forward will have to wait just that little bit longer before he can make his mark on the 2013 tour.
One of, if not the, most encouraging elements about this team announcement is that Lions captain Sam Warburton will, like Jenkins, start his first match of the tour. Having not played on precautionary terms due to a knee injury, the Welsh flanker has stated that he is beyond ready to take to the filed - "I wish the game was tomorrow really. I am just dying to get out on the pitch. It can't come quick enough.". Having been working double shifts on his "guns", Warburton will be wanting to run on to the pitch and prove a point to not only himself but to all those who were sceptical of a 24 year old becoming captain in favour of old heads like O'Driscoll and O'Connell.
Irish forward, Cian Healy, has also been replaced but unlike Jenkins, he will not be returning. Having picked up an ankle ligament injury during the game against Western Force on Wednesday, Scottish forward Ryan Grant will now replace him on the tour. It has also been stated that Grant's call up is also to cover Gethin Jenkins' increasingly worrying calf injury.
Saturday's game should be very intersting as everything is still to play for.
Full team: Stuart Hogg; Alex Cuthbert, Manu Tuilagi, Jonathan Davies, Tommy Bowe; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Gethin Jenkins, Tom Youngs, Matt Stevens, Richie Gray, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton, Toby Faletau.
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Mako Vunipola, Adam Jones, Paul O'Connell, Justin Tipuric, Conor Murray, Jonathan Sexton, George North
This third test will allow each player within the 37 man squad to have had a chance to start in the legendary red shirt of the British and Irish Lions (except for Rob Kearney who is recovering from a hamstring tear). It will be one of the last times player will have their chance to impress Gatland before he, along with his coaching staff, begin to think of potential starting XV combinations to face the Wallabies at the end of the month.
Stuart Hogg will get his second start in the 15 shirt as he runs on to the pitch on Saturday. The Scottish fullback will have a lot to prove during the match against the Reds after Halfpenny's magnificent performance on Wednesday. The Welshman successfully kicked 11 out of 11 attempts against Western Force. Hogg needs to perform at his absolute best in order to be in contention of becoming a starting Lions fullback.
Inside of Cuthbert who sits on the wing, Jonathan Davies and Manu Tuilagi will be the centre combination to face the provincial side. Jamie Roberts and Davies worked very well together during the game against the Barbarians almost a week ago. O'Driscoll and Tuilagi also had a very good game on Wednesday. Therefore it will be very interesting to see how the English/Welsh partnership will work out in the midst of battle. Another successful partnership from the 2009 squad that has yet to be revisited is the famous Roberts & O'Driscoll combination. Maybe we will see Gatland calling this for next Tuesday's match against Combined NSW-QLD Country.
Farrell joins first starter Ben Youngs at half back. Farrell has a lot to prove to, not only the coaching staff, but also to supporters that he is able to control his frustration and improve his attitude on the field. If he is not able to do so then Sexton is more than capable of being in control of that number ten shirt. Youngs, having watched the last two games, will also have to play some of the best rugby of his life. Mike Phillips showed his immense strength as a player against the Barbarians and Connor Murray almost replicated these characteristics when he came off the bench in the same match. Youngs will have to prove that he is equally as invaluable to the team as his fellow player.
Lions veteran and all round rugby legend Gethin Jenkins was initially named as a member of the starting XV of Saturday's match against the reds, however, due to his recurring calf problem that kept him out of the first two Lions games he has had to be replaced by Mako Vunipola. The lose head prop who is on his third Lions tour (2005, 2009, 2013) will be bitterly dissapointment with this news. Like his fellow team mate, Sam Warburton, Gatland decided to rest the prop in order to prevent any further damage. The powerful and surprisingly fast forward will have to wait just that little bit longer before he can make his mark on the 2013 tour.
One of, if not the, most encouraging elements about this team announcement is that Lions captain Sam Warburton will, like Jenkins, start his first match of the tour. Having not played on precautionary terms due to a knee injury, the Welsh flanker has stated that he is beyond ready to take to the filed - "I wish the game was tomorrow really. I am just dying to get out on the pitch. It can't come quick enough.". Having been working double shifts on his "guns", Warburton will be wanting to run on to the pitch and prove a point to not only himself but to all those who were sceptical of a 24 year old becoming captain in favour of old heads like O'Driscoll and O'Connell.
Irish forward, Cian Healy, has also been replaced but unlike Jenkins, he will not be returning. Having picked up an ankle ligament injury during the game against Western Force on Wednesday, Scottish forward Ryan Grant will now replace him on the tour. It has also been stated that Grant's call up is also to cover Gethin Jenkins' increasingly worrying calf injury.
Saturday's game should be very intersting as everything is still to play for.
Full team: Stuart Hogg; Alex Cuthbert, Manu Tuilagi, Jonathan Davies, Tommy Bowe; Owen Farrell, Ben Youngs; Gethin Jenkins, Tom Youngs, Matt Stevens, Richie Gray, Geoff Parling, Dan Lydiate, Sam Warburton, Toby Faletau.
Replacements: Richard Hibbard, Mako Vunipola, Adam Jones, Paul O'Connell, Justin Tipuric, Conor Murray, Jonathan Sexton, George North
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