Planet Rugby Forum

CM11 wrote:

hermie wrote:

CM11 wrote:I'm not sure about the Sexton/Farrell axis being an option at all. Against the Crusaders they lined up with Sexton at 10 for defence but in the centre on attack and that's just a bit too mishmashed to be in Gatland's thinking going into a test. It pointed towards him wanting Farrell at 10 above all others. The Maori selection is hard to read as Farrell possibly had the niggle prior to selection so it wasn't a straight decision to pick Sexton over him. We could very well be reverting to what we expected with Farrell starting at 10 and Sexton on the bench and I have no real problem with that. And we're in a much better position now than we were 2 weeks ago knowing that a) Sexton can step in and perform and b) Sexton/Farrell does work if we need it to.

I wouldn't have wanted us to arrive at Teo/Davies before the tour and still have my problems with it but I can't see it being anyone else.

See the article Flametop posted. That was not the case at all. They alternated in attack, to good effect.

Well, all the gifs in the article are from phase play when you'd always expect a bit of alternation if you had two playmakers. I didn't look at how they set up for every setpiece but any of the ones I paid attention to had Farrell at 10 in attack and Sexton there in defence.

hermie wrote:

CM11 wrote:

hermie wrote:

CM11 wrote:I'm not sure about the Sexton/Farrell axis being an option at all. Against the Crusaders they lined up with Sexton at 10 for defence but in the centre on attack and that's just a bit too mishmashed to be in Gatland's thinking going into a test. It pointed towards him wanting Farrell at 10 above all others. The Maori selection is hard to read as Farrell possibly had the niggle prior to selection so it wasn't a straight decision to pick Sexton over him. We could very well be reverting to what we expected with Farrell starting at 10 and Sexton on the bench and I have no real problem with that. And we're in a much better position now than we were 2 weeks ago knowing that a) Sexton can step in and perform and b) Sexton/Farrell does work if we need it to.

I wouldn't have wanted us to arrive at Teo/Davies before the tour and still have my problems with it but I can't see it being anyone else.

See the article Flametop posted. That was not the case at all. They alternated in attack, to good effect.

Well, all the gifs in the article are from phase play when you'd always expect a bit of alternation if you had two playmakers. I didn't look at how they set up for every setpiece but any of the ones I paid attention to had Farrell at 10 in attack and Sexton there in defence.

I haven't watched the game again but from memory Sexton stood at 10 more often than not. Your point about phaseplay doesn't really wash. If they wanted Farrell as the sole playmaker they would have sent Sexton on with those instructions and re-enforced those instructions at half-time. They may not go for and certainly they seem reticent but I think you're wrong to say that they're not even considering it.

CM11 wrote:

hermie wrote:

CM11 wrote:

hermie wrote:

CM11 wrote:I'm not sure about the Sexton/Farrell axis being an option at all. Against the Crusaders they lined up with Sexton at 10 for defence but in the centre on attack and that's just a bit too mishmashed to be in Gatland's thinking going into a test. It pointed towards him wanting Farrell at 10 above all others. The Maori selection is hard to read as Farrell possibly had the niggle prior to selection so it wasn't a straight decision to pick Sexton over him. We could very well be reverting to what we expected with Farrell starting at 10 and Sexton on the bench and I have no real problem with that. And we're in a much better position now than we were 2 weeks ago knowing that a) Sexton can step in and perform and b) Sexton/Farrell does work if we need it to.

I wouldn't have wanted us to arrive at Teo/Davies before the tour and still have my problems with it but I can't see it being anyone else.

See the article Flametop posted. That was not the case at all. They alternated in attack, to good effect.

Well, all the gifs in the article are from phase play when you'd always expect a bit of alternation if you had two playmakers. I didn't look at how they set up for every setpiece but any of the ones I paid attention to had Farrell at 10 in attack and Sexton there in defence.

I haven't watched the game again but from memory Sexton stood at 10 more often than not. Your point about phaseplay doesn't really wash. If they wanted Farrell as the sole playmaker they would have sent Sexton on with those instructions and re-enforced those instructions at half-time. They may not go for and certainly they seem reticent but I think you're wrong to say that they're not even considering it.

I never said they wanted Farrell as sole playmaker. You're hardly going to send Sexton on and ask him to play like Teo or Davies. I said they seemed to be favouring Farrell at 10 in attack and given you'd never set it up that way beforehand (given Farrell actually plays centre internationally) it pointed towards them wanting Farrell to be the primary playmaker with the tests in mind.

Last Line wrote:Warburton will start.

Frodder wrote:He's got to have a line-up surprise or 2 up his sleeve

not Toby at 6?
1/2p on the wing with Sanjay at FB?

Hawk97 wrote:

Frodder wrote:He's got to have a line-up surprise or 2 up his sleeve

not Toby at 6?
1/2p on the wing with Sanjay at FB?

AWJ starting, Warburton starting, North starting.

They're are my 'surprise' selections.

Flametop wrote:

Hawk97 wrote:

Frodder wrote:He's got to have a line-up surprise or 2 up his sleeve

not Toby at 6?
1/2p on the wing with Sanjay at FB?

AWJ starting, Warburton starting, North starting.

They're are my 'surprise' selections.

Davies also. An oldie but a goodie.

Hawk97 wrote:

Frodder wrote:He's got to have a line-up surprise or 2 up his sleeve

not Toby at 6?
1/2p on the wing with Sanjay at FB?

AWJ starting, Warburton starting, North starting.

They're are my 'surprise' selections.

Frodder wrote:

Hawk97 wrote:

Frodder wrote:He's got to have a line-up surprise or 2 up his sleeve

not Toby at 6?
1/2p on the wing with Sanjay at FB?

AWJ starting, Warburton starting, North starting.

They're are my 'surprise' selections.

Only North will start and that's only 'cos his competition hasn't stepped up

Hawk97 wrote:

Flametop wrote:

Hawk97 wrote:

Frodder wrote:He's got to have a line-up surprise or 2 up his sleeve

not Toby at 6?
1/2p on the wing with Sanjay at FB?

AWJ starting, Warburton starting, North starting.

They're are my 'surprise' selections.

Davies also. An oldie but a goodie.

He might actually warrant selection, tbf.

JM2K6 wrote:

Frodder wrote:

Hawk97 wrote:

Frodder wrote:He's got to have a line-up surprise or 2 up his sleeve

not Toby at 6?
1/2p on the wing with Sanjay at FB?

AWJ starting, Warburton starting, North starting.

They're are my 'surprise' selections.

Only North will start and that's only 'cos his competition hasn't stepped up

So we'll forget North has done nothing in attack and gifted the Maori a try, I suppose

Boxcar Ira wrote:Yeah not sure why Davies is considered in so many starting selections. I know he is a Gatland favourite but has been average enough.

Boxcar Ira wrote:Yeah not sure why Davies is considered in so many starting selections. I know he is a Gatland favourite but has been average enough.

rfurlong wrote:mako
george
furlong
itoje
kruis
pom
sob
faletau
murray
sexton
williams
faz
teo
watson
halfpenny

mgrath
best
sinkler
henderson
warburton/stander
webb
daly
jj

Flametop wrote:How will Faz (or Sexton) cope with not being picked to start?
Faz has had a few key mistakes but has played his usual standard.
Sexton started badly even before NZ but had played himself back into form.
Sexton playing well is a far better player than Faz playing well.

It's going to be interesting.

Boxcar Ira wrote:Yeah not sure why Davies is considered in so many starting selections. I know he is a Gatland favourite but has been average enough.

45jumper wrote:My Pick
Williams, Watson, Davies, Teo, Daly, Farrell, Murray
Mako, George, Furlong, Itoje, Kruis, POM, SOB, Faletau
Subs - Owens, McGrath, Sinckler, Lawes/Hendo, Warburton, Webb, Sexton, Joseph

Gats' Pick
Halfpenny, Watson, Davies, Teo, North, Sexton, Murray
Mako, George, Furlong, Itoje, Kruis, SOB, Warburton, Faletau
Subs - Owens, McGrath, Sinckler, AWJ, POM/Stander, Webb, Farrell, Daly/Joseph

Newsome wrote:If Gat's picks Warburton and AWJ to start in the test then he's properly taking the piss.

CM11 wrote:

Newsome wrote:If Gat's picks Warburton and AWJ to start in the test then he's properly taking the piss.

At this stage Hendo and Lawes aren't going to feature on the bench (they wouldn't have played 80 today) so in that scenario I'd actually prefer AWJ to start so we had some impact and energy in the final 30. I'd have preferred one of the other two to bench for Kruis and Itoje though.

Warburton will probably bench at this stage, I reckon but actually it's much of a muchness whether he benches for POM or vice versa. Both have their pros and cons.

Ulsters Red Hand wrote:

CM11 wrote:

Newsome wrote:If Gat's picks Warburton and AWJ to start in the test then he's properly taking the piss.

At this stage Hendo and Lawes aren't going to feature on the bench (they wouldn't have played 80 today) so in that scenario I'd actually prefer AWJ to start so we had some impact and energy in the final 30. I'd have preferred one of the other two to bench for Kruis and Itoje though.

Warburton will probably bench at this stage, I reckon but actually it's much of a muchness whether he benches for POM or vice versa. Both have their pros and cons.

You either start Kruis or he's out of the squad altogether imo

CM11 wrote:

Ulsters Red Hand wrote:

CM11 wrote:

Newsome wrote:If Gat's picks Warburton and AWJ to start in the test then he's properly taking the piss.

At this stage Hendo and Lawes aren't going to feature on the bench (they wouldn't have played 80 today) so in that scenario I'd actually prefer AWJ to start so we had some impact and energy in the final 30. I'd have preferred one of the other two to bench for Kruis and Itoje though.

Warburton will probably bench at this stage, I reckon but actually it's much of a muchness whether he benches for POM or vice versa. Both have their pros and cons.

You either start Kruis or he's out of the squad altogether imo

Well in the above it'd be Itoje on the bench for the impact but Kruis would still provide far more impact and energy than AWJ off the bench these days.

CM11 wrote:

Flametop wrote:How will Faz (or Sexton) cope with not being picked to start?
Faz has had a few key mistakes but has played his usual standard.
Sexton started badly even before NZ but had played himself back into form.
Sexton playing well is a far better player than Faz playing well.

It's going to be interesting.

I'm sure both will take it with their usual good grace.........


Of course both will be disappointed, that's what makes them such good players - their drive, but both will be professional enough to accept the decision. It'll be tough on Farrell if he benches and it'll almost definitely be down to an injury at just the wrong time but I can still see him starting. He's just in sharper form overall and far less likely to make big errors. I'd still be slightly worried that Sexton has 2 big errors waiting to happen in his game.

cubby boi wrote:On form, the team would be

15. Liam
14 an other
13 JD
12 Teo
11an other
10 Farrell
9 Murray
8 Faletau
7 SOB
6 POM
5 Lawes
4 Itoje
3 Furlong
2 Owens
1 Mako

reps: an other (LHP), George, Sinkler, Hendo, Tipuric, Webb, an other (utility), an other ( 10)

These are the only guys who've earned a place. The rest have been massively up and down, or just down.