Planet Rugby Forum

The starting XV smacks of Gatland being indecisive and bowing to media pressure. His handling of Williams, Daly, Itoje and Sexton has been poor and misleading. Why keep Williams on for 80 on Tuesday if he was in the hunt? Why when Daly was subbed was G Davies instead of Daly not put on when Payne got injured? Why start Sexton in the most important (on a number of levels) game against Maori? Appears Wyn Jones was pencilled in before the plane, despite very mixed performances and limited starts in vital games. Why was North left on v Maori when clearly having a poor game? I am actually encouraged by the starting XV, but fear it is naive & has come too late, and expect comfortable NZ victory in 1st test.

JMT wrote:The starting XV smacks of Gatland being indecisive and bowing to media pressure. His handling of Williams, Daly, Itoje and Sexton has been poor and misleading. Why keep Williams on for 80 on Tuesday if he was in the hunt? Why when Daly was subbed was G Davies instead of Daly not put on when Payne got injured? Why start Sexton in the most important (on a number of levels) game against Maori? Appears Wyn Jones was pencilled in before the plane, despite very mixed performances and limited starts in vital games. Why was North left on v Maori when clearly having a poor game? I am actually encouraged by the starting XV, but fear it is naive & has come too late, and expect comfortable NZ victory in 1st test.

Reasonable points.

Gat's clearly has his bias, as everyone does, but the selection shows someone else is influencing him (thank God).

I agree the remaining gaps increase the probability of an AB win; however it is a 3 test series and a clinical response to the reasons for a 1st Test loss can lead to a winning selection ultimately.


But we are clearly well behind the ABs in terms of proven execution and cohesion as a unit at this point in time.


One win will be significant.

Two wins will be legendary

Three wins will be whatever that word is beyond legendary ...


Lions ! Lions ! Lions !

I see this being far more comfortable for NZ than the general public hope/believe. The 2nd test I envisage being far closer and a scare for the All Blacks, with the Lions leading at half time, with one or two decisions or moments swinging one way or another, with BIL potentially nicking it. Either way, 3rd test will be whooping and hollering for the All Blacks.

Picking sexton ahead of Farrell for the Maori game was intriguing. How much time has Farrell actually played at 10 on this tour? Less than 80 mins I think?

Minnosu wrote:Picking sexton ahead of Farrell for the Maori game was intriguing. How much time has Farrell actually played at 10 on this tour? Less than 80 mins I think?

Would be surprised if it exceeded that tbf. Went to 12 in the Crusaders game, when Sexton came on & looked assured. How was his passing and kicking when he came on at 10 v Highlanders? (English if it makes any difference)

Farrell is class but if gatland was always going to pick him at 10, I would have liked to see him get more game time at 10.

JMT wrote:

Minnosu wrote:Picking sexton ahead of Farrell for the Maori game was intriguing. How much time has Farrell actually played at 10 on this tour? Less than 80 mins I think?

Would be surprised if it exceeded that tbf. Went to 12 in the Crusaders game, when Sexton came on & looked assured. How was his passing and kicking when he came on at 10 v Highlanders? (English if it makes any difference)

Farrell hasn't played international 10 since the World Cup and that didn't exactly go to plan (honestly don't know what contribution he made there). In the early days of this tour with Sexton out of form it was the obvious choice for him to start but there was an assumption he would actually get to play some time at 10 and get more solid and develop his understanding with Murray and the rest of the backs. As things have played out he has not had the time and he has not showed in what brief time he has played the form that Sexton showed in the last game. I think it's a big risk. Playing at ten behind a dominant Saracens pack at ERC level is a very different experience to what will happen on Saturday. (though if I'm wrong, then fantastic! )

Farrell has carried his team to multiple Heiny cup and premiership titled from 10 in the past few years alone, while Sexton has become a flake/crock in the same period.
Not hard to see why Faz would have been the incumbent/favourite before the tour. Sexton has had ok patches, but not really been head and shoulders above Faz.