Lions vs South Africa

**oracleslave** · 18 June 2009, 12:35

- Was suprised regarding Martyn Williams as well.

- I suppose David Wallace is in to combat Brussow's work on the ground?

- No space for IRB player of the year even on the bench?

Other than that no real suprises I guess.

Boks by 8!

**Drewster** · 18 June 2009, 12:40

Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post

British and Irish Lions team to play South Africa in the first Test in Durban on Saturday:
L Byrne (Wales and Ospreys); T Bowe (Ireland and Ospreys), B O'Driscoll (Ireland and Leinster), J Roberts (Wales and Cardiff Blues), U Monye (England and Harlequins); S Jones (Wales and Scarlets), M Phillips (Wales and Ospreys); G Jenkins (Wales and Cardiff Blues), L Mears (England and Bath), P Vickery (England and Wasps), Alun-Wyn Jones (Wales and Ospreys), P O'Connell (Ireland and Munster, capt), T Croft (England and Leicester), D Wallace (Ireland and Munster), J Heaslip (Ireland and Leinster), M T Tester (Zuider Zee Old Lard Arses)* .

Replacements: M Rees (Wales and Scarlets), A Jones (Wales and Ospreys), D O'Callaghan (Ireland and Munster), M Williams (Wales and Cardiff Blues), H Ellis(England and Leicester), R O'Gara (Ireland and Munster), R Kearney (Ireland and Leinster).

* The only shock!

**Mich the Tester** · 18 June 2009, 12:41

Originally posted by Drewster View Post

* The only shock!

I missed that one; I sent the geech an e-mail and was waiting for an answer; must get a flight to South Africa!

You have restored my faith in the Lions! We shall conquer!

Oh, and by the way, I have played for Holland and not only the Old Lard Arses; admittedly for 9 minutes off the bench and on the wing

, and only because I was a late call up after one guy got sick, but that's an international cap, so there. And we won. (against Moldova) So stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

**Drewster** · 18 June 2009, 12:51

Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post

I missed that one; I sent the geech an e-mail and was waiting for an answer; must get a flight to South Africa!

You have restored my faith in the Lions! We shall conquer!

Oh, and by the way, I have played for Holland and not only the Old Lard Arses; admittedly for 9 minutes off the bench and on the wing

, and only because I was a late call up after one guy got sick, but that's an international cap, so there. And we won. (against Moldova) So stick that in your pipe and smoke it.

I am actually quite impressed at that - even allowing for your self depreciating remarks - to play in any International Fixture in any sport is an achievement.......

**Mich the Tester** · 18 June 2009, 12:53

Originally posted by Drewster View Post

* The only shock!

Anyway, what's your take on this Lions team?

**Mich the Tester** · 18 June 2009, 13:00

Originally posted by Drewster View Post

I am actually quite impressed at that - even allowing for your self depreciating remarks - to play in any International Fixture in any sport is an achievement.......

It was wierd. The game was an evening game in Amsterdam and in the afternoon they were calling the premier division sides looking for an eligible player who could stand in (or sit in, on the bench) as one guy had got food poisoning. My club was the second one they called. My club gave them my number, the coach had seen me play before and phoned me to get myself to Amsterdam in bloody quick time. Ctrl+Alt+Del and I was off. Magical experience, crowd about 5000 people and I kind of sat on the bench not knowing whether to hope I'd be called upon. There were a couple of injuries among the girls so the backs subs were already on the pitch and when the wing twisted his ankle the coach pointed at me and beckoned with his finger; 'you're on!' I ripped my tracksuit off, ran down to the side of the pitch and he said 'just make one good tackle and you'll have done your job'. Apparently I had a couple of tackles and a couple of runs, but it was all over so quickly I remembered very little of it. What struck me was the intensity of it all; I'd played Dutch premier and first division for a few years so I was used to a good standardof amateur rugby, but this just seemed so much faster. You get the ball in your hands and you have no time whatsoever to think about what you're doing. Glad I did it though, even though I didn't get the call again.

**Drewster** · 18 June 2009, 13:03

Originally posted by Mich the Tester View Post

Anyway, what's your take on this Lions team?

TBH I've not been following it that closely... but there seems to be a good "spirit" in the squad....

I predict a ferocious forward battle....
Nip and Tuck on Penalties for most of the match....
Breakaway try for Monye to clinch the result.........

....... or maybe not........

**Mich the Tester** · 18 June 2009, 13:06

Originally posted by Drewster View Post

TBH I've not been following it that closely... but there seems to be a good "spirit" in the squad....

I predict a ferocious forward battle....
Nip and Tuck on Penalties for most of the match....
Breakaway try for Monye to clinch the result.........

....... or maybe not........

Sounds about right. Might be decided by kicks. I don't think it will be a 'champagne rugby' event at all. More of a battle of the ugly b@st@rds; I predict at least 3 injured forwards on each team.

**cailin maith** · 18 June 2009, 13:19

Originally posted by Drewster View Post

I am actually quite impressed at that - even allowing for your self depreciating remarks - to play in any International Fixture in any sport is an achievement.......

Me too - well impressed!

As for the lions.... I hope we win, OS will be insufferable if we lose

Lions vs South Africa