Warren Gatland, Lions Coach - Discussion Thread

[LondonTiger]

First topic message reminder :

https://www.606v2.com/t63946p1000-warren-gatland-announced-as-lions-coach

Seems Gat may be naming his coaches soon, expected to be:

Borthwick - Forwards
Farrell - Defence
Howley - Attack

[Luckless Pedestrian]

I think it is fair to say that the fans really, really, really want to beat Wales at home - it has been far too long and it would be a real monkey to get off our backs (like we did with France last year).

It's high time Scotland beat Wales.

We've got the blues away this season and I have a bad feeling about all three.

[uncle_nigel]

Haha . Yeah Lydiate was certainly one of the ones, not sure who should have toured ahead of him though? I doubt TJ is either as he didn't watch it. Lydiate did well from what I remember so was clearly not past it.

Lydiate wasn't past it but as I recall he was coming back from several months off with a broken leg, and was visibly lacking in match fitness.

As for the series, well a series win in Australia is never easy, but the Lions were saved by Beale slipping on a loose bit of turf when taking the last kick of the first test. Only in the third test was the performance remotely convincing - and most of that came once the subs came on.

..and in the second test Aus were saved by Halfpenny going cross-eyed and not making his final shot at goal. Stupid comment that seems to always rear its head.

[uncle_nigel]

Robshaw > Lydiate every day of the week and twice on Sundays, back then and now!

I've genuinely never understood why Jiffy makes a mess in his pants after every Lydiate tackle, he's made the man a career

That's Jiffy for you.
Back then Robshaw was 7 and captain. In the captain stakes he was poor and widely criticized. I can see why Gatty went for Warbs, Tips and SOB ahead of him. Robshaw is definitely one I would consider now though, Lydiate not so much...

[RDW]

Haha . Yeah Lydiate was certainly one of the ones, not sure who should have toured ahead of him though? I doubt TJ is either as he didn't watch it. Lydiate did well from what I remember so was clearly not past it.

Lydiate wasn't past it but as I recall he was coming back from several months off with a broken leg, and was visibly lacking in match fitness.

As for the series, well a series win in Australia is never easy, but the Lions were saved by Beale slipping on a loose bit of turf when taking the last kick of the first test. Only in the third test was the performance remotely convincing - and most of that came once the subs came on.

..and in the second test Aus were saved by Halfpenny going cross-eyed and not making his final shot at goal. Stupid comment that seems to always rear its head.

To be fair there was no chance 1/2P was ever going to kick that and I think he knew this himself, so he put too much into it and wasn't even close.

I remember screaming at the TV for them to take a tap and try and get another penalty / drop goal.  This is of course easy to say with hindsight!

But I agree that it is a bit tenuous to use these arguments to promote some kind of agenda - there are so many instances in an 80 minute game that affect the scoreline yet we always fixate on last dying acts of play.

[Poorfour]

For me the difference is that Halfpenny's kick was a slim chance to save the game at the very edge of his range, Beale's was very kickable and he probably would have made it had he not planted his standing leg on a bit of ground that gave way.

It's a variant on Mr Micawber's point that the difference between happiness and misery is a sixpence either way. Likewise, this was a small moment that for me defined the series.

Yes, there are loads of other moments in any game where things could have gone either way. But they shouldn't have needed to. As the Lions showed in the second half of the 3rd test, they were good enough to beat Australia comfortably... I don't think they needed to labour through the first two tests but the selections ensured that they did.

[No 7&1/2]

I've had to tidy up some bickering - bans will follow and I really don't want to trawl through the thread to see who started it and whose big brother could beat up everyone else's big brother

Thanks for the 24 hour ban for reporting it!

[GunsGermsV2]

I've had to tidy up some bickering - bans will follow and I really don't want to trawl through the thread to see who started it and whose big brother could beat up everyone else's big brother

Thanks for the 24 hour ban for reporting it!

GunsGermsV1 got a indefinite ban without warning a few weeks ago. There seems to be a Mayor Giuliani zero tolerance policy in operation.

[RDW]

I've had to tidy up some bickering - bans will follow and I really don't want to trawl through the thread to see who started it and whose big brother could beat up everyone else's big brother

Thanks for the 24 hour ban for reporting it!

The quote Shaggy - it wasn't me

One of the Founders had a look at the thread and decided to take action. The best way to avoid a ban is to just ignore people that you don't get on with instead of getting into a bickering war with them.

But let's not derail this thread discussing this.

[No 7&1/2]

I miss GunsGermsV1. Hope he's ok wherever he is.

[No 7&1/2]

Fair enough RDW, but I didn't break any rules and sorry for my assumption.

[GunsGermsV2]

I miss GunsGermsV1. Hope he's ok wherever he is.

He misses you you

[Gwlad]

Yes 7.5 you are totally innocent as always.

[No 7&1/2]

True, I stayed on the right side despite your awful abuse.

[Gwlad]

No you didn't. You hand it out but can't take it.

Re: Most overrated current international player.
Post by No 7&1/2 on Sat 3 Dec - 8:26

You just ended up looking a plum there gwlad.

No 7&1/2

[No 7&1/2]

You believe looking like a plum after a badly missjudged swipe at Brown is the same as the disgusting abuse you said says more about you than me. Blocking you now.

[Gwlad]

Great thank you!! That way I won't have to see your pathetic remarks. Your mock outrage is what i would expect from Donald Trump.

[No 7&1/2]

deleted

[Guest]

Can't resist too good...in that context it means you've looked foolish. Nothing to do with genitals. You must have fun when people speak as if they have a plum in their mouth.

Disgusting. Behave, the pair of you.

[Gwlad]

Can't resist too good...in that context it means you've looked foolish. Nothing to do with genitals. You must have fun when people speak as if they have a plum in their mouth.

Thought i was on ignore, knew you wouldn't do what you said you would. that is called being a hypocrite.

PLEASE...put me on ignore as you just said you would. Thank you.

[No 7&1/2]

Deleted

[Gwlad]

Indecisive and hypocritical. And you called me a plum

[No 7&1/2]

deleted

[R!skysports]

Can I ask you both to stop


Please

[Gwlad]

Sorry to you risky. That's one tactic i suppose 7.5. Print your drivel then delete it.

I will leave my remarks as i am fed up with the stuff the guy prints yet when called on it runs a mile.

[Gwlad]

Let's face it Howley is a dreadful decision. The very definition of Wales at the moment is blunt, blunt and blunt.

and a 75% win rate in the autumn. Pretty sharp.

[RDW]

Gwlad & 71/2 if you don't put each other on your ignore list bans will follow - this is well past becoming tiresome.

[BigTrevsbigmac]

Let's face it Howley is a dreadful decision. The very definition of Wales at the moment is blunt, blunt and blunt.

and a 75% win rate in the autumn. Pretty sharp.

If you think the Welsh attack was sharp in the Autumn then that just about sums your rugby knowledge up.

[No 7&1/2]

If you want to give me a 2nd ban for not actually doing anything wrong so be it.

[TJ]

chill 7 1/2 - just block the numptie. I have done

[No 7&1/2]

[Gooseberry]

Gatlands now "denying rumours that he will return home after the Lions tour"

Sorry Wales. He might forget to bring Howley back if youre lucky.

[SecretFly]

Gatlands now "denying rumours that he will return home after the Lions tour"

Sorry Wales. He might forget to bring Howley back if youre lucky.

Gats is mad his well laid out shock statement after the Lions last test has been outed in advance. He loves his shock grenades. He'll have to invent a way of making the media forget that he was either going or staying over the next few months. It'll be a tough job but he's up to the attempt so that he can drop the surprise bombshell again.

[Gooseberry]

Its better than chucking himself off the roof for attention.

[Rugby Fan]

I know Warren Gatland has been appointed early, and has a lot of time on his hands, but I'd prefer it if he stopped commenting on individual players, at least until the 6 Nations is done.

To date, I've heard him caution Dylan Hartley on discipline; hail Rory Best's performances, tell George North to put his health first, and confirm he's willing to consider Danny Cipriani. He might have said more, without me noticing.

I don't want the Lions coach giving a horse race commentary on players' chances while they are turning out for club and country. Ian McGeechan was appointed Lions coach for the 2009 tour as early as May 2008, yet you didn't hear him airing views about who was in his thinking during that period.

[Taylorman]

I know Warren Gatland has been appointed early, and has a lot of time on his hands, but I'd prefer it if he stopped commenting on individual players, at least until the 6 Nations is done.

To date, I've heard him caution Dylan Hartley on discipline; hail Rory Best's performances, tell George North to put his health first, and confirm he's willing to consider Danny Cipriani. He might have said more, without me noticing.

I don't want the Lions coach giving a horse race commentary on players' chances while they are turning out for club and country. Ian McGeechan was appointed Lions coach for the 2009 tour as early as May 2008, yet you didn't hear him airing views about who was in his thinking during that period.

Good point, and it can also easily be interpreted as nervousness, so agree, what he says...and doesn't say... and when, can have wider reaching impacts.

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