Dropping BoD is crazy. Aye he wasn't his best last week, but how many bad games has he ever had? He still has class, but more important experience. Captain is gone, PoC is gone and a few other injuries. Not many leaders left.

Whilst Bod hasn't played brilliantly, he's still been our best centre in the tests - Davies played well in the warm-ups, but not so great in the tests. Either Youngs or Murray would have been better at 9, Phillips was really shown up in the first test.

And Bod doesn't even make it on the bench, which is strange. I can perhaps understand the Welsh bias and Gatland picking combinations he knows, but he's really putting his neck on the line with this line-up - he'll be hailed a genius if it comes off, but he'll be ripped apart if the Lions lose.

Its a bit of a shame, I still think BOD and Tuilagi are one of the best centre pairings I have seen in a while.

BOD may not have had impact in attack that we might have hoped for, but he has been sensational in defense. If we are planning to play a tighter game, which is what WG seems to be aiming for, then he is the no-brainer pick.

I understand Croft not making the bench, if your Hooker cannot get it in the same postcode as the jumper he is a bit lonely up there, but Tipuric either smacks of 'Let's give all my Welsh boys a Test cap' or a desire to play an expansive game, in which case can I suggest replacing the scrum half as early as possible?

Phillips is a monster on the front foot, with JR smashing into the Aussie midfield he will have quick ball to work with and bring in the strike running of North and Bowe. I think you may be pleasntly suprised by what you see on saturday.

Tipuric off the bench will make a huge impact. BOD looked totally knackered after 50 minutes the other day. Bowe, Davies, Roberts, Halfpenny, North and even Farrell can all play more than one position so can cover for injuries, I personally think its a very good line up.

I think we could have quick ball to work with, but with step-step-pass Phillips behind the scrum, quick ball we won't get.

I think you are being a tad harsh on BOD Cobnob, he may have been tired but at that time he was also the top tackler on the pitch. I would have had no problem starting him and having him subbed for someone with more impact to break through tired tackles in the last 30 minutes. I just worry about our defense against a more dynamic back-line.

Didn't mean to sound harsh on him, he is one of my favourite players ever. Its just time waits for no man.

If we lose then Gatland will get slated for leaving him out, but I feel it may be the thing that wins us the series. Of course I could be wrong either way I will be supporting the Lions. I have seen people on other threads wishing now that 'Wales' will lose. Its just a bit childish.

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Gatland lost the plot, why isnt Tuilagi involved

comment by Sporty and Portly - LFC (U8531)
posted 18 hours, 13 minutes ago
Thanks for posting those twitter comments. Really interesting.

So deflated right now about the Lions. Gutted for BOD. He's a real rugby hero of mine and he was way better than Davies. He was our top tackler over both games... Think he made 25 of 25 whilst Davies missed 3 of 7 including the try
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This is from another article but it is the most pertinent point about BOD. He hasn't sizzled in attack, but has been rock solid in defense.

BOD made 21 tackles, Davies made 18. BOD is the most pinged back by far, Davies has won more turnovers and has made more yards in attack.

In a one of game where Gatland wants to clearly use Roberts then Davies as his countires partner makes sense however sad it is for BOD.

In two tests BOD made 25 of 25 tackles. Davies made 13 of 16. Davies ran 22 metres more but he had more of the ball.

The turnover stats are skewed by the appalling refereeing in the first test.

You're welcome to your opinion but I would have played BOD and made him captain.

And thats with O'Driscoll at outside centre and Davies at inside centre

Tuilagi is involved, on the bench. Expect to see him on around the 50 minute mark and bulldoze his way to at least two tries.

I think we'll bully the Aussies this week and they will be knackered after last weeks exertions/desperation.

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Think we re going to lose to be honest. The Aussie s know what's coming and their defense is too good for it. Hope I'm wrong obviously

Sadly I agree with Sporty, much too one dimensional, if we smash them at the scrums, which we may we may rack up some points, but very unlikely to win any significant lineout ball from which to mount attacks. I am sure when SOB moves to No 8 and Tipuric comes on at about 50 mins we will have more ability to support the backs but unless Phillips is also sat on the bench then anything to the backs is so telegraphed as to remove Sexton from the game. Sexton plays pretty flat, and needs quick ball, not a scrum half who has a run up like Michael Holding. BOD is better than JD in defence, not sure anyone can argue that. If the game plan is to play 'bosh' rugby, then a defensive strongman is better, if to play wide then a scrum half with a quick pass would have been better.
Gatland was an awesome coach at Wasps, but if this goes wrong he will be forever remembered for picking a team with plan A (win the scrums, concede the lineouts, bosh it up) but with no Plan B, and for being the coach who left BOD out, not for what he achieved before.

Having relatively poor Hookers, No8's and s/h not really his fault, not really anyone better left behind, the set up of the team to play 'Warrenball' is down to him.

Well done to the 1 star bandits, keep it up.

To any detractors of Brian O'Driscoll. Look at this. Then grow a brain get off the Gatland bus and shut the hell up. When Matt Giteau, Dan Carter among a list the length of your arm are saying its stupid to leave BOD out. Who the hell has the right in this board to disagree with real experts and generationally great players of the likes of Carter. Gatland Handed the impetus to OZ and gave them a gift they could only dream of.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VttNqKXu84o

Ding Dong!

What happens if the Lions win then?

Ha, blaming Davies, because BOD delayed a pass then threw it forward, which then counted as a missed tackle for JD by the way. If he had passed it, JD would have put North straight in the corner, wasted overlap.

CobNob. Think you deliberately missed the point.

Anyway you can't argue with Dan Carter, Matt Giteau, Tim Horan etc etc etc etc Who are you? And who are they.... I'm not even going to bother arguing. Save only to say this. I don't have a problem with the players there all good lads doing their best. It's The selection where the problem is and that goes FOR EVERYONE except a really small minority. But there is always a village idiot lurking around.

I have already said that BOD is one of my favourite players, and it was a suprise to see him not selected, but I am not so blinkered as to see the reasons why.

You say I am not allowed to argue with Carter etc, but you are freely allowed to argue and bash Gatland, Howley, Rowntree, Farrell, Jenkins, Beard, Stridgeon, Cunnliffe, Long, Brown and Hughes. All of who are experts in their fields and a hell of a lot closer to any of the players than anyone else.

You really can't use 'experts' as your argument and ignore the 'experts' on the other side of the argument.

Gatland made the call. Not the others. You And i and bobs dog knows that mate.

I'm not arguing about it anymore. The rest of the rugby world are doing all the talking for me. And i don't need to look within Gatland's own staff for a justification. That would be a little skewed don't you think.

After the Lions tour is over, Obviously thats when Rowntree et al will be heard from properly or maybe not in your case mate.