Oh dear. All 4 wheels fell off the Lions rugby machine last night. Against a committed and spirited ACT Brumbies team, the Lions' second string team put up a poor showing. Their line-out was dysfunctional, with Rory Best throwing crooked 3 times in the first half. The backs were all last minute stand-ins for injuries. This resulted in pedestrian play with little penetration. Stuart Hogg at flyhalf did his best with the play-making and the kicking duties - but his lack of first class experience was exposed by a good team. Well played the Brumbies - they deserved their victory.
YIC attended the game with the Canberra Millers. Tristan valiantly supported the Lions with YIC. Peter, Alison, Patrick, and Natalie rooted for the Brumbies. So at least two-thirds of the party were happy with the Brumbies' victory.
If Warren Gatland is wondering how to gee his troops up before Saturday's test against the Wallabies, then YIC has the answer. He needs to send the Lions squad to the Miller household for morning exercise. The Millers are in training for a Canadian kayaking holiday. This means that the household has to report at 8 am sharp for press-ups, sit-ups and chin-ups, all under the eagle eye of sergeant-majors Patrick and Tristan. Having undergone the training for the last 2 days, YIC can assure Warren Gatland that the Lions would soon be in peak physical shape if they cared to join in a morning session.
To assist Warren Gatland further, YIC offers his team for Saturday's test. It is:
1 Vunipola, 2 Youngs, 3 Jones, 4 Wyn Jones, 5 O'Connell, 6 Croft, 7 Warburton (C), 8 Heaslip, 9 Phillips, 10 Sexton, 11 Maitland, 12 Davies, 13 O'Driscoll, 14 Cuthbert, 15 Halfpenny
Bench - Corbisero, Hibbard, Cole, Parling, O'Brien, Youngs, Farrell, Hogg
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| Natalie, Alison, Tristan, Patrick, YIC |
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| Lions' supporters wonder where it all went wrong |
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| Richie Gray at the lineout |
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| Lions on the defensive (again) |