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Can the Lions beat the Crusaders?

9th June, 2017
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A lot went into the Lions's historic victory over the All Blacks. (AAP Image/David Rowland)
Roar Guru
9th June, 2017
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1453 Reads

Warren Gatland has picked what could be the strongest Lions squad for the match against the Crusaders this Saturday at 5.30pm (AEST).

However, the Crusaders are the top club side in the Southern Hemisphere and must start the match as favourites.

Pundits have referred to the match as the ‘fourth test’, and Lions management are treating it is at such, picking the strongest 23 from the panel of 41 players in the squad. Eleven will be making their first start of the tour, including four debutants.

Sean O’Brien, Conor Murray, Jonathan Davies and George North will start on the match on Saturday having last made an appearance for the Lions in the test series four years ago against Australia.

The side will be captained by Alun Wyn-Jones as tour skipper Sam Warburton is injured. O’Brien takes Warburton’s place in the back row.

He will be joined by his Irish colleague Peter O’Mahony and Wales’ Toby Faletau. Faletau is the best No. 8 in the squad at the moment.

Jones will be joined in the second row by George Kruis. The front row is Mako Vunipola, Jamie George and Tadhg Furlong. Vunipola is another veteran of the 2013 series. The front five will have to show the form of their lives as their counterparts are the All Blacks test front five.

Conor Murray reunites his halfback partnership with Owen Farrell (the two featured in seven games together on the 2013 Lions tour). Farrell was on many team sheets for the test series at centre, where he hasn’t played yet.

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Ben Te’o and Davies are the midfield combination. Te’o was the standout performer in the backline against the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians in the first game and Davies was one of the stars of the 2013 series.

The wingers are North, who is another of the 2013 stars, and Liam Williams. Williams played well below his standard in the recent loss against the Blues, receiving a yellow card, and will want to reclaim the form that impressed the New Zealand media in Wales’ losing test series against the All Blacks last summer.

At fullback is Stuart Hogg, who was another player who failed to impress in the opening fixture. With Leigh Halfpenny having a perfect success rate with the boot in the Blues game, Hogg will have to show the form that won him his man of the six nations awards two years running if he wants to feature in the test series.

The bench is full of talent – when they’re on form. Ken Owens was the stand-out hooker in the six nations and will want to show his best after a less than stellar performance as the Lions captain against the Blues.

(Image: AAP Image/David Rowland)

Jack McGrath had the highest tackle count in the Blues game. Dan Cole is another veteran of 2013. Maro Itoje is one of the few Lions that have impressed and will want to continue his form.

CJ Stander played well against the Blues, scoring the only Lions try in the game, and will want to be at his best, though the back row is one of the most competitive positions in the squad.

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Rhys Webb will want to make the most of his second crack at it, though he looks to be in competition with Greig Laidlaw for a place on the bench.

Jonny Sexton has featured in both games so far and failed to impress in either. He’s a world-class No. 10 when he’s on form, but he has yet to reach that form. The Lions may try the Sexton-Farrell 10-12 combination in this game.

Anthony Watson is the only Lions back to score a try so far on tour, and in the first game. He also scored against the Crusaders in England’s tour of New Zealand in 2014.

England defeated a depleted Crusaders side 38-7. Owen Farrell was on that tour but missed out on test selection, so Watson is the only member of the squad to have featured against the Crusaders.

The Crusaders have picked their strongest team possible for the game, including seven players that were named in Steve Hansen’s All Blacks squad for the Lions series.

Sam Whitelock, Luke Romano, Owen Franks, Seta Tamanivalu, Codie Taylor. Isreal Dagg and Joe Moody are the New Zealand internationals.

Jack Good hue and Matt Todd have been picked as injury cover for the All Blacks, and New Zealand prop Wyatt Crockett provides cover on the bench.

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The Lions have an almost impossible task, even if their form had been good so far this tour, which it hasn’t. The Crusaders have won all 14 of the Super Rugby games this season, which means they’ve beaten the best clubs in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

The Lions have failed to impress anyone so far on this tour. While the forwards have matched up well enough, there seems to be no real creativity in the backline.

Clive Woodward’s 2005 Lions tried a 10-man defence-orientated game and were thrashed in the series 3-0. It’s a wonder if the Lions have learnt anything in the 12 years between tours.

Warren Gatland should be aware of the style of play that succeeds in New Zealand but has shown a lack of imagination in his tactics. The Lions certainly have the players to do some damage if they are let off the leash.

While another loss would be damaging for tour morale, another poor performance would be mentally crushing for the players. The Lions can front up for this game, but I still see them losing by at least ten points.

British and Irish Lions
S Hogg (Scotland), G North, J Davies (both Wales), B Te’o (England), L Williams (Wales), O Farrell (England), C Murray (Ireland), M Vunipola, J George (both England), T Furlong (Ireland), A W Jones (Wales, capt), G Kruis (England), P O’Mahony, S O’Brien (both Ireland), T Faletau (Wales).

Replacements: K Owens (Wales), J McGrath (Ireland), D Cole, M Itoje (both England), CJ Stander (Ireland), R Webb (Wales), J Sexton (Ireland), A Watson (England).

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Crusaders
Israel Dagg; Seta Tamanivalu, Jack Goodhue, David Havili, George Bridge; Richie Mo’unga, Bryn Hall; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Luke Romano, Sam Whitelock (capt), Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Matt Todd, Jordan Taufua.

Replacements: Ben Funnell, Wyatt Crockett, Michael Alaalatoa, Quinten Strange, Jed Brown, Mitchell Drummond, Mitchell Hunt, Tim Bateman

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