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Lions give an update on two minor injuries that needed injections

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Warren Gatland has reported a largely clean bill of health for his touring Lions heading into their first match in South Africa this Saturday, the only issues being the niggles affecting Anthony Watson and Dan Biggar as well as the progress of Luke Cowan-Dickie through the return to play protocols following a concussion. 

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The Lions boss has changed 14 of his starting XV for the game versus the Emirates Lions in Johannesburg, winger Josh Adams the only survivor from the team that began last Saturday’s match versus Japan in Edinburgh. It was always the intention of Gatland to shake things up as his aim is to give each of the 37 Lions players with him in South Africa a start in the opening three games.

Following his selection for this Saturday’s match, it leaves ten players – Anthony Watson, Elliot Daly and Gareth Davies in the backs, Mako Vunipola, Cowan-Dickie, Zander Fagerson, Adam Beard, Josh Navidi, Tom Curry and Sam Simmonds – still waiting for a first start that should come against the Sharks next Wednesday. 

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Who inspires Lions second row Maro Itoje?

Jim Hamilton is reunited with Vitality ambassador and former teammate @maroitoje before he jets off to South Africa for the British & Irish Lions Series.
Itoje told Jim Hamilton all about what has inspired him to be the best person that he can be in rugby and in life. @vitality_uk

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Who inspires Lions second row Maro Itoje?

Jim Hamilton is reunited with Vitality ambassador and former teammate @maroitoje before he jets off to South Africa for the British & Irish Lions Series.
Itoje told Jim Hamilton all about what has inspired him to be the best person that he can be in rugby and in life. @vitality_uk

In the meantime, Gatland has reported that nearly everyone is in good health following the terrible start to the tour which resulted in the loss of Lions skipper Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric who were replaced by Beard and Navidi. 

“The boys are pretty good,” said the Lions coach. “They are a bit sore after the Japan game which you expect a few knocks and stuff, but pretty much everyone is good really. Anthony Watson had a sore toe which we injected and Dan Biggar had a knee which had a cortisone as well so just a couple of minor complaints but nothing serious.”

As for Exeter hooker Cowan-Dickie, who painfully got his head the wrong side of a Gallagher Premiership final tackle last Saturday, Gatland added: “When I first asked him how he was he said he had never had a knock like that before, so he has done all the return to play protocols and he is happy to take a part in training and he is another real competitor.”

Cowan-Dickie will provide cover from the bench this Saturday in Johannesburg but he is poised to start the following game against the Sharks as Gatland is enjoying the level competition for places in his squad. “The exciting thing from a coaching point of view is just the amount of competition we have got within the squad,” he said.

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“If you look at who has played the first couple of games and then who hasn’t played and will probably play against the Sharks, you can probably see the rest of the players in the squad get an opportunity and then you will see who the loose forward trio will be for next week, so it’s different players and players having their chance. It’s going to come around pretty thick and fast.  

“We spoke always about giving everyone an opportunity in the first three games. Josh Adams is the one who doubles up and we have made 14 changes. Guys are starting to gel together. There were aspects of the Japan game we were very happy with, particularly the first half. They played a different style and put us under pressure, but the boys have looked pretty sharp in the last couple of training days.”

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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