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Lions give Biggar injury update, explain why Lawes is under wraps
Warren Gatland has delivered an upbeat injury update surrounding his Lions squad, insisting that out-half Dan Biggar would be playing this Saturday if the fixture was a Test match versus the Springboks and not the Stormers. He also explained why Courtney Lawes, Biggar’s Northampton teammate, isn’t featuring either this weekend in Cape Town and is being kept under wraps for Test-week training.
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Biggar was an eleventh-hour absence from the Lions team that lost 17-13 to South Africa A on Wednesday night, Owen Farrell stepping into the vacancy. A Lions media release just prior to kick-off in Cape Town stated: “Dan’s got a minor ankle sprain which is not worth risking, so Owen comes in at 10.”
Lions boss Gatland provided more detail on the Biggar situation on Thursday after he named an entirely different starting XV from the side that took the field on Wednesday night, Marcus Smith getting chosen as the starting 10 with starting full-back and skipper Stuart Hogg poised to provide out-half back-up as no specialist 10 has been picked on the bench.
“It’s not (a concern),” said Gatland about Biggar’s absence from the latest Lions matchday selection. “It’s one of those ones that if we give him a bit more time then he is going to be fully ready to go on Monday for training and it’s one of those ones where if he plays, it’s going to be okay but it is probably going to be sore afterwards. It’s kind of managing that situation.
“If it’s a Test match he would have fronted up and been ready to go but we want to make sure everyone gets a fuller opportunity and anyone who is carrying any niggles we freshen them up so he can have a full week of preparation in training.
BREAKING: Smith to start ?#LionsRugby https://t.co/ZWQRDALACx
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 15, 2021
“Sometimes it’s always difficult if players miss the first part of a week of they are carrying a couple of niggles, particularly with this first Test, everyone first and ready to go. We could have played him, he could have been available for Saturday but we’re just giving him a little more time.”
Switching to Lawes, a second row starter in last Saturday’s win in the rematch with the Sharks, Gatland explained: “He had a lot of time earlier in the tour and was involved in a lot of games. Again, he is another one we are freshening up. We are really happy with the way he has contributed and played.
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“He has had a bit of a stiff neck that kept him out of a little bit of the contact stuff so again it’s just making sure we manage him as well. So there is nothing wrong with him – it’s just from his early involvements and the amount of minutes he had in those early games, it’s just giving him a bit more time so he is fresh and ready to go for training and available for selection next week.”
Switching to the trio of players who were hurt in the defeat to South Africa A, Gatland added: “Anthony Watson, his hamstring was just a bit tight and he has got a little bit of an ankle sprain but he is okay. Wyn Jones, just a sting in his shoulder which just needs to be rested for a few days. And with Liam Williams, it is an HIA so just going through the protocols but apart from that, a couple of sore bodies but pretty much everyone is fit and healthy.”
"I can't understand the comments were that there was no contact with the head"
– Gatland turns up the heat ahead of planned Friday meeting with the Lions tour referees#LionsRugby #CastleLionsSeries #LionsSA2021https://t.co/QlK148jk7L
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 15, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
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