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Lions make 13 changes to starting XV for historic Sharks rematch
Warren Gatland has made 13 changes to his Lions starting XV for Saturday’s rematch versus the C Cell Sharks in Pretoria. The Lions comfortably defeated the Durban-based South African franchise 54-7 on Wednesday in Johannesburg and it was announced on Thursday that there would be a rematch this weekend to fill the void of the virus-hit Bulls being unable to fulfil the originally planned July 10 fixture.
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Not that the Lions have been virus-free themselves. Wednesday’s day of Covid testing chaos in Johannesburg placed that night’s match versus the Sharks into jeopardy and it only went ahead after Gatland was forced to make eight late changes to the matchday 23 he had originally announced on Monday.
Those alterations resulted in Gatland not being able to fulfil his hope for all 37 players in the Lions squad to start at least one match across the opening three games. Eight players did make their first starts against the Sharks but both Anthony Watson and Gareth Davies were forced to pull out, leaving them both without a tour start yet.
They will now get their chance in Saturday’s rematch after Gatland unveiled a starting XV in which Elliot Daly and Duhan van der Merwe are the only repeat starters from Wednesday night. Meanwhile, hooker Jamie George becomes the fourth matchday skipper of the 2021 tour following Alun Wyn Jones, Stuart Hogg and Iain Henderson. Current tour captain Conor Murray is on the bench this Saturday.
The latest selection sees the free-scoring Josh Adams, the only player to start all three Lions matches so far, given a well-deserved rest. Also rested are Bundee Aki, Owen Farrell, Ali Price, Henderson and Taulupe Faletau, the five players who also featured in all three games with a mixture of starts and appearances off the bench. The two players who have not featured in either of the matchday 23s versus the Sharks are Robbie Henshaw and Hogg.
TEAM NEWS:
Just 1?? forward is asked to start for the second time in four days against the Lions #LionsRugby #SHAvBILhttps://t.co/X9MkcUw8ST
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 9, 2021
The Friday afternoon team announcement – which features five English, four Scottish and three from both Wales and Ireland in the XV – came after the tour PCR screening programme returned a negative set of results from Friday morning testing. On Wednesday, one member of staff tested positive for Covid-19. As a result, the individual and four close contacts are still being isolated at the team hotel. In contrast, the player who initially produced a positive on Wednesday has since tested negative twice, allowing him and his self-isolating contacts to become available for selection against the Sharks.
“It’s obviously been a slightly turbulent week, but we remain determined to keep rolling with the punches,” said Gatland. “In many ways, the challenges we have faced this week have strengthened our resolve to do everything we can to overcome the challenges created by covid. The feeling in the camp on Wednesday night was just to give it a crack – I was really proud of how everyone reacted, particularly the matchday squad who would have never prepared for a game like that before.
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“Saturday is another opportunity to see how the boys go and for us as coaches to try out a few more combinations ahead of the Test series. I have long been an admirer of Jamie’s leadership skills, so I am delighted to name him skipper. We want to pass on thanks to the Sharks boys for fronting up and going again on Saturday. That’s the spirit of rugby, and a great chance for them to have another shot at us.”
The Sharks, meanwhile, have made eleven changes to their starting XV. Skipper and No8 Phepsi Buthelezi is the only forward from the midweek game who has been asked to start again, with scrum-half Jaden Hendrikse and wingers Thaakir Abrahams and Werner Kok the three repeat selections in the backline – although Kok will start on this occasion at outside centre.
LIONS (vs C Cell Sharks, Saturday)
15. Liam Williams (Scarlets, Wales) #833
14. Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby, England) #816
13. Elliot Daly (Saracens, England) #822
12. Chris Harris (Gloucester Rugby, Scotland) #844
11. Duhan van der Merwe (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #841
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints, Wales) #821
9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets, Wales) #850
1. Rory Sutherland (Worcester Warriors, Scotland) #840
2. Jamie George – captain (Saracens, England) #819
3. Tadhg Furlong (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #818
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, England) #825
5. Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, England) #845
6. Tadhg Beirne (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #838
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh Rugby, Scotland) #847
8. Jack Conan (Leinster Rugby, Ireland) #839
Replacements:
16. Ken Owens (Scarlets, Wales) #829
17. Wyn Jones (Scarlets, Wales) #842
18. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, England) #814
19. Courtney Lawes (Northampton Saints, England) #826
20. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, England) #849
21. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, England) #853
22. Conor Murray (Munster Rugby, Ireland) #790
23. Finn Russell (Racing 92, Scotland) #835
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"Stadiums and events across England are able to operate at full capacity from July 19, 5 days before the first Test is due to take place. I’m not sure what SA Rugby or the Lions are really gaining from persevering with the original plans." https://t.co/yWgEyZ6MPm pic.twitter.com/kUpBRs0IXB
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 9, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
7 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
7 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt 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.
26 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 🤐
19 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….
26 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….
19 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….
84 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!
7 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 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
14 Go to comments