British and Irish Lions Tour of NZ

[Kev]

Got back from a very RED Wellington last night and so enjoy the NZ media ... Mark Reason is great.
Loadsa Sailing news, Team NZ America's Cup must have loved the game, putting them back in the spotlight.

Looking forward to a great weekend of battles at NIB then Eden Park.

[SinBin]

Got back from a very RED Wellington last night and so enjoy the NZ media ... Mark Reason is great...

Interesting article by him here with the expected reaction below.

Punters take note on his draw tip.

TIP OF THE DAY
We haven't had a draw yet, and it's paying $26. The final game of the 1971 series won by the Lions was drawn, 14-14 at Eden Park.

[Alison]

I agree Alison, it should be a cracker with two quality teams desperate to win the series. Coaching tactics will be bloody interesting.

I just hope and pray for consistent refereeing decisions too! Who is the ref for the game?

[yungfen]

It will be Romain Poite, another French referee

[shasta]

Got back from a very RED Wellington last night and so enjoy the NZ media ... Mark Reason is great

Interesting article......with the expected reaction below.

Reason just comes across as a snide twat. He has valid points at times but his obvious disdain for the AB's in particular, as well as the Warriors (well anything to do with RL actually) and plenty of other NZ sports/persons would make make you wonder why the friggin idiot ever emigrated there from the UK in the first place.

[The InnFORCEr]

Rohnan Romain Poite I think

[Ecky]

Referee Romain Poite
AR1 Jérôme Garcès
AR2 Jaco Peyper
TMO George Ayoub

Same team of 4 for all 3 matches. Different ref for each.

[GIGS20]

Reason just comes across as a snide twat. He has valid points at times but his obvious disdain for the AB's in particular, as well as the Warriors (well anything to do with RL actually) and plenty of other NZ sports/persons would make make you wonder why the friggin idiot ever emigrated there from the UK in the first place.

Yes, I agree with his taste for stabbing the home team, you'd expect Him to be a much better fit for Aussie rugby journalism

[SinBin]

The British and Irish Lions have named an unchanged team and bench for the third and decisive Test against New Zealand.

It means they will field the same starting XV in consecutive Tests for the first time since 1993.

Sam Warburton again captains the side from the blind-side flank.

Victory on Saturday at Eden Park - where New Zealand have not lost since 1994 - would give the Lions only their second ever series win in New Zealand.

Lions head coach Warren Gatland, who saw his side win 24-21 win in Wellington last week to level the series, said: "It is not very often on a Lions tour that you get to pick the same 23 for the following game.

"We felt we should reward the players for the result and the courage that they showed in coming from behind from 18-9 down, digging themselves out of a hole and then finishing strongly in that last 10 to 15 minutes [to win the second Test]."

The selection means Scottish players will not have played a single minute in the three Tests.

Gatland has decided to retain the 10-12 partnership of Johnny Sexton and Owen Farrell from the second-Test win on Saturday.

The creative duo gives the Lions more attacking options and Gatland has clearly decided that is more important than shoring up a defensive channel that was targeted by the All Blacks last time out.

Ngani Laumape - who came off the bench to replace the red-carded Sonny Bill Williams and was sent down that channel with some success in Wellington - will make his first start for the All Blacks on Saturday.

England loose-head Mako Vunipola - the target of criticism after an ill-disciplined second half that saw him sin-binned last weekend - retains his number one shirt.

Wales' Liam Williams has shrugged off injury concerns to once again start at full-back.

Gatland said the Lions are expecting a "backlash" from the world champions in Auckland but added: "We still feel there is another level in us.

"This is a huge chance for this group of players to show their abilities and reap the benefits of the work everyone has put in. It is their chance to make Lions history."

Lions: Liam Williams (Wales); Anthony Watson (England), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Elliot Daly (England); Johnny Sexton (Ireland), Conor Murray (Ireland); Mako Vunipola (England), Jamie George (England) Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales) Sam Warburton (capt, Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Taulupe Faletau (Wales)

Replacements: Ken Owens (Wales), Jack McGrath (Ireland), Kyle Sinckler (England), Courtney Lawes (England), CJ Stander (Ireland), Rhys Webb (Wales), Ben Te'o (England), Jack Nowell (England)

New Zealand: Jordie Barrett; Israel Dagg, Anton Lienert-Brown, Ngani Laumape, Julian Savea; Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith; Joe Moody, Codie Taylor, Owen Franks, Brodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Jerome Kaino, Sam Cane, Kieran Read.

Replacements: Nathan Harris, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Scott Barrett, Ardie Savea, TJ Perenara, Aaron Cruden, Malakai Fekitoa.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/40514172

[SinBin]

Big call starting Jordie Barrett and Laumape but they've done well for the Canes. Expect Kaino to have a big one after being dragged last week.

[yungfen]

Big call starting Jordie Barrett and Laumape but they've done well for the Canes. Expect Kaino to have a big one after being dragged last week.

Yep absolutely agree that it is a very big call to start Jodie Barrett, 15 is a key position and the pressure that comes with this game is enormous, this has the potential to either make him or potentially break him.

[Alison]

Kiwi rugby players don't break - they are taught to believe they are invincible! Isn't that what the haka reinforces?

[yungfen]

They are all human beings Alison. But I do agree that New Zealand must have a great culture of self belief that is way above everyone else.

[The InnFORCEr]

Has Westies got any pre game excuses, selection woes, anything at all, or will it just come down to the ref again this week?

BI Lions and NSW Origin multi at $8.75

[westies man]

Do I detect a wager