Gimme Hope Jo'anna: Rugby in 2021

[ursus arctos]

No, they are hoping that tests allow them to resume training as quickly as they did last time (within 48 hours)

[Flynnie]

Supposedly the Springboks aren’t in a bubble. They go home on the weekends. Real brain genious shit there.

[ursus arctos]

[https://twitter.com/murray_kinsella/status/1412435088802037764

[Antepli Ejderha]

British and Irish Lions 2021: Sharks game goes ahead after first coronavirus cases - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/57751748

1 player records a positive test, 8 others in isolation and only one back named on the bench for today's match.

I really cannot see this tour finishing.

[Eggchaser]

They're going to have to hard bubble the two teams and play just the Tests at this rate.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Marcus Smith gets called up by the Lions to replace Finn Russell. A relatively like for like replacement.

[Sporting]

Wales 20 Argentina 20. Did anyone watch it?

[Ray de Galles]

Marcus Smith gets called up by the Lions to replace Finn Russell. A relatively like for like replacement.

Is Russell definitely out? I read it was a precautionary call up.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Is Russell definitely out? I read it was a precautionary call up.

Not out but a doubt. I guess Smith is there to cover the midweek games to make sure Biggar and Farrell rest.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Russell out for two weeks at least, that's the 24th and the start of the tests.

[Eggchaser]

Marcus Smith gets called up by the Lions to replace Finn Russell. A relatively like for like replacement.

Speaking as Quins fan, yay!

[Antepli Ejderha]

British and Irish Lions: Watson; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Aki, Adams; Biggar, Murray (capt); Jones, Owens, Sinckler, Itoje, Henderson, Navidi, Curry, Faletau.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Vunipola, Fagerson, Beard, Beirne, Simmonds, Davies, Daly.

South Africa A: Le Roux; Kolbe, Am (capt), De Allende, Nkosi; Steyn, De Klerk; Kitshoff, Dweba, Nyakane, Etzebeth, Mostert, Van Staden, Du Toit, Wiese.

Replacements (to be cut to eight players before kick-off): Marx, Oosthuizen, Koch, Janse van Rensburg, Elstadt, H Jantjies, Kriel, Willemse, Smith, E Jantjies.

Wednesday's game against South Africa A sees an extremely strong side host the Lions.

South Africa want a repeat on Saturday but Gatland has refused.

[Ray de Galles]

France beat Australia away for the first time in 31 years this morning. The midweek fixture caught me on the hop a little (they are okaying a three match series in eleven days!) but what I saw was very enjoyable.

Just seen Wales u20 beat Scotland's in a very tense finish after being reduced to 14 men early in the second half. It's only our second win in the 6N which has now finished with Scotland as wooden spoonists and England getting the Grand Slam.

[Antepli Ejderha]

AWJ is back in contact training and is expected to rejoin the tour soon.

Wow. He's immense.

[ursus arctos]

The way that France literally threw away the first Test defies belief

[Antepli Ejderha]

France very much playing with a second string side as well, they are going to be very strong in '23. A real shame they've been drawn with NZ in the group stage.

[Ray de Galles]

Alun Wyn confirmed as flying back out tomorrow. It's now between him and Geraint as Official Toughest Man in the World.

Will finally get a chance to focus properly on a tour game tonight and very much looking forward to it.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Alun Wyn confirmed as flying back out tomorrow. It's now between him and Geraint as Official Toughest Man in the World.

Will finally get a chance to focus properly on a tour game tonight and very much looking forward to it.

Do you mean G?

No contest I'm afraid, AWJ is just unbelievable.

[Ray de Galles]

Dumb kick from Farrell but that blocking run from the 12 ahead of the ball carrier is illegal.

[Ray de Galles]

Another dumb kick (from Daly this time), right in to Kolbe's hands and another try after he makes Harris look a chump.

[Ray de Galles]

Two yellows in a minute on the line for SA but no penalty try...yet.

[Ray de Galles]

Why is Farrell's first instinct to kick when there's a two man advantage, FFS!

[Antepli Ejderha]

Two late changes today, Adams watching the life stream of his daughter's birth and replaced by Liam Williams with Anthony Watson moving to the wing and Biggar feeling a twinge which is why Farrell is playing.

[Ray de Galles]

I think Beard is a very understandable and useful addition.

He's there to add height and bulk to counteract the Springbok pack in the set piece and could continue to play the Charterisesque spoiler role in the maul he does for Wales.

Beard did exactly this when he came on today and effectively neutered the Boks line out and maul.

Needs to be on the bench at least for the first test.

[Ray de Galles]

Not terrible to lose to a de facto SA test side, especially as the Lions were toilet in the first half and the Boks rode their luck and Peyper's decisions at times.

Curry was immense, I always love Watson and some decent other performances despite a disjointed evening of changes and run outs.