Australia v Lions: my team

Aside from the excitement over the arrival Down Under of Shane Williams, there is a serious business for the Lions: beating Australia.

A number of injuries have hit Warren Gatland’s squad, and the team I’d pick has taken those into consideration (I’ve left out those who are seen as doubtful). It means, for example, that neither winger would be starting were it not for injuries to others.

Backs (five Welsh, two Irish):

15: Leigh Halfpenny
14: Alex Cuthbert
13: Brian O’Driscoll
12: Jonathan Davies
11: George North
10: Jonathan Sexton
9: Mike Phillips

Waratahs 17-47 Lions

The game has been somewhat overshadowed by the news that Welsh legend Shane Williams has been drafted into the Lions squad.

But there was a game yesterday as well, and in what was an excellent and thoroughly entertaining encounter between the Waratahs and the Lions in Sydney, the visitors emerged 47-17 winners.

The Lions thrashed the NSW Waratahs at the Sydney Football Stadium

But the main outcome of the game has been to throw up a number of selection dilemmas, with many of those on the cusp of a test place performing outstandingly.

Players’ verdict:

15: Leigh Halfpenny – another exemplary kicking performance and two tries. Another quite superb performance, and you wonder if there is anyone outside the Kearney household who still doubts the Welshman is a country mile clear of any competitors for the title of Europe’s best fullback…9/10

Shane Williams called up by the Lions

Shane Williams has been called up by the British and Irish Lions and will start on the wing against the Brumbies in midweek.

Leaving my phone on just incase we get a call from the lions, with Simon Easterby and Gareth Edwards #hereshoping pic.twitter.com/4tdInbkqZc

— Jonathan Davies (@JiffyRugby) June 15, 2013

Simply put, this is barely believable.

And awesome.

Reds 12-22 Lions

The Lions ground out a tough 22-12 win over the Queensland Reds in Brisbane in what was quite an assignment for the tourists. The Reds played with such a high tempo and apparent freedom, typified by the excellent Quade Cooper. Still, in the east coast rain, Warren Gatland will be generally content with the shift his team put in.

Players’ verdict:

15: Stuart Hogg – lively, generally assured, although he’s not in contention to start against the Wallabies…7/10
14: Alex Cuthbert – looked laboured and slow in the first half when he was trumped in attack and defence by opposite number Luke Morahan. Blow to his prospects of starting the first test…5

What’s wrong with supporting the Welsh Lions?

After the Lions thrashed the Barbarians in Hong Kong earlier, I tweeted to say how I was pleased the Welsh players had put on a decent showing.

Later, I noticed all sorts of tweets from people criticising those who had done what I’d done and single out those of one nationality for particular attention.

.@deanhdavid Well if taking pride in the contribution of Welsh players I admire makes me an arse I’m very happy to be one #lions&dragons

— Carolyn Hitt (@carolyn_hitt) June 1, 2013

They said we were all one now – all Lions or Lions supporters who should be united in our quest to vanquish Australia.

Lions squad verdict: the forwards

See also Lions squad verdict: the backs

Dan Cole

What a unit – one of the best scrummagers in world rugby, even if the English pack did get schooled in the Six Nations against Wales

Cian Healy

Another prop whose name had been pencilled into the Lions squad list for some time, although he blotted his copybook somewhat with a stupid stamp on Cole in the Six Nations

Gethin Jenkins

A wonderfully mobile front rower (and I’ll take any excuse to repost a video of him humiliating Ronan O’Gara) whose Six Nations performances demonstrated his relative weakness, the scrum, was not really anything of the sort

Adam Jones