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FORUM / RUGBY /  Brad Thorn to captain Baa Baas against England

Brad Thorn to captain Baa Baas against England

Started by Brycy4 REPLIES141 VIEWS· 30 May 2015, 22:13
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BR
Brycy
Pro4,671 posts
BR
BrycyPro4,671 posts
30 May 2015, 22:13
#1
30 May 2015, 22:13#1

...Nice gesture from Dingo Deans making former All Black Brad Thorn captain of  the Barbarians against England in what may be his final game before hanging up the playing boots.


The Barbarians coach, New Zealander Robbie Deans, made 11 starting changes to his side who beat Ireland 22-21 in Limerick on Thursday.

Cross-code international Thorn, 40, will lead them onto Twickenham on Sunday in what is expected to be his final game before taking up a coaching position with the Queensland Reds.


Thorn stood out at club, state and international level playing rugby league in Australia before switching to rugby union in New Zealand. He played 59 Tests, announcing his international retirement after the All Blacks' 2011 World Cup triumph.

He is joined in the starting team at Twickenham by former All Blacks Joe Rokocoko, George Whitelock and Saimone Taumoepeau.


When: Sunday 31st May 3pm
Where to watch: Sky Sports 3

England:
15 Mathew Tait (Leicester Tigers)
14 Christian Wade (Wasps)
13 Elliot Daly (Wasps)
12 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
11 Marland Yarde Harlequins)
10 Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks)
9 Lee Dickson (Northampton Saints, captain)

1 Matt Mullan (Wasps)
2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
3 Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
5 Joe Launchbury (Wasps)
6 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
7 Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
8 Josh Beaumont (Sale Sharks)

Replacements:

16 Tommy Taylor (Sale Sharks)
17 Alex Waller (Northampton Saints)
18 Gareth Denman (Northampton Saints)
19 James Gaskell (Wasps)
20 Jon Fisher (Northampton Saints)
21 Will Chudley (Exeter Chiefs)
22 Shane Geraghty (London Irish)
23 Alex Lewington (London Irish)

Barbarians:
15 Gio Aplon (Grenoble & South Africa)
14 David Smith (Toulon)
13 Joe Rokocoko (Bayonne & New Zealand)
12 Wynand Olivier (Montpellier & South Africa)
11 Ugo Monye (Harlequins & England)
10 Tusi Pisi (Suntory Sungoliath & Samoa)
9 Tomas Cubelli (Belgrano Ath & Argentina)

1 Saimone Taumoepeau (Castres & New Zealand)
2 Dave Ward (Harlequins)
3 Matias Diaz (Pampas & Argentina)
4 Samu Manoa (Northampton Saints & USA)
5 Brad Thorn ( Leicester Tigers & New Zealand, Captain)
6 George Whitelock (Panasonic Wild Knights & New Zealand)
7 George Smith (Lyon & Australia)
8 Thomas Waldrom (Exeter Chiefs & England)

Replacements:

16 Deon Fourie (Lyon)
17 Roberto Tejerizo (Argentina)
18 Adam Jones (Cardiff Blues & Wales)
19 Nathan Hines (Sales & Scotland)
20 Pablo Matera (Leicester & Argentina)
21 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster & South Africa)
22 Steven Brett (Lyon)
23 Yoshikazu Fujita (Japan)



CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
30 May 2015, 22:23
#2
30 May 2015, 22:23#2
 How did they manage to get Thorn out of the retirement village.  He always was at best an average lock - so why him?   His last few years he was piss-poor - a name on the team sheet to make up 15 players. .  
BR
Brycy
Pro4,671 posts
BR
BrycyPro4,671 posts
30 May 2015, 22:57
#3
30 May 2015, 22:57#3

 ...not so clevermike ... on the contrary, it's more than likely the yarpies in the team that are just making up the numbers.,..begrudging selections no doubt...

...and bad luck with yr fantasy team getting whipped this week mate...maybe someone could give you some help with your selections...

CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
31 May 2015, 05:10
#4
31 May 2015, 05:10#4
 Brycy
I miscalculated badly on the potential performances of key players this week.  Making Folau captain was suicidal.    He was utter BS and I thought the Waratahs should beat the Lions with ease.  I also thought the Chiefs should beat the Highlanders and my selections backfired badly as a result.  The other flop I made was to select McMahon - not thinking that a Rebels prop would get red-carded and Sean missing 70% of the game as a result.  The Hurricanes players this week was also BS fantasy selections.
The answer is stick with form players and be careful with Waratahs players - they are not good travellers.  Should have known better.
It is early and their may be some surprises still - but I think the top 6 places on the log - qualifying for the play-offs and semis will be as follows:-
1.   Hurricanes2.  Stormers3.  Waratahs4.  Highlanders5.  Chiefs6.  Brumbies
The wheels can still come off some teams - but that is unlikely.   My guess is that the play-offs will be as follows:-
*   The Waratahs vs the Brumbies*   The Hurricanes vs the Chiefs
If the Waratahs beat the Brumbies and the Highlanders beat the Chiefs or vice versa, the situation would be that the  semi's will be as follows:-
*   The Hurricanes against the Chiefs/Highlanders*   The Stormers against the Waratahs
I give the Hurricanes about a 5% chance of beating either the Chiefs or the Highlanders in the semi's - they have far too many forwards problems.
However, lets wait and see what happens over the next two rounds.          


BR
Brycy
Pro4,671 posts
BR
BrycyPro4,671 posts
31 May 2015, 06:05
#5
31 May 2015, 06:05#5

....if the Lions upset the Stormers next week that could really throw the cat among the pigeons  

..this week i'd dropped Naholo to the bench hoping that would stop him from scoring against the Chiefs but that didn't work very well for some reason...Corey Jane must be very worried about Naholo's form in this RWC year..


...but for me Nadolo is the way to go re captain...he's SMOKING ..

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