Lions thread

[DJRC]

Discussions have started in the 6 Nations thread about the Lions, so lets put that into a new thread.

Captain and squad discussions at this stage.

Captains:
Sam W
PoC
Er, thats it Im out of candidates!

Props:
Jones
Cole
Corbisero
Murray
...

Hooker:
We still have no decent hookers

Lock:
Lawes
PoC
Grey
Hamilton

Back row:
Heaslip
Ferris
Toby F
Denton
Ben Morgan
Croft
Ryan Jones
Robshaw

Scum half:
Phillips
Dickson
Blair?
Reddan

Fly:
Priestland
Farrell
Sexton
Hook

Centres:
BB
Manu
Doc
Trimble
Clarke
Will BoD choose next season to retire?

Back line:
North
Lamont
Evans
Foden
1/2p
Bowe
Kearney


Just some ideas from moi to start you off.

[phil_cardiff]

I'm assuming you're not considering players currently injured or only just back from injury?

[phil_cardiff]

Hold on. Are you on a deliberate wind up? You don't think Gethin Jenkins will make it?!

Of all your 'surprising' selections, that one is the most blatent.

[phil_cardiff]

What the hell. 33 man squad, though it will probably be bigger.

15. Hogg, Kearney
14. North, Bowe
13. BOD (if fit), Tuilagi
12. Roberts, J.Davies
11. Halfpenny, Strettle
10. Priestland, Farrell, Hook (for versatility)
9. Phillips, A.N.Other, A.N Other

1. Jenkins, Healy
2. Rees, Ford, Hartley
3. A Jones, Cole
4. Gray, AW Jones
5. P.O.C, A.N Other
6. Lydiate, Ferris
7. Warburton (capt), Rennie
8. Falatau, Denton

[DJRC]

So shove Jenkins in then.

Which bit of "start you off" did you ignore?

How can you consider injured or "just back from injury" players in a provisional, intial outline aswell? Its a case of who is currently about and likely to stick their hands up. Lions squads are traditionally form picks, not reputation picks. But hey, if you want to throw in injured names then do so, its an open bucket list.

[disco1]

Lamont, Hamilton and Blair for Lions indeed!!

[Cheib]

Some great bias already being displayed here!

Way too early to tell yet...Ashton and Youngs would have been certainities a year ago....nobody would pick either of them now.

Seriously thinking abouut going out to Oz to watch at least one match....watching a Lions test is a box I definitely need to tick.

[DJRC]

I havent tried to be biased at all. OK apart from leaving D'Arcy out who I will refuse to point blank ever admit to being any bloody good whatsoever and RoG who isnt costing us another series, I have tried to be even handed.

Hamilton is the only real "big man" grunt machine we have in the Isle at the moment now that Grewcock has wound down and Im sorry but somewhere in a proper bd Pack you have to have the option of a grunt machine.

Ive left out Ashton and Youngs because both are massively struggling for any kind of form or class that would allow them to put their hands up for selection. There isnt an argument for their inclusion at the moment.

And Phil, most of your squad there is 90% the same as mine!

Edited by DJRC on Monday 5th March 19:31

[TheGreatSoprendo]

Go on then, I'll have a go....

Full backs: Kearney, Foden
Wings: North, Bowe, Evans, Halfpenny
Centres: Tuilagi, Roberts, Davies, Barritt
Fly halves: Priestland, Farrell, Sexton, Hook
Scrum halves: Phillips, Youngs, Murray

Loose heads: Jenkins, Healy, Corbisiero
Hookers: Rees, Best, Hartley
Tight heads: Jones, Cole
2nd rows: Gray, AW Jones, Lawes, POC, Ryan
Back row: Lydiate, Ferris, O Brien, Warburton (c), Faletau, Denton

Team for 1st test:
Kearney, North, Tuilagi, Roberts, Bowe, Sexton, Phillips, Jenkins, Rees, Jones, POC, Gray, Warburton, O'Brien, Faletau
Reps: Cole, Best, AWJ, Ferris, Murray, Farrell, Halfpenny.

[DJRC]

Similar to my names there TGS.

[Cheib]

Even before today I was stunned people had left Croft out (hence my national bias remark ).....like many other English players he didn't have a great 2011 but he had a great tour for the Lions last time out and today really showed how good he is. Because of his line out ability he's got every chance of making the XV IMHO.

[DJRC]

Croft is in my original post!

[TheGreatSoprendo]

Croft and Heaslip are show ponies and have no place in a Lions back row as far as I'm concerned. Lydiate, Ferris and O Brien are all better options at 6 than Croft.

[custardtart]

TheGreatSoprendo said:

Croft and Heaslip are show ponies and have no place in a Lions back row as far as I'm concerned.

Did you miss Croft's performances on the last Lions tour?

[TheGreatSoprendo]

custardtart said:

Did you miss Croft's performances on the last Lions tour?

Not at all, but there's a huge difference between hanging about on the wing looking all eye catching and being an effective back rower.

On the coverage yesterday, Guscott said something along the lines of 'Croft hasn't got the physicality to do the back row dog work, so let's get him in the centres where he's most effective', absolute fkin nonsense in my view. If he can't do the job of a back rower he's got no business being picked there. If he's a better centre than a 6, then let him compete for a place there, but don't pick him at 6 then let him hang about in the backs trying to be flash.

Take a look at the performances of Ferris, Zanni or Lydiate for examples of what a 6 should be doing.

[Cheib]

TheGreatSoprendo said:

Not at all, but there's a huge difference between hanging about on the wing looking all eye catching and being an effective back rower.

On the coverage yesterday, Guscott said something along the lines of 'Croft hasn't got the physicality to do the back row dog work, so let's get him in the centres where he's most effective', absolute fkin nonsense in my view. If he can't do the job of a back rower he's got no business being picked there. If he's a better centre than a 6, then let him compete for a place there, but don't pick him at 6 then let him hang about in the backs trying to be flash.

Take a look at the performances of Ferris, Zanni or Lydiate for examples of what a 6 should be doing.

Croft's probably the best/most versatile line out forward in the home nations. A Lions pack should have enough strength in depth to accommodate someone with Croft's talent. He offers something different.

[DJRC]

How can you say on one hand you saw Craft's performance on the last Lions tour where he was praised as the player of the tour...a Bok tour at that where the back row battle is the hardest place of all...and then say that he isnt a good back row player? Thats illogical.

And Heaslip is a show pony??? The man is an awesome player. He and Ferris are outstanding World Class players.

[TheGreatSoprendo]

There's nothing illogical about calling a spade a spade. And as for Croft being player of the tour, do I sense a little revisionism going on here??

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/813532...

It seems Croft wasn't even in the top 3!!

I quite agree with you on Ferris, an awesome blindside who is streets ahead of Croft, but Heaslip is another show pony I'm afraid. White boots have no place on the feet of any forward!

Since there's so much love here for back rowers of the showy variety, perhaps we could add Andy Powell into the mix to make the showiest, most ineffective back row in Lions history?

Edited by TheGreatSoprendo on Tuesday 13th March 11:14

[DJRC]

Wtf? Revisionism? The bloke was lauded by every man and his dog as the Lions player of the tour on the tour and immediately after it!

You watch a different sport to me I think.

[Cheib]

Regardless to whether he was or wasn't the player of the series in 2009 he's the best line out forward in the home nations and arguably the most destructive front jumper on opposition ball in world rugby.