B&I Lions tour 2021
Discussion
Sn1ckers said:
Given all the talk of Manu being essential and his fitness I guess Aki isn't that much of a surprise?
Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
I would have taken Nowell over Daly for the very same reasoning - although maybe not quite as adept at full back.Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
stu1984 said:
Sn1ckers said:
Given all the talk of Manu being essential and his fitness I guess Aki isn't that much of a surprise?
Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
I would have taken Nowell over Daly for the very same reasoning - although maybe not quite as adept at full back.Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
Evanivitch said:
Evanivitch said:
I admire Lawes ability to make a career out of ineffective (but not illegal) late tackles, but no way he'd be on the plane.
Lawes FMLWiltshire Lad said:
stu1984 said:
Sn1ckers said:
Given all the talk of Manu being essential and his fitness I guess Aki isn't that much of a surprise?
Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
I would have taken Nowell over Daly for the very same reasoning - although maybe not quite as adept at full back.Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
Cliffe60 said:
Zander Fagerson instead of Kyle Sinckler? Even allowing for England’s bad season , that is a ridiculous selection.
They are a different level in scrummaging and Sinckler is also a better ball carrier.
Can't agree with that, Zander is a top scrummager and very mobile ball carrier. Did okay against England this year...They are a different level in scrummaging and Sinckler is also a better ball carrier.
Cliffe60 said:
Ian Lancs said:
Daly for the penalty from his own 22m line at altitude option 
Zander Fagerson instead of Kyle Sinckler? Even allowing for England’s bad season , that is a ridiculous selection.They are a different level in scrummaging and Sinckler is also a better ball carrier.
Fagerson is a canny operator in the scrum.
Tight herad anchors your whole scrum, so the most important ability is scrummaging, especially against a side like SA.
Furlong, Jones and Fagerson all scrummage better than Sinckler and carry the ball hard. They may not have as soft hands in the loose but that is a bonus from a prop. Scrummaging is their bread and butter. Furlong as test starter for me.
Furlong, Jones and Fagerson all scrummage better than Sinckler and carry the ball hard. They may not have as soft hands in the loose but that is a bonus from a prop. Scrummaging is their bread and butter. Furlong as test starter for me.
C70R said:
Wiltshire Lad said:
stu1984 said:
Sn1ckers said:
Given all the talk of Manu being essential and his fitness I guess Aki isn't that much of a surprise?
Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
I would have taken Nowell over Daly for the very same reasoning - although maybe not quite as adept at full back.Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
Daly is a world class player who’s reputation has suffered under EJ because of the dogged insistence that he play FB. His stated preference is 13 but can do a job on the wing as is evidenced by the last Lions tour.
Sn1ckers said:
C70R said:
Wiltshire Lad said:
stu1984 said:
Sn1ckers said:
Given all the talk of Manu being essential and his fitness I guess Aki isn't that much of a surprise?
Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
I would have taken Nowell over Daly for the very same reasoning - although maybe not quite as adept at full back.Really pleased for Simmonds.
Apparently Gatland has a big soft spot for Daly and that, plus his ability to play 11, 12(at a push), 13, 14 and 15 and the ability to kick from his own half clearly was enough for a place.
Daly is a world class player who’s reputation has suffered under EJ because of the dogged insistence that he play FB. His stated preference is 13 but can do a job on the wing as is evidenced by the last Lions tour.
Sn1ckers said:
The problem for May is that there are already 4 who can play wing plus May hasn’t played that well for Gloucester and was part of a poor England team. I would have really liked to see Nowell in the team but he has been injured for some time which didn’t help his cause.
Daly is a world class player who’s reputation has suffered under EJ because of the dogged insistence that he play FB. His stated preference is 13 but can do a job on the wing as is evidenced by the last Lions tour.
Surprises/notes for me:Daly is a world class player who’s reputation has suffered under EJ because of the dogged insistence that he play FB. His stated preference is 13 but can do a job on the wing as is evidenced by the last Lions tour.
No Sinkler, he has mostly been used as an impact sub at Bristol, and poor in the 6N like the rest of the team but is 'ability celling' is matched only by Furlong IMO.
Jonny Hill, James Ryan was pipped to be partnering Itojie, from what I've seen he has dropped off.
Courtney Lawes. Because of his injury basically jumped anyone who's played seems a bit unfair but not surprised. I think Gatland has decided he needs a lock who can play blind side flanker to up the size of the pack to combat the Boks.
Porter can play either side of the scum.
Harris, local lad, solid dependable, Aki bit of a head scratcher. I've have had Slade in on form for some versatility over either.
I'm a little bit surprised at Russell, maybe with Sexton being injured. There's a lot of hype around him and on his day can do what not many others can. I didn't think he stood out as a star performer for Scotland in the 6N.
I'm not hugely surprised at Daly, he's versatile but then why not Slade. It's really down to whether a lot of the underperforming 6N player who have the ability can get back there.
Riding on 6N form is only part of this, quite a few of those Welsh players got took apart by Sale post 6N, Johnny May would have walked into a world XV up until the end of last year-played in a poor England and Gloucester team but I refer to my the sentence above.
Edited by a311 on Thursday 6th May 14:52
a311 said:
Sn1ckers said:
The problem for May is that there are already 4 who can play wing plus May hasn’t played that well for Gloucester and was part of a poor England team. I would have really liked to see Nowell in the team but he has been injured for some time which didn’t help his cause.
Daly is a world class player who’s reputation has suffered under EJ because of the dogged insistence that he play FB. His stated preference is 13 but can do a job on the wing as is evidenced by the last Lions tour.
Surprises/notes for me:Daly is a world class player who’s reputation has suffered under EJ because of the dogged insistence that he play FB. His stated preference is 13 but can do a job on the wing as is evidenced by the last Lions tour.
No Sinkler, he has mostly been used as an impact sub at Bristol, and poor in the 6N like the rest of the team but is 'ability celling' is matched only by Furlong IMO.
Jonny Hill, James Ryan was pipped to be partnering Itojie, from what I've seen he has dropped off.
Courtney Lawes. Because of his injury basically jumped anyone who's played seems a bit unfair but not surprised. I think Gatland has decided he needs a lock who can play blind side flanker to up the size of the pack to combat the Boks.
Porter can play either side of the scum.
Harris, local lad, solid dependable, Aki bit of a head scratcher. I've have had Slade in on form for some versatility over either.
I'm a little bit surprised at Russell, maybe with Sexton being injured. There's a lot of hype around him and on his day can do what not many others can. I didn't think he stood out as a star performer for Scotland in the 6N.
I'm not hugely surprised at Daly, he's versatile but then why not Slade. It's really down to whether a lot of the underperforming 6N player who have the ability can get back there.
Riding on 6N form is only part of this, quite a few of those Welsh players got took apart by Sale post 6N, Johnny May would have walked into a world XV up until the end of last year-played in a poor England and Gloucester team but I refer to my the sentence above.
Edited by a311 on Thursday 6th May 14:52
Hill really surprised me but that said SA have massive locks and Hill is a big lump himself which may have been a consideration.
My biggest (pleasant) surprise tbh was 11 England players. A majority of the pundits had 5 or 6 from England and more from Ireland in particular.
Suspect that there will be injuries between now and start of tour so expect a few to cry off.
On the basis that the Boks stick to a 6/2 forward bench split will be interesting to see if the Lions replicate this. If so explains the selection of Lawes and Henderson who can each play in second row/back row where Itojie and Beirne are comfortable too-James Ryan not on form but unlucky to lose out to Jonny Hill
On the basis that the Boks stick to a 6/2 forward bench split will be interesting to see if the Lions replicate this. If so explains the selection of Lawes and Henderson who can each play in second row/back row where Itojie and Beirne are comfortable too-James Ryan not on form but unlucky to lose out to Jonny Hill
Sn1ckers said:
I suspect, though clearly have no evidence, that Aki came in after North was ruled out.
Hill really surprised me but that said SA have massive locks and Hill is a big lump himself which may have been a consideration.
My biggest (pleasant) surprise tbh was 11 England players. A majority of the pundits had 5 or 6 from England and more from Ireland in particular.
For me it's the old 'form is temporary class is permanent'. I'm a bit disappointed DVM is in over a host of home nations players. He's defensively frail and clearly not good enough to be kept in his native South Africa.Hill really surprised me but that said SA have massive locks and Hill is a big lump himself which may have been a consideration.
My biggest (pleasant) surprise tbh was 11 England players. A majority of the pundits had 5 or 6 from England and more from Ireland in particular.
Imagine if the squad was annouced at the end of 2020?
It's as if the coaches have picked a first test squad then dirt trackers upfront.
I'm happy that for the first time in a while all 4 nations are reasonably well represented.
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