Lions Squad Discussion

[suisse]

Shaun Edwards wrote:
This is going down to the wire. I don't want to sound corny but there are four days left before the Lions squad is announced and places are still in the air. Games this weekend, particularly the Anglo-Welsh Cup final at Twickenham tomorrow, will be a big deal for some players.

Lions selection is down to one man: Ian McGeechan. He has the final word but is obviously bouncing ideas off and taking advice from the coaches that are going to South Africa with him; and after our most recent three-hour huddle – in a hotel near Heathrow this week – it is obvious that Ian is sticking by his word: he will pick on form and not reputation. Some big players who have been there and done it before, won Six Nations or Heineken Cups, might be in for a shock next Tuesday.

And then again there will, as there always seem to be in Lions selections, those whom the pundits – and wait for them to list their favourites over the next few days – will have overlooked. Some of those currently in the reckoning may not have made their national teams in the Six Nations which ended less than a month ago. Others may have caught the eye with performances in last weekend's Heineken quarter-finals.

I'm not going to betray confidences but Ian has said that, while he has been pretty certain for some time about the core of the squad, it will be the last 10 selections that decide whether the tour is a success. So there are guys at Twickenham tomorrow like Olly Morgan of Gloucester and Tom Shanklin and Lee Halfpenny of Cardiff who can book themselves one of the 36 places on the flight south or can join the list of players on stand-by. It's wide open.

The first thing to be decided was the way in which the Lions intend to play. Having in mind that the Springboks are unlikely to be selecting anyone smaller that 6ft 5in in either the back row or the second row and that they have probably the most efficient defence in world rugby, do we try to match them size for size, do we try boshing the ball up the middle or do we try to find other ways of unpicking a path to the line?

Then there are things over which we have no control. We have two games at altitude, so how does that affect our planning and, while most of the experimental laws may be on their way out (small cheer) they will still be in use in South Africa over the summer, so how does that influence selection? There will be plenty of kicking, that's for sure, and the ball goes miles at altitude, so how heavy is the premium on picking guys who are good under the high ball and who can ping it 60 metres down field? In the Six Nations Declan Kidney, the Irish coach, proved himself an innovative thinker by selecting two full-backs and only one specialist winger in his back three. We are lucky in having plenty of guys who fit that bill but just how many do we take? It's a problem which runs through selection.

Do you take two No10s or three and run the risk of having one of them go eight weeks without enough game time? And how is the balance changed if one of those fly-halves can play at inside centre?

You need three hookers and five props because of the demands of the replacements' bench but should there be four or five locks and what about the back row, especially as there are plenty of guys around who proved during the Six Nations that they can play at six, seven or eight? And how important do we see the role of a specialist No7?

The good thing is that Cape Town is just an overnight flight from Heathrow and that there is little or no problem with time zones. It is not like those days when the Lions boarded a liner at Southampton and vanished over the horizon, out of sight if not out of mind, until the start of the following season. Guys can be replaced at 12 hours' notice and probably will be.

For now, though, I just hope that most of the 36 named on Tuesday survive the remainder of the domestic season, the play-offs, the Heineken semi-finals and final and make the flight on 24 May in one piece.

There you go Josh and Danny, keep the summer free

[ceemec]

Will Carling has been saying the rumours he has heard in the past 24 hours. Says he's not sure about them but they're coming from a source that has always been reliable in the past:

Sheridan not to tour.
Danny Care to be picked.
Robinson to go as 3rd outhalf.
Powell left at home.
Shane Williams possibly left out too.

[tones]

Will Carling has been saying the rumours he has heard in the past 24 hours. Says he's not sure about them but they're coming from a source that has always been reliable in the past:

Sheridan not to tour.
Danny Care to be picked.
Robinson to go as 3rd outhalf.
Powell left at home.
Shane Williams possibly left out too.

Thats the only real surprise there!! Rate Care alot as an SH (provided he keeps his head)

[Danthefan]

There's a rumour on PR that Ryan Jones hasn't made it either.

[tones]

There's a rumour on PR that Ryan Jones hasn't made it either.

Can't say I'm really surprised, didn't feature much in the 6N when he even got his game. A sharp downfall for him.

[benchwarmer]

Care wouldn't be a surprise pick he's going better than some of the other names going around for the 9 jersey. If the squad is picked on form, there's going to be a few surprises me thinks.... some of the definates mightn't quite be shoo ins, particularly given Ian's past selection.

[ceemec]

There's a rumour on PR that Ryan Jones hasn't made it either.

I don't think he really deserves to be in but I'd still be very surprised given that his national coach is the Lions forwards coach and he's the Welsh captain.

[ronk]

There's a rumour on PR that Ryan Jones hasn't made it either.

I don't think he really deserves to be in but I'd still be very surprised given that his national coach is the Lions forwards coach and he's the Welsh captain.

Then they'd be the people most likely to know if he's not worth taking a risk on. If it's his form rather than he just had a bad game or two, or just didn't get credit for good work in the system then they'll be best able to spot it.

[tones]

There's a rumour on PR that Ryan Jones hasn't made it either.

I don't think he really deserves to be in but I'd still be very surprised given that his national coach is the Lions forwards coach and he's the Welsh captain.

Then they'd be the people most likely to know if he's not worth taking a risk on. If it's his form rather than he just had a bad game or two, or just didn't get credit for good work in the system then they'll be best able to spot it.

But his own national coach did drop him. Remember for the final match he only started because of Powell's injury.

[Dublinner]

I think Earls might sneak in there

[Kyle]

I think Earls might sneak in there

that wouldnt surprise me at all, he has being playing well. I'm actually getting quite excted about this announcement.

Also no one has mentione G Murphy, he's been playing very well for Leicester.

[tones]

I think Earls might sneak in there

that wouldnt surprise me at all, he has being playing well. I'm actually getting quite excted about this announcement.

Also no one has mentione G Murphy, he's been playing very well for Leicester.

If McGeechan is going for physically this boy will surely be left at home for pre-season with Toigers.

[the spoofer]

As the title says

Kearney Earls Fitzgerald O'Driscoll O'Gara O'Leary' Bowe, Flannery, POC,DOC, Wallace, Heaslip, Quinlan, Ferris,

[R-Dog]

Backs: Lee Byrne, Rob Kearney, Shane Williams, Leigh Halfpenny, Ugo Monye, Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Brian O'Driscoll, Keith Earls, Riki Flutey, Ronan O'Gara, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips, Harry Ellis, Tomas O'Leary.

Forwards: Jamie Heaslip, Andy Powell, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Alan Quinlan, Joe Worsley, Martyn Williams, Alun Wyn-Jones, Paul O'Connell (capt), Donncha O'Callaghan, Simon Shaw, Nathan Hines, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Andrew Sheridan, Phil Vickery, Euan Murray, Jerry Flannery, Lee Mears, Matthew Rees.

[Kyle]

Backs: Lee Byrne, Rob Kearney, Shane Williams, Lee Halfpenney, Ugo Monye, Luke Fitzgerald, Tommy Bowe, Tom Shanklin, Jamie Roberts, Brian O'Driscoll, Keith Earls, Riki Flutey, Ronan O'Gara, Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips, Harry Ellis, Tomas O'Leary

Forwards: Jamie Heaslip, Andy Powell, David Wallace, Stephen Ferris, Alan Quinlan, Joe Worsley, Martyn Williams, Alu-Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell, Donncha O'Callaghan, Simon Shaw, Nathan Hines, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Andrew Sherdian, Phil Vikcery, Euan Murray, Jerry Flannery, Lee Mears, Matthew Rees



No Borthwick, Ryan Jones or Mike Blair.

[Project Scorpio]

As per BBC so far

England second row Simon Shaw has been handed a place on the British and Irish Lions summer tour to South Africa.

The 36-year-old toured the country in 1997 when Martin Johnson led the Lions to a 2-1 series victory.

There were no places for Wales captain Ryan Jones or team-mate Gavin Henson, while Scotland's Mike Blair and England's Steve Borthwick were omitted.

The Lions depart on 24 May and will play three Test matches in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg.

As expected, Ireland lock Paul O'Connell was unveiled as captain.

[jezzer]

Kearney, Fitz, Bowe, Earls, BOD, ROG, O'Leary, Heaslip, Wallace, Quinlan, Ferris, DOC, POC, Fla all in

[TrapperChamonix]

Well done to them all. Especially taken by the never ending story that is Alan Quinlan. Quite remarkable.

[dipper]

Feel sorry for John Hayes. I thought he deserved a spot.

14 Irish men though. Fantastic!

[dipper]

14 Irish. Fantastic!!

Feel sorry for the Bull though.