Where they stand in terms of selection

[munsterleinster]

15. Byrne
14. Bowe
13. BOD
12. Roberts
11. Monye
10. Jones (Think he's done more than ROG to be honest)
9. Phillips
8. Jamie H
7. Wallace (just about I think, more physicality!)
6. Worsley
5. POC
4. AWJ
3. Vickery
2. Mears
1. Jenkins

[tones]

i think geech has let himself down... he said every player would be given the opportunity to make the test team. gordan d'arcy has been in S now for what 3 games and has played 5 mins i think?? i thought when d'arce arrived he might make the 22 if given the chance. he's far better than earls and flutey but has now not been given the chance, like luke fitzgerald

Remember there is more than one test. If D'Arcy has a good performance on Tuesday he may yet have a big part to play in this test series.

But what about the first test? Surely you want to know everything before deciding your hand? I'm sorry but I agree with True Blue

[Dublinner]

DOC was excellent tonight but I dont think they will consider him. Flutey was Piss poor and has ruled himself out. Darcy will now come into contention and if he has a real stormer on Tuesday could even be considered for the bench for Saturday. Im sure he will feature in the second 2 tests. Stephen Jones will start despite having a really shite game. He has the edge on Rog because of his good D and he knows Phillips. Hook might even make the bench ahead of ROG. Kearney was looking good but was disapointing in the second half and I dont think he has done enough to make the 22.
I would say something like this

1Jenkins
2 Mears
3 Vickery
4 Hines
5 POC
6 Croft
7 Wallace
8 Jamie
9 Phillips
10 Jones
11 Monye
12 Roberts
13 BOD
14 Bowe
15 Byrne

Sheridan
Ford
AW Jones
Williams
Fitz
Hook
Ellis

[hugonaut]

Prop situation is very interesting.

Phil Vickery is considerably older than Jenkins and doesn't have the engine of the younger man; it seems more likely that they'll need a replacement tighthead to play 20-25 minutes at the end of the game, which would indicate Euan Murray gets the nod. On the other hand, if John Smit is as weak a scrummager as he is made out to be at tighthead, it makes sense to target him by doubling up with Sheridan on the bench to get the most out of the advantage.

The hooker situation is miserable: Little Lee has gone well, but both Ross Ford and Matthew Rees are cr*p. Just absolutely cr*p. Neither of them play like decent internationals, never mind Lions. They're not even good enough to take up a bench spot. On a previous [amateur] Lions tour you could imagine them working with one of the props – where the Lions are stacked – to turn him into a scrummaging hooker and getting Martin Williams [who has all the skills, knows the calls and isn't a lineout option] to throw the ball in in the event that Mears is forced off.

Obviously, that's blatantly unrealistic in the professional era, but that's how bad I feel the cover is at hooker: total sh¡te.

[BlueArmyOriginal]

What I think (Country) (What I think it'll be)
1 Jenkins (W) (Sheridan)
2 Mears (E)
3 Murray (S) (Vickery)

4 Hines (S) (AW Jones)
5 POC (I) c

6 Wallace (I) (Croft)
7 Williams (W) (Wallace)
8 Heaslip (I)

9 Phillips (W)
10 Jones (W)

11 Monye (E) (Bowe)
12 D'Arcy (I) (Roberts)
13 BOD (I)
14 Bowe (I) (Williams)
15 Byrne (W)

TOTAL: 6 Irish; 5 Welsh; 2 Scots; 2 English

Starting with the frontrow, I think Jenkins is the far better option at loosehead, he puts himself about a good bit in play and is a solid scrummager, Sheridan's lazy imo and is rarely seen between set-pieces, Vickery was savage today, mullered his opposite number(both of them!) and popped up well in the loose and I think he'll get the nod in real life but one game doesn't change the last year of ill-disclipline, yellow cards and over-ratedness, Murray gets my test shirt(a perfect consolation for any player I'm sure!). Mears has been the standout operattor at 2 both in terms of play and his darts imo and will get the call. Lock I think Hines is the best foil for POC in the squad, AWJ is too similar, DOC hasn't done enough for selection and Croft would be too light up against the 'Boks' strongest area. Backrow I cogged from Dewi Morris today, Williams is a fantastic link between forwards and backs and Wallace is more of an attritional player, more liable to bulldoze you than look to go around you. You've gotta have them both in there imo! Croft will get 6 tho with Wallace at 7. Heaslip is the only option at 8.
Half backs are easy, Ellis hasn't done enough and Blair hasn't been given a chance and is injured so Phillips gets the 9 shirt that was his to lose anyway, also with 10, ROG hasn't done enough, nor has Hook, Jones get the nod at 10. Centre I think Roberts will get the 12 but I think D'Arcy should get it. The Grand Slam and HEC winning 12/13 partnership should be good enough for a tilt at a Lions series. Back 3 I think Monye really showed today that he's up to the job, I dont think SuperRob has done enough to get the 15 shirt but it's still marginal, also Bowe has probably been player of the tour so far and is invariably behind much of the good things the Lions do. Have a horrible feeling he'll be bounced to the other side of the pitch, at the expense of Monye, so the management can have their darling boy in there tho!

[berniemac67]

RO'G to start. Jones was all at sea yesterday. I think he is a better player than ROG, but he can't manage a game. If he had kicked half as well as ROG can WP would never have been close. Maybe it was a conspiracy to get Hook selected!

[berniemac67]

1 Jenkins
2 Mears
3 Vickery
4 Hines
5 PO'C
6 Croft
7 Wallace
8 Heaslip
9 Phillips
10 RO'G
11 Monye
12 Roberts
13 BOD
14 Bowe
15 Byrne

Bench: Rees, Murray, Shaw, Worsley, Blair, Hook, Kearney

[Vamos los azules]

1 - Jenkins
2 - Mears
3 - Vickery
4 - AW Jones
5 - POC
6 - Worseley
7 - Williams
8 - Heaslip
9 - Phillips
10 - Jones
11 - Monye
12 - Roberts
13 - BOD
14 - Bowe
15 - Byrne

Replacements:
16 - A Jones
17 - Rees
18 - Hines
19 - Wallace
20 - Ellis
21 - Hook
22 - Fitzgerald

If it was me picking I'd have DOC in at lock, ROG at OH, Fitz on the wing and Darce as a replacement. I have tried to overcome my rather strong Irish bias and go with what I think will be picked by the people with the power

[8M LEINSTAW]

Has anyone noticed Vickery is a yellow card menace at test level for England and lately the Lions? Can we really afford to be down to 7 for 10 min v the Boks pack in a tight game? Vickery tends to get sin-binned when he's tired and takes the easier and usually illegal option at the breakdown. Better to have him fresh off the bench in a tight match = better impact and less likely to be carded imo

[berniemac67]

vickery's last yellow was as a sub if i'm not mistaken. he had been on the field about 5 mimutes. you just have to accept the risk. i guess murray is a viable alternative to start, but if you pick vickery he will be a card risk until the 80th minute.