The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread

[simonokeeffe]

Yeah there seems to be a malaise there alright. Back 3 can and want to play ball but centres cant. Plus theyve got one foot in Warrenball and one in modern attack play and need to make their mind up. Plus Warburton doesnt have the same impact without Lydiate's chop tackles.

All at their best LW is the best Lions eligible fullback for me but he is getting bounced between fullback and wing and has possibly been rushed back a bit. Wales and Lions need to decide which position he plays and same for Halfpenny, if at all, for me Halfpenny doesnt make Lions test team: kicking not needed and hes not attacking enough

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Someone made a good point about Davies on Saturday (may have been his namesake actually). He made a break and made huge yards and they nearly scored a try. The commentator raved about it but then the co commentator mentioned how it was the wrong decision because he should have fixed his man and passed the second he got the ball. It was true, as good as his break looked, he blew a try for them.

[simonokeeffe]

Yeah he blew a 3 on 1, and the one was a lock, think North (?) wouldve had a clear run in

[Golf Man]

McGrath, M Vunipola, Marler
Best, Hartley, George
Furlong, Cole, Nel
Henderson, Itoje, J Gray. Wyn Jones, Toner
Stander, SOB, Warburton, Haskell, Faletau, B Vunipola, Heaslip
Murray, Webb Youngs
Sexton, Biggar, Farrell
Henshaw, Joseph, Davies, Ringrose
Hogg, L Williams, North, Watson, Zebo, Seymour

13 Irish
12 English
8 Welsh
4 Scots

Would be surprised if we had the most though to be honest - and hard to imagine that Gatland won't pick at least 10 Welsh

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Really hope that Best gets picked and plays out of his skin after the nightmare he had 3 years ago. He seems so sure of himself now that I'd be hopeful he'd excel this time.

Same with Healy. He was probably the best loosehead in the world before the last tour, would be great if he got another shot at it.

[TerenureJim]

McGrath, M Vunipola, Marler
Best, Hartley, George
Furlong, Cole, Nel
Henderson, Itoje, J Gray. Wyn Jones, Toner
Stander, SOB, Warburton, Haskell, Faletau, B Vunipola, Heaslip
Murray, Webb Youngs
Sexton, Biggar, Farrell
Henshaw, Joseph, Davies, Ringrose
Hogg, L Williams, North, Watson, Zebo, Seymour

13 Irish
12 English
8 Welsh
4 Scots

Would be surprised if we had the most though to be honest - and hard to imagine that Gatland won't pick at least 10 Welsh

Marler doesn't deserve a Lions tour, don't care if he is the second coming of JPR & Willie John, and Hartley isn't far off that given his discipline issues. Eddie Jones might like that bite/attitude in his English side but it's not what the Lions should be about, hard/tough players yes, dirty no.

[simonokeeffe]

Marler seems to be firmly behind Vunipola now who you'd imagine would be earmarked for an impact sub role behind McGrath

Healy v Jenkins v Marler for that 3rd spot IMO

Just read that Wales online reporting Howley will be attack coach after Townsend (and also Schmidt presumably) turned it down

[Oldschool]

McGrath, M Vunipola, Marler
Best, Hartley, George
Furlong, Cole, Nel
Henderson, Itoje, J Gray. Wyn Jones, Toner
Stander, SOB, Warburton, Haskell, Faletau, B Vunipola, Heaslip
Murray, Webb Youngs
Sexton, Biggar, Farrell
Henshaw, Joseph, Davies, Ringrose
Hogg, L Williams, North, Watson, Zebo, Seymour

13 Irish
12 English
8 Welsh
4 Scots

Would be surprised if we had the most though to be honest - and hard to imagine that Gatland won't pick at least 10 Welsh

Marler doesn't deserve a Lions tour, don't care if he is the second coming of JPR & Willie John, and Hartley isn't far off that given his discipline issues. Eddie Jones might like that bite/attitude in his English side but it's not what the Lions should be about, hard/tough players yes, dirty no.

That "dirty" type of player is exactly what the lions will need.
The lions will have the personnel to make this tour a winning one. NZ will realise this and being the bad losers that the are we can expect to see plenty of intimidatory high and late tackles.
In that situation Hartley is exactly the type of individual you want in your team.
The fact that he's a very good player is real bonus.
Sad to say but this tour has all the makings of it being a war
The lions now know that NZ will be vulnerable up front and they have the personnel to exploit that - war on!.

[Oldschool]

Marler seems to be firmly behind Vunipola now who you'd imagine would be earmarked for an impact sub role behind McGrath

Healy v Jenkins v Marler for that 3rd spot IMO

Just read that Wales online reporting Howley will be attack coach after Townsend (and also Schmidt presumably) turned it down

Joe has proven he can beat NZ he doesn't need the lions to enhance his CV.
Townsend needs all the time he can get with Scotland next summer so that was a good call by him.

[Dave Cahill]

Just read that Wales online reporting Howley will be attack coach after Townsend (and also Schmidt presumably) turned it down

The bed Gatland made for himself with his comments about Rowntree et al are coming home to roost

[paddyor]

Just read that Wales online reporting Howley will be attack coach after Townsend (and also Schmidt presumably) turned it down

The bed Gatland made for himself with his comments about Rowntree et al are coming home to roost

?

[Dave Cahill]

After the last Lions tour he made some comments to the welsh media that he had taken the likes of Rowntree and Farrell on the tour in order to gain an insight into their systems etc because Wales were to meet them in the 2015 RWC. The other unions were less than impressed and for the second time in his career Gatland was on the receiving end of a dressing down in a Dublin hotel.

[erskinechilders]

Cian Healy is well ahead of Marler when it comes to pecking order, Jenkins could challenge but he is quite old these days!

[suisse]

I have a Cape Town based Stormers fan who is continually raving about Huw Jones. Great side step and he looks lethal one-on-one witht he last man back.

A good 6 Nations for Jones and Scotland, and he'll have a great chance of going. Plays 12 and 13 and looks like a fullback to me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8lI1kJVgXM

[artaneboy]

Just read that Wales online reporting Howley will be attack coach after Townsend (and also Schmidt presumably) turned it down

The bed Gatland made for himself with his comments about Rowntree et al are coming home to roost

So made beds come home to roost? Good to know...


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[neiliog93]

Huw Jones looked excellent in the AIs for Scotland, has a real chance of making the tour with a good 6 Nations. Scotland stand to have a respectable representation for the first time in a while: WP Nel should make it, and Ross Ford has an outside shot at one of the three hooker sports. Johnny Gray should get one of the second row places and Richie Gray has a reasonable chance too. In the back-row, Hardie will be competitive in terms of the flanker spots.

In the backs, Hogg is a nailed on tourist. Huw Jones, Tommy Seymour and Sean Maitland are also in with a chance (I would say 2 of the 3 will make it).

[simonokeeffe]

Sorry but R Gray and Maitland havent a snowballs

Hardie has to get back into Scotland side ahead of Watson which will be hard enough, even then theres serious competition for specialist 7 berths

Nel, Hogg, J Gray, Seymour, Ford have good chances of touring in descending order

Huw Jones has to get past Henshaw, Joseph, Tuilagi, J Davies

[Peg Leg]

Will ya fock off with your Ford, that lad knows how to make Shite look good and that's about it. He has not moved with the demands of his position at all.

[Golf Man]

Sorry but R Gray and Maitland havent a snowballs

Hardie has to get back into Scotland side ahead of Watson which will be hard enough, even then theres serious competition for specialist 7 berths

Nel, Hogg, J Gray, Seymour, Ford have good chances of touring in descending order

Huw Jones has to get past Henshaw, Joseph, Tuilagi, J Davies

To be pedantic I'd have Hogg first on that list. Nel and Gray will probably make it as well. Ford hasn't a a hope - I'd have George, Ken Owens, Cronin ahead of him off the top of my head (with Hartley and Best the two stand outs obv)

Jones will have to produce something incredible to get picked - the 4 above - Farrell will go as a 10/12 and wouldn't rule out Scott Williams either - would say that Ringrose is ahead of Jones at the moment

Seymour could well get in - I think there are better options but wouldn't surprise me - possibly a bit of a gesture

[CiaranIrl]

Sorry but R Gray and Maitland havent a snowballs

Hardie has to get back into Scotland side ahead of Watson which will be hard enough, even then theres serious competition for specialist 7 berths

Nel, Hogg, J Gray, Seymour, Ford have good chances of touring in descending order

Huw Jones has to get past Henshaw, Joseph, Tuilagi, J Davies

To be pedantic I'd have Hogg first on that list. Nel and Gray will probably make it as well. Ford hasn't a a hope - I'd have George, Ken Owens, Cronin ahead of him off the top of my head (with Hartley and Best the two stand outs obv)

Jones will have to produce something incredible to get picked - the 4 above - Farrell will go as a 10/12 and wouldn't rule out Scott Williams either - would say that Ringrose is ahead of Jones at the moment

Seymour could well get in - I think there are better options but wouldn't surprise me - possibly a bit of a gesture

You are aware that Gatland is picking the squad, right?