The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread

[Gearzbox2]

He is not a strong scrumager and his throwing lacks consistently. He is superb in broken play possession and a very good tackler on right shoulder and competent on left side.

I'm delighted he's ours and always love seeing him come into a game and anticipate his injection of pace and excitement, but find it difficult to conceive how he would make a Lions Squad.

Whatever about the throwing I can see your point but I don't agree with your point on his scrummaging
For close to 2 seasons now his scrimmaging has been excellent and a real force in recent games so can you explain to me why you've come to this conclusion

[simonokeeffe]

He is not a strong scrumager and his throwing lacks consistently. He is superb in broken play possession and a very good tackler on right shoulder and competent on left side.

I'm delighted he's ours and always love seeing him come into a game and anticipate his injection of pace and excitement, but find it difficult to conceive how he would make a Lions Squad.

Ford loses his Scotland place to Mcnally, Hartley suspended/not taken, Gatty realises Baldwin is Baldwin

[Peg Leg]

He is not a strong scrumager and his throwing lacks consistently. He is superb in broken play possession and a very good tackler on right shoulder and competent on left side.

I'm delighted he's ours and always love seeing him come into a game and anticipate his injection of pace and excitement, but find it difficult to conceive how he would make a Lions Squad.

Whatever about the throwing I can see your point but I don't agree with your point on his scrummaging
For close to 2 seasons now his scrimmaging has been excellent and a real force in recent games so can you explain to me why you've come to this conclusion

Would have to agree there, I may have fabricated this in my minds eye, but was there not an instance of Porter being done with Tracey at 2, filled by a complete reverse in fortunes with Cronin? He has massive shoulder neck strength too.

[offshorerules]

I saw an article over the weekend where Gatland suggested he had 10-11 Irish players in mind for the tour. Doesn't take too long to get to that number based on current form.

[Fan with smartphone]

Well I make squad of 37 looking like:
1. McGrath, Vunipola, Healy/Marler.
2. Best, George, Owens/Cronin/McNally. 1 from 3.
3. Furlong, Cole, Nel.
4/5. Jones, Gray/Launchbury/Kruis/Toner/Charteris. 2 from 5. Don't know why, but I have this feeling Gatland not a toner fan.
5/6. Henderson, Itoje.
6. Robshaw, O'Brien.
7. Tipuric, Warburton.
8. Heaslip/Falateau/ Vunipola. 2 from 3.
Stander and VDF have to be in the considered category, but may just miss out at the moment. Same with O'Mahony. 6s are losing out because of Henderson and Itoje. 8 a tough position to get into.

9. Murray, Youngs, one of the welsh (I like Davies myself).
10. Sexton, Farrell, Biggar/Ford.
11. North, Zebo.
12. Henshaw, Roberts.
13. Davies, Joseph.
14. Watson, a.n other/may/cuthbert/Maitland/Seymour/Bowe/Trimble/Bennett/Ringrose/p O'Mahony/r O'Mahony/Marmion
15. Brown, Hogg.
They'll take halfpenny too.

That'd be 9 in and 6 or 7 more in consideration. Maybe I'm being terribly biased but I don't think that's too unreasonable? I'm not big on the lions, but Joe has said he wants as many as possible to go and the players want to go, so whaddya do? Half of that likely be injured by the time of the summer.

[leinsterforever]

I think it would make more sense to take a squad of 39 or 40.

[Golf Man]

Well I make squad of 37 looking like:
1. McGrath, Vunipola, Healy/Marler.
2. Best, George, Owens/Cronin/McNally. 1 from 3.
3. Furlong, Cole, Nel.
4/5. Jones, Gray/Launchbury/Kruis/Toner/Charteris. 2 from 5. Don't know why, but I have this feeling Gatland not a toner fan.
5/6. Henderson, Itoje.
6. Robshaw, O'Brien.
7. Tipuric, Warburton.
8. Heaslip/Falateau/ Vunipola. 2 from 3.
Stander and VDF have to be in the considered category, but may just miss out at the moment. Same with O'Mahony. 6s are losing out because of Henderson and Itoje. 8 a tough position to get into.

9. Murray, Youngs, one of the welsh (I like Davies myself).
10. Sexton, Farrell, Biggar/Ford.
11. North, Zebo.
12. Henshaw, Roberts.
13. Davies, Joseph.
14. Watson, a.n other/may/cuthbert/Maitland/Seymour/Bowe/Trimble/Bennett/Ringrose/p O'Mahony/r O'Mahony/Marmion
15. Brown, Hogg.
They'll take halfpenny too.

That'd be 9 in and 6 or 7 more in consideration. Maybe I'm being terribly biased but I don't think that's too unreasonable? I'm not big on the lions, but Joe has said he wants as many as possible to go and the players want to go, so whaddya do? Half of that likely be injured by the time of the summer.

FR - I think Hartley will still go - but not as captain
SR/BR - You have probably one too few here - he took 12 in 2013 - and none of eth second rows covered lock (Croft has I think covered lock very occassionally) - I would guess that Toner probably is down the list - he isn't exactly an impact sub and he is unliklley to start atm - kind f guy that could start or not tour though - AWJ has to be favourite at the moment though.
Backs - wouldn't discount Scottish centres, Scott Williams. You're missing Liam Willams who will almost certainly go

[Golf Man]

I think it would make more sense to take a squad of 39 or 40.

They've taken 37 the last two tours - Woodward had 44 in 2005 - I would imagine that they will keep it at 37 - they were realtiev;ly successful tours (2013 obv being actually successful, but 2009 was a big sucess compared to 2005)

In 2009 and 2013 hey both had the same kind of make up as well 3 Hookers, Only 5 Props, 5 Locks, 7 Backrow with two No.8s, 2 Out Halves with the 3rd a utility option (Hogg in 2013 and Hook eventually in 2009) - I think he'll go with something the same - really seems to me that he should have 6 props - there were 8 injury cover call ups in 2013 - 3 props, 7 in 2009 with 2 props

I think there will be a pretty even split between England/Scotland and Wales with a couple of Scots thrown in

[wixfjord]

I'd say Toner might miss out due to his lack of versatility/impact.

I'd have L Williams ahead of Brown by a good bit at the moment too. Would love to see Seymour tour also.
Huw Jones (the South Africa born, Welsh sounding Scottish international) might be in with a decent shout too.

[offshorerules]

I think it would make more sense to take a squad of 39 or 40.

They've taken 37 the last two tours - Woodward had 44 in 2005 - I would imagine that they will keep it at 37 - they were realtiev;ly successful tours (2013 obv being actually successful, but 2009 was a big sucess compared to 2005)

In 2009 and 2013 hey both had the same kind of make up as well 3 Hookers, Only 5 Props, 5 Locks, 7 Backrow with two No.8s, 2 Out Halves with the 3rd a utility option (Hogg in 2013 and Hook eventually in 2009) - I think he'll go with something the same - really seems to me that he should have 6 props - there were 8 injury cover call ups in 2013 - 3 props, 7 in 2009 with 2 props

I think there will be a pretty even split between England/Scotland and Wales with a couple of Scots thrown in

Gatland said (I think) he has 15-16 English players in mind, 10-11 Irish players, 6-7 Welsh players and 4-5 Scots so 35-39 in total. But definitely not an even spread.

[simonokeeffe]

Think he said too a while ago theyd bring closer to 40 this time as theyll need them/get through them so may as well have them in from the start then be reacting to inevitable injuries

[Oldschool]

Think he said too a while ago theyd bring closer to 40 this time as theyll need them/get through them so may as well have them in from the start then be reacting to inevitable injuries

Is he suggesting that he's expecting a higher injury rate on this tour compared to his two previous tours.
You'd wonder why he'd be thinking that way.

[Peg Leg]

Think he said too a while ago theyd bring closer to 40 this time as theyll need them/get through them so may as well have them in from the start then be reacting to inevitable injuries

Is he suggesting that he's expecting a higher injury rate on this tour compared to his two previous tours.
You'd wonder why he'd be thinking that way.

More matches on this tour

[Oldschool]

Think he said too a while ago theyd bring closer to 40 this time as theyll need them/get through them so may as well have them in from the start then be reacting to inevitable injuries

Is he suggesting that he's expecting a higher injury rate on this tour compared to his two previous tours.
You'd wonder why he'd be thinking that way.

More matches on this tour

You're letting the facts get in the way.

[simonokeeffe]

Think he said too a while ago theyd bring closer to 40 this time as theyll need them/get through them so may as well have them in from the start then be reacting to inevitable injuries

Is he suggesting that he's expecting a higher injury rate on this tour compared to his two previous tours.
You'd wonder why he'd be thinking that way.

More matches on this tour

Nah he was saying every tour they call up a few bodies so makes sense to be prepared so taking a few extra (versatile) players

[CiaranIrl]

Nah he was saying every tour they call up a few bodies so makes sense to be prepared so taking a few extra (versatile) players

The first game is less than a week after the Pro 12 & Aviva finals. It's possible that the bulk of the test team won't be in that 23 - could be a load of Irish players rested (Leinster + Munster or Ulster) and English (Saracens + Wasps). To even scrape a 23 together without that lot will need a bigger squad.

[offshorerules]

Planet Rugby's piece on Lions selection is interesting I think. Worth a read anyway.

[neiliog93]

Yeah the big, big point to come out of the last tour with all the injuries was that they needed to take more players from the start. They won't go into overkill like Woodward in 2005, so I'd say somewhere around the 39-41 mark.

[johng]

Planet Rugby's piece on Lions selection is interesting I think. Worth a read anyway.

Nothing to do with Lions selection is interesting until at least April. Tedious is more like it. (Not having read it of course)

[blockhead]

Meanwhile in the INDO, Mule has 9 Irish in the Lions starting team, based on current form. That includes 6 ladyboys!