The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
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The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
For those of us who don't want to see the tour scrapped.
Starting this thread off with; So now that Gatland has been formally confirmed, who do you think he will select?
In particular what Irish players are in with a shout?
Starting this thread off with; So now that Gatland has been formally confirmed, who do you think he will select?
In particular what Irish players are in with a shout?
"POC will not be going to Toulon" - All Blacks nil » May 27th, 2015, 12:18 am
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
15. Williams
14. Halfpenny
13. Davies
12. Roberts
11. North
10. Biggar
9. Davis/Webb
8. Faletau
7. Warburton (C)
6. Lydiate
5. AWJ
4. Charteris
3. Lee
2. Evans
1. Baldwin
14. Halfpenny
13. Davies
12. Roberts
11. North
10. Biggar
9. Davis/Webb
8. Faletau
7. Warburton (C)
6. Lydiate
5. AWJ
4. Charteris
3. Lee
2. Evans
1. Baldwin
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Don't know about that. Would have thought there'll be at least one English player in there.
"POC will not be going to Toulon" - All Blacks nil » May 27th, 2015, 12:18 am
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Ross Moriarty?offshorerules wrote:Don't know about that. Would have thought there'll be at least one English player in there.
Sorry, don't mean to derail your thread but I can genuinely see more than half the team being Welsh whether they deserve to picked or not.
Don't see many Irish candidates actually. Murray is the only one I'd be certain of being in the 23 (I'd start him). I'd pick Jack too but he has a lot of competition.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Of the Irish
McGrath, Sexton, Henshaw will start tests
Henderson, SOB will travel and maybe bench for tests
Murray will travel
POM, Healy might travel
Best, Toner, Heaslip, Earls will be let down
McGrath, Sexton, Henshaw will start tests
Henderson, SOB will travel and maybe bench for tests
Murray will travel
POM, Healy might travel
Best, Toner, Heaslip, Earls will be let down
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Agree with you about Jack. I think players like POM and SOB could also be included but everything will be determined by the 6 nations next year and whoever is in form during that will go. Personally I have England as favourites for the 6N's so I see a lot of the team coming from them.
"POC will not be going to Toulon" - All Blacks nil » May 27th, 2015, 12:18 am
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
It had to be Gatland after the Australia series. I would have loved to see Joe in the team as backs/attack coach though.simonokeeffe wrote:Of the Irish
McGrath, Sexton, Henshaw will start tests
Henderson, SOB will travel and maybe bench for tests
Murray will travel
POM, Healy might travel
Best, Toner, Heaslip, Earls will be let down
Murray has a great chance to start for me, there may be players getting close to him but his experience edges it. Where SOB fits depends on fitness, if he gets a clean run through to the series I could see him starting too but unfortunately, that would surprise me. Think Heaslip and Toner are bankers to travel. Don't see too many Welsh absolutely guaranteed to start at this point. I also can't say I disagreed with many of his selections vs Australia with the notable exception of Phillips at Scrum Half.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Someone who for the sake of a slip would have lost a Lions tour to possibly the worst Australian side in decades, who would have lost to any of the home nations, had to be a shoe-in for the job, despite not doing well since then?Flash Gordon wrote:It had to be Gatland after the Australia series/
Sounds very evidence based that.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Agreed.FLIP wrote:Someone who for the sake of a slip would have lost a Lions tour to possibly the worst Australian side in decades.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Is Toner better than either of the English locks or AWJ? To me its a no, Hendo offers bench warfare, J Gray is excellent and offers token Scot valueFlash Gordon wrote:It had to be Gatland after the Australia series. I would have loved to see Joe in the team as backs/attack coach though.simonokeeffe wrote:Of the Irish
McGrath, Sexton, Henshaw will start tests
Henderson, SOB will travel and maybe bench for tests
Murray will travel
POM, Healy might travel
Best, Toner, Heaslip, Earls will be let down
Murray has a great chance to start for me, there may be players getting close to him but his experience edges it. Where SOB fits depends on fitness, if he gets a clean run through to the series I could see him starting too but unfortunately, that would surprise me. Think Heaslip and Toner are bankers to travel. Don't see too many Welsh absolutely guaranteed to start at this point. I also can't say I disagreed with many of his selections vs Australia with the notable exception of Phillips at Scrum Half.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Heaslip is behind Vunipola IMO and loses out to Faletau on Welshness
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
But Heaslip has the wolverine blood and could play all the midweek matches as well as the tests.
"POC will not be going to Toulon" - All Blacks nil » May 27th, 2015, 12:18 am
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
And but for a last gasp try in the second test the series would have been won 3-0. I don't think people understand how difficult it is to pull a scratch team together to play test rugby - if you want to build a tactical approach it takes a while (as we saw when Joe came in). I also think dismissing the Australians as useless is a bit harsh given that they were ranked 3rd in the world, 5 places above Ireland - and were playing at home.FLIP wrote:Someone who for the sake of a slip would have lost a Lions tour to possibly the worst Australian side in decades, who would have lost to any of the home nations, had to be a shoe-in for the job, despite not doing well since then?Flash Gordon wrote:It had to be Gatland after the Australia series/
Sounds very evidence based that.
Gatland's game plan was to target the Australian scrum and play off go forward ball/penalties. When that came together in the 3rd test the Lions (who again, were a scratch team) absolutely hammered Australia.
In terms of other things Gatland has done - he's won 3 English premierships, a Heineken Cup, a European Challenge Cup, an NPC, three 6 Nations and 2 Grand Slams - plus of course he won the first Lions series victory since 1997.
Hard to argue with his selection in my opinion. Again, I'd like to have seen Joe there to work with the backs and partner Gatland on culture but I'm happy enough with his selection.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Last gasp tries are fairly common in rugby - someone slipping over while taking a shot at the posts really isn't. But for the fickleness of fate it would have been 2-1 against. And Australia were pure awful at the time, having lost to a Scotland side veering between 9th-11th in the world the summer before. The series should never have been in doubt.Flash Gordon wrote:And but for a last gasp try in the second test the series would have been won 3-0.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Jonathan Davies slipped off a tackle for the late Australian try and Halfpenny missed a penalty to win the second test. How is it valid to dismiss a narrow win for the Lions because somebody slipped and then say "that's just rugby" when Australia win due to Davies slipping off a tackle and Halfpenny missing a penalty?!FLIP wrote:Last gasp tries are fairly common in rugby - someone slipping over while taking a shot at the posts really isn't. But for the fickleness of fate it would have been 2-1 against. And Australia were pure awful at the time, having lost to a Scotland side veering between 9th-11th in the world the summer before. The series should never have been in doubt.Flash Gordon wrote:And but for a last gasp try in the second test the series would have been won 3-0.
Additionally, Australia post the Lions toured in the Autumn beating 2013 Champions Wales in Cardiff and 2014 Champions Ireland in Dublin (comfortably). They may not have been the greatest Australian team of all time but they were no mugs - again, they were ranked 3rd in the world. And again, pulling together a scratch team of players operating in disparate is systems and cultures is massively hard given the level of preparation required in the professional era.
Just out of interest, who do you think is a better available candidate.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Flash Gordon wrote:Jonathan Davies slipped off a tackle for the late Australian try and Halfpenny missed a penalty to win the second test. How is it valid to dismiss a narrow win for the Lions because somebody slipped and then say "that's just rugby" when Australia win due to Davies slipping off a tackle and Halfpenny missing a penalty?!FLIP wrote:Last gasp tries are fairly common in rugby - someone slipping over while taking a shot at the posts really isn't. But for the fickleness of fate it would have been 2-1 against. And Australia were pure awful at the time, having lost to a Scotland side veering between 9th-11th in the world the summer before. The series should never have been in doubt.Flash Gordon wrote:And but for a last gasp try in the second test the series would have been won 3-0.
Name another incident of a player slipping like Beale did taking a match winning, easy shot at goal in international rugby. It's very easy to name missed tackles, missed shots at goal, and last minute tries.
Virtually any of the other contenders based on the "Lions spirit" argument alone. JS, VC, SL and EJ based on that and skill combined. JS and EJ based on skill alone.Flash Gordon wrote:Just out of interest, who do you think is a better available candidate.
Hell I'd have preferred Dai Young!
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
not with his track record of red cards in New Zealandoffshorerules wrote:But Heaslip has the wolverine blood and could play all the midweek matches as well as the tests.
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
15. Hogg
14. Watson
13. Joseph
12. Henshaw
11. North
10. Sexton
9. Murray
8. Vunipola
7. Warburton
6. Faletau
5. AW Jones
4. Itoje
3. WP Nel
2. Hartley
1. McGrath
16. George
17. Vunipola
18. Cole
19. Kruis / J. Gray
20. O'Brien ( if he gets a full season )
21. Webb
22. Farrell
23. Williams
14. Watson
13. Joseph
12. Henshaw
11. North
10. Sexton
9. Murray
8. Vunipola
7. Warburton
6. Faletau
5. AW Jones
4. Itoje
3. WP Nel
2. Hartley
1. McGrath
16. George
17. Vunipola
18. Cole
19. Kruis / J. Gray
20. O'Brien ( if he gets a full season )
21. Webb
22. Farrell
23. Williams
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
speaking of if they get a full season/are fit: Manu Tuilagi
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Re: The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread
Far prefer if Jamie pulled a Gordon D'Arcy and pulled a sickie.simonokeeffe wrote:Heaslip is behind Vunipola IMO and loses out to Faletau on Welshness
Ireland supplies too much cannon fodder for these tour and usually pays the price as a result.
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