The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread

[simonokeeffe]

last time NZ went for opposite model of meaningless games v NPC sides shorn of all blacks then strong Maoiri side at last minute to throw them into disarray

[matt]

Assuming Gatland picks 38 as in 2013 (16 backs & 22 Forwards the squad could look something like this):-

(Back 3 - 6) Hogg, L.Williams, North, Seymour, Watson, Daly or Nowell or Solomona,
(Centres 5) Farrell, Henshaw, Ringrose, J.Davies, Teo
(Half Backs 5) Murray, Webb, Youngs or Care, Sexton, Biggar or Russell.
(Front Row 9) J.Mc Grath, M.Vunipola, Marler, Owens, Best, George or Hartley, Furlong, D.Cole, Sinckler
(Second Row 5) Itoje, Kruis, AW Jones, 2 of Lawes, D.Ryan, Launchbury, Toner or J.Gray,
(Back Row Warburton(capt) Tipuric, O'Brien, Stander, O'Mahony, B.Vunipola, Faleteu, & extra openside Watson or Van Der Flier

Back Rows have a history of getting injured on Lions tours so as a key position & with Warburton just getting back to fitness expect 3rd openside + SOB covering 6,7 & 8.

[The Doc]

Assuming Gatland picks 38 as in 2013 (16 backs & 22 Forwards the squad could look something like this):-

(Back 3 - 6) Hogg, L.Williams, North, Seymour, Watson, Daly or Nowell or Solomona,
(Centres 5) Farrell, Henshaw, Ringrose, J.Davies, Teo
(Half Backs 5) Murray, Webb, Youngs or Care, Sexton, Biggar or Russell.
(Front Row 9) J.Mc Grath, M.Vunipola, Marler, Owens, Best, George or Hartley, Furlong, D.Cole, Sinckler
(Second Row 5) Itoje, Kruis, AW Jones, 2 of Lawes, D.Ryan, Launchbury, Toner or J.Gray,
(Back Row Warburton(capt) Tipuric, O'Brien, Stander, O'Mahony, B.Vunipola, Faleteu, & extra openside Watson or Van Der Flier

Back Rows have a history of getting injured on Lions tours so as a key position & with Warburton just getting back to fitness expect 3rd openside + SOB covering 6,7 & 8.

You might want to check the interweb... Looks like the whole squad has been leaked at this point

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[simonokeeffe]

Looks like one of Lawes or Ryan got in to free up Itoje and or Henderson to play 6 while Warburton recovers

Hogg the only Scot selected
J Gray must be first on reserve list

SOB luckiest Irishman and Healy unluckiest

Couple of nice picks like Watson and Nowell. Journalistic scuttlebut is Farrell will be starting test 10

[CiaranIrl]

Earls spotted stocking up on chuppa chups in a wholesaler Limerick.

I'd say this might be bollix though. I'm unconvinced

[matt]

Think they have made a mistake not picking Ringrose but 11 Irish is about right.

Joseph, Payne, and Ross Moriarty only slight surprises.

[simonokeeffe]

No shocking Irish ommisions (Earls, Zebo, Ringrose, Ryan, Toner, Healy, Heaslip)

Payne surprise inclusion

Moriarty a bolter

Scots get 2, Ulster got 3, so we'll be positive and say 5 Ulster Scots

[Golf Man]

Ring rose isn't exactly a gatland type and they were never going to bring him and Joseph. Henderson lucky launch bury and gray probably more deserving. Moriarty luckiest of them lot
Surprised by Payne but flexibility and advantage and the kind of guy who slots in very easily if required.


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[simonokeeffe]

Best, George, Owens

Marler, McGrath, Vunipola
Cole, Furlong, Sinckler

Hendeseron, Itoje, Lawes
AWJ, Kruis

Moriarty, POM
SOB, Tiupric, Warburton
Faleatu, Stander, Vunipola

Murray, Webb, Youngs
Biggar, Farrell, Sexton

Henshaw, Te'o
Daly, Davies, Joseph

North, Nowell, Seymour, Watson, Williams
Halfpenny, Hogg, Payne

[FLIP]

Reads like the sort of team someone who only watches highlights would pick.

[nc6000]

I'm glad Hartley doesn't even make the squad. All the speculation earlier in the season that he might be named as captain had me considering not even bothering to watch any of the tour.

[hugonaut]

Let the Gatland slaughtering commence!

[Dave Cahill]

Let the Gatland slaughtering commence!

How dare he pick a pretty decent squad with no really contentious selections

[paddyor]

Only 2 Scots is pretty bad. Also Moriarty?????? Over any of the other backrow options in Scotland and Wales is jsut bizarre.

Henderson and Lawes very lucky.

Good few Welsh players travelling on reputation (AWJ, Faletau, JD11, Biggar 1/2p)

[paddyor]

Let the Gatland slaughtering commence!

How dare he pick a pretty decent squad with no really contentious selections

Moriarty over a number of other backrow options?

Henderson over Launchbury?

[fourthirtythree]

Presence of Sinckler, Henderson, SOB, Halfpenny, and Davies are all pretty debatable. Abscence of Launchberry too.

I'm not sure about Warburton either, great captain but...

[Logorrhea]

Henderson over Launchbury?

Its not Henderson over Launchbury, its Lawes over Launchbury for me.

Halfpenny, Moriarty, Falatau, Lawes. Payne ............. and only 2 Scots are the points for me.

[CiaranIrl]

I'd say Launchbury and Haskell were in contention until the Wasps v Leinster game. They were poor there. Probably nudged them out.

Lawes / Moriarty make more sense when you accept that Gatland is going to go for a horror show, car crash, ultra physical gameplan. Moriarty is the most 'Billy Vuinipola' like number 8 out there. Lawes is a thug. I'm just glad he drew the line before Hartley.

1/2 & Falatau have credit in the bank with him. I buy that. Both would have been among the top players in Europe in the last couple of years. Gambling on them regaining form is fair enough.

Payne is lucky, but definitely deserving the more that I think about it. Great player, great guy. Fits in almost anywhere in the backline, and I'd bet that he'll be a superb tourist.

[paddyor]

Henderson over Launchbury?

Its not Henderson over Launchbury, its Lawes over Launchbury for me.

Halfpenny, Moriarty, Falatau, Lawes. Payne ............. and only 2 Scots are the points for me.

Lawes had a much better 6N than Henderson.

[Laighin Break]

Wales finished 5th in the 6N and have 12 players included. Scotland finish 3rd and have 2 players