The looking forward to the Lions Tour thread

[CiaranIrl]

Firstly, he's picking based on current form,

No, he's not at all picking on current form.

[Golf Man]

The questionable Welsh decisions are moriarty, Biggar, Davies and halfpenny - Biggar got in ahead of ford or Russell- not much in it there and he has gone for the safe option. Moriarty is a biased selection. The other two are there on experience and reputation - lot to be said for that. 10 Welsh would probably be fair.

Fagerson simply isn't good enough atm. Sinkler has a better upside

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[Logorrhea]

The questionable Welsh decisions are moriarty, Biggar, Davies and halfpenny

Falateau? Hasnt had a decent game for Wales or Bath in quite a while.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Haven't been overly impressed with Liam Williams this season. Thought he was outstanding last season but I think there's a big question mark over Wales/the Welsh players now. Thought they were terrible in the last month and I wouldn't be confident of them having a good 6N, which will obviously have a knock on effect for the Lions. I do still think Gatland will have a Welsh bias, but they looked disorganised without him and can see some players Lions' prospects suffering as a result.

Flicked through my posts on this thread and had forgotten quite how bad Wales were in November until I read this.

I also suggested, as a joke, that Ross Moriarty would be the token Englishman picked in an all welsh team. Doesn't seem funny anymore.

[blockhead]

Haven't been overly impressed with Liam Williams this season. Thought he was outstanding last season but I think there's a big question mark over Wales/the Welsh players now. Thought they were terrible in the last month and I wouldn't be confident of them having a good 6N, which will obviously have a knock on effect for the Lions. I do still think Gatland will have a Welsh bias, but they looked disorganised without him and can see some players Lions' prospects suffering as a result.

Flicked through my posts on this thread and had forgotten quite how bad Wales were in November until I read this.

I also suggested, as a joke, that Ross Moriarty would be the token Englishman picked in an all welsh team. Doesn't seem funny anymore.

Gatland will be going back to manage Wales after the Lions. It would not look good in their eyes if he only selected a few of that team for the Lions. He would be showing a lack of faith in the Welsh players.
Personally, the fewer Irish the better. I have little interest in this Lions chyte, apart from crossing my fingers and toes hoping that none of ours come back crocked.

[Laighin Break]

Gatland will be going back to manage Wales after the Lions. It would not look good in their eyes if he only selected a few of that team for the Lions. He would be showing a lack of faith in the Welsh players.
Personally, the fewer Irish the better. I have little interest in this Lions chyte, apart from crossing my fingers and toes hoping that none of ours come back crocked.

This is very true. People went on about how brave a call it was for him to drop BOD last time for Davies, and to stick with so many Welsh. But sure he was going back to coach them afterwards

[ChrisUppy]

Congrats to St Marys College who have produced the same number of players for this tour as Scotland

[brenno]

Haven't been overly impressed with Liam Williams this season. Thought he was outstanding last season but I think there's a big question mark over Wales/the Welsh players now. Thought they were terrible in the last month and I wouldn't be confident of them having a good 6N, which will obviously have a knock on effect for the Lions. I do still think Gatland will have a Welsh bias, but they looked disorganised without him and can see some players Lions' prospects suffering as a result.

Flicked through my posts on this thread and had forgotten quite how bad Wales were in November until I read this.

I also suggested, as a joke, that Ross Moriarty would be the token Englishman picked in an all welsh team. Doesn't seem funny anymore.

Gatland will be going back to manage Wales after the Lions. It would not look good in their eyes if he only selected a few of that team for the Lions. He would be showing a lack of faith in the Welsh players.
Personally, the fewer Irish the better. I have little interest in this Lions chyte, apart from crossing my fingers and toes hoping that none of ours come back crocked.

+1

Well despite 11 Irish and 5 of our boys, I still really don't give a toss about this tour, and I have to say I cringed when I saw that pic yesterday of our five boys holding a Lions shirt. Yeah I'll get up for the test matches but with without any enthusiasm and sense of excitement. All I'll be hoping for is that JS doesn't get the treatment from NZ that we all expect him to get, NZ don't get one of their provincial teams to do a job of Jack Mc and Tadhg ahead of the tests as they did to Ray McLoughlin back in 1971 (sorry youngsters for going back into ancient history), SOB, POM and any others with injury records come back in one piece. And I'm delighted that some of those so-called "bolters" like Ringrose and Carbery, as well as some of those who missed out like Earls and Zebo will be in Japan and the US, developing their game within the Irish system rather than getting splinters in their arse over in NZ as Gatland packs his team with over-the-hill Welsh.

Whether or not our guys get crocked, they are going to come back shagged and in need of a long rest which is going to interfere with the provinces' (and by extension the Irish team's) pre-season. The 6N and the next world cup are the most important things that should be in any Irish player's mind right now - we probably have the best squad we've had in years with young talent coming through in all the provinces to put pressure on the established players, we've outstanding coaching talent in all the provinces - Erasmus, Lancaster, Keane, Gibbes (and ok Leo) and we should be aspiring for a couple of outstanding seasons leading up to the RWC.

And then I see the bilge that Luke Fitz spouts on Twitter and in his Indo podcasts about the Lions as the "ultimate accolade", same sort of sh1te I've been listening to from Donal Lenihan, Wardy, Wally on the radio this morning. Give me strength.

[Logorrhea]

And then I see the bilge that Luke Fitz spouts on Twitter and in his Indo podcasts about the Lions as the "ultimate accolade"

Exactly. What would Luke know anyway. its not as if he actually played the game professionally or anything.

[fourthirtythree]

He's never refereed but he has words of wisdom for refs in his media work.

Which is pretty uniformly shite.

[simonokeeffe]

I reckon Moriarty might be eyed as 4-8 cover potentially for a midweek game

only 5 locks should see at least 1 called up, Lawes had a very good 6n IMO but J Gray still shouldve gone, Watson too ahead of SOB

Faletau improved as 6n went but still dining on past glory

That said the Welsh players I want near the test side are Warburton, 1/2p as he'll be picked anyway, North on LEFT wing (Watson on right)
Could live with Webb at 9 or 21, Owens 16, have doubts over L Williams big game temperament

Personally I dont want AWJ or JD2 near it for their track record of butchering chances. Plus Kruis is better than AWJ
Moriarty and Biggar wont be near it, dont see Faletau there either because of lack of versatility as a bench option

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Just thinking that there are a few of our players who are unlucky not to ever be Lions. Dev has been brilliant for most of Joe's reign, unfortunate that he had his worst season this time around and was up against some serious competition. Trimble has had some great seasons but none fell in a Lions year.

Healy was obviously picked last time but didnt get a proper shot because of injury and to my mind he was comfortably the best LH in the world at that time.

[Logorrhea]

He's never refereed but he has words of wisdom for refs in his media work.

Good point. Imagine any ex-player having the nerve to suggest that the ref "shouldn't be commentating on the game" and that he "referees the game correctly." Outrageous nonsense.

[brenno]

And then I see the bilge that Luke Fitz spouts on Twitter and in his Indo podcasts about the Lions as the "ultimate accolade"

Exactly. What would Luke know anyway. its not as if he actually played the game professionally or anything.

Oh dear, of course silly me, only people who have played the game professionally are allowed to have an opinion on the Lions, us mere fans must keep quiet and confine the debate to the professionals

[erskinechilders]

And then I see the bilge that Luke Fitz spouts on Twitter and in his Indo podcasts about the Lions as the "ultimate accolade", same sort of sh1te I've been listening to from Donal Lenihan, Wardy, Wally on the radio this morning. Give me strength.

Surely going on the excitement of the various club in the videos doing the rounds of social media and other places t shows that the Lions is a huge achievement for all players? ROG has said that its the greatest honour a northern hemisphere player can get. I think it's a brilliant thing. Shows rugby is still at its' heart a very amateur game with good values. To bring together 4 massive rivals is brilliant.

Same shite from Lenihan, Wardy etc.. Surely the fact that we're talking about the most respected players in Irish rugby history you've got to pay some attention to what they are saying. You won't find any player that criticises that Lions, except for the 2005 tour!

Look at the advancement of the skills of some the Irish players that went in 2013. Conor Murray since coming back from that tour has been in the top 3 scrum-halves in the world... I think it will be of huge benefit to players like McGrath, Furlong, Stander, Henshaw, Henderson.. all who still have a bit to go before the reach their peak!

[Oldschoolsocks]

Don't know how you rate Wardy as one of "the most respected players in Irish rugby history", maybe highly rated as a player, but that's about it it

[dropkick]

While I don't care too much for it and think its a very overrated series, I am happy for the players who are going. Its a great experience and will help them grow as players. Its a pity that players have to miss out because Gatland is being political with his selections. Half of those Welsh players are very lucky to be there.


Also, I wouldn't let Warburton captain a rubber dinghy. This is a player who hides for most of the season especially when playing for Cardiff and that wouldn't be what I would expect of a captain. I'd prefer AW Jones or someone like that.


I hope the players don't come back crocked and it doesn't effect them too much next season.

[kermischocolate]

For all those that go and grow as players I give you Stuart Hogg. Went in 2013 as one of the youngest, most exciting players in the NH. Came back an absolute arse with an ego the size of a medium size planet which took an entire season and dropping him from Glasgow's then biggest ever game (Pro12 final in The RDS) to get him anywhere near back on planet earth.

I'm with Blockhead on his views of The Lions.

[cormac]

For all those that go and grow as players I give you Stuart Hogg. Went in 2013 as one of the youngest, most exciting players in the NH. Came back an absolute arse with an ego the size of a medium size planet which took an entire season and dropping him from Glasgow's then biggest ever game (Pro12 final in The RDS) to get him anywhere near back on planet earth.

I'm with Blockhead on his views of The Lions.

I don't think the blame lies with the Lions for Stuart Hogg being a bellend. I rather suspect that's all on himself

[domhnallj]

For all those that go and grow as players I give you Stuart Hogg. Went in 2013 as one of the youngest, most exciting players in the NH. Came back an absolute arse with an ego the size of a medium size planet which took an entire season and dropping him from Glasgow's then biggest ever game (Pro12 final in The RDS) to get him anywhere near back on planet earth.

I'm with Blockhead on his views of The Lions.

Hopefully he is older and wiser now.