2013 British and Irish Lions

[Peat]

Feic, you know the Aussies would get the ball sometime - and honestly, I think they'd run rings around that pack once they did. Jones is none too mobile, the other Jones is pushing it, so's Hamilton, Morgan can shift but on Aussie hard grounds in this arena I'd re-issue fitness fears.

I feel a bit less confident than where I was in general - but there's been enough individual performances amongst the dross to make a team.

 

[Jockstap]

Healy
Best
Cole
Parling
Wyn Jones
Wood
Tipuric
O'Brien
Youngs
Sexton
North
Roberts
Davies
Bowe
Halfpenny

 

[munstermuffin]

Healy
Youngs
Jones
Hines
Ryan
O'Brien
Tipuric
Morgan/Fatelau
Phillips
Sexton
North
Roberts
BOD
Bowe/Hogg
Halfpenny

Best
Jenkins
Cole
AW Jones
Robshaw
Youngs
Farrell
Tuilagi/Hogg

 

[Jbobo]

On the contrary i am very confident for this year's lions and reckon it is going to be significantly stronger than in 2009.

 

[Jockstap]

On the contrary i am very confident for this year's lions and reckon it is going to be significantly stronger than in 2009.

And the opposition is considerably weaker.

 

[munstermuffin]

On the contrary i am very confident for this year's lions and reckon it is going to be significantly stronger than in 2009.

Hard to tell as that 09 players were good and more vitally and importantly they gelled. The jokers (O'Callaghan, Powell, Monye) all set tone and Lions all really came together as 1. But jock is correct this will be a poor Aus side that will be gunning for Lions

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Healy
Best
Cole
Parling
Wyn Jones
Wood
Tipuric
O'Brien
Youngs
Sexton
North
Roberts
Davies
Bowe
Halfpenny

Clearly you didn't see the hammering Cole had today. Adam Jones firmly cemented at 3.

 

[jordiev]

15: Halfpenny
14: Hogg
13: Tuilagi
12: O'Driscoll
11: North
10: Sexton
9: Phillips
8: Beattie
7: Tipruic
6: O'Brien
5: Jim Hamilton
4: Parling / Alun-wyn Jones
3: Jones
2: Hibbard
1: Healy

inb4englishfanscomplain

Im not sure if Hogg had played 11 or 14 when he was on the wing, if he wasnt 14 then I'm not sure who I'd like on the right wing. Pity Bowe is injured - Cuthbert had a good game but he isn't very consistent. I'm not even going to comment on Ashton.

wouldnt it be better to have hogg at but 15 and stick halfpenny out wide? but i think both really need to slot into the team hogg looks like he could really be a defining player of his generation for scotland might be abit soon to say though

id have maitland out on the wing good small runner is deadly when given service solid defence has proven himself in the southern hemispere

 

[Aedaphon]

Not really. I still think we should pick a big, mean pack and bully them off the park. Nothing pretty, but just deny them the ball. We certainly have the players to do that. With that in mind, I'd probably pick this:

1) Cian Healy
2) Rory Best
3) Adam Jones
4) Alun Wyn Jones
5) Jim Hamilton
6) Jones
7) O'Brien
8) Morgan
9) Philips
10) Sexton
11) North
12) O'Driscoll
13) Tualagi
14) Halfpenny
15) Kearney

16) Gethin Jenkins 17) Meh 18) Dan Cole 19)Joe Launchbury 20) Chris Robshaw 21) Danny Care 22) Eoin Farrell 23) Jamie Roberts

That's a big team.

And award for most Irish comment of the day goes to...

 

[Joseph14]

I think whatever side the lions pick won't be as good as 09.

Then again, the opposition will be considerably weaker on paper. Aussies down under is never a walk in the park though and I wouldn't be surprised if they took the series.
Their back line will be a level above the lions so maybe the big, gruesome pack option is the way to go. Fitness issues aren't that much of a worry given the strength in depth the lions will have.
Hour in and Jones is struggling? Bring Cole on etc etc

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

I think this Lions team will be much stronger than the last one...

 

[Richie_Sam]

Any updates to this squad now????

 

[Richie_Sam]

Lions 15

1. Cian Healey
2. Ross Ford
3. Adam Jones
4. Aw Jones
5. Jim Hamilton
6. Ryan Jones
7. Sam Warburton(C)
8. Toby Faletau
9. Mike Phillips
10. Johnny Sexton
11. Simon Zebo
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Leigh Halfpenny
15. Stuart Hogg

16. Rory Best
17. Gethin Jenkins (covers both props)
18. Geoff Parling
19. Grieg Laidlow (cover both halfbacks)
20. Jamie Heaslip (covers most back row)
21. George North (cover centre and Wing)
22. Mike Brown (cover wing and Fullback)

 

[Joseph14]

I think this Lions team will be much stronger than the last one...

Really?
The only marked improvement would be the back row.

Kearney, Bowe, BOD and Roberts of 09 are better than either the current contenders or were better versions of themselves.
POC and Shaw were better than the current crop available.
Halfbacks and front row are of a similar standard.

I don't think any of the lions sides we have all picked above for this tour would run the saffas of 09 particularly close.

The biggest difference is the opposition. First time in a while the lions won't have faced the best team in the world.

I think this Lions team will be much stronger than the last one...

Really?
The only marked improvement would be the back row.

Kearney, Bowe, BOD and Roberts of 09 are better than either the current contenders or were better versions of themselves.
POC and Shaw were better than the current crop available.
Halfbacks and front row are of a similar standard.

I don't think any of the lions sides we have all picked above for this tour would run the saffas of 09 particularly close.

The biggest difference is the opposition. First time in a while the lions won't have faced the best team in the world.

1. Cian Healey
2. Ross Ford
3. Adam Jones
4. Aw Jones
5. Jim Hamilton
6. Ryan Jones
7. Sam Warburton(C)
8. Toby Faletau
9. Mike Phillips
10. Johnny Sexton
11. Simon Zebo
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Leigh Halfpenny
15. Stuart Hogg

16. Rory Best
17. Gethin Jenkins (covers both props)
18. Geoff Parling
19. Grieg Laidlow (cover both halfbacks)
20. Jamie Heaslip (covers most back row)
21. George North (cover centre and Wing)
22. Mike Brown (cover wing and Fullback)

Thats not a bad first 15. I must confess though, I wouldn't watch a minute of it!

 

[Saint Matt]

1. Cian Healy
2. Richard Hibbard
3. Adam Jones
4. Geoff Parling
5. Jim Hamilton
6. Sean O'Brien
7. Sam Warbuton
8. Toby Faletau
9. Mike Phillips
10. Jonny Sexton
11. George North
12. Manu Tuilagi
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Stuart Hogg
15. Leigh Halfpenny

16. Rory Best
17. Gethin Jenkins
18. Dan Cole
19. Alun-Wyn Jones
20. Justin Tipruic
21. Greg Laidlaw
22. Owen Farrell
23. Rob Kearney

 

[mochyn]

wouldnt it be better to have hogg at but 15 and stick halfpenny out wide? but i think both really need to slot into the team hogg looks like he could really be a defining player of his generation for scotland might be abit soon to say though

id have maitland out on the wing good small runner is deadly when given service solid defence has proven himself in the southern hemispere

a good full back puts defence first and in that respect Halfpenny has no peer

 

[irelandfan123]

PO'C is back, what do you reckon he'll need to find a spot on the plane? (he has played about 120 mins this week with Munster A and his AIL team)

 

[cyRil]

Really?
The only marked improvement would be the back row.

Kearney, Bowe, BOD and Roberts of 09 are better than either the current contenders or were better versions of themselves.
POC and Shaw were better than the current crop available.
Halfbacks and front row are of a similar standard.

I don't think any of the lions sides we have all picked above for this tour would run the saffas of 09 particularly close.

The biggest difference is the opposition. First time in a while the lions won't have faced the best team in the world.



Really?
The only marked improvement would be the back row.

Kearney, Bowe, BOD and Roberts of 09 are better than either the current contenders or were better versions of themselves.
POC and Shaw were better than the current crop available.
Halfbacks and front row are of a similar standard.

I don't think any of the lions sides we have all picked above for this tour would run the saffas of 09 particularly close.

The biggest difference is the opposition. First time in a while the lions won't have faced the best team in the world.



Thats not a bad first 15. I must confess though, I wouldn't watch a minute of it!

Well, Hamilton is English!

 

[psychic duck]

Mako Vunipola & Matt Stevens backed for Lions call up by Mark McCall

 

[ratsapprentice]

Mark McCall is so irritating, he reminds me of Ed Balls for some reason. Constantly yapping on obviously promoting his own interests.
He basically just picks a Saracens player who played well at the end of every match and calls on the national coaches to select them.