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2013 British and Irish Lions

GAGR are completely backwards about the 8 styles. Heaslip is a much wider player, Faletau is more of the tackler. Simply look at try stats, I know a few who consider Heaslip a misguided wing.
 
TRF_Draggs said:
GAGR are completely backwards about the 8 styles. Heaslip is a much wider player, Faletau is more of the tackler. Simply look at try stats, I know a few who consider Heaslip a misguided wing.
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No that's right. I know you think Heaslip is a show pony which is really weird given how he plays nowadays.

Heaslip (with SO'B in the team) carries very close in Faletau carries a lot wider with Wales. RTE did a good analysis on it at the start of the 6N,
 
The centre partnership of Bash Bros. really doesn't appeal to me. He's making a fair point, I think he's just horribly wrong.
 
I have a horrible feeling it is going to be like watching England. I hope I am proven wrong, very wrong. If the Welsh lads show up and play a good tour all will be well. As my welsh boss pointed out if they play like they did for 80% of last year it could be a problem.
 
Manu is a good centre, he would start in either midfield position if he was Welsh. I think an English inside back trio of Burns-Twelvetrees-Tuilagi, with Eastmond off the bench would be a quite threatening.

Faletau really has been used primarily as a tackler, we don't use forwards for carrying, as we have our heavy midfield+North to do it. Ian Evans and Luke Charteris have been our most effective second rows over the past two seasons, and they have been used as jumpers and tacklers. Faletau and Warburton do make the occasional breaks (a few against England, recently) but mostly stick towards work near the rucks.

Heaslip is used much more in attack and out wide. Not calling him a showpony or anything, it is just the way he is used. I am not particularly fond of that style, but it seems to be working decently well for Ireland. Not sure about O'Brien, to be honest. Shifting him throughout the backrow to accommodate Ferris, et al and giving him various roles hasn't worked in his favour. Ireland prefer a 6- 6.5 -8 Backrow which can work sometimes, but exploited against teams with genuine players (as seen with England's 6-6-6 against us). Our best backrow has featured a tackler/all out worker (Lydiate/Jones), Toby (who else?), and someone who can do the dirty work (Warburton, Tipuric, Williams in the past). Tipuric is a bit more of a nuisance (I don't want to say nasty) than Warburton, but both can spoil very well.

I was surprised to see Croft called up, as he is not the type of flanker that Gatland usually likes. His pace has it's merits though. I like Aaron Shingler immenselyl he offers the attacking threat similar to what Croft has. If the Scarlets can keep him in the same position, he can develop further. Once he gets settled in, he can really work on his all around game. If he can offer a bit more along the lines of the defencive game the management likes, but not ruin his natural skills, I'd have him in the 23 regularly.
 
TRF_Draggs said:
Manu is a good centre, he would start in either midfield position if he was Welsh.
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Manu would have started this year but last year with Roberts and Davies on form he wouldn't be near it to be honest. Manu has gotten himself superstardom and he doesn't really deserve it. I can see Tuilagi featuring in the tests but he wouldn't be in my test 23 I'd want Roberts and O'Driscoll with Hogg as the outside back on the bench.

I really think that Gatland made a mistake not picking Scott as a fifth centre, he is a much more versatile player than the three bosh it ups that are currently in the squad and it could have added another dimension to the Lions play. I think Scott-Tuilagi and Roberts-O'Driscoll would have been fighting it out for the tests had Scott been picked.
 
cmac95 said:
Manu would have started this year but last year with Roberts and Davies on form he wouldn't be near it to be honest. Manu has gotten himself superstardom and he doesn't really deserve it. I can see Tuilagi featuring in the tests but he wouldn't be in my test 23 I'd want Roberts and O'Driscoll with Hogg as the outside back on the bench.

I really think that Gatland made a mistake not picking Scott as a fifth centre, he is a much more versatile player than the three bosh it ups that are currently in the squad and it could have added another dimension to the Lions play. I think Scott-Tuilagi and Roberts-O'Driscoll would have been fighting it out for the tests had Scott been picked.
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I'm not sure where the Scott for Lions thing started, but I wouldn't have him near the team. He can tackle, that's it. I'd put Beck, Twelvetrees, Hook, Barritt, and Madigan ahead of him purely for their other attributes.
 
TRF_Draggs said:
I'm not sure where the Scott for Lions thing started, but I wouldn't have him near the team. He can tackle, that's it. I'd put Beck, Twelvetrees, Hook, Barritt, and Madigan ahead of him purely for their other attributes.
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That's all Barritt and for 75% of matches all Roberts do as well. Still both are more solid than Scott who wouldn't even be in the Scotland team but for Ansbro's injury and de Luca's suspension.
 
Matt Scotts attacking I reckon is much stronger torn france to bits at some moments and was stella against a improving italy
 
psychic duck said:
That's all Barritt and for 75% of matches all Roberts do as well. Still both are more solid than Scott who wouldn't even be in the Scotland team but for Ansbro's injury and de Luca's suspension.
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I suppose yeah. Shingler would have offered much more to that backline, if it had worked out for him.
 
Apparently Kearney is going to be Fine Master at Kangaroo court.

I really hope they film the tour for a DVD, and that they include at least part of court on it.
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Apparently Kearney is going to be Fine Master at Kangaroo court.

I really hope they film the tour for a DVD, and that they include at least part of court on it.
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I'll need tips to use for when I take the role at our 7's. If that happens of course :p
 
Wait...you're a non-playing tourer.
You really think you're going to be judge, and not the main receiver of fines?!
 
TRF_Olyy said:
Wait...you're a non-playing tourer.
You really think you're going to be judge, and not the main receiver of fines?!
Click to expand...

As judge I can't judge non players, unless I judge them as judge, in which case any judgement I, as judge, would judge to be just.
 
TRF_Draggs said:
Faletau really has been used primarily as a tackler, we don't use forwards for carrying, as we have our heavy midfield+North to do it. Ian Evans and Luke Charteris have been our most effective second rows over the past two seasons, and they have been used as jumpers and tacklers. Faletau and Warburton do make the occasional breaks (a few against England, recently) but mostly stick towards work near the rucks.

Heaslip is used much more in attack and out wide. Not calling him a showpony or anything, it is just the way he is used. I am not particularly fond of that style, but it seems to be working decently well for Ireland. Not sure about O'Brien, to be honest. Shifting him throughout the backrow to accommodate Ferris, et al and giving him various roles hasn't worked in his favour. Ireland prefer a 6- 6.5 -8 Backrow which can work sometimes, but exploited against teams with genuine players (as seen with England's 6-6-6 against us). Our best backrow has featured a tackler/all out worker (Lydiate/Jones), Toby (who else?), and someone who can do the dirty work (Warburton, Tipuric, Williams in the past). Tipuric is a bit more of a nuisance (I don't want to say nasty) than Warburton, but both can spoil very well.
Click to expand...

I was watching Ireland Wales yesterday vey noticeable that Heaslip carried pretty close in. With PO'M and SO'B there he needs to trust me he will in general with our first choice backrows for Ireland and Leinster carry close in to the ruck.

Meanwhile while it was less frequent Faletau carried more often in the wider channels in the midfield and out wide.
 

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