2013 British and Irish Lions

[TRF_Olyy]

Would be a bit awkward come the following Six Nations, knowing that your coach rates the opposition players higher than you.
Motivating, of course, but a bit of a downer!

 

[psychic duck]

I do think most of the squad will be Welsh as Gatland will not want to have a squad, that as the Artic Monkeys said have a face on.

All coaches would verge towards their own.

In 2009, players like Joe Worsley, Tim Payne and Simon Shaw (not saying this was wrong as Shaw was good on that tour, but it is the reason he went) all went because of the ex Wasps coaching team.

In 2005, Clive Woodward picked an excessive amount of English players such as Balshaw, Moody and some who were past their best like Back to tour.

In 2001, Henry picked too many Welsh players.

I'm sure this time Gatland will pick his favourites like Phillips, Cuthbert etc

This is why I think that a coach who isn't a national team coach should coach the Lions in my opinion.

 

[willrobinson]

My attempt at picking a lions XV....


15. Leigh Halfpenny (Blues and Wales)
14. Chris Ashton (Saracens and England)
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets and Wales)
12. Scott Williams (Scarlets and Wales)
11. Tim Visser (Edinburgh and Scotland)
10. Johnny Wilkinson (Toulon)
9. Danny Care (Harlequins and England)

1. Cian Healy (Leinster and Ireland)
2. Richardt Strauss (Leinster and Ireland)
3. Adam Jones (Ospreys and Wales)
4. Rich Gray (Sale and Scotland)
5. Alun Wyn Jones -Capt (Ospreys and Wales)
6. Danny Lydiate (Dragons and Wales)
7. Steffon Armitage (Toulon)
8. Jamie Heaslip (Leinster and Ireland)

16. Rory Best (Ulster and Ireland)
17. Andrew Sheridan (Toulon)
18. Euan Murray (Agen and Scotland)
19. Ryan Jones (Ospreys and Wales)
20. Sam Warburton (Blues and Wales)
21. Conor Murray (Munster and Ireland)
22. Jonathan Sexton ( Leinster and Ireland)
23. Manu Tualagi (Leicester and England)

Don't shoot me down in flames lads :blush:

I think scott williams is average at best there are much better twelves to choose from. Wilkinson although i have heard he is in great form i just think people need to forget about him and move on to younger players Sexton being my first choice. Armitage I hear he is a great 7 although i have never seen him play but i would personally go for warburton if he can recover form.

but I can see all the rest touring

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

How often has Halfpenny played on the wing? I know a lot of people who want Kearney 15 Halfpenny 14 - is he effective on the wing?
If so then the other wing is pretty much Bowe vs North. (Don't really rate Ashton and I don't think Visser should tour tbh even though he's a great player)

 

[willrobinson]

Back row is the most difficult because potentially so many good players, the difficult thing is getting the right balance. I went for Warburton (jackler), Heaslip (ball-carrier) and Lydiate (tackler).

View attachment 2003

But you could easily replace those 3 with any of the following... O'Brien, Ferris, Ryan Jones, Robshaw, Armitage, Tipuric, Denton, Faletau. The only thing ruling out half these guys at the moment is injury!

if lydiate is on you need a dedicated openside otherwise you are wasting loads of chances for points/turn overs. cant see robshaw, armitage and tipuric high up in the mix

 

[willrobinson]

Opensides:
Warburton, Armitage, AN Other (I'll leave it between the English and Irish to fight)
I think Tipuric is worthy of a spot, but they won't send both him and Sam. I like Tom Wood, personally, but it seems others consider him a blindside.

Blindsides:
Lydiate, Ferris/O'Brien, Jones, some Scot, Robshaw (he has to go, the Sky team would kill themselves otherwise).

Eight:
Faletau, Morgan, Denton if he puts his head on straight, that Irish wing with the white boots.

@Feic, you have to shoehorn Ferris in somehow. Do a Deccie and **** up your back row!

I think alot of people are forgetting Croft who had a great tour in 2009

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

if lydiate is on you need a dedicated openside otherwise you are wasting loads of chances for points/turn overs. cant see robshaw, armitage and tipuric high up in the mix

Tipuric has a good chance I reckon - I'd prefer him over Warburton.

I'd love to see Ferris tour, but the chances are he'll be injured. (He's back from injury in a few weeks apparently for Ulster anyway)


Edit: Croft isn't near the standard of Lydiate, Ferris, O'Brien

 

[willrobinson]

Tipuric has a good chance I reckon - I'd prefer him over Warburton.

I'd love to see Ferris tour, but the chances are he'll be injured. (He's back from injury in a few weeks apparently for Ulster anyway)

I think tipuric needs to do a bit more for wales first. and knowing our luck. ferris,lydiate and jones will get injured the week before along with adam jones

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

I'd rather see Dan Cole start than Adam Jones really - & I don't think [Ryan] Jones will make the bench to be honest if that's who you're talking about.

 

[irelandfan123]

I'll have a crack at mine:
1. Healy
2. Best (Strauss has more to do, Best has been a stand out player of every Ireland match his year)
3. Jones (Murray is gagging for it tho)
4. Gray
5. O'Connell
6. Ferris (if fit)
7. Robshaw (Can't leave out the English captain, Warburton is just not on form and the others are not getting started by the national team)
8. Faletau
9. Blair (great performance vs ABs)
10. Wilkinson (I don't believe age should be a factor at all during a lions tour, it should only be about form and he has been great for Toloun + Sextons form for Ireland is too inconsistent )
11. North
12. Tuilagi (basing this partnership on the combo of a Roberts-O'Driscoll that worked so well but now Roberts is out of form this looks like the main alternative and Drico is too good to leave out)
13. O'Driscoll (c)
14. Bowe
15. Kearney (Too good under the high ball to leave out and if Wilko is kicking there is no need for Halfpenny)

16. Hartley
17. Sheridan (he is keeping Jenkins out)
18. Murray (unlucky not to start)
19. Charteris
20. Tipuric
21. Phillips (he is a bigger, stronger, faster Murray)
22. Sexton
23. Halfpenny

Shite choices but I just can't think atm lol

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

With the likes of North, Davies, Bowe etc playing I'd like to see them get the ball, and I don't really think that's going to happen with Tuilagi in there.

Eh who cares if he's the England captain - he really isn't that brilliant. 6: Lydiate 7: O'Brien 8: Denton for me

 

[Draggs]

How often has Halfpenny played on the wing? I know a lot of people who want Kearney 15 Halfpenny 14 - is he effective on the wing?
If so then the other wing is pretty much Bowe vs North. (Don't really rate Ashton and I don't think Visser should tour tbh even though he's a great player)

First half of his test career, up until last season for the Blues.

@Duck for 2001 that is one of those things made up after the fact.
Dafydd James: Excellent wing in that timeframe, great tour.
Mark Taylor: Another good player for that era.
Scott Gibbs: Injury replacement, but good due to Lions experience.
Neil Jenkins: Need a goal kicked?
Rob Howley: Very good SH, awful coach.
Darren Morris: Eh, decent then, I think he was called in during the tour.
Dai Young: Might have been called in due to injury, I think one of the two was. Anyway, very good prop.
Robin McBryde: Arguable.
Colin Charvis: Great flanker.
Scott Quinnell: Need I say more?
Martyn Williams: Alongside Odriscoll and Ogara, one of the younger tourists.

Nothing anywhere near as bad the tour afterwards. Ollie Smith???

 

[Teh Mite]

It should be a straight shootout between Foden and Kearney for fullback.

The tubby soccer coach will pick Halfpenny however.

 

[Feicarsinn]

I have my doubts as to whether Rob is the right man to have the 15 shirt in the summer. Kearney's strengths are his excellence under the high ball, his very good kicking game, and his ability to hit the line. What he lacks however is an entirely solid defensive game and an effective distribution game. Were we touring in South Africa I'd start him 10 times out of 10, but I feel that his skill set isn't best suited to playing Australia. Would he still do a job? Yes, no doubt. But would he be as effective as either Halfpenny or Foden? I dunno, but I have some doubts.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

I don't know whether the 'lionsofficial' twitter account is reliable - but apparently Warren Gatland said in an interview Heaslip could be in contention for captaincy. I read some of the stuff he said on the Lions website but I don't see anything to do with Heaslip to be fair.
http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/12265.php

 

[Teh Mite]

Ferris I could understand, but Heaslip???

 

[Deleted member 53362]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ru...hris-Robshaw-for-Lions-tour-to-Australia.html

Gatland already making a mark around who he does and doesnt want....

 

[Teh Mite]

He's correct. Robshaw isn't a 7, he's a blindside who the RFU shoehorn into the wrong shirt to accommodate Croft. Which apparently turned out well.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Ferris as captain? Heaslip seems more of a leader than Ferris in my opinion

 

[Feicarsinn]

Ferris I could understand, but Heaslip???

Sensible decision. In about 20 appearances as captain he's only had one loss. He's by far and away the best 8 at our disposal, being the only one who has a good carrying game, a good ground game and strong lineout abilities. He's a three times capped Lions so he certainly gets the concept and Gatty has worked with him before.