2017 British & Irish Lions Squad Announcement

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Does he fit into an available backrow better than Conan SOB Heaslip? Thats Ireland when CJ's roids get lost in the post!

I'd say that:
6. O'Brien
7. Tipuric
8. Heaslip

6. Conan
7. Tipuric
8. Heaslip

6. O'Brien
7. Tipuric
8. Conan

Are all better looking back rows.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Not as good as
6) Croft
7) Moody
8) Crane

And this is coming from a diehard Leinster Supporter.

Heaslipped a Tip into that SOB Conan. (Sorry bored)

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I'd say that:
6. O'Brien
7. Tipuric
8. Heaslip

6. Conan
7. Tipuric
8. Heaslip

6. O'Brien
7. Tipuric
8. Conan

Are all better looking back rows.

I'd have to disagree! SOB is a worse 6 than Conan but suits a backrow with him and Heaslip a lot better, ditching Heaslip definitely makes it worse too!

Edit:

Warburton SOB Heaslip though... Well that could beat NZ!

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I'd have to disagree! SOB is a worse 6 than Conan but suits a backrow with him and Heaslip a lot better, ditching Heaslip definitely makes it worse too!

Edit:

Warburton SOB Heaslip though... Well that could beat NZ!

My point was more just that I rate Tipuric more than Conan, O'Brien and Heaslip. In fact O'Brien's the only one that comes close IMO.

 

[Groundhog]

Does he fit into an available backrow better than Conan SOB Heaslip? Thats Ireland when CJ's roids get lost in the post!

Hahahahahaha no it's not. Try including the two players actually selected for Lions tunnel vision.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

The only thing Heaslip can beat at the moment is himself off.

Stander and POM both showed that they are Ireland best backrowers.

 

[Mrs. Peter Quinn]

My point was more just that I rate Tipuric more than Conan, O'Brien and Heaslip. In fact O'Brien's the only one that comes close IMO.

Have to say I find this surprising, even rating Tipuric as I do. Naturally it depends what you want from a backrower. Tipuric is the greatest 'footballer' of the lot but is he the best backrower? I'm not saying they're incompatible and that Tipuric is a Tom Croft Mark 2 but I do think back row forwards should be judged by the criteria most relevant to their position.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

My point was more just that I rate Tipuric more than Conan, O'Brien and Heaslip. In fact O'Brien's the only one that comes close IMO.

Fair enough, I'd rate him as better than Conan at the moment. I don't see a lot of what people think is great about Tipuric though, he's never impressed me consistently and I'd probably put him in the same bracket as Ford where if he's allowed to do what he wants he has an argument to be the best in the world but it doesn't take anything out of the ordinary to neutralise him and its shown in a lot of what I'd call "half performances" he's had for the Ospreys in recent weeks. I'd rate Jordi Murphy ahead of him too, I'm willing to admit that I see something in Murphy that most people don't and that could be because its not there so this is likely a case of me overrating one and underrating the other.

I said earlier in the thread that I thought SOB was lucky to be there, I'm going to have to put that down to exam time sleep deprivation and my starting XV from the squad would be

McGrath George Furlong
Kruis Itoje
Warburton Vunipola SOB
Webb/Murray Sexton
Farrell Henshaw
North Hogg Williams

Best Vunipola Sinkler Lawes/Henderson CJ Webb/Murray JJ Watson

Toss up between Webb and Murray because Sexton and Farrell make Murray's kicking game less effective and Webb's quicker ball could work wonders with the two. Frightening bench outside of hooker, if only Cronin was around to burn Barrett down the right wing!

- - - Updated - - -

Hahahahahaha no it's not. Try including the two players actually selected for Lions tunnel vision.

Where do you fit Moriarty?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Would rather see
1) McGrath, 2) Owens, 3) Cole
4) Itoje, 5) Kruis
6) Stander, 7) Warburton, 8) TF
9) Murray, 10) Sexton
12) Farrell, 13) Joesph
11) Williams, 14) North, 15) Hogg

16) George, 17) Vunipola, 18) Furlong
19) Henderson, 20) Vunipola
21) Youngs, 22) Daly, 23) Watson

 

[big ginger 8]

My point was more just that I rate Tipuric more than Conan, O'Brien and Heaslip. In fact O'Brien's the only one that comes close IMO.

Rating Tipuric above Conan is fair and correct.

Rating him above SO'B and Heaslip is pretty ridiculous imo. Tipuric is a good player but the he gets pretty overhyped, mostly due to his link up play which is pretty excellent but doesn't cover his weaknesses enough to put him above two truly excellent and comically underrated players. Go back and look at the threads for the AI games against NZ Tipuric has never been spoken about in that way by anyone not named valley commando. Their peaks and consistency far outweigh his.

While its value is limited in terms of personal honours Heaslip has two player of the world nominations, was IRUPA player of the year and has been nominated for European player of the year four ****ing times. Sean O'Brien hasn't had as much but has won European player of the year himself and Rugby Writers of Ireland player of the year. Tipuric has no such awards or nominations.

I think Tipuric is deserving of his spot and is definitely a good international. I'm just fed up with the constant genuine underrating of two world class players on this board and others.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Agree with that BG8.

Tips is so overrated I feel that a lot of it is down to Wesh commentators who are amazed a forward can run more than 10m in open space.

He is a good attacking 7 and fecther but he is certainly overrated.

 

[Groundhog]

Fair enough, I'd rate him as better than Conan at the moment. I don't see a lot of what people think is great about Tipuric though, he's never impressed me consistently and I'd probably put him in the same bracket as Ford where if he's allowed to do what he wants he has an argument to be the best in the world but it doesn't take anything out of the ordinary to neutralise him and its shown in a lot of what I'd call "half performances" he's had for the Ospreys in recent weeks. I'd rate Jordi Murphy ahead of him too, I'm willing to admit that I see something in Murphy that most people don't and that could be because its not there so this is likely a case of me overrating one and underrating the other.

I said earlier in the thread that I thought SOB was lucky to be there, I'm going to have to put that down to exam time sleep deprivation and my starting XV from the squad would be

McGrath George Furlong
Kruis Itoje
Warburton Vunipola SOB
Webb/Murray Sexton
Farrell Henshaw
North Hogg Williams

Best Vunipola Sinkler Lawes/Henderson CJ Webb/Murray JJ Watson

Toss up between Webb and Murray because Sexton and Farrell make Murray's kicking game less effective and Webb's quicker ball could work wonders with the two. Frightening bench outside of hooker, if only Cronin was around to burn Barrett down the right wing!

- - - Updated - - -



Where do you fit Moriarty?

In a hypothetical Irish backrow? Behind Stander at 8 while O'Mahony is at 6. Tipuric is a good player, and on his day is probably the most natural backline player Wales have.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

In a hypothetical Irish backrow? Behind Stander at 8 while O'Mahony is at 6. Tipuric is a good player, and on his day is probably the most natural backline player Wales have.

Proof illiteracy is nature and not nurture right here folks!!

Raises the question of how long a time we are away from Dan Leavy being a bright young talent until he is "keeping superior Munster players out of the squad #Jackson>Sexton".

 

[Groundhog]

Proof illiteracy is nature and not nurture right here folks!!

Raises the question of how long a time we are away from Dan Leavy being a bright young talent until he is "keeping superior Munster players out of the squad #Jackson>Sexton".

You suggested the future Irish backrow would essentially be the Leinster backrow. I went slightly OT, but have refuted. I couldn't give a toss about Tipuric and wasn't referring to him in my first post. Also your second sentence beyond the retardation of the content sounds like a kid who got a bollocking after Parent Teacher Meetings trying really hard to make an effort in English after 17 years of academic neglect.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

You suggested the future Irish backrow would essentially be the Leinster backrow. I went slightly OT, but have refuted. I couldn't give a toss about Tipuric and wasn't referring to him in my first post. Also your second sentence beyond the retardation of the content sounds like a kid who got a bollocking after Parent Teacher Meetings trying really hard to make an effort in English after 17 years of academic neglect.

http://www.therugbyforum.com/thread...d-Announcement?p=849459&viewfull=1#post849459

Anyway I'm currently writing notes in a language only someone who grew up on the eurostar would ever speak, grammar is awol in both languages, reading comp is at that sweet C to C1 level!

 

[MikeTheNative]

In a hypothetical Irish backrow? Behind Stander at 8 while O'Mahony is at 6. Tipuric is a good player, and on his day is probably the most natural backline player Wales have.

Yeah it's a bit of a joke that our Flanker has more footballing ability than our centres. I think Tipruic is a great player, he isn't physical as other players so is not going to be running over people but he barely misses any tackles, good over the ball and great in the loose. While they both play 7 I don't think you can compare him and O'Brien. You would pick the player to suit the game you are going to play.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeah it's a bit of a joke that our Flanker has more footballing ability than our centres. I think Tipruic is a great player, he isn't physical as other players so is not going to be running over people but he barely misses any tackles, good over the ball and great in the loose. While they both play 7 I don't think you can compare him and O'Brien. You would pick the player to suit the game you are going to play.

Don't worry England for a long time had a flanker with more speed and vision than our wingers.

 

[munstermuffin]

We still on about Lions???

 

[MikeTheNative]

Don't worry England for a long time had a flanker with more speed and vision than our wingers.

What about Johnny May? Proven international at Wing and Flank.

 

[ncurd]

I though flankers were supposed to be natural centres!