2021 British & Irish Lions Squad

[Welsh Exile]

Not really,
Owens is very highly regarded amongst Welsh fans, with that Sherrif character n all that, but you never see the same level of adoration for him from others
It's the same with AWJ - rugby God to Welsh fans, pretty standard international lock to everyone else

Same happens with players from other countries and clubs, obviously, but the AWJ and Sherrif love in from the fans and press is another level

Ahhhh, so everyone does it but the Welsh are the worst. I get you.

I must say I'm impressed, not only with your ability to speak on behalf of tens of thousands of Welsh people but you seem to be able to do it for the whole world. Quite amazing really. But no, you're not influenced by confirmation bias at all.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Sorry, I concede
The Sherrif is the best (and hardest) hooker in the world

 

[Jakedood]

Sorry, I concede
The Sherrif is the best (and hardest) hooker in the world

Have you seen him with his shorts off?

 

[Welsh Exile]

Sorry, I concede
The Sherrif is the best (and hardest) hooker in the world

And a strawman to finish it off. Good bants though.

I think I'll bow out as well. No hard feelings.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I struggle to see what makes Owen harder than LCD or George?

Like I get he is a grafter but George and Cowan-Dickie both do a lot of dirty work.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I struggle to see what makes Owen harder than LCD or George?

Like I get he is a grafter but George and Cowan-Dickie both do a lot of dirty work.

As I said (I feel like I type that a lot, it's almost like people aren't reading what I write but I guess it's always fun to misrepresent someone's position so you can mock them) the hard **** thing is mostly a mentality thing. It's about when the chips are down and you're getting beaten up or are on the back foot who stands up and who can help turn it around.

Rocky said it best. "It's not about how hard you can hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward"

Again, as I say, I don't think these test matches will be pleasing on the eye (depending on what you like) they're going to be pretty attritional, forward based arm wrestles where we are inevitably going to get beaten up at times so when there's tight calls between 2 very good players I'll look at what type of game it's likely to be and factor it in.

That's not saying Owens is the hardest man in the world and it's not saying George is a pussy. I also accept this is one of rugby's many unquantifiables and is complete guesswork though I do feel having played under Gatland for a long time the Welsh players thrive off tight, attritional games more than the English do who are more about imposing themselves on their opponents.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

If any of you fancy a laugh, pop over to Facebook and read some of the teams people are posting in the lions comments. Loads of people still have teams with Farrell at 10 and Daly at 15. Are people mad?

 

[General Melchett]

What I have learned from this series as far as pundits go is that Matt Dawson and Sam Warburton are absolutely useless when it comes to team selection. I don't know if their choices are to keep their home nation social media followers happy but both have had a shocker.

 

[Welsh Exile]

What I have learned from this series as far as pundits go is that Matt Dawson and Sam Warburton are absolutely useless when it comes to team selection. I don't know if their choices are to keep their home nation social media followers happy but both have had a shocker.

What's Watburtons team? I last I saw he wanted to play Watson and Curry.

I don't know about team selections but I've enjoyed his punditry. Especially considering how dire the BBC 6N coverage usually is.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

What's Watburtons team? I last I saw he wanted to play Watson and Curry.

I don't know about team selections but I've enjoyed his punditry. Especially considering how dire the BBC 6N coverage usually is.

Yeah I've enjoyed his commentary. As he retired recently he's much more 'on trend' with what's going on compared to some of the older pundits who don't seem to have a clue any more.

 

[General Melchett]

What's Watburtons team? I last I saw he wanted to play Watson and Curry.

I don't know about team selections but I've enjoyed his punditry. Especially considering how dire the BBC 6N coverage usually is.

Watson was on the bench (which TBH I can live with if Curry is at 7). I can't remember the starting 15 but he had Mako, AWJ, Murray & Aki all starting

 

[Nudger]

Honestly the best result from this Lions tour could be the demise of Farrells international career. If we could move to Ford/Smith (neither at center, just one at 10 and the other on the bench) it would be great. Also switch them regularly.

If anything it's the end of Ford's international career

 

[Welsh Exile]

Watson was on the bench (which TBH I can live with if Curry is at 7). I can't remember the starting 15 but he had Mako, AWJ, Murray & Aki all starting

Not overly Welsh then.

You know what, I'm leaning towards Aki as well you know.

 

[Welsh Exile]

1. Wyn Jones
2. Owens
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. AWJ
6. Beirne
7. Curry
8. Faletau
9. Price
10. Bigs
11. Adams
12. Aki
13. Henshaw
14. Watson
15. Williams

16. LCD
17. Mako
18. Sinkler
19. Henderson
20. Watson
21. Murray
22. Farrell
23. Daly

 

[General Melchett]

Not overly Welsh then.

You know what, I'm leaning towards Aki as well you know.

From those four no but plenty in the other 11 as I recall.

 

[Nudger]

He's regressed over the last few years, but was never that great to start with
He used to be able to hold his own, but now not so much - not sure if it's because the level of competition has risen, or the average of our tight 5 has dropped off a bit so it can no longer make up for his deficiencies, but he's definitely a liability at the scrum these days (and has been for a couple of seasons now)

He was much better with hartley hooking

 

[ncurd]

If anything it's the end of Ford's international career

That's probably the reality of things which is nonsense one of Ford/Farrell is in awful form and it isn't Ford

 

[General Melchett]

That's probably the reality of things which is nonsense one of Ford/Farrell is in awful form and it isn't Ford

If you lads want change at 10/12 you need to get rid of your stubborn head coach first I suspect who quite frankly should be in last chance saloon after the 6N.

 

[ncurd]

My its never going to happen XV, wish we had a decent scrum half on tour.

1. Wyn Jones
2. LCD
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. Henderson
6. Beirne
7. Curry
8. Faletau
9. Price
10. Smith
11. Adams
12. Henshaw
13. Daly
14. LRZ
15. Watson

 

[Welsh Exile]

From those four no but plenty in the other 11 as I recall.

Seems pretty English to me.

Warburton's Lions XV: Williams; Watson, Daly, Aki, Adams; Biggar, Murray; Vunipola, Cowan-Dickie, Furlong, itoje, AW Jones (capt), Beirne, Curry, Faletau.