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2nd test - Australia v British & Irish Lions

Leonormous Boozer said:
Not sure if I'd blame the scrum too much on the players, seems to have been sacrificed as a unit hoping to keep it around 80%, which they did on Saturday to be fair. No matter the front five, it's been getting rinsed. They all seem to be faring worse than with club and country.

The last tour was time far better too, that Wales team were at their peak, England at their most consistent year to year since their world cup side and Ireland were heading into a period of unprecedented success with POC in particular still going well.

Currently Scotland and Ireland seem to be past their best and England are rising. 2013 probably had 4 guys you'd have as captain over Itoje (and Doris had he been fit) which sums up where the nations are at. Obviously Wales aside, I think the other three nations are probably happier with where we / they are now than 2013 though.



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Let me clarify, 2025 tour Russell over 2013 tour Sexton.

Russell has been unreal, and I think surpasses where Sextin was on tour, obviously not career, or even at their peak.
 
Interesting comment from RoG on Skelton saying he needs 5+ games after a lay off to get back into form. He can blow hot and cold, with Valentini also back feels like Frost is going to be taking a lot of line out ball.
 
Ohh, this is the thread for me, remeniscing over 2013 players rathar than the current Welsh lot.

Halfpenny was player of the series in 2013, he was genuinely phenomenal in every aspect inc. record points hauls etc.

North still at his peak. 2011 was prob his absolute best, but was still world class in 2013. Both would walk into this side.

Cuthbert over his career falls behind other options, but was in a rich veign of form in 2013, everything he touched turned to gold and was regularly overshadowing North.

Bowe was no slouch, although probably past his absolute best. Such a clever player.

I'd have all 4 over the current 2017 lot, but I'm far from neutral on the matter.

Gimme Adam, POC, AWJ, Warbs, Faletau, JD2 and Roberts too 😉
 
dullonien said:
Ohh, this is the thread for me, remeniscing over 2013 players rathar than the current Welsh lot.

Halfpenny was player of the series in 2013, he was genuinely phenomenal in every aspect inc. record points hauls etc.

North still at his peak. 2011 was prob his absolute best, but was still world class in 2013. Both would walk into this side.

Cuthbert over his career falls behind other options, but was in a rich veign of form in 2013, everything he touched turned to gold and was regularly overshadowing North.

Bowe was no slouch, although probably past his absolute best. Such a clever player.

I'd have all 4 over the current 2017 lot, but I'm far from neutral on the matter.

Gimme Adam, POC, AWJ, Warbs, Faletau, JD2 and Roberts too 😉
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In my defence inonly considered test 1 2013 vs test 1 2025.
 
The Welsh were awesome that tour to be fair. All the Irish lads who made test 2 really played out of their skin. Did Phillips bounce back after that tour or was it the end, remember he was awful?
 
Looking back at the squad, it was much stronger in most positions imo. Gethin Jenkins, Corbs (who was excellent on tour) and Cian Healy would get ahead of all but Genge. Hibbs would be on the bench for impact at hooker. Ian Evans was a serious beefy second row, ahead of a few on tour this time. Croft, Lyds and Sean O'Brien amazing 6's. Tips is my all time favourite player, but appreciate he wasn't everyone's fav.

Maybe a few in the backline like Phillips, O'Driscoll and Kearney at the tail ends of their careers, but still class.

Think it would be like 80% 2013 vs 20% 2025 at a guess of a combined squad. But maybe rose tinted glasses.
 
Had only considered test players, bringing in injured guys change things and Healy and Jenkins probably get in, very close stuff though, I remember Healy was absolutely on fire and while he's definitely Ireland's vest ever LH there's still scope for Porter to take that off him.

Of current players, I think Sheehan, Kelleher / LCD, Furlong, Beirne, Itoje, Doris, JGP, Russell, Kinghorn all make the 23. I'd also take a current prime Ringrose over BOD in his last 12 months and a young JD2 (not the case for 09 and 17 respectively). I think the current crop of 7s all match up to that group too, really a preference call so it's probably Earburton who always played his absolute best for the Lions but you're splitting hairs with him, SOB, Curry and VdF, Morgan seems to be on the track too.

Writing thay out, I think Doris might have been the absolute worst player for the squad to lose, the gulf between him and Conan is absolutely huge. Russell is probably the next guy but feel Fin Smith would have done very well had a gameplan been built to suit him also.
 
Leonormous Boozer said:
Russell is probably the next guy but feel Fin Smith would have done very well had a gameplan been built to suit him also.
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It's interesting because pre tour a few Irish pundits were claiming that Fin Smith was their pick to be the starting ten on the basis that Saints' style of play isn't too dissimilar to Leinster's and so therefore he should slot in seamlessly between JGP and Aki/Ringrose.

I rate Smith highly and think he has a big future but I think Russell's broader experience at three different clubs (plus previous Lions tours) has helped him learn how to adapt and get up to speed with a new gameplan quickly - which is key on a Lions tour. He also puts big emphasis on preparation and spends a lot of time studying how teams play. His interviews with ROG and Biggar on Sky have shown that he's a proper student of the game.
 
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General Melchett said:
It's interesting because pre tour a few Irish pundits were claiming that Fin Smith was their pick to be the starting ten on the basis that Saints style of play isn't too dissimilar to Leinster's and so therefore he should slot in seamlessly between JGP and Aki/Ringrose.

I rate Smith highly and think he has a big future but I think Russell's broader experience at three different clubs (plus previous Lions tours) has helped him learn how to adapt and get up to speed with a new gameplan quickly. He also puts big emphasis on preparation and spends a lot of time studying how teams play. His interviews with ROG and Biggar on Sky have shown that he's a proper student of the game.
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There's absolutely no contest between Russell and the other 10s

#should have taken Ford as well though
 

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