British & Irish Lions Back Row

[dullonien]

i think the back row should be 6.Robshaw 7.Brown 8.Faletau Robshaw because he is a great leader on the pitch and has a good friendship with the england team. Kelly Brown because like Robshaw hes a good leader on the pitch and is getting on well with his team and Faletau because hes a great player only 2o when he was in the world cup and played well and since then he is getting better

Sorry to say, but Scotland have been blown away in the rucks in most of their games. Brown isn't an openside. I'd only consider Beattie from the Scottish backrow.

 

[j'nuh]

^ Agree. Having a 7 to make numerous turnovers is maybe a little overblown. It's like a forward in football being a good header of the ball - helpful, but not necessary. Any number of players can make turnovers. But a skill that a top international flanker should not avoid is a high work rate in the contact zone. Not necessarily turnovers, but being around to win you back your own ball, and slowing down opposition ball. I've not been impressed with this facet of Scotland's play, although Beattie has stood out in an attacking sense.

Robshaw, Wood, SOB, Warburton and Tipuric lead the way for flankers for me. I'd take all of them and not make my mind up which to play until training/non-test matches come around. 8 is a little more clear cut though: Faletau to start, Morgan/Beattie on the bench.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

Sorry to say, but Scotland have been blown away in the rucks in most of their games. Brown isn't an openside. I'd only consider Beattie from the Scottish backrow.

i do have to agree with you but beattie for me only had one good game for scotland in the current six nation and just to say brown does play openside for scotland its harley whos blindside

 

[dullonien]

i do have to agree with you but beattie for me only had one good game for scotland in the current six nation and just to say brown does play openside for scotland its harley whos blindside

I understand that Brown is currently playing openside, but he's really a blindside playing out of position imo. Scotland are missing Rennie, who's a genuine openside.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

O'Brien has made 55 carries in the tournament, like what the ****.

 

[TommyV]

It seems like Gatland will probably take 7 back-rowers, so for me I think I'd nail that down currently as Robshaw, Warburton, Tipuric, Wood, SOB, Faleteu and one of Morgan/Beattie. I think you've got a nice mix there of more genuine 7's, 6.5's, guys who can cover all 3 back-row positions if need be and kind of contrasting styles at no. 8.

Lydiate could be an interesting one though if he actually returns anytime soon and manages to play himself back in to the Wales team and returns to his 2012 SN form. If he does I think he has to tour but who in place of? Might be at the expense of Tipuric, though I'm not necessarily sure we'd need another 6. Could be Wood too, but Gatland might like his versatility (although SOB has that too) and he's playing out of his skin.

 

[psychic duck]

I understand that Brown is currently playing openside, but he's really a blindside playing out of position imo. Scotland are missing Rennie, who's a genuine openside.

They have John Barclay who is a genuine openside. But he seems to be out of favour for some reason with Scott Johnson for the moment. Not sure why.

 

[tompaton]

The Lions have to play Tipuric and Warburton in tandem for the Lions. They were absolutely magnificent. Warburton put so much pressure on the breakdown yesterday slowing it down and winning turnovers. Tipuric reads play so well and knows exactly when to go in. Warburton may have a slight breakdown edge and physicality but Tipuric's link play is second to none.


Also look at how teams have beaten Australia in 2012.


SCOTLAND - played two 7s in Barclay and Rennie and bossed the breakdown, not allowing Australia to play their natural game.


NZ: 1-15 everyone jackals and counter rucks. Australia never got their game going.


SOUTH AFRICA: in the first test, they played with no 7 and lost. The next game they brought in Francois Louw and he bossed on the deck along with Duane Vermeulen and SA smashed them 31-8.


FRANCE: All of the pack was making turnovers and they murdered Australia at the breakdown. They won 33-6.


This is how you beat them. The Lions can do what the above teams did with Warburton and Tipuric, along with the help of Gethin Jenkins/Cian Healey and Rory Best.


I think Lydiiate may struggle to get back into the Wales team, especially with him going to France. This combo could be the way forward - England won a world cup with dual opensides in Hill and Back.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Scotland: They were beaten by the weather. Genia was visibly shaking from the cold.

NZ: Were NZ, you can't replicate that by just playing two 7's.

Not saying it won't work, but you can't use one extraordinary match as the basis for the entire Lions selection.
We have no idea whether they can replicate any semblance of that performance consistently.

 

[Peat]

NZ have tried two opensides before with McCaw and Holah. They did not continue it that long. I'd like to see the Warburton/Tipuric experiment continue, but wouldn't pencil it for a Lions test just yet.

edit: p.s. Both England and Ireland have beaten Australia fairly recently using no 7s by purists' standards.

 

[tompaton]

Scotland: They were beaten by the weather. Genia was visibly shaking from the cold.

NZ: Were NZ, you can't replicate that by just playing two 7's.

Not saying it won't work, but you can't use one extraordinary match as the basis for the entire Lions selection.
We have no idea whether they can replicate any semblance of that performance consistently.

Not saying we're trying to replicate that, but South Africa and France showed the way.

It's also based on 30 minutes against Scotland, NZ and Australia. I'd at least like to seem them paired up in a tour game to see how it goes.

 

[Rhyer]

I'd like to see this XV against Australia;

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Doesn't matter, all have been **** really.
3. Adam Jones
4. Richie Gray
5. Geoff Parling
6. Justin Tipuric
7. Chris Robshaw
8. Sean O'Brien
9. Mike Phillips
10. Jonny Sexton
11. George North
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Sean Maitland
15. Leigh Halfpenny

 

[tompaton]

I'd like to see this XV against Australia;

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Doesn't matter, all have been **** really.
3. Adam Jones
4. Richie Gray
5. Geoff Parling
6. Justin Tipuric
7. Chris Robshaw
8. Sean O'Brien
9. Mike Phillips
10. Jonny Sexton
11. George North
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Brian O'Driscoll
14. Sean Maitland
15. Leigh Halfpenny

Robshaw isn't a 7 mate. Not one bit.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Richie Gray....

ntsureifsrs?

 

[j_remos]

One thing s for sure. We will see more welsh and less irish than we all thought after week 1.

Richie Grey should NOT be involved.

 

[TRF Mr Fish]

Robshaw isn't a 7 mate. Not one bit.

If you follow the French/SA convention of having your fetcher at 6 and your bigger guy at 7, then his line up makes sense... And that poster is French.

 

[psychic duck]

NZ have tried two opensides before with McCaw and Holah. They did not continue it that long. I'd like to see the Warburton/Tipuric experiment continue, but wouldn't pencil it for a Lions test just yet.

edit: p.s. Both England and Ireland have beaten Australia fairly recently using no 7s by purists' standards.

Hill and Back both played 7 for their clubs, but played together at international to form one of the greatest back row combinations of the professional era.

Warburton and Tipuric should have played together back since November instead of wasting time finding out that Scarlets back rowers Turnbull/McCusker/Shingler weren't good enough.

 

[Saint Matt]

6. Sean O'Brien
7. Sam Warbuton
8. Toby Faletau

That would be my back row without question. I can see the argument for starting Tipuruic at 6 with O'Brien at 8, as you would have a carrier, a fetcher and a link man, but I think the Aussies will struggle to deal with Faletau's mobility around the park.

Then you can bring on the likes of Tiperuic later on when the game opens up that little bit more.

 

[Peat]

Hill and Back both played 7 for their clubs, but played together at international to form one of the greatest back row combinations of the professional era.

Warburton and Tipuric should have played together back since November instead of wasting time finding out that Scarlets back rowers Turnbull/McCusker/Shingler weren't good enough.

Yes, I mention it enough when the positional purity dictates roll around - Michael Jones became a very fine 6 as well - but it doesn't always work. Hence me not pencilling it in.

Also, Back/Hill did play behind a monumental tight five, which helped things in respects, and were monumental players themselves. Maybe the Breadman and Tipuric will become equally monumental too. Just not getting ahead of myself/encouraging others do the same... for once.

p.s. Henderson for the Lions.

 

[j'nuh]

I think that the flankers are pretty much decided now: Warburton, Tipuric, Robshaw, SOB and Lydiate or Wood

Number 8 is a little more open. Faletau is going. Heaslip never impressed me and Beattie waned into the tournament. Morgan is still my favourite, but he's not got much time left to prove himself, and not being in the HC may count against him.

So Warburton, Tipuric, Robshaw, SOB, Lydiate/Wood, Faletau, Morgan, Beattie for me, or if that's one too many, drop Beattie and SOB covers 8.