Kiwi picks the Lions

[Keithmurdoch]

Obviously its a year out and half the players availible now are going to be injured, but I was thinking of what sort of Lions side I'd cobble together based solely on performances down under - its actually not a bad side despite the whitewashes

1. Cian Healy - proven roo basher and player of the tour for Ireland IMO
2. Ross Ford - not an overabundance of standout performers here
3. Adam Jones - marginally over the Cole, strength here either way
4. Richie Gray
5. Geoff Parling - winning the airial battle will be essential next year, as Wales just proved - a little uneasy about the lack of a heavyweight grafter at tighthead lock, but perhaps this will be less of an issue in Australia than it would be in NZ or SA
6. Tom Johnstone - I was a bit underwhemed with the Welsh loosies to be fair - presumably Ferris will fill this spot when he returns
7. Ross Rennie - put the weather to one side, still the only bloke to neutralize Pocock
8. Jamie Heaslip - second test massive, purpose built for sucking in Aussie loosies too
9. Danny Care - problem area
10. Sexton - proved his chops
11. George North
12. ?? on the basis of the SA Lions tour, Jamie Roberts - although the Aussies shut him down in the world cup quite effectivly. No standouts in the last month
13. Manu Tuilangi - realisticly it'll be an all Welsh midfeild, but Manu proved himself a novel threat in SA.
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Rob Kearney - solid.

Midfield looks to be a proper issue now that BOD is past it at the top level, so perhaps it is fortunate that Australia are struggling in this area as well - overall though, I would have thought that these guys would be favourites to take out the series, depending of course on how exposed the famous lack of Wallibie depth gets as the series goes on.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Let the battles commence ...

 

[Teh Mite]

 

[Melhor Time]

Obviously its a year out and half the players availible now are going to be injured, but I was thinking of what sort of Lions side I'd cobble together based solely on performances down under - its actually not a bad side despite the whitewashes

1. Cian Healy - proven roo basher and player of the tour for Ireland IMO
2. Ross Ford - not an overabundance of standout performers here
3. Adam Jones - marginally over the Cole, strength here either way
4. Richie Gray
5. Geoff Parling - winning the airial battle will be essential next year, as Wales just proved - a little uneasy about the lack of a heavyweight grafter at tighthead lock, but perhaps this will be less of an issue in Australia than it would be in NZ or SA
6. Tom Johnstone - I was a bit underwhemed with the Welsh loosies to be fair - presumably Ferris will fill this spot when he returns
7. Ross Rennie - put the weather to one side, still the only bloke to neutralize Pocock
8. Jamie Heaslip - second test massive, purpose built for sucking in Aussie loosies too
9. Danny Care - problem area
10. Sexton - proved his chops
11. George North
12. ?? on the basis of the SA Lions tour, Jamie Roberts - although the Aussies shut him down in the world cup quite effectivly. No standouts in the last month
13. Manu Tuilangi - realisticly it'll be an all Welsh midfeild, but Manu proved himself a novel threat in SA.
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Rob Kearney - solid.

Midfield looks to be a proper issue now that BOD is past it at the top level, so perhaps it is fortunate that Australia are struggling in this area as well - overall though, I would have thought that these guys would be favourites to take out the series, depending of course on how exposed the famous lack of Wallibie depth gets as the series goes on.

Pretty good.

1 Healy
2 Best
3 Cole
4 Grey
5 Wyn-Jones
6 O´Brien
7 Warburton
8 Denton
9 Phillips
10 Priestland
11 North
12 Farrel
13 Roberts
14 Halfpenny
15 Hogg

16 Ford
17 A Jones
18 O´Connell
19 Robshaw
20 Youngs
21 Sexton
22 Tuilagi

 

[psychic duck]

Pretty good.

1 Healy
2 Best
3 Cole
4 Grey
5 Wyn-Jones
6 O´Brien
7 Warburton
8 Denton
9 Phillips
10 Priestland
11 North
12 Farrel
13 Roberts
14 Halfpenny
15 Hogg

16 Ford
17 A Jones
18 O´Connell
19 Robshaw
20 Youngs
21 Sexton
22 Tuilagi

 

[SelimNiai]

Not 2013 yet

 

[Feicarsinn]

Farrell at 12, lord help us all.

 

[Melhor Time]

Farrell at 12, lord help us all.

indeed...

could be worse though....Morrison or D´Arcy for instance.

Honestly I think they´ll keep BOD at 13 with Roberts at 12.

 

[Feicarsinn]

indeed...

could be worse though....Morrison or D´Arcy for instance.

Honestly I think they´ll keep BOD at 13 with Roberts at 12.

Which would be fine. Bring Ashley Beck too, as he can cover both spots. Then probably one of Manu or Jonathan Davies and you're sorted in the centres.

 

[Peat]

I would actually probably take Ross Ford over Dylan Hartley or Matthews Rees to sit on a bench. I wouldn't be happy about it however.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Is consensus starting to shift toward Healy at the moment? He had an excellent tour and never really took a step back in the scrum, an impressive feat with relative rookie Declan Fitzpatrick on the other side. Gethin on the other hand was pretty average in Australia.

 

[lucky number 7]

Seanie ...Really and truly he is top class

 

[psychic duck]

I would actually probably take Ross Ford over Dylan Hartley or Matthews Rees to sit on a bench. I wouldn't be happy about it however.

You serious?

Ford was decent a couple of years ago but 2012 has been a total disaster for him, his lineout throwing has gone horribly wayward and he keeps dropping the ball around the park.

If you think back to the Italy match in this year's Six Nations, he had a mare and Scotland lost 50% percent of their lineouts (http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/133779.html), and against Australia even though that was a good win for Scotland it was no thanks to Ford and the lineout success was just 54% (http://www.espnscrum.com/statsguru/rugby/match/155532.html) and all of that was mostly Ford not throwing the ball in straight not the opposition nicking it.

And also in the H Cup Semi Final against Ulster, Edinburgh had been on the defending several phases but eventually got a penalty to clear their lines but then he crucially threw a lineout not straight which led to a scrum which Ulster got a penalty from and took their lead past 7 and Edinburgh out of range.

Ford's form in 2012 has been woeful, on a par with Matthew Rees who also hasn't been able to throw a lineout straight.

Hartley, Owens, Strauss, Cronin would all be better options than Ford.

Is consensus starting to shift toward Healy at the moment? He had an excellent tour and never really took a step back in the scrum, an impressive feat with relative rookie Declan Fitzpatrick on the other side. Gethin on the other hand was pretty average in Australia.

Seems like it.

Fox Sports
Hair Bear
The Rugby Blog
Irish Times (says he will be a "shoo in")
Rugby Rugby
Courier Mail
Sport Magazine

 

[Peat]

Is consensus starting to shift toward Healy at the moment? He had an excellent tour and never really took a step back in the scrum, an impressive feat with relative rookie Declan Fitzpatrick on the other side. Gethin on the other hand was pretty average in Australia.

It won't have done him any harm, no. I'd probably pick Healy if the game was for next week (with a rueful glance to Corbisiero's injury), but a lot can happen in a year and I'd back Jenkins to come back strongly.

Mindyou, the Welsh are now the only side not to have beaten the Australians down under recently. Does that - should that - affect selection?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Is consensus starting to shift toward Healy at the moment? He had an excellent tour and never really took a step back in the scrum, an impressive feat with relative rookie Declan Fitzpatrick on the other side. Gethin on the other hand was pretty average in Australia.

Healy had the better tour no doubt.

But sticking up for Jenkins, I don't think he was 100% fit, and he's a World Class player so you'd expect him to bounce back.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Seanie ...Really and truly he is top class

Could see him not touring if Ireland continue playing him at 7.
He's getting better there but the starting 7s of the other three nations are all better. Move him to 6 (or 8) and he'd be in with a better chance.
Then again versatility could get him a bench spot (but then there's others that are versatile too).

 

[Peat]

PD - I did say I wouldn't be happy about it. We've got a lot of mediocre options there, and Best really needs to stay fit and in form.

Am I the only one who doesn't rate Rennie that highly? He's a cracking player, no doubt, but he misses a fair few tackles and imo that's just not acceptable at this level of competition. I'd rather O'Brien and Robshaw, even if they are still developing as opensides (2nd and 1st test respectively there were magnificent at it however), who won't miss many if any. Or Tipuric. Particularly as it seems very likely that our front-row will be full of good groundhogs.

 

[big ginger 8]

Correct me if I'm wrong but won't there be 23 man squads for the tour? Do people think this may result in more props being brought and the ones who can cover both sides being left behind e.g. James or PDJ.

 

[lucky number 7]

Could see him not touring if Ireland continue playing him at 7.
He's getting better there but the starting 7s of the other three nations are all better. Move him to 6 (or 8) and he'd be in with a better chance.
Then again versatility could get him a bench spot (but then there's others that are versatile too).

How many of those versatile back rowers dominated the NZ backrow ...well for one test.. But he will 9/10 lead Ireland's and Leinsteir's stats in Tackles and turnovers while making plenty on the ground.

 

[Draggs]

Correct me if I'm wrong but won't there be 23 man squads for the tour? Do people think this may result in more props being brought and the ones who can cover both sides being left behind e.g. James or PDJ.

That is correct. It will be trialled starting in November for international fixtures.
James would have most certainly been a Lions otherwise. Still the best scrummaging loosehead in Europe