Lions 2009

[Prestwick]

Seriously though, it is interesting to note that Mike Blair has probably made more line breaks than any other player for Scotland in the last two seasons. The guy really does put teams to the sword if he gets through a gap and if he was paired up with a talented back row he'd be able to run riot.

 

[Vambo]

Seriously though, it is interesting to note that Mike Blair has probably made more line breaks than any other player for Scotland in the last two seasons. The guy really does put teams to the sword if he gets through a gap and if he was paired up with a talented back row he'd be able to run riot.
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He's a very good player. Top class scrum half no doubt about it and I certainly wouldn't be surprised if he got the nod come the Lions tour.

 

[Prestwick]

 

[RC]

What's this? Prestwick moaning (without a clue) that Mike Phillips is ****?

The record must be broken again...

 

[Vambo]

[/b]

I still wouldn't pick him though

 

[Prestwick]

What's this? Prestwick moaning (without a clue) that Mike Phillips is ****?

The record must be broken again...
[/b]

I call it, Chiropractor syndrome...

 

[Sir Speedy]

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I'd take Phillips because he gives a different option at number 9 from the other candidates. No other 9 would have made that trysaving tackle that he did against Ireland. His size will be useful against SA.
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yeah but his indiscipline will probably cost him a test place.
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Edwards will sort that out between now and the tour.
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You can't change how Phillips is, he's arrogant, over-confident (which is a good thing in a way), but if he gets annoyed, he's bound to snap and do something stupid, and I don't think that can be trained out of him.
Scrum-halves for me would be Mike Blair, Dwayne Peel and Reddan if all play at their best (well, Blair is, so that's one down, two to go <_<).

 

[toutai]

i also agree.
i prefer cussiter.

 

[kick2touch]

Sheridan is absolutely guaranteed the no1 jersey for the test matches. Everything else is still up for grabs

 

[shtove]

...how many planes are we going to need for this?! [/b]

Haven't you heard about the new Airbus? Plenty of space in the aisle for some scrum practice.

Paterson has to travel - all sorts of pressure to keep a winning record heading in to the tests, so the metronome will keep them ticking over.

 

[Nat]

Where's ole mate Wilko? Is he injured or something? U must have the golden boy...how else are the Lions going to win games? U especially need him if the Lions get an English coach. Then the team will play a dull forwards game that hangs on penalties..this is where Wilko will come in. I hope for the Lions sake Gatland gets in as coach...he is awesome, plus he won the 6 Nations and if the kiwis had any sense they would have made him All Black coach instead of Graham Henry...you shouldnt be rewarded for failing in the WC with the All Blacks coaching job.

 

[Prestwick]

Sorry, cobbler, all I heard was:

Strewth cobbler, blah blah blah, I actually secretly like rugby league blah blah blah, we don't know how to scrum because our forwards are fat women, blah blah blah...[/b]

Agreed on Paterson, has basically the best kicking record of his generation. Gauranteed that it'll go over unless South Africa employ Patriot anti-scud defences.

 

[chinwaggler]

Not trying to take anything away from him but doesn't it seem whenever a kick is a fair distance away, someone else takes the kick for Paterson.

 

[crispy]

Not trying to take anything away from him but doesn't it seem whenever a kick is a fair distance away, someone else takes the kick for Paterson.
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Paterson used to put them away from far away as well, he only started letting Parks taking the long range ones in the WC (or at least that was when I noticed it). Not sure if that was Paterson's idea or Frank Hadden's though (probably FH's, god knows he has a thing for Parks).

If Paterson were to start, where would he play? CP is unfortunately a bit of a jack of all trades, master of none (not really his fault, he's been moved around so much and never been allowed to settle into a position). You'd want someone like Hook, Cipriani or O'Gara at 10, proper wingers on the wing, the only place I could see him starting would be at full back. Is the gaurantee of 3 points every time worth playing him ahead of a specialist full back or someone more explosive like Cipriani? (Having Hook and Cipriani on the field at the same time would be awesome.) CP would be really useful as backs and fly-half cover on the bench though, giving the coach an option to add another forward on there while still covering all positions.

 

[Prestwick]

Yeah Paterson puts away long range kicks too. He's only really recently been letting Dan Parks take longer kicks. And to nitpick another comment I've read, they're not always 10 meters away and right in front of the uprights.

 

[Cymro]

All speculation!!! (which indeed it is)

I will decide really on my squad after next year's six nations!

Want I think needs to be settled now is the coaching staff, this needs to be sorted asap by Gerald Davies. The sooner the coaching staff is announced then the players will know who to impress etc.

I still like to see this as my coaching staff, dunno in what roles but they should be included!

Warren Gatlan
Ian McGeechan
Shaun Edwards

Andy Robinson: Doing the biz at the Gunners it must be said

Dai Young / Dean Richards : probably forwards coach

Rob Howley: Back's coach

Neil Jenkins: Kicking Coach

Yes there is a massive Welsh flavour in my coaching taff but I feel these are the coaches to take the Lions on!

 

[shtove]

You've got a fine pair of ***s for a lions selector. Implants, I suspect.

 

[dundeesmiffy]

I don't think BOD deserves the Lions captaincy tbh.
Not out of a lack of form, but a lack of presence; he's been injured an awful lot and he's only shown smatterings of what he was capable before.
In honesty I think he's cursed, chances are if we bring him to SA he'll end up re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-re-(ad infinitum)-injuring his ankle/hamstring at some point, probably in the early going.
I'm not saying he shouldn't be in the squad at all, just not the captain...maybe a vice captain.

As far as the players I think should be in the fold; Ben Cairns should be involved.
To be honest, I think the sooner Ben Cairns is introduced (RESPONSIBLY! not like Nick 'Let's put him right under 50 tonnes of pressure and see if he crumbles' De 'oh look he did, he's the reason Scotland lost, blame him, not the other 14 players that made up the clusterf*** that was the Scottish 6N campaign' Luca) to international rugby the better.
We are missing a consistent 13 in in the Scotland side that will survive until the next world cup, Cairns is our answer.

Full line up of players is coming, I can't be bothered compiling it at the moment. I'll wait until the stream of 'WUT NO BOD! UR SRSLY OUT V UR HED M8! HE IS DA BEST PLAYAR LIKE OF ALL TIME!'

 

[feicarsinn]

well the only thing we know is it isnt going to be a henson BOD pairing

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Currently can anyone actually see the Lions beating South Africa? especially at places like Loftus Versfield i really cant see it happening, could be another 2005. But im keeping my fingers crossed that whoever the coaches pick are proven combos. I would definetley go with Cipriani, Wilko is past it and O'Gara is good but doesnt offer much attacking threat. Hook maybe..