LIONS PICK THEMSELVES

[bushytop]

Yeah, I was more saying that he probably won't use it considering he didn't want it when it clearly was the best option. I'd have Sex in at 10 to start with the plan being to take him off for Biggar at 50mins right now, Farrell should tour as third choice 10 for presence alone but is a way behind currently.

Yeah, think I misread the context first time out... gotcha now though

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

Gatland wont play two proper centres. No way he is taking sexton and farrel and not starting one of them at 12. Gatland is a creature of habit and that worked for him in NZ. Thus the reason why I wouldn't of gone with Gatland again, but we are where we are.

Re Slade for club he is right up there with best in Europe. However at international level he is a 1 in 3 player and that includes when england where playing well. Ive seen more from Ringrose than Slade for country

I disagree
I always thought the Sexton-Farrell change was on the back of Howley being found out as a waste of space and the players starting to revolt. It forced his hand into change since they were badly beaten in the first test. They had nothing to lose and gave anything a go in desperation. I'm not sure Farrell is a great tackler. There were time where NZ trampled over him; SA definitely will.

Townsend is probably the attack coach. I can't see him wanting Sexton-Farrell either.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Personally thought that Harris had a quietly excellent tournament at 13. Defensively was outstanding and had some stand out moments with ball in hand. I'd be going for a 12. Henshaw (who is absolutely bolted on) 13. Harris pairing.

 

[bushytop]

Personally thought that Harris had a quietly excellent tournament at 13. Defensively was outstanding and had some stand out moments with ball in hand. I'd be going for a 12. Henshaw (who is absolutely bolted on) 13. Harris pairing.

He was good to be fair, having said that I would probably still struggle to find a place for him in my squad if I'm honest.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

IMO centres will be
Henshaw and Ringrose
+
Davies and North
With Farrell covering 12.
I reckon Daly has more chance as 13 cover than Slade.

I just don't see Slade being a Gatland 13.

The big thing about 13 for me is IF fit will Manu Tuilagi go?
I don't see any other answer than yes.

 

[Jakedood]

IMO centres will be
Henshaw and Ringrose
+
Davies and North
With Farrell covering 12.
I reckon Daly has more chance as 13 cover than Slade.

I just don't see Slade being a Gatland 13.

The big thing about 13 for me is IF fit will Manu Tuilagi go?
I don't see any other answer than yes.

He has to if fit, he's a match winner
Him and Henshaw, especially given I feel Henshaw's distribution game is underrated, would be a lovely combo. I'd maybe still want a Russell inside, as I think hes the best equipped to manage getting the ball wide while having two so called "bosh" centres

 

[bushytop]

IMO centres will be
Henshaw and Ringrose
+
Davies and North
With Farrell covering 12.
I reckon Daly has more chance as 13 cover than Slade.

I just don't see Slade being a Gatland 13.

The big thing about 13 for me is IF fit will Manu Tuilagi go?
I don't see any other answer than yes.

Yeah it's one of those sporting oddities... he is just so damned effective on the odd occasion that he plays that legitimate questions over his durability and match fitness are almost not even worth asking.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

No one can really be thinking a 10/12 of sexton and Farrell is the right option. After the six nations I thought biggar was the better 10 and would look at
Biggar
Henshaw
Slade/ Ringrose or a fit Manu

Sexton on the bench and Farrell playing midweek games badly.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I'm not sure if Manu is due back before the team is named - or at least it'll be very close (think team due in May, and he's 4 or so weeks off)

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Gatland wont play two proper centres. No way he is taking sexton and farrel and not starting one of them at 12. Gatland is a creature of habit and that worked for him in NZ. Thus the reason why I wouldn't of gone with Gatland again, but we are where we are.

Re Slade for club he is right up there with best in Europe. However at international level he is a 1 in 3 player and that includes when england where playing well. Ive seen more from Ringrose than Slade for country

I think the thing about Slade is with England he had never really had a proper centre inside him. It's been Farrell the majority of the time, who has virtually no running that either as someone who can make a break or work as a crashball option. This means when he chooses not to kick, he had closed down the space Slade had to work with. When Slade is at Exeter he has a big 12 inside more often than not and with England he looked very good with tuilagi at 12. Stick a proper 12 at 12 and I think you will see Slade playing his best at 13.

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

I don't like Tuilangi. I think he's one of the most overrated international centres going.

All he does is seek to put in big hits on people. He either leads with shoulder (often giving away penalties) or sticks out arm in front that's ultimately useless and on contact it gets pushed back. His whole game plan is to go around putting in big hits and driving players backwards. Sometimes it works. Sometimes he drives them backwards and there's no point. I remember a game last year against Wales. He went for a big hit and didn't slow the ball down. None of us could recover and Wales cored. If he was smarter and focussed on slowing the ball, the try would have been prevented.

My fear with Tuilangi is he'll do a trademark big hit at shoulder height as he always does and he'll drive up. He will come into contact with a head and keep giving away penalties, or he'll misjudge it and give a straight red away. It's the second test in NZ in reverse. They desperately needed SBW.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I don't like Tuilangi. I think he's one of the most overrated international centres going.

All he does is seek to put in big hits on people. He either leads with shoulder (often giving away penalties) or sticks out arm in front that's ultimately useless and on contact it gets pushed back. His whole game plan is to go around putting in big hits and driving players backwards. Sometimes it works. Sometimes he drives them backwards and there's no point. I remember a game last year against Wales. He went for a big hit and didn't slow the ball down. None of us could recover and Wales cored. If he was smarter and focussed on slowing the ball, the try would have been prevented.

My fear with Tuilangi is he'll do a trademark big hit at shoulder height as he always does and he'll drive up. He will come into contact with a head and keep giving away penalties, or he'll misjudge it and give a straight red away. It's the second test in NZ in reverse. They desperately needed SBW.

I'm happy to be wrong but I don't remember him doing that at all in the last 3 years or so.

Happy to be wrong but I really don't think he's been like that for a while.

 

[bushytop]

I'm happy to be wrong but I don't remember him doing that at all in the last 3 years or so.

Happy to be wrong but I really don't think he's been like Thayer for a while.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

View attachment 10479

If you remember that you'll know that's a really bad example. A cover tackle pushing someone into touch is not what the above poster talked about.

 

[bushytop]

If you remember that you'll know that's a really bad example. A cover tackle pushing someone into touch is not what the above poster talked about.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

There was a joke?

 

[bushytop]

There was a joke?

He just arrived

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

I'm happy to be wrong but I don't remember him doing that at all in the last 3 years or so.

Happy to be wrong but I really don't think he's been like that for a while.

I've found three GIFs of him tackling people. None of them were red I don't think but they are shoulder height, don't have a serious attempt at wrapping the arm, focus on bashing someone more than anything else and one slip you have a red. Actually, the third one had Welsh fans up in arms IIRC as they claim it should have been a penalty for whatever reason (that could be the Welsh being the Welsh though)

Look how close that second one is to the neck/head. If North wasn't so tall there would be a straight red.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Nothing wrong in any of those....

Please tell me that north comment was a joke?
It's almost like Manu judge where North's chest was and hit it, and maybe he would've gone lower on a shorter player...

Why are we having this talk about Manu tackle technique when we literally have Farrell with 100's of examples of high tackles.

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I've found three GIFs of him tackling people. None of them were red I don't think but they are shoulder height, don't have a serious attempt at wrapping the arm, focus on bashing someone more than anything else and one slip you have a red. Actually, the third one had Welsh fans up in arms IIRC as they claim it should have been a penalty for whatever reason (that could be the Welsh being the Welsh though)

Look how close that second one is to the neck/head. If North wasn't so tall there would be a straight red.

Nothing wrong with those, all text book big hits. He wraps on all of them (or at least attempts to).

Manu is a world class player who if fit would walk in to nearly every side in the world. What he brings is just something else. Since Gatland has a a history of taking non fit players I'm guessing Manu will make the cut.