LIONS PICK THEMSELVES

[bushytop]

Wyn Jones Ken Owens and Tadhg furlong for me

Well it looks like we'll be getting on around 83.333% of the time then .

 

[ncurd]

British and Irish Lions: Who makes BBC Sport readers' XV to face South Africa?

Sexton or Russell? Hogg or Williams? Rees-Zammit or May? After more than 14,000 team selections, we have the answers.

www.bbc.co.uk

Not keen on that side have to admit back 3 aside, every other set of groups (centers, outhalfs, back row, 2nd row, front row) all feel a tiny bit compromised. Not a team that feels like it will add to more than the sum of their parts which they'll need against SA.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

 

[Yulia]

I'd also like to see:

1.Wyn Jones
2. Owens
3. Furlong
4. Bierne
5 AWJ
6. Navidi
7. Tips
8.Faletau
9. Williams
10.Bigs
11. Watson
12. Henshaw
13. Ringrose
14. LRZ
15. Hogg

Bench: Sutherland, George, Sinkler, Ryan, Curry, Murray, Russell, North

Good list.
I'd take:
1. Marler
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. AWJ
7. Curry
8. Stander
9. Russell
13. North
15. Hogg
For the rest I don't know yet..

 

[bushytop]

Good list.
I'd take:
1. Marler
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. AWJ
7. Curry
8. Stander
9. Russell
13. North
15. Hogg
For the rest I don't know yet..

That is one helluva ballsy choice at scrum-half fair play .

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Not sure about north at 13 either but I guess a lot depends on what type of 12 we have. If we play Farrell at 12 (god help us) then North or Henshaw would work but if Henshaw plays 12 we could do with a Slade at 13 or Ringrose if he's back in time.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Solid team

 

[Ospervat]

These selections would confuse the Saffas.
Oli Kebble
Rob Herring
Willem Nel
Quinn Roux
David Ribbans
Cornell Du Preez
Johan Meyer
CJ Stander
Nicholas Groom
Jaco van der Walt
Duhan van der Merwe
Byron McGuigan

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

Biggar should be tried at centre in the same role as Farrell.

9 Murray
10 Russell
12 Biggar
13 Henshaw
11 & 14 North and Watson
15 Hogg

LRZ is great in attack. He's useless at defending and when you're playing SA you need defenders. He's a bigger liability than ROG in '09.

 

[bushytop]

Biggar should be tried at centre in the same role as Farrell.

9 Murray
10 Russell
12 Biggar
13 Henshaw
11 & 14 North and Watson
15 Hogg

LRZ is great in attack. He's useless at defending and when you're playing SA you need defenders. He's a bigger liability than ROG in '09.

I certainly wouldn't say he's useless... it's not his strength of course but I wouldn't say he was ever particularly exposed during the 6N.

 

[LIONSxv]

Our weakest positions are hooker, scrum half and centres imo
Im particularly worried if he pairs Farrell and Henshaw. I dont get the Henshaw love in tbh, he isnt a particularly massive carrier, nor quick or clever with hands or feet. But he has become dependable and had a good six nations albeit against poor opposition centres.
I think Ringrose has far more to his game at 13 and farrel is not a lions quality 12

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I dont get the Henshaw love in tbh, he isnt a particularly massive carrier, nor quick or clever with hands or feet. But he has become dependable

That's one hot take

 

[Leinster Fan]

That's one hot take

Especially since he seriously outplayed the likely South African starter a week ago.

 

[LIONSxv]

That's one hot take

Guess we all see different things in players. If its a toss up between ringrose or henshaw at 13 , im ringrose every day.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Guess we all see different things in players. If its a toss up between ringrose or henshaw at 13 , im ringrose every day.

Why would it be a toss up for 13? Henshaw is head and shoulders above any other 12. He does all the things you said he doesn't to a high level, is a weapon in defence and a threat under the high ball. I think you get him into the team at 12 or 13 depending on what you go for elsewhere but the obvious pairing for me is Henshaw Slade at the moment.

 

[LIONSxv]

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

 

[bushytop]

Why would it be a toss up for 13? Henshaw is head and shoulders above any other 12. He does all the things you said he doesn't to a high level, is a weapon in defence and a threat under the high ball. I think you get him into the team at 12 or 13 depending on what you go for elsewhere but the obvious pairing for me is Henshaw Slade at the moment.

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

Going into the 6 Nations I think most people thought it would be Ringrose or Slade for 13 (with Ringrose the favourite) but looking back at what I would consider to be mediocre championships for the pair of them, I (& I would never have believed this a couple of months ago) would have North as the 'one to beat' right now.

And I certainly wouldn't have Farrell (or Biggar for that matter) at 12, so right now it would be Henshaw at 12 and North at 13 imho.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

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

Gatland was dead set against Sexton and Farrell on the last tour, he just wanted the two most direct runners. He used it in the Crusaders game which was the only convincing warm up game and then didn't in the first test. We know what his gameplan will look like sure but he has always mixed up his selections to keep teams fresh where possible, one of his strengths.

It's a battle between Slade and Ringer, if he gets fit, for me although I understand where @bushytop is coming from re North too. Slade always looks like a class player filling a role that's not suited to him at all and doing a good job in an England shirt, Ringrose has been the same under Farrell for Ireland. That in itself will be the reason Gatland goes for North because he'll be best suited to the plan but if the Lions had convinced Joe Schmidt to come out of coaching retirement (definitely the man you want v SA FWIW) I think he'd opt for Slade at the moment unless Ringrose found last season's form.

Edit: Reason number 406 to hate the Lions, I'm currently arguing against my God/sex icon.

 

[bushytop]

Gatland was dead set against Sexton and Farrell on the last tour, he just wanted the two most direct runners. He used it in the Crusaders game which was the only convincing warm up game and then didn't in the first test. We know what his gameplan will look like sure but he has always mixed up his selections to keep teams fresh where possible, one of his strengths.

It's a battle between Slade and Ringer, if he gets fit, for me although I understand where @bushytop is coming from re North too. Slade always looks like a class player filling a role that's not to him at all and doing a good job in an England shirt, Ringrose has been the same under Farrell for Ireland. That in itself will be the reason Gatland goes for North because he'll be best suited to the plan but if the Lions had convinced Joe Schmidt to come out of coaching retirement (definitely the man you want v SA FWIW) I think he'd opt for Slade at the moment unless Ringrose found last season's form.

Edit: Reason number 406 to hate the Lions, I'm currently arguing against my God/sex icon.

I know Gats had no intention of the Sexton-Farrell axis until the Crusaders game last tour (even though a lot of fans were calling for it to at least be trialled previously)... but those two were in a different place 4 years ago. They went into the tour as highly rated as two NH 10's (10/12 for Farrell) had been since Wilko... this time Sexy is considered mentally great but physically on the absolute edge of being passed it and Farrell, imho will only go on the tour through reputation. I'd be very surprised if they were the majority test match 10-12 this tour... you do never know though.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Yeah I know Gats had no intention of the Sexton-Farrell axis until the Crusaders game last tour (even though a lot of fans were calling for it to at least be trialled previously)... but those two were in a different place 4 years ago. They went into the tour as highly rated as two NH 10's (10/12 for Farrell) had been since Wilko... this time Sexy is considered mentally great but physically on the absolute edge of being passed it and Farrell, imho will only go on the tour through reputation. I'd be very surprised if they were the majority test match 10-12 this tour... you do never know though.

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.