Lions XV 2013

[superprop]

I know it's a while away but it's still interesting. WARNING this may be slightly biased towards Leinster as am still on a major (legal) high.

1.Healy
2.Strauss
3.Jones (if still around)
4.Lawes
5.Gray
6.Really tough could be O'Brien/Ferris/Croft
7.Warbourton
8.Heaslip
9.Youngs
10.Sexton
11.Fitzgerald (should be back to his best by then)
12.McFadden
13.O'Driscoll (yeah contracted until then)
14.Bowe
15.Foden

16.Hartely (ugh I feel all dirty)
17.Cole
18.Croft (if not starting)
19.Ferris/O'Brien
20.Murray
21.Flood
22.Kearney

Yeah pretty biased. Ah well. By the way I hate Aston. Don't really know who will be around or most of the young guys in England,Wales and Scotland

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Who's Aston?

Isn't Strauss South African?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Strauss will qualify for Ireland on residential grounds.

 

[Draggs]

What I'd LIKE to see

01 Jenkins
02 Hartley
03 A Jones
04 Lawes
05 B Davies
06 O'Brien
07 Warburton
08 Morgan/Faletau (I hope!)
09 ?
10 ? (Hopefully Hook...)
11 Bowe/Ashton
12 Henson
13 Roberts/Davies/Tuilagi
14 Halfpenny/North
15 Foden

16 ?
17 Coles
18 Gray
19 Croft/Wood
20 ?
21 Sexton/Flood
22 One of the non-starting wings

 

[Feicarsinn]

Was actually thinking about this today. I reckon there is the making of an outstanding touring party, good enough to take home a series.

Feicarsinn's Epic Lions 22:

15) Ben Foden
14) Tommy Bowe
13) Brian O'Driscoll
12) Jamie Roberts
11) Chris Ashton
10) Johnny Sexton
9) Ben Youngs
8) Jamie Heaslip
7) Sam Warburton
6) Sean O'Brien
5) Richie Grey
4) Courtney Lawes
3) Adam Jones
2) Ross Ford
1) Gethin Jenkins

16) Dylan Hartley
17) Dan Cole
18) Cian Healy
19) Bradley Davies
20) Stephen Ferris
21) Chris Cusiter
22) Toby Flood
23) Keith Earls

Other Tourists:
Sean Cronin
Alex Corbisiero
Ryan Bevington
Dan Tuohy
Tom Palmer
Tom Wood
Johnnie Beattie
Tom Croft
Travis Knoyle
James Hook
Fergus McFadden
Rob Kearney
Manu Tualagi
Leigh Halfpenny

37 tourists, same as last time out. Of course, it's subject to massive change. If Wales come good again for example, they'll take a lot of tourists. Worried about centres, scrum half and hooker. Delirah with the backrow, the back three and the propping situation.

Totals:
England 13
Ireland 12
Wales 8
Scotland 4

Dodgey calls are probably Earls in the 23, Drico at 13, Ross ahead of Hartley and the 6 jersey. Discuss.

 

[Jockstap]

15 Foden
14 Earls
13 Bowe
12 Davies
11 Ashton
10 Sexton
9 Youngs
8 Heaslip
7 Warburton
6 O'Brien
5 Gray
4 Lawes
3 Cole
2 Strauss
1 Healy

16 Hartley
17 Jenkins
18 Davies
19 Ferris/Croft
20 Murray
21 Flood
22 Hook

 

[TRF_Olyy]

*loads of text*

Pretty much agree with this, though Croft over Ferris on the bench, and A.N Other over Healy on the bench (Corbisiero? Paul James?)

 

[Feicarsinn]

Pretty much agree with this, though Croft over Ferris on the bench, and A.N Other over Healy on the bench (Corbisiero? Paul James?)

Ferris will probably have died or something by the time the tour comes around, so it's a bit of non issue really

As for Healy, he's oft maligned, but I think he's really developed over the past season. With a decent TH operating with him his scrummaging is passable, he's a massive asset in open play and by the time 2013 comes around he'll have bags of experience. I'd think twice if we were up against South Africa again, but the Aussies aren't renowned for their set piece dominance. I'd love to be able to put him in against a tired pack after about an hour.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ah, but by 2013

 

[lucky number 7]

Ah, but by 2013

Marler is a beast from what I can see...not as inspiring in the big runs as the pitbull though :/

Sean Obrien is the best thing since sliced bread

 

[Feicarsinn]

Touché

 

[nato]

People need to pick more French players if we want to actually do good in the tour

 

[Feicarsinn]

People need to pick more French players if we want to actually do good in the tour

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Oh dear ...

 

[best_fullback]

People need to pick more French players if we want to actually do good in the tour

 

[DuncTheDoodle]

Looking at the other squads, I'll stick my neck out and pick a 37 of my own-

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees
3. Adam Jones
4. Courtney Lawes
5. Richie Gray
6. Tom Croft
7. Sam Warburton
8. Ben Morgan

9. Ben Youngs
10. James Hook
11. Tommy Bowe
12. Jamie Roberts
13. Gavin Henson/Brian O'Driscoll (No idea if BOD will still be playing or, for that matter, Henson)
14. Chris Ashton
15. Ben Foden

16. Dylan Hartley
17. Dan Cole
18. Bradley Davies
19. Sean O'Brien
20. Chris Cusiter
21. Jonathan Sexton
22. George North (Who, by this point, will be playing 13 again)

23. Alex Corbisearo/Joe Marler
25. Ryan Bevington
26. Ken Owens/Sean Cronin
27. Alun Wyn Jones/Macauly Cook (Bit of a wildcard, but I'll go for it)
28. Paul O'Connell
29. Jamie Heaslip
30. Dan Lydiate
31. Toby Faletau
32. Tavis Knoyle
33. Toby Flood
34. Leigh Halfpenny
35. Keith Earls
36. Jonathan Davies
37. Manu Tuilagi
38. Morgan Stoddart/Dan Fish

There's still 37, I just can't count to it.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Wow, Wales would want to be bloody amazing over the next 2 years if they're going to have 19 Lions!

 

[cyRil]

I know, the bias is embaaaawwasssing!!

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

1. Jenkins
2. Strauss/hartley
3. Jones
4. Gray
5. Lawes
6. O'Brien
7. Warburton
8. Heaslip
9. Murray/Youngs
10. Sexton
11. Halfpenny/Ashton
12. McFadden
13. Tuilagi
14. Bowe
15. Foden


16. Whoever isn't 2
17. Healy
18. Davies
19. Croft
20. Whoever isn't 9
21. Flood
22. Hook

23. Cole
24. Corbisiero
25. Ford
26. O'Connell
27. Mclaughlan
28. Ferris
29. Jones
30. Care
31. O'Driscoll
32. O'Malley
33. Whoever isn't 11
34. Fitzgerald
35. Kearney
36. Byrne
37. Wood


Welsh: 8 English: 12 Scottish: 2 Irish: 15

There is only so many Irish because I'm not familiar with the younger players in the other countries.

 

[Seaton]

Can Lawes and Gray really play together in the same team?

They are both the same kinda lock imo, just Gray is better