NH Team of the Season

[big ginger 8]

Bones Steward has broken 0 smells like another win.
TBF I didn't say he outplayed him in the QF did I?


It's a hard one to judge being serious.
For me you put Keenan into the England side would he perform as well as say Steward in the Ireland side? IMO no.

I took the in a losing team as the other time he lost to Keenan sorry.

I think that's your bias showing a little bit though or maybe not seeing Keenan's full role with Ireland. Steward is very good but the area he's definitely lacking in in comparison to Keenan is playmaking. Something which he is asked to do regularly for Ireland so no I don't think Steward would perform as well for Ireland as Keenan.

That said Keenan isn't the strikerunner Steward is so he wouldn't slot right into Stewards role.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

Steward and MJ wouldn't have let the coach sit him out in a semi-final. Did his move forget to pack his glove that morning?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I took the in a losing team as the other time he lost to Keenan sorry.

I think that's your bias showing a little bit though or maybe not seeing Keenan's full role with Ireland. Steward is very good but the area he's definitely lacking in in comparison to Keenan is playmaking. Something which he is asked to do regularly for Ireland so no I don't think Steward would perform as well for Ireland as Keenan.

That said Keenan isn't the strikerunner Steward is so he wouldn't slot right into Stewards role.

I understand Keenan role, and Steward has also certainly developed his playmaking ability was putting Freeman in as many holes as a married wingman this summer tour, granted he isn't anywhere near Keenan ability and really most likely won't be he doesn't have that pace to make himself a threat to draw defenders like Keenan.


But pretty much every high ball that goes up into the air both in attack or defence I'm chilling in the knowledge that steward will win it if he is around it. even when he catches it with a defender right on him he has the ability to go forward and not concede a penalty.
Keenan doesn't give me that same feeling.

I am bias towards Steward but it's less a Tigers player thing and more that the style I like my 15's. I always felt safer with Lewsley at 15 than Robinson at 15 I value the fundamentals it's why I was a massive fan of Kearney (who I hope Freddie can develop to be a in prime ugly version of Rob Kearney or I guess a more talented version of Dave Kearney)

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Forum literally crashed with all this nonsense lads. Keenan is the first in an endless line of Hugo's from South Dublin that will perfect rugby.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Warren Gatland has named the Lions XV he'd pick right now, which I think is pretty relevant to this thread.
1. Genge
2. George
3. Furlong
4. Ryan
5. Beirne
6. Lawes
7. Van der Flier
8. Doris
9. Gibson-Park
10. Sexton
11. Lowe
12. Farrell
13. Henshaw
14. Adams
15. Steward

16. Sheehan
17. Porter
18. Fagerson
19. Itoje
20. Faletau
21. Price
22. Smith
23. Nowell

Hard to argue with too much of it but my quick thoughts are that despite his scrummaging woes, Sheehan has gone clear as the best B&I hooker and personally I'd go for either of the Welsh 9s over Price on current form.

Edit: also I'm not sure who I'd pick over him but Adams shouldn't be there. Not even a guaranteed starter for Wales at the minute.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Warren Gatland has named the Lions XV he'd pick right now, which I think is pretty relevant to this thread.
1. Genge
2. George
3. Furlong
4. Ryan
5. Beirne
6. Lawes
7. Van der Flier
8. Doris
9. Gibson-Park
10. Sexton
11. Lowe
12. Farrell
13. Henshaw
14. Adams
15. Steward

16. Sheehan
17. Porter
18. Fagerson
19. Itoje
20. Faletau
21. Price
22. Smith
23. Nowell

Hard to argue with too much of it but my quick thoughts are that despite his scrummaging woes, Sheehan has gone clear as the best B&I hooker and personally I'd go for either of the Welsh 9s over Price on current form.

Edit: also I'm not sure who I'd pick over him but Adams shouldn't be there. Not even a guaranteed starter for Wales at the minute.

Gatland coaching the next lions tour confirmed.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Actually shocked he wasn't too stubborn to put Sexton in.

 

[Groundhog]

As if the biggest surprise isn't AWJ not starting and captaining.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

The fact that the next tour is to Australia and they just lost a tour to am England side who most fans want a change of coach over tells me maybe the whole Lions shtick isn't needed.

Ireland also now have a better series win percentage in NZ than the Lions...

 

[Smurfy]

As an Irish non Leinster fan I believe that Keenan is one of the most important players in the Irish setup. For me, if he continues on his current trajectory, he will go down as one of Irelands greatest ever full backs, despite the fact that I couldn't for the life of me understand why he was being picked in the first place. I can understand why Steward, in the same way as Kearney, catches peoples eye with his ability under the high ball, but in terms of overall excellence I think Keenan is the best in Europe at the moment.

I'm not sure that Steward would be as effective in the Irish setup as Keenan, as his all round game is not currently at the same level, and Irelands attacking patterns rely much more on decision making and subtlety than either Leicester's or England's. Certainly, even in the last 6 months Steward's game has developed very impressively, and if he stays injury free he will be a huge factor in the next Lions tour. I'm much more surprised by the inclusion of Lowe and Nowell in Gatland's 23 tbh.