Road to Lions 2017

[Peat]

Holy batman, someone who rates Ritchie Gray? That's a rare species round these parts :lol:

I am very happy to go after NZ in the maul and encourage it strongly. I don't want to give up on going after NZ in the scrum and lineout - but if you were to tell me to make a list of priorities for targeting NZ, they're imo relatively low down. I say relatively. Your summary is fairly spot on.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Picking Richie Grey is pretty much saying I want my team to be flashy, but massively ineffectual. Might as well play Andy Powell too.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Holy batman, someone who rates Ritchie Gray? That's a rare species round these parts :lol:

Really? I know he's not everyone's cup of tea but I would think someone else would rate him! Thought he had a good autumn series too, didn't he top the "metres made" stats for Scotland?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Really? I know he's not everyone's cup of tea but I would think someone else would rate him!

I think Iamscotty does, but other than that.......nah.

 

[ratsapprentice]

Poor man's Tom Croft is Ritchie.

 

[j'nuh]

Didn't everyone used to love Gray when he first came on the scene, then everyone started hating him, and now people just don't care about him?

 

[Irishkid]

I quite like him especially his hair

 

[Peat]

Really? I know he's not everyone's cup of tea but I would think someone else would rate him! Thought he had a good autumn series too, didn't he top the "metres made" stats for Scotland?

You might be thinking of his brother; young Jonny made metres in Scotland's pack and made more tackles as well. Now there's a talent.

I used to think Ritchie has the goods, and he certainly has the athleticism, but over the past few years I (and seemingly a lot of others) have been coming to the opinion he just doesn't do a great deal with it and is a bit of a seagull.

 

[Groundhog]

In my opinion, Richie Gray is about as much use on a rugby pitch as pubes on a fish, who'd be anonymous in many games if you couldn't spot that big blonde mop of his bobbing about in the backline when he should be rucking.
Jonny is a far better player.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, Gray's definitely a highlights reel forward.

His breakout season he stoodout because he did well in the lineout (partly due to his height) and he carried very well in the loose - it was after a year of this that people started to realise that he doesn't really contribute anything else. No tight carried, no real breakdown work to talk about, or hitting rucks meaningfully.



On a personal level, I question his commitment as well. When we started doing badly some players (Leota, Tuitupou, Seymour, Cueto etc.) knuckled down and gave everything on the pitch, Gray just couldn't be arsed. Sky (was it sky at the time) put together a little "highlights" reel of him actively avoiding tackles and rucks in a game we were losing, because he simply couldn't be bothered putting the effort in if he was losing.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

In my opinion, Richie Gray is about as much use on a rugby pitch as pubes on a fish, who'd be anonymous in many games if you couldn't spot that big blonde mop of his bobbing about in the backline when he should be rucking.
Jonny is a far better player.

Do Whales have pubes? I know they are not fish but still.

FWI I'm not googling that.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Yeah, Gray's definitely a highlights reel forward.

His breakout season he stoodout because he did well in the lineout (partly due to his height) and he carried very well in the loose - it was after a year of this that people started to realise that he doesn't really contribute anything else. No tight carried, no real breakdown work to talk about, or hitting rucks meaningfully.



On a personal level, I question his commitment as well. When we started doing badly some players (Leota, Tuitupou, Seymour, Cueto etc.) knuckled down and gave everything on the pitch, Gray just couldn't be arsed. Sky (was it sky at the time) put together a little "highlights" reel of him actively avoiding tackles and rucks in a game we were losing, because he simply couldn't be bothered putting the effort in if he was losing.

Hah! Any chance of a link to that?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Hah! Any chance of a link to that?

Can't find it on Youtube, unfortunately, but if you speak to any Sale fan you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with a positive opinion on him/his time here.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Looks like I put the cat among the pigeons there! Maybe it's time to suggest Farrell and O'Driscoll in the centres...

Maybe I was wrong about that metres carried stat, maybe it was Jonny, but in the Autumn I thought Richie looked brighter than he has done for a while, and he has always carried well. Some see it as hanging around in the backline, personally I think it's a useful weapon to have forwards who'll hit it up in the midfield as well as those hitting around the fringes. Maybe you're missing out on some grunt work from one of your locks, but that's something you have to balance out.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

in the Autumn I thought Richie looked brighter than he has done for a while

It's the new shampoo he's using.

 

[munstermuffin]

Lads Simon Zebo will be captain and top try scorer for Lions. You heard it here 1st.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

1. Ross Harrison
2. Tommy Taylor
3. Samson Lee
4. Josh Beaumont
5. Alun Wyn Jones
6. Magnus Lund
7. Dave Seymour
8. Ben Morgan
9. Connor Murray
10. Danny Cipriani
11. Johnny May
12. Kyle Eastmond
13. Manu Tuilagi
14. Simon Zebo (c)
15. Mike Haley

16. Webber, 17. Healy, 18. Cole, 19. Launchbury, 20. O'Brien, 21. Care, 22. Slade, 23. Addison

 

[Peat]

No Nathan Fowles?

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

I think Iamscotty does, but other than that.......nah.

Well....

About Richie Gray, I do think Jonny is better now but on a serious note I think Richie is improving to what he was like at sale, It was like Richie was not 100% fit at sale. I think his downfall was when he first joined sale. But I think with Vern's help he will be like what he once use to be (Well that's what I hope anyway)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

No Nathan Fowles?

We'll see what he's like when he's getting more game time, still getting over injury.

Cliff, on the other hand - potential bolter.