<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GimleyUK @ Mar 31 2009, 12:15 PM)
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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (gingergenius @ Mar 31 2009, 04:38 PM)
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And I'm not saying don't pick Henson at 12, nor that he isn't a world-class player, but it's like saying Paul Gasgoigne was the world's best midfielder. If I was picking a world team, I would put Giteau, de Villiers, Nonu, Hernandez in before Henson.[/b]
fair comment ginger nuts
but can you see why i have selected those players.. i want a fast, open team that run, and spread the defense and open holes.
we need a light fast pack.
inside backs that can think and play whats infront of them
we need wingers that will light the touch line with pace and not with guile
we need a team that can keep possession and move it around.
Ryan Jones has not gone a long way backwards, i would select Jones over Heaslip because of his work on the ground, Jones is more successful in the ruck, he fights and wins the ball more.
Jones also has a very powerful running game to. Heaslip scored tries and ran a lot this six nations while ferris and wallace hide from the lime light they usually occupy and did the grunt work maintain possession.
Tom James - well should Geechs select him, he could well be what john bentley was to the last tour. and we need a big winger with skill and pace as an option to most of the other wingers that may go who are smaller stature, other options to james are shane horgan who is not that good anymore and the big wingers from england like Banahan and Cohen are a bit to thick for the kinda of game i would like to see the lions play with Henson and Cipriani organising attack.
Cipriani, i would take James Hook if h was on form, but he needs a kick up the arse at the moment. I hope Hook goes on the tour because it would do him the world of good, and possibly do the lions some good too.
I would choose to select a fly-half like cipriani or hook because they are inventive if not as consistant as Jones. Jones and O'Gara are to slow passing the ball which causes play to drift wide to quickly and hit the touchline. O'Gara struggles to pass of his left hand too, which to me rules him out completely.
Steve Jones or O'gara are great to play a territory game but i want the lions to run to our strengths out wide, we have brilliant wingers an the best 13 and 15 in the sport, which means Jones or O'Gara would stiffle the talent outside.
I hear your opinion about Henson bit is very common place, TRENDY even to dissregard him but, I vehemently disagree.
Henson is the finest reader of the game at 12, and creates the most time and space i have ever seen in a player, sometimes it looks as though a defense are reluctant to tackle him. you very very rarely see a defender get a BIG HIT on Henson. I find it almost impossible to contest his value to any side, because to contest it has overtones of you not watching him as much as someone who recognizes his talent. he rarely makes wrong decisions.
Though his massive impact into any welsh campaigns of he has started (2005 and 2008 GS) may prove a point if you would rather a STATISIC than to watch him play.
I agree that the 12s you mentioned are awsome and a pleasure to watch, but Henson is better still.
i thought the most contentious issue of my selection was to go for Bowe over Williams ?
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James over Williams who to me would be a shoe-in.
I personally wouldn't pick Bowe; I think there are better wingers, starting with Fitzgerald... but at the same time he is a decent player and I don't think it's a major arguing point who fills the other wing slot next to shane.
