The Lions squad for 2021 prediction

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Depends what you mean by 'basics'. For a guy that has played the entirety of his career at 9, I 100% agree that his pass is not anywhere near good enough. However, he snipes well, his box kicking is mostly very good and he's a reliable defender.

Yeah for me SH basics is passing, keeping up with the play (fitness) and sweeping defence. Sniping is not a basic in my mind (but I get it could be in others). His Box kicking is just a bit meh in general but that's maybe because he does it all the blummin time.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Sam Underhill gets final chance to stake claim for place in Lions squad

Sam Underhill will have one final chance to stake his claim for a place in the Lions squad, with Warren Gatland attending Bath v Montpellier

www.theguardian.com

 

[Welsh Exile]

Adam Jones says Care should go which is good enough for me.

 

[Jakedood]

Care also wasn't performing particularly well at the time, in fairness when he was dropped
His passing is poor to average, and he can be a good impact sub but wouldn't trust him to start. I think Davies is decent, but Murray has the basics down best of all the SH options. He's no Faf or Dupont, but he can control the game brilliantly

 

[Bada-Bing!]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/56898985

 

[big ginger 8]

Anyone watch BT's Lions fantasy draft thing last night? Watching it now. Basically a snake draft of their starting Lions XV first round order is Kay, Dallagio, Warburton and then Murphy.

Furlong first off the board and everyone says he would have been their first pick, then AWJ, Faletau and Hogg. Bit more of an interesting format to it (especially with the NFL draft this weekend) than the usual stuff.

EDIT:


Every selector had two bolter cards to play one for a legend and one for someone not currently representing their international side, the second one is a good idea if probably unnecessary to have it branded as such, the first is is dumb imo (even if 3/4 were Irish...) and just gave the guys a cop out in certain spots. Outside of the bolters selectors had a pool from which they had to select the players. Some here will be happy to know Kelleher was not one of them as far as I could see although as McBryde specifically namechecked him at a Lions press conference and his own comments suggest he was one of the 56 to get a letter that seems silly to me.

Also people's biases are very clear whether it be for country, guys they know, players they cover a lot or just style of player but obviously that all happens with coaches anyway. Some interesting in order of selections as well like Beirne picked quite late and Wyn Jones being picked well after Genge and Mako. It was recorded before North and Launchbury's injuries.

Dallagio: 1. Jones 2. George 3. Sinckler 4. Henderson 5. Jones. 6. Navidi 7. Tipuric. 8. Vunipola 9. McGrath 10. Sexton. 11. Rees-Zammit 12. Farrell 13. O'Driscoll 14. Adams 15. Malins

Murphy: 1. Marler 2. Owens 3. Porter 4. Gray 5. McBride 6. Underhill 7. O'Mahony 8. Stander 9. Youngs 10. Russell 11. Stockdale 12. Henshaw 13. Ringrose 14. Earls 15. Hogg

Kay: 1. Genge 2. Wood 3. Furlong 4. Launchbury 5. Hill 6. Beirne 7. Curry. 8. Simmonds 9. Murray 10. Biggar 11. May. 12. Slade. 13. Davies 14. Nowell 15. Williams

Warburton: 1. Vunipola 2. Cowan-Dickie 3. Francis 4. Itoje 5. Ryan 6. Lawes 7. Watson 8. Faletau 9. Care 10. Wilkinson 11. Van der Merwe 12. Tuilagi 13. North 14. Watson 15. Halfpenny

 

[ncurd]

Can't help but think Care talk is mainly because the 1st choice internationals aren't tearing it up and he's one of the few with experience. He was rightly binned when he was and doubt he'd play at his best if called up.

England's problem has been moving on from him and Youngs. It's a backstop to think of either for the Lions (except a lack of credible choices).

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

So Genge, Ford, Youngs and Steward lions certs?


The same people who are saying Care for Lions are prob the same people saying Simmonds from the Lions.
Care has played well in the league this season, but the premiership IMO has been pretty poor standard this year on the whole.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

So Genge, Ford, Youngs and Steward lions certs?


The same people who are saying Care for Lions are prob the same people saying Simmonds from the Lions.
Care has played well in the league this season, but the premiership IMO has been pretty poor standard this year on the whole.

Yeah, hard to pick someone purely off club form. Ross Byrne looks a complete 10 with Leinster and a complete flop in green, Cooney in a similar bracket over here.

 

[big ginger 8]

In fairness the likes of Care and Marler are different to a Simmonds or Cooney as they have actually performed at international level before. Not sure I'd pick any of them but it is an extra factor which deserves some weight.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

In fairness the likes of Care and Marler are different to a Simmonds or Cooney as they have actually performed at international level before. Not sure I'd pick any of them but it is an extra factor which deserves some weight.

Care and Marler are not the same for me.
Care hasn't preformed at International level for 3 years, Marler played v France in December.

For me once a player has been out of International rugby for that long I don't count his previous international form.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Care and Marler are not the same for me.
Care hasn't preformed at International level for 3 years, Marler played v France in December.

For me once a player has been out of International rugby for that long I don't count his previous international form.

Out of curiosity, when was the last time Marler played for England prior to that?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Out of curiosity, when was the last time Marler played for England prior to that?

Started v France Wales and Ireland in the 2020 Six Nations

 

[big ginger 8]

Care and Marler are not the same for me.
Care hasn't preformed at International level for 3 years, Marler played v France in December.

For me once a player has been out of International rugby for that long I don't count his previous international form.

Yeah that's a fair point and Marler would certainly be the stronger Lions candidate between them for me, both helped by weaker position groups.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

If Genge had cut his hair and wasn't playing with the mullet nurf England Internationals get (Cown-Dickie mullet form v Clean cut form) I reckon he could've put himself down, but that 2nd/3rd Loosehead choices is tight in not a great way.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Started v France Wales and Ireland in the 2020 Six Nations

Yeah that's not to bad. He's definitely the more credible option. Still, for me, a sub appearance against a weak France team in December meaning his last run of international games was Feb 2020 is too long for me but it's not like 2 years or anything that bad.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Ben Youngs rules himself out

Ben Youngs PULLS OUT of this summer's Lions tour of South Africa

EXCLUSIVE BY NIK SIMON: Youngs received a save-the-date letter from Warren Gatland but ruled himself out of contention. He would have been the most experienced back in the squad.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Got a letter but has a kid on the way and wants to stay with family

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Whether you agree with him being in contention or not, you've gotta respect the reasons he's withdrawn from the last two tours

I'm glad he made it onto/got capped on the 2013 tour

 

[ncurd]

Suspect we might see a couple more.

 

[Leinster Fan]

Whether you agree with him being in contention or not, you've gotta respect the reasons he's withdrawn from the last two tours

I'm glad he made it onto/got capped on the 2013 tour

Yeah me too. Has done the right thing for him/those around him on the last two tours but it would have been a pity had it meant he never got to play for the Lions, regardless how you feel about him as a player.