The Lions squad for 2021 prediction

[Welsh Exile]

Yeah but Youngs got a letter, so your opinion is null and void as he was on the list. Marler is a fair point, great player and if he had played for England recently I'd get it but agree with you that he's a 50/50 call.

It's not null and void. A letter doesn't mean you're going mate. My hunch was that he wouldn't of quite made the cut over Murray, Davies, Williams and Price but that's just my opinion and now we'll never know unless Gats confirms he would've gone like he did with North (though that was obvious)

 

[Jakedood]

Yeah but Youngs got a letter, so your opinion is null and void as he was on the list. Marler is a fair point, great player and if he had played for England recently I'd get it but agree with you that he's a 50/50 call.

Tb to welsh exile, Gats apparently sent letter to over 50 players, with only a 36 man squad

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Yeah but Youngs got a letter, so your opinion is null and void as he was on the list. Marler is a fair point, great player and if he had played for England recently I'd get it but agree with you that he's a 50/50 call.

Letter doesn't mean going? About 50 players get them I think?

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

IDK I think Gatland is a fan of Youngs TBH, when he was picked in 2017 people had similar issues with him, and Youngs was also the last scrum half to play SA during you know the rugby World Cup.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah, I reckon Farrell and Youngs are (were) both inked in regardless of form - both always seem consistently highly rated by all those around them (coaches and players alike) despite what they're doing out on the pitch

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

He got a letter...so he was likely to go or be called up.

Carl Fearns...didn't get a letter, not likely to go or get called up.

Pretty simple really.

 

[Dean Cooperfield-West]

I'm hoping Danny Care, Cameron Redpath and Marcus Smith are selected.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

I'm hoping Danny Care, Cameron Redpath and Marcus Smith are selected.

Only the former of them has a realistic chance imo, as much as I would like the latter to I don't think he would be ready

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

If you select Smith you might as well pick Ford really.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Sheedy has probably been one of the standout 10s but it's hard to judge as he hasn't had a start. Still, more to go on than Marcus Smith.

 

[Welsh Exile]

I thought Redpath had a pretty decent game for Bath the other night. Gats was in the stands. I don't expect he will go but he's a classy footballer.

 

[ncurd]

Wikipedia doesn't really have Gats first tour for caps beforehand and I can't be arsed doing that much research.

2017 British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Gats is a pretty conservative coach and not really one for shocking picks. Last time Sinckler, Itoje and Te'o were the closest things to bolters. And whilst Te'o was a bit weird looking back Sinckler and Itoje had already begun making a massive impact in their short international careers. This time and you look at the 6 nations who is there? Possibly LRZ (who i'd be taking) and not many others.

Its also a smaller squad than usual so even less room for shock call ups.

So unless a lot of the squad withdraw it'll be mainstays and obvious choices. There might be omission or two like Lauchburry and Russell from last time and I fully expect Russell this time.

But yeah I think there is a lot of 'out of the box' talking going on but I think the actual selection will be rather boring.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Lions Te'o was the same reason as England Te'o, desperate for someone to give them a Tuilagi type in the middle.

IDK I think generally people want to make Lions selection more interesting than it usually is, every time people mention loads of in form club players but in all tours they don't really get picked maybe like 1 player.

I largely blame the media for wanting to keep generating stories to get readers.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

The Guardian has reported that Smith received a letter.

50+ letters and 36 places granted. But this would be such a wild card it does make you wonder. His lack of international experience makes him an unlikely reserve list player to parachute in in the event of injury. If he is going to be involved it would make more sense for this to be from outset.

Very long shot, yet you can see the temptation.....

Biggar's a cert. Sexton is good, but injury prone and aging. Russell hasn't really lived up to the hype in a Sco shirt and there's the member of the awkward squad stuff. Farrell will travel but maybe more as a 12 who can cover 10.

Smith's been in form, full of confidence, has a bit of the devil about his game and isn't a known quantity to the Boks. And a certain amount of logic if Care also goes.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I thought Redpath had a pretty decent game for Bath the other night. Gats was in the stands. I don't expect he will go but he's a classy footballer.

Yeah, very unfortunate injury - if he'd gotten a full 6N under his belt, with that kind of form, then he'd be in with a shout, especially as he can cover 15 and 10 in an emergency
Hard to see him being properly in the mix atm - though it's slim pickings at centre so who knows

 

[Welsh Exile]

Yeah, very unfortunate injury - if he'd gotten a full 6N under his belt, with that kind of form, then he'd be in with a shout, especially as he can cover 15 and 10 in an emergency
Hard to see him being properly in the mix atm - though it's slim pickings at centre so who knows

Yeah agreed. I think he's exactly the type of center we're missing as well. Doesn't look like much but he's powerful and he's a skilful ball player who's got a bit of X factor about him. Shame. As you say, though, slim pickings and I would be surprised if Gats was there to just watch Underhill (who didn't have his best game) and Faletau (who's already a certainty) so you'd think he was keeping an eye on him.

 

[Jakedood]

He got a letter...so he was likely to go or be called up.

Carl Fearns...didn't get a letter, not likely to go or get called up.

Pretty simple really.

Okay Im gonna put this bluntly... 56 got letters, 36 are touring, so 36% of people with letters, are not touring

Maybe on reserve list, Im not sure how that works, but it doesnt guarantee selection

 

[TRF_Olyy]

13:00 TRF servers explode

 

[ncurd]

View attachment 10765

13:00 TRF servers explode

12:09 surely,

God this is going to be painful 19 mins (why so precise) after that before the Squad.....

 

[Jakedood]

12:09 surely,

God this is going to be painful 19 mins (why so precise) after that before the Squad.....

The scenes if its not AWJ