(Very) early thoughts on the 2017 Lions

[TRF_Olyy]

He's a an amazing play maker, great tactical kicker but doesn't play for sale so can understand why you don't like him.

Aye, can't wait for Farrell Biggar and Sexton to run out for us tomorrow night :huh:

Pull the other one you muppet

 

[Maverick1987]

Am I the only one who thinks Sexton looks a bit over the hill now ? Especially if you consider the tour is the best part of a year away . His performances in 2013 can't even be thought about when selecting next years squad . My 3 choices for fly half would be Faz, Biggar and Ford every day as it stands . He may prove me wrong this year but that's how I feel at the moment

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

Aye, can't wait for Farrell Biggar and Sexton to run out for us tomorrow night :huh:

Pull the other one you muppet

No idea what your talking about. Sexton Farrell and bigger do all play for Sale......

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Do people think this could realistically be the last lions tour?

If the lions was to get thrashed say is there a possibility that this might be it?

Trouble would be it would cost the SH a nice cash injection (do NH unions get any money from it?) and it is a tradition that has been going strong.

 

[Mumbles119]

Do people think this could realistically be the last lions tour?

If the lions was to get thrashed say is there a possibility that this might be it?

Trouble would be it would cost the SH a nice cash injection (do NH unions get any money from it?) and it is a tradition that has been going strong.

I would guess that is the answer too. The cash generated for SH will be too needed to miss, so it will not be the last. But probably reviewed for style and structure

 

[Groundhog]

Maybe not relevant but J -O'Schmidt has committed to Ireland until 2019. Bless Him and all His works.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Do people think this could realistically be the last lions tour?

If the lions was to get thrashed say is there a possibility that this might be it?

Trouble would be it would cost the SH a nice cash injection (do NH unions get any money from it?) and it is a tradition that has been going strong.

There's definitely more interesting and beneficial ways to make money every 4/12 years. Summer tournaments in the US would surely make some serious cash.

 

[ncurd]

Here's the question if the USA is an untapped market full of millions instantly waiting to be grabed, how come all rugby authorities have really managed is a couple 'exhibition' games there a year?

I think theres a vast overestimation of how much money there really is for Rugby out there currently.

 

[Saint4805]

Do people think this could realistically be the last lions tour?

If the lions was to get thrashed say is there a possibility that this might be it?

Trouble would be it would cost the SH a nice cash injection (do NH unions get any money from it?) and it is a tradition that has been going strong.

Getting thrashed by the best team in the world won't be the reason it comes to an end because the tours to SA and Australia are very winnable.

Some innovation could be a good thing - perhaps a bi-annual round robin featuring the Lions and the top two teams from TRC with games in Hong Kong, Dubai and the US could generate a lot of interest and revenue. Not sure how this would impact the home nation tours though.

 

[McTallshort]

Do people think this could realistically be the last lions tour?

If the lions was to get thrashed say is there a possibility that this might be it?

Trouble would be it would cost the SH a nice cash injection (do NH unions get any money from it?) and it is a tradition that has been going strong.

The SH unions love the money but you only have to read a few autobiographies to know they can be very underhand in the way they deal with the Lions touring teams. I think its becoming increasingly difficult to justify the Lions to the NH players employees be it unions, clubs or regions. Look at the tour to NZ, a completely crazy schedule for players who will have been playing for 10 months all designed to milk as much money as possible from the paying Lions fans while at the same time ensuring the tour is so impossibly difficult there is no chance of winning the series.

Then look at the fact we cannot even find an English/Irish/Scotsman/Welshman capable of coaching the thing its really lost its magic. The last great tour was 1997, since then its been dying a slow death.

 

[AzaMatt]

i dont know why people are assuming gatland wouldnt pick ford. ford is as close to priestland (on form) as you can get. great vision, excellent tactical kicker. hes nowhere near as fickle and unpredictable as priestland is now. ford would be a great option at 10 as long as there is another kicker on the field as other people have said. im worried that if halfpenny is selected at full back that liam williams will not get a look in on the wing, which is unfair as he has been stella for wales (and scarlets) for a while. he deserves to go on current form, just hope he keeps it up until then.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I do like the idea of a world club series between the top 4 teams in the Pro 12, AP, Top 14 and Super rugby and play it in a neutral venue once every 4 years scrap the play-offs for that domestic year.
So for example if going off the 2015/16 season
Pool 1 Pool 2 Pool 3 Pool 4
Saracens Leinster Hurricanes Clermont
Connacht Exeter Toulon Lions
Montepelier Stormers Glasgow Wasps
Brumbies Racing Leicester Ulster

and playing it at a neutral venue, maybe encourage tier 1 Internationals to play games without those top 4 against tier 2 teams.


although i do agree i think people are putting way to much on the USA being a huge money maker ATM it needs to either
1) do well at the world cup
2) Host the World cup
or even more preferable do both.

 

[Which Tyler]

The SH unions love the money but you only have to read a few autobiographies to know they can be very underhand in the way they deal with the Lions touring teams. I think its becoming increasingly difficult to justify the Lions to the NH players employees be it unions, clubs or regions. Look at the tour to NZ, a completely crazy schedule for players who will have been playing for 10 months all designed to milk as much money as possible from the paying Lions fans while at the same time ensuring the tour is so impossibly difficult there is no chance of winning the series.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Here's the question if the USA is an untapped market full of millions instantly waiting to be grabed, how come all rugby authorities have really managed is a couple 'exhibition' games there a year?

I think theres a vast overestimation of how much money there really is for Rugby out there currently.

^This. This thinking that the US is a pot of Gold waiting to be exploited is delusional IMO. Maybe one off matches, but US fans are fickle and they have enough sports to keep them entertained, especially ones where their "teams" win and US Eagles are not winning team.

 

[Peat]

The USA is a pot of gold, particularly by rugby standards. Its just going to take more work to find where the pot is hidden. My money is on 7s finding their big pot of gold there. Being particularly alarmist, a 7s tourney there really wouldn't have to be that huge by American sport standards to blast open the idea you make more money playing 15s.

Its certainly a more likely thought than the Lions ending after this tour

 

[TRF_heineken]

Have any of you NH fellows ever been on the B&I Lions tours?

I was fortunate enough to have been at the 2nd Test against the Boks at Loftus, and also managed to hang out with a couple of guys from England.

To me, the B&I Lions tour, isn't about the profitability it generates, but rather the camaraderie it creates between various nations who love the Sport. For the B&I Lions fans it's not just about the day of the game and filling up the SH stadiums in red, but their daily experience while on tour.

The lads I met, went hunting, Elephant walking, Wine Tours and even flew to Zimbabwe to visit the Victoria Falls.

I really hope that these talks about it being the last series isn't true, as I'd love to host a few NH guys next time you're in SA.

 

[Which Tyler]

The USA is a pot of gold, particularly by rugby standards. Its just going to take more work to find where the pot is hidden. My money is on 7s finding their big pot of gold there. Being particularly alarmist, a 7s tourney there really wouldn't have to be that huge by American sport standards to blast open the idea you make more money playing 15s.

Its certainly a more likely thought than the Lions ending after this tour

I've long thought that if the USA was going to adopt rugby, it'd be 7s or League. Union is simply too complicated for the huddled masses; it takes too long to learn what's happening, and probably has too much inconsistency in interpretation. League is so much easier to undertand; whilst 7s is both easier to understand, but also allows for adverts every 7 minutes.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

^This. This thinking that the US is a pot of Gold waiting to be exploited is delusional IMO. Maybe one off matches, but US fans are fickle and they have enough sports to keep them entertained, especially ones where their "teams" win and US Eagles are not winning team.

Soccer sides like Man U, Barcelona etc... Have been going for years and grown the market to one they currently make billions of dollars on, no reason that if games with NZ, SA, England, Aus and Ireland (the most marketable sides over there at a guess) that we couldn't do the same in the next ten years, on a smaller scale obviously. It's a lot better for everyone than Lions tours in the long run.

 

[Peat]

It's a lot better for everyone than Lions tours in the long run.

Except for the many people who enjoy the Lions for the thing they are.

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

I've long thought that if the USA was going to adopt rugby, it'd be 7s or League. Union is simply too complicated for the huddled masses; it takes too long to learn what's happening, and probably has too much inconsistency in interpretation. League is so much easier to undertand; whilst 7s is both easier to understand, but also allows for adverts every 7 minutes.

Sadly I think your right in that league will be the code of the future since it's so similar to American football already and union is too much like soccer for most Americans.
I think 7s would have a chance if we developed it into an nba style game. 12 minute quarters, 13 man bench with unlimited subs that plays about 3 nights a week. Play it over summer and you instantly have a more interesting sport than baseball.