(Very) early thoughts on the 2017 Lions

[munstermuffin]

Ah yes, of course; that's the reason why Ireland can't get past QFs at RWCs. With so much depth now this shouldn't be a problem;0).

Its more amount of injury issues our guys have got from those tours.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I sense a big conflict in you Alpha Bro, on the one hand you really hate the Lions, that they get in the way of your beloved Ireland and their quest for world domination; yet on the other hand you just can't help picking a Lions team. Come on admit it, you love the Lions really.

I'm a rugby fan and the Lions, whether I like it or not, is the biggest event in the sport next year so I enjoy the exercise! Is that the squad I want Gats to pick? No way! Do I care if they win or lose? Not really!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

My lions tour team ATM i think it will be a big tour as well TBH looking at the fixtures.

1) McGrath, Vunipola, Marler
2) Hartley, Best, George
3) Furlong, Cole, Nel, Sink
4) AWJ, Launchberry,
5) Itoje, Kruis, J.Gray
6) Henderson (would be tempted to put Henderson @ lock over Kruis and POM @ 6), Strander, Haskell/Robshaw
7) Warburton, O'Brien, Moriarty
8) Vunipola, Faleteau
9) Murray, Webb, Youngs
10) Sexton, Ford,
11) North, Zebo,
12) Henshaw, Farrell (Who else is there really maybe another Irish 12 maybe a ulsterman)
13) JJ, Davies, Jones
14) Watson, May
15) Williams, Hogg, Halfpenny

Coaching
Head coach - Gatland
Attack coach - Townsend (Assuming no Schmidt)
Defence coach - Gustard/Farrell snr
Lineout coach - Borthwick
Scrum coach - Rowntree
Kicking coach - Jenkins

How i think it will look
1) Vunipola, McGrath, Jenkins, Marler
2) Best, Hartley, George, Welsh player
3) Cole, Furlong, Nel, Lee
4) AWJ, Itoje, J.Gray
5) Kruis, Toner,
6) Henderson, Lydiate, Moriarty
7) Warburton, O'Brien, Tips,
8) Faleteau, Vunipola
9) Webb, Murray, Youngs
10) Bigger, Sexton, Farrell
11) North, Nowell, Cuthbert
12) Henshaw, Roberts
13) Davies, JJ,
14) Williams, Watson, Zebo
15) Halfpenny, Hogg

HC - Gatland
BC - Howely
DC - Farrell snr
LO C - Borthwick
Scrum coach - Rowntree
Kicking coach - Jenkins.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Tigs - if Cuthbert gets picked in the squad, we know 100% sure he's got pictures of Gatland and Howley in a compromising position.

 

[munstermuffin]

Wales will be under pressure to have a big 6 months to get a majority on the squad rightfully.
England and Ireland have been well ahead of them. And I think Scotland have improved greatly.

The big thing would be coaching. I would question guys like Howley being on ticket.
Borthwick and Farrell have proven themselves as has Gustard.
But would we go down route to of a guy like Alex King having chance.
The whole make up is up for competition.
I think the captain will ve Best or Hartley though

 

[TheSaffycen]

This is my squad not Gatlands
LH Vunipola Healy McGrath
HK Best Hartley George
TH Nel Furlong Cole
LK Itoje AWJ Kruis J Gray Launchbury
BF Stander Robshaw POM
OF Tipuric Haskell SOB
N8 Vunipola Faletau
SH Webb Murray Young's
FH Ford Sexton Farrell
IC Henshaw Williams
OC Joseph Jones Davies
B3 May North Williams Hogg Watson Zebo

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Surprised by the number of people saying Healy should go. I only watched the Irish games vs NZ, has he been particularly impressive?

 

[TheSaffycen]

Who else would you select? Jenkins hasnt been great for a little while, maybe Dickinson

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

Who else would you select? Jenkins hasnt been great for a little while, maybe Dickinson

From what I've seen I'd have Jenkins and Marler ahead of him. As I said though, I haven't seen many Ireland games so I'm not objecting, just questioning.

 

[TheSaffycen]

I just can't see Marler having a tour without a ban though, Jenkins has that valuable ability to steal the ball at ruck time though and that must be up there. NZ can't get any easy ball so maybe Haskell out and Warbs instead.

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

I just can't see Marler having a tour without a ban though, Jenkins has that valuable ability to steal the ball at ruck time though and that must be up there. NZ can't get any easy ball so maybe Haskell out and Warbs instead.

I don't think Marler's as much of a liability as is made out. Yesterday was pretty undeserved, and definitely not ban worthy. GipsyGate, again, I think undeserved. I don't believe it to be 'racism' and I really doubt that when he said it, it was intended as racism, he probably had no idea that gypsies are considered to be a race at all.

 

[corny]

I'd pick an Irish front row, an English second row and Irish halves. Good combinations gives us a good platform. The rest up for grabs.

Something like

1. McGrath
2. Best
3. Furlong
4. Itoje
5. Kruis
6. Warburton
7. O'Brien
8. Vunipola (hope he overcomes his injury in time)
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. North (by default but he scarcely deserves it)
12. Henshaw (If Sexton breaks down i'd have Ford and Farrell 10 and 12)
13. Jones (purely from youtube clips and the fact i need a Scot)
14. Watson
15. Williams

Hope the likes of Warburton, SOB and Sexton stay injury free.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I'm a rugby fan and the Lions, whether I like it or not, is the biggest event in the sport next year so I enjoy the exercise! Is that the squad I want Gats to pick? No way! Do I care if they win or lose? Not really!

Oh I see jump on the bandwagon, but have no emotional investment whatsoever. So you'll be the first one to tell everyone I told you so if the Lions lose and if by some miracle they pulled off a win, say it's all down to the Irish boys..

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

I'd have a back row of 6. O'brain 7. Tuitipric and 8. Billy V

I don't think warberton deserves a starting spot.

 

[Shaggy]

.... I can't see Jared Payne's name there in any of these teams ... I think if he's fit, he'll be named ... His utility value in the back line , and that he played so long in NZ and knows the style of play so well

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

No idea at all who's going to skipper this. No justification for Warbs this time, and neither Hartley nor Best would be nailed on starters. My choice is AWJ and I'd have George as my bolter, so:

McGrath, George, Furlong, Kruis, AWJ (c), Itoje, O'Brien, Faletau, Murray, Faz (Sexton breaks too easily), May, Henshaw, JJ, Watson & for a bit of tokenism, Hogg.

 

[stus768]

I'd have a back row of 6. O'brain 7. Tuitipric and 8. Billy V

I don't think warberton deserves a starting spot.

No way Warburton survives injury free for this tour. Also why I don't think he should be captain.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Oh I see jump on the bandwagon, but have no emotional investment whatsoever. So you'll be the first one to tell everyone I told you so if the Lions lose and if by some miracle they pulled off a win, say it's all down to the Irish boys..

Christ, you're really having a go!

Is there a bandwagon to be jumped on? The Lions will be forced down my throat by Sky Sports, the rest of the media and my friends! My choice is to stick my head in the sand or watch some rugby and pray no one gets injured. I will say I liked the Lions up until about 2014 when I realised Ireland lost Cian Healy and Paul O'Connell during the tour while the heavy workload definitely played a part in Sean O'Brien's injury woes as he hasn't lasted a full international window since as well as Sexton on a slightly less drastic level!

So I won't ignore it but won't support it, the best result for me is an embarrassing tour which will get people questioning why bother proceeding with an impossible task in future. South Africa's woes may also affect it, imagine the tour was there next year, three of the four sides that make up the Lions are ranked higher than them and have beaten them this year, we don't need to team up to beat sides we're better than.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Christ, you're really having a go!

Is there a bandwagon to be jumped on? The Lions will be forced down my throat by Sky Sports, the rest of the media and my friends! My choice is to stick my head in the sand or watch some rugby and pray no one gets injured. I will say I liked the Lions up until about 2014 when I realised Ireland lost Cian Healy and Paul O'Connell during the tour while the heavy workload definitely played a part in Sean O'Brien's injury woes as he hasn't lasted a full international window since as well as Sexton on a slightly less drastic level!

So I won't ignore it but won't support it, the best result for me is an embarrassing tour which will get people questioning why bother proceeding with an impossible task in future. South Africa's woes may also affect it, imagine the tour was there next year, three of the four sides that make up the Lions are ranked higher than them and have beaten them this year, we don't need to team up to beat sides we're better than.

Seriously, not having a go. Just interested in why fans say they hate the Lions, but then happy to chip in with their thoughts on who is on the plane etc, etc. For me I love top level sport and the Lions is such a unique thing in sport that it should be protected IMO. Even if they do and probably will lose next year. The Lions have lasted 128 years and am sure it will survive another even if they do lose the series 3 zip in 2017.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Seriously, not having a go. Just interested in why fans say they hate the Lions, but then happy to chip in with their thoughts on who is on the plane etc, etc. For me I love top level sport and the Lions is such a unique thing in sport that it should be protected IMO. Even if they do and probably will lose next year. The Lions have lasted 128 years and am sure it will survive another even if they do lose the series 3 zip in 2017.

I wasn't all that serious!

I chip in on England and Wales every so often, comment on Munster and Connacht an awful lot, I don't necessarily like them, its just very close to home in my favourite sport and pointless to ignore! I might as well have a bit of fun!

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Seriously, not having a go. Just interested in why fans say they hate the Lions, but then happy to chip in with their thoughts on who is on the plane etc, etc. For me I love top level sport and the Lions is such a unique thing in sport that it should be protected IMO. Even if they do and probably will lose next year. The Lions have lasted 128 years and am sure it will survive another even if they do lose the series 3 zip in 2017.

I wasn't all that serious!

I chip in on England and Wales every so often, comment on Munster and Connacht an awful lot, I don't necessarily like them, its just very close to home in my favourite sport and pointless to ignore! I might as well have a bit of fun!