British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Buer

Deleted User wrote: »

his first decent game this season really.

Shouldn't have been anywhere near the England 6N team.

I've seen him have games this season where he has been decent prior to last weekend. He certainly hasn't hit the heights of previous seasons and was off in the 6N but to be in a side that is notorious for not scoring tries and still have a try in every second game is impressive.

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny

Buer wrote: »

I've seen him have games this season where he has been decent prior to last weekend. He certainly hasn't hit the heights of previous seasons and was off in the 6N but to be in a side that is notorious for not scoring tries and still have a try in every second game is impressive.

His scoring record of late is poor, his discipline is exceptionally poor and their are wingers playing better than him. Think at the moment he;s behind the Welsh back 3, Hogg, Maitland, Zebo and Gilroy and probably Mike Brown. Needs a big few weeks to secure his spot!

Buer

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny wrote: »

His scoring record of late is poor, his discipline is exceptionally poor and their are wingers playing better than him. Think at the moment he;s behind the Welsh back 3, Hogg, Maitland, Zebo and Gilroy and probably Mike Brown. Needs a big few weeks to secure his spot!

That's his scoring rate this season: 17 games for Saracens, 8 tries. Pretty good. Also try scoring is far from everything or we'd see Varndell and Wade on the plane. His work around the park is generally excellent.

I'd be surprised if he didn't travel. Worth keeping in mind who the backs coach for the Lions is too.

Buer

Buer wrote: »

That's his scoring rate this season: 17 games for Saracens, 8 tries. Pretty good. Also try scoring is far from everything or we'd see Varndell and Wade on the plane. His work around the park is generally excellent.

I'd be surprised if he didn't travel. Worth keeping in mind who the backs coach for the Lions is too.

dunno if this is a bad thing!

sydthebeat

For Paws wrote: »

....The swan dive thing looks arrogant, but it's really only an expression of the massive kick he gets from playing well and scoring.

....

In my eyes its an insult to the rest of his team who do all the grunt work only for him to sprint in from 15 yards.
Hes a winger, its expected that he can beat players with speed alone... he doesnt have to do that "look at me" crap for any other reason than arrogance.

i just cant wait until the day someone dives under him and knocks it out of his grasp... or he does a 'Vesty' on it

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny

Buer wrote: »

That's his scoring rate this season: 17 games for Saracens, 8 tries. Pretty good. Also try scoring is far from everything or we'd see Varndell and Wade on the plane. His work around the park is generally excellent.

I'd be surprised if he didn't travel. Worth keeping in mind who the backs coach for the Lions is too.

Isn't that why his form wasn't where it was a northhampton because he wasn't working hard enough to get into the position he was in NH? I think he's a bit of a liability, too many yellows for my liking for a winger!!!!

sydthebeat

Deleted User wrote: »

dunno if this is a bad thing!

great if we were playing amerian football

Grimebox

sydthebeat wrote: »

In my eyes its an insult to the rest of his team who do all the grunt work only for him to sprint in from 15 yards.
Hes a winger, its expected that he can beat players with speed alone... he doesnt have to do that "look at me" crap for any other reason than arrogance.

i just cant wait until the day someone dives under him and knocks it out of his grasp... or he does a 'Vesty' on it

He has stated before that he doesn't mean to do it. I just comes out from the elation of scoring for his country. Thats a good enough excuse for doing it once or twice at most...

Tox56

Buer wrote: »

That's his scoring rate this season: 17 games for Saracens, 8 tries. Pretty good. Also try scoring is far from everything or we'd see Varndell and Wade on the plane. His work around the park is generally excellent.

I'd be surprised if he didn't travel. Worth keeping in mind who the backs coach for the Lions is too.

His defence in the 6N was truly shocking, that isn't something that can be ignored

totallegend

Deleted User wrote: »

If the Lions toured 2 years ago Ashton would be a guaranteed starter in fairness.

Years Team Played Tries G FG Points
2007–2012 Northampton 110 92 1 0 452

39 of those tries came from 25 games in National League 1!

Still, 33 tries from 51 Premiership games for NH is an impressive strike rate.

But if it's picked on the basis of form over the last two seasons, he doesn't go.

Teferi

If the people who complain about Ashton actually ever saw him in an interview they would realise he is a sound lad with proper rugby values. Really, he comes across as a decent lad with a bit of character that adds a lot to a team in terms of personality. He's not on his greatest run of form but I'd love to see him pull it back in and get on the plane because he's a handy player.

All good wingers will have an element of cockiness about them. Nobody complains about that bent little 'Z' thing Zebo does with his hands when he scores even though he looks like an awful eejit when he does it because he is on our side.

A winger without a bit of swag is a winger I don't want to know.

For Paws

sydthebeat wrote: »

In my eyes its an insult to the rest of his team who do all the grunt work only for him to sprint in from 15 yards.
Hes a winger, its expected that he can beat players with speed alone... he doesnt have to do that "look at me" crap for any other reason than arrogance.

i just cant wait until the day someone dives under him and knocks it out of his grasp... or he does a 'Vesty' on it

So if he stops the dive thing, would you pick him to tour ?

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny

For Paws wrote: »

So if he stops the dive thing, would you pick him to tour ?

Not a hope he'd stop, it'd only get worse if he scored whilst touring!!

Grimebox

Teferi wrote: »

If the people who complain about Ashton actually ever saw him in an interview they would realise he is a sound lad with proper rugby values. Really, he comes across as a decent lad with a bit of character that adds a lot to a team in terms of personality. He's not on his greatest run of form but I'd love to see him pull it back in and get on the plane because he's a handy player.

All good wingers will have an element of cockiness about them. Nobody complains about that bent little 'Z' thing Zebo does with his hands when he scores even though he looks like an awful eejit when he does it because he is on our side.

A winger without a bit of swag is a winger I don't want to know.

I was just about to mention this. I can't stand it. Makes me cringe every time

Pudsy33

In my mind the Zebo celebration and the dive are on very different ends of the cockiness scale. One is a small gesture and one is a flashy dive. I know which one would piss me off if I was the opposition.

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny

Teferi wrote: »

If the people who complain about Ashton actually ever saw him in an interview they would realise he is a sound lad with proper rugby values. Really, he comes across as a decent lad with a bit of character that adds a lot to a team in terms of personality. He's not on his greatest run of form but I'd love to see him pull it back in and get on the plane because he's a handy player.

All good wingers will have an element of cockiness about them. Nobody complains about that bent little 'Z' thing Zebo does with his hands when he scores even though he looks like an awful eejit when he does it because he is on our side.

A winger without a bit of swag is a winger I don't want to know.

In fairness the two best wingers available have no arrogance or anything close on cockiness.....North and Cuthbert, both do whats expected of them and thats that

.ak

I really don't care about the swan dive, as ridiculous as it is, nor do I care about Zebo's Z, or Heaslip's finger. I also don't care what he's like off the pitch. It's all the off the ball niggily stuff he gets involved in, the yellow cards, the hangbags, the punching, the pulling hair. He may be a decent fella off the pitch, but on it he's one of the most unsporting individuals there is on it. There's some niggily locks out there that wouldn't get up to the amount he gets up to. Frankly on that basis I wouldn't want him representing us on the Lions.

jm08

Teferi wrote: »

If the people who complain about Ashton actually ever saw him in an interview they would realise he is a sound lad with proper rugby values. Really, he comes across as a decent lad with a bit of character that adds a lot to a team in terms of personality. He's not on his greatest run of form but I'd love to see him pull it back in and get on the plane because he's a handy player.

All good wingers will have an element of cockiness about them. Nobody complains about that bent little 'Z' thing Zebo does with his hands when he scores even though he looks like an awful eejit when he does it because he is on our side.

A winger without a bit of swag is a winger I don't want to know.

Was there not a bit of trouble when he left Northampton? I seem to remember him being dropped for a game against Munster around that time because he was causing trouble in the camp.

Its hard to think of Zebo being arrogant because he always has a big smile on his face - he just seems like a big kid.

For Paws

Pudsy33 wrote: »

In my mind the Zebo celebration and the dive are on very different ends of the cockiness scale. One is a small gesture and one is a flashy dive. I know which one would piss me off if I was the opposition.

Maybe that's part of it - a wind up.

Either way it makes no odds to me.

Does anyone really believe that if his team mates felt insulted by it that he'd wouldn't be 'advised' against doing it again (Tuilagi style).

So no, don't think the lads feel insulted. And if he played for your team, you'd probably find it kind of charming.

sydthebeat

For Paws wrote: »

So if he stops the dive thing, would you pick him to tour ?

... id have all of these ahead of him

north, cuthbert, zebo, bowe,

id have these having as much chance to travel
visser, browne (who has a utility advantage), maitland

and then possible bolters in his position:
wade, walker

For Paws

sydthebeat wrote: »

... id have all of these ahead of him

north, cuthbert, zebo, bowe,

id have these having as much chance to travel
visser, browne (who has a utility advantage), maitland

and then possible bolters in his position:
wade, walker

Yeah, I'd be happy with Cuthbert, Zebo & Bowe being (slightly) ahead.

Very unimpressed with Brown in attack. Visser & Maitland are behind an in-form Ashton. Wade is one for the Wednesday side ok. Eli Walker - not yet.

Btw, thought Bestie was shiite vs Sarries & Croft had a fcukin' great game.
As to bolters for the wing, what about former Lion Monye and his restart runs ?

.ak

totallegend wrote: »

Is this really that different to what Ashton does?



The Ashton dive really annoys me but I think you have to be consistent.

In fairness yes... Yes it's very different. He's atleast controlling the ball. Ashton holding the ball with his forearm is kinda saying 'Whatever, its risky, but I don't care'. Zebo is just celebrating as he goes over, but atleast he's making sure he's not risking the try.

Buer

.ak wrote: »

In fairness yes... Yes it's very different. He's atleast controlling the ball. Ashton holding the ball with his forearm is kinda saying 'Whatever, its risky, but I don't care'. Zebo is just celebrating as he goes over, but atleast he's making sure he's not risking the try.

Do you think the way he holds the ball is what people see as irritating?

jimjamcos

Yes. That's not a swan dive.

.ak

Aussie fans pick O'Driscoll to lead the Lions...

sydthebeat

YES its different



major difference is zebo doesnt do it with same frequency, his zebo Z is done after the score and is low key.

.ak

Buer wrote: »

Do you think the way he holds the ball is what people see as irritating?

I dunno, it is for me. It's the 'risk' factor, not the celebration.

For Paws

Could WG pick a 'Tour Captain' and then have a 'Test Captain' if thought necessary ?

Can't see God not being Captain as it's his swan (dive) song ?

For Paws

'Winger shot in the back by lone gunman. Group calling themselves 'SYD' claim responsibilty'

sydthebeat

For Paws wrote: »

'Winger shot in the back by lone gunman. Group calling themselves 'SYD' claim responsibilty'

head shot or nothing, im a perfectionist