British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

jimjamcos

Ashton's a very good player when on form. A hard worker and lethal finisher. His defence was truly terrible in the 6 Nations gone by however with experts such as Guscott claiming he's not putting in the effort at improving that side side of his game. He continually tackled lazily and, critically, too high with Fofana's try down his wing a prime example of this ineptness. He'll be a risk Down Under if he tours, unless he's seriously well protected. Has more than enough talent to be risked though.

Fireball07

I'd bring Ashton if he was one of the best wingers available. He's certainly a good player, excellent finisher, quite powerful.


However, he's defensively suspect, his positioning is off at times and his kicking game is non-existent. And his form this season just hasn't been that great.


The try he scored against Ulster was very well-taken and he generally does run good support lines but he probably doesn't have the same creative spark that someone like Zebo might have.

awec

I think my opinion on Chris Ashton touring should be well known. There are many adjectives and nouns I could use to describe the man, not all of them suitable pre-watershed.

Dr.Evil

Just something nobody else has brought up about Ashton I picked up during the Six Nations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21637963

"I'm not afraid to tackle - I want to tackle. I want to hurt people."

That's hardly a sporting expression is it?

.ak

Wouldn't have an issue with that... That's generally the ethos every player in the pack has! Controlled aggression n all that...

Dr.Evil

Just comes across as poorly expressed I found...although to be fair it's probably just because Ashton said it and I'm not a fan of his anyway.
I wouldn't like to see him travel, but can see it happening on the basis of him hitting form now..good game for Saracens the last day if he puts together a few more decent showings he could sneak in ahead. North and Cuthbert are in, and I think Zebo will be a shoe in..also think they'll bring Hogg Kearney and Halfpenny on the basis of not wanting to leave any of them out and Halfpenny playing on the wing a bit, or even Kearney doing so. Would leave probably one spot open, between Maitland, Visser, Ashton, Brown, Gilroy, Wade as a bolter. I'd rather take Maitland or Gilroy I reckon.

P.Walnuts

Dr.Evil wrote: »

Just comes across as poorly expressed I found...although to be fair it's probably just because Ashton said it and I'm not a fan of his anyway.
I wouldn't like to see him travel, but can see it happening on the basis of him hitting form now..good game for Saracens the last day if he puts together a few more decent showings he could sneak in ahead. North and Cuthbert are in, and I think Zebo will be a shoe in..also think they'll bring Hogg Kearney and Halfpenny on the basis of not wanting to leave any of them out and Halfpenny playing on the wing a bit, or even Kearney doing so. Would leave probably one spot open, between Maitland, Visser, Ashton, Brown, Gilroy, Wade as a bolter. I'd rather take Maitland or Gilroy I reckon.

So Zebo and shoe-in, Kearney possibly playing wing and Gilroy as a bolter.....hmm its fair to say thats a bit of a green tinted viewing of the situation!

Zebo has a decent chance of going , no more.

Kearney is the definition of touch and go, would be relying on past form.

Gilroy has no chance.

.ak

One more missed tackle and I reckon Kearney will be watching the Lions tour from his couch.

Buer

.ak wrote: »

One more missed tackle and I reckon Kearney will be watching the Lions tour from his couch.

He would be already if Lee Byrne wasn't invisible to Gatland.

Dr.Evil

P.Walnuts wrote: »

So Zebo and shoe-in, Kearney possibly playing wing and Gilroy as a bolter.....hmm its fair to say thats a bit of a green tinted viewing of the situation!

Zebo has a decent chance of going , no more.

Kearney is the definition of touch and go, would be relying on past form.

Gilroy has no chance.

I think Kearney's last tour will stand to him is all, getting worse as the weeks go on though. And that Halfpenny could be utilised on the wing a fair bit so there could be an extra full back slot.
Gilroy has a very outside chance yeah, I just personally prefer him to other options. I think Zebo is in with a great shot. Shoe in is a bit much, but with North and Cuthbert both big right wingers in the same mould they need a natural left winger and Zebo is a different type of player to the two of them. That's assuming North and Cuthbert are already on the plane, and I don't think there are any other wingers that are as certain of their spots as the two of them.

ssaye

.ak wrote: »

One more missed tackle and I reckon Kearney will be watching the Lions tour from his couch.

His injury has certainly affected him and attack wise and defence have been average at best at the moment too.

In a positive light he has only played 6 games for Leinster this season and scored 3 tries so he should get back to his best sooner rather than later but the Lions may just be too much too soon.

Either a a few games to play the USA and Canada and get his form back or a summers rests imo.

pickarooney

It's more the pointing in the air before he crosses the line than the dive that makes Ashton look like a tool.

freyners

Teferi wrote:

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.

Difference between them,for me, zebo does his daft celebration after the try has been scored. Ashton has his big swan dive before he gets the ball down, risking the try. I really cant wait for him to drop one

Coburger

P.Walnuts wrote: »

So Zebo and shoe-in, Kearney possibly playing wing and Gilroy as a bolter.....hmm its fair to say thats a bit of a green tinted viewing of the situation!

Zebo has a decent chance of going , no more.

Kearney is the definition of touch and go, would be relying on past form.

Gilroy has no chance.

Kearney on the wing?? Many better players about to play on the wing. He may just squeeze onto the plane as a back up fullback

P.Walnuts

Coburger wrote: »

Kearney on the wing?? Many better players about to play on the wing. He may just squeeze onto the plane as a back up fullback

I was paraphrasing the post above mine!

Kearney has no chance of going or playing as a winger and is 50/50 at best IMO to even travel!

sting60

Taking three rugby journalists players ratings and the average for each Irish game in the six nations.Taking players who performed 5 or under only.In the Wales/France games all players got above the 5 points mark.England=Kearney 4,O Driscoll 4,Darcy 4,Healy 5,Best5, Ross 5,Ryan 5,Heaslip 4.Scotland=Kearney 5,Earls 5,Jackson5,Murray 4,Best 5,Heaslip 5,O Driscoll 5.Italy=O Driscoll 4,Marshall 4,Earls 5,Jackson 5,Murray 5,Healy 5,Best 3, Ross 5,O Mahony 5,Heaslip 5,Mc Carthy 5.The highest rated players in the 6 nations 1 Halfpenny 2 A.Jones 3 Robshaw/Hogg 5 North.

its_phil

sting60 wrote: »

Taking three rugby journalists players ratings and the average for each Irish game in the six nations.Taking players who performed 5 or under only.In the Wales/France games all players got above the 5 points mark.England=Kearney 4,O Driscoll 4,Darcy 4,Healy 5,Best5, Ross 5,Ryan 5,Heaslip 4.Scotland=Kearney 5,Earls 5,Jackson5,Murray 4,Best 5,Heaslip 5,O Driscoll 5.Italy=O Driscoll 4,Marshall 4,Earls 5,Jackson 5,Murray 5,Healy 5,Best 3, Ross 5,O Mahony 5,Heaslip 5,Mc Carthy 5.The highest rated players in the 6 nations 1 Halfpenny 2 A.Jones 3 Robshaw/Hogg 5 North.

That just looks like an awful maths equation

.ak

Anyone think Strauss might sneak onto the plane? How many hookers travel? Youngs is my favourite, but outside him it's all a bit meh.

Deano7788

.ak wrote: »

Anyone think Strauss might sneak onto the plane? How many hookers travel? Youngs is my favourite, but outside him it's all a bit meh.

I'd have Hibbard and Youngs as going. I'd have had Best as the 3rd one, but he's doing his best to play himself off the plane atm. I'd probably still go for him, but it's a lot closer than I thought it would be. I just hope Hartley doesn't go.

the baby bull elephant

I'd take Gilroy over Zebo.

Teferi

Nah, Zebo is ahead of Gilroy at the moment.

jimjamcos

.ak wrote: »

Anyone think Strauss might sneak onto the plane? How many hookers travel? Youngs is my favourite, but outside him it's all a bit meh.

Yea, he's really getting overlooked at the moment. I'd have him ahead of Best anyway. That lad needs a summer practicing his darts!

its_phil

Deano7788 wrote: »

I'd have Hibbard and Youngs as going. I'd have had Best as the 3rd one, but he's doing his best to play himself off the plane atm. I'd probably still go for him, but it's a lot closer than I thought it would be. I just hope Hartley doesn't go.

I'd take Ford over Best. I thought Best had sorted out his throwing problems a couple years back. But he suffered major yips in the 6N with a fair few crooked ones. We lost a lot of ball off lineouts in our opponents 22. We were lucky France only realised at the end of the game they should be putting up jumpers and when they did they robbed one

the baby bull elephant

Teferi wrote: »

Nah, Zebo is ahead of Gilroy at the moment.

Yeah I wouldn't be so dismissive.

PhatPiggins

.ak wrote: »

Anyone think Strauss might sneak onto the plane? How many hookers travel? Youngs is my favourite, but outside him it's all a bit meh.

He hasn't a prayer in all honesty. Don't think one of Gatlands 'special player' picks is going to be a hooker.

Both Welsh, both English and possiblly Ford are well ahead of him. On top of that he's played no top tier rugby in 2013 and doesn't have the HC to strut his stuff.

matthew8

I think Strauss has the highest potential of any of the hookers, but yeah he probably won't go. I have to say, Dan Cole had a fairly decent day scrummaging against Toulon, so I wouldn't rule him out as a starter just yet. Toby Flood was also pretty good kicking and I think he's a generally good player, and tbh if Gatland won't bring Madigan as the 3rd OH I'd much rather him over Biggar.

Dan Cole was excellent, stupid yellow aside.

Himself and Jones guaranteed to travel.

Best trying his hardest to get off the plane in recent months. From guaranteed starter to struggling to get near a Wednesday starting slot.

Jenkins not playing enough rugby for me either.

Artful_Badger

Tox56 wrote: »

I think the point is that the only specific facet of his play that you mention is his kicking. He is a world class kicker, no doubt about it, but with Halfpenny in the team, his goalkicking becomes largely irrelivant in his selection (as long as 1/2p stays fit of course). If Farrell suddenly lost the ability to kick at goal tomorrow, do you think he would be half the player he is now? That's pretty much what we're looking with the Lions

He hasnt lost the ability to kick though and Halfpenny isnt nailed on test starter either. Sexton missed a lot of the 6 nations through injury too which doesnt help him and before that he wasnt setting the world of rugby alight either. Sexton is a better OH imo with or without the kicking. But he's not that much better as to leave Farrell looking like a school boy. Sexton's position in NH international rugby is largely due to lack of competition. Dont forget how short a time ago he was struggling to fend off ROG for the Irish spot, with ROG at the time being little different in regards ability when he dropped out of the Irish side behind Madigand and Jackson.

Farrell has emerged as his closest rival over the last few years and he's not just a kicker with nothing else to back it up. He might not be as good as Sexton as a running OH but he's a physical lad and he hasnt seemed out of his depth to me in running the ball. It just works best for England to let the pack grind out the kicking opportunities. Something Kidney would have sold his soul for too if it got us within a game of a grandslam. H's a world class kicker and a decent all rounder. Sexton is a great all rounder and a decent kicker. As OH options Sexton probably edges it but to say he's leaps and bounds ahead of every other NH OH is stretching it. Madigan has even stepped up with him injured to leave me as a Leinster fan not too pushed about losing this so called greatest OH in the NH. He's a fantastic player but he wont be competing with Dan Carter for world player of the year any time soon.....unlike Farrell

Artful_Badger

Artful_Badger wrote: »

He hasnt lost the ability to kick though and Halfpenny isnt nailed on test starter either.

Course he is.

efb

I'd put money on Zebo travelling