British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Chabals Beard

schools rugby wrote: »

These are the players Gatland would have been looking at this weekend not sure if they have done enough to make it :

Kearney : Think he will make it but Gatland may have needed a better performance from him today to make him feel better about bringing him. Kearney was good today but just thought he could have stepped his game up a bit more.

Murray : Solid game, made a few mistakes but i think he has shown he is good enough to travel . Great in defence and excellent kicking game, he will be the third scrum half to go i would think.

Zebo : Didnt do much wrong and showed glimpses of what hes capable of . However , if it were to come down to Bowe or Zebo I think Bowe would travel. Zebo might just need more games of todays level to prove himself further .

Peter O'Mahony : An outsider most certainly , played very well . Good in the lineout but i feel that he has left it a bit to late.

Ian Madigan : Was quiet today , it was all about Sexton today . Could well travel as a utility back as Earls did 4 years ago.

James Hook : Didnt do his chances any harm last night , but didnt set the pitch on fire either. Looks like he may have regressed over the last few months. Looks like either him or Madigan will go as a utility back.

Zebo was super today, all over the place, he will travel

Dave_The_Sheep

toomevara wrote: »

Plus he actually has some class, a quality entirely alien to Ashton.

He's an thoroughly dislikeable character, but he does have some slight class. His reaction to the Tuilagi punch (both on and off the pitch) stands to him. The rest ... not so much.

Bowe is a much better player though, which is what should matter when it comes to Lions. Not being Ashton on a personal level does help though.

Chabal's Beard wrote:

Zebo was super today, all over the place, he will travel

He played pretty damn well today, though one thing I did notice was he nearly lost the rag in the second half at points. He was getting very frustrated. Now whether Gatland interprets that as a sign of his wanting things to come off and just annoyed when they don't or as someone who might be a bit flaky under mental pressure when the chips are down, I dunno.

As much as I dislike the phrase it might be "a year too soon" for Zebo. I think Bowe might edge him. I'd be happy with either though.
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.ak

Anyone else think Heaslip will travel after today?

Chabals Beard

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

He's an thoroughly dislikeable character, but he does have some slight class. His reaction to the Tuilagi punch (both on and off the pitch) stands to him. The rest ... not so much.

Bowe is a much better player though, which is what should matter when it comes to Lions. Not being Ashton on a personal level does help though.



He played pretty damn well today, though one thing I did notice was he nearly lost the rag in the second half at points. He was getting very frustrated. Now whether Gatland interprets that as a sign of his wanting things to come off and just annoyed when they don't or as someone who might be a bit flaky under mental pressure when the chips are down, I dunno.

As much as I dislike the phrase it might be "a year too soon" for Zebo. I think Bowe might edge him. I'd be happy with either though.
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He was just annoyed with himself . He has outplayed Bowe since they both came back, playing well in 3 tough games, while Bowe came vs Sarries when the game was lost, wasn't great vs Connacht despite scoring a try.. Lions is about form and Zebo is in better form.

Tox56

Chabals Beard wrote: »

He was just annoyed with himself . He has outplayed Bowe since they both came back, playing well in 3 tough games, while Bowe came vs Sarries when the game was lost, wasn't great vs Connacht despite scoring a try.. Lions is about form and Zebo is in better form.

I'm a big fan of Bowe and I think we'll need someone with his class and experience. Would hardly complain if Zebo went but I would have Bowe in my starting team, would be good foil for someone like North who is isn't far off certain starter status.

totallegend

.ak wrote: »

Anyone else think Heaslip will travel after today?

Yes. If he was at all in contention before today, he has nailed his place now. What more could he have done?

Dave_The_Sheep

Chabals Beard wrote: »

He was just annoyed with himself . He has outplayed Bowe since they both came back, playing well in 3 tough games, while Bowe came vs Sarries when the game was lost, wasn't great vs Connacht despite scoring a try.. Lions is about form and Zebo is in better form.

I'd agree that Zebo is in better form, not overwhelmingly so, but he clearly is. That said, Lions isn't ALL about form, there's experience to be taken into account too - just like internationals: form is more important, but experience is also taken into account.

Like I said, I'll be happy if Gatland picks either.

duckysauce

.ak wrote: »

Anyone else think Heaslip will travel after today?

Yep he had his best game in a long time today . The sky lads were saying he is not suited to playing in wet conditions -- he is in the wrong country so .

PhatPiggins

totallegend wrote: »

Yes. If he was at all in contention before today, he has nailed his place now. What more could he have done?

Today nothing more but he's been at 60% for 18 months. Don't think he's was in contention before today tbh and won't travel.

danthefan

Bowe is our best winger by a mile imo, he's proven class. I personally would take Bowe every time over Zebo. And I'm a fan of Zebo, he's going to win 60, 70, 80+ caps I reckon. But that's all ahead of him.

irishbucsfan

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Today nothing more but he's been at 60% for 18 months. Don't think he's was in contention before today tbh and won't travel.

Completely disagree. He's put in some incredible performances over the past 18 months. Today was just a different kind of performance.

I would be massively massively surprised if he doesn't travel. Not just because he's so good but also because outside of Faletau there isn't anyone else worth taking over him.

the baby bull elephant

.ak wrote: »

Anyone else think Heaslip will travel after today?

I thought he'd travel before today.

Heaslip is hugely underrated by certain sectors I feel, he gets through so much work. Before the Wasps match I saw he was the only player to make 60+ tackles and not miss any and I can't remember any misses since than. People seem to think since he doesn't always do the highlight reel stuff that he's poor that's simply not true. If O'Brien had played today I don't think Heaslip would have had the same game simply because of our tactics. Heaslip will do whatever's asked of him.

davidpfitz

the baby bull elephant wrote: »

I thought he'd travel before today.

Heaslip is hugely underrated by certain sectors I feel, he gets through so much work. Before the Wasps match I saw he was the only player to make 60+ tackles and not miss any and I can't remember any misses since than. People seem to think since he doesn't always do the highlight reel stuff that he's poor that's simply not true. If O'Brien had played today I don't think Heaslip would have had the same game simply because of our tactics. Heaslip will do whatever's asked of him.

Completely agree. Jennings did much of the role that Heaslip does when O'Brien plays. Leinster usually play a pretty physical back row, without a "natural" fetcher / sweeper. Jennings did much of that today at the back of the ruck, and Heaslip took up a more more opportunistic carrying role than usual. I think it's a testament to his ability, versatility and to his temperament that he fills the role that the team needs on the day.

Foxtrol

.ak wrote: »

Anyone else think Heaslip will travel after today?

Never doubted he'd travel, the question for me was more about whether he started and he definitely put his hand up for that (obviously ignoring him being a liability at the coin toss).

irishbucsfan

I just don't accept that anything anyone does before they get together will contribute anything towards who starts the Tests. Who knows how they'll all work together and who will shine under the system.

I would be very suprised if Gatland is thinking like that.

spank_inferno

Of course Heaslip will travel.

Terrific ball carrier and can snafel breakdown/turnover ball as well as any number 7'

He may not start tests, but he's not going to travel to make up numbers.

I'd have him on the test bench at least.

Coburger

Hey,
Some people think that Gatland may travel with only two 10's. Isn't this a bit risky as it means one of them is playng and the other is on the bench for every single game (clubs and Australia).

Artful_Badger

Coburger wrote: »

Hey,
Some people think that Gatland may travel with only two 10's. Isn't this a bit risky as it means one of them is playng and the other is on the bench for every single game (clubs and Australia).

I'd imagine Sexton and Farrell will get plenty of game time to have them both well prepared going into the test games. Then there will be utility backs who can cover 10. Laidlaw/Hook/Madigan etc. To fill in the gaps.

leftleg

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Ah it's not worth the effort JD. Its been explained to these people many times but what Jamie does on the field will always be outweighed by what he does off it

Its the headphones at the coin toss thing, no class or respect or heart or some other strange intangible thing. Cant put my finger on it but its definitely something to do with the headphones.

Buer

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I just don't accept that anything anyone does before they get together will contribute anything towards who starts the Tests. Who knows how they'll all work together and who will shine under the system.

I would be very suprised if Gatland is thinking like that.

Pretty much. Performances now will get people on the plane. It might even give the coaches an indication of how they want to approach the test series and what tactics they may utilise. But if someone goes out there and outperforms a favourite in the build up and is the man in form, they'll get the nod for the jersey. It has always been the way because it makes sense and there are multiple examples during the professional era.

Gatland has no loyalty to these guys. It's a one off tour every 4 years. He will select who he sees fit on the day.

awec

schools rugby wrote: »

Kearney : Think he will make it but Gatland may have needed a better performance from him today to make him feel better about bringing him. Kearney was good today but just thought he could have stepped his game up a bit more.

If Kearney goes it'll be by the skin of his teeth.

trouttrout

I think we'll probably end up with about 9 or 10 tourists, and 4 starters. Which isn't a bad result considering the year we've had internationally

trouttrout

trouttrout wrote: »

I think we'll probably end up with about 9 or 10 tourists, and 4 starters. Which isn't a bad result considering the year we've had internationally

Stephan Jones more or less saying the same thing in today's times. That will mean we'll have the second biggest representation

Principal Skinner

Stephen Jones seems to suggest he's got the inside track with Warren Gatland and he says this is the squad:

Fullbacks (3) Leigh Halfpenny (Wales); Stuart Hogg (Scotland); Rob Kearney (Ireland)

Wings (4) Tommy Bowe (Ireland); Alex Cuthbert (Wales); George North (Wales); Sean Maitland (Scotland)

Centres (5) Brad Barrrit (England); Jonathan Davies (Wales); Brian O'Driscoll (Ireland); Jamie Roberts (Wales); Manu Tuilagi (England)

Outhalves (2) Jonathon Sexton (Ireland); Owen Farrell (England)

Scrumhalves (3) Mike Phillips (Wales); Greg Laidlaw (Scotland); Ben Youngs (England)

No.8 (2) Jamie Heaslip (Ireland); Toby Faletau (Wales)

Flankers (5) Sean O'Brien (Ireland); Dan Lydiate (Wales); Justin Tupiric (Wales); Tom Croft (England); Sam Warburton (Wales)

Second Row (5) Richie Gray (Scotland); Paul O'Connell (Ireland); Geoff Parling (England); Alun Wyn Jones (Wales); Ian Evans (Wales)

Hookers (3) Richard Hibbard (Wales); Tom Youngs (England); Rory Best (Ireland)

Props (6) Dan Cole (England); Ryan Grant (Scotland); Gethin Jenkins (Wales); Cian Healy (Ireland); Adam Jones (Wales); Mike Ross (Ireland)



CAPTAIN: SAM WARBURTON



Welsh Players: 15
Irish Players: 10
English Players: 8
Scottish Players: 5

awec

That suggests no Zebo.

trouttrout

tbh I think he was given the squad off the record bar one or two names which were probably still up for decision this weekend

trouttrout

awec wrote: »

That suggests no Zebo.

Would be a pity considering he offers something completely different to North and Cuthbert

trouttrout

Also, I think Barrit travelling is an awful call. He's hugely one dimensional and more or less a poor mans Roberts (who isn't that good himself)

Bar BOD that centre selection looks very blunt. Someone like Madigan could have given a better option

trouttrout

Interesting that Mike Ross is down to travel

Principal Skinner

To me it looks like a very blunt team all around, theres no cutting edge in attack there it will be all bash bash bash. Wales have shown you won't beat Australia like that