British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

bilston

Baker87 wrote: »

Any talk of either Marshall or Gilroy touring in nothing short of ludicrous

Two players who not only have barely played or their country, but are not even certain starters for their club. We often laugh at other countries one eyed view of potential Lions squad but this type of talk must be up there with the worst of it.

It must be on par with a welshman saying Samson Lee should tour ahead of Healy (think he is a TH but you get my dirft)

I agree with this. Gatland probably hasnt even heard of Marshall at the minute. Gilroy is a bit more realistic but right now you have at least North, Cuthbert, Bowe, Ashton and Visser who are ahead of him and rightly or wrongly (wrongly IMO) Deccie may regard Zebo and Earls as being ahead of him as well. A lot can change over the next few months though so we'll see. Gilly getting picked ahead of Trimble for Ulster will be a start!

PhatPiggins

.ak wrote: »

Whoever said I'm a grown man? :mad: This one's good for a laugh too... :pac:


Anyhow. Yeah dude it's just an opinion, on how I think he's playing right now. I never said he wouldn't travel. It's all good...



:cool:

My apologies it was an OTT response to your reply. If you had a 'unable to post after a 12 hour working day that included getting soaked by a pasing truck' setting for Boards I'd gladly signup for it.

It would prevent me coming on here and making a tit of myself at late hours ;):D:):pac:

ray jay

Here's an article about Gatland's selection thoughts: http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/international/2012/1128/355678-gatland-lists-heaslip-as-potential-lions-captain/

There's some mention of Heaslip as captain, plus this interesting comment:

Gatland has cited a lack of adequate fitness training at French clubs as one reason that players based on the continent may not be selected. The head coach said: "We had an experience with Mike Phillips on the weekend (for Wales against New Zealand) where he was blowing after 52 minutes and we had to get him off.

GerM

ray jay wrote: »

Here's an article about Gatland's selection thoughts: http://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/international/2012/1128/355678-gatland-lists-heaslip-as-potential-lions-captain/

There's some mention of Heaslip as captain, plus this interesting comment:

Me and a few mates took him at 100/1 minutes after he was announced as Irish captain on Victor Chandler. Still available at 66/1 but down to 25/1 in some bookies.

Scioch

I reckon it will be BOD.

PhatPiggins

Scioch wrote: »

I reckon it will be BOD.

Its going to be O'Connell if he can get match fit in the next 3 months

Glass Prison 1214

Johnny Sexton to be named as captain, you heard it here first!!

yimrsg

There isn't that much competition for the Lions 8 as it stands; it's a toss up between Faletau and Heaslip at the moment, England don't know who their best 8 is (probably Easter) and no Scottish forward is looking decent either whereas BOD will have plenty of competition in the centres just to start never mind captain and POC's absence isn't as pronounced as Ryan is performing superbly.

Gatland seems to take player fitness very seriously with all those cryogenic trips and Heaslip is certainly able to play the full 80 minutes, another plus for Heaslip is that he played every minute of the tests against SA so has plenty of experience that many others wouldn't have.

Scioch

yimrsg wrote: »

There isn't that much competition for the Lions 8 as it stands; it's a toss up between Faletau and Heaslip at the moment, England don't know who their best 8 is (probably Easter) and no Scottish forward is looking decent either whereas BOD will have plenty of competition in the centres just to start never mind captain and POC's absence isn't as pronounced as Ryan is performing superbly.

Gatland seems to take player fitness very seriously with all those cryogenic trips and Heaslip is certainly able to play the full 80 minutes, another plus for Heaslip is that he played every minute of the tests against SA so has plenty of experience that many others wouldn't have.

Gatland did say in that interview he has no problem leaving the tour captain out of a test match though. So I'd say he might pick BOD or POC as tour captain and then he has Warburton, Heaslip, BOD, POC as options for test captain depending on who makes the starting 15.

Teferi

Glass Prison 1214 wrote: »

Johnny Sexton to be named as captain, you heard it here first!!

and last.

Higher

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Its going to be O'Connell if he can get match fit in the next 3 months

Not a chance it will be O'Connell for two reasons:

(1) His captaincy on the last Lions tour was well below par
(2) He may not even start for the Lions

I don't think it will be BOD but hes a lot more likely than O'Connell.

.ak

Maybe it'll be Owen Farrell.

touts

Can't see Gatland picking any Irish player as Captain. I would say he was asked a question and gave an "Insert name here" prepared answer. BOD and POC have proven leadership and the presence to motivate a squad of players. BUT they have already had a shot at it and form/injury mean they are doubts to be in the squad never mind the starting team never mind Captain. The other Irish captains (Best & Heaslip) are hardly the type of players the English, Welsh and Scots will automatically follow into battle.



If inujries continue the way they have been recently Ireland will be struggling to get players into the Squad never mind Captain. At the moment I would not be surprised to see the only irish players in the squad being:
Healy
One of Strauss/Best (Gatland is not going to pick two Irish hookers with the English and Welsh also looking for spots. The one that doesn't go will probably be on standby at home)
O'Brien
Heaslip
Ferris
Sexton
Bowe
Kearney


And come the selection I'll wager at least two of the above will be crocked.

If (and it is a huge if) POC and BOD stay injury free and have a mighty season they will get on but personally I think injury and or form will catch up with both of them for Leinster/Munster, Ireland and the Lions.

There are wildcards like Gilroy, Ryan or even O'Mahony who could play themselves into a pick like Earls did last time but I suspect Gatland will claim they are too inexperienced (even though he would, and probably will, pick equally inexperienced Welsh without hesitation. Not because he dislikes the Irish just he knows and trusts the Welsh lads in a 50/50 call)

I fear Zebo and Earls will lose out because they will be chopped and changed around various positions for both Munster and Ireland and not get a chance to shine in any position.

Murray or Reddan (which ever starts for Ireland in the 6 nations) might make the squad but could just as easily be on the standy list along with the likes of Ross.

nerd69

i think it will be warburton it would be different if there was a stand out candidate from another country but since theres not i think gatland will stick with his man

the only chance bod/o connell have is that gatland said he does not mind picking a tour captain that will not start the fact that they have both led tours would give them a huge advantage if he sticks to this in my opinion.

Leslie91

Yeah I can't see Gilroy making it. The wing position has way too many v good candidates.

As for a bolter how about Michael Bent?, if the lad continues to scrummage like he has in his first 2 appearances watch out.

I'd also go for Heaslip as captain. BOD and POC might not be fit enough or have enough form behind them to start the Tests.

jm08

Higher wrote: »

Not a chance it will be O'Connell for two reasons:

(1) His captaincy on the last Lions tour was well below par
(2) He may not even start for the Lions

I don't think it will be BOD but hes a lot more likely than O'Connell.

According to who? I've heard nothing but praise for his captaincy from any of those who toured. Martyn Williams (who would have played under a fair few captains including Johnston), says he is the best captain he has ever played under.

Paul has been absolutely immense on this tour and is the best captain I have ever worked with. The way he has handled himself in the last week of the tour speaks volumes about the man.

He spoke to the group on Friday night, telling us what the final Test meant to him and what an honour it had been for him to play for the Lions.
Paul told us our performance in the game would leave a legacy for the next four years. It was real hairs-on-the-back-of-the-neck stuff.

I don't think Paul gets the credit he deserves. When you play with or against him you realise just how good a player he is.
He does all the unglamorous work at close quarters and has an unbelievable engine. People in the stands don't necessarily see that.
As a captain, he is absolutely inspirational - we all have so much respect for him.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8135211.stm

jamiedav2011

Thornley again mentions this thing of O'Connell ruling himself out for Lions in IT today:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/1201/1224327341974.html

Higher

jm08 wrote: »

According to who? I've heard nothing but praise for his captaincy from any of those who toured. Martyn Williams (who would have played under a fair few captains including Johnston), says he is the best captain he has ever played under.



http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_union/8135211.stm

Player coming out in support of team mate SHOCKER.

He never said he was the best captain he played under, where did he say that? O'Connell played poor throughout the tour and didn't lead by example. Even Earls came out and said that BOD was the one who was trying to help him and encourage him after his rabbit-in-headlights game.

CatFromHue

I don't think POC is is too high up on outside centre play!

(I thought it was Kearney to be honest)

Higher

CatFromHue wrote: »

I don't think POC is is too high up on outside centre play!

(I thought it was Kearney to be honest)

I know, not really a fair example but I don't think you could say POC was a great captain when he was playing so poorly. Many even questioned whether he should be starting.

yougottagoboy

Higher wrote: »

I know, not really a fair example but I don't think you could say POC was a great captain when he was playing so poorly. Many even questioned whether he should be starting.

Yeah granted he didn't have the best tour but were you and I there? I know I wasn't so we don't know the effect he had off the field. Whatever about last tour this time round,if fit,he should most certainly start

bilston

Tuilagi was very impressive today, on that sort of form he'd be very hard to leave out of the test team. I'm also liking Robshaw at 7 more and more...granted today is one game but he could yet be Lions's skipper. I still have a feeling it will be BOD if he proves his fitness and is playing to his best.

Deano7788

bilston wrote: »

Tuilagi was very impressive today, on that sort of form he'd be very hard to leave out of the test team. I'm also liking Robshaw at 7 more and more...granted today is one game but he could yet be Lions's skipper. I still have a feeling it will be BOD if he proves his fitness and is playing to his best.

I think part of it with Robshaw is, while he's playing fairly well, his main rival atm, Warburton, is really off form, so it's making him look even better in comparison. I definitely wouldn't rule him out, especially with Harlequins doing well and looking sure to qualify for the quarter finals of the Heineken as well. It will be interesting to see how SOB does when he gets a run of games at 7.

thomond2006

Ashton on form is a cracking winger. His workrate in attack is top notch, he is always running lines looking for an offload. It was good to see him run in a try today.

Deano7788

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ashton on form is a cracking winger. His workrate in attack is top notch, he is always running lines looking for an offload. It was good to see him run in a try today.

I think Stuart Barnes described him as the most optimistic winger in Europe in that he's always expecting breaks to be made and picks his lines accordingly. I think it's a pretty good description of him.

cgpg5

Ben Youngs or Care looking like it'll now be a very tricky decision

Deano7788

cgpg5 wrote: »

Ben Youngs or Care looking like it'll now be a very tricky decision

At least it's looking like SH is in a much better state than we thought a few weeks ago.

danthefan

thomond2006 wrote: »

Ashton on form is a cracking winger. His workrate in attack is top notch, he is always running lines looking for an offload. It was good to see him run in a try today.

Completely agree, when he was on form a season or two ago he would absolutely bust a gut to get on the shoulder of the ball carrier and that's why he scored so many tries. Would have no problem with him touring or starting if he's at his best.

But of course then he swan dives and Irish rugby fans don't like that and from there that turns into him not being very good.

thomond2006

He said he'd cut out the swan dives but for top quality tries, it got a bit stupid when he was diving for a walkover try against Romania.

danthefan

thomond2006 wrote: »

He said he'd cut out the swan dives but for top quality tries, it got a bit stupid when he was diving for a walkover try against Romania.

Who cares? Who seriously cares? Why is it an issue?