British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Deano7788

Principal Skinner wrote: »

Anyone hear joe Schmidt say that he won't be a lions coach in the post match interview? The sky presenter said they were expecting Andy Farrell and Shaun Edwards to be the other coaches.

Outrageous decision. Shaun Edwards showed how good a coach he is this autumn and Andy Farrell's been crap bar one match against nz.

Sign of things to come with squad selection methinks. Expect lots of welsh

How do you know he wasn't asked and turned them down? Also, it's Howley not Edwards that's being named. Farrell's instead of Edwards, which I thought was surprising.

thomond2006

Tox56

Dan Parks at 10

Aiden7

Farrell as backs coach will mean that the lions will have no creativity in the backs for sure, against New Zealand England were good in the pack but the backs had nothing, I thought that Tuilagi did nothing the first 60 minutes of that match, barriet was good but nothing special, for me Tuilagi is a great bosh merchant and that is it

Deano7788

Aiden7 wrote: »

Farrell as backs coach will mean that the lions will have no creativity in the backs for sure, against New Zealand England were good in the pack but the backs had nothing, I thought that Tuilagi did nothing the first 60 minutes of that match, barriet was good but nothing special, for me Tuilagi is a great bosh merchant and that is it

Farrell is England's defence coach and it looks like he is going to be the Lion's. Mike Catt is the attack coach with England and Rob Howley will be the Lions coach.

Fishooks13

Pity Axel hasn't had more time to prove himself with Ireland. He's a serious defensive coach and would have been a good option for the job

Deano7788

Fishooks13 wrote: »

Pity Axel hasn't had more time to prove himself with Ireland. He's a serious defensive coach and would have been a good option for the job

To tell you the truth I'm amazed it isn't Edwards. I thought Howley was going to be the Welsh coach not to go.

PhatPiggins

Fishooks13 wrote: »

Pity Axel hasn't had more time to prove himself with Ireland. He's a serious defensive coach and would have been a good option for the job

Based on what? He was mascarading as 'serious forwards' coach last season. Ireland are still running Les Kiss defensive patterns. Jurys still out on Munster defence.

PhatPiggins

GerM wrote: »

An all Welsh/English management team would augur well for a potential Irish captain, one would think.

One would hope so especially as one of Leinster or Ulster will win the Heineken cup and Ireland have as good a chance as any of a Grand slam.

ongarite

Guardian reporting that Shaun Edwards isn't going to be part of the Lions coaching setup this time around.
They are reporting he has been cut with Rob Howley in his place.

.ak

That's a pity. I think Edwards is a great coach.

thomond2006

Priestland to miss Six Nations after having surgery on an achilles tendon, could be gone for the entire season. That probably rules out his chances of making the tour. To paraphrase WhiffofCordite's tweet, Priestland has a pretty bad 12 months with his form and now this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20633934

Kiwi_knock

Opens the door for Rhys Patchell to get into the Welsh side, and potentially be a bolter for the Lions squad.

.ak

thomond2006 wrote: »

Priestland to miss Six Nations after having surgery on an achilles tendon, could be gone for the entire season. That probably rules out his chances of making the tour. To paraphrase WhiffofCordite's tweet, Priestland has a pretty bad 12 months with his form and now this.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/20633934

Not to sound mean, I like the chap, but thank feck for that. Biggar should get a good run and I think will be in with a chance of pushing Sexton for the spot - competition is a good thing imo.

Otacon

.ak wrote: »

Not to sound mean, I like the chap, but thank feck for that. Biggar should get a good run and I think will be in with a chance of pushing Sexton for the spot - competition is a good thing imo.

Not to sound even more mean, but I would have preferred to face Priestland in the Six Nations...

ssaye

Bagman for Ireland got Lions job for anyone interested. Seems to be a great logistics man and organiser and well liked by all.

jamieheaslip: RT @ModernGreen: Our @justrala has just been named the Baggage Master of the 2013 British & Irish Lions Tour!! Congrats #HeroOfTheYear http://t.co/PIIvRcTI

.ak

Rala's a legend. Delighted for him.

Fishooks13

Hon Rala, really happy for him!

danthefan

Some interesting stats here on opensides from the home nations. Warburton seems well behind everyone. Rennie has some mad stats to be fair.

Fireball07

Rennie's are really impressive.


Most metres made, most offloads, most defenders beaten, most clean breaks, most turnovers. Hmmm

jamiedav2011

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Opens the door for Rhys Patchell to get into the Welsh side, and potentially be a bolter for the Lions squad.

Impressive on Sunday, though can't see him being anywhere near a Lions squad or the Welsh team.

Biggar and Hook will rightly be first and second choice at 10 for Wales I'd say, and it's very rare/unlikely to have a 10 as a 'bolter', especially with the likes of Flood, Wilkinson, Laidlaw, Farrell and the above two as competition.

He does look like one for the future though.

For me, Lions tens will be Sexton, Wilkinson and Biggar/Farrell.

One of the latter two to deputise for Sexton, and Wilkinson to play the midweeks.

Deano7788

I'm amazed SOB's the only one not to have a clean break; you'd think he'd be the most likely out of the 4.

Warburton looks pretty unimpressive going by that but obviously they can be misleading.

Quint2010

I see Gatland spoke to Joe Schmidt but presumably Schmidt turned him down. So we have a Scottish manager, and a NZ/English/Welsh coaching team. No sign of any Irish on the backroom team. Kidney? Kiss? No chance.

danthefan

Deano7788 wrote: »

I'm amazed SOB's the only one not to have a clean break; you'd think he'd be the most likely out of the 4.

Warburton looks pretty unimpressive going by that but obviously they can be misleading.

Not surprising at all when by-and-large Ireland have given him the ball one man out from the ruck and had him bash into defenders whenever he's played. He made so many breaks for Leinster over the last two seasons because they know he's a weapon and try to put the ball in his hands in areas of the pitch where he can do the most damage.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Quint2010 wrote: »

I see Gatland spoke to Joe Schmidt but presumably Schmidt turned him down. So we have a Scottish manager, and a NZ/English/Welsh coaching team. No sign of any Irish on the backroom team. Kidney? Kiss? No chance.

Irish bagman, rala

Deano7788

danthefan wrote: »

Not surprising at all when by-and-large Ireland have given him the ball one man out from the ruck and had him bash into defenders whenever he's played. He made so many breaks for Leinster over the last two seasons because they know he's a weapon and try to put the ball in his hands in areas of the pitch where he can do the most damage.

True, forget to take that into account.

Tox56

Surprised O'Brien has more offloads than Robshaw, I would have associated Robshaw more with that ball handling aspect (hence him leading passes made by a mile).

Some crap stats for Warburton

Deano7788

Tox56 wrote: »

Surprised O'Brien has more offloads than Robshaw, I would have associated Robshaw more with that ball handling aspect (hence him leading passes made by a mile).

Some crap stats for Warburton

If you watch him play for Harlequins, he often avoids going into contact and passes before it hits. He also stands at 1st receiver a lot. It's the same with England, hence the difference in the 2 stats.

Podge_irl

It must be said that, while I'm not a fan, Robshaw's stats are fairly impressive too.

I'm not sure I've ever seen SOB take an inside ball off the 9 or 10 in an Ireland jersey. Which is silly.

padraig.od

Lads those stats are rubbish. SOB's should be considered in light of him playing 3 test against the the best team in the world during the summer. Warbs had Australia - was Pococke injured? Rennie looks great as he played Samoa & Fiji.

I'd prefer to see stats for 6N only, it might be a fairer reflection.