British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Tox56

jm08 wrote: »

No matter what you try to claim, it doesn't hide the 'fact' that according to Fishooks, Heaslip is not one of our Top Tacklers. Looking at those figures, the top tacklers would be Ferris, SOB & POC.

Ah yes, the figures that show Heaslip to have been 1st twice, 2nd once, and only out of Top 5 tacklers in the team twice all year. For a player who hardly misses a game due to injury to miss only 6 tackles all year is incredible

But it's quite obvious nothing I do or say will convince you, so think what you want!

Nervous Nigel

Tox56 wrote: »

Kearney has a lot of competition and hasn't played for months. Warburton will be doing well to hang on to his Welsh starting spot.

Warburton's odds on with the bookies to captain the Lions. Robshaw at 3/1, Drico at 7/1 and Heaslip at 9/1 seem to be the only alternatives with the rest at 20/1 or longer. This suggests that Warburton's virtually a certainty.

And assuming that he comes back from injury okay, Kearney is one of the first names on the Test teamsheet in my view.

And if we're talking about certainties, it's hard to look past one J Sexton...Farrell, Flood etc just aren't credible alternatives.

Deano7788

Nervous Nigel wrote: »

Warburton's odds on with the bookies to captain the Lions. Robshaw at 3/1, Drico at 7/1 and Heaslip at 9/1 seem to be the only alternatives with the rest at 20/1 or longer. This suggests that Warburton's virtually a certainty.

And assuming that he comes back from injury okay, Kearney is one of the first names on the Test teamsheet in my view.

And if we're talking about certainties, it's hard to look past one J Sexton...Farrell, Flood etc just aren't credible alternatives.

Warburton's lucky to be keeping Tipuric out for Wales, his form has completely plummeted. Then add in competition from the likes SOB, Robshaw and even Rennie and Armitage and it's probably the most contested spot. The bookies have been wrong before.

And for Kearney, all I'll say is Halfpenny, who has easily been Wales best player this season.

I think Sexton is the closest to a certainty there is but again you never know what may happen. Wales may win a Grand Slam with Prince Harry brilliant at 10 and all of a sudden he might be 1st choice (not likely, but, hey, you never know).

Fishooks13

The bookies got it very wrong four years ago. Ryan Jones was a similarly short price favorite for captain at this stage and he didn't even make the plane

Warburton has been atrocious for both Cardiff and Wales this season. Not to mention he's injury prone and has only played consistently well (and not half as well as some would have you believe) for about 6 months

Hagz

23 tackles by SOB in the NZ game. Holy smokes. Good thing he's back eh?

jm08

Tox56 wrote: »

Ah yes, the figures that show Heaslip to have been 1st twice, 2nd once, and only out of Top 5 tacklers in the team twice all year. For a player who hardly misses a game due to injury to miss only 6 tackles all year is incredible

But it's quite obvious nothing I do or say will convince you, so think what you want!

No the figures that show:

v Wales - 6th top tackler
v Italy - 3rd
v France - 7th
v scotland - 5th
v England - 3rd
v NZ - 1st
v NZ - 1st
v SA - 11th
v Argentina - 3rd

You don't expect your inside centre or outhalf to be making more tackles than your No. 8.

Just shows when he puts the shoulder to the wheel how well Ireland can do (i.e, 2nd test v NZ).

Deano7788

jm08 wrote: »

No the figures that show:

v Wales - 6th top tackler
v Italy - 3rd
v France - 7th
v scotland - 5th
v England - 3rd
v NZ - 1st
v NZ - 1st
v SA - 11th
v Argentina - 3rd

You don't expect your inside centre or outhalf to be making more tackles than your No. 8.

Just shows when he puts the shoulder to the wheel how well Ireland can do (i.e, 2nd test v NZ).

He was joint 5th against Wales, so Tox56 was right. He was level with Murray, so don't rank him below him to suit your agenda

bilston

Nervous Nigel wrote: »

Warburton's odds on with the bookies to captain the Lions. Robshaw at 3/1, Drico at 7/1 and Heaslip at 9/1 seem to be the only alternatives with the rest at 20/1 or longer. This suggests that Warburton's virtually a certainty.

And assuming that he comes back from injury okay, Kearney is one of the first names on the Test teamsheet in my view.

And if we're talking about certainties, it's hard to look past one J Sexton...Farrell, Flood etc just aren't credible alternatives.

Sexton isn't a certainty but yes he's as close ad there is. Warburton has a lot of competition and Kearney is miles away from being a nailed on Lion at this moment in time.

Nervous Nigel

Of course the bookies can be wrong, but they're rarely wrong. And it's not as if Warburton's the marginal favourite with the others nipping at his heels...he's a massive favourite with the bookies.

I'll be genuinely shocked if (injury aside) Sexton, Kearney, Warburton and O'Driscoll don't start in Brisbane.

Fishooks13

Also, jmo8, where are you getting those stats?

Podge_irl

Scrum stats don't count a second man in as a tackle, they only credit the first tackler I think. Justin has said the IRFU stats show Heaslip as consistently the top tackler.

durkadurka

Podge_irl wrote: »

Scrum stats don't count a second man in as a tackle, they only credit the first tackler I think. Justin has said the IRFU stats show Heaslip as consistently the top tackler.

I think he said consistently top three tacklers.

danthefan

durkadurka wrote: »

I think he said consistently top three tacklers.

I'd hate him less if it were top two tacklers tbh.

durkadurka

danthefan wrote: »

I'd hate him less if it were top two tacklers tbh.

Yep if he could just get into the top two and not have a life outside the game he might be tolerated

jm08

danthefan wrote: »

I'd hate him less if it were top two tacklers tbh.

If you average it out, he is about 4th top tackler in the last year (and that is without Ferris & POC who missed a good few games and are usually in the Top 2 or 3:

----

This is what Fishooks posted what I responded to:

Originally Posted by Fishooks13
Such a load of crap.

"he looks as if he doesn't put in any effort for Ireland"? Despite the fact that's he's regularly our top tackler.

jm08

Fishooks13 wrote: »

Also, jmo8, where are you getting those stats?

I got them from scrum.com

I think scrum.com does include 2nd tackler - its the kiwi one that doesn't. They also do stats on first to get to breakdown etc.

.ak

durkadurka wrote: »

Yep if he could just get into the top two and not have a life outside the game he might be tolerated

I wish he'd shave those sideburns.

danthefan

.ak wrote: »

I wish he'd shave those sideburns.

Maybe pull his socks up half an inch. And get a new car. I have no idea what he drives but I'm sure I'd hate it if I did.

Ciaran-Irl

danthefan wrote: »

Maybe pull his socks up half an inch. And get a new car. I have no idea what he drives but I'm sure I'd hate it if I did.

Don't forget that he'd have to have smaller earphones.

durkadurka

And different coloured boots .

danthefan

durkadurka wrote: »

And different coloured boots .

Nah Wallace started wearing white boots so they needed new reasons, it turned out white boots were great the whole time.

thomond2006

We need a jm08 superthread.

jamiedav2011

And own a pub rather than a restaurant.

jm08

thomond2006 wrote: »

We need a jm08 superthread.

We could call it the JM08 separates the facts from fiction thread

Fishooks13

danthefan wrote: »

Nah Wallace started wearing white boots so they needed new reasons, it turned out white boots were great the whole time.

Now now! I'm sure you're not implying that the vast majority of Heaslip hate is from Munster supporters :P

All though you'd probably be right, albeit a very small minority of them (same guys who still think ROG is better than Sexton)!

thomond2006

jm08 wrote: »

We could call it the JM08 separates the facts from fiction thread

Well there's two words I would switch in the above...

jm08

danthefan wrote: »

Nah Wallace started wearing white boots so they needed new reasons, it turned out white boots were great the whole time.

nah, rugby fans everywhere would have realised that Wally had earned the right to wear whatever coloured boots he liked.

jm08

thomond2006 wrote: »

Well there's two words I would switch in the above...

oh, I know Thomond, I know. But you have to be cruel to be kind sometimes.

Nervous Nigel

What exactly has all of this sh1te got to do with the Lions?

totallegend

Nervous Nigel wrote: »

What exactly has all of this sh1te got to do with the Lions?

Nothing. Welcome to boards.ie, where one particular poster brings every thread down in anti-Leinster flames and no-one has the cop-on to use the ignore button. Frustrating.