British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Swiwi

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Lewis Moody's team:

15. Halfpenny
14. North
13. Tuilagi
12. Roberts
11. Visser
10. Farrell
9. Youngs

8. (Not included?!)
7. Tipuric
6. O'Brien
5. Launchbury
4. Hamilton
3. Cole
2. Youngs
1. Healy

Yawn. I guess having no number 8 throws a spanner in the selection debate...

Edit: Yawn, as in Tox56s comment that it's a bit of a pedestrian selection IMO, not yawn for posting it, for which I say thanks!

irishbucsfan

http://planetrugby.com/lions-09/story/0,25883,16024_8529998,00.html

Someone definitely won't be going on the Lions anyway

CatFromHue

irishbucsfan wrote: »

http://planetrugby.com/lions-09/story/0,25883,16024_8529998,00.html

Someone definitely won't be going on the Lions anyway

Who chose that pic of him

The Aussie

Not good for a leadership perspective for the Wallabies.

"A possible season-ending knee injury to champion Wallabies flanker David Pocock has overshadowed the Brumbies' clinical 35-6 drubbing of old foes the NSW Waratahs on Saturday night.

scans confirm the suspected ACL tear to Pocock's left knee, he will likely be ruled out for at least six months, missing the high-profile three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions, the Rugby Championship series and the rest of the Super Rugby season."

Richie Gray leaving the field in an awful lot of pain. Either a knee or a hip injury seems like.

If it is a knee ligament injury, he wont be travelling.

EDIT: BBC reporting that it was a Hamstring injury. And off as a precaution. Stretchered off though, doesn't make sense to me...

FellasFellas

The Aussie wrote: »

Not good for a leadership perspective for the Wallabies.

"A possible season-ending knee injury to champion Wallabies flanker David Pocock has overshadowed the Brumbies' clinical 35-6 drubbing of old foes the NSW Waratahs on Saturday night.

scans confirm the suspected ACL tear to Pocock's left knee, he will likely be ruled out for at least six months, missing the high-profile three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions, the Rugby Championship series and the rest of the Super Rugby season."

True from a leadership perspective but from a 7 perspective Michael Hooper is an incredibly good replacement.

Blackheath

Deleted User wrote: »

Richie Gray leaving the field in an awful lot of pain. Either a knee or a hip injury seems like.

If it is a knee ligament injury, he wont be travelling.

Only a hamstring injury according to BBC, looked worse

Dublin Red Devil

So, What Starting 15 would you guys put out based on the 6 nations so far.?

Tigerandahalf

Not a huge amount of players are putting their hand up. Think Donncha Ryan has a chance, Ireland's best player so far. He has superb hands in the lineout.

P.Walnuts

I just don't see BOD as a cert, fisrt half of Wales aside he hasn't shown anything of note.

Tuilagi will start 13 for me.

ebbsy

Just send the whole England team, plus the kicker from Scotland.

This 6 nations has been very dubious quality wise, England excepted.

toomevara

ebbsy wrote: »

Just send the whole England team, plus the kicker from Scotland.

This 6 nations has been very dubious quality wise, England excepted.

One could look at it that way, or indeed you could conclude that the quality of this years 6N has been so bad across the board that a well-organised, committed, well-led but ultimately rather limited, one-dimensional England have been made to look far better than might otherwise have been the case. A fully fit Ireland or a well coached France with say a functioning, on-form out-half would have posed a serious threat to England.

The Red Rose are a good outfit, but man for man there are many players on the Scottish, Irish or Welsh teams who are at least their equal and in many cases far superior technically. The glory of the Lions lies in taking these disparate talents and melding them into a winning force, rather than simply picking the winning 6N team and transporting them en-masse to Oz.

irishbucsfan

toomevara wrote: »

One could look at it that way, or indeed you could conclude that the quality of this years 6N has been so bad across the board that a well-organised, committed, well-led but ultimately rather limited, one-dimensional England have been made to look far better than might otherwise have been the case. A fully fit Ireland or a well coached France with say a functioning, on-form out-half would have posed a serious threat to England.

The Red Rose are a good outfit, but man for man there are many players on the Scottish, Irish or Welsh teams who are at least their equal and in many cases far superior technically. The glory of the Lions lies in taking these disparate talents and melding them into a winning force, rather than simply picking the winning 6N team and transporting them en-masse to Oz.

England are absolutely not one-dimensional. That's such a lazy stereotype.

They are extremely disciplined and play percentage rugby but when the likes of Goode and Twelvetrees come onto the ball out wide they are capable of doing a lot with it. They also have forwards like Wood and now Croft who can allow them to do that.

Chabals Beard

15.Halfpenny
14.North
13.Tualagi
12.(no clue,Roberts has been very poor this year,not sold on Barrit yet)
11.Zebo(if he recovers for the Hc QF)
10.Sexton
9.Youngs or Murray
8.(impossible to call imo)
7.Robshaw
6.SOB
5.Ryan
4.Launchbury
3.Cole
2.Best
1.Healy

The likes of Cuthburt, Gray, Tipuric, Farrell will all be pushing or starting spots

irishbucsfan

Luke Marshall as a bolter?

Tox56

irishbucsfan wrote: »

England are absolutely not one-dimensional. That's such a lazy stereotype.

They are extremely disciplined and play percentage rugby but when the likes of Goode and Twelvetrees come onto the ball out wide they are capable of doing a lot with it. They also have forwards like Wood and now Croft who can allow them to do that.

One dimensional is harsh, but I think it's telling that of the two players you named, one of them has only a single start (and won't be starting this weekend either). Goode is a very clever player, but he is needed because the centres aren't great distributors, and Farrell wouldn't be the most creative 10 in relative terms either.

If you compared it with a potential Irish backline with the likes of Sexton, Marshall, BOD, Zebo, Fitzgerald etc. you would notice an immediate difference in creativity. England have got the best out of their players, and there's nothing wrong with that, but I think they're limited and definitely beatable. That could change when/if players like Burns and Twelvetrees become a regular part of the team, but I suppose if it ain't broke don't fix it.

WorldRugby99

Apart from one half against wales ireland have been pretty poor-sure injuries in last 2 games havent helped-but few players have put their hands up.Still Long way to go but my team at moment-
C Healy,R Best,D Cole,G Parling,A Wyn-Jones,T Wood,C Robshaw,T Faletau,D Care,J Sexton,G North,B Barritt,M Tuilagi,S Maitland,L Halfpenny

tough to select wingers in all honesty-few have got their hands on the ball in space! probably picking maitland on what i think he can do rather than what he has done.
Barritts a great defender and great work rate but would rather go with someone else but who?roberts has been anonymous
One half against wales but nothing else-really hard to select BOD
cole hasnt been at his best scrum wise but gets nod over jones due to greater mobility and work rate around the park

Fits Morris

Time has caught up on Brian O'Driscoll I'm afraid and Manu Tuilagi is the obvious choice for the starting spot at 13. That isn't to say that O'Driscoll won't have a role off the bench for the last 15/20 minutes of the test matches when his experience will be invaluable.

irishbucsfan

Tox56 wrote: »

One dimensional is harsh, but I think it's telling that of the two players you named, one of them has only a single start (and won't be starting this weekend either). Goode is a very clever player, but he is needed because the centres aren't great distributors, and Farrell wouldn't be the most creative 10 in relative terms either.

Farrell is a very good attacking player imo. But thats only a small issue.

They are very well balanced imo.

If they are one-dimensional then what is their one dimension? Because I think they might be one of the more versatile teams around at the moment. They're certainly more versatile than us imo.

WorldRugby99

Fits Morris wrote: »

Time has caught up on Brian O'Driscoll I'm afraid and Manu Tuilagi is the obvious choice for the starting spot at 13. That isn't to say that O'Driscoll won't have a role off the bench for the last 15/20 minutes of the test matches when his experience will be invaluable.

we all know BOD has lost a yard or 2 of pace these last couple of seasons and hes not the attacking threat he once was but this six nations,you just feel hes about to break and is just about holding his body together for one last effort.Im not convinced he would even get through a lions tour without some kind of injury.
The efforts still huge but hes just not what he was.
Im torn-on the one hand you dont want to end up with an o gara type decision-but on the other-you would like him to go out with a proper bang-standing ovation after a great irish victory.

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny

Pocock out with Cruciate Knee Ligament injury! Big boost to the Lions chances, No.7 wide open for Oz now with George Smith and Michael Hooper two front runners

RugbyMan10

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny wrote: »

Pocock out with Cruciate Knee Ligament injury! Big boost to the Lions chances, No.7 wide open for Oz now with George Smith and Michael Hooper two front runners

wouldn't rule out young Liam Gill at the reds either

darahiggins

15 Halfpenny
14 Ashton
13 Tuilagi
12 Roberts
11 North
10 Farrell
9 Phillips
8
7 Warburton
6 SOB
5 Gray
4
3 Adam Jones
2 Best
1 Healy

Thats my team but just couldnt make a call on 4 or 8

schools rugby

15 Halfpenny
14 North
13 BOD
12 Roberts
11 Cuthbert
10 Sexton
9 Care/Youngs
8 Heaslip
7 O'Brien
6 Lydiate
5 Parling
4 Ryan
3 Cole
2 Best
1 Healy

That would be the team id put out for the first test, possibly Bowe on the left wing if he is fit and Richie Gray at lock and Croft at flanker if he gets back to his best. Gatland will go for experience i reckon hence the Roberts/BOD partnership.

darahiggins

Warburton guaranteed 7

Tigerandahalf

Who do people reckon will be captain.
Doubt ODriscoll can be as he wouldnt be a guaranteed starter. Will Gatland avoid a Welsh man? Also I cant see an Irish captain 3 series in a row. Robshaw?

RugbyMan10

darahiggins wrote: »

Warburton guaranteed 7

how is he? he isn't a guaranteed starter for Wales, atm let alone a dead on for 7 on the lions?

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny

darahiggins wrote: »

15 Halfpenny
14 Ashton
13 Tuilagi
12 Roberts
11 North
10 Farrell
9 Phillips
8
7 Warburton
6 SOB
5 Gray
4
3 Adam Jones
2 Best
1 Healy

Thats my team but just couldnt make a call on 4 or 8

I would've had Ashton in before the season but he is playing as poorly as he possibly could at the moment, 1/2 tries in last 20 tests!! Shocking think it'll be either a full Welsh back three or else, Goode 15, Halfpenny 14 and Cuthbert/North 11.

I'd be going with

Healy Best Coles
Lauchbury Ryan
SOB Faletau Robshaw (c)
Murray Sexton
Roberts Tuilagi
North Goode Halfpenny (k)

darahiggins

Did you not see his motm performance today with a trademark steal at the end just as it seemed Scotland might get the equalising try. I would be shocked if he isnt a starter. Picking 8 will be a lot harder

darahiggins

you could be right about ashton. hopefully Bowe gets it but he would need a miracle at this rate