British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

bilston

If Argentina eventually come onto the Lions roster we'd not be travelling to each country for 16 years. It's already mad that it's every 12 years! The Lions won't be back in Australia until 2025!

Sort of related but a bit off topic but why are World Cups four years apart?

It's the same in Rugby Union, Cricket and Football, not sure about RL. Who decided four years and why?

twinytwo

bilston wrote: »

If Argentina eventually come onto the Lions roster we'd not be travelling to each country for 16 years. It's already mad that it's every 12 years! The Lions won't be back in Australia until 2025!

Sort of related but a bit off topic but why are World Cups four years apart?

It's the same in Rugby Union, Cricket and Football, not sure about RL. Who decided four years and why?

Because world cups take a lot of time to organsise... build infrastructure etc... qualifiers must be played. Also players need breaks... plus if it was less than 4 years it would devalue the whole thing.

thomond2006

bilston wrote: »

It's the same in Rugby Union, Cricket and Football, not sure about RL. Who decided four years and why?

I don't know, but it would be overkill if the World Cup was more frequent than every four years.

Glass Prison 1214

bilston wrote: »

If Argentina eventually come onto the Lions roster we'd not be travelling to each country for 16 years. It's already mad that it's every 12 years! The Lions won't be back in Australia until 2025!

Sort of related but a bit off topic but why are World Cups four years apart?

It's the same in Rugby Union, Cricket and Football, not sure about RL. Who decided four years and why?

It probably comes from the ancient Olympics being held every four years. I'd say most sports followed suit.

P.Walnuts

bilston wrote: »

If Argentina eventually come onto the Lions roster we'd not be travelling to each country for 16 years. It's already mad that it's every 12 years! The Lions won't be back in Australia until 2025!

Sort of related but a bit off topic but why are World Cups four years apart?

It's the same in Rugby Union, Cricket and Football, not sure about RL. Who decided four years and why?

Can't say I would be very enthused about a Lions tour of Argentina

For Paws

P.Walnuts wrote: »

Can't say I would be very enthused about a Lions tour of Argentina

Yeah, not the most exciting prospect.

But how about an Annual 6 Nations Champions vs Tri-Nations Champions match ?

Or a European XV vs a Southern Hemisphere XV ?

All to be best of 3 (or aggregate points) matches.

Then keep Lions tours to every 4 years & World Cups to every 4 years.

Also would prefer to see an All European League with Top 4 qualifying for European Cup knockout home & away quarter finals, semis & final.

jacothelad

For Paws wrote: »

Yeah, not the most exciting prospect.

But how about an Annual 6 Nations Champions vs Tri-Nations Champions match ?

Or a European XV vs a Southern Hemisphere XV ?

All to be best of 3 (or aggregate points) matches.

Then keep Lions tours to every 4 years & World Cups to every 4 years.

Also would prefer to see an All European League with Top 4 qualifying for European Cup knockout home & away quarter finals, semis & final.

I think we are at the limit of games - unless we get bigger, better squads....

thomond2006

Latest Toulon lineup shows no Gethin Jenkins, not even on the bench. He was in the extended squad so no word of an injury.

Will Gatland take a player who is undercooked?

its_phil

thomond2006 wrote: »

Latest Toulon lineup shows no Gethin Jenkins, not even on the bench. He was in the extended squad so no word of an injury.

Will Gatland take a player who is undercooked?

Played 60 mins last week. Rotation?

thomond2006

its_phil wrote: »

Played 60 mins last week. Rotation?

possibly

We'll see if he features against Leicester next week.

Kiwi_knock

Who else is there apart from Jenkins to travel as a loosehead with Healy. Vunipola?

P.Walnuts

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Who else is there apart from Jenkins to travel as a loosehead with Healy. Vunipola?

Ye thats about it really...Marler is very very average, Paul James is decent mind, but hasn't gotten much of a look in due to Jenkins. Probably on merit deserved to start more games.

Glass Prison 1214

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

Who else is there apart from Jenkins to travel as a loosehead with Healy. Vunipola?

How about the player who is ahead of Jenkins at Toulon, Andrew Sheridan.

yimrsg

Doesn't the play off games in the French Championship coincide with the one of the Lions warmup games so guys like Jenkins, Sheridan, Hines, Barclay who are with sides in contention will be possibly unavailable? Philips probably won't have that worry with Bayonne. In the '09 tour Nathan Hines left his club side in the lurch and left them early to tour with the Lions.

toomevara

P.Walnuts wrote: »

Can't say I would be very enthused about a Lions tour of Argentina

You've got to be kidding mel!! Freakin' amazing country with an absolutely unique rugby culture. I had the great fortune to travel there a decade ago and I can assure you, it would be the rugby trip of a lifetime, and it would also be (relatively) cheap. Superb weather, fabulous culture, beautiful beer, the best steak you've ever eaten and I won't even start on the women....I'd be the first on the plane.

CIARAN_BOYLE

yimrsg wrote: »

Doesn't the play off games in the French Championship coincide with the one of the Lions warmup games so guys like Jenkins, Sheridan, Hines, Barclay who are with sides in contention will be possibly unavailable? Philips probably won't have that worry with Bayonne. In the '09 tour Nathan Hines left his club side in the lurch and left them early to tour with the Lions.

not so much one of the warmups, rather the flight to Oz. Gatland has said he wouldn't pick anyone that couldn't get on the plane with the squad.

Gordon Gecko

toomevara wrote: »

You've got to be kidding mel!! Freakin' amazing country with an absolutely unique rugby culture. I had the great fortune to travel there a decade ago and I can assure you, it would be the rugby trip of a lifetime, and it would also be (relatively) cheap. Superb weather, fabulous culture, beautiful beer, the best steak you've ever eaten and I won't even start on the women....I'd be the first on the plane.

Would be horrendous in terms of the rugby compared to one of SANZAR.

If they were up for an away game we could host them in the Falklands though

toomevara

Gordon Gecko wrote: »

Would be horrendous in terms of the rugby compared to one of SANZAR.

If they were up for an away game we could host them in Las Malvinas though

FYP

Don't agree, think the tests would be huge and utterly ferocious with an insane argentinian crowd baying for blood. and the dirt trackers would no doubt be given a rude awakening at some of the bear pits dotted round the country..e.g. Cordoba...Definitely worth a punt.

CIARAN_BOYLE

toomevara wrote: »

FYP

Don't agree, think the tests would be huge and utterly ferocious with an insane argentinian crowd baying for blood. and the dirt trackers would no doubt be given a rude awakening at some of the bear pits dotted round the country..e.g. Cordoba...Definitely worth a punt.

To be honest I don't think there would be competition for the mid week tests. Maybe when professional rugby gets started domestically in argentina but until then I don't think it would work.

toomevara

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

To be honest I don't think there would be competition for the mid week tests. Maybe when professional rugby gets started domestically in argentina but until then I don't think it would work.

Yeah, actually yourself and gordon are probably right come to think of it. Probably got carried away with the romance of it..ah well, maybe some time in the future...

matthew8

Wade scores a try against Saracens. Big candidate for Bolter.

thomond2006

matthew8 wrote: »

Wade scores a try against Saracens. Big candidate for Bolter.

I've never seen him play, looking forward to watching him against Leinster.

danthefan

thomond2006 wrote: »

I've never seen him play, looking forward to watching him against Leinster.

Only have seen him rarely, first time was a pre-season game the season Schmidt took over, Wade and Simpson completely tore Leinster to shreds.

schools rugby

matthew8 wrote: »

Wade scores a try against Saracens. Big candidate for Bolter.

Been doing it the last two years in the Premiership, a definite candidate to make the plane.
Also worth noting , Tom Croft putting in a big performance against Northampton Saints at the moment, i fancy him to start the first test at 6

Buer

I'll buy everyone on this thread a pint if Wade goes on the Lions tour.

thomond2006

Buer wrote: »

I'll buy everyone on this thread a pint if Wade goes on the Lions tour.

Be warned, a lot of people will bookmark this post!

trouttrout

Youngs having a nightmare in this game. So inconsistent which is very worrying

Buer

thomond2006 wrote: »

Be warned, a lot of people will bookmark this post!

Only everyone who has posted on the thread before my post! But I'm 99.99% he doesn't have a hope. He's lighting quick and a try scorer. But he is vulnerable defensively and has no kicking game. Gatland isn't going to bring someone who has never played higher than AP or Challenge Cup. It would be the biggest turn up in a long, long time.

opinionatedfan

If anything Gatland is far more liable to do to the unexpected then the perceived move

CIARAN_BOYLE

Buer wrote: »

Only everyone who has posted on the thread before my post! But I'm 99.99% he doesn't have a hope. He's lighting quick and a try scorer. But he is vulnerable defensively and has no kicking game. Gatland isn't going to bring someone who has never played higher than AP or Challenge Cup. It would be the biggest turn up in a long, long time.

I'm guessing 160 people posted in this thread before your post.

Still I doubt he will travel so you are probably safe.