British and Irish Lions Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

Quint2010

CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »

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

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

If he does go, are you subliminaly ordering a Carlsberg?...:)

schools rugby

trouttrout wrote: »

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

Agree with you right here , not playing well at all. His brother Tom wasnt having a great game either . Croft and Parling are just outstanding in the lineout , Croft in the loose is like another back .

trouttrout

Croft had an absolute stormer. Tulagi will get the plaudits but the reality is that and decent 12 would have made that tackle for his second try when he had numbers outside him

Annabella1

Nobody should begrudge croft a place if he keeps playing like this...considering the extent of his neck injury last year

Swiwi

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.

Sounds like a multitude of reasons to have a RWC in Argentina (not at the expense of the Irish bid of course )

However, the beauty of a Lions tour is that it's the motherlands vs the colonials, whereas the only possible link between the Lions & Argentina is the Falklands war, and that's really just an Anglo-Argentine problem.

Also, from a purely selfish point of view, I already have to wait 12 years to see the ABs v the Lions, and if you increase that to 16, I just wouldn't cope :pac:

pickarooney

They could play a warm-up game in Y Wladfa

Argentina is the home of the fifth largest Irish community in the world, quite a bit bigger than the one in NZ.

The Scots in Argentina bear such wonderful names as Alejandro Anderson and Carlos McAllister.

Swiwi

pickarooney wrote: »

They could play a warm-up game in Y Wladfa

Argentina is the home of the fifth largest Irish community in the world, quite a bit bigger than the one in NZ.

The Scots in Argentina bear such wonderful names as Alejandro Anderson and Carlos McAllister.

Touché, pickarooney, touché.

jacothelad

Swiwi wrote: »

Touché, pickarooney, touché.

..and there is a large Welsh speaking community in Argentina.

Buer

Swiwi wrote: »

However, the beauty of a Lions tour is that it's the motherlands vs the colonials, whereas the only possible link between the Lions & Argentina is the Falklands war, and that's really just an Anglo-Argentine problem.

The Lions have a tradition in Argentina and toured there three times in the early days but ceased to do so after 1937 until their one off game in 2005. It's one that would be great to resurrect but shouldn't be done until the next few tours are out of the way and the domestic game can develop. Midweek matches would be a bit of a farce between professionals and amateurs.

P.Walnuts

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.

We are talking about a rugby tour here not a holiday, i'm sure its a beautiful country and don't doubt anything you said....but the rugby wouldn't really interest me that much.

awec

So I just did my picks on the windows app for this, according to it the most popular team pick is:

Halfpenny
Bowe
O'Driscoll
Davies
North
Sexton
Phillips

Cole
Best
Healy
Gray
Jones
Robshaw
Croft
Warburton

A bit nuts in parts, though it doesn't seem to distinguish between positions properly (i.e. LH and TH is just down as prop)

My team:

Halfpenny
Cuthbert
O'Driscoll
Roberts
North
Sexton
Phillips

Jenkins
Best
Jones
Hamilton
Launchbury
Robshaw
Warburton
O'Brien

Dublin Red Devil

awec wrote: »

My team:

Halfpenny
Cuthbert
O'Driscoll
Roberts
North
Sexton
Phillips

Jenkins
Best
Jones
Hamilton
Launchbury
Robshaw
Warburton
O'Brien

I agree on your Backs. Would make a few changes.

Healy for Jenkins
AW Jones for Launchbury
Gotta have Tipuric in there aswell

Blackheath

Gatland can only be impressed with Wade

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny

Blackheath wrote: »

Gatland can only be impressed with Wade

How he stood Kearney up and took him on he outside was a joy to watch.......great for Wade, not for Kearney!!

sydthebeat

Blackheath wrote: »

Gatland can only be impressed with Wade

Great to come off the bench to close out an open game....not sure he'd be my first choice in a dog fight.

.ak

Could you imagine a back three of Wade, Zebo and Hogg? :eek:

"So I said, add more points to the scoreboard, and they sez 'there are no more points...'"

Swiwi

.ak wrote: »

Could you imagine a back three of Wade, Zebo and Hogg? :eek:

"So I said, add more points to the scoreboard, and they sez 'there are no more points...'"

Having watched a bit of the SXV now, I'd say the Wallabies will have a backline to match the Lions. Israel Folau is rapidly finding his feet in Union. For Robbie Deans, I reckon the series (?coaching) defining selection is his choice of 10. I wouldn't go with Cooper, but then you are probably looking at choosing an uncapped player at 10, unless you go with the makeshift Beale, O'Connor or steady Barnes.

Don't see the Lions forwards completely running all over the WBs either.

It promises to be a close series, which is exactly what I want to see - not a comfortable 3-0 win for either side.

Not Playing Tiddlywinks Vinny

Swiwi wrote: »

Having watched a bit of the SXV now, I'd say the Wallabies will have a backline to match the Lions. Israel Folau is rapidly finding his feet in Union. For Robbie Deans, I reckon the series (?coaching) defining selection is his choice of 10. I wouldn't go with Cooper, but then you are probably looking at choosing an uncapped player at 10, unless you go with the makeshift Beale, O'Connor or steady Barnes.

Don't see the Lions forwards completely running all over the WBs either.

It promises to be a close series, which is exactly what I want to see - not a comfortable 3-0 win for either side.

Oz could have a much better backline than the Lions, it'll all come down to where JOC plays, i'd have him 12 myself! With cooper 10, Beale 15, Folau and Ioane on the wings with ACC at 13, and Genia 9, fup thats serious!!!!

Coburger

Why don't the Lions play a proper warm up game against a country. They played Argentina in London in 2005. Wouldn't it be great if they always started off their tour by playing a game or two at in Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, or London.

They could play Italy, Argentina, Samoa, or France. A Barbarians game is a bit of a joke IMHO.

thomond2006

France in Stade de France would be a great game. A stopover in Paris before going on tour proper would be very popular with fans too.

CatFromHue

I'd prefer it if the Lions didn't play any warm up game. The first game in the host country is the first warm up game.

The Lions are meant to be a serious team who want to win a test series, playing the Baa Baas in Hong Kong doesn't fit in with this ethos. It also messes up the tour schedule as the tour party will be fragmented straight away with half the squad going straight on to Perth while the other half plays in HK.

schools rugby

Not many players impressing during the games in Europe so far . Not much to talk about in the Amlin apart from Madigan and Wade. Both will need a big three weeks to have any chance of getting on the plane . Saracens make it hard for any of their players to stand out , Ashton with the try will give him a good chance of touring , Farrells solid kicking another reminder for Gatland. Best is doing everything he can to get off the plane at this stage. Henderson with a good performance at 6 but no real chance of touring . Good cameo from Bowe who may travel due to the fact he can play center and has done it before on a Lions tour .

Overall : Up the pecking order - Wade , Ashton , Madigan ,
Down - Best , Marshall , Goode

.ak

Luke Marshall? He had a decent game today, no worse than those around him tbh. I think you can add Kearney to the down list. His tackling was terrible. He'll need to have a MoTM performance on the 27th, because that's when they're picking the squad.

Tox56

Game over for Kearney I think, which might not be such a bad thing, give him a proper pre-season to get himself right. Hasn't been the same at all since coming back from injury (which was only earlier this year in fairness)

.ak

TBH ofcourse it's a bad thing. The Lions means a huge amount to players, and to play yourself out of a spot is massive disappointment. I want to see as many Irish represent the Lions as well. Feck the rest, he'll be rested plenty in the summer and early season by the IRFU.

Tox56

.ak wrote: »

TBH ofcourse it's a bad thing. The Lions means a huge amount to players, and to play yourself out of a spot is massive disappointment. I want to see as many Irish represent the Lions as well. Feck the rest, he'll be rested plenty in the summer and early season by the IRFU.

Yeah I'm sure he'll be gutted if he misses out but from the outside I think it might be good in the long-term. Fitzgerald found some good form with Leinster after missing out on the World Cup squad. Also look at it from the angle that he has already been with the Lions, and although he'll obviously be very disappointed, he isn't like SOB/Best/Sexton who have never been on tour. Won't be much consolation for him but it could be worse.

.ak

Yeah, the Fitz situation is a good one to reference, however I still would've preferred Fitzy to find form and go to the RWC than having an amazing season for Leinster. The same applies for me with Kearney and this tour. They're only once every 4 years, and regardless of age they're golden opportunities in a players career.

Having said all of that, I think you're right, it's game over for him.

Hype710

Kearney shouldn't tour because of his defence while Hogg should? Are we just going to forget his woeful attempt on Fofana? Or his multiple failed attempts at gathering high balls?

Kiwi_knock

Hogg offers more in attack on the basis of this season. Anyway it is doubtful that the backup fullback will get any gametime, Halfpenny is pretty more a guaranteed starter.

its_phil

Coburger wrote: »

Why don't the Lions play a proper warm up game against a country. They played Argentina in London in 2005. Wouldn't it be great if they always started off their tour by playing a game or two at in Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, or London.

They could play Italy, Argentina, Samoa, or France. A Barbarians game is a bit of a joke IMHO.

They could get beaten out the door before they even leave. The team will only just have been put together and started playing together the week before. The Barbarians will be in the same boat as throwing a random team together