British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand (2017)

[Scrubber2050]

I don't like the Soap Dodgers.

I like our little cousin's, the All Blacks, less.

Can only hope the Lions smash 'em each and every game.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

I don't like the Soap Dodgers.

I like our little cousin's, the All Blacks, less.

Can only hope the Lions smash 'em each and every game.

 

[Scrubber2050]

Looks like a Kiwi supporter after mid year.
Thanks Dismal for going to the effort

 

[zer0]

I don't like the Soap Dodgers.

I like our little cousin's, the All Blacks, less.

Can only hope the Lions smash 'em each and every game.

Ye bastard.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I'll still be barracking for the All Blacks, because England.

 

[The torpedo]

Go team refs!

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

NZ Barbarians Provincial XV:

Forwards: Aiden Ross (Bay of Plenty), Sam Anderson-Heather (Otago), Hame Faiva (Waikato), Marcel Renata (Auckland), Quinten Strange (Tasman), Josh Goodhue (Northland), Heiden Bedwell-Curtis (Manawatu), Mitchell Brown (Taranaki), Matthew Matich (Northland), Peter Rowe (Wanganui)

Backs: Jonathan Taumateine (Counties Manukau), Jack Stratton (Canterbury), Bryn Gatland (North Harbour), Jonathan Fa'auli (Taranaki), Jonah Lowe (Hawke's Bay), Sevu Reece (Waikato), Luteru Laulala (Counties Manukau), Junior Ngaluafe (Southland)

A tighthead prop, a loose forward, a centre, & a wing to be added to complete the 23.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11837000

The team will be coached by Clayton McMillan (Bay of Plenty) with Roger Randle (Waikato) & Joe Maddock (Canterbury) his assistants. The team will go into camp a week prior to the 3 June tour-opener.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lions-tour-2017/news/article.cfm?c_id=697&objectid=11807461

Note that the team isn't strictly speaking a "best of" from the Mitre 10 Cup, two of the selection criteria being that all 14 provinces be represented, and that there be a Heartland Championship player as well (that being Peter Rowe who actually retired at the end of last season but is something of a HC legend).

 

[Brumby Runner]

Do I see that the All Time Criminal XV WTG is also represented?

 

[Ulrich]

Rugby porn awaiting.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Gatland names his 37 on Wednesday, anyone care to hazard a guess on who they'll be? And the captaincy given injuries to first Wyn Jones & now Warburton plus of course Mr Hartley's most recent indiscretion...............

 

[Blue]

All talk seems to be pointing towards Warburton a captain regardless.

I can't believe the talk around AWJ as captain. No way he locks down a starting 15 spot with the quality they have just in the English licks and Richie Gray plus the youngster from Ireland who I reckon could be a bolter.

Neither would be my choice. The Irisher seems more logical to me.

Also reading that he favours a player like Teo at 12 which suggests Bulls 2007 rugby (which they call Gatlandball). They will get murdered if they try that sort of game plan in NZ.

Hardest picks are the back row and midfield where there are so many legit options.

See you in Rotorua for the Maori game.

 

[Twoilms]

It's hard to see any team coached by Gatland not getting murdered by New Zealand, period.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Squad announcement from 20:30 AEST tonight. Rumour has it Hartley has missed the cut:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/video.cfm?c_id=80&gal_cid=80&gallery_id=174677

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Warburton all but confirmed as captain:

http://www.planetrugby.com/news/photo-leak-reveals-warburton-as-lions-captain/

 

[mst]

^^^^Woops! Very much confirmed. This was out before the above picture.

 

[Slim 293]

British and Irish Lions 2017 squad

Forwards:
Rory Best (Ireland), Dan Cole (England), Taulupe Faletau (Wales), Tadhg Furlong (Ireland), Jamie George (England), Iain Henderson (Ireland), Maro Itoje (England), Alun Wyn Jones (Wales), George Kruis (England), Courtney Lawes (England), Joe Marler (England), Jack McGrath (Ireland), Ross Moriarty (Wales), Sean O'Brien (Ireland), Peter O'Mahony (Ireland), Ken Owens (Wales), Kyle Sinckler (England), CJ Stander (Ireland), Justin Tipuric (Wales), Billy Vunipola (England), Mako Vunipola (England), Sam Warburton (c) (Wales)

Backs:
Dan Biggar (Wales), Elliot Daly (England), Jonathan Davies (Wales), Owen Farrell (England), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales), Robbie Henshaw (Ireland), Stuart Hogg (Scotland), Jonathan Joseph (England), Conor Murray (Ireland), George North (Wales), Jack Nowell (England), Jared Payne (Ireland), Jonathan Sexton (Ireland), Tommy Seymour (Scotland), Ben Te'o (England), Anthony Watson (England), Rhys Webb (Wales), Liam Williams (Wales), Ben Youngs (England)

 

[Highlander35]

Certainly looks like the Kiwi sides will have an easy time with it.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Upthenuts]

taking on all 5 super teams and the maori, very brave, going to be some sore lions at the end, makes a grandslam tour look easy

 

[Highlander35]

The biggest issue with the squad IMO is not that it's a bad squad in and of itself, it just won't be used correctly.

The team to take on the ABs in the first test should look like:

15. S. Hogg
14. A. Watson
13. E. Daly
12. R. Henshaw
11. G. North/T. Seymour
10. J. Sexton
9. C. Murray

1. M. Vunipola
2. J. George
3. T. Furlong
4. M. Itoje
5. G. Kruis
6. R. Moriarty
7. H. Watson (Actually S. Warburton ©)
8. B. Vunipola

16. R. Best
17. J. McGrath
18. S. Sinckler
19. C. Lawes
20. CJ Stander
21. B. Youngs
22. O. Farrell
23. B. Teo

But the likelihood is that the experienced but comparatively underwhelming group of players (either in terms of current form or potential ceiling) that includes Marler, Cole, Owens, AWJ, Faletau, Farrell (as a starting center), Joseph, Biggar and Halfpenny will see a lot of test gametime.

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Slim 293]

So, quite a few Welsh players...........