Lions Watch

[GunnerDownUnder]

I am going for a squad of 38 with a definite Scottish bias
Jenkins, Healy, Grant, Jones, Cole, Murray
Hibbard, Youngs, Best
Launchbury, Gray, Wynn-Jones, Ryan, O'Connell
Jones, Wood, Warburton (C), Tipuric, Robshaw, Faletau, Heaslip
Phillips, Youngs, Laidlaw
Farrell, Sexton
Barritt, Tuilagi, BOD, Roberts, Davis
Cuthbert, Maitland, North, Visser, Halfpenny, Hogg, Kearney

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

The Guardian, BBC and other English papers are reporting that the tour party will be made up of:

15 Welsh
12 Irish
8 English
3 Scots

Gatland obviously attaching a lot of weight to the Irish Heineken/Amlin performances. Apparently 2 of Wilko, Farrell and Twelvetrees will go.

No way Twelvetrees should go, Wilko and Farrell fair enough (I dont think Wilko will cope with a full tour though and for that reason should not be picked).

 

[JSRF10]

Twelvetrees is going as a 12 who can cover 10 in midweek games, with one of the others as Jonny Sexton's test understudy

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

Twelvetrees is going as a 12 who can cover 10 in midweek games, with one of the others as Jonny Sexton's test understudy

Farrell does that better than Twelvetrees in my opinion

 

[JSRF10]

Farrell is no more use than a robotic kicking leg. Some of his passing this season has been woeful, whilst I don't think either is test standard at 10 or 12 I'd rather have Twelvetrees given that all he'll play is probably against BaaBaas, NSW Country and the Rebels

 

[GunnerDownUnder]

Farrell is no more use than a robotic kicking leg. Some of his passing this season has been woeful, whilst I don't think either is test standard at 10 or 12 I'd rather have Twelvetrees given that all he'll play is probably against BaaBaas, NSW Country and the Rebels

Then it might make sense to have Phillips and Sexton as first choice, Youngs and Wilko as 2nd and Laidlaw to cover both positions on bench during those games?
Its just Wilko will miss BaaBaas game and probably not be ready for Force game either and I wouldnt want to take both Farrell and Twelvetrees - I think 10 is the most problematic position for the Lions - either way not long till the Reds game!

 

[JSRF10]

By the sounds of it they are taking 3 9's, Phillips, Youngs, Murray/Care and a centre who can cover fly half or visa versa. I can see the argument for taking Laidlaw, just going on the breakdown being reported in the media I don't think he'll be picked.

 

[Bardon]

If I was taking someone to cover centre and flyhalf then Madigan is streets ahead of anyone else atm imho. There's normally 1 or 2 bolters on the tour and I'd love him to be one of them. From an Irish perspective it would also mean that some of the other young flyhalves will get game time on the NA tour, maybe Schmidt would have a word with Kiss and we might see JJ Hanrahan getting some game time instead of having to wait like the current crop.

I find it very difficult to pick a Lions squad because there is so much competition for a lot of positions especially back row. There will probably be 5-6 backrow players who I could make a decent argument for their inclusion going to be left out or sitting at home injured. Then there will be a few more big names on top of that. Add in the young guys coming through, like Iain Henderson, who could really tear it up if they got the chance and the backrow depth is staggering.

But I've said before depth doesn't help once you've picked your squad and test team. Only the guys on the field can affect the result and it doesn't matter how good the guys sitting at home or in the stands are as they can't affect the result.

Also from a much smaller pool a players Aus have some quality options even though they may be a little light on cover if they have a backrow injury crisis. The clash of the backrows is truely going to be immense and I can see that battle and the series being 2-1 to either side as tactics and personnel change to counter whatever worked for the other team in the previous test.

Even in positions where we don't have that many outstanding players e.g. scrumhalf, hooker and tighthead it's difficult. The quality may not be to as high a standard as the other position but the number of candidates to fill the last 1 or 2 spots for the position are very close in ability.

I'm sure I'll be disappointed with some of WG's picks but I certainly don't envy him. For better or worse once the squad is picked, apart from the inevitable tour ending injury(s) that happen in the pre test match games, that's that. I'll be right behind the team no matter who he picks.

 

[the plastic paddy]

I don't really understand why everyone ignores Biggar, he was out half for Wales's successful six nations campaign which included a commodity that the coaches son cannot provide in a month of sunday's, tries. Maybe I have answered my own question there!?! All good for undermining morale though if the players suspect a bit of nepotism going on.

 

[JSRF10]

Also from a much smaller pool a players Aus have some quality options even though they may be a little light on cover if they have a backrow injury crisis. The clash of the backrows is truely going to be immense and I can see that battle and the series being 2-1 to either side as tactics and personnel change to counter whatever worked for the other team in the previous test.

TBH with the cavet that Will Genia stays fit I can't see anything more than a 3-0 win for the Wallabies. The Lions simply don't have enough quality throughout the park, however I do think all 3 games will be decided by 10 points or less.

If you compared the likely first choice XV for the Lions to the one who started the 2nd test in SA who would make it from the 2013 crop, Sexton, and maybe Healy? Which of the Lions would make the Wallaby team, BOD and Adam Jones? Add in Gatlands woeful record against Australia and it all points to a series loss.

 

[JSRF10]

I don't really understand why everyone ignores Biggar, he was out half for Wales's successful six nations campaign which included a commodity that the coaches son cannot provide in a month of sunday's, tries. Maybe I have answered my own question there!?! All good for undermining morale though if the players suspect a bit of nepotism going on.

Not too sure how much of a factor Biggar was in the Welsh team, the way they play all the 10 does is pass the ball to Roberts to bosh up the middle and kick penalties to touch. He doesn't even have to goal kick! Phillips is the man the Welsh tactics revolve around, Wales probably still would have won the 6 nations with Niall O'Connor at 10

 

[Braveheart81]

Here comes the squad!

 

[Bairdy]

Live stream of the announcement on foxsports
http://player.theplatform.com/ps/player/pds/fC5i0akSbY

 

[Bairdy]

Lions Backs:
Leigh Halfpenny, Stuart Hogg, Rob Kearney
Tommy Bowe, Alex Cuthbert, Sean Maitland, George North,
Jonathan Davies, Brian O'Driscoll, Jamie Roberts, Manu Tuilagi
Owen Farrell, Jonny Sexton
Conor Murray, Mike Phillips, Ben Youngs

 

[Bairdy]

Lions Forwards:
Dan Cole, Cian Healy, Gethin Jenkins, Adam Jones, Matt Stevens, Mako Vunipola
Dylan Hartley, Richard Hibbard, Tom Youngs
Ian Evans, Richie Gray, Alun Wyn Jones, Paul O'Connell, Geoff Parling
Tom Croft, Toby Faletau, Jamie Heaslip, Dan Lydiate, Sean O'Brien, Justin Tipuric, Sam Warburton (C)

 

[Tangawizi]

Sean Maitland is in. Will this series see the Tokoroa cuzzies face off?

 

[Braveheart81]

A few big surprises:

No Tim Visser. Sean Maitland gets the gig instead.
No Johnny Wilkinson and only two fly halves in the squad.
No Euan Murray with Matt Stevens selected instead.
No Rory Best.
No Launchbury.
No Robshaw. Hard to make the side if you're an England captain!

 

[Bairdy]

Rory Best, Chris Robshaw, Greig Laidlaw the notable omissions, and Dan Lydiate, Mako Vunipola, Matt Stevens, Sean Maitland surprise inclusions (to me at least)

 

[JSRF10]

So Warburton is captain because he'll make the test side? Personalities like Hartley and Stevens in the squad. St Sam saying that he'll rely on the Welsh for leadership? This tour is doomed from the start me thinks! Obviously I'd love the Lions to do well but I think Gatland has made some serious mistakes with this squad.

 

[JSRF10]

Also not picking some one in the outside picks who can at least cover fly half is another big mistake.