Wilkinson for the Lions?

thomond2006

Do we need Jonny Wilkinson for the Lions against the Boks?

Noopti

For the love of god....NO!

LeeroyJones

Wilkinson is the perfect Flyhalf for 10 man rugby, he is brilliant for it-but for a more expansive gameplan he is ordinary, and certainly is down the pecking order if you want your flyhalf to get a backline moving. While it certainly is effective(England and Munster success will show you that), I personnaly hate 10 man rugby and cant see any reason to play that system when you have the likes of O'Driscoll, Lee Byrne, Kearney etc in the backline. So, no, i would leave him at home for the summer.

barnesd

We need him because our other 10s aren't good enough.

Not sure what 2005 has to do with it, he got played at 12, he is not a 12, not sure how you can blame him. He's a superb rugby player, just never fit. He has no form to base selection on, therefore I wouldn't pick him.

Noopti

barnesd wrote: »

Not sure what 2005 has to do with it, he got played at 12, he is not a 12, not sure how you can blame him. He's a superb rugby player, just never fit. He has no form to base selection on, therefore I wouldn't pick him.

It would be similar to 2005 in that if picked this year it would be on reputation and past glories rather than his current fitness and form. This is what happened in 2005, and his position then was irrelavent as it did the same thing then, as it would now: Keep someone who deserves their place on form and fitness out of the team/squad.

robgloster

We need him because our other 10s aren't good enough.

He'll get injured stepping off the plane

stephen_n

We need him because our other 10s aren't good enough.

If fit he would have been the first choice outhalf but that was some if, he has no match fitness no form and would be a high risk inclussion on that basis.

zAbbo

I'd take him, he's an exceptional talent - the kind of player you make exceptions for in selection

With 35 players travelling, I'd put him in as a 4th Fly Half with Jones, ROG and Hook.

High risk with his injury history, but a call worth making.

twinytwo

Jonny is a fantastic player but as we dont no if his legs would hold out.. the boks will hit hard and if he goes down that would leave us with 2/3 10's to cover the rest of the games. As he hasnt played test rugby in ages the reactions/sharpness just wouldnt be there.

Stev_o

Who's Jonny Wilkinson?

Well the list of 10's available isn't the greatest. ROG, Jones, Hook and Flood. They all have their flaws and they all suffer from being mehhhhh tacklers. I wouldn't mind him traveling and playing mid week so his fitness and match awareness can be assessed. So that way he could be used for the 2nd or 3rd tests if everything goes belly up.

Judgement Day

For selfish reasons I would like Jonny Wilkinson not to go on the Lions tour as he might get injured and I would prefer to watch him in the coming Six Nations. However, as I want Ireland to retain the Six Nations trophy I have a problem with this scenario too. In any event I shouldn't think he has even the slightest chance of going to South Africa except as a spectator.

JOM34

He should go, he has time to prove he's fit.

I reckon he will go or in the event of one of the three picked instead getting injured, he'll be flown out as a replacement. He may be made of glass according to some peoples opinions but i believe he is the only 10 in B&I who is equipped to deal with the pressure of Lions v SA Test rugby. He was written off before the 2005 tour and in my opinion he was one of the few players to come out of that tour with his reputation intact.

For RWC 2007 he was again written off, but then dragged England to another World Cup final. If he was fit for England under Johnson I think you would have seen a far better performing & successful team. He was the missing link for them in Autumn Internationals & the Six Nations.

A team like SA will eat the likes of Hook, Jones & especially O'Gara alive. I wouldn't consider Flood...too flaky! I reckon McGeechan is extremely worried about his 10 options. Wilko is a shoe-in if fit.....(go easy on me lads!!!!).

Micky Dolenz

Judgement Day wrote: »

For selfish reasons I would like Jonny Wilkinson not to go on the Lions tour as he might get injured and I would prefer to watch him in the coming Six Nations. However, as I want Ireland to retain the Six Nations trophy I have a problem with this scenario too. In any event I shouldn't think he has even the slightest chance of going to South Africa except as a spectator.

He played in Croke park on that day of days,nuff said:pac:

It would be maddness to waste a spot for the lions on him, he has too much to do to be ready.

simonrooneyzaga

a simple yes/no poll would probably be easier to gague public opinion!

Stev_o

Who's Jonny Wilkinson?

Sam Vesty or Tom May then anyone

conf101

Stev_o wrote: »

Well the list of 10's available isn't the greatest. ROG, Jones, Hook and Flood.

Does no-one think Paterson has a chance of going? Personally I'm not a big fan of his but he's a very reliable kicker.

Stev_o

Who's Jonny Wilkinson?

conf101 wrote: »

Stev_o wrote: »

Well the list of 10's available isn't the greatest. ROG, Jones, Hook and Flood.

Does no-one think Paterson has a chance of going? Personally I'm not a big fan of his but he's a very reliable kicker.

He isn't a 10 and there is better fullbacks and wings available im afraid.

puntosporting

We need him because our other 10s aren't good enough.

conf101 wrote: »

Stev_o wrote: »

Well the list of 10's available isn't the greatest. ROG, Jones, Hook and Flood.

Does no-one think Paterson has a chance of going? Personally I'm not a big fan of his but he's a very reliable kicker.

Very good place kicker!
Seems to disapear other than that,too light cant argue with his kicking percentage do very consistent penalty kicker,just limited else where!

robgloster

We need him because our other 10s aren't good enough.

puntosporting wrote: »

conf101 wrote: »

Stev_o wrote: »

Well the list of 10's available isn't the greatest. ROG, Jones, Hook and Flood.

Very good place kicker!
Seems to disapear other than that,too light cant argue with his kicking percentage do very consistent penalty kicker,just limited else where!

Very good place kicker at times. Didnt he bottle it for Gloucester last year and missed everything

conf101

robgloster wrote: »

Very good place kicker at times. Didnt he bottle it for Gloucester last year and missed everything

Yeah he did, against Munster in the HEC. Still he had a great 6 Nations in terms of place kicking! I guess he's just not the full package!

Amabokke

Doesn't matter which flyhalf plays, our 3rd choice flyhalf will still make mince pie out of him. Remeber hollywood star Cipriani and Twickenham 2008?

Johnny already received a whip ass from the beefy boks on their last tour - twice! Please save him from further humilation and don't select him.

chupacabra

Who's Jonny Wilkinson?

Amabokke wrote: »

Doesn't matter which flyhalf plays, our 3rd choice flyhalf will still make mince pie out of him. Remeber hollywood star Cipriani and Twickenham 2008?

Johnny already received a whip ass from the beefy boks on their last tour - twice! Please save him from further humilation and don't select him.

I think you rate your chances a little too high. Sure, the boks will probably win the series, but fly half is a weak position in south african rugby at the moment. Pienaar is a bottler, Steyn is as much a "Hollywood star" as Cipriani and any of the club 10's have no experience at the top. Also Butch James is gone.

Amabokke

chupacabra wrote: »

I think you rate your chances a little too high. Sure, the boks will probably win the series, but fly half is a weak position in south african rugby at the moment. Pienaar is a bottler, Steyn is as much a "Hollywood star" as Cipriani and any of the club 10's have no experience at the top. Also Butch James is gone.

that's right, he bottled 20 points at the hammering of England. Steyn is not a flyhalf.

twinytwo

Amabokke wrote: »

Doesn't matter which flyhalf plays, our 3rd choice flyhalf will still make mince pie out of him. Remeber hollywood star Cipriani and Twickenham 2008?

Johnny already received a whip ass from the beefy boks on their last tour - twice! Please save him from further humilation and don't select him.

Like i said comical

chupacabra

Who's Jonny Wilkinson?

Amabokke wrote: »

that's right, he bottled 20 points at the hammering of England. Steyn is not a flyhalf.

3 words. Currie Cup Final. Any bit of pressure on him and he completley bottles it. Dont make me laugh with that england comment, England were nothing that day and didnt put any pressure on anyone.

Heroditas

He should go, he has time to prove he's fit.

twinytwo wrote: »

Jonny is a fantastic player but as we dont no if his legs would hold out.. the boks will hit hard and if he goes down that would leave us with 2/3 10's to cover the rest of the games.

If he gets injured, they can still fly out a replacement.
Replacements were flown out in 2005 - Easterby and Jones.
It's not like the RWC where you're stuck with your panel for the duration of the tour. The only difficulty is parachuting someone in who is not familiar with any of the moves/calls.
I think he should definitely go. Another poster said he can only play 10 man rugby. I disagree. England back in their prime from 2001-2003 certainly played anything but 10 man rugby.