Lions 2013 players impressing at RWC

Mr.SlumDuck · 10-10-2011 9:43am #1

So who based on this years RWC so far would make a Lions squad. Be interesting to see who would be picked today. Wonder how many will be still there in 2 yrs.

yupyup7up · 10-10-2011 9:53am

Mr.SlumDuck wrote: »

So who based on this years RWC so far would make a Lions squad. Be interesting to see who would be picked today. Wonder how many will be still there in 2 yrs.

Ireland:

Healy
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip
Murray
Sexton
Bowe
Earls
Kearney

England:

Hartley
Palmer
Youngs
Tuilagi
Ashton
Foden

Scotland:
Gray
Jackson
Ford
Ansbro
Barclay

Wales:
B. Davies
Faletau
A.W Jones
Lydiate
Warburton
A. Brew(I'd imagine)
J. Davies
Halfpenny
North
Preistland
Roberts

I imagine Dan Biggar might step up too by then

totallegend · 10-10-2011 10:30am

Who I would pick, based on recent form and age profile in 2013 and based on a 35-man squad:

Healy, Jenkins, Adam Jones, Stevens, Cole
Best, Hartley, Ford
Lawes, Gray, AW Jones, Croft
Warburton, Ferris, SOB, Heaslip, Faletau, Vernon
Youngs, Wigglesworth, Phillips
Sexton, Priestland, Flood
Roberts, Davies, Tuilagi, Hook
Bowe, North, Ashton, Halfpenny, Trimble
Foden, Kearney

The likes of BOD, POC etc could well make it depending on injuries and such, wouldn't rule them out just yet

Fireball07 · 10-10-2011 10:33am

totallegend wrote: »

Who I would pick, based on recent form and age profile in 2013 and based on a 35-man squad:

Healy, Jenkins, Adam Jones, Stevens, Cole
Best, Hartley, Ford
Lawes, Gray, AW Jones, Croft
Warburton, Ferris, SOB, Heaslip, Faletau, Vernon
Youngs, Wigglesworth, Phillips
Sexton, Priestland, Flood
Roberts, Davies, Tuilagi, Hook
Bowe, North, Ashton, Halfpenny, Trimble
Foden, Kearney

The likes of BOD, POC etc could well make it depending on injuries and such, wouldn't rule them out just yet

I was just doing one out but lost it by clicking on a different website, but it was fairly similar to that.

But both Wigglesworth and Phillips will be over 30, I'd hope Murray would be ready at that stage.

If POC stays fit, he's likely for 2nd row. I don't think BOD will still be there.

Webbs · 10-10-2011 10:36am

yupyup7up wrote: »

Ireland:

Healy
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip
Murray
Sexton
Bowe
Earls
Kearney

England:

Hartley
Palmer
Youngs
Tuilagi
Ashton
Foden

Scotland:
Gray
Jackson
Ford
Ansbro
Barclay

Wales:
B. Davies
Faletau
A.W Jones
Lydiate
Warburton
A. Brew(I'd imagine)
J. Davies
Halfpenny
North
Preistland
Roberts

I imagine Dan Biggar might step up too by then

No Adam Jones :eek:

gosplan · 10-10-2011 11:30am

The backrow would be simply evil!!!!!

my friend · 10-10-2011 11:35am

Lions becoming increasingly irrelevant

It's about as relevant to modern Rugby as an abacus is to I.T.

thomond2006 · 10-10-2011 11:36am

Healy, Best, Jones, Lawes, Gray, O'Brien, Warburton (c), Heaslip;

...would be my pack. Don't know about a backline, so many wingers are in form.

CatFromHue · 10-10-2011 11:46am

my friend wrote: »

Lions becoming increasingly irrelevant

It's about as relevant to modern Rugby as an abacus is to I.T.

Are they irrelevant to 6 Nations, World Cups, and Tri Nations? Yes.

Do they players want to play and win in them? Very much so yes.

Do the fans want the players to play in them and win? Yes.

As long as the bottom two questions are still yes then the Lions will continue.

irishbucsfan · 10-10-2011 12:11pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

Are they irrelevant to 6 Nations, World Cups, and Tri Nations? Yes.

Do they players want to play and win in them? Very much so yes.

Do the fans want the players to play in them and win? Yes.

As long as the bottom two questions are still yes then the Lions will continue.

Not to mention the important: Do the Southern Hemisphere's Unions rely on them for crucial income? Absolutely

bamboozle · 10-10-2011 12:16pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

Are they irrelevant to 6 Nations, World Cups, and Tri Nations? Yes.

Do they players want to play and win in them? Very much so yes.

Do the fans want the players to play in them and win? Yes.

As long as the bottom two questions are still yes then the Lions will continue.

+1

my favourite rugby is Lions rugby, its a highlight in an international players career, especially for the SH players to play in a winning lions series on their turf.

wixfjord · 10-10-2011 12:21pm

thomond2006 wrote: »

Healy, Best, Jones, Lawes, Gray, O'Brien, Warburton (c), Heaslip;

...would be my pack. Don't know about a backline, so many wingers are in form.

**** that is a serious pack!
Would have SOB at 8 and Ferris at 6 tho.

cgpg5 · 10-10-2011 12:49pm

Stab in the dark.. obviously so much will change.

15. Foden
14. Bowe
13. Tuilagi
12. Roberts
11. Ashton
10. Sexton
9. Murray
1. Sheridan/Healy
2. Best
3. A.Jones
4. Gray
5. Lawes
6. Ferris
7. Warburton (c)
8. SOB

BoardsMember · 10-10-2011 12:56pm

yupyup7up wrote: »

Ireland:

Healy
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip
Murray
Sexton
Bowe
Earls
Kearney

Earls - no chance, based on any performance I have ever seen.

Heaslip - no chance as a number 8 in current form, but dearly hope he regains his old form, and soon.

Murray - too many good scrum halves in front of him - Youngs, Wigglesworth, Phillips, not to mention Reddan, and maybe even Boss

Trimble might force his way in there, if our learned coaches decide to reward players that play well every time they get the opportunity...

LondonIrish90 · 10-10-2011 12:58pm

Webbs wrote: »

No Adam Jones :eek:

Or Tom Croft!

Unpopular on here I reckon, but Courtney Lawes is in with a shout :pac:

wixfjord · 10-10-2011 1:01pm

LondonIrish90 wrote: »

Or Tom Croft!

Unpopular on here I reckon, but Courtney Lawes is in with a shout :pac:

You have got to be joking!
Surely that's not a huge surprise. Hell, even Lawes is a better 6 than Croft.

Fireball07 · 10-10-2011 2:03pm

thomond2006 wrote: »

Healy, Best, Jones, Lawes, Gray, O'Brien, Warburton (c), Heaslip;

...would be my pack. Don't know about a backline, so many wingers are in form.

I was about to reply but wixfjord said it.

I'd possibly have Davies/Jones/POC ahead of Lawes in the starting XV.

wixfjord wrote: »

**** that is a serious pack!
Would have SOB at 8 and Ferris at 6 tho.

cgpg5 wrote: »

Stab in the dark.. obviously so much will change.

15. Foden
14. Bowe
13. Tuilagi
12. Roberts
11. Ashton
10. Sexton
9. Murray
1. Sheridan/Healy
2. Best
3. A.Jones
4. Gray
5. Lawes
6. Ferris
7. Warburton (c)
8. SOB

Very similar to what I'd pick but Youngs ahead of Murray on current form- but I'm very hopeful about Murray. Possible North ahead of Bowe/Ashton too. And as I said above, I might have Lawes on the bench.

Teferi · 10-10-2011 2:15pm

my friend wrote: »

Lions becoming increasingly irrelevant

It's about as relevant to modern Rugby as an abacus is to I.T.

Read a history of the lions and your mind will change. One of the finest rugby traditions we have.

Fight_Night · 10-10-2011 3:24pm

Teferi wrote: »

Read a history of the lions and your mind will change. One of the finest rugby traditions we have.

Not to mention very entertaining, I love seeing all the home nations playing together against a common enemy - the SH.

1. Healy
2. Best(probably won't be first choice by 2013)
3. Jones
4. Lawes
5. Gray
6. Ferris
7. Warburton
8. SOB

Pack picks itself really

9. Youngs(maybe McGrath if we're lucky)
10. Priestland/Flood/Sexton
11. Ashton
12. Roberts
13. Tuilagi
14. North
15. Foden

Webbs · 10-10-2011 3:35pm

Fight_Night wrote: »

Not to mention very entertaining, I love seeing all the home nations playing together against a common enemy - the SH.

1. Healy
2. Best(probably won't be first choice by 2013)
3. Jones
4. Lawes
5. Gray
6. Ferris
7. Warburton
8. SOB

Pack picks itself really

9. Youngs(maybe McGrath if we're lucky)
10. Priestland/Flood/Sexton
11. Ashton
12. Roberts
13. Tuilagi
14. North
15. Foden

Am still not convinced by Youngs he can tend to go missing if things arent going well and I would definitely have Jenkins ahead of Healy (though as its Australia his deficiencies in the scrum wouldnt be shown up)

yupyup7up · 10-10-2011 3:51pm

Webbs wrote: »

No Adam Jones :eek:

When writing up my list, I was thinking of 4 years away not 2

BoardsMember wrote: »

Earls - no chance, based on any performance I have ever seen.

Heaslip - no chance as a number 8 in current form, but dearly hope he regains his old form, and soon.

Murray - too many good scrum halves in front of him - Youngs, Wigglesworth, Phillips, not to mention Reddan, and maybe even Boss

Trimble might force his way in there, if our learned coaches decide to reward players that play well every time they get the opportunity...

Earls has been on a Lions tour already and has improved a lot, he will improve significantly again by 2013. I guarantee he'll be chosen.

Heaslip has class, he is just off form ATM. another shoe-in.

As with Earls, Murray will improve significantly. Look at how quickly he broke into the Irish team. His international career is in its infancy. I reckon he'll get in.
Yeah Trimble was hard done by for the WC, but let's see how he does this season

totallegend · 10-10-2011 4:56pm

Suppose the next question is, who will the coach be? Gatland has to be the front runner, maybe with Kidney as assistant? Have to assume Edwards will be involved too. Don't they normally get appointed a year in advance? Next six nations is key

10-10-2011 5:21pm

1 Healy/Jones
2 Best/Hartley/Strauss
3 Jones/Cole
4 Lawes/POC
5 Gray/AW Jones
6 SOB/Ferris
7 Warburton/Tipuric (genuinely)
8 SOB/Felatau
9 Yongs/Care/Peel
10 Sexton/Priestland
11 North/Earls
12 Roberts/McFadden
13 Tuilagi/Thomas
14 Bowe/Ashton
15 Foden/Halfpenny

1 Scottish
8 English
9 Irish
12 Welsh

Phonehead · 10-10-2011 5:24pm

yupyup7up wrote: »

When writing up my list, I was thinking of 4 years away not 2

Earls has been on a Lions tour already and has improved a lot, he will improve significantly again by 2013. I guarantee he'll be chosen.

Heaslip has class, he is just off form ATM. another shoe-in.

As with Earls, Murray will improve significantly. Look at how quickly he broke into the Irish team. His international career is in its infancy. I reckon he'll get in.
Yeah Trimble was hard done by for the WC, but let's see how he does this season

I really don't think Earls has improved significantly at all, since the Lions he has been tried in the centre and full back - all failed miserably, on the wing he can finish and is quick but his defence is still very poor and his on field vision is still very much towards running straight and fast. With Wales producing players like North and England with with Ashton I think Earls could be a long way from a Lions wing position. Murray went AWOL when the going got tough and he has a long way to go before being anywhere near the Lions S/H position.

jacothelad · 10-10-2011 5:34pm

my friend wrote: »

Lions becoming increasingly irrelevant

It's about as relevant to modern Rugby as an abacus is to I.T.

Nonsense. The Lions are very important otherwise why would we be talking about them two years before the tour.

Healy I think is very unlikely to make a Lions Tour on his propping ability. There are quite a few better scrummaging 1s than him. Corbisiero and Jenkins spring to mind immediately and quite a few other English props. Of course he may get better at it but just because he is the best we have and a (non passing) brute in the loose doesn't make him a potential Lions player.

As for all the hype surrounding Murray, I haven't seen why. Dead slow to the ball and a slow pass. There are a stack of better s.h's around in these islands. What we have with Murray is another Michael Bradley type scenario. While he may not be the son-in-law of the man who picks the team, Murray as yet is a poor scrum half who has become an undroppable millstone.

Cpt_Blackbeard wrote: »

He said himself that people laugh at him when he says that he hasn't ruled out still being around but, he said that there is no great reason why its an impossibility. If any of the stories coming out of the Irish camp were to be believed, he was the fittest/strongest guy there. Thats no mean feat for a 35 year old in a group that contained Ferris/SOB/Leamy/POC/Healy.

Yes I heard that from Frankie as well. Who would have thought an agent would try to big up one of his clients? What next, Frankie selecting one as m.o.t.m.?

Fireball07 · 10-10-2011 5:40pm

[QUOTE=jYes I heard that from Frankie as well. Who would have thought an agent would try to big up one of his clients? What next, Frankie selecting one as m.o.t.m.?[/QUOTE]

To be fair, POC always says that Wallace is the fittest player in the Munster panel. No reason why he'd lie...

jacothelad · 10-10-2011 5:51pm

Fireball07 wrote: »

To be fair, POC always says that Wallace is the fittest player in the Munster panel. No reason why he'd lie...

I was joking. You know - one of these.

Fireball07 · 10-10-2011 6:10pm

jacothelad wrote: »

I was joking. You know - one of these.

Haha okay, fair enough. But if Frankie Sheahan said it, that's plenty reason to doubt it.

conor1979 · 10-10-2011 6:20pm

My opinions on the Irish that were named, didnt get to see enough of any of the other nations to comment

yupyup7up wrote: »

Ireland:

Healy
Ferris
SOB
Heaslip would be lucky to make the 22
Murray not a chance, missing for half the Welsh game alone
Sexton
Bowe
Earls defensely weak so plenty of others ahead of him
Kearney lost his mojo going forward, needs to pick it up

yupyup7up · 10-10-2011 6:37pm

Phonehead wrote: »

I really don't think Earls has improved significantly at all, since the Lions he has been tried in the centre and full back - all failed miserably, on the wing he can finish and is quick but his defence is still very poor and his on field vision is still very much towards running straight and fast. With Wales producing players like North and England with with Ashton I think Earls could be a long way from a Lions wing position. Murray went AWOL when the going got tough and he has a long way to go before being anywhere near the Lions S/H position.

The Lions tour is nearly 2 years off, i think theres plenty of time for improvement. Earls has done very well on the wing. Where has his defence been suspect on the wing? He may not be the best defensively at centre but he does very well on the wing.
Heaslip will come good again too. Players form goes up and down, and writing them off 2 years before a test series is insane.

Podge_irl · 10-10-2011 6:46pm

yupyup7up wrote: »

The Lions tour is nearly 2 years off, i think theres plenty of time for improvement. Earls has done very well on the wing. Where has his defence been suspect on the wing?

Em...against Wales.

On current form Heaslip isn't going to make it into the test team, and I actually don't see that really changing. Think SOB will probably end up at 8 for the Lions. He should make the squad though - not a real glut of great 8s at the moment.

conor1979 · 10-10-2011 7:03pm

yupyup7up wrote: »

The Lions tour is nearly 2 years off, i think theres plenty of time for improvement. Earls has done very well on the wing. Where has his defence been suspect on the wing? He may not be the best defensively at centre but he does very well on the wing.
Heaslip will come good again too. Players form goes up and down, and writing them off 2 years before a test series is insane.

OP asked about picking based on RWC form. And yes, his defense is suspect on the wing.

wixfjord · 10-10-2011 8:01pm

Think we're all forgetting about Richardt Strauss lads.
He was immense during the WC

totallegend · 10-10-2011 8:12pm

wixfjord wrote: »

Think we're all forgetting about Richardt Strauss lads.
He was immense during the WC

If Strauss can replicate his Leinster form from last season, he'll be a definite Irish international beginning in the 2013 Six Nations; will he be able to stake a claim for a Lions jersey in a relatively short time? There is a lack of really top-class hookers at the moment, Hartley doesn't seem to be stepping up to the mark, Huw Bennett is a bit off the pace and the others are shoving on a bit. Picked tomorrow, the hookers would be Ford, Best and and AN Other, Strauss could easily be that Other.

mossyc123 · 10-10-2011 8:19pm

It's 19 Months away...so why isn't O'Driscoll being considered here?!

He will be 34 and 4 Months by the time it kicks off.

No reason to believe he won't still be performing at the top level till then or is there?

AFAIK he is still on an International IRFU contract until Summer 2013... so he will be playing the next 2 6 Nations campaigns anyway.

Will there be 2 better Number 13's around by then?

remwhite · 10-10-2011 8:25pm

yupyup7up wrote: »

The Lions tour is nearly 2 years off, i think theres plenty of time for improvement. Earls has done very well on the wing. Where has his defence been suspect on the wing? He may not be the best defensively at centre but he does very well on the wing.
Heaslip will come good again too. Players form goes up and down, and writing them off 2 years before a test series is insane.

I have never been impressed by Earls. He is blessed with everything it takes to be a world class rugby player bar the top two inches. Just runs into contact or shovels it on. Great try scoring record for Ireland but they've pretty much all been from 5 to 15 meters and a straight foot race.

He may have traveled with the last Lions tour but he was khak!

Trimble is a better player if you ask me. Also, FitzGerald is a good way off the boil these days but on form is a vastly better player than Earls.

Mr.SlumDuck · 10-10-2011 8:33pm

Surely O Driscoll is targeting to retire after he wins a Lions Series. Seems to have been on his mind considering the timing of his contract etc.

Hype710 · 10-10-2011 9:27pm

Mr.SlumDuck wrote: »

Surely O Driscoll is targeting to retire after he wins a Lions Series. Seems to have been on his mind considering the timing of his contract etc.

Exactly, he's stated many times that it's a huge goal of his and I wouldn't be surprised if he seriously cut down on his workload over the next 18 months in order to make it. Tuilagi and Roberts will definitely be there, BOD and Davies probably following them. What an inspiration for the side he could be.

Hype710 · 10-10-2011 9:32pm

Something like:

Foden
Bowe
Tuilagi
Roberts
North
Priestland
Philips

Healy
Hartley
Jones
Lawes
O'Connell
Ferris (Lydiate if injured)
Warburton (C)
O' Brien

Strauss
Cole
Gray
Haskell
Youngs
Sexton
Kearney

handsomecake · 10-10-2011 9:50pm

yupyup7up wrote: »

Ireland:

Murray

your easily impressed

CatFromHue · 10-10-2011 9:57pm

I'm surprised Hartley is being mentioned so much. Best had a far better World Cup.

The same with Tuilagi, Davies from Wales was much more effective.

thomond2006 · 10-10-2011 10:03pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

I'm surprised Hartley is being mentioned so much. Best had a far better World Cup.

The same with Tuilagi, Davies from Wales was much more effective.

Hartley was 2nd choice for England wasn't he? Thompson started against France, don't know about the other games.

CatFromHue · 10-10-2011 10:11pm

Thompson started against Scotland, Romania, and Argentina. Hartley is/was very much second choice.

PhatPiggins · 10-10-2011 10:15pm

totallegend wrote: »

If Strauss can replicate his Leinster form from last season, he'll be a definite Irish international beginning in the 2013 Six Nations; will he be able to stake a claim for a Lions jersey in a relatively short time? There is a lack of really top-class hookers at the moment, Hartley doesn't seem to be stepping up to the mark, Huw Bennett is a bit off the pace and the others are shoving on a bit. Picked tomorrow, the hookers would be Ford, Best and and AN Other, Strauss could easily be that Other.

Mathew Rees will retake the Welsh 2 jersey as soon as he's fit. I know he'll be 33 but he has relatively low milage on the clock. Will easily be in the mix for 2013.

Strauss, barring injuries, won't be in the majority Irish 22's in 2012. He might be in the mix in 2013. Will that be enough time to force he's way in ahead of the starting hookers from Wales and England?

Podge_irl · 10-10-2011 10:20pm

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Strauss, barring injuries, won't be in the majority Irish 22's in 2012. He might be in the mix in 2013. Will that be enough time to force he's way in ahead of the starting hookers from Wales and England?

As things stand Strauss will definitely be involved as soon as he's available, so that's Nov '12. Only leaves the '13 6N for him to make an impact though really - may not be enough.

Cpt_Blackbeard · 10-10-2011 10:39pm

jacothelad wrote: »

Yes I heard that from Frankie as well. Who would have thought an agent would try to big up one of his clients? What next, Frankie selecting one as m.o.t.m.?

What did Sheahan say about him? But, he isn't his agent anyway.

I can't remember if I read it on twitter or on one of the players blogs but, whenever any gym sessions were mentioned, Wally's name was invariably on top. Kidney's comments about his fitness when he was ruled out were also quite telling.

WeeBushy · 10-10-2011 10:49pm

In terms of time I think Strauss has time. He's had two huge seasons at Leinster, hopefully another one, and then a full season of potential international rugby. A lot of decisions are based on that year's form anyway.

This is on the basis that he continues on his upward course, that is.

PhatPiggins · 11-10-2011 12:19am

Podge_irl wrote: »

As things stand Strauss will definitely be involved as soon as he's available, so that's Nov '12. Only leaves the '13 6N for him to make an impact though really - may not be enough.

Is he not qualified till then? I thought it was sooner for some reason. He has no chance then I'd say. He won't walk into the squad ahead of Cronin intially and will struggle to start 2 games in the 2013 6N's.

castie · 11-10-2011 5:22am

PhatPiggins wrote: »

Is he not qualified till then? I thought it was sooner for some reason. He has no chance then I'd say. He won't walk into the squad ahead of Cronin intially and will struggle to start 2 games in the 2013 6N's.

If Cronin isnt getting alot of game time at Leinster he could struggle to get a place too.

If Fla sorts out his calf issues he would be 1/2 with Best.
If not whoever is getting the game time at Munster will probably be picked ahead of Cronin unless he somehow gets ahead of Strauss.

11-10-2011 5:59am

castie wrote: »

If Cronin isnt getting alot of game time at Leinster he could struggle to get a place too.

If Fla sorts out his calf issues he would be 1/2 with Best.
If not whoever is getting the game time at Munster will probably be picked ahead of Cronin unless he somehow gets ahead of Strauss.

At the moment, that's looking like one of the biggest IFs we've ever had. Flannery's glass calf is a nightmare

castie · 11-10-2011 6:02am

Deleted User wrote: »

At the moment, that's looking like one of the biggest IFs we've ever had. Flannery's glass calf is a nightmare

Was almost the same with POC with his groin so Im keeping the faith

Lions 2013 players impressing at RWC

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