The first pointless Lions 2017 thread

thomond2006

If I'm picking a 37 man squad today, as per 2013:

20 FORWARDS:
LHs: McGrath, Marler, Vunipola
Hookers: Hartley, Best, Baldwin
THs: Cole, Lee, Nel
Locks: Itoje, Henderson, AWJ, J Gray, Kruis
Flankers: SOB, Warburton, Hardie, Stander
8s: Faletau, Vunipola

17 BACKS:
9s: Murray, Webb, Care
10s: Biggar, Sexton, Ford
Centres: Henshaw, Davies, Daly, Joseph
Wingers: Nowell, Watson, North, Seymour
Fullbacks: Halfpenny, Hogg, Brown

Slaughter the above at your will...

sydthebeat

Wouldn't be surprised to see Farrell ahead of Ford.

and best would be lucky to be honest, based on this championship. He can play so much better

thomond2006

thomond2006 wrote: »

If I'm picking a 37 man squad today, as per 2013:

20 FORWARDS:
LHs: McGrath, Marler, Vunipola
Hookers: Hartley, Best, Baldwin
THs: Cole, Lee, Nel
Locks: Itoje, Henderson, AWJ, J Gray, Kruis
Flankers: SOB, Warburton, Hardie, Stander
8s: Faletau, Vunipola

17 BACKS:
9s: Murray, Webb, Care
10s: Biggar, Sexton, Ford
Centres: Henshaw, Davies, Daly, Joseph
Wingers: Nowell, Watson, North, Seymour
Fullbacks: Halfpenny, Hogg, Brown

Slaughter the above at your will...

Best may not be in the conversation at Hooker currently, I think he's had an average tournament. I need to look at it again but I actually might end up going so far as to say he was bad today bar his darts being good.

Payne makes it ahead of Henshaw tbh, he is currently a better player. Heaslip makes it ahead of Faletau also in my (and not Gatlands) opinion.

Otherwise I'd say that's not inaccurate.

bilston

From an Irish perspective I'd say McGrath, Stander, Heaslip, Murray, Sexton, Henshaw and Payne would be all be there or thereabouts. Henderson, O'Brien and O'Mahony will all be in contention on their return, although I'd be surprised if all four of O'Mahony, Stander, O'Brien and Heaslip went. The back row selection for Ireland when everyone is fit will be fascinating. The Mods are going to love it!!

pickarooney

I'd have Davies and Webb both at 9.

wp_rathead

Farrell will travel for sure and Tuilagi & Slade could come into the reckoning aswell by 2017

neelia11

thomond2006 wrote: »

If I'm picking a 37 man squad today, as per 2013:

20 FORWARDS:
LHs: McGrath, Marler, Vunipola
Hookers: Hartley, Best, Baldwin
THs: Cole, Lee, Nel
Locks: Itoje, Henderson, AWJ, J Gray, Kruis
Flankers: SOB, Warburton, Hardie, Stander
8s: Faletau, Vunipola

17 BACKS:
9s: Murray, Webb, Care
10s: Biggar, Sexton, Ford
Centres: Henshaw, Davies, Daly, Joseph
Wingers: Nowell, Watson, North, Seymour
Fullbacks: Halfpenny, Hogg, Brown

Slaughter the above at your will...

possible half that squad wont go too. If I was picking now Baldwin has no business being anywhere near it. Ken Owens is far better.

errlloyd

Henshaw is much more likely to go than Payne. Mostly because hes better right now, but also becuase hes getting better. Both will struggle though. Assuming the Davies, Roberts, Tualagi, Joseph go with Farrell as a ten-twelve.

swiwi_

I see Stephen Jones has DK in his Lions squad. But no Murray or Sexton.

Discuss...

rsh118

Jones is a noted WUM who takes every chance to 'prove' that JS isn't the best 10 topside.

On a related note, I think it's utter madness that no one has Ringrose down for the Lions. We all know he was only left out of this Six Nations because he spiked his Gatorade on the IRFU president.

swiwi_

Think there is minimal if any chance of ringrose going on the lions tour.

Fanciful thinking given he's uncapped.

Experience will be one of the crucial elements for NZ.

Tox56

swiwi_ wrote: »

I see Stephen Jones has DK in his Lions squad. But no Murray or Sexton.

Discuss...

He actually picked Dave Kearney? What the hell lmao

If anything Sexton now is better than 2013, he had a very good maybe even great championship

Harry FM

PREDICTED team

Head coach:Eddie Jones

1-McGrath
2-Hartley
3-Nel
4-Itoje
5-Wyn Jones
6-Robshaw
7-Hardie
8-B.Vunipola

9-Youngs
10-Sexton
11-Watson
12-Farrell
13-Henshaw
14-North
15-Hogg

16-Baldwin
17-M.Vunipola
18-Cole
19-J.Gray
20-Stander
21-Care
22-Roberts
23-Joseph

Journeyman_1

Harry FM wrote: »

PREDICTED team

Head coach:Eddie Jones

1-McGrath
2-Hartley
3-Nel
4-Itoje
5-Wyn Jones
6-Robshaw
7-Hardie
8-B.Vunipola

9-Youngs
10-Sexton
11-Watson
12-Farrell
13-Henshaw
14-North
15-Hogg

16-Baldwin
17-M.Vunipola
18-Cole
19-J.Gray
20-Stander
21-Care
22-Roberts
23-Joseph

The RTE guys did this for their team of the tournament too and it pisses me off. North almost exclusively plays 11 when he's on the wing. Watson has only played 14 wing for England. Why swap them around? Same happens with Zebo in Ireland threads when people advocate him coming in for Trimble, with Earls at 11!

/rant

errlloyd

North started on the right wing yesterday. Which is weird like, why was he making way for Hallon Amos?

Journeyman_1

errlloyd wrote: »

North started on the right wing yesterday. Which is weird like, why was he making way for Hallon Amos?

I've no problem with a left wing being moved if the other guy can only play one side, or is much better on one side, but in this case you're playing 2 players in their least preferred positions.

Flipper22

errlloyd wrote: »

North started on the right wing yesterday. Which is weird like, why was he making way for Hallon Amos?

Maybe as the more experienced player they felt he'd be better able to cope with the switch. Then again it was Italy so it was never likely to matter.

Harry FM

Journeyman_1 wrote: »

The RTE guys did this for their team of the tournament too and it pisses me off. North almost exclusively plays 11 when he's on the wing. Watson has only played 14 wing for England. Why swap them around? Same happens with Zebo in Ireland threads when people advocate him coming in for Trimble, with Earls at 11!

/rant

In case you didn't notice, Watson was playing on the left wing this whole 6 nations even though he was wearing 14 and North is equally comfortable on either wing. Anyway I don't see why it matters.

corny

I'd go for:

1. McGrath
2. Ford (Not convinced by any of the options)
3. Nel
4. Itoje
5. Kruis (Don't believe AWJ should automatically get a spot but he probably will)
6. SOB
7. Warburton
8. Vunipola
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Watson
12. Roberts
13. Joseph
14. North
15. Brown

jm08

errlloyd wrote: »

Henshaw is much more likely to go than Payne. Mostly because hes better right now, but also becuase hes getting better. Both will struggle though. Assuming the Davies, Roberts, Tualagi, Joseph go with Farrell as a ten-twelve.

Payne is a kiwi who has played super rugby. I'd say he will make it for that reason alone. Similarly with Stander. With England touring NZ this year, I'd expect a lot of their players to make it (depending on how they cope)!

I'm not sure I'd have Warburton & SOB on the same tour playing the same position. Both very injury prone.

edit:

AWJ as captain.

neelia11

jm08 wrote: »

With England touring NZ this year, I'd expect a lot of their players to make it (depending on how they cope)!

wales go to nz
england go to australia

Swan Curry

Who decides who the Lions coach will be?

jm08

neelia11 wrote: »

wales go to nz
england go to australia

Good. That will be an interesting tour to see how they fare as I'd bet on Gatland getting the coaching gig again.

Can't see Eddie Jones or Joe Schmidt getting a year off to prepare.

jm08

Swan Curry wrote: »

Who decides who the Lions coach will be?

Representatives of the 4 unions involved. Think Tom Grace is chair of it this time.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/lions-tour/irfus-tom-grace-appointed-lions-chairman-for-2017-30471992.html

Chairman: Tom Grace (IRFU)
Tour Manager: John Spencer (RFU)

jacothelad

corny wrote: »

I'd go for:

1. McGrath
2. Ford (Not convinced by any of the options)
3. Nel
4. Itoje
5. Kruis (Don't believe AWJ should automatically get a spot but he probably will)
6. SOB
7. Warburton
8. Vunipola
9. Murray
10. Sexton
11. Watson
12. Roberts
13. Joseph
14. North
15. Brown

Ford is relentlessly awful. A dreadfully poor rugby player. I would be surprised if Hogg isn't the 15. The rest are pretty mush as likely to be there as any other.

pickarooney

swiwi_ wrote: »

I see Stephen Jones has DK in his Lions squad. But no Murray or Sexton.

Discuss...

Dave Kearney or Declan Kidney as coach?

I'm not sure Murray will go, competition is fierce at 9.

neelia11

jm08 wrote: »

Good. That will be an interesting tour to see how they fare as I'd bet on Gatland getting the coaching gig again.

Can't see Eddie Jones or Joe Schmidt getting a year off to prepare.

think england might get a few wins, i hope wales play like they did against england. would be nice to see NZ stick 50-60 on them

awec

thomond2006 wrote: »

If I'm picking a 37 man squad today, as per 2013:

20 FORWARDS:
LHs: McGrath, Marler, Vunipola
Hookers: Hartley, Best, Baldwin
THs: Cole, Lee, Nel
Locks: Itoje, Henderson, AWJ, J Gray, Kruis
Flankers: SOB, Warburton, Hardie, Stander
8s: Faletau, Vunipola

17 BACKS:
9s: Murray, Webb, Care
10s: Biggar, Sexton, Ford
Centres: Henshaw, Davies, Daly, Joseph
Wingers: Nowell, Watson, North, Seymour
Fullbacks: Halfpenny, Hogg, Brown

Slaughter the above at your will...

Best won't travel, especially if it's Gatland.

Overlooked last time, he'll be overlooked again. Really needs to have a fantastic 2016 six nations to have any small sniff.

corny

awec wrote: »

Best won't travel, especially if it's Gatland.

Overlooked last time, he'll be overlooked again. Really needs to have a fantastic 2016 six nations to have any small sniff.

In fairness that was a justifiable decision. Best completely played himself out of contention. His throwing fell apart if i'm not mistaken.

rsh118

I think Robert Kitson in the Guardian is a boards member. He reckons Ringrose is a bolster for the lions!

rsh118

rsh118 wrote: »

I think Robert Kitson in the Guardian is a boards member. He reckons Ringrose is a bolster for the lions!

Hardly a boards member considering 0.1% of posters have suggested he should go!

rsh118

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Hardly a boards member considering 0.1% of posters have suggested he should go!

Yeah, and the other 99.9% think he should captain!

In all seriousness though, I think it's one of the maddest 'bolster' stories I've heard in years. Then again, Quinlan..

Yeah_Right

Will Nathan Hughes be eligible for the Lions next year?

The Lost Sheep

Yeah_Right wrote: »

Will Nathan Hughes be eligible for the Lions next year?

Why wouldn't he? Once eligible for England he's eligible to play for the Lions

rsh118

Who is this Hughes? Living in NZ means not watching much Euro rugby!

leakyboots

Not a mention for Rob Evans of Wales?

All 4 Guardian Rugby correspondents had him in their team of the tournament over McGrath and other candidates (one of them gave him ehh props though in his comments)

Didn't see much of Wales' other matches so can't comment too much.

Sexton (3 times) , Murray (2) and Stander (2) were the only Irish players to make their selections.

errlloyd

Evans and McGrath had reasonably close stats.

Team Player Avg gain (m) Carries Carry (m made) Defenders beaten Offloads Passes Missed tackles Successful tackles Tackle success % Turnovers conceded Penalties conceded Handling errors (resulting in turnover) Number of rucks
Ireland Jack McGrath 1.5 43 63 2 1 10 5 55 92 1 6 1 141
Wales Rob Evans 0.5 34 18 1 4 11 4 30 88 2 4 1 71

Yeah_Right

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Why wouldn't he? Once eligible for England he's eligible to play for the Lions

I get that. I just didn't know when he'd be eligible for England. Is it this summer?

Buer

Reasonably close in some facets but massive gaps in others. The above suggests McGrath's mobility and work rate is way beyond that of Evans even allowing for their respective minutes (352 vs 259). Twice the number of rucks made, not far off twice the number of tackles with a better completion rate. Those are huge numbers for a 19 stone prop.

Yeah_Right

rsh118 wrote: »

Who is this Hughes? Living in NZ means not watching much Euro rugby!

No. 8 playing for Wasps. He is of Fijian and Tongan descent I think. Played a couple of seasons for Auckland I the NPC. Don't think he ever played Super rugby. Still quite young and is tearing it up in the Premiership.

Edit: he is 24 and is just Fijian. Played a couple of seasons for Kelston BHS on scholarship. Never played Super Rugby.

leakyboots

I'm not dissing McGrath, I said in one of my post-match comments that he's a shoo-in Lion in my opinion. Just offering some perspective from across the water