Lions 2017 [MOD WARNING IN OP]

Bazzo

Just flicked it on so didn't catch the full announcement but looks like Andy Farrell is part of the Lions coaching setup.

EDIT: Steve Borthwick and Rob Howley are the other 2 coaches.

Buer

Howley, Borthwick and Farrell. No surprises and nothing exciting.

irishbucsfan

That's the exact expected Lions coaching team!

Nick Mullins, you and your filthy rumour mongering! There was nothing breath-taking about that!

Right, Howley it is then. 3-0 to New Zealand. I'll sleep through it, please wake me up when the Pro 12 resumes.

LuckyGent88

Wouldn't have much confidence in Howley as an attack coach.

thomond2006

I'd love to know what is mind-blowing about this coaching team...Mr. Mullins!

Edit: Damn you IBF...

irishbucsfan

Ah, Gatland says he's looking to add some others. Maybe the mind-blowing name will be amongst them!

molloyjh

irishbucsfan wrote: »

That's the exact expected Lions coaching team!

Nick Mullins, you and your filthy rumour mongering! There was nothing breath-taking about that!

Right, Howley it is then. 3-0 to New Zealand. I'll sleep through it, please wake me up when the Pro 12 resumes.

I'm assuming Mullins was being sarcastic. Either that or was getting paid off to generate some interest in an event that nobody is at all interested in.

With Mullins.

Maybe Lancaster was in the running, but now feels he'll need pre season with Connacht to get up and running.... :eek:

molloyjh

Ah here lads, reading on twitter that Townsend was only offered the assistant attack coach role under Howley. Surely that can't be true!?

captbarnacles

Best is very highly rated in NZ from what I've heard and was the only Irish player to make squad of the tournament in one paper.

I think their comment was something like "A hooker with a flankers ball poaching ability. What's not to like?"

irishbucsfan

Who would win in a fight between Steve Borthwick and Andy Farrell?

irishbucsfan

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Who would win in a fight between Steve Borthwick and Andy Farrell?

The Audience.

Kal El

After seeing some combined teams with England and NZ, I dont know why we bother bringing any other country. Most have England with most players :pac:.
Imagine a team with the England no.8 over Read :pac::pac:

irishbucsfan

Kal El wrote: »

After seeing some combined teams with England and NZ, I dont know why we bother bringing any other country. Most have England with most players :pac:.
Imagine a team with the England no.8 over Read :pac::pac:

You mean Billy Vunipola who was nominated for world player of the year this year?

Kal El

irishbucsfan wrote: »

You mean Billy Vunipola who was nominated for world player of the year this year?

It wasnt him. I saw another player. Nathan Hughes. Couldnt think of his name I loled. Regarding Billy, I personally wouldnt pick him over Read

Professor Moriarty

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Who would win in a fight between Steve Borthwick and Andy Farrell?

Peter O'Mahony.

molloyjh

So apparently Gatland wants 2 different sets of coaches due to the workload, specifically mentioning having 2 different attack coaches. Hence the invitation to Townsend tonwork under Howley. Not sure that's a great idea. You're in danger of having too many chiefs then.

thomond2006

molloyjh wrote: »

So apparently Gatland wants 2 different sets of coaches due to the workload, specifically mentioning having 2 different attack coaches. Hence the invitation to Townsend tonwork under Howley. Not sure that's a great idea. You're in danger of having too many chiefs then.

See 2005 and how that worked out.

Podge_irl

molloyjh wrote: »

So apparently Gatland wants 2 different sets of coaches due to the workload, specifically mentioning having 2 different attack coaches. Hence the invitation to Townsend tonwork under Howley. Not sure that's a great idea. You're in danger of having too many chiefs then.

I do wonder if Townsend would have accepted the offer if it were for backs coach in his own right. Working under the architect of the Welsh attack these days probably doesn't seem that appealing.

penybont exile

Podge_irl wrote: »

I do wonder if Townsend would have accepted the offer if it were for backs coach in his own right. Working under the architect of the Welsh attack these days probably doesn't seem that appealing.

Presumably this is the team that scored more tries than anyone else in this years Six Nations ...... including three at Twickenham (Eddie's team got one by the way) ....... They were also within a cm (very debatable decision) of a fourth and a victory in that game.

............ Ireland & England fans may be in for a shock come Feb/Mar ...... as Mark Twain famously muttered ..... 'Rumours of my death ... etc. etc.

thomond2006

penybont exile wrote: »

Presumably this is the team that scored more tries than anyone else in this years Six Nations ...... including three at Twickenham (Eddie's team got one by the way) ....... They were also within a cm (very debatable decision) of a fourth and a victory in that game.

............ Ireland & England fans may be in for a shock come Feb/Mar ...... as Mark Twain famously muttered ..... 'Rumours of my death ... etc. etc.

Still, what have you done for me lately?

molloyjh

penybont exile wrote: »

Presumably this is the team that scored more tries than anyone else in this years Six Nations ...... including three at Twickenham (Eddie's team got one by the way) ....... They were also within a cm (very debatable decision) of a fourth and a victory in that game.

............ Ireland & England fans may be in for a shock come Feb/Mar ...... as Mark Twain famously muttered ..... 'Rumours of my death ... etc. etc.

Wales have fairly consistently done well against NH teams true, but your record against SH teams is pretty appalling. All of 8 tries in 4 games last month for example. And seeing as we're talking about a tour to the best SH nation I don't think it's unfair to call out the Welsh record in that regard.

Ireland scored 2 tries less than Wales in the 6 Nations this year despite being away to France (you guys scored 1 try at home to France to our 0 away). And that's in a year where we felt our attacking game didn't really click properly because our head coach was trying to do that and the defence coach role at the same time. So the fact that you guys were the highest scorers is true, but at the same time not all that telling given the circumstances IMO.

Buer

penybont exile wrote: »

Presumably this is the team that scored more tries than anyone else in this years Six Nations ...... including three at Twickenham (Eddie's team got one by the way) ....... They were also within a cm (very debatable decision) of a fourth and a victory in that game.

............ Ireland & England fans may be in for a shock come Feb/Mar ...... as Mark Twain famously muttered ..... 'Rumours of my death ... etc. etc.

Stats, in isolation, are incredibly misleading. Wales scored two tries in the final 5 minutes in Twickenham when the game was over.

They then score 9 tries on the final day of the 6N against Italy when Italy simply gave up in Brunel's last game.

Alternatively, we could say Wales back play has been brutal over the past month and they only managed to score 11 tries in their RWC pool despite facing Uruguay and Fiji (8 of their tries came against Uruguay).

Howley isn't a terrible coach but he's far from an inspiring choice either. It really appears to be a case of him being the only viable option.

penybont exile

Buer wrote: »

Stats, in isolation, are incredibly misleading. Wales scored two tries in the final 5 minutes in Twickenham when the game was over.

They then score 9 tries on the final day of the 6N against Italy when Italy simply gave up in Brunel's last game.

Alternatively, we could say Wales back play has been brutal over the past month and they only managed to score 11 tries in their RWC pool despite facing Uruguay and Fiji (8 of their tries came against Uruguay).

Howley isn't a terrible coach but he's far from an inspiring choice either. It really appears to be a case of him being the only viable option.

I 100% agree with you when it comes to stats which is why I rarely quote my Rothmans Year Book on this forum .........

I also agree that our back play has been less than inspiring of late ....... but I do not make the assumption that just because Howley is the Lions attack coach that we're in for a turgid game plan.

I suspect the attitude of most posters here when it comes to the Lions is ambivalent and when extended to the personnel involved is 'anyone as long as they are not associated with Wales'.

Townsend has done a decent job with Glasgow (aka Scotland) .... but he is largely untried at international level. [When he was involved with Scotland they weren't exactly ripping up trees]

JS or EJ were probably Gatland's preference .... but they weren't available hence we have RH who I suspect will do a very good job. To beat NZ you have to deny them possession and keep them under the pump for 80 mins. I think the Lions have the potential to win this series as long as the injury attrition rate doesn't get out of control.

[As for the Twickenham game being over ..... that's a nonsense comment ...... it's not over until it's over]

Professor Moriarty

penybont exile wrote: »

I 100% agree with you when it comes to stats which is why I rarely quote my Rothmans Year Book on this forum .........

I also agree that our back play has been less than inspiring of late ....... but I do not make the assumption that just because Howley is the Lions attack coach that we're in for a turgid game plan.

I suspect the attitude of most posters here when it comes to the Lions is ambivalent and when extended to the personnel involved is 'anyone as long as they are not associated with Wales'.

Townsend has done a decent job with Glasgow (aka Scotland) .... but he is largely untried at international level. [When he was involved with Scotland they weren't exactly ripping up trees]

JS or EJ were probably Gatland's preference .... but they weren't available hence we have RH who I suspect will do a very good job. To beat NZ you have to deny them possession and keep them under the pump for 80 mins. I think the Lions have the potential to win this series as long as the injury attrition rate doesn't get out of control.

[As for the Twickenham game being over ..... that's a nonsense comment ...... it's not over until it's over]

I don't think it's nonsense. Any team who believes they can't win will not be as motivated as a team who believes they can win. That's just a fact.

molloyjh

penybont exile wrote: »

I suspect the attitude of most posters here when it comes to the Lions is ambivalent and when extended to the personnel involved is 'anyone as long as they are not associated with Wales'.

Well that's just not true.

penybont exile wrote: »

[As for the Twickenham game being over ..... that's a nonsense comment ...... it's not over until it's over]

It was 25-7 with 8 minutes to go. That game was over.

Bazzo

penybont exile wrote: »

I suspect the attitude of most posters here when it comes to the Lions is ambivalent and when extended to the personnel involved is 'anyone as long as they are not associated with Wales'.

Based off what exactly...?

penybont exile

Professor Moriarty wrote: »

I don't think it's nonsense. Any team who believes they can't win will not be as motivated as a team who believes they can win. That's just a fact.

Professor .... if you can explain to me how your comment is related to my comment I would maybe be able to answer you!

penybont exile

molloyjh wrote: »

Well that's just not true.



It was 25-7 with 8 minutes to go. That game was over.

Point 1 .... there's plenty of posts on here that lend credence to my opinion .... [I'm not going to dig them up]

Point 2 .... England were defending their try line ....... and it was a contentious call as to whether North was in touch or not on the last play .....

pickarooney

Are we ignoring Glasgow's woeful current form? Townsend has still got a lot to prove.