Lions to be announced in 25 mins....

kenmc

The Sunday Times reconed we'd have 9ish players
Byrne
Hayes
Kelly
OConnell
OGara
ODriscoll (Captain)
D'Arcy
Murphy
Either Foley or OCallaghan.
interesting to see what actually happens. Apparently Brennan got an xmas card from Woodward putting him in the frame. And there's Hill, Dallaglio and Back who aren't playing international rugby either, and the un-insurable wilkonson. No matter what you can be sure that there'll be more English players than anything else, even though the finished 4th in the 6 nations!!!
Roll on 12 oclock!!!!

MG

Yeah the criteria will be interesting - I'm expecting:

England, out of form for 6N but that doesn't matter so lots of players
Wales, in form for the 6N and that matters so lots of players
Ireland, out of form for the 6N and that matters so few players

Twisted logic. I also expect a surprise selection - an uncapped player or untested player from a club in the overrated ZP.

Shrimp

byrne?

kenmc

there's 4 hookers travelling, so it's almost a dead cert. question is does he bring both thompson and titterall?

Shrimp

Leave titterall!

kenmc

MG wrote:

Wales, in form for the 6N and that matters so lots of players

The times disagrees with you there, in that there's no way that woodward will let them play the exciting adventurous off-the-cuff rugby that Wales did for the 6 nations, so won't be bringing too many of them.
Henson is a cert, Williams of course. gethin jenkins in at loose head.
ooooh 11 mins to go!!

Downtime

At work and missing the press conference?

We log on to http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4425357.stm#

and watch it live.

kenmc

here it goes!!!!
surprised they didn't show him getting out of the car and entering the building, what with the whole "pre-match" commentary they have on sky sports!

Shrimp

12:05 .. it's 12:04 now

kenmc

11!!!!

Downtime

Squad: Brian O'Driscoll (Captain), Neil Back, Iain Balshaw, Gordon Bulloch, Shane Byrne, Gareth Cooper, Martin Corry, Chris Cusiter, Lawrence Dallaglio, Matt Dawson, Gordon D'Arcy,Will Greenwood, Danny Grewcock, John Hayes, Gavin Henson, Denis Hickie, Richard Hill, Charlie Hodgson, Shane Horgan, Gethin Jenkins, Stephen Jones, Ben Kay, Josh Lewsey, Lewis Moody, Geordan Murphy, Donnacha O'Callaghan, Paul O'Connell, Ronan O'Gara, Malcolm O'Kelly, Michael Owen, Dwayne Peel, Jason Robinson, Graham Rowntree, Tom Shanklin, Andy Sheridan, Ollie Smith, Matt Stevens, Simon Taylor, Gareth Thomas, Steve Thompson, Andy Titterrell, Julian White, Martyn Williams, Shane Williams

uberwolf

kenmc wrote:

11!!!!

Backs: I Balshaw (England and Leeds), G Murphy (Ireland and Leinster), J Robinson (England and Sale Sharks), G Thomas (Wales and Toulouse), S Williams (Wales and Neath-Swansea Ospreys), J Lewsey (England and Wasps), S Horgan (Ireland and Leinster), D Hickie (Ireland and Leinster), T Shanklin (Wales and Cardiff Blues), B O'Driscoll (Ireland and Leinster, capt), G Henson (Wales and Neath-Swansea Ospreys), O Smith (England and Leicester), G D'Arcy (Ireland and Leinster), W Greenwood (England and Harlequins), S Jones (Wales and Clermont Auvergne), R O'Gara (Ireland and Munster), C Hodgson (England and Sale Sharks), M Dawson (England and Wasps), D Peel (Wales and Llanelli Scarlets), G Cooper (Wales and Newport Gwent Dragons), C Cusiter (Scotland and Borders).
Forwards: G Rowntree (England and Leicester), A Sheridan (England and Sale Sharks), M Stevens (England and Bath), G Jenkins (Wales and Cardiff Blues), J White (England and Leicester), J Hayes (Ireland and Munster), G Bulloch (Scotland and Glasgow), S Thompson (England and Northampton), A Titterrell (England and Sale Sharks), S Byrne (Ireland and Leinster), D Grewcock (England and Bath), B Kay (England and Leicester), M O'Kelly (Ireland and Leinster), D O'Callaghan (Ireland and Munster), P O'Connell (Ireland and Munster), M Owen (Wales and Newport Gwent Dragons), R Hill (England and Saracens), N Back (England and Leicester), M Williams (Wales and Cardiff Blues), L Moody (England and Leicester), S Taylor (Scotland and Edinburgh), M Corry (England and Leicester), L Dallaglio (England and Wasps).

BigCon

It's 11 - D'Arcy was named, Wilkinson is out...

Downtime

D'Arcy is in and Wilkinson may travel yet.

besty

good showing. im glad hickie and horgan got in. their form merits it. strange call to bring donncha but his physicality might be just right in a tight match in NZ. i doubt he will be in the test match squad though. still, nobody thought jeremy davidson would have such a key role in south africa

Downtime

besty wrote:

strange call to bring donncha but his physicality might be just right in a tight match in NZ.

And his mentality - he's just crazy enough to upset them

MG

I take it back SCW, for the most part it is a good squad. I'd be a wee bit pi$$ed off if I were Welsh.

Delighted to see the likes of DOC, Hickie & Horgan in. Not hyped like some English players but quality.

My three problems with the squad are Greenwood, Ollie Smith and especially Balshaw (one good game v Italy!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Any notable omissions other than Wilko?

Trojan

Contrast with: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/4408245.stm

RodVelvet

Im quite happy with that selection. 11 Irishmen is more than I thought would go. Still Im a bit surprised both Hickie and Horgan are going. Glad to see DOC getting the oppertunity, I know Sir Clive rates him highly and I think hes a better player than MOK. I could definitely see him having a big impact in the test team. The Welsh quota seems right to me and I think itll be the English old guard for the backrow.

Downtime

MG wrote:

Any notable omissions other than Wilko?

Girvan Demspey - personally I'm gutted.

PH01

My first reaction was to the 20 English me picked! What!!!??? They must be just going along with the ride with Woodward.

Woodward wrote:

"If we were playing this weekend, the majority of the starting XV would come from Wales and Ireland, with two players from England and one from Scotland.

Surely he should bring along a few more Welsh boyos along instead?

kenmc

Naw - dempsey was never gonna make it. Although how Balshaw made it is rather puzzling. Was funny on the sky news they were asking a load of commentators to name their starting 15 Lions, and one (can't remember who) said "Iain Balshaw" and kept a dead pan face for about 5 seconds (just long enough for me to say "you've got to be sh|tting me") and then he burst out laughing.....

Nukem

Ok i have a few small niggly things there........................OH LIKE THE AMOUNT OF FOOKING ENGLISH HE IS BRINGING & THE LACK OF WELCH.
And i commence rant and i don't care - Hodgson?(had to but would rap Wilko in Cotton wool till the Summer and drop Charlie)
Lawerence Dallaghio???????????????? What the F*ck.
Greenwood he's spent more time on the bloody sidlines injured this season and its not like he sets the world alight when he plays.Neil Back i suppose but he's retired aint he(best ball killer in the game),think Byrne will be shown up out there and we will see how far he has lost his game.

Man i hope they are the midweek players caus otherwise i dunno.Anyone know the call up squad. Brennan,Wallace,Horan

So anyone taking a stab at the old first team.

MG

kenmc wrote:

Naw - dempsey was never gonna make it. Although how Balshaw made it is rather puzzling. Was funny on the sky news they were asking a load of commentators to name their starting 15 Lions, and one (can't remember who) said "Iain Balshaw" and kept a dead pan face for about 5 seconds (just long enough for me to say "you've got to be sh|tting me") and then he burst out laughing.....

I'd have Girvan Dempsey in the test side.





Dead Pan face...........wait five seconds.........




Burst out laughing.

vorbis

You'd know it was an englishman who picked the squad. How did he manage to pick 20 of them. Balshaw and Hodgson, how on earth? Was he not watching Hodgson this season?? Balshaw has barely played one game for England this season. He also picked Dawson. He's good but has hardly been playing that much rugby.

Sangre

Some crazy English selections but we'll be better off he brought those retired internationally.
Donncha must be delighted.
Shame O' Connor didn't make the squad, he had a great tournament but I guess there was just too much competition.

spanner

BOD captain, good choice i think. i am sure the welsh wont be happy,

spanner

spanner wrote:

BOD captain, good choice i think. i am sure the welsh wont be happy,

nah, he's a fantastic player, but not much of a captain. He's one of those "if it gets rough, just give it to me" players, who lose the head a bit too easily.

Stormfox1020

I knew fèckin Woodward wouldnt pick that many welsh players the bastard. I just knew it. I can't believe 20 englishs players are going. WTF! Titterall, Hill, Sheridan, Dawson, Hodgeson, Balshaw???? Come on this has to be a joke. TBH I know Balshaw in person and hes dead on, but theres no way in hell he should be on this lions tour. Try Sean Lamonte intstead. Hill, Back, Dawson, Sheridan, Titterall havent even started an International match, some not even as a sub. Wheres Colin Charvis, Ryan Jones or Luscombe? Seriously. Would've been nice to see Wallace on the Tour. Overall a good selection from the Irish squad. Not to sure on Denis Hickie though.

daveirl

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[Jackass]

Fairly predictable squad... picked more on reputation rather than form, but i don't feel bad for the welsh...if you go by form, the Irish and English have gotten away with more than there fair share, but on talent it's the right squad. Hopefully Wilkonson will be rushed back as usual so he will get injured again. Poor Scotland. Maybe they should take up cricket.

vorbis

Form is a pretty major thing in my book. Some of the players picked on supposed "talent" haven't being playing that well for a long time. If Woodward adopts the same attitude for the test matches, we'll get hammered.

Downtime

Iain Balshaw? WTF? Even he was surprised - cos he knows he is sh1te.

BolBill

Too many English but hes gone with experience of winning in New Zealand, as Back. Hill and Diageo have.
O'Callaghan is no surprise and will probably start the first test, Woodward rates him highly regardless of O'Sullivan. Horgan is a surprise for me, still don't rate Shaggy that highly, I'd love to see him steamroll a bit more, like he did for his 'try' against Leicester. O'Gara won't make the test side either unless there are injuries. I'd start Dawson, hes a great scrum half despite the fact hes an annoying git. Hodgson is a terrible selection, he cant handle the pressure at all.
Tindall is too busy banging Sara Phillips and wont be fit. Woodward is an awful selection, I'd say the Irish might just tackle him a little harder than anyone else in training, the man is a c**t.

besty

ok, here goes nothing.
my test team;

1. Jenkins/Sheridan
2. Thompson
3. Hayes
4. Kay
5. O'Connell
6. Taylor/Moody
7. Back
8. Dallalio

9. Peel
10. R O'G
11. D'arcy/Lewsey
12.Shanklin
13. B O'D
14. Robinson
15. Murphy

spanner

besty wrote:

ok, here goes nothing.
my test team;

1. Jenkins/Sheridan
2. Thompson
3. Hayes
4. Kay
5. O'Connell
6. Taylor/Moody
7. Back
8. Dallalio

9. Peel
10. R O'G<

---

11. D'arcy/Lewsey
12.Shanklin
13. B O'D
14. Robinson
15. Murphy

please tell me not ROG

spanner

Deleted User wrote:

nah, he's a fantastic player, but not much of a captain. He's one of those "if it gets rough, just give it to me" players, who lose the head a bit too easily.

Thats probably the reason why i would pick him, he leads from the front, when the pressure is on he shines ethier with that all important kick, tackle or try. he has come in for a lot of unfair stick, some people were saying shanklin to get ahead of him, havent heard anything so stupid as that. BOD thrives on the big games as we see time and time again.

what i think you mean is his leadership skills, i guess he isnt the dallialigo or johnson always talking to the players but i think you have to be in a team with somebody to see their true leadership qualities.

probably will be paired up with henson, i wonder how he will take that

I meant that in the heat of the moment he turns the game into a personal thing, which does work sometimes, he can get the team sparked up, but in more frustrating matches, such as against the welsh, he didn't know what to do cause his tactics weren't working, maybe the tour alongside players like Dawson, Dallaligo, Bulloch and Williams might have a good effect on him though?

Chucky the tree

besty wrote:

ok, here goes nothing.
my test team;

1. Jenkins/Sheridan
2. Thompson
3. Hayes
4. Kay
5. O'Connell
6. Taylor/Moody
7. Back
8. Dallalio

9. Peel
10. R O'G
11. D'arcy/Lewsey
12.Shanklin
13. B O'D
14. Robinson
15. Murphy

barring injury there is no way in hell d'arcy, hayes and ROG will make the team, they will even struggle to make the squad.

daveirl

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